Rabbi Nof's Or Hadash Blog
Dear Friends,
Hag Sameach! A Good Yom Tev!
On the seder evening we say "ma nishtana halayla haze micol haleilot" ("Why is this night different from all other nights?"). This year our seder was different from the ones we had in past years because a family of refugees from Sudan joined us.
25 people gathered for the seder. People who are alone are welcome to join me and my family at Or Hadash. Two years ago several homeless people came to our seder, last year Ethiopian new immigrants joined us and this year it was a another special experience.
When we arrived to the part of the Hagada in which we recite: "each person must see himself as though he left Egypt", I asked each one of our guests where they were last year and if this was their first seder in Israel. It was interesting because people from five continents were present at our seder: from South and North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Afterwards I asked what the best thing that happened since last Pesach. When it came time for the family from Darfur to answer, the mother, Freweyeni, was very shy and did not speak, the daughter, Dagmawit, was mostly occupied with finding the aficoman, but the father, Binaim, had two things to be especially grateful for this year: The first was that he arrived with his family in Israel and the second was that while still in Africa, he managed to see his mother after ten years, most of these years not even knowing if the rest of his family was dead or alive.
I told everyone that our ancestors came out of Egypt 3,300 years ago and our guests, the refugees from Darfur, came to Israel this year the same way the children of Israel did then. They arrived only a few months ago traveling through Africa by car, but crossing the border into Israel by foot.
Three days before Passover began, on Wednesday, April 16th, Holocaust survivors came to Or Hadash with their families for the annual Amcha model seder (Amcha is an association that provides support for Holocaust survivors and their families). On Thursday, April 17, we held a model seder for children of our Moadonit (after school program) and on April 18, another model seder for our preschool children took place. We also held model seders for conversion students, new immigrants and bar/bat mitzvah families during the week.
On Friday night, April 25, we will celebrate our 7th day of Passover congregational seder in our sanctuary with Prof. Paula Rayman from Boston as our special guest.
On behalf of Or Hadash, I want to wish you a meaningful Pesach. I hope you enjoy spending time with your families. We should always cherish the fact that we are free people and not slaves.
Ciao,
Edgar
Chaverim Yekarim,
Shalom!
Now that the January Tu B'shvat celebrations are over and before we prepare for Purim activities in March we had the pleasure of hosting many friends visiting us from abroad.
Rabbi Amy Bernstein from Temple Israel in Duluth, MN arrived this week and she is staying with us for the next two months as part of her sabbatical. Her daughter Eliana (4) is going to be a student in our preschool and we are looking forward to learning from Rabbi Bernstein's wisdom.
Cantor Rachel and Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker, from our sister congregation, Mount Zion Temple of St. Paul, MN spend Shabbat "Mishpatim" with us. Rachel, who was the cantor in the last Biennial, marveled us with her talent and sweet voice while Adam delivered a beautiful Dvar Torah during Kabalat Shabbat (see attached). On Shabbat (while I was leading bar mitzvah ceremonies) Ami Perelman, our Temple Administrator showed them the beautiful sights of Haifa. I had the pleasure of having them in my home home for Shabbat afternoon and for Havdala.
Cantor Geoffrey Fine from Beth El Temple Center of Belmont, MA will be coming to spend the next week with us. So Or Hadash is enjoying great music lately!
On February 15, two groups are arriving at Or Hadash: Cantor Robin Joseph with a group from Temple Beth Shalom in New York and Beth Moscowitz with six families from Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills, CA.
On February 22 again two groups are coming: Rabbi Joseph Meszler with a group from Temple Sinai of Sharon, MA and Rabbi Jodi Seewald Smith with a group from Temple Chayai Shalom in North Eaton, MA.
In March many of our friends are coming to the CJP Mission among them Rabbi Eric Gurvis, Rabbi Lisa Eiduson, Jeff and Naomi Stonberg, Judith and Al Bernstein and many, many more. We are so excited that our friends from Boston are coming.
A week ago we told you about another soccer game between Achmadi Muslim children and children from our Moadonit (after school program) in order to promote peace and understanding, but I believe that we did not send you a picture. So please see picture attached.
