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dvzlet
A Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Publication
ReformJudaismmag.org Spring 2013/5773 $ 5 . 0 0
What To See MOSCOWBUDAPEST
What To KnowSINGAPORE
JOHANNESBURG
What To DoSAN JUAN
RIO DE JANEIRO
What I Discovered ST. PETERSBURG
VIENNA
WillkommenWelcome
RJ INSIDERS JEWISH
WORLD TRAVELWORLD TRAVELGU I D E
How to make friends with Reform Jews in 43 countries * Where to
go, what to see, how to connect.
Bem-vindo
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reform judaism 2 spring 2013
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smaller centers. In 2010, 600 people joined me in grappling with
Jewish texts, history, and contemporary life at a Lim-mud Jewish
study weekend in Warsaw. Every summer a nine-day Jewish culture
festival in Krakow attracts hundreds of people worldwide. Warsaws
popular Yiddish theater features non-Jewish actors. And the Museum
of the History of Polish Jewssupported by the Warsaw municipality
and the Polish governmentwill open in April 2013.
In the early 1990s, when only one Progressive congregation
existed in the entire Soviet Union and Russian-speak-ing Jews began
emigrating West en masse, I was convinced: This is the end of
Eastern European Jewry.
I was wrong. Today, there are hun-dreds of congregations
throughout the FSU. In our Movement, six energetic Progressive
rabbis in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk, Kiev, and Simferopol
(Crimea), together with a few dozen graduates of the Movements
Machon para-rabbinic program as well as Machon-trained community
workers and leaders, serve 40 communities nation-wide. Moreover,
each year some 1,000 Russian Jews attend our adult, family, and
youth camps, learning about Juda-ism for the first time in their
lives.
A similar Jewish renaissance is under-way in the Czech Republic,
spearheaded by Beit Simha, the liberal Jewish commu-nity in Prague.
Local teachers as well as visiting rabbis and lecturers are
teaching courses in Judaism, history, and Hebrew to groups of 3050
Jews. Annual confer-ences attract participants of all ages.
The resurgence of Jewish life in Germany has been
miraculous.
In May 1945, the German Jewish com-munity was totally
devastated. Almost half the population had emigrated before the
Travel abroad and youll witness, as I have, the wonders of
Jewish rebirth and resilience in places where Judaism
was once on the edge of extinc-tionand now is on the ascent!
When I visited Poland in 1990 after the fall of the Communist
regime, a handful of elderly Jews were strug-gling to survive in
one functioning Warsaw synagogue. Today Polands Jewish community
numbers approxi-mately 30,000including enthusias-tic participants
of the Progressive communities in Warsaw, Krakow, and
By Paul Liptz
Defying Extinction
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE TOWORLD JEWISH TRAVEL
Welcome to the 1st RJ Insiders Guide to
World Jewish Travel
In partnership with the World Union for Progressive Judaism, we
are pleased to offer you this inaugural guide, which reveals
fascinating differences and similarities in Reform communities
throughout the globe and gives you the inside track on connecting
up with your Jewish family worldwide.
Note: Our Summer 2013 edition will feature the 3rd RJ Insiders
Guide to Israel Travel in collaboration with the Israel Ministry of
Tourism and the Asso-ciation of Reform Zionists of America.
Happy travels. The EditorsPaul Liptz, a social historian, is
director of Education at the WUPJs Anita Saltz International
Education Center, Jerusalem.
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reform judaism 3 spring 2013
Second World War, and most of those who remained were killed.
Over the decades, immigrants began arriving, mainly from other
parts of Europe and Israel, and a new Jewish community slowly
emerged.
Today, some 130,000 Jews live in Germany, a nation with the
fastest Jewish growth rate in the world. The German government
provides benefits specifically to Jewish immigrants and has helped
fund the building of the Jewish Museum and the Holocaust Memorial
in Berlin.
With some 24 congregations, the Pro-gressive Movement is growing
steadily, bolstered by the German government, which recognizes and
provides it with financial assistance. A major milestone was
reached in 2006, when the Progres-sive Movements Abraham Geiger
College of Judaism, which trains rabbinic and cantorial students to
serve in Germany and neighboring countries, ordained its inaugural
three rabbisthe first ordainees in the nation since the Second
World War.
Every time I travel abroad, my emo-tional involvement and
commitment to our brethren in these and other emerging communities
increases. I am convinced it will for you, too.
To be part of the unfolding, mirac ulous journey of the Jewish
people, read on.
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In AcknowledgementThe Reform Judaism magazine editors express
their gratitude to the following donors, whose generous
contributions made this RJ Insiders Guide to World Jew-ish Travel
possible: Jean and Jay Abarbanel, Steve and Ina Bauman, Stephen K.
Breslauer, James and Linda Cherney, Sue and James Klau, The Golomb
Family, Anne Molloy and Henry Posner III, Rosalyn G. Rosenthal,
Rabbi Barton A. and Jane Shallat, Jerry Tanen-baum, and Dolores K.
Wilkenfeld.
To explore how you might con-tribute to a future Insiders Guide,
please contact the editorsAron Hirt-Manheimer, editor, or Joy
Weinberg, managing editorat [email protected].
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reform judaism 4 spring 2013
The S
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By Gail Glezerman Sherman
ST PETERSBURG: Treated Like a Queen
Travel is my passion. I find nothing more exhilarating than
visiting new placesbut not for the reasons you may expect. Yes, I
enjoy
visiting historical sites, seeing magnifi-cent art and
architecture, and sampling delicious indigenous food. But my real
joy comes from meeting people, especially when they are Jewish. I
love to learn what its like to live as a Jew in another countrywhat
is similar to the U.S. and what is different. Usually the
similarities fascinate me most.
Ive conversed with party-goers at a Sephardic bar mitzvahon a
Thursday eveningin Nice, France (except for the language, the party
was like all the ones Ive attended in America); learned about
French Jewish Pesach traditions while buying Passover pastries at a
kosher bakery in Paris; and conversed with a Jewish glass blower in
Venice about a Murano glass kiddush cup that seemed like a major
extravagancebut which Ive regretted not buying ever since. And,
this past summer, my hus-band Jay and I experienced the most
personal Jewish encounter of allattending Shabbat services as the
guests of honor at Shaarei Shalom, the Pro-
learned, was the ship that fired the shot that started the 1917
Bolshevik Revo-lution, and is now a museum). The taxi driver
pointed and sped away. Without any signage, we had no idea what we
were looking for. A man who seemed to be a security guard looked at
the addressin Russianand led us to a dismal yard surrounded by a
chain link fence. This could not be right.
Retracing our steps back to the Cruiser Aurora, I called the
temple, only to reach a Russian-speaking woman who didnt understand
me and hung up. Now it was raining hard, the wind upending our
umbrella. Royalty, hmmm. I fumbled for the rabbis cell phone
number, and to my relief she answered. Her secretary would soon
meet us outside the building. At last, we saw someone gesturing
broadly, Come in, come in. We had arrived at Shaarei Shalom.
