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| october / tishrei 2006 september / elul 2006 august / av 2006 july / tamuz 2006 october / tishrei 2006 september / elul 2006 august / av 2006 july / tamuz 2006 june / sivan 2006 may / iyar 2006 april / nisan 2006 march / adar 2006 february / shevat 2006 |
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 Laura Evonne Steinman - feel free to send to friends, but please note who created it. Tishrei / October 2006 |
Welcome The New Month EuroJews News / Events Membership News from Community folks (happenings, questions, etc...) If you have information that you would like to go in the November Newsletter, please send to: laura@handinhandarts.com L’Shanah Tovah u’Metukah! The New Year of 5767 has begun. I wish everyone a sweet one, a peaceful one, and one that is full of nourishment for our hearts, minds, and souls. This month we think about starting anew, about learning from the mistakes we have made in the past year, and about the important place we have at home and in our communities. Tishrei is also a time to think about our commitments, our values, our priorities and about the things that separate us from achieving our goals. The rousing call of the shofar that we hear on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur helps us to call upon the changes we want to make in the year ahead. As Progressive Jews, we are always encouraged to draw strength from the Jewish tradition’s teachings to make socially responsible choices as we strive for justice and peace. Marcia Falk’s interpretation of the Sh’ma is a wonderful reminder of these teachings. Perhaps Falk’s voice will help us find our own voices in our collective history. Hear, O Israel and the World Loving life As we struggle to find our place in the complicated world in which we dwell, we must trust the path of Abraham as he was told: “Leave your family, country, and birthplace and go forth to a land that I will show you.” May all of us trust that we are right where we should be – living our lives by following our hearts and cherishing the beauty of the present moment. And may 5767 be flooded with peace, justice, and harmony as pure and rich as the voice of the shofar. G’mar Chatima Tova! May we all be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life! - Jordan and Laura Tishrei - This month of Tisrei is about Balance, Renewal and Rebirth (Kabbalah Month By Month p.4) Zodiac Sign (Mazal) of the Month: Libra Essence of Tishrei (compiled from www.ritualwell.org) Festivities Rosh HaShanah (The New Year) is observed on Rosh Hodesh Tishrei. The Torah refers to Rosh HaShanah as Yom Teruah (The Day of Sounding the Shofar) or Yom HaZikaron (The Day of Remembering). It was not called Rosh HaShanah until Talmudic times. Many Reform communities celebrate Rosh HaShanah for one day only. It is the only holiday that Israeli Jews celebrate for two days. Rosh HaShanah marks the anniversary of the creation of the world. Reflected in one of the names of the Holy Day (Yom Teruah), the shofar is blown 100 times on each day of Rosh HaShanah. One of many traditions suggests that the shofar blasts represent Sarah's cries when she learned that Abraham had set out to sacrifice Isaac. Sarah's cries recall women's cries for justice for themselves and for their families throughout history and all over the world. The shofar calls all Jews together and stirs each soul to repentance. Tashlich – “You will cast away” In this context, Tashlich refers to a custom dating from at least as early as the fourteenth century based on the last verses of the Book of Micah: "And You will cast into the depths of the sea all their sins" (7:19). Subsequently, Jewish communities have for many generations gathered by rivers, streams, or oceans on the first day of Rosh HaShanah, recited Tashlich prayers, and thrown bread crumbs into the water to symbolize our desire to rid ourselves of our sins. Kurdish Jews actually threw themselves into the water for Tashlich! Hasidim of Galicia sent straw floats out into the water, used candles to set them on fire, and rejoiced as they burned up or washed away. Tzom Gedaliah (Fast of Gedaliah), observed on Tishrei 3, is an annual fast to commemorate the assassination of Gedaliah Ben Achikam, the Governor of Israel during the last days of Judean semi-autonomy before Jews were driven into final exile by the Babylonians. Aseret Yamei Teshuvah (Ten Days of Repentance) are observed between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. The special character of these days manifests itself in emphasis on teshuvah -- turning our backs on what is worst in ourselves and embracing what is best, tefillah (prayer), and tzedakah (acts of justice/charity). Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is observed on Tishrei 10, as the moon swells. Yom Kippur is meant to bring Jews closer to a sense of God in our lives and to inspire us to bring out what is best in ourselves through the process of teshuvah. Yom Kippur Customs Fasting, as well as the other abstentions observed on this day, is meant to guide our thoughts away from our physical needs and help focus our minds on spiritual growth and teshuvah. Tradition urges that this fast should also remind us of those who lack basic sustenance. Many communities donate the amount of money they would have spent to feed themselves on Yom Kippur to organizations that feed the hungry. (Please note that pregnant women, the infirm, or anyone who might be harmed by doing so are prohibited from fasting.) Refraining from wearing leather, one of the other five traditional abstentions for Yom Kippur, is meant to guide us away from materialism as leather is considered to be