"This week is the beginning of the month of Adar (this year there are 13 months in the Hebrew calendar). The tradition is that at the beginning of the twelfth month, Adar, we increase our joy. Purim this year will be in March, Adar Bet. February in Haifa is still rather cold, but the joy of Adar and visits of our friends from abroad warms our hearts.
Wishing you Shavua Tov, a good week and a month of joy, Hodesh Tov.
From Haifa,
Edgar
Chaverim Yekarim,
Looking back on the year 2007, I can say it was a wonderful year for Or Hadash. We held 324 life cycle ceremonies (203 of them were bar/bat mitzvah, 21% of these ceremonies were for underprivileged children). Almost 1,000 American Jews from 23 different Reform congregations came to visit us. Our three preschools and after school programs were full of children. We had 15,000 Israelis participate in at least one activity (ceremony, holiday or cultural event). We hope that 2008 will also be a year full of Mitzvot and Good Deeds. I want to take this opportunity to thank our good friends from the US who help us. Thanks to your generous support we are able to fulfill our mission of Tikun Olam, helping so many hundreds of needy Jews in Haifa.
Ten days ago I came back from a powerful and meaningful Jewish experience - the URJ Biennial Convention in San Diego (Dec. 12th-16th). About 5,000 Jews attended this event including hundreds of rabbis, cantors, educators and leaders of our movement. Four individuals represented Or Hadash: Dr. Yishai Lachter (Past President), Ami Perelman (Temple Administrator), Anat Perelman (Sisterhood President) and yours truly. We were very proud of our congregation's active representation.
The URJ's support of Israel during the Biennial was overwhelming. Many speakers addressed the issue of visiting Israel, staying in a six-month program or even making aliyah. ARZA organized many interesting workshops. It was an honor to participate in one of these workshops: "Israel and the Social Action Agenda", as a presenter together with Anat Hoffman and Rabbi Daniel Gropper. About 100 people from different congregations attended this workshop. Many of them asked me about Or Hadash's Tikun Olam programs. I want to thank Rabbi Andrew Davids, Rabbi Stanley Davids, Rabbi David Nelson and Anna Kislanski for their help and friendship and for everything they do for ARZA and the IMPJ.
The URJ President, Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, spoke in his sermon about the significance of Shabbat in Reform Judaism, about coexistence between Jews and Muslims and about the necessity of having a large representation of Reform Jews in Israel. According to him if this doesn't happen in the next generation, Reform Judaism will become a marginal Jewish movement. I identified with the issues he brought up and felt proud to be part of the Reform Movement. We, the Israeli representatives in the convention, were invited to Rabbi Yoffie's suite for a genuine and private conversation about the future of Reform Judaism in Israel.
URJ Vice President, Rabbi Daniel Freelander used our favorite sidur prayer "Let a new light ("Or Hadash") shine on Zion, and may we all be blessed to see its splendor" in his speech, urging the creation of stronger ties between Jews in the US and Jews in Israel. It was perfect for us since Or Hadash not only creates ties of friendship, but also ties to wear, and we handed them out to friends in San Diego, among them to Rabbi Freelander.
We are proud of our old friend, Rabbi Stacy Offner who recently visited Or Hadash with members of her congregation, Shir Tikva Congregation in Minnesota, for also becoming Vice President of the URJ. We wish Rabbi Daniel Freelander and Rabbi Stacy Offner much success in their new roles.
It was wonderful to talk with so many educators and colleagues. It was "amechaye" to spend quality time with my teacher, Rabbi Ronne Friedman of Temple Israel and having breakfast with Temple Israel's President, Carol Michael. We were all moved by Rabbi Elaine Zecher's interview with Michael Fox. I had a few moments to spend with Rabbi Jeremy Morrison to talk about connecting young adults. The first lunch, right next to the ocean in San Diego, was with my long-time friend, Rabbi Howard Jaffe of Temple Isaiah in Lexington, MA. My first communal dinner was with Rabbi Eric Gurvis, Julie Vanek, Fred Cohen and eleven members of Temple Shalom in Newton, MA. I am glad that Eric and I are going to see each other a lot in 2008-9. I also had time to talk with Rabbi Joel Sisenwine and Cantor Jodi Sufrin from Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, MA and Cantor Roy Einhorn of Temple Israel before they come visit us later this year. I asked them to give a cantorial concert at Or Hadash. I had lunch with Rabbi Jonathan Kraus from Beth El Temple Center in Belmont, MA, and we planned with Rabbi Neal Gold of Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, MA their next visit to Or Hadash. I also had a chance to catch up with Rabbi David Wolfman, the URJ Regional Director, so I can declare that I felt like I was in the Boston Area.