Rabbi Rubenstein, an elegant woman in her mid-50s, greeted us
warmly. She immediately offered us tea and sweets, and then (as she
was in the midst of a counseling session) put us in the hands of
one of her English-speaking mem-bers: Alla, a beautiful young woman
with an adorable two-year-old daughter.
Alla showed us around the first floor facilities: sanctuarya
very modern space reminiscent of American syna-goguesoffices, and a
small social hall (religious school classrooms occupy the upstairs
space). She apologized in advance for the small turnout expected at
servicesabout 20 of 100 membersbecause of the rain and many members
away on summer vacations.
When Rabbi Rubenstein rejoined us, she told us her life storythe
twists and turns of how a young Jew who grew up without an
understanding of Judaism in
Gail Glezerman Sherman is a member of Temple Beth Torah,
Ventura, California.
gressive (Reform) synagogue in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Before the trip, I learned of and reached out to Rabbi Gary
Bretton-Granatoor, vice president for philan-thropy at the World
Union for Progres-sive Judaism. He excitedly explained that St.
Petersburg was one of only four
cities in all of Russiathe others being Mos-cow, Minsk and
Kievthat had a Progressive synagogue. Since our time in St.
Petersburg included a Friday night, he suggested we attend
Shabbat services and put me in touch with Rabbi Helena
Rubensteinwho, he said, along with her congre-gation, will treat
you like a queen!
Rabbi Rubenstein wrote, in good English, that shed be delighted
to have us. She provided me with the address and directionsand her
cell phone number.
After our first day of exploring the city, I was still feeling
jet lagged from the 11-hour time difference and regretting my
commitment to attend services. Plus it was cold and rainy; a bowl
of hot borscht and an early evening sounded very appealing.
But the rabbi was expecting us, so we hailed a taxi to what
turned out to be a Soviet-era office building, across from the
Cruiser Aurora (which, we later
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
RABBI HELENA RUBENSTEIN (R.) AND I AT THE
ENTRANCE TO SHAAREI SHALOMS SANCTUARY.
Greetings from The State Hermitage Museum
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reform judaism 5 spring 2013
1960s and 70s Moscowa time when the Soviets didnt permit
religious practicebecame a Progressive rabbi. Today she is one of
only six native Russian-speaking Progressive rabbis serving in the
FSU.
As predicted, the service attracted about 20 peoplemostly young,
with children, but also a few seniors. We were given a siddur in
English and Hebrew, and the rabbi made sure we sat near Alla for
the purpose of translation. Now I under-stood what Rabbi
Bretton-Granatoor meant about being treated like royalty.
First, I was asked to come up to the bimah and light the Shabbat
candles. I began singing what I assumed was the universal melody
for the candle-lighting blessingthe one melody Id heard in every
synagogue Id ever attendedbut when the rabbi and congregation
joined in, it was a completely different minor-keyed tune! It
seemed best to mouth the brachah silently. And when it was time for
Aleinu, Rabbi Rubenstein asked Jay and me to come to the bimah to
open the ark.
Notably, the order of the service was very familiarmuch like
what we do at Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, Cali-fornia. The
prayers were the same. When I heard familiar melodies, like Lcha
Dodi, I joined right in. The Shma was chanted with a different
melody, which surprised me tooof all our prayers, didnt this one
have a universal tune?
During the service, to keep us feeling included, the rabbi
frequently gave expla-nations and page numbers in English. And,
during the sermonwhich of course was in Russianthe rabbi had
arranged for another congregant, a young woman named Katya who
teaches Eng-lish for a living, to sit next to me and translate. It
was a little like the childhood game of telephone. Whispering into
my ear so softly as to not disturb others, and in heavily accented
English, Katya would say something that I could hardly comprehend,
and I would whisper some-thing to Jay that made even less sense.
Despite my lack of comprehension, I felt greatly appreciative of
the special atten-tion. And it struck me: The experience we were
having right now in St. Peters-burg was being repeated at
Progressive/Reform synagogues all over the world.
Youre Never Alone When You Say Youre a Jew
by Gary Bretton-Granatoor
I n 43 countries around the world, there are people like you and
me who strive to create warm, welcoming, egalitarian, pluralistic
Jewish communities. Rabbi Larry Milders popular NFTY song, Wherever
You Go, beauti-fully expresses this truth:
Wherever you go, theres always someone Jewish
Youre never alone when you say youre a Jew
So when youre not home and youre somewhere kind of newish
The odds are dont look far, cause theyre Jewish too.
In North America we are called Reform. In other parts of the
world, we are known as Progressive or Lib-eral (in most of Europe,
if you ask for a Reform congregation, youll be directed to a
Protestant church). But we are all one family.
How do you find your larger Pro-gressive/Reform/Liberal family
when travelling outside of North America? The process is different
than what you find in North America, where syna-gogues generally
have an open-door policy. Elsewhere, there is a pervasive security
consciousness. Synagogues do not publish their street addresses,
return phone calls or emails, or openly declare their presence. A
random visitor, even one claiming affiliation with a Reform
synagogue in the U.S. or Canada, is likely to be turned away
if visiting unannounced.The best way to connect is to have
the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), the institution
that serves, nurtures, and supports 1,700+ Reform/Progressive/
Liberal Jewish congregations worldwide, make the con-nection for
you.
Several weeks in advance of
your vacation, go to the World Union for Progressive Judaism
website, wupj.org. On the main page, use the dialogue box to search
for WUPJ con-gregations by country and then city. Once you verify
the presence of a congregation in the area you plan to visit, email
or call me, Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor ([email protected] or
2124526531), at the WUPJs New York office. Provide your travel
dates, where you plan to stay, when you would like to visit the
congregation, the number of people in your party, and a way to
contact you once you are there (to make sure you are advised of any
last minute changes in the syna-gogues plans). If given sufficient
time, we can arrange a personal visit.
Connecting with your cousins is a great way to experience a
country and a Jewish community. Youll get insight into the
challenges and the tri-umphs of living as a Jew in that placeand,
most of all, you will see that we are all a part of one extended
family. Wherever you go, theres always someone Jewish. Youre never
alone when you say youre a Jew.
Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor is the Vice PresidentPhilanthropy
at the World Union for Progressive Judaism.
RABBI JOEL OSERAN OF THE WORLD UNION (L.)
AND MEMBERS OF THE RODEF SHALOM JEWISH
RELIGIOUS UNION BUILD A SUKKAH IN MUMBAI.
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reform judaism 6 spring 2013
high cost of city living, these three young people reside in
outlying areas and travel long distances to attend services every
Friday night. And if they took time off from work to attend
services they would risk losing their jobs, because religious
practice is not a protected right in Russia.
It was time to leave, and Vladimir kindly offered to drive us
back to the hotel. We exchanged full names with congregants so we
could become Face-book friends and keep in touch.
