Masorti Olami

September, 2004 – Elul 5764 By Judy Dvorak Gray Masorti Olami Tribute Dinner Rabbi Harold Kushner, Gloria Landy, Rebecca and Eytan Hammerman were our honorees at the Masorti Olami Tribute Dinner, which took place on Monday, Oct. 11 at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Dr. Ismar Schorsch from the Jewish Theological Seminary delivered the keynote address. Rabbi Harold Kushner is Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel, Natick, Massachusetts and was the recipient of the Rabbi Mordechai D. Waxman Memorial Rabbinic Leadership Award. He is the author of many best-selling books including When Bad Things Happen to Good People published in 1981 and translated into 12 languages. Rabbi Kushner is internationally recognized for his writings and the comfort and guidance which they provide. He served as Chairman of the Board of List College of the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was editor of the D’rash Commentary of the Etz Hayim Torah Commentary, published by the Rabbinical Assembly and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Rabbi Kushner and his wife, Suzette, reside in Natick, Massachusetts. Gloria Landy is a vice-president and activist for Masorti Olami and represents us as a Non-Governing Organization (NGO) representative at the United Nations. Gloria serves as Chair of the Jewish NGO’s Caucus of Organizations, playing a leading role in the historic UN Conference on Anti-Semitism. She is also active in MERCAZ USA and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. She and her husband, Eugene, reside in Rumsford, New Jersey. Gloria received the Sherut Le’am Ambassador Service Award at the dinner. Rebecca and Eytan Hammerman were the recipients of the Si Schwartz Memorial Young Leadership Award. Rebecca and Eytan were active USY’ers and staff members, and have spent summers in Ramah camps in Israel, the Berkshires and Georgia. Eytan is on the board of MERCAZ USA and Masorti Olami. Rebecca and Eytan devoted a year to volunteer work through the auspices of “Chayl Masorti” at Congregacion Bet El in Madrid, Spain. They currently reside in Washington, D.C. Thank you to Janet Tobin and the Tribute Dinner Committee for all their hard work. We look forward to a detailed report of the evening and pictures of the gala event in next month’s newsletter! ________________________________________ Todah to our Shlichim On Wednesday, September 22 (7 Tishrei) we made a special l’chaim in our Jerusalem office to welcome back our shlichim and to thank them for their contributions to the Masorti Movement. Avigail Ben Aryeh returned to Jerusalem from London, England where she served as a shlicha to the Assembly of Masorti Synagogues for two years. Avigail succeeded in strengthening the connection of AMS, NOAM and Marom to Israel. The fruits of her labors are still visible today as the number of participants in Israel programs continues to grow. Carmiel Frutkoff has just returned to Jerusalem after serving as a Chayl Masorti shaliach to Bialik College and Kehilat Nitzan in Melbourne, Australia for the past eighteen months. We are extremely proud of the outstanding work that Carmiel accomplished and his impact on the Melbourne Jewish community. Carmiel is continuing on to New Jersey this month to contribute his unique talents to the youth in Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell, New Jersey. We also presented a certificate of appreciation to Rebecca Sullum and Tamar Ettun, Melbourne shlichot who returned in January, who also did outstanding work during their shlichut. Yael and Yinon Aharoni just returned during Sukkot from their year in Wroclaw, Poland. We will write more about their successful shlichut in the next report! We also took this opportunity to thank Gila Katz, Masorti Olami Fieldworker in Ukraine, for her success in promoting Masorti education, camping and kehillot this year. We look forward to a growth in the movement in Ukraine thanks to her work. ________________________________________ Report from our Representatives at the UN By Gloria Landy and Judy Horowitz Gloria Landy and co-chair Judy Horowitz provide outstanding leadership for the World Council of Conservative/Masorti Synagogues as our representatives of an NGO (non-governmental organization) in the anti-Israel environment of the United Nations. We thank them for their important contribution. What is a nice Jewish organization doing in a place like this? This is what we wonder every time we, your representatives, walk into the UN which we do every Thursday and often several days each week. In the past we would make several new acquaintances with less informed Jews and non Jews and we would feel we were doing what we were there for, but in the more recent times the caucus of Jewish NGO’s (of which we are a very active and moving force) have become more aggressive. We have become known as a group that gets the message out, both the pro- Jewish and pro-Israel point of view. Our challenges are great. We recently actively participated in formulating and convening the first ever Conference on Combating Anti- Semitism. At the opening of this