I also enjoyed having lunch and dinner with members of our congregations in other parts of the US like Rabbi Jim Egolf, Cantor Lilia Kasansky, Jill Cooper, Susan Levey, Dr. Michael Friedman and Margi and Neil Peskin of Beth David Reform Congregation in Gladwyne, PA. During the Shabbat dinner organized by Rabbi Sue Elwel, Regional Director of the URJ Pennsylvania Council I had a chance to talk with many friends: Rabbi Aaron Bisno of Temple Rodef Shalom, Pittsburgh, Rabbi Andy Busch, Dina Stonberg, Rabbi Lawrence Sernovitz and Rabbi Robert Leib from Temple Beth Am in Abington, PA, Cantor David Green from Congregation Beth Or in Maple Glen, PA, Rabbi David Straus from Main Line Reform Temple Beth Elohim in Wynnewood, PA, Larry, Barbara Shuman and Rabbi James Gibson of Temple Sinai, Pittsburgh, PA, Rabbi Jack Paskoff of Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, Lancaster, PA and Rabbi Barry Schwartz from Congregation M'kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, NJ.
The Friday night service was led by Rabbi Donald Goor of Temple Judea in Tarzana who just visited us this year. I also saw Rabbi Karen Bender of Temple Judea (the cousin of one of our members) teaching one of the workshops. On Saturday morning the cantor was Rachel Stock Spilker who is coming with her husband, Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker to Israel to visit us soon. I also spent some time with Rabbi Dan Levin from Temple Beth El of Boca Raton and Rabbi Richard Agler from Congregation B'nai Israel of Boca Raton who will visit Or Hadash with their congregants next June. I also saw my friend, Jan Katzew who is coming to Haifa to visit us next month.
I even had the honor to be part of a Beit Din organized by Rabbi Daniel Fine, URJ's Pacific Northwest Council and Rabbi Alan Rabishaw of Temple Chai in Pheonix, AZ (we even made the Biennial daily news!).
It was good to return to Israel after praying at Shabbat with thousands of beautiful Jews. What an unforgettable experience. When we came back, we had no chance to rest since we had five groups visiting Or Hadash and nine bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies in eight days.
On December 22-23 we had a wonderful Shabbat with 45 members of Temple Micah of Washington DC, led by Rabbi Danny Zemel and all his family.
On Monday, December 24- Rabbi Robert Orkand visited with a group of 35 members from Temple Israel, Westport, CT.
On Wednesday, December 26- Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Rabbi David Stern & Debra Robbins led a huge group of 115 visitors from Temple Emanu-El of Dallas, TX.
On Saturday, December 29- Rabbi Jonathan Woll and a group from Temple Avoda, Fair Lawn, NJ came to pray with us.
Yesterday, Sunday, December 30, Rabbi Steven Bob of Etz Chaim in Lombard, IL and Rabbi Mike Weinberg with a group of 45 teenagers came to an educational experience at Or Hadash- our last visitors from abroad this year!
Our new year's resolution is that in 2008, 200 girls from Haifa will celebrate their bat mitzvah at Or Hadash and at least 120 b'nei mitzvah. On behalf of Or Hadash, I wish you all a year of health, love and peace.
Happy New Year 2008!
Dear Friends,
In the Talmud it is told that Rabbi Yehoshua was sad because the second Temple was destroyed and the Jews could not atone for their sins. Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zachai replied that he shouldn't be sad since God offered something instead of the Temple: the opportunity to improve ourselves by "Gmilut Hasadim" (deeds of loving kindness) as is written by the prophet Hosea 6:6 "not sacrifice I (God) required, but hesed (=Good deeds)".