Even better, Katya asked if we had any free time when she could
take us around St. Petersburgof course!
That Monday, Katya met us at our hotel. We strolled several
miles to the park behind the Yusopov Palace, where Grigory
Rasputin, who had spell-bound Empress Alexandra, was murdered by
his enemies. The weather had turned warm and sunnyunusual in St.
Peters-burg, which gets about 50 sunny days a yearand the park was
filled with peo-ple. Katya told us she was in the process of
converting to Judaism, and feels con-
What a spiri-tual uplift, to be connected to a global community
of fellow Jews.
As with any Jewish gathering, food has to be part. Indeed, for a
small synagogue, the oneg Shabbat at Shaarei Shalom was very
elaborate. The rabbis secretary is an incredible baker, and challah
is her specialty. It was sweet, cake-like, filled with either
raisins or currantsand surely the most delicious Ive ever eaten.
And, to our delight, she had made two extra loaves for us to take
back to our hotel!
We chatted more with Katya and another young married couple,
Anastasia and Vladimir. All three of them, it turns out, are Jews
by choice, and all believe they have some Jewish ancestry. None are
from RussiaKatya hails from Lat-via and Anastasia and Vladimir from
Lithuania. All are trying to obtain pass-ports from their ancestral
countries to
travel outside of Russiaevidently, obtaining a visa to travel
abroad is exceedingly difficult for citizens who hold
just a Russian passport.Being Jewish in Russia is still a
diffi-
cult choice, and being a Progressive Jew even more so. Although
the fall of the Soviet Union freed its citizens to practice
religion, the vast majority are Russian Orthodox. Among Jews, most
are Ortho-dox, and Chabad has a sizeable presence. Katya,
Anastasia, and Vladimir have cho-sen the Progressive Movement for
the same reasons I appreciate being a Reform Jewindividual
religious autonomy and gender equality.
But in the U.S. its easy for me to be a Reform JewI live two
miles from my congregation, and I have the legal right to take time
off from work to celebrate the High Holy Days. In Russia, because
of the
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flicted about making aliyah. She doesnt want to move to Israel
because its too hot and too Eastern, but she thinks that, as a Jew,
she should want to live there.
Since returning home, I have heard from both Katya and Anastasia
on Facebook, and from Shaarei Shalom by email, further cementing
our bond with new friends in St. Petersburg. Im thrilled to have
made the connection.
My experience in St. Petersburg deep-ened my passion for travel
and proved yet again that the wonder of going places is not about
sites or restaurants or souve-nirsits about people. It was
thrilling to participate in Shabbat services in St.
Petersburgwhere, just 20 years ago, residents couldnt acknowledge
their Judaism. I am now set on seeking out Progressive Judaism
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Phot
ogra
phs o
f Mar
ia Th
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a Squ
are a
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Tem
ple b
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I believe that we are each born with a higher purpose in life.
Some discover their calling early; others take more time, until
they hear that still, small voice.While I thought I had an
awareness
of my purpose, a new one was revealed to me this past summer
when my two daughters, Alexis, 28, and Shaina, 25, and I visited
Vienna, the city where my father/their grandfather, of blessed
memo-ry, was born and raised.
In advance of the trip, I asked Jewish Vienna Now
(wien.info/en/vienna-for/ jewish-vienna) for help in finding a
bilingual guide to lead us on a tour of the places where my father
had lived, and the cem-etery where my grandfather and both sets of
great grand-parents were buried. They put me in touch with Barbara
Timmerman of Vien-na Walks tours (viennawalks.com), which
specializes in Jewish tours.
Prior to our arrival, Barbara located all my dads addresses,
from his birthplace
In late July, Alexis, Shaina, and I arrived in Vienna. The next
morning, Barbara met us in our hotel lobby. We hopped into her car
and drove to the citys massive Central Cemetery (Zentrafriedhof).
More than 3 million people have been buried in its different
sections (Jewish, Christian, Protestant, Russian Orthodox, Greek
Orthodox, and Muslim) since 1874, and it is still in use.
First, Barbara guided us to my great grandfathers grave. Because
of the repair work, I was happy to see it was the best looking
grave in the row! It was also an eerie feeling to later stand at my
grandfa-thers gravethe very spot where I knew my dad as well as his
mother, brother, and sister had once stood. The realization that we
had traveled across the world to honor our ancestor on the 100th
anniver-sary of his death added an aura of sanctity to the
moment.
Standing at the graves of my great grandfathers, Shaina told me,
I under-stand that I am related to the bodies beneath the earth and
tombstones, that I am alive because of them. I feel satisfied, and
fulfilled, in pinpointing my lineage.
After our cemetery visit, Barbara led us to the buildings where
my father had lived. Some were prewar; others had been destroyed in
the war and rebuilt in the 50s and 60s. In one instance, when the
original edifice was not there, we entered a neighboring building
that was architecturally similar to the one in which he had lived,
taking in the beautiful craftsmanship of the woodwork around the
doors and the detailed plasterwork on the walls and above each
entrance.
Then we made our way to the City Temple (Stattemple), where my
father had become a bar mitzvah in 1913, the year following his
fathers death. Built in
to his last-known Vienna residence. Also, knowing that many
graves in the older sections of the Central Cemetery of Vien-na are
in ill repair and can be a major disappointment to family visitors,
she traveled out to the cemetery in advance to
ascertain the status of the graves. Indeed, my great
grandfathers grave had been knocked over and complete-ly covered by
brush. Through the groundskeeper, she obtained a quote for its
repair, which I authorized before our journey.
I had known for a long time that my paternal grand-mother had
died in Treblinka in 1942
and my fathers broth-er had per-ished in Ausch-
witz that same year. But thanks to Barbara, I also learned how
my paternal grandfather dieda question Id pondered throughout
adulthood. She discovered an article in an archived newspaper from
1912 and translated it for me. My grandfather had suffered from
incurable stomach ulcers. At the age of 49, unable to endure the
pain and support his family, he took his own life.
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
By Cindy R. Kandel
VIENNA: Searching for Roots, Finding My Mission
Cindy R. Kandel is an active congregant and bnai mitzvah
instructor at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
INTERIOR OF THE CITY TEMPLE,
WHERE MY FATHER BECAME
A BAR MITZVAH IN 1913. INSET
(FROM L. TO R.): MY DAUGHTERS
ALEXIS AND SHAINA, TOUR
GUIDE BARBARA, AND ME
STANDING OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE.
Greetings from Maria Theresa Square
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reform judaism 9 spring 2013
1826, it was the only synagogue in Vien-na to survive the war,
though it had been desecrated by the Nazis. After the war, with
funding from the city of Vienna, the building was restored to its
original beauty. Now it is open for twice daily tours on Mondays
through Thursdaysbut security is tight. We had to enter one at a
time, present our passports to the guard, answer his questions,
then pass through both a metal detector and bullet-proof glass
sliding doors.
