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ADAR / February-March 2007 |
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News from Community folks (happenings, questions, etc...)
Shavuah Tov from Warsaw, PL! We have just begun what is considered to be the most joyful month of the Jewish calendar. Adar! We will soon celebrate Purim, a holiday during which it is customary to wear masks or costumes that express our hidden and revealed identities. It’s a holiday in which nothing is as it appears, and it’s a time to seek courage to be our full, true selves. For those of you who look up at the stars, it is also the time during which we see “Mercury in Retrograde,” a phenomenon that occurs only three times each year. This is not a Jewish thing, but I think it fits well with this month. During “Mercury in Retrograde,” it looks as if Mercury is moving backwards and, like Purim, our lives get a little nutty. So if work is difficult, if your family is driving you crazy, if your computer is breaking, you can guess that “Mercury in Retrograde” is responsible. And even though this nuttiness usually brings frustration and inconvenience, perhaps we need a small dose to remind us of what is really important; to take time to reflect upon what we really care about, and identify what we need to do to create joyful, rich experiences for ourselves and for our entire community. So, during this month, it might be hard to find fulfillment in the little things. But we do have the exciting opportunity to go CRAZY! Do something you might not do. Take a risk, stretch yourself, play with your identity, have fun, and be who you want to be… because “everything is possible.” Looking forward to seeing many of you in Dublin in a few weeks. Sadly, it looks like this might be my last EuroJews event for a while. It looks like I will be heading back to the States after about 5 years in Poland. My family and friends are calling. May your life be filled and overflowing with joy. And may this joy bring you strength to overcome your challenges. For in life, we have joys and challenges; no way around that. Shalom, [ newsletter edited by Jordan Namerow ]
The New Month The Month of Adar from Ritual Well http://www.ritualwell.org/ Essence of Adar I Adar I is the twelfth month of the Jewish calendar. Seven of the nineteen years in the cycle of the Jewish calendar are leap years. When we add an extra month, Adar I, the regular Adar becomes Adar II. During leap years we celebrate Purim in Adar II. Adar I comes at the same time as the secular months February/March. We can think of Adar I as a hidden month, revealed only when we need it, to set the calendar straight! Similarly, in the natural world, many things hidden are coming to light. Hints of spring, until now hidden beneath the snow, begin to show themselves. We wonder when the first flowers will come out of their hiding place. The mazal (constellation) for Adar I is Pisces, dagim (fish). Living in the vast, deep ocean, fish are the creatures of a "hidden world." During Purim, which doesn't come until Adar II, Queen Esther saved the day by revealing her Jewish identity to the king. We imagine that during Adar I Esther's true identity was still hidden like a fish under water. Both Adar I and II are considered the happiest, most joyous months of the Hebrew calendar. Adar's motto is "Mishenihnas adar marbim besimha" or "When Adar arrives, joy increases." Tradition teaches that Adar is so full of joy that it is as if Adar were pregnant with happiness. Some years we need two Adars to contain all the joy of Adar! Features There are no holidays in Adar I; however, the Talmud teaches that the only difference between Adar I and Adar II is that we tell the story of Purim in Adar II. Adar I can therefore be considered a month of preparation for the festivities of Purim. Purim is observed on the 14th of Adar II, except in Jerusalem, where Purim is celebrated on the 15th of Adar II in honor of the Jews of Shushan, who fought against their enemies for an extra day. The story of Purim is told in Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther). Megillat Esther is one of two books of the Bible to bear a woman's name. (The other is Ruth.) Jews often refer to the Hebrew Bible as the Tanach, after the initial letters of its three parts: Torah (Instruction), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). Megillat Esther is found in Ketuvim. Purim is the only Jewish holiday that focuses on the talents, courage, and dedication of a woman. The story begins when Queen Vashti is banished for refusing to entertain the king's guests, and Esther is chosen in a beauty contest to be the new queen. Haman, the evil courtier, gets promoted to grand vizier, but Mordechai, Esther's uncle, refuses to bow down to him. Haman decides to take revenge on Mordechai and on all the Jews. He convinces the foolish King Ahashverosh (Ahasuerus) to call for the massacre of all the Jews throughout the kingdom. Purim means "lots" because Haman picked lots to decide precisely when to kill the Jews. Mordechai and Esther devise a plan to foil Haman's evil plot. Esther courageously approaches the king and invites him to a series of parties in Haman's honor. At the third party Esther wines and dines the king, reveals that she is Jewish, and pleads for the life of her people. Haman is hanged, and the Jews are saved. Fabulous Females Queen Vashti and Queen Esther show tremendous bravery in the Purim story. We will honor them both in Adar II. Dina. Beginning in the second century CE, the twelve calendar months were associated with the twelve tribes of Israel. Adar I is an additional, 13th month which some traditions associate with Dina, Leah's only daughter, and the youngest of Leah's children. Dina's story is complicated, and we know little about it. One day she goes out to meet the women of the local Hivite town and ends up entangled with one of the men of the place. Some traditions say that Dina chose freely to spend time with this man; the Torah implies that he imposed himself on her by force. Unfortunately, the Torah does not record Dina's own thoughts and feelings on the matter, and so we are left to speculate. Dina's story reminds us to be careful and to make good choices in potentially dangerous situations. At the same time, it is very important to understand that when someone is the victim of a crime when he or she was simply going about freely, the victim is innocent. When we or someone we care about are hurt, there can be a tendency to wish that the victim had done something differently so she would not have come in harm's way. But we must remember that the one harmed is not in any way at fault. Foods Hamantaschen are the best-known traditional food for Purim. These triangular cookies, filled with poppy seeds, fruit, cheese, or prune jam, are said to represent the three-cornered hat or three-cornered pocket of the villain Haman. In Israel, hamantaschen are called oznei Haman, Haman's ears. Some Sephardic Jews have a custom of wrapping hard-boiled eggs in pastry dough in the shape of an animal or a Purim character. These folares are baked, displayed, and later eaten as a Purim treat. Bean dishes, such as humous, are also eaten to remind us that, according to legend, Esther ate a vegetarian diet while in the court, in order to avoid eating non-kosher food.* *This and additional Purim foodways information is found in Teaching Jewish Holidays: History, Values, and Activities, by Robert Goodman (Denver, CO: A.R.E. Publications, 1997).