The words of our Torah, Prophets, Sages and Rabbis of Israel in all times are the inspiration for what we do at Or Hadash. As part of our continuing tradition, this week we also performed "Gmilut Hasadim" and I am especially proud of our Sisterhood's part in these deeds.
Last Friday, November 2nd, Or Hadash Sisterhood members initiated a very special birthday celebration at Gan Cherniavski. As mentioned in previous letters, we have been supporting this preschool of recent olim from Ethiopia for the past three years. Among the children who celebrated their birthday this month was a girl who has only been in Israel for a month and is unfamiliar with Israeli customs and language. The party in her honor was a moving experience for her and for us (see pictures attached). We brought the kids gifts and candy. We try to do as much as we can to help the children in this preschool. In June we brought the preschool graduates new back packs, last year we purchased a new refrigerator and we often attend the celebrations taking place there. These small gestures make a tremendous difference in the children's self esteem and acclimation in Israel. Because of this success the Sisterhood has decided to have a birthday celebration at the gan every month.
Last weekend we had the pleasure of hosting our good friends, Joan and Peter Hoffman from Temple Shir Tikva of Wayland, MA. They came to Israel on a mission with AIPAC. Saturday evening we arranged dinner with Joan and Peter and some of our congregants. Joan and Peter have visited Or Hadash in the past but much has changed since then and we wanted to give them a tour of the building so they could see all the changes that were made recently including our renovated bomb shelter , the therapy room and the new LACO (Legal Aide Center for Olim) office.
On Sunday, November 4th, the 2nd graders of nearby Einstein elementary school came to Or Hadash, for the "Kabalat Sefer Hatorah" ceremony (Accepting the Torah). It was a special and spiritual event at our sanctuary. The 76 students learned about how the laws of the Torah, Mezuza and Tefilin are written. We expect that during the school year about 250 children ages 7-8 will accept the Torah at Or Hadash from schools from all over the city.
Next week Haifa's Deputy Mayor, Shmuel Gelbhart, will address our congregation during Kabalat Shabbat. I will tell you more about it next week, until then, Shabbat Shalom.
Edgar
Dear Friends,
Shabbat Shalom
Tomorrow we will read Parashat "Chaye Sarah". The Torah tells us that founders of our nation lived a long life. Sarah passes away at the advanced age of 127 while Abraham died at the age of 137 (!). At the end of our sidra there is a beautiful story about Isaac and Ishmael arriving together to the Cave of Machpelah to burry their father together (Genesis 25:9). These are powerful and wonderful verses describing the possibility of reconciliation and coexistence that always exists.
These verses inspired us to have a unique activity this week: Our Moadonit children (after school program) and children of the Achmadi community (Muslim stream) played soccer together as part of an initiative to bring together Jewish and Muslim children in joint games. Yesterday, November 1st we played at the Achmadi School, located at the "Cababir" neighborhood on Mount Carmel, surrounded by Jewish neighborhoods (see pictures attached).
As you may recall, the Achmadi Imam came to Or Hadash twice in the past years to participate in our Kabalat Shabbat against Racism. In Hebrew the word Peace, Shalom, is connected to the root "Shalem", which means complete, whole. I believe that if we would be able to see the entire picture, not only from the perspective that we are used to (because of habit, tradition or just because it is comfortable) we would be able to make peace and live in harmony. Maybe I am too optimistic, but if you were here and saw the children playing together like they did yesterday, at least you could feel a moment of "nachas". It was so different from what we see every day on the news. These small joint projects symbolizing Peace and Coexistence between Muslims and Jews should be our share in the Peace Process that we pray will succeed.
On Tuesday, Oct. 30th the "Ma'aganim" (Kibbutz) school came to Or Hadash with their second graders, for the ceremony of "Kabalat Sefer Hatorah" (Accepting the Torah). We are proud since this is the eighth consecutive year (from 2000) this district school, located at Kibbutz Ma'agan Michael, a 30 minute drive south of Haifa, holds this special and spiritual event at our sanctuary. Next Sunday, November 4th, the 70 second graders from the Einstein School will come for the same celebration. We expect that 250 children ages 7-8 will accept the Torah at Or Hadash in 2007-8.