groundbreaking conference, Secretary General Kofi Annan openly admitted to the forum, and therefore to the world, that anti-Semitism is rampant in today's world and very much so at the UN. Gloria and I have been actively involved on the planning committees for the annual NGO Conferences. These conferences bring together so many people from all over the world, from countries large and small. Some NGO's are not only in awe of the UN but have never met a Jew or heard the real messages of organizations like ours. These people had never heard the real truth about the humanitarian and engineering endeavors that Israel does which benefit the entire world every day. At the last few conferences it became clear that our hard work seems to have been worthwhile. Last year we were successful in incorporating into the conference a major presentation by the Jewish National Fund on water. This year we have succeeded in securing workshops for both JNF and Yad Sarah, a social welfare organization in Israel, thus doubling the Jewish presence at the conference. Another interesting facet of our efforts as NGO’s is that we get to meet ambassadors and diplomats. Wednesday, September 1, 2004 was one of those times. At the Conference of the Presidents Committee on the U.N. we sat at the table with both Ambassador Gillerman, representative of the Israeli Mission to the UN, and Anne Patterson, deputy representative of the US Mission to the UN. Ambassador Dan Gillerman spoke of the up-coming General Assembly as being one of the toughest ever. Gillerman's efforts and priorities are the following: 1. Avoiding new anti-Israel resolutions in the UN (resulting in fewer anti-Israel resolutions) 2. Avoiding future debate regarding the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision 3. Avoiding stand-alone Israel resolutions Ambassador Gillerman told us that right now there is a three-way split in the European Union vote. Britain and Germany are Israel's best friends in the EU. But the last few months the Germans are conspicuously quiet because they are seeking a seat on the Security Council. Britain and Italy are now with us. He went on to say that Israel has formed a close relationship with the Dutch Ambassador, Dick Vandenburg, who is the current President of the EU. The British and Dutch have stood by Israel, but the Dutch need the Germans and others as well as the British. The Dutch say they want no new anti-Israel resolutions regarding the fence and settlements. They will also object to additional text on the ICJ advisory resolution. There is pressure on Malta and Cyprus to resign from the Arab block. Greece, Sweden and Ireland are our worst problems in the UN. Ironically, Ambassador Gillerman said that the only country that has a harder time than Israel at the UN is the U.S. Ambassador Gillerman also mentioned that in January 2005 there would be an exhibition at the U.N., co-sponsored by Yad Vashem, marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps. Hopefully this will make a strong statement affecting any anti-Semitism resolutions. Ambassador Anne Patterson reported that the U.S. issued a strong condemnation of the two bus bombings in Beersheva in September, but it was blocked by Pakistan and Algeria. She went on to say that later that day the United States and France would be introducing a resolution demanding that Syria withdraw from Lebanon and expected the main stumbling blocks to also be Algeria and Pakistan. Ambassador Patterson assured us that the U.S. will continue to challenge anti-Israel resolutions and that the ICJ fence issue will almost certainly come before the Security Council. Although there is some chance of blocking it in the Security Council, she feels that there is no chance of blocking it in the General Assembly. The ambassador highlighted the following issues as being most important. 1. ICJ fence issue poses deepest threat to Israel and U.S. 2. Anti-Semitism resolutions 3. Palestinian resolutions The Ambassador concluded by asking for Jewish community input. Respectfully submitted, Judy Horowitz ________________________________________ Report of Camp Ramah Yachad Ukraine By Gila Katz and Linda Alkalay, Midreshet Yerushalayim Camp Ramah-Yachad celebrated its 12th anniversary at this summer’s session held from July 29th through August 9th near Kiev. A total of 183 children, aged 10-17, attended the camp. They hailed from fifteen cities: Chernowitz, Kiev, Lvov, Uzghorod, Munkatch, Hust, Kaminetz-Podolsky, Vinizia, Odessa, Nikolev, Simporofil, Tirovograd, Cherkesi and, for the first time, from Donetzk and Lutsk. Of these, there were 78 new campers. The staff of 7 Israeli counselors, 1 American volunteer and 16 local counselors attended a preparatory seminar from July 21st through July 28th where Midreshet Yerushalayim director Gila Katz worked with them on the camp program. The local and Israeli staffs had each met previously on their own to come up with ideas for the camp. At the seminar, they followed up on these ideas and worked together to plan the entire camp session, including Shabbatot and evening activities. They also worked on how to introduce prayer to both