At last, we entered the sanctuary. It was sublime. The round
space, accentu-ated by a repeating circular motif deco-rated in
blues, golds, and dark wood-work, enveloped me. Above the golden
ark stood two golden tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments,
and the soft blue ceiling was covered with hun-dreds of small gold
Stars of David that reminded me of Gods promise to Abra-ham. Its
amazing, Alexis told me, to sit inside the same synagogue that my
grandfather attended on Shabbat 100 years ago. Even though I never
met him, by being here, I feel connected to him.
The guide, a petite, well-spoken Viennese woman, narrated a
history of the synagogue, Vienna, and the citys Jews. Security at
the City Temple has been tight, we learned, ever since a 1982
terrorist attack on the building.
As we were about to leave, at my daughters urging, I asked our
guide, Do records exist of those who celebrated their bar mitzvahs
in the synagogue?
Why do you want to know? she queried.
My dad had his bar mitzvah here, I explained.
You must visit the archive room, she said. Wait here.
She spoke to the guards, and soon we were ushered through a
second set of bulletproof glass doors, up a flight of stairs, and
into the archive rooma 10'x10' space with floor-to-ceiling shelves
containing the birth, marriage, and death records of every Jew born
in Vienna from 1826 through 1938.
The archives historian, Wolf-Erich Eckstein, asked me for my
fathers name and birth date. After a few quick clicks on his
keyboard, he pulled one of the ledgers off a shelf and carefully
flipped through the pages untilthere it was, my
fathers name, along with his birth date, information about his
parents and grand-parents, the delivering doctors name, and the
date of my fathers circumci-sionall written in beautiful script and
filling nine columns across two pages. I was awestruck, speechless,
and teary eyed. This, too, felt like sacred space.
Wanting to worship with a community of Jews in this city of my
family history, I decided to attend Shabbat services at Viennas
only Progressive congregation, Or Chadash. I also felt the need to
thank God for this incredible journey I was taking with my
daughters.
It took us a while to locate the build-ing. When we finally
reached the right street, we saw nothing resembling a syn-agogue.
There was also no signage on any of the doors, all of which looked
indistinguishable from one another. But then I noticed a man
blocking the entry-way to one of the buildings. He wore street
clothes, but his bearing said secu-rity guard to me. As we
approached, I looked at him and inquired, Or Chadash? He smiled, I
wished him Shabbat Shalom, he returned the greet-ingand then opened
the door.
The sanctuary was a simple room filled with about 40 green,
blue, and white plastic chairs split by a center aisle, and a dark
wood ark at the far end of the room. Though sparse, the space was
lovely and warm. After all Id experi-enced in Vienna, it felt good
to cradle a siddur (prayer book) in my hands. I lis-tened to
familiar tunes and prayers and tried to join in, but my voice was
muted by emotion. I kept thinking of my father and all that his
family had endured during their lifetimes. I wondered if Dad
some-how knew that his daughter and grand-daughters were in the
city where he came of age as a Jew on the 100-year anniver-sary of
his fathers death. My feelings were so apparent, when the gentleman
running the service paused for people to
mention names for Kaddish, he looked directly at me first,
naturally assuming that I had a name to share. I just smiled
appreciatively and shook my head.
At my side, Alexis was feeling ecstatic. Being in Vienna,
singing the same songs, reciting the same prayers, I realized: We
are one! We are Jews, no matter the sect, where we are from, or the
size of the congregation. Its so good to know that wherever I
travel I can walk into a synagogue and feel at home! This is why my
connection to Judaism is strong. Even though I live in Las Vegas,
hundreds of miles away from the family, I am always connected to a
united com-munity and family, the Jewish people.
It was after services, at the Kiddush, that my new life purpose
revealed itself. Speaking with Giuliana Schnitzler, the
congregations vice president, I learned that the government had
just passed a law awarding the Orthodox Jewish com-munity sole
power to determine which synagogues are legitimate and therefore
eligible for government assistance. Since the Orthodox community
does not recognize the Progressive Jewish Move-ment, Giuliana
explained, Or Chadash was at risk of having to close.
As a Jew, an American, and the child of a Holocaust survivor, I
found it unconscionable that in 2012 Vienna, Jews were still at
risk of not being able to pray as they choose to. Leaving the
synagogue that evening, I vowed to join the struggle to save Or
Chadash. So many people had been silent as Jewish freedoms were
trampled in Europe, as my grandmother and uncle died in the
Holocaust. I would not be silent now.
Or Chadash had made a strong ally.
Since coming home, I have become an advocate for Or Chadashs
legitimacy in Vienna. Ive written to the Federal Minister for
Education, Arts, and Cul-ture in Vienna and to the U.S. ambassa-dor
to Austria. I stay abreast of develop-ments and inform my rabbis,
who are now determined to help, too.
I went to Vienna in search of my ancestors and came away with a
sacred mission.
Share This GuideThe full RJ Insiders Guide to Jewish
World Travel is available as a digital edi-tion for computer,
iPad, and smartphone readers. Go to reformjudaismmag.org.
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reform judaism 1 0 spring 2013
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Rabbi Robert Jacobs serves as rabbi of Bet David Congregation in
Johannesburg, South Africa
What do tourists find most interest-ing about your country and
city?
Most tourists come for the wealth of animal life in national
parks and private ani-mal preser-vation game farms dot-ted across
South Africa. It is a land of great varia-tion of ter-rain,
climate, flora, and fauna; the Western Cape is one of the worlds
most diverse plant habitats.
Johannesburg offers many museums and monuments documenting our
nation-al story from the Boer Wars (18901910), through Mahatma
Ghandis devel-opment of passive resistance, into the Apartheid
period and the current demo-cratic society. For example, the Cradle
of Humankind exhibits some of the oldest and most extraordinary
fossils of human ancestors to be excavated in the Sterkfon-tein and
surrounding caves, one hour north of Johannesburgand the
excava-tion process is ongoing. The occasional, seasonal tours of
the Sterkfontein Caves are fascinating. The Apartheid Museum offers
the most complete history of Apartheid. At Constitution Hill, which
encompasses Old Fort, Constitutional
Court, Womens Jail, and Awaiting Trial Block Prison, highlights
not to be missed are staircases from that dreaded prison and a fine
collection of South African art and beaded work in the lobby. For a
great day trip, visit a sanctuary to see ele-
phants, cheetahs, or other rare or endangered species.
What Jew-ish sites are most worth visiting?
Temple Israel in Hillbrow (1936), designed by the studio of the
Jew-
ish architect Hermann Kallenbach, is one of many splendid art
Deco struc-tures found throughout the older areas of Johannesburg.
Kallenbachs home on the Linksfield Ridge also served as Ghandis
home during an early stay in Johannesburg.