Our good friend, Vivien Brass from Australia came to visit us this week. You may recall we told you about Vivien visiting us with her husband, Philip, only several months ago. Vivien is involved with projects helping new immigrants from Ethiopia. We were happy to welcome her on Wednesday. She spent a few hours with us, heard how our projects helping the Ethiopian community in Haifa have progressed over the past few months and witnessed a day in the hectic routine at Or Hadash. She visited the new IRAC-LACO office. It was opened this year for the first Ethiopian lawyer who works in our building every day providing free legal aid to hundreds of new olim from Ethiopia.
Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom from Haifa.
Edgar
Dear Friends,
Shabbat Shalom!
Tomorrow we will read Parashat "Vayera" that begins with God's revelation to Abraham at Elonei Mamre. I believe that God's revelation is ongoing and not a one-time event at Mount Sinai. Sometimes if we look deep enough we can see little sparks of this ongoing revelation.
1. Or Hadash is very fortunate that many Ethiopian Jews became Bar Mitzvah at our Sanctuary in the past three years. Last Thursday, Oct. 8 the Bar Mitzvah of Masgano Baze took place at Or Hadash (see picture). Masgano, the son of Babi Baze, is a new immigrant from Ethiopia. The family made aliyah three years ago. The absorption in Israel was not easy. They initially lived in a caravan and after three years received an apartment in a very poor neighborhood in Haifa. Sanitary conditions in this neighborhood are bad. Babi is afraid to let his children play outside because it is a crime-stricken area. Getting by financially has been a constant struggle for the family.
In Ethiopia, Babi was a singer. He cannot make a living as an artist in Israel today. With the help of friends in Lexington, MA, Babi works at Or Hadash as a maintenance person to support his family and this ceremony was possible. He has been very well accepted by everyone at Or Hadash, especially our staff.
Masgano has three siblings and he is the first one in his whole family to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah in Israel. Mazal Tov!
2. This year, 5768 (2007-8) marks a record number of Bat Mitzvah ceremonies at Or Hadash. Since we have established excellent connections with many public and private schools in Haifa, we are witnesses that from 2006 a growing number of schools requested to have group Bat Mitzvah ceremonies at Or Hadash. Today, most of the girls in Israel do not have an individual Aliyah to the Torah but merely a party at the age of 12. That is why our Bat Mitzvah ceremonies are so important. This year we are expecting 13 classes consisting of 186 girls (!) to have their Bat Mitzvah at Or Hadash. Each girl will study her own aliyah with Rabbi Nof and will read from the Torah in each of the 13 different group ceremonies.
3. Every year, the most circulated local newspaper "Yediot Haifa" (which is part of "Yediot Ahronot", the largest and most popular newpaper in Israel) publishes a list of 101 most influential people in the city of Haifa. It includes figures from all streams of society and different professions. This year the list included 25 lawyers and judges, 24 doctors, professors and heads of hospital departments, 18 politicians, mayors, vice mayors, members of parliament and only two writers, four educators, one priest and two rabbis. Last year I had the honor to be at No. 69 on the list. This year, 2007, I climbed a spot (!), to No.68. At this rate, maybe in 50 years I on the top 10 of the list.
4. In the past few days we heard on the news about the wildfires in San Diego. We heard that only on Wednesday did the firefighters take control over the fires that caused half a million people to leave their homes. At this time our thoughts are with residents of San Diego, Los Angeles and California. We hope that this terrible catastrophe end soon and things return to normal. Special prayers were said by the children at-risk from our Moadonit who expressed their concern. We will continue to say prayers for them at our Shabbat services.
5. On Wednesday, Oct. 24, we commemorated the murder of Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, z"l, at Or Hadash who was murdered 12 years ago by right wing extremist, Yigal Amir. It was a shocking trauma (and still is) for all of us. The memorial service was led by our youth. At the entrance to the sanctuary dozens of candles were arranged as a Star of David around the picture of Yitzhak Rabin.
Towards the end of the memorial service, Prof. Eran Vigoda- Gadot Head of the Political Sciences Department at the University of Haifa presented a powerful lecture.