new and past campers, using creative approaches such as having the children prepare their own prayer booklets with accompanying drawings. Campers were divided into 8 groups, each led by 2 local counselors and 1 Israeli counselor. A group of fifteen 17-year olds took part in a training program to prepare them as counselors for next summer’s camp session. In addition to concentrated studies, they were also given tasks such as being responsible for planning the second Shabbat, for running the aliyah game, for helping children with prayer, etc. The theme for the camp session was “Time Journey: From the Land of Israel to the State of Israel.” Key periods and characters from Jewish history were highlighted. Among them: King David and King Shlomo, Hillel and Shamai, Yitzchak Luria, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, Theodore Herzl, Eliyahu the Prophet, Ben Gurion and Golda Meir, Yitzchak Rabin, Ariel Sharon and Contemporary Israel. While the day’s sessions dealt with a particular theme, the evening activity focused on a different dimension of that same theme. For example, while a day session concentrated on Theodore Herzl, the “First Zionist Congress” was held that evening. And while campers learned about contemporary Israel in the day, they experienced “Yom Ha’atzmaut” in the evening, with a torch-lighting ceremony, Israeli dancing and fireworks. The two Shabbatot at the camp were very special experiences for all. Prior to Friday night candle-lighting, campers met for a festive gathering where each group made presentations which included singing and distribution of gifts to each other. The Kabbalat Shabbat service was followed by a Shabbat meal and then by an Oneg Shabbat where each group invited someone to visit with them and share their personal past experiences. These visitors were either from other groups or from Shabbat guests from the local Kiev Jewish community. They were asked to bring photographs and personal memorabilia which helped the stories of their past come alive for the children. For the second Shabbat, campers enjoyed a unique experience where they went down to the river prior to candle-lighting to re-enact a mystical Zefat encounter with nature. They were taught related songs and each group expressed gratitude for being able to attend the camp, to meet new friends, etc. The Shabbat day program was replete with activities, among them singing, Hassidic stories and sports. The position of camp rabbi was filled by Schechter rabbinical student Hana Klebansky. She was very successful in her outreach to the children, leading a Judaism workshop and helping direct and prepare prayer services. As all of the shlichei tzibur (prayer leaders) were campers, she helped them prepare for leading prayer services. She also helped campers to prepare divrei Torah. She had a very good relationship with campers and staff alike. Masorti Olami thanks the Winkelreid and Lipsey families for their contribution to Camp Ramah Yachad. Other sponsors of the camp include the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Inc., the Ben N. Teital Charitable Trust, the Chaise Family Foundation, Abraham and Sonya Rochland Foundation, William and Ina Levine Foundation, Jewish Child’s Day of London, Rabbi David Clayman Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Jewish Agency for Israel. Yamim Noraim Last month we were pleased to report that six rabbis and rabbinical students would be servicing some of our Masorti Olami communities that do not have rabbis for the high holidays. We have received wonderful feedback from all the kehillot praising the work of these leaders. Rabbi Arnold Goodman was with Shalom Independent Congregation in Johannesburg, South Africa; Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow with Kehilat Nitzan in Melbourne, Australia; Rabbi Carlos Tapiero in Alicante, Spain; graduating Schechter rabbinical student Uri Ayalon in Valencia, Spain; Seminario rabbinical student Joshua Kollock in Bet El, Madrid; and Dr. Moti Arad in Wroclaw, Poland. Below is a letter from the Beth Sholom community in Alicante, Spain written before the holiday: Dear Rabbi Wernik, There is so much joy in so many hearts as we anticipate this high holiday season. You have created and brought so much of this feeling and passion with your grand mitzva and personal direction for the Alicante Beth Sholom community. How can any one thank you for this? It is a miracle and you, the Seminario, and all the other grand people and rabbis that helped from so many locations, New Jersey, New York, Buenos Aires, Jerusalem, etc.