Iyar 5767 ~ April/May 2007 |
News from Community folks (happenings, questions, etc...)
We’re in the month of Iyar, the “Journey Month.” This is the period between Passover and Shavuot (the day on which we received the Torah which coincides with the ancient wheat harvest). This “in between” period represents two kinds of movement through time: the passage between the seven weeks of the barley offering known as Sefirat HaOmer (literally: the counting of a measure of barley) and the first wheat offering at the ancient Temple during the Spring festivals. It also marks the transition from slavery to true liberation, a transition that requires traveling. During Iyar, we travel physically and mentally; spiritually and emotionally, and I really have been traveling -- to different cities and countries... which is why this newsletter is so late. Sorry about that! I missed writing about Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, which took place on April 23, 2007, but I hope everyone had festive celebrations and some really fun, lively parties. On Holocaust Memorial Day, I was in Berlin and placed a candle on a sculpture that memorializes the many children and women who were deported to concentration camps and never returned. At the school in Warsaw where I work, I’ve been making yellow butterflies which will fly on a journey to Israel to be part of the “Butterfly Project,” a special collection of 1.5 million paper butterflies from all over the world to commemorate the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. Along with commemoration, these butterflies also express hope, and an active global commitment to free the Earth from all atrocities, suffering, and pain. We hope that one day we will live in a world without war, and that all creatures will be free like a yellow butterfly. “Lo yisah goy el goy cherev, lo yilmedu od milchamah.” – “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” – Isaiah 2:4 To learn more about the “Butterfly Project” As the holiday of Lag B’Omer (May 6) is just around the corner, I wish everyone song, laughter, dancing, and redemption around blazing bonfires (the traditional ritual associated with this holiday!) as we rejoice in Spring, and let the colourful, radiating light of our tradition burn brightly! Learn more about Lag B’Omer and Sefirat HaOmer Finally, in the remaining days that we count the omer leading up to Shavuot, make sure to make your own days count; Remember that your choices, your actions, and your courage do, indeed, matter. The Counting By Yael Fischman What
does it mean for us, Much Shalom (Peace) To All… Laura in Warsaw, PL [ newsletter edited by Jordan
Namerow ] http://www.eurojews.org/event.html Registering to EuroJews trip to Brussels EuroJews trip to Brussels We are now ready to take bookings for the EuroJews weekend in Brussels, from Friday, the 31st of August to Monday, the 3rd of September, for which we suggest high-quality (up to 5*) hotel accommodation. The weekend will include restaurant/professionally-catered dinners, workshops and trips, all at great rates. We expect a gathering of at least 50 young people from across Europe to this event, which will be hosted jointly by Beth Hillel Synagogue (BHS) and the International Jewish Center (IJC), Brussels. This is a unique opportunity for socializing, as well as learning, for progressive young Jews in Europe. For full details, please see our website: www.eurojews.org 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! 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! Discussion forum for EuroJews. A virtual community for young-ish European-ish Progressive-ish Jew-ish people. www.EuroJews.org Google Groups Information David.Moskovic@gmail.com has invited you to join the EuroJews group with this message: You can accept this invitation by clicking Access to
the group on the web (this 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 [ where??
]  News from Community Folks (happenings, questions, etc...) Dates to remember: --------- only 3 weeks to the liberal judaism 2007 intercongregational quiz sunday 13 may 2007 at 3:30 pm at harrow & wembley progressive synagogue ‘tent’ team did very well last year – do even better this year! don’t miss the deadline to book your place on the team . contact anna 07817 207625 or a.gerrard@liberaljudaism.org ‘tent’ experience (1st of a new series) the four worlds: a creative dance experience sunday 29 april at 3 pm at the montagu centre, 21 maple street, w1t 4be contact anna on a.gerrard@liberaljudaism.org or 07817 207625 lj film club monday 30 april at 7:15 pm at the montagu centre, 21 maple street, w1t 4be halehaka\the troupe – followed by an informal discussion with avivit and student rabbi leonid bimbat drinks, popcorn and pretzels will be provided cost £4 of which £2 will go to ‘rabbis for human rights’, a jewish social organisation working in israel & the middle east for more detail contact avivit on 07866501787 or a.katzil@liberaljudaism.org ‘tent b’ivrit an israeli style kabbalat shabbat led exclusively in Hebrew for israelis and hebrew speakers friday 4 may at 7 pm at the montagu centre, 21 maple street, w1t 4be contact avivit a.katzil@liberaljudaism.org or 07866 501787 ‘tent’ night out tuesday 8 may at 7:30 pm join avivit & other young adults to see the play ‘kindertransport’ followed by a discussion with the cast at hampstead theatre, eton avenue, swiss cottage nw3 3eu group booking of 10 people will cost £10 per person book with avivit by thursday 26 april at