6. This morning a large group of second graders from the Re'ali school (the Hadar branch) came to Or Hadash for their "Kabalat Sefer Hatorah" service. It is a tradition of many years for second graders. The children sang songs and actively participated in the service, among them many of our preschool graduates.
7. In a few more hours a group of 30 friends from Westminster Synagogue in London will join us for Kabalat Shabbat and dinner. The group, led by Rabbi Thomas Salamon, came especially to re-give us the Czech Memorial Torah Scroll No. 978 after 43 years. We are all very excited about it.
Wishing you Shabbat Shalom from Haifa.
Edgar
Dear Friends,
Shavua Tov! Yesterday, Oct. 20th, we read Parashat "Lech Lecha". Our sidra opens the second part of the Book of Genesis (chapters 12-36), where we find the stories of our ancestors, Abraham-Sarah, Itzhak-Rivkah, Yaacov-Rachel and the founders of our Tradition. The commandment "Lech Lecha" (="Go! Begin Your Journey") is very deep and is addressed to every one of us today, as individuals and as a community.
Last Friday morning 300 people filled our synagogue, among them 70 second graders from the "Reali" School who "Received the Torah" (see attached picture). It is a "new tradition" that takes place at every public school in Israel. It marks a step between the Baby Naming/Brit Mila ceremony at birth and the bar/bat mitzvah at adolescence when the teenager has an aliyah to the Torah. This ceremony is named in Hebrew "Kabalat Sefer Torah" and usually takes place at the teenagers' own schools; but in recent years we have established a strong relationship with several public schools in Haifa and as a result of that, for thousands of children this is not only a school ceremony but is also connected to our synagogue life and to our community. Also this year, hundreds of second graders in Haifa will celebrate this Jewish ceremony at our sanctuary. We know that many of these children will celebrate their bar and bat mitzvah at Or Hadash in six years from now.
A different Awraham joined us for Kabalat Shabbat on Oct. 19. It was Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp from Holland, currently President of the Jewish Institute for Human Values. Rabbi Soetendorp and I have been friends for the past 15 years. Choosing Or Hadash among all the Progressive congregations in Israel, as the synagogue in which he gives his last sermon before retiring from the active rabbinate, is a great honor for us. We cherish his manner of identifying with Reform Judaism in Israel. Awraham filled many roles leading the Liberal Rabbinate in Europe and he is very active with the WUPJ.
Next Friday, Oct. 26th, a group of 30 friends from Westminster Synagogue in London under the leadership of Rabbi Thomas Salamon will visit Or Hadash. It is a well known synagogue because they have already given Torah scrolls that "survived" the Holocaust (from Czechoslovakia) to almost 1,200 synagogues over the world. Or Hadash is one of the only Reform synagogues in Israel that received a Czeck Memorial Torah Scroll (No. 978). Our scroll was sent from London to Israel in 1964 along with 50 other Torah scrolls. Ours is the only one that was sent then to an Israeli Reform Synagogue. We were fortunate to have received it because the Minister of Religion in 1964 refused many times to hand it to us. This Friday we will have a "Historical Reconstruction" of Receiving Our Torah Scroll, when the actual President of Westminster Synagogue will re-give the Torah to the Or Hadash Chairman, Dr. Yuri Kligerman. It is the same Torah that was the center of the ceremony for second grade children who receive the Torah, it will be the renewed connection (after 43 years) between Or Hadash and our friends in London.
Wishing you a good week from Haifa.
Edgar
Dear Friends,
Shavua Tov! Hodesh Tov!
First of all, I want to wish you a good month. Marcheshvan always brings rain and blessings to Israel. From Haifa we send our blessings to you along with all the people of Israel.
Yesterday we read Parashat "Noah". Some of our sages (for example Rabbi Yehuda in Midrash Genesis Raba 30:9 and Rabbi's commentary on the sidrah) consider Noah as a "mediocre" person who wanted to save himself and his family. Compared to Abraham, Moses or Shmuel he was not considered to be a righteous man.
In contrast, Rabbi Nechemia and many others have a different view. They see Noah as a very righteous man even who maintained his values even in a generation of evil people.
