"Yom Masorti" in the Netherlands
"Masorti Almere", a two year old Masorti kehillah located twenty miles east of Amsterdam, organized a special day to reach out to the Jewish community and educate people in the Netherlands about the Masorti Movement.
Participants on panel at Yom Masorti Netherlands
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“Yom Masorti” took place on Sunday, September 25 in Hilversum and was a huge success. Eighty people attended the event, including many new faces who came to learn about our movement. Rabbi Chaim Weiner, director of the Masorti European Beit Din, and Rabbi Arnold Goodman from Israel led sessions and workshops on aspects of Masorti Judaism.
Chairman of the event was Mr. Nicky Cohen. Cohen expects a fast growth of the movement within a few years. Yasher Koach to Mr. Cohen and to members of Masorti Almere for their hard work in making the day so successful.
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Spirituality in the Sand -
Nuevo Congregaci?n Israelita (NCI), Montevideo
By Ria Okret
On Shabbat Ki Tetze (September 16-17) NCI organized a Shabbaton called "Spirituality in the Sand" in preparation for the Yamim Noraim. The retreat took place at Punta del Este, a sea resort, which at this time of the year (not yet quite spring in the Southern Hemisphere) is very quiet and ideal for praying, studying, meditating and sharing a good time. Fifty people of all ages from NCI participated. Although very few Jews live permanently in Punta del Este, about 40 local Jews joined us for prayers on Friday evening.
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Sunday morning tefillah at NCI's Shabbaton |
We studied under the guidance of our Rabbi Alejndro Bloch and had a creative Dvar Torah on Shabbat morning during the Shacharit. A special guest joined us for the retreat: Rabbi Adrian Herbst, Dean of the Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano Marshall T. Meyer With Rabbi Herbst we studied Shir Hashirim and with Rabbi Bloch we discussed the deeper meaning of teshuvah (repentance).
Good food, walks, a siesta Saturday afternoon and a film on Motzei Shabbat added to the positive experience. We came back spiritually refreshed for the holidays and with energy for the work needed to prepare them.
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Masorti Seminar on the Riviera
By Stephanie Boussac-Devico, Maayane Or, Nice
I would like to share with you some memories of an outstanding week in Toulon, during our yearly Masorti seminar which took place in July. The theme of the seminar was "Prophecy".
Toulon is located on the French Riviera, half-way between Nice and Marseille so you can easily imagine being in a beautiful house surrounded by gorgeous sea views with lovely weather. This week was made up of different workshops such as translating Hebrew, reading in the Torah, writing calligraphic letters, learning the amida, even singing songs. All of this was done seriously in a highly spiritual mood. We finished this special week by an exceptional Shabbat, singing the Lekha Dodi in front of an unforgettable sunset on Toulon's bay.
Personally, I received a lot more than I would have ever dreamed possible. I not only learned a lot, but also met a lot of friendly and interesting people and by living together we became friends.
I would take this opportunity to thank Rabbi Yeshaya Dalsace and his wife Mayanne, and everyone who helped to organize this event and especially our hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Michaelis for their precious time and friendliness.
would encourage each of you to take some time off to participate in a seminar of this kind in your congregation. What you learn and experience there will accompany you and nourish you all along the coming year, and further on. I am not only grateful but also very proud to belong to Maayane Or, our Masorti congregation in Nice, France.
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News from Kehilat Beit Israel, Lisbon
By Marco Moreyra, President
Editor's note: Masorti Olami has begun building bridges with the Anusim (Conversos) community in Lisbon. These families have been living secret Jewish lives for over 500 years. In May, Rabbi Joe Wernik traveled to meet this dedicated group of individuals who are interested in returning to their Jewish roots. Rabbi Chaim Weiner, Director of the European Masorti Beit Din, also visited the community to get to know them and to guide them in their studies. Masorti Olami arranged for Rabbi Jules Harlow and his wife, Navah, to spend two weeks in Lisbon in September, teaching basic Judaism classes and leading t’fillot with the community.
Between the 13th and 25th September, we had the pleasure of having Rabbi Jules Harlow and Mrs. Navah Harlow as guests in Lisbon, lecturing and teaching classes in our kehillah. Everyone is grateful to Masorti Olami for helping us by sending us these two wonderful human beings. They taught us not only the theory of a Jewish life, but also how to be and feel like a Jew.
We had classes on the way of praying and leading Kabbalat Shabbat service. These classes were not only useful, but were a huge boost to our self confidence. Everyone is excited and we plan to continue these services in the Ohel Yaakov Shul every Friday night.
We had Kabbalat Shabbat services both Fridays of their visit, as well as a wonderful Shabbat seder. Even two Venezuelan young women, on holiday in Lisbon, joined us for dinner after Kabbalat Shabbat.
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Registering Kehilat Masorti Beit Israel in Portugal |
Although the members were tired on the weekdays because of work, everyone tried their best to attend all the classes. We felt the importance of the learning and the unique opportunity to study with these two magnificent teachers. Rabbi and Mrs. Harlow have a special way to captivate people. Everyone was privileged to share these two incredible (short) weeks of learning and having fun with such intelligent, cultured and kind people. We already miss them!
Finally I want to share that the kehilah is now legally registered. Tuesday, 4th October / 1st Tishrei is an historical landmark for Jewish life in Portugal: the date of the formation of "Comunidade Judaica Masorti Beit Israel" (Kehilah Masorti Beit Israel) which was registered in the Republic Diary as the first non-Orthodox kehillah in the country.
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Yamim Noraim in Melbourne
Reported by Jim Landau, President, Kehilat Nitzan Melbourne
The high holidays were a remarkable success at Kehilat Nitzan. With close to 450 people attending our Kol Nidrei services and many, many new families seeking to join our congregation, we are feeling that our community is ready to blossom provided that we can secure a suitable rabbi to provide religious leadership. Rabbi Ehud Bandel from Jerusalem was with us for the holidays and won the hearts and minds of the Melbourne Jewish community.
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Members of Kehilat Nitzan, Melbourne |
We received excellent support from the local Jewish news media. Our two shlichot, Keren Rand-Lakritz and Ayala Fox, were away for Rosh Hashana but led children's services on Yom Kippur. Gabbi Field (a rabbinical student from Kehilat Nitzan who is now studying at the Ziegler School of the University of Judaism in California) prepared a special machzor just for the young children. This proved to be a great way to get enthusiastic involvement in religious services by the children.
We look forward to Rabbi Bandel's return to our kehillah in January.
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