a sign of luxury. Sukkot (Festival of Booths) begins on the full moon of Tishrei 15 and continues through Tishrei 21. Sukkot comes just five days after Yom Kippur. Only after we have accomplished the challenging spiritual work of Yom Kippur, can we be truly joyous on Sukkot. Indeed, there is a special mitzvah of simcha (happiness), on Sukkot. Sukkot commemorates how protective clouds surrounded the Jewish people during the forty years of wandering in the desert. It also commemorates how the Jews lived in temporary dwellings (sukkot) during that same time. Sukkot Customs Welcoming Guests. Today we decorate our sukkot and it is customary to invite our ancestors symbolically to join us for a meal! "According to the mystical text the Zohar, "when you sit in the sukkah ... the Shechina (God's feminine indwelling presence) spreads its wings over you and.... Abraham, five other righteous ones, and King David, make their dwelling with you...Thus you should rejoice with a shining countenance each and every day of the festival together with these guests who lodge with you..." (Zohar Emor, 103b). From this verse, Jewish mystics in the sixteenth century popularized the custom of symbolically inviting seven biblical characters as ushpizin (guests) into their sukkot over the seven nights of the holiday... Traditions inviting biblical women, or ushpizot (plural feminine of ushpizin), into the sukkah also exist. According to sixteenth-century mystic Manachem Azariah, known as the Ramah of Fano, the seven female figures to welcome are the seven prophetesses: Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Hannah, Avigail, Huldah, and Esther. Other traditions include Rebecca, Rachel and Leah."3 Hoshana Rabbah, observed on Tishrei 21, is the seventh and last day of Sukkot. Hoshana Rabbah is known as the day of the final sealing of judgment, which began on Rosh HaShanah. Shmini Atzeret, observed on Tishrei 22 as the moon wanes, begins the period in the year in which we add to our regular liturgy a special prayer praising God as the Source of the blessing of rain. Simchat Torah is observed on Tishrei 23 in some Jewish communities in the Diaspora and on Tishrei 22 in Israel and some Reform and Reconstructionist communities. Simchat Torah celebrates the completion and the beginning of the annual cycle of Torah readings. On the night preceding Simchat Torah, and again in the morning, Jews all over the world dance joyously with the Torah. Foods In addition to eating apples and challah dipped in honey for a sweet new year, there are numerous lesser-known and quite extraordinary food customs for Rosh HaShanah. The following foods are eaten as simanim (good omens) of success and happiness for the coming year. Try inventing and serving your own! The head of a fish, for we should always be "on top" like a head, and not "on the bottom." Pomegranates, for we want to be as full of good deeds as the pomegranate is full of seeds. Carrots, because, in Yiddish, the word for carrots is merren which sounds like the Yiddish word that means "more." We want to have more blessings, more knowledge, give more charity and perform more good deeds in the coming year. Pumpkin phyllo rounds. Scholar Ruth Abusch-Magder explains that though spelled differently, the Hebrew word for pumpkin sounds the same as the verb "to rip." Thus, for Rosh HaShanah Jewish women from North Africa and the Levant prepare "snail shaped pastries filled with sweetly spiced pumpkin... as a tasty start to a meal and an inducement for God to tear out the pages from our book of sins, allowing us to continue sweetly in the round circle of life." NEXT TRIP: EuroJews Chanukah in Paris! December 15th-18th 2006 Price: 130 euros + 20 euros membership = 150 euros (includes food, entertainment, travel in Paris and 3 nights hostel accommodation; does not include flights/eurostar which individuals should book for themselves) The weekend will include progressive Shabbat services, a Chanukah ball, candle-lighting in some of the city's romantic and cultural landmarks, a wide-range of fun and educational workshops from belly-dancing and break-dancing to a film premiere, questions of religion and Jewish identity, a tour of Jewish Paris, a concert, and the chance to meet and interact with young Jewish adults from across Europe and beyond. Not to be missed - you book the flights, we do the rest! To reserve your place, contact: beatrice@eurojews.org Engagements Congratulations to Vanessa & Gerald from Paris, France who got engaged over the summer! People may remember them from the Amsterdam EuroJews weekend. Please send your good wishes to gvok@free.fr. Congratulations to Jozefina & Adam from Warsaw who are to be married in November! People may remember them from the Berlin and Warsaw EuroJews weekends. Please send your good wishes to juze_finka@wp.pl. Congratulations to the forthcoming marriage of Peter Radvanszki and Estzer Parragi from Budapest! People may remember them both from the Budapest and Amsterdam EuroJews weekends, and Peter from Barcelona. Please send your good wishes to rpsimon@interware.hu. Ordination Congratulations to Tom Kucera of the Czech Republic who received Smicha from the Abraham Geiger College in September. He will now serve liberal communities in Munich and Prague. People may remember Tom from the Barcelona, Prague and Berlin EuroJews weekends. Please send your good wishes to tom.el@post.cz. The New York Times INTERNATIONAL / EUROPE | September 15, 2006 3 Rabbis Ordained as Judaism Re-emerges in Germany By MARK LANDLER Three men became the first rabbis ordained in Germany since the Holocaust in a ceremony broadcast live on German television. New Rabbinic Students Congratulations