** EuroJews In Dublin! ** 9-12 MARCH 2007 Come and join EuroJews in Ireland, for what will be our tenth and most westerly trip! The weekend will include Shabbat services with the Trinity College J-Soc and the Dublin Progressive Jewish Community, a wide range of workshops, a tour of the city and the Jewish Museum, a visit to local beauty spot Bray, and plenty of opportunity to sample the sights, sounds and tastes of this unique country. The Jewish community in Dublin is small but historic, and the country often provided the last glimpse of Europe for Jews on their way to New York! 140 Euros without Bray (+ 20 membership) The price includes 3 nights hostel accommodation, entertainment and some food. David.Moskovic@gmail.com has invited you to join the EuroJews group with this message: Dear All, In Paris, it was suggested we set up a new easy-to-use EuroJews discussion forum...so voila! It should be possible for everyone to upload photos, post messages and create information pages. Here is the group's description: Discussion forum for EuroJews. A virtual community for young-ish European-ish Progressive-ish Jew-ish people. www.EuroJews.org Google Groups Information You can accept this invitation by clicking Access to the group on the web requires a Google Account. If you don't have a Google Account set up yet, you'll first need to create an account before you can access the group. You can create an account here If you would like to be a member of EuroJews please send and e-mail to Beatrice Richman beatricerichman@hotmail.com * You will get this on-line newsletter, discounts on events, and other great things! * If you would like to receive a reminder link to our monthly newsletter, please send an email to the following address, within the brackets: [eurojews-subscribe(at)eurojews.org] Members' Forum (see the link from http://www.eurojews.org/members.html)...a virtual space for our community to gather - room for online discussion, fun, announcements, recipes, learning - something we have been hoping to create for a long time is now finally with us! News from Community Folks (happenings, questions, etc...) To all Rabbinic students The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem Learning For Life! Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem invites applications for LEGACY HERITAGE JEWISH COMMUNAL SCHOLARSHIPS for SUMMER PROGRAM 2007 Session I: July 1 - July 19 A Unique Opportunity to study at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem for *Community Educators and Youth Advisors The Conservative Yeshiva Summer Program includes: * Mornings devoted to intense classes in either: * Afternoon sessions in Tanach, Midrash, Mishna, Halacha, and Tefilah The Legacy Heritage Jewish Communal Scholarships provide a special * Study in Jerusalem enables students to use Hebrew daily and gives context to the study of Jewish texts. The Legacy Heritage Jewish Communal Scholarship will cover tuition and provide up to $1500 towards flight, housing and living expenses for European participants. Applications are due by April 1; Applicants will be notified by May 1.
