A Successful Summer
for NOAM UK
By Michael Gluckman, Director
of Assembly of Masorti Synagogues (AMS) UK
(From "News from the AMS office", August 19, 2005)
I
wanted to pay tribute to everyone in NOAM for the tremendous success
of camp this year.
Rabbi Chaim Weiner commented to me that at his first NOAM camp there
were 13 participants! Camp and Israel Tour 2005 involved 500 chanichim
(campers) led by 80 madrichim (counselors). The feedback I have received
from all the communities has been full of praise for the organization
and quality of the programming. Everyone has said to me that the first
thing children ask when arriving home is, “Can I go next year?” We have
even had reports of children being camp sick!!
The Madrichim at Pre Camp
|
Chanichim
|
Preparing challot for Shabbat
|
Chanichim
|
What is perhaps less well understood is the quality of Masorti Jewish
learning which is a beacon for us all. NOAM is able to draw on the expertise
of our Rabbis and other educators to ensure that, in particular, pre-camp
is now the envy of other youth movements. The intensity of Jewish experience
and practice is something that we need to enable our children to bring
into our homes.
Such events don’t just happen. They are the result of months of hard
work by the office team of movement workers led by Maya Wiser. In the
background have been the calm wisdom of Sara Levan and the financial
skills of Deborah Simons. At the sharp end have been all the people
who have given up some four weeks of their summer [eschewing the opportunity
to earn money in a summer job] to be Roshim (unit heads) and Madrichim.
With people like these the Masorti movement has a very rosy future.
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Report from
Rabbi Chaim Weiner
Below are excerpts
from the newsletter of Rabbi Chaim Weiner,
Director of the European Masorti Beit Din
My
international travels brought me back to
Portugal twice since my last newsletter. |
Rabbi
Chaim Weiner |
I
spent a day with the local Rabbi in Lisbon coordinating arrangements
for setting up our Masorti community there. The Jewish community in
Portugal is small and I feel strongly that we have to strive to work
in a cooperative manner wherever possible. Although this involves
a lot of extra effort at this point, it will be worth our while in
the long term.
We are also arranging for a retired American Rabbi to spend some
time in Lisbon to teach an “Introduction to Judaism” course and basic
synagogue skills. The negotiations in Portugal are intricate, and
I can’t be public about a lot of the issues we are encountering. Some
day, with the distance of time, I will publish some of the stories
of this amazing community.
This month I have also been busy with my various teaching projects.
I established a two week Summer Yeshiva Program. The learning each
day was divided into several parts: Torah, Talmud and Prayer. We took
advantage of the opportunity for intensive study, and each week participants
covered more material than they usually cover in a year.
I will be leading a guided trip to Valencia and Toledo from September
8-11, 2005. The journey includes a Shabbat with Kehilat Aviv, the
new Masorti community in Valencia, a visit to archaeological remains
of Jewish life in Sagunto, and a day in Toledo, with a chance to see
sites not generally open to the public. All this is combined with
a chance to study texts that were written in Toledo and gain an insight
into one of the grandest Jewish communities of all time.
For more information about this tour or other tours to Spain, please
contact me.
Rabbi Chaim Weiner writes regular updates about his Beit Din activities.
If you are interested in subscribing to this mailing list, write to
Rabbi Weiner at chaimweiner@supanet.com
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Shlichot update
from Melbourne
By Tamar Zisquit
| Editor’s note:
Tamar Zisquit, Ayala Fox and Keren Rand-Lakritz are the fourth
group of shlichim sent to Australia by Masorti Olami in cooperation
with “Project Masoret” at Bialik College and Kehilat Nitzan in
Melbourne. At Bialik, the shlichim contribute to the informal
Jewish educational program in the school and promote Zionism and
Israel. At Kehilat Nitzan, they are involved in the Bnei Mitzvah
program, lead children's services and add their synagogue skills
to the kehillah.) |
Shlichot (left to right) Tamar Zisquit,
Ayala Fox, Keren Rand-Lakritz |
|
Year Six
Daughters- Mothers Shabbat
During this term we have been
busy organizing a Shabbat weekend for grade six girls and their mothers
which took place in June. It was a great Shabbat! The purpose of the
Shabbat was to learn what the Bat Mitzvah means to us, what Shabbat
is for each one of us, and to create a few special moments between
mothers and their daughters.