to EuroJews members Sandra Kviat (Denmark) and Anna Gerrard (England) who have just begun their rabbinical studies at Leo Baeck College in London along with Marc Neiger (France). We hops to see all three at future Eurojews events! High Holiday Services Sunday, 1 October 2006 19:30 - Yom Kippur services and Kol Nidre with Rabbi Tirzah Ben-David in Mariendalshallen, Mariendalsvej 21C, Frederiksberg Monday, 2 October 2006 10.00 Yom Kippur services with Rabbi Tirzah Ben-David in Mariendalshallen, Mariendalsvej 21C, Frederiksberg 10:00-13:30 Morning service 14:00 Pause and adult study 15:30 Afternoon service 16:30 Yizkor 17:15 Concluding service and breaking the fast with light food We have received a few requests from Jewish out of town visitors and foreign students for a home to share dinner on Rosh Hashanah and other Shabbats. We also have a request for Jewish families who might like to host a Jewish student from the USA for a semester as part of Copenhagen University's Danish International Studies program. Please write progressiv@mail.dk if you can help with either request. EuroJews CD's on-sale now in some of your communities! The cost is about?10 Eu each. Contact Nathan if you would like more info! Courses, Seminars Kabbalah 4 skeptics - 4th session of 4 week course on Wednesdays New year, New perspective with Janet Berenson-Perkins £8 per session or £25 for 4 sessions Wednesday, 4 October at 7pm at the Montagu Centre, 21 Maple street, w1t 4be contact: Judy on 020 7631 9824 or j.thwaites@liberaljudaism Friday 6 October at 7pm at the Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street w1t 4be Kabbalat Shabbat experience conducted exclusively in Hebrew led by new young adults worker Avivit and new shlicha Noa. for more details contact Avivit on 07866 501 787 or a.katzil@liberaljudaism.org. ‘tent’ at the montagu centre friday 13 october at 7:00 pm at 1 maple street w1t 4be erev simchat torah service, sermon slot: abigail tripp from’crisis’ contact aaron on 07764 192 696 or a.goldstein@liberaljudaism.org autumn getaway! only 6 places left! only 9 days before end of september £20 discount. take a break with ‘tent’ and other young adults from all regions on friday 20 – sunday 22 october in yha lee valley village. Activities include shabbat dinner, ‘tent’ style service, adventure activity woodland walks and much more! £80 per person (£20 discount for september bookings). contact Avivit on 07866 501 787 or a.katzil@liberaljudaism.org. for even more details look on our website www.liberaljudaism.org/tent To hear about all our events through email contact: For full listings of ‘tent’ ideas café and other endorsed events, please see our website www.liberaljudaism.org. Aaron would like to invite you to his induction service at Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue at oaklands gate, northwood ha6 3aa Saturday 7 Oct at 11am. Enjoy a sukkot morning service, lunch and a variety of sessions in the early afternoon Saturday 7 Oct at 8pm (also at northwood & pinner liberal synagogue) The celebration of seder in edgware from the perspective of a condemned man: Nick Yarris spent 2 decades on death row in pennsylvania. now completely exonerated, nick talks about his identity, being welcomed into the jewish community & his first seder. Contact Aaron at aarongoldstein@npls.org.uk / a.goldstein@liberaljudaism.org mobile: 07764 192696 or 07764 192 696 or Monique at m.blake@liberaljudaism.org For more info call 01923 822592 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
*_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 If you would like to be a member of EuroJews please send and e-mail to Beatrice Richman <beatricerichman(at)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! If there are any problems viewing the site please contact makopolok(at)rediffmail.com To ensure a safe space for all of this, we are restricting it to members of EuroJews only. If you haven't paid your 20 euros, you are still welcome to sign up for a month "trial", and we hope that you will join EuroJews within that month. As you know, the money is used to support our activities including to help increase attendance at our events - a small price to pay for a worthy cause! If you would like to join EuroJews please contact beatrice(at)eurojews.org" also see membership below. - Nathan
News from Community Folks (happenings, questions, etc…)
Lots of Mazel Tovs this Month... a good way to start the year! - Nathan Hello, EuroJews! I am back in the U.S. and just accepted a new job as a Communications Specialist at a national non-profit organization called The Jewish Women’s Archive -- www.jwa.org. The Jewish Women’s Archive gives voice to Jewish women's narratives and contributions to science, the arts, and sports through writings, memoirs, exhibits, and interviews. JWA has a wealth of Jewish resources and two educational programs called "Jewish Women of Valor" and "Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution" that are used in a number of high school Jewish Studies programs in the States. I'm excited about the job and am hoping to bring some new ideas to the organization. Their focus is primarily on American Jewish women, but I'd love to develop a piece about progressive Jewish women in Europe. Or perhaps a piece about Jewish women with trans-national identities. If you have a story to tell or have interesting projects or events pertaining to Jewish women that are happening in your community, please send me an e-mail -- jordan.namerow@gmail.com Also, please feel free to read about Jewish feminist issues and post your thoughts on the Jewish Women’s Archive blog: “Jewesses With Attitude” -- http://jwablog.jwa.org/. - Jordan |