There are three Progressive congre-gations in the cityBet David,
Beit Emanuel, and Temple Israel. Ours, Bet David, offers a garden
setting and a warm English-speaking congregation graced by a
splendid choir. In addition, if your travels take you to the
adminis-trative capital of Pretoria (Tswhane), you can visit Bet
Menorah; and Pro-gressive synagogues are also to be found in Cape
Town, Green Point, Wynberg, West Coast/Milnerton, Dur-ban, East
London, and Port Elisabeth.
What are the culinary delights?You name it; you can find it on
the
menu! As South Africans especially enjoy meat dishes,
exceptional and rea-sonable steak houses exist in many locales.
Also prominent are spicier cur-ries and a variety of pan-African
dishes. Several certified kosher restaurants offer varied menus.
Boboties (curried meat casseroles) as well as typical East
Euro-pean dairy dishes are frequently found along with butternut
soup and beautiful-ly presented salads. Produce is varied, local,
and splendid!
What are your top Johannesburg travel tips?
Dress is almost universally informal. Dont be put off by the too
frequent reports of violence, yet be cautious about walking in
isolated areas. Hotels and tours provide excellent guidance about
avoiding problems, safe storage of valuables (dont leave valuables
unattended or wear flashy, expensive jewelry), and general conduct
issues that might differ in South Africa. Ser-vice in hotels and
restaurants is incon-sistent, but well given when requested
politely; and questioning receives a better response than demanding
or criticism. Tipping for service often starts at 10% of a
bill.
South Africa is a right-hand drive country, and not for the
timid; although most roads are excellent, I would not necessarily
say the same of the drivers! Public transit in town is not very
usable, although the Gautrain (high speed train) to and from the
airport is brilliant. Contacting the Progressive Jewish community
in advance offers the opportunity to experience Jewish life in a
personal way.
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
JOHANNESBURG: Culture & Community
BET DAVID MEMBER KAREN TURIS LEADS A YOGA CLASS FOR
ORPHANS IN THE SYNAGOGUE GARDENS ON MANDELA DAY.
Interview with Robert Jacobs
Greetings from a springbok and blessboks in Lion Park
-
reform judaism 1 1 spring 2013
What is the history of Johannes-burgs Jewish community?
Jewish life is a more than a century old. The office of Chief
Rabbi has exist-ed for some 75 years. Most Jews trace their origins
to Lithuania: The discovery of gold here in the 19th century
con-vinced many of their ancestors to escape Lithuanias poverty,
wars, and changing regimessuch as the in aftermath of Tsar
Alexander IIs assassination in 1881by immigrating to South Africa
in hopes of a better life. Early arrivals established shops or
became Smous (peddlers) until settling down in towns and villages
throughout the country.
Now 80 years old, Progressive Juda-ism has a credible record
here. It reached a seeming high point about mid-way along that
timeline; the period since the violent Soweto student uprising in
1976 has seen a decline in both the overall number of Jews (from an
estimated 120,000 to 70,000 today) and Progressive Jews (from an
estimated 11,000 to 6,000 today). The vast majority of Jews here
affiliate with Orthodoxy, and theres been an increase in both
right-wing, Orthodox groups and in disaffiliated Jews.
What is your worship like at Bet David Congregation?
Our worship is formal and tradition-al; however, dress is
informal, as is the congregations attitude to such decorum issues
as on-time arrival and staying in place during the duration of the
service. All South African Union for Progressive Judaism
congregations use Mishkan Tfilah World Union Edition. The local
musical tradition is choral, with profes-sional quartets at Beit
Emanuel and Bet David for formal services. A Bet David hallmark is
our mixed voice choir sing-ing a cappella, which is controversial
since the local Orthodox community has imposed a ban on women
singing in public (which we are fighting). At Yom Hashoah and Yom
HaAtzmaut programs for the entire Jewish community, women are no
longer allowed to raise their voices in song. But at Bet David, our
tradition of mixed choir, featuring a splendid soprano as lead
singer, continues.
Bet David is known for its special blessings, including parents
blessing for children prior to Kiddush, commu-
nal prayers concluding with a prayer for pets, and
end-of-calendar month birthday blessings. Here our blessed bread is
known as kitke, apparently a Polish term referring to ornate
plaster work, which is also braided and looks like a challah.
Are services in English?South Africa is a multi-lingual
coun-
try, with 11 official languagesAfri-kaans, English, Ndebele,
Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and
Zulu. Zulu is the most com-mon home language and English the
language of commerce. Since the major-ity of congregants speak
English (a minority are first-language speakers of Afrikaans, a
local version of Flemish-Dutch), services mix Hebrew and Eng-lish,
with sermons in English.
What are your congregants religious backgrounds?
We serve three distinctive groups: Jews whose parents or
grandparents were among the early proponents of Progres-sive
Judaism, Jews raised in Orthodoxy, and those who have chosen
Judaismmany of whom are well integrated into the congregational
leadership. South Africas transformation from a rigidly racially
divided society is truly lived out through our congregational life.
Especial-ly since 1994South Africas first dem-ocratic election,
which brought Nelson Mandela into the presidencythe num-ber of
Jews-by-choice from multiple eth-nicitiesamong them Afrikaaners,
Indi-ans, and descendants of black Yemenite Jewshas expanded,
enriching the com-munity. As another example, South Africa has
offered marriage under Civil Union since late 2006, and the South
African Union for Progressive Judaism has accepted same-sex
marriage under a chuppah since May 2007; we may be the only
mainstream religious group in South Africa to do so. While the
first aufruf for two grooms created a stir, the congregation has
not looked back.
Do you have unique celebrations?Our Shavuot morning
cheesecake
contestmany of the cheesecakes fla-voured with passion fruit or
other tropical fruitsattracts lots of tasters. We also
have special community days, such as Mandela Daynear the first
presidents birthdaywhen we welcome 100+ orphans from Alexander for
fun and food.
As our community does not have access to the mikveh at Orthodox
synagogues, new Jews-by-choice are immersed in a suitable, private
swimming pool.
How has South African history influenced Jewish life in
Johannesburg?
Much of the early history of Progres-sive Judaism is linked with
the years of Apartheid. Jews were over-represented in the
anti-Apartheid struggle, but also had members of the National Party
that perpetuated Apartheid. For Bet David Congregation, a diverse
suburban com-munity, the crisis year was 1987, when Alexander
Townshipjust kilometers awayfaced school closings as mem-bers of
the black community engaged in struggle against the Apartheid
regime. In response, a few Sisterhood women started an emergency
12th-grade school, offering preparation for the countrys matric
exams (a prerequisite before students can pursue higher education).
Twenty-six years later, Mitzvah School, on the Bet David campus,
has produced hundreds of graduates, some of whom have become
communtiy leaderschurchmen, physicians, bank managers, etc.in the
renewed South Africa. Now-adays Bet Davids Kehillah (formerly
Sisterhood) also supplies foodstuffs for a primary school, an
after-school haven, an orphanage, and a shelter for street orphans.