-- bless all of you. Leshana Tova and a healthy and happy new year to you and your family and your grand movement. Sincerely, Manny Spector ________________________________________ News from Masorti Czech Republic A conference on the future of Conservative Judaism in the Czech Republic took place on Sunday, September 5, 2004 in the Prague Jewish Community Center. Approximately 40 participants from Prague and other Czech communities participated in the meetings along with Rabbi Ron Hoffberg, rabbi of Masorti CZ, Rabbi Joe Wernik, Executive Vice President of Masorti Olami and Mr. Udi Givon, Director of Marom Olami. The purpose of the conference was to discuss the meaning and future of modern Conservative Judaism in the Czech Republic. The meeting included time to share ideas and work together on planning future educational and spiritual programs. Students and young adults also met together to plan Marom activities. Radka Uhrova was appointed to plan the services and programs for the Tishrei holidays and to continue to coordinate activities for Masorti and Marom CZ. As a result of her efforts and Rabbi Hoffberg’s outstanding work, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services were extremely successful, attracting large numbers of worshippers. T’fillot were held at the Pincus Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter. The Pincus Synagogue is a memorial to the Jews of Prague who died in the Holocaust. It is especially significant to note that this was the first service held in the Pincus Synagogue since World War II. We wish Masorti CZ a year of fruitful activity and growth. Marom Olami 5765 By Udi Givon, Director of Marom Olami We are beginning the year with a lot of activity in Marom Olami. Marom coordinators are busy organizing programs for groups in the Czech Republic, Hungary, UK, France, Spain, Poland, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine. Regional seminars will take place in Ukraine, Hungary and South America. Details about these events will be publicized soon. A focus this year will be on setting up long-term Marom programs to Israel. Working closely with the Jewish Agency and Hagshama Department of the World Zionist Organization, we are currently preparing programs for Marom members from South America and Europe, which will include five months living in Israel studying Hebrew and Judaic studies, doing community service and organizing programs with Marom Israel and Masorti communities in Israel. For more information about Marom programs, please contact me at: maromorg@zahav.net.il ________________________________________ Perspective of a Marom UK Student Fieldworker By Shira Schwartz Shira Schwartz is the new Marom UK Student Fieldworker. A recent graduate of the JTS/Columbia degree program, she is a native of New Jersey. Over the coming months she will be traveling the length and breadth of the UK working with Masorti students in universities. "There is no more beautiful life than that of a student.”.~ F. Albrecht ~ The words of F. Albrecht reverberate in my head as I plan for the coming year in my position as Masorti Student Fieldworker, scheduling visits to different university campuses, speaking with key leaders in the Anglo Jewish community, and contacting students who attend different unis (universities) across the UK. I’m constantly reminded that the student period in a person’s life is a time of growth and reflection, trials and adventures. My job is to ensure that students have the opportunity to engage in these experiences in the Jewish context, particularly through challenging and enforcing their personal relationships with the Masorti movement. As the Student Fieldworker, I will be travelling to uni campuses across the UK, running sessions on Jewish topics, cooking dinners, taking Masorti students out for drinks, leading Shabbat services, and generally introducing Masorti ideology to uni campuses. I see my job as ensuring that students feel a link with the Masorti community even when they are not at their home synagogues. This will be effected in a number of ways, including the creation of a website for Marom (the students and young adults branch of Masorti), sending out holiday care packages to students while they are on campus, hosting Shabbat dinners, and being in contact with students when visiting their campuses. In addition, I hope to introduce other Jewish students to the beauty and passion of the Masorti movement, and educate people about the aims and goals of the movement. This is a challenge I know I will face, particularly on the more right wing campuses, and I hope to have the support of existing Masorti students in combating the prejudices that exist. My goals for the year include promoting the image and understanding of Masorti in communities across the UK, empowering students to take initiative within their uni campuses, and encouraging students to be actively involved with Judaism in their own lives. The uni students are the future of the Masorti movement and I think it is imperative that we as a movement work together to ensure that they are given the tools they need to help the movement thrive and grow. I’ve only been in England for two months, yet I do feel closely connected with the Masorti community, particularly because of the amazing hospitality and warm welcome I have received. I worked at one of the NOAM UK camps this summer, which served as a brilliant introduction to the culture of uni students in the UK. In the past few weeks, I have been contacting as many students as possible, introducing myself and explaining what my position entails. On September 13th, we had an extremely successful pub night, held at Spaniards Inn in Hampstead, which served as an