The mothers and daughters traveled to Phillip Island on Friday afternoon.
We started the weekend with a few ice breakers to get to know each
other. Our Shabbat began with a communal candle lighting followed
by the mothers blessing their daughters. We had a lively Kaballat
Shabbat service, learning some of Carlebach’s special tunes. After
dinner we had a mother-daughter competition to see who knows each
other best and finished up the day with some games.
Shabbat morning started with a walk on the beautiful beach, followed
by some yoga stretching. We had Shabbat morning prayer activities
in groups whereby each group had a different activity, learning about
the morning Shabbat prayer, what is a Bat Mitzvah and how is reading
the Torah connected. We got into an interesting conversation about
each girl's Bat Mitzvah and customs at home. Later on the girls learned
about the parashat shavuah and performed it in a special way in front
of their mothers.
The rest of the day was great, including lively singing during the
Shabbat meals. At our Seuda Shlishit, we had a special activity called
"Caf? Dilemma" which promoted some interesting discussions.
We finished the Shabbat with a meaningful Havdala. Later that night,
we all got into cars and drove to see the amazing penguins on Phillip
Island. It was a special experience.
We began Sunday morning with another walk on the beach followed by
yoga stretches and breakfast. We then had a two hour work shop on
mother-daughter relationships that ended our great weekend. It was
a special experience for everybody.
Kehilat Nitzan
We are continuing our
Shabbat program with our Bnei Mitzva kids. There are about 12 boys
and girls that come to shul every second Shabbat to prepare for their
Bar/Bat Mitzva. We have just finished our unit on Shabbat and Festivals
that concluded with a session on Tisha B’av and now we are moving
on to sessions about the Torah and the Bible.
We are continuing with our special activities for the young children
that attend Shabbat morning services. There is usually a group of
5-6 kids that have a session with us about Shabbat and festivals and
other subjects that we think are relevant. We usually include a story
or game or an interesting discussion. A few weeks ago we even had
the children prepare a show that they performed in front of the kehillah
during the Kiddush.
Latest Report on Bialik- Term
3
We opened term
3 in July with the Partnership 2000 program. Seven kids from moshavim
in the Arava came for 10 days to stay at the homes of our year 10
students and have a quick visit in Australia. During their stay here
we explored the city using trains and trams and other transportation,
had a great art activity at our home, went on a two day tour to the
mountains, went skiing, saw kangaroos and other Australian animals,
and ended their visit with a Shabbaton that we organized at the school.
The seven guests from Israel and the 20 hosts from Bialik stayed at
school overnight for a lovely, peaceful Shabbat, full of activities.
We continued the term with the annual Hebrew Camp. All kids from
years 10, 11, 12 that are going to be choosing to have a final exam
in Hebrew language were invited for a three-day “only Hebrew” camp.
28 students, two Hebrew teachers and four madrichim joined us from
the Jewish Agency Zionist Seminars and we all went to find a quiet
place to speak only Hebrew. We went to the Dandenongs- a beautiful
area, about an hour out of Melbourne. It was great! We had activities
in Hebrew, spoke Hebrew, ate in Hebrew and some even went to sleep
talking only Hebrew. The students all had a great time and hopefully
it helped them understand that Hebrew isn’t only a language and subject
that they have a test in at the end of the year, but that it’s a great
language that can be spoken any time.
Now we are planning our next big camp - The Zionist Seminars which
will take place at the end of August. We have our great six Jewish
Agency shlichim that came from Israel that are organizing this camp
for our ninth graders. The students are very excited that their time
has finally arrived to go to this famous camp. We are sure that it
will be great!!!
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Masorti AMLAT
Leadership Meets in Buenos Aires
Meetings
of the Masorti AMLAT leadership are taking place from September 2
through September 5 in Buenos Aires. The meetings were organized by
Rabbi Shmuel Szteinhendler, Director of Masorti AMLAT, and Mr. David
Raij, Chairman of Masorti AMLAT. Participants include Rabbi Joe Wernik, Sergio Jordorkovsky, Ria Reichenfeld, Rabbi Marcelo Rittner and Mario Grunebaum.