Fulfilling the needs of the impoverished is a major component of
our work.
In todays diverse South Africa, where about 250 separate
religious groups are recognized, religion is primarily a private
matter. The Orthodox-dominated Jewish community attempts to fence
off Jews from Progressive Judaism in a way that at times borders
upon hostility. Mean-while, the non-Jewish community sees all of
the Jewish community as one, and appreciates the Jews strong
contribu-tions to South African politics, arts, busi-ness, and
academia. For Jews, being pub-licly proud of ones Jewishness
remains a respected tradition.
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reform judaism 1 2 spring 2013
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The following is a compilation of the nations with Reform
congregations, from the country with the largest total Jewish
population (Israel) to the smallest (El Salvador). All of these
population figures are estimates (see the Notes on the next page
for sources). Outside North America the name Reform is used less
frequently, so the WUPJ has provided each communitys preferred
self-description (Reform, Progressive, Liberal, Modern).
1 IsraelJewish Pop.: 5,413,800Congregations: 35Locations:
VariousDescription: Reform/Progressive
2 United StatesJewish Pop.: 5,275,000Congregations:
839Locations: VariousDescription: Reform
3 FranceJewish Pop.: 483,500Congregations: 13Locations:
VariousDescription: Progressive
4 CanadaJewish Pop.: 375,000Congregations: 25Locations:
VariousDescription: Reform
5 United KingdomJewish Pop.: 292,000Congregations: 82Locations:
VariousDescription: Reform/Progressive/Liberal
6 RussiaJewish Pop.: 205,000Congregations: 21Locations:
VariousDescription: Modern
7 ArgentinaJewish Pop.: 182,300Congregations: 3Locations: Buenos
Aires,
Capital FederalDescription: Progressive
8 GermanyJewish Pop.: 119,000Congregations: 24
Locations: VariousDescription: Progressive
9 AustraliaJewish Pop.: 107,500Congregations: 15Locations:
VariousDescription: Progressive
10 BrazilJewish Pop.: 95,600Congregations: 7Locations:
VariousDescription: Progressive
11 UkraineJewish Pop.: 71,500Congregations: 27Locations:
VariousDescription: Modern/Progressive
12 South AfricaJewish Pop.: 70,800Congregations: 10Locations:
VariousDescription: Progressive
13 HungaryJewish Pop.: 48,600Congregations: 2Locations:
BudapestDescription: Progressive
14 BelgiumJewish Pop.: 30,300Congregations: 2Locations:
BrusselsDescription: Progressive
15 NetherlandsJewish Pop.: 30,000Congregations: 10Locations:
VariousDescription: Progressive
16 ItalyJewish Pop.: 28,400Congregations: 3Locations: Florence,
MilanDescription: Progressive
17 ChileJewish Pop.: 20,500Congregations: 3Locations: Las
Condes, ValparaisoDescription: Progressive
18 SwitzerlandJewish Pop.: 17,600Congregations: 2Locations:
Geneva, ZurichDescription: Progressive
PERFORMANCE OF STEP BY STEP - SAUWA SAUWA, A MUSICAL PROJECT
SPON-
SORED BY THE LEO BAECK EDUCATION CENTER AND THE EIN MAHEL SCHOOL
IN
ISRAEL TO PROMOTE COOPERATION BETWEEN JEWISH AND ARAB YOUTH.
HILLEGUUS TIMNER, THEN CONGREGATION PRESIDENT, LIGHTS THE
SHABBAT
CANDLES AT LIBERAAL JOODSE GEMEENTE DEN HAAG IN THE HAGUE.
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
The Top World Nations with Jewish Populations & Their Reform
Congregations*
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reform judaism 1 3 spring 2013
19 BelarusJewish Pop.: 16,500Congregations: 13Locations:
VariousDescription: Progressive
20 SwedenJewish Pop.: 15,000Congregations: 1Locations:
StockholmDescription: Progressive
21 SpainJewish Pop.: 12,000Congregations: 2Locations:
BarcelonaDescription: Progressive
22 AustriaJewish Pop.: 9,000Congregations: 1Locations:
ViennaDescription: Progressive
23 PanamaJewish Pop.: 8,000Congregations: 1Locations: Panama
CityDescription: Progressive
24 New ZealandJewish Pop.: 7,500Congregations: 3Locations:
Dunedin, Epsom (Auckland suburb), WellingtonDescription:
Progressive
25 DenmarkJewish Pop.: 6,400Congregations: 1Locations:
CopenhagenDescription: Progressive
26 Hong KongJewish Pop.: 5,000Congregations: 1Locations: Hong
Kong
Description: Progressive/Reform
27 IndiaJewish Pop.: 5,000Congregations: 1Locations:
MumbaiDescription: Reform
28 Czech RepublicJewish Pop.: 3,900Congregations: 1Locations:
PragueDescription: Progressive
29 PolandJewish Pop.: 3,200Congregations: 3
Locations: Warsaw, KrakowDescription: Progressive
30 Costa RicaJewish Pop.: 2,500Congregations: 1Locations:
SabanaDescription: Progressive
31 ChinaJewish Pop.: 1,500
Congregations: 2Locations: Beijing, ShanghaiDescription:
Liberal
32 Puerto RicoJewish Pop.: 1,500Congregations: 1Locations: San
JuanDescription: Reform
33 IrelandJewish Pop.: 1,200Congregations: 1Locations:
DublinDescription: Progressive
34 LuxembourgJewish Pop.: 600Congregations: 1Locations:
StrassenDescription: Progressive
35 CubaJewish Pop.: 500Congregations: 1Locations:
HavanaDescription: Progressive
36 Virgin IslandsJewish Pop.: 500Congregations: 1Locations:
Amalie (St. Thomas)Description: Reform
37 CuraaoJewish Pop.: 350Congregations: 1Locations:
CuracaoDescription: Progressive
38 BahamasJewish Pop.: 300Congregations: 1Locations:
NassauDescription: Reform
39 SingaporeJewish Pop.: 300Congregations: 1Locations:
SingaporeDescription: Progressive/Reform
40 JamaicaJewish Pop.: 200Congregations: 1Locations:
KingstonDescription: Reform
41 SurinameJewish Pop.: 200Congregations: 1Locations:
ParamariboDescription: Progressive
42 ArubaJewish Pop.: 200Congregations: 1Locations:
OranjestadDescription: Progressive
43 El SalvadorJewish Pop.: 100Congregations: 1Locations: San
BenitoDescription: Progressive
A PROCESSION OF 11 TORAH SCROLLS FROM 11 CONGREGATIONS IN
CELEBRA-
TION OF THE DEDICATION OF THE WUPJS SANDY BRESLAUER BEIT
SIMCHA
CENTER FOR PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM IN MINSK, BELARUS, 2010.