For more information and detailed course descriptions, please see our website, www.ConservativeYeshiva.org, or contact us at: yeshiva@uscj.org. The Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center <http://www.uscj.org.il> EUROPEAN UNION OF JEWISH STUDENTS Dear Friends, Dear Student Leaders, We would like to call upon all of you and raise your attention to the upcoming event in Istanbul that will be of great importance for all of us as Jewish leaders! Inter-religious and Intercultural Symposium in Youth Work from 27th to 31st March in Istanbul is co-organized by the Council of Europe, Islamic Youth Conference, and European Commission and will bring 180 youth representatives from all around (Europe +). Out of this number, we are expecting about 100 of them to be Muslim. 20 of the participants will be coming from OIC (Organizations of the Islamic Conference) countries, which means countries like Syria, Iran, Libya, Palestine, etc. I am sure that you share our view in absolutely insisting on having a strong delegation of European Jewish students!! It is absolutely critical that we have a delegation comprised of people who are knowledgeable about both interfaith and political issues, know what to say, how to say it, and when to say it, and are not afraid to speak in a courageous manner even when vastly outnumbered. Needless to say with the participation of OIC countries, Israel and the Middle East conflict will be inevitable in the discussions. We need to have a strong and influential voice at this symposium which is likely to set the agenda for inter-faith dialogue in Europe for the upcoming years. Furthermore, our voice should be there to defend the case for Israel. The application deadline is February 19th. You can find all relevant information here Hope to see you there, UPCOMING EUJS PROGRAMS March 16-21, 2007 Geneva, Switzerland EUJS Ambassadors to the UN May 1-6, 2007 Washington, USA EUJS delegation to the AJC Annual Meeting May 25-30, 2007 Fact, Fiction, Propaganda August 26-Sept 2, 2007 TBC SUMMER UNIVERSITY UPCOMING PROGRAMS IJAR: Party in Amsterdam on February 17th, 2007 UGEI: Party in Milan on March 2th-4th, 2007 JUE: European weekend in Madrid, March 23th-25th, 2007 UEJF: - Rire contre le Racisme, March 19th, 2007 in Paris. - National Convention in Israel, March 29th - April 1st For information: www.uejf.org UNITED: Seminar: "United Against intolerance: Civil Society against Discrimination" in Madrid, April, 10th-15th, 2007. Deadline to apply: Febuary 15th, 2007. Information Council of Europe: Symposium on Inter-religious / Inter-cultural dialogue, in Istanbul, March 27th-April 1st, 2007. Deadline to apply: February 19th, 2007. Information JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS LEGACY HERITAGE FELLOWSHIP: Planning a career in public policy, politics, the media and/or international/diplomatic relations in order to contribute significantly to the Pro-Israel Community? The Legacy Heritage Fellowship Program announces a unique, international opportunity for a one year paid Fellowship for the most academically gifted, motivated post graduates living in North America, the E.U. and Israel. Information: www.legacyheritage.org UEJF is looking for an Accountant. Information: www.uejf.org The European Union of Jewish Students, the sole democratically elected voice of European Jewish youth at the European level and at the European Youth Forum, is one of the largest international student organizations worldwide and the first Jewish Youth NGO to obtain the special Consultative Status to the ECOSOC of the United Nations. Its annual programming includes the Summer University , international, inter-religious, inter-generational seminars, study sessions at the European Youth Centre, and cutting edge work that puts it at the forefront of the European context. European Union of Jewish Students
NEW JEWISH GROUP FORMING in ROME: We are forming a chavurah which welcomes progressive, liberal Jews of all nationalities, ex-pats or Italians, and their non-Jewish partners, spouses, or friends. The goal is to build a community of like-minded individuals. How this community develops will depend on the needs, interests, and talents of the participants. Please feel free to email this to others you know who might be interested. Shalom, Helen CantorL2@aol.com EuroJews CD’s: They will be for sale in Paris, so yet another reason to come! Price about 10-15Euros. EuroJews Late Bar/Bat Mitzvah Project _ Have you had a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, or are you one of many EuroJews who, for one reason or another, missed out? It is never too late. We are planning an intensive learning programme leading, if appropriate, to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony. Please get in touch if you are interested in this, either as a student or as a teacher. Contact: Nathan EuroJews _Jewish/Moslem Dialogue Project. Fed up with negative and stereotypical journalism, from all sides? Anyone interested in participating in a EuroJews/Moslems interfaith project should get in touch. Let's break down some barriers. Contact: Nathan
Jewish Education in a Multicultural Europe Frankfurt -18-21 March 2007 REGISTRATION OPEN !!!! http://www.arachim.ecjc.org/ German Scolarship, Berlin-Scholarships of Check it out: Berlin-Scholarships of the Remembrance and Future Fund New announcement For the academic year 2007/2008 Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin once Program The Berlin-Scholarship-Program allows international students to study Along with their studies in Berlin the scholarship holders work together Grant holders can carry out their study proposals within two semesters Application requirements Students of all fields of study, in particular from Central and Eastern Europe, the CIS-States, Israel and the USA, may apply. The program is directed to students with a good proficiency in German and special interest in the history of National Socialism. We especially encourage descendants of former forced laborers and other victims of the National Socialist regime to apply. Please submit a draft proposal for a project that can be accomplished within the scholarship year with your proposal. Scholarship The scholarship includes a one-year study, a monthly stipend of 700 Euros, a subsidy towards travel expenses, a one-month German language course, as well as an accompanying program. Application for the academic year 2007/2008: Application requirements Partner institutions Sponsor: The Remembrance and Future Fund is part of the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future, which was established in 2000 with the aim of making humanitarian payments to former forced laborers. The Fund operates as a grant-giving foundation with a long-term mission. Primarily it supports international programs and projects building bridges to Central and Eastern Europe, Israel and the USA. Contact: Fon: +49 30 2093 2171 Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Application requirements Students of all fields of study, in particular from Central and Eastern European countries, the CIS-States, Israel or the USA. Applicants should provide proof that they have already studied for three semesters (18 months) by the time of the application: - A good working knowledge of German
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