a.katzil@liberaljudaism.org or 07866 501787 http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/prod-productions_details.asp?PID=55 ‘tent’ at the montagu centre friday 11 may at 7 pm at 21 maple street, w1t 4be service followed by meal out at local restaurant contact anna at a.gerrard@liberaljudaism.org or 07817 207625 'tent' in brighton friday may 18th at 7pm at brighton & hove progressive synagogue 6 lansdowne road, hove bn3 1ff service will be followed by a meal out at local restaurant contact anna at a.gerrard@liberaljudaism.org or 07817 207625 ‘one night stand’ tikkun leyl shavuot in finchley monday may 22nd at 8:30pm an all night cross communal event with study sessions, live music, workshops, cinema, massage, food and … al fresco shacharit service at 5am at finchley progressive synagogue, hutton grove, n12 8dr tickets £10: to book contact aly 0208 349 5669 or alyson.joseph@reformjudaism.org.uk for more details contact anna at a.gerrard@liberaljudaism.org or 07817 207625 ‘tent’ in finchley friday may 25th at 6:30pm at finchley progressive synagogue, hutton grove, n12 8dr service followed by a chavurah supper, £3 per person contact anna at a.gerrard@liberaljudaism.org or 07817 207625 get ready and start saving for the exciting alternative israel trip experience the real israel with anna and avivit, july 12 – 22 kabbalat shabbat on the beach, spiritual retreat in the desert, volunteering with rabbis for human rights, nightlife and drag shows, dialogue with settlers and other surprises for more information contact avivit on 07866 501787 or a.katzil@liberaljudaism.org Monique Blake Outreach & Projects Administrator Liberal Judaism The Montagu Centre 21 Maple Street London W1T 4BE T: 020 7631-9826 E: m.blake@liberaljudaism.org Visit our website: www.liberaljudaism.org ------------------------- Dear friends and colleagues, if you are in Warsaw this May it would be great to see you at the screening of my short film THE NIGHT TROTSKY CAME TO DINNER (more info: www.novemberwanderin.com). I will attend the festival and be in town from May 4th-May 13th. My mobile number in Poland is: (+48) 500 705 436 (All screenings at the festival www.jewishmotifs.org are free and take place at the Muranow Theatre, Warsaw.) Warm Greetings, November 5 maja Sobota / Saturday May 5th, 13:00 The Night Trotsky Came to Dinner (more info at: www.novemberwanderin.com) at the JEWISH MOTIFS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Muranow Theatre - Gen. Andersa St. 1, 00-147 Warsaw Poland, tel. +48 (22) 831 03 58 playing in the shorts program with: -13:05 Zapomniane dusze Forgotten Souls S Ricky Wood 24 min -13:30 Zwierzę The Animal S Aneta Ptak 2 min -13:35 Wieczór, kiedy Trocki przyszedł na kolację The Night Trotsky Came to Dinner by November Wanderin 13 mins followed by a Spotkanie z autorami / discussion with the Authors ---------------- My name is Josh Edelman – I’m a theatre director and writer based in Dublin, Ireland. This summer, I’m planning to come to Poland with my colleague Yohanan Lefebvre from Lyon, France, to make a new play about Jewish life in Poland today, about Polish-Jewish history, and about how all of this is changing with the EU and the new pull towards the West. We have backing from the Arts Council of Ireland and a few European Jewish cultural organizations, and we’re trying to make a play that will add a vivid Jewish voice to the European theatre, one that can sometimes be a little lacking. We also want to try to understand what Europeanization is doing to national and personal identity on this continent. I think Poland is just the place to understand some of these things. It’s important to us that we build this play out of the real stories of living Poles and Jews. To do this, we’re planning on traveling around Poland this summer for a week or two to meet people and talk to everyone as much as we can. If you have a story to tell, we would like to meet you. We hope to have a translator with us, so if you don’t speak English or French, that will not be a problem. If you would like to talk to us anonymously, that’s fine. We will have a camera and tape recorder with us, but we promise not to use your name or voice or image if you don’t want us to. We want you to feel safe to talk with us, to tell us what you really think and feel, and we’ll give you all the privacy you want. We're looking for people with stories of what it's like to live as a Jew in modern Poland, particularly those who came to Judaism later in life or through strange and wonderful circumstances. We're looking for stories of what it's like to live as a Pole in the Europeanized modern world, and ideally, I'd love it if some of these came from the same people. We're also looking for people who can help us plan our road trip, and perhaps even join us for some or all of it. I’ve been to Poland twice, and I know that it takes a little bit of time and guidance to peel back the surface and appreciate its beauty. If anyone would like to show two curious Westerners with a camera around your beautiful country, we’d love it! If this sounds interesting to you, please send me an email or write me a letter. (Write in any language you’d like – I’ll get it translated if I need to.) My email address is joshedelman@gmail.com. Or, if you’d rather, you’re welcome to send me a letter at: Josh Edelman 120 Charlotte Quay Dock Dublin 4, Ireland Thank you very much, and I look forward to hearing the
stories you have to tell! 
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