European Lay Leaders Meet in Paris
By Gill Caplin, Co-chair of Assembly of Masorti Synagogues, UK
On Sunday 26th February, a group of rabbis and lay-leaders from across Europe met in Paris as a first step to creating the European Region of Masorti Olami. Alan H. Silberman, President of Masorti Olami, and Rabbi Joe Wernik, Executive Vice President of Masorti Olami, also attended. The main aim of this meeting was to create a steering group which will establish a European Board through which future decisions will be made. The European Regional Board will then be charged with the goal of working with Masorti Olami to establish, develop and support new and existing kehillot to enable a secure and sustainable future for the Masorti movement throughout Europe.
| In a positive and constructive atmosphere, under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, this initial exchange of ideas will help formulate the strategy and vision for a significant Masorti presence in Europe. With strong and enthusiastic involvement from both NOAM and Marom, this seems to be not only possible but both important and necessary. |
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To quote Rabbi Gesa Ederberg “The rise of fundamentalism on the one side and the rise of liberalism with its lack of clear values on the other is encouraging people to realize that Masorti can provide the Jewish alternative answer to problems; Masorti is grounded in Jewish tradition without being fundamentalist. Masorti Judaism faces the challenge of living as a committed Jew in the world today.”
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Melbourne Shlichim
In last month's report, we introduced you to our 2006 shlichim to Melbourne, but didn't include a picture of them. So here they are!
Meet (left to right) Debi Lazar, Ben Berdichev and Shira Levine
Debi and Shira arrived in Melbourne on March 8, in time for the Purim festivities at Bialik College and Kehilat Nitzan. Ben will be joining them in June.
| The shlichut is sponsored by Bialik College, a Jewish day school with approximately 1000 students, from kindergarten through grade twelve. The shlichim are involved in all informal Jewish educational activities in the school, as well as in helping to teach Judaic studies classes. In addition, they are involved in activities at Kehilat Nitzan, the Masorti kehillah in Melbourne. |
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To read more about our shlichim, go to: http://www.masortiworld.org/news/monthly-report/1-06/update-activities.htm#2
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A Bright Future in UK with Atid
By Cheryl Sklan, Director of Atid, UK
Atid, a leadership training program for the Assembly of Masorti Synagogues in UK, is currently in its third year. The ten participants this year come from New North London Synagogue, Assif, St. Albans Masorti Synagogue and Marom. The purpose of the program is for participants to improve their skills as leaders and how to effectively develop their communities. The group meets once a month and includes two intensive seminars during the year.
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hirteen people braved the winter in south Wales on the weekend of 24th Feb. for an Atid seminar to explore issues around our identity as British Jews. Caer Llan, a special house in Monemouth that is used for retreats, was as beautiful as ever and as we looked over snow capped hills, blue sky and sun, the sense of peace and awe descended on us all. The aim of the weekend was to bond us into a group, experience a Masorti Shabbat as well as explore identity. All this was achieved and more.... An amazing thing was that we managed four services totally, with skilled men and women leading, leyning and doing haftorah. The finale was Assael Romanelli, shaliach, leading us in a musical sharchrit which was truly inspiring.
My thanks to everyone and especially to Rina Wolfson and Assael Romanelli for their presence and educational role. And of course to Caer Llan who remain bemused at the koshering of their kitchen after 15 years of visits.
In May we are off to New York for our second weekend away. This program is full of opportunities to develop yourself and become the leader of yourself and others that you truly want to be.
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MERCAZ Olami Elections
By Dr. David Breakstone, Head of the Department of Zionist Activities and MERCAZ representative in the WZO and Jewish Agency
It is our pleasure to be able to inform you that the results of the American Zionist Movement elections for delegates to the Zionist Congress have been announced and that MERCAZ received 32 delegates, identical to the number we had at the Congress in 2002, or 22% of the total vote. First of all, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of those who worked so long and so hard on these elections, and to acknowledge with great satisfaction all the reports we have received over the past several months regarding the unity of purpose with which all of our constituent organizations and institutions worked together so seemlessly. We are confident that this cooperative effort is a harbinger of even greater things to come after the Congress, and we look forward to building on this together with you in pursuit of our common goals.
There are too many who contributed to this effort to name all of the names here, but we do want to acknowledge the inspired leadership of our president, Rabbi Vernon Kurtz, the devotion of campaign chairs, Dr. Marilyn Wind and Rabbi Richard Hammerman, the ongoing efforts of the members of the campaign committee who served as liaisons on behalf of their respective organizations, the spirit of cooperation demonstrated by the lay and professional leadership of the arms of our movement represented in the Leadership Council for Conservative Judaism as well as the heads of all of our Israeli institutions which united behind the campaign, and, last but not least, the dedication of MERCAZ USA director, Rabbi Bob Golub who held the whole thing together. To the so many others who contributed to this effort, please accept this expression of appreciation collectively.
To those of you outside of the United States, our achievement within the American Zionist Movement - holding our own in the face of stiff competition - should serve as an inspiration to all of you who are now involved in electoral processes of your own. Every single delegate makes a very real contribution to our ability to influence the agenda of the WZO and JAFI and to access resources, and I am sure all of our colleagues in America who are now taking a deep breath, join me in wishing you much success in your own efforts. Collectively we are in a position to significantly increase our strength worldwide. There are promising prospects for new representation in countries where until now we have had none, and to increase our representation where our activities and communities have grown over the past four years. The democratization of the WZO, which I am proud that MERCAZ has played such an important role in bringing about, is good not only for the Zionist movement in general, but for us in particular, as our constituency continues to grow and assert its rightful place around the decision-making tables of the Jewish community throughout the Diaspora. Yasher koach to all those who are out in the field making this happen.
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