The goal of Masorti AMLAT is to strengthen the Masorti kehillot in
Latin America, to coordinate projects in the region and to enhance
our presence in the area. The AMLAT leadership will be meeting with
Wolfgang Levy and Ricardo Rybak of FEDECC (Federation of Conservative
Congregations in Argentina), Adrian Kohan, Masorti shaliach in Argentina,
Rabbis Abraham Skorka and Adrian Herbst from the Seminario Rabinico
Latinamericano Marshall T. Meyer, and representatives from Jewish
communal organizations including the Jewish Agency for Israel, Joint
Distribution Committee, AMIA and representatives from the World Union
of Progressive Judaism.
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Update 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. |
(left to right) Judy Horowitz,
Ambassador from Nigeria, Gloria Landy |
Dear
Friends,
It would be of great interest to all of our congregants and member
congregations to access the interactive web site for the 2005 Summit
of World Leaders, which will take place at the United Nations in September.
In anticipation of the summit, civil society organizations are voicing
their views on how to strengthen the UN as it confronts the challenges
of extreme poverty and global security. Non-governmental organizations,
World Council of Conservative/Masorti Synagogues among them, working
with the United Nations have created a web site: http://www.undpingoconference.org
The website features an interactive discussion area to debate issues
that will be addressed at the 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, entitled
“Our Challenge: Voices for Peace, Partnerships and Renewal” scheduled
to take place at the UN headquarters in New York on September 7-9
2005.
Although the conference is closed to the general public, the web site
will enable social activists from around the world to participate
in the discussion of issues as set forth in the Secretary-General's
report “In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human
Rights for All”. The web site aims to increase the number of conference
participants from around the globe, especially NGO activists, youth,
the media and the general public. An online discussion feature provides
an opportunity for the general public to participate in a discussion
forum on the conference topics and issues before the event. During
the conference, online participants will also be able to pose questions
which may be addressed to panel speakers to enable real-time, virtual
participation.
The discussion forum will feature several thematic issues on a rotation
basis: freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom to live in dignity
and the role of civil society in the United Nations. Special online
sessions with high-level United Nations officials or NGO representatives
will be announced separately.
We can have a voice in this conference through this web site so we
urge everyone to please publicize this and stress the impact our individual
congregants can have if they can make their voices heard.
Any questions about the web site or the conference can be directed
to: dpingo@un.org
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U.N. Strategies
for Combating International Anti-Semitism
Gloria Landy, a
member of the World Council /Masorti Olami Board of Directors, provides
outstanding leadership for our organization as a representative of
an NGO (non-governmental organization) in the United Nations. We are
indebted to her as well as toco-chair, Judy Horowitz, for their important
contribution.
Gloria shared notes from the World Jewish Congress’s “Off-the-Record
Diplomatic Forum on Anti-Semitism”, which took place on May 10, 2005.
The notes were written by Doris Leifer and Madeleine Brecher from
the International Council of Jewish Women.
Dear
Friends,
It would be of great interest to all of our congregants and member
congregations to access the interactive web site for the 2005 Summit
of World Leaders, which will take place at the United Nations in September.
In anticipation of the summit, civil society organizations are voicing
their views on how to strengthen the UN as it confronts the challenges
of extreme poverty and global security. Non-governmental organizations,
World Council of Conservative/Masorti Synagogues among them, working
with the United Nations have created a web site: http://www.undpingoconference.org
The website features an interactive discussion area to debate issues
that will be addressed at the 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, entitled
“Our Challenge: Voices for Peace, Partnerships and Renewal” scheduled
to take place at the UN headquarters in New York on September 7-9
2005.
Although the conference is closed to the general public, the web site
will enable social activists from around the world to participate
in the discussion of issues as set forth in the Secretary-General's
report “In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human
Rights for All”. The web site aims to increase the number of conference
participants from around the globe, especially NGO activists, youth,
the media and the general public. An online discussion feature provides
an opportunity for the general public to participate in a discussion
forum on the conference topics and issues before the event. During
the conference, online participants will also be able to pose questions
which may be addressed to panel speakers to enable real-time, virtual
participation.
The discussion forum will feature several thematic issues on a rotation
basis: freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom to live in dignity
and the role of civil society in the United Nations. Special online
sessions with high-level United Nations officials or NGO representatives
will be announced separately.
We can have a voice in this conference through this web site so we
urge everyone to please publicize this and stress the impact our individual
congregants can have if they can make their voices heard.
Any questions about the web site or the conference can be directed
to: dpingo@un.org
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