opportunity for Masorti students to mingle and socialize before the pressures of uni began. Over the course of the year, I will be organizing various programs and activities for students, including trips to Israel and Europe, and I hope that many of the community members will get involved in our activities and create a positive, enforcing and engaged relationship with Masorti Judaism. I think that the most important way the community can help me in my position is to promote to uni students what my job involves, and explaining that I am here to help and support in any way possible. If parents or grandparents could send in their children’s contact information at uni, that would be invaluable, as it will provide a method for us to be in touch with students over the term. My travel schedule will be printed in synagogue bulletins, so please refer to it and tell your children when I will be visiting their campuses. I would also appreciate any feedback parents or students have regarding my position, particularly things I can be doing to further engage uni students with Masorti and Judaism. I can be reached by email at shira@masorti.org.uk I hope that the new year brings us all happiness, health, and peace. I am very much looking forward to working with all of you in the Masorti movement, and hope that the year brings much success for everyone. Shana tova u’metukah! ________________________________________ NOAM UK News By Sara Levan Since the return from camp and Israel tour in August, the NOAM bayit has been a hive of activity. The camp equipment has been unloaded if not yet unpacked and the planning for the upcoming year’s program of activities is well underway. Following the tremendous success of all the summer’s activities the movement is undertaking an extensive review of all the camps in order to keep up with the phenomenal increase in numbers which NOAM experiences every year. This process will continue throughout the year and hopefully serve to make the camp and tour experience even better for participants and their parents. Our new movement workers were in Israel in late August on the “Chazon” Seminar which is run for all the movement workers from all the Zionist Youth movements. The purpose of the seminar is to prepare the workers both practically and ideologically for their year of service. There are twelve participants in Drachim, NOAM’s year program in Israel, the largest contingent from any one youth movement in UK. Amid great chaos and excitement at Heathrow they said goodbye to their friends and loved ones in September and were also seen off by NOAMniks who are graduates of Drachim. They are starting their year at Ulpan Akiva in Netanya for an intensive Hebrew language course before heading off to do volunteer work, study and experience day to day life in Israel. Over the chagim NOAM will be offering programs in all the kehillot with regular club. The new Meltam leadership training group for counselors will get under way at the end of September. ________________________________________ What is NOAM? By Sara Levan, NOAM UK Project Coordinator In June, the NOAM Bogrim Seminar took place in Israel. Run in conjunction with Marom, the theme over Shabbat was ‘Spirituality in the Desert’. After Shabbat, the NOAM contingent undertook an arduous hike through the desert, sleeping under the stars and debating NOAM’s ideology late into the night. In preparation for one of their discussions, the NOAM team asked a range of people from throughout the Masorti movement to write 100 words about NOAM. From the youngest chanich (participant) to the rabbis of the constituent shuls, thousands of words flowed into the office. Here is a small selection. • NOAM is a home away from home. NOAM is somewhere I can always feel comfortable. NOAM is something you can benefit from immensely while still giving back to the community. NOAM is a place where prayer is more than recital. NOAM is a place to learn. NOAM is a place to teach. NOAM is where the future congregates. • NOAM … are a crowd of people completely dedicated to their work with a love of and involvement in Masorti Judaism that I find totally inspirational to work alongside… They can be irritating, they are always challenging and they do not want to recreate their parents’ generation. • It is more than numbers, it is a real community with a powerful culture of love, nurture and Jewish tradition and where I have been privileged to be allowed to play a part… young people go through NOAM and come out the other side as confident Jews shaping the future of Masorti Judaism…what would we be without it! • NOAM is the belief that anything is possible, all wrongs will be righted. NOAM invigorates, captivates, motivates, creates. NOAM will be where I send my children and the place I’ll never forget. • NOAM … provides us with the proof that there are many people willing to truly commit themselves both physically and emotionally to what they believe in. • NOAM gives me the space to feel completely comfortable, to feel respected for who I am, what I believe and what I do in the movement. • NOAM is professionalism and friendship jostling for priority. NOAM