*Notes: All estimated world Jewish population figures are from
World Jewish Population 2010-North American Jewish Data Bank by
Israel demographer Sergio Della Pergola, except for Hong Kong
(Hadassah Magazine, Oct. 2012), Bahamas (Jewish Virtual Library),
and Aruba (Joshua Project In-Country Profile). Demographic numbers
vary widely depending on how being Jewish is defined (such as if
the figures exclude Jews who have not registered with the official
community), when the figures were assembled, and other factors.
Congregations refers to the number of Reform/Progressive/Liberal
communities. Various indicates communities in four or more
locations. For more information: wupj.org.
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reform judaism 1 4 spring 2013
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SINGAPORE: Culture & Community
Rabbi Lennard Thal, senior vice presi-dent emeritus of the Union
for Reform Judaism, has served as visiting rabbi of United Hebrew
Congregation in Singapore for the past 20 years.
What excites tourists about Singapore?
Singapore prides itself on offering both resi-dents and tourists
the highest quality of life. That experi-ence starts even before
you arrive. Singapore Airlines is rated number one in the world for
first-rate ser-vice, safety, and on-time arrivals; indeed, in my
40+ flights to the city, Ive never landed more than 10 minutes
later than scheduled. Waterfalls and fresh orchids beautify Changi
Airport, and all passengers have free computer access. This clean,
post-modern city (as it is often described) has no homelessness, no
unemployment, and practically no street crime, making it a
remarkably pleasant, safe place to visit. Because it is a magnetic
center for commercesome people refer to the national religion as
capitalismSingapore is a locus of business for many North American
companies. Per-manent residents cant imagine living anywhere else.
Once a taxi driver asked me where I was from, and when I said
America, he responded, Whats it like, living in a third-world
country?
Be sure to take a walk through the Botanical Gardens, featuring
unusual
scroll is the most significant way to honor the memory of a
deceased relative. And try to attend services at the Pro-gressive
congregation, United Hebrew Congregation of Singapore, where youll
be warmly welcomed. Theyre only held once a month on Friday nights,
so check the synagogue website (uhcsingapore.org) for the
schedule.
What is the local cuisine?Singapores signature cuisine,
called
Peranakan, combines Chinese, Malay, and other culinary
influences, typically blending ingredients and wok-cooking
techniques from the Chinese (who immigrated here before and after
World War II) with spices popular in the Malay/Indonesian community
(the indigenous population). Peranakans are descendants of
marriages between Chinese immi-grants and local Malays.
A good place to sample any Asian cui-sine you wishPeranakan,
Malaysian, Chinese, you name itis one of the citys hawker centers,
where typically 30 or 40 different vendors offer inexpensive and
safe foodhealth guidelines are strictly controlled by the
government. Jewish foods of all kinds can be found at the local
kosher store, as everyone calls it, near the Maghein Aboth
synagogue.
A caveat: As I like to quip, Travel in Singapore can be a
broadening experience!
Do you have other insider tips?The landing card distributed on
all
flights into Singapore is very clear: Any-one trafficking in
drugs is subject to the death penalty. Indeed, while much
exag-geration is made of local laws against jaywalking and
spitting, the government values protecting the quality of life
orchids and other stunning flora that flourish in Singapores
tropical/equatorial climate. Tip: go early in the morning before it
gets too hot! On a clear day you can view parts of Malaysia and
Indone-sia as well as Singapores harbor from
the 57th floor of the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hoteland chocolate
lov-ers can choose from among the 57 sumptuous chocolate varieties
at their famed nightly Chocolate Bar! Stop by the Raffles Hotel to
enjoy handsome colonial architec-ture, doormen and bellmen in
period
costume, and its Long Bar, renowned for the signature drink, the
fruity-flavored Singapore Sling.
Singapore is a shoppers paradise, with very high-end shops and
antique stores stocking goods from around Asia. A good days
activity is walking through Chinatown (see the Buddhas Tooth Relic
Temple), Little India (see the col-orful Hindu Temple), and Arab
Street (see the Sultan Mosque), all within five to ten minutes
drive of one another.
What are the best Jewish sites?Id begin with the two Baghdadi
syn-
agoguesMaghein Aboth on Waterloo Street, built in 1873, and
Chesed El, on Oxley Rise, built in 1900, each of which has a large
walk-in ark containing approximately two dozen Torah scrolls. Many
descendants of Iraqi Jews here believe that commissioning a new
Torah
MEMBERS OF UNITED HEBREW CONGREGATION OF
SINGAPORE JOIN IN CELEBRATING HANUKKAH, 2010.
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
Interview with Lennard Thal
Greetings from Marina Bay
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reform judaism 1 5 spring 2013
above individual liberties. As one UHC member explained to me
upon my first visit, the difference in the attitude toward
law-breaking between Singapore and the U.S. is simply this: In the
U.S., crime is against the law; in Singapore, it is simply not
permitted.
What synagogue options are there?Right now there are four or
five con-
gregations. Two (Maghein Aboth and Chesed El) are led by Chabad
rabbis and populated mostly by the descendants of the Baghdadi Jews
who developed Jewish communities from Mumbai to Shanghai in the
19th century. The third is an Ashke-nazic Orthodox minyan. The
fourth is a primarily French Ashkenazic Orthodox minyan, which
began this year; it is too early to tell whether it will be
sustainable. Fifthand most important to the Reform communityis the
congregation Ive long served as visiting rabbi: the United Hebrew
Congregation of Singapore.
What is synagogue life like at UHC?The minhag is best captured
by the
oft-repeated refrain by the incumbent president each erev Rosh
Hashanah: As our first president once said, Welcome to the
Reform-Conservative-Reconstruc-tionist-Liberal-Progressive
congregation of Singapore.
Our customs are primarily Reform, but Conservative,
Reconstructionist, and other non-Orthodox Jews feel very
com-fortable here, in part because the Jewish communal experience
is similar to what theyre used to in North America. As the
congregation overwhelmingly consists of expats from all over the
worldespecially from the U.S. and Canadaand since everyone speaks
Englishalthough for some it is their second, third, or, at least in
one case, fourth lan-guagewe use Gates of Repentance on the High
Holy Days and Mishkan Tfilah for Shabbat and other holidays. For
the High Holy Days, American Conference of Cantors President Susan
Caro serves as cantor, combining tradi-tional nusach and
contemporary melo-dies (Debbie Friedman, Jeff Klepper, etc.).
Participating with likeminded folk on these holidays is
particularly mean-ingful to the vast majority of
congre-gantsbankers, management consul-
tants, hedge fund analysts, lawyers, etc.who are 1012 time zones
away from the place they consider home.
By the way, the one piece of liturgy that is a bit unsettling
for this community is the prayer for our nation, as some members
are permanent residents of Singapore, but the vast majority are
not.
