Dedication of the new Masorti Cultural Center in Kiev
January 15th (15 Tevet) was an important day for the Masorti Jewish community in Kiev. The dedication of the new Masorti Cultural Center took place in the presence of representatives from Jewish organizations in Kiev, members of "Kehilat Armon", students from Midreshet Yerushalayim's Armon Sunday school and young adults from Marom chapters in Ukraine.
Until January, the school and kehillah rented a school for a limited number of hours on Sundays and Fridays for its activities. The community felt strongly that a permanent home for Masorti activities was needed in Kiev in order to expand the current cultural, educational and religious programs and meet the needs of the growing number of Jews in Kiev who are searching for a pluralistic, non-coercive, halachic Judaism.
The concept of the Masorti Cultural Center is now no longer a dream. A rental contract was signed in December for a large four room apartment close to downtown Kiev, easily accessible by public transportation. Funding for the center has been provided by the Ha'Nadiv Charitable Trust in London, the Gidwitz Family Foundation, Midreshet Yerushalayim (under the auspices of the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem), Masorti Olami and the World Zionist Organization Pluralistic Religious Services funding.
The Masorti Cultural Center will now provide a home for all activities including the Sunday school, t'fillot on Shabbat and holidays, adult and family education programs, Marom activities, Bar/Bat Mitzvah workshops for children and adults, and Jewish social and cultural events.
The Masorti Cultural Center will also house an educational resource library. The Streett family from Jerusalem has donated funds to the library in memory of their beloved daughter and sister, Tova (z"l). Tova was closely connected to Masorti Olami. After completing high school in 2001, Tova worked in the Masorti Olami office in Jerusalem, helping out with various projects until her recruitment to the I.D.F. in December of that year. She continued to stay connected with the staff and follow developments in our movement. Unfortunately, Tova passed away in May 2005. We are grateful to the Streett family for their contribution in her memory.
Masorti Olami works together with Midreshet Yerushalayim (under the auspices of the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem) to develop and support the Masorti Movement in Ukraine. Gila Katz, a former principal of the TALI school in Chernowitz before making aliyah in 1995, serves as head of the FSU department for Midreshet Yerushalayim and the Ukraine coordinator for Masorti Olami. Midreshet Yerushalayim runs seven Sunday schools and a day school in Ukraine and Masorti Olami works to establish kehillot in the cities and towns where the schools exist. Gila also serves as director of Camp Ramah Yachad in Ukraine, a successful summer camp for 200 campers.
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Reflections on Masorti Germany
By Scott Kramer
Scott Kramer is currently a rabbinical student at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, California.
In response to my first trip to Germany last February, I wanted to come back and experience the vibrant Jewish life in Germany a second time. My first trip was to Munich, but this time I wanted to see Berlin. I had heard from another rabbinical student at my school, Dennis Linson, who was here 2 ½ years ago how wonderful the community was in Berlin and wanted to experience it myself.
After discussions with Rabbinerin Gesa Ederberg, head of Masorti Germany and the Lehrhaus in Berlin, I decided to visit during my winter break from school (January 4 thru 17, 2006). I was warmly welcomed and instantly became part of the family of this community. I was given a tour of the Masorti kindergarten facility which has close to 30 children with two bi-lingual tracks and a very enthusiastic and highly trained staff. This same facility also houses the Lehrhaus, which is an adult education learning facility for both Jews and those studying for conversion. I was able to meet with and counsel both non-Jews contemplating conversion as well as others for any number of learning opportunities. I also taught a couple of seminars in the Lehrhaus on Psalms and Midrash which was well attended and included a reporter there from the local Jewish newspaper.
One of the amazing things about my trip was the chance to daven in a shul that Rabbinerin Gesa helped to establish many years ago, the Oranienberger Strasse or New Synagogue. This was a shul that was originally built in the 1860’s and survived Kristalnacht by a non-Jewish policeman only to be destroyed by an Allied bomb and ultimately by the Soviets in 1958. It has been restored on the outside and there is a museum and rooms built for a functioning small synagogue on the upper floors. Interesting to note, this shul hired the first female Rabbi in history, Rabbinerin Regina Jonas and a new shul was created literally in its ashes by Rabbinerin Gesa Ederberg. What an honor to be able to lead a Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat and deliver a sermon at on Shabbat morning.
I was able to tour Jewish Berlin and saw the Jewish museum, the new Holocaust memorial, Moses Mendohlson’s gravesite as well as do the regular tourist things like walk under the Brandenberg Gate, see the Reichstag, and also see the remnants of the Berlin Wall. The trip was well worth the effort and I would like to thank Rabbinerin Gesa and her staff for making me feel at home and allowing me the opportunity to experience the vibrancy of Jewish Berlin.
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Parents and students at Masorti Gan Berlin
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Rabbi Gesa Ederberg comments:
It was wonderful to have Scott with us and I would never have expected how much he could contribute on such a short visit! He really made an impact - include a huge article written about him in the German Jewish Weekly newspaper.
If you know of any young, knowledgeable people who are willing to spend some time in discovering Masorti beyond the US and Israel - please encourage them - it is so fruitful for both sides!
To receive the Masorti Germany newsletter, contact: info@masorti.de
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Long Distance Learning Launched in Spain
On February 15, Rabbi Uri Ayalon, an Israeli Spanish-speaking rabbi, will begin teaching weekly classes in Spanish via the internet to members of four Masorti kehillot in Spain. Members from Beit El Madrid, Comunidad Aviv and La Javura in Valencia and Bet Shalom in Alicante are looking forward to participating in these lessons.
Classes will include topics such as parashat ha'shavua, holidays, Israel, Zionism and other topics relevant to Judaism. The lessons will be broadcast live from a studio at the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem. Using up to date technology, students will be able to ask questions and participate actively in the discussions. Rabbi Ayalon will be also in direct contact with the students via email and will meet with the students personally during visits to Spain.
The internet course will strengthen ties between our kehillot in Spain and give our Spanish communities an opportunity to get to know one other better. We are grateful to the WZO Pluralistic Religious Services funding which is providing support for this project.
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World Wide Wrap in Australia
Kehilat Nitzan in Melbourne once again became the first synagogue in the world on February 5th (7 Shevat) to participate in the 5766 World Wide Wrap. The World Wide Wrap is a project of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs which designates a specific day each year to encourage men and women in Conservative/Masorti communities around the world to gather together to pray and participate in the mitzvah of wrapping tefillin. Kehilat Nitzan members gathered at the home of kehillah founder, John Rosenberg, to "wrap" together.
The idea of the "World Wide Wrap" was born during the 1999 Biennial convention the Federation of Jewish Men’s Club. The project continues to grow each year, involving more and more participants from congregations all over the world. The site www.worldwidewrap.com provides updates, programming ideas, publicity materials and more.
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La Javura, Valencia Visits A Coruna
By Alba Toscana, La Javura
La Javura of Valencia (Spain) visited A Coruna for Chanukah and met with
a budding Masorti-oriented group called "Ner Tamid" headed by Adrian Cangado
Varela. With the goal of starting the first Masorti Kehila in the north-eastern corner of Spain, Adrian has made contact with many people via the new Ner Tamid blog-spot and has received a good response with respect to the project.
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Clockwise (from the woman in the black
sweater): Alexandra Gorriti, Alba Toscana
Adrian Cangado, Dr.Ramon Monterroso, Javier Bernadez, Patrick Gerassi.
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Nine persons participated over the four-day Chanukah week-end in activities which included walks and talks, prayer and discussion, challah baking and candle lighting and of course the traditional 12 grapes and copious champagne to bring in 2006.
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