In my opinion Noah symbolizes optimism, that tomorrow can be better and that we can have a brighter future, without natural disasters and without war between people. For the ancient Babylonians, the rainbow in the sky is Mardoch's weapon (his arc). For our ancestors in the Bible, the rainbow (keshet) symbolizes the covenant between God and humanity, the promise that there will be no more destruction. We at Or Hadash believe in this optimistic approach, according to which we can bring a better future for our children.
We dedicate this year, 5768, to "Ecology and Judaism". This week is devoted to the study the importance of Water in Jewish Tradition. Tonight we will have a class and a lecture about the Torah seen as living water. For us in Israel, water is essential to our survival.
Last Kabalat Shabbat we welcomed a delegation of 40 Christians who arrived from Germany as part of a ten-year coexistence project between Or Hadash and the city of Falkensee (formerly East Germany, close to Berlin). As you know, many members of my family have been murdered in the Holocaust and it was not easy at all for me to travel to Germany in August, but to my surprise I discovered that today there are many Germans who are good people like us and strive for a better future. The beginning of a friendship was established between us.
I am attaching a picture from Simchat Torah, symbolizing the conclusion of 22 prayers that have taken place at Or Hadash over the month of Tishrei (High Holidays and Shabatot). Over 3,000 have participated in these prayers.
Wishing you and your family a good week and a good month Marcheshvan of peace and health.
From Haifa,
Edgar
Chaverim Yekarim,
Shavua Tov,
Shalom from Haifa. Or Hadash isn't taking any vacation this summer.
1. On Monday, July 30th, Tu Be'av (the 15th of Av is Lovers' Day in Israel) there was a very special atmosphere at Or Hadash. Our building was decorated with balloons and we gave a white rose to every visitor as a symbol of love. Our members were invited to folk dancing and dozens came.
2. That evening, eight guests from the Greater Boston Area came to Or Hadash for dinner, among them were friends from our sister congregations, Beth Sholom in Needham and Beth El in Sudbury. They were participants in the "Follow Me to Israel" project, touring youth projects in Haifa. When they return to Boston, they will be able to recommend these projects in their congregations so their youth will participate in the "Passport to Israel" programs.
3. On Tuesday, July 31st, a "historical" meeting took place at Or Hadash. Representatives of the eight Reform congregations in northern Israel came to Or Hadash to talk and seek ways of cooperating. We explored possible initiatives and some excellent ideas were proposed. The meeting was coordinated by Ofer Shemer, Head of Congregational Life of the IMPJ.
4. On Wednesday, August 1st we met with social workers from the Haifa Welfare Department regarding projects to help Ethiopian immigrants. They gave us information about the many projects they handle. Since they are organizing a one-day event for 150 families at the end of August, they asked for Or Hadash's help.
The two social workers are in charge of a project named Gamla which brings together volunteers and children who are new immigrants from Ethiopia. The project is based upon volunteers who maintain a warm and personal relationship with children. Or Hadash is well known in the field of social welfare for our commitment to Social Action and Tikkun Olam. Of course we agreed to help as much as we can. Many Or Hadash members participate in these programs.
There are many heart-warming examples of the wonderful relationships between volunteers and children. For instance, an orphan who had a "tutoring" relationship with a couple- they virtually became a family. Even though the boy has grown up and lives in a boarding-school, he maintains a close relationship with the couple.
5. On Thursday, August 2nd we had another very interesting meeting. Two young ladies, who work for the JDS (Joint Distribution Committee) on a project aiding the unemployed, came to Or Hadash. The JDS tries to integrate the private and industrial sector in Israel, implementing projects to help new immigrants, at-risk youth and the unemployed. The JDS does not run these projects directly, rather through other organizations. The two women who came to meet me are involved with the Haifa Tevet project helping the unemployed find jobs. People who participate in this project go through a one month long workshop to acquire skills that will help them find a job (computer skills, interviewing skills, working on their strengths and weaknesses). They receive coaching. There is a 90% success rate for this program. The purpose of our meeting is cooperation between Tevet and Or Hadash, or in other words filling in the gap for the people we help. People who participate in Tevet's workshop could also greatly benefit from other services that Or Hadash could provide them (bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies, our preschools or moadonit program). Or Hadash could also send people to the workshop. Some of the people we maintain contact with, are unemployed and could use support in this field. So it is a mutually beneficial program.