is passion and ideology in a world of apathy and indifference. • NOAM is family. It is a place where I feel warm, secure, loved and accepted. • When I am on NOAM I feel more alive and awake than at any other time because everything we do, discuss and learn really matters. • Nurturing and bringing out the best in everyone, even the most difficult. Encouraging the love and pleasure of being Jewish. Watching all the happy faces as they go off to summer camp, and seeing all the ecstatic faces as they return. Seeing the numbers grow year by year. My kids having wonderful friends, with shared values and caring very deeply for each other. Jerry Gottesman z”l We are saddened to inform you that Jerry Gottesman (z”l) from Norwalk, Connecticut passed away on September 21, 2004. Jerry was an active member of the Masorti Olami Board of Directors and was instrumental in setting up our website and helping us with all our internet questions and problems. Jerry also served on the National Board of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism as a VP, and was Regional Financial Secretary for many years for the Connecticut Valley Region of USCJ. He held numerous leadership posts in USCJ over the years, most recently as co-moderator of the Presidents' Listserve. Joe Bacher, Outgoing Regional President, said, "Jerry's legacy of commitment to and passion for the Conservative Movement will live on. His dedication to the principles of "Klal Yisrael" (People of Israel) and "Al Tifros Min Hatzibur" (Do Not Separate Yourself From the Community) will clearly guide our path. Jerry's wholehearted willingness to engage himself in overcoming challenges in USCJ was a unique leadership quality, and we sorely miss him". There will be a special memorial for Jerry at the next Connecticut Valley Regional Conference on Sunday, October 24. Masori Olami is currently producing a new video and DVD about our work, which will be dedicated to Jerry's memory. Rabbi Alan Silverstein, president of Masorti Olami, adds, “Jerry inspired us to better communicate our sacred mission through technology -- the internet, DVD, etc. He was a blessing to us all -- and a real mentsh!” We send our sincere condolences to his wife, Judy, and the family. Jerry will be sorely missed by us all. ________________________________________ Masorti AMLAT Executive Meeting At the MERCAZ / Masorti Olami Latin American Conference in March, 2004 a Masorti AMLAT (Latin America) Executive Committee was established to work together on common issues and projects for the Masorti Movement in Latin America. A meeting of the AMLAT Executive Committee will take place from November 12-14 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. For further information, please contact us at mail@masortiolami.org ________________________________________ Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center Dedication The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism will be dedicating the Shirley and Jacob Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center on 6 Heshvan 5765, Oct. 21, 2004 at 12:30 p.m. Special events are planned for Wednesday, October 20 through Shabbat, Oct. 23. For more information, please contact Rabbi Jim Lebeau at lebeau@uscj.org On Shabbat Noach (Oct. 15-16) we begin the month of Heshvan, the second month of the Jewish calendar. It is sometimes called Mar Heshvan (“bitter Heshvan”) because it has no holidays other than Shabbat in it. Heshvan is also known as a month of pain and suffering for the Jewish people. In Heshvan we commemorate the yahrzeits of Rachel Imeinu, Nachmanides, and Yitzchak Rabin. Yahrzeit of Yitzhak Rabin Yitzhak Rabin (March 1, 1922- November 4, 1995), was an Israeli politician and military general. He served as Prime Minister of Israel, from 1974 until 1977 and again from 1992 until he was assassinated on November 4, 1995 (12th of Heshvan) by a right-wing activist Yigal Amir. His yahrtzeit this year on the Gregorian calendar is October 27, 2004. Prime Minister Rabin said at his last speech at the Peace Rally on November 4, 1995: “This rally must send a message to the Israeli people, to the Jewish people around the world, to the many people in the Arab world, and indeed to the entire world, that the Israeli people want peace, support peace.” (Read his entire speech at http://www.ariga.com/rabin-speech.shtml ) He is sorely missed today. To learn more about this special person, visit: http://www.rabin.org/site/en/homepage.asp http://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/1994/rabin-bio.html The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs site contains a number of Rabin’s key speeches:: http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts%20About%20Israel/State/Yitzhak%20... Words to the “Song of Peace” sung by Yitzhak Rabin at the rally minutes before his assassination: http://www.otn.com/netking/hrabin.html On the web site of the Jewish Agency Department of Jewish Zionist go to the “site map”, scroll down and you will find a section entitled “Yitzhak Rabin”. There are a number of suggested educational activities here: http://www.jafi.org.il/education/cen1.html