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