6. As the High Holidays approach we have begun collecting food for the needy. Twice a year (Pesach and the High Holidays) we collect food for needy families in Haifa in the name of Asaf Shtayer, z"l. We receive lists of needy families from the Haifa Municipality (95% of these families are new olim from Ethiopia). A truck delivers supplies to Or Hadash, where volunteers are in charge organizing these supplies into packages. Then the boxes containing many basic food supplies and wine for the holiday, are delivered to needy families. Since this year, we celebrate the holidays relatively early (last year Rosh Hashanah was late September), we are already gearing up for this project.
7. Yesterday morning, Rabbi Shimon Paskow and his daughter, Rabbi Michele Paskow visited Or Hadash with a group of 40 people from Temple Etz Haim, Thousand Oaks, CA. It was an exciting visit. Next Friday (August 10), a group of educators from the Greater Boston Area is coming to Or Hadash for Kabalat Shabbat and dinner. As we mentioned in our last update it will also be an Ecological Shabbat at Or Hadash, so it should be very interesting.
Wishing you all a good week and a nice summer.
Edgar
Chaverim Yekarim,
This past week we celebrated Tisha Be'av. We learned from Jewish sources why Tisha Be'av was declared a day of mourning. The emphasis was put on the idea that senseless "hatred" between brothers led to the Destruction of the Temple and that "senseless" love among Jews will bring our Redemption.
In three days we will celebrate "Tu Be'av" (the 15th of Av), the holiday of Love. We have a great deal planned for the event. We will set speakers in the building and Hebrew love songs will be played. Children in our summer day camp will hand flowers to visitors. In the evening everybody is invited to our folk dancing class, free of charge.
On August 9-10, we will have our first Ecological Forum:
Awareness regarding ecological issues such as the quality of the environment is slowly increasing in Israel. This issue has become very prominent in many countries, but it seems as though in Israel it took a while for it to sink in. Most Israelis are burdened by security and financial matters and caring about the environment has not been very high on their list of priorities. This is changing. It is very hard to ignore environmental problems for long. The 2005 Environmental Poverty Report, handed to the Israeli president, presents disturbing facts, for example:
- The State of Israel does not reinforce standards of water quality compared to other western countries
- Cellular companies set antennae next to elderly citizens' homes (taking advantage of the weakness of the tenants).
The ecological forum at Or Hadash will be held in cooperation with the Society for the Protection of Nature and with one of the most active ecologists in Israel, Marsha Reznick from Hadassa in Israel.
Dr. Yishai Lachter will be giving a lecture about Judaism and ecology with a representative from the Society for the Protection of Nature. Al Gore's documentary on global warming will be screened.
On August 10th we will have an ecological Kabalat Shabbat including a nature dance by our summer camp children (choreographed by Or Hadash board member, Pnina Sohetzky) and an ecologically-themed sermon for Shabbat.
Our youth madricha, Shira Rotbart, is just about to join the IDF as a paramedic instructor. Shira is the granddaughter of Teah and Nehamia Aharon, an Or Hadash Immediate Past President and founder. As her mother, Michal z"l did, Shira celebrated her bat mitzvah at Or Hadash, was very active with our youth group for many years and went on the first Or Hadash mission to visit our sister congregations in the Boston Area. Shira has been working at the Or Hadash summer camp for the past two years and the children love her.
In the farewell party we organized for Shira, our campers (ages 7-8) had a chance to say a few words. Here are some of their comments: "I hope you don't get hurt during your army service", "I hope you have interesting tasks during your service ", "I will miss you a lot".
We wish her all the best in her IDF service!
Or Hadash staff and members warmly welcome our dear friends, Abby Joseph and David Cohen and their daughters Ellen and Lauren Cohen who came to Or Hadash for a special occasion: The Bar Mitzvah of Gil Berger, son of our board member, Shlomit and her husband, Rudi. Our thanks go to our dedicated and generous friends and Mazal Tov to the Berger family.
Wishing you Shabbat Shalom and a romantic Tu Be'av.
Edgar