How ethnically diverse is UHC?Very. Of the 140 affiliated
house-
holds, 1520 members are ethnically Asian. One longstanding
practice at our two communal seder celebrations is to ask the Four
Questions in as many languages as are native to the various
participants. This typically includes Mandarin, Cantonese,
Indonesian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Javanese, as well as
Portuguese, Serbian, Russian, Swedish, Afrikaans, and Yiddishgreat
fun!
The community is also more stable than in years past. Whereas
expats gen-erally used to stay in Singapore for three to five
years, nowadays many stay on longer, and three families to whom we
had bid farewell have since returned. Life is pretty easy herein
addition to the economic opportunities, there are good educational
options and quality healthcare. As an active lay leader com-mented
to me, Im leaving in two years, and Ive been saying that for the
last 15.
Can life also be difficult for the Progressive community, given
the governments strong hand?
Twenty years ago, when five founding families created a
non-Orthodox alterna-tive for themselves, a big challenge was
Singaporean law, which does not include freedom of assembly in the
way U.S. law does. The founders had to fly below the radar screen
(essentially utilizing word of mouth) until 1995, when the
government formally recognized UHC as a society. Since then the
community has been able to advertise in various expat periodicals
and other venues.
Are there any security concerns?For a few years, because of
security
reasons, the American government placed Gurkhas (highly trained
Nepalese soldiers who served in the British or Indian army)sporting
daggers on their
continued on page 19
ChinaStarting Up in Shanghai:
In Spring 2012, 70 people in Shanghai, China joined together on
the second night of Pesach to take part in the citys first-ever
liberal seder. Led by Cantor Diego Edel-berg of the United Jewish
Congre-gation in Hong Kong and assisted by Hebrew Union College
Student Rabbi Megan Brudney, the seder brought together and
inspired Progressive Jews in Shanghaiwho have since gone on to form
a Liberal Jewish community.
~&~Germany
Synagogue to Storage Facil-ity to Synagogue: For decades, a
farmer in the German village of Bodenfelde stored his equip-ment in
a small, half-timbered building hardly rec-ognizable for what it
wasa 175-year-old synagogue built in 1825. In 1937 the congregation
had sold the synagogue to the farmer, and a year later, on
Kristallnacht, the farmer defend-ed his purchase against Nazi
hooligans who wanted to torch it. Thus the building was spared the
fate that befell hundreds of synagogues that night across Germany
and Austria.
In 1990, a few hundred Jews from the Former Soviet Union settled
in Gttingen, Germany. Its Jewish mayor, Artur Levi, a Holocaust
survivor, and local educator Detlev Herbst, an expert on local
Jewish history, supported the idea of moving the historic
Bodenfelde synagogue to Gottin-gen, whose large synagogue had been
destroyed 70 years earlier.
GLOBAL NEWS
continued on p.17
JDISCHE GEMEINDE GTTINGEN SYNAGOGUE
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Chai
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Erika Siegfried-Tompson is a member of Bet Orim in Budapest and
an activist in the Hungarian Reform Movement.
What excites tourists about Budapest?Budapest offers grandiosely
beauti-
ful views. From the gentle curve of the Danube River, you see
rising hills and lovely islands spanned by great bridges of various
styles. The vista is spectacu-
lar at night. For a romantic evening, spend dusk to dark on the
terrace of the Citadella Restaurant. Youll never for-get the sight
of the lights coming up, one by one, on our historic buildings and
on the bridges over the Danube.
In Buda, the oldest part of the city, walk the little winding
streets and youll discover many restored medieval build-ings. And
visit the inner city of Pest, a busy commercial and shopping
area.
Visitors are often impressed by Budapests Art Nouveau
architecture, seen in many late 19th- and early 20th-century
buildings. The unique style incorporates old Hungarian folk motifs
and beautifully glazed pottery roof tiles.
What are the Jewish attractions?Tourists can revel in Hungarys
Jew-
ish cultural revival. The Judafest Street
Outside the capital, visit the splendid late 18th-century
Baroque synagogue of Mad, located in a region renowned for its
wines (and have a first-class wine tasting experience at Torok
Pince). In the 1850s some 800 Jews lived here, many of them wine
traders and kosher wine producers. The last Jew of Mad died in
1994, but the communitys synagogue, renovated in 2004 and awarded
the pres-
tigious Europa Nostra Heri-tage Award, remains. It is now cared
for by a non-Jewish couple. If you call them (00 36 47 348 043),
they will show you the synagogue
and tell you many interesting stories.
Where can you find the best Jewish cuisine?
I recommend Yiddische Mamma Mia, which offers a fusion of Jewish
and Mediterranean cuisine; Flemle (Nightingale) Restaurant,
presenting tra-ditional home-made recipes for goose, smoked meats,
and cholent (a Hungari-an-Jewish specialty bean dish); and
Rosenstein Restaurant, a hidden trea-sure (as its located in a
not-so-nice area near the Eastern Railways station), where the
goose and duck are prepared with an especially light touch.
Dont miss out on the traditional Jew-ish dessert called flodnia
layered pas-try of ground walnut paste, poppy seeds, and apples.
Youll find the best flodni (with cherries instead of apple) in
the
Festival, a free, joyous one-day Jewish music-performance-food
festival, takes place each June. From late August to ear-ly
September our Jewish Summer Festi-val features Jewish music, dance,
fine art, books, and films. Also in early Septem-ber is the Day of
Open Doors Street Par-ty, offering music, Hora dancing, arts and
crafts, Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts) demonstrations, and more.
Throughout
the year, exciting and buzzing Limmud days offer an array of
Jewish community-building study sessions, many of them in
English.
Budapests main Jewish attraction is the Dohany Synagogue, which
seats 3,000 and is said to be the largest con-tinuously active
synagogue in Europe, and the third largest in the world (after the
Belz Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, seating 6,000, and the Satmar
syna-gogue in Kyrias Joel, New York, said to seat 5,5007,000). The
adjoining Jew-ish Museum, built on the former site of the
birthplace of Zionist visionary The-odor Herzl, houses Europes
second largest Judaica collection (after Berlins Judisches Museum).
Also worth seeing is the 14th-century medieval Syna-gogue of Buda,
on what was formerly called Jewish Street.
FROM L. TO R.: BET ORIM MEMBERS CELEBRATE HANUKKAH, 2011; SIM
SHALOM MEMBERS CELEBRATE SHAVUOT, 2012.
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
Interview with Erika Siegfried-Tompson
BUDAPEST: Culture & Community
Greetings from Chain Bridge and Fishermans Bastion
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reform judaism 1 7 spring 2013
Holocaust Memorial Centers coffee shop. Also try the Ruszwurm
kremes (Cream Pastry), a mouth-watering sweet made of egg, vanilla
and whipped cream, available at the Ruszwurm coffee shop, the
oldest confectionery on the continent (since 1827), still run by
the last active Hungarian confectionery dynasty.
How many Jews live in Hungary?The estimated number is 70,000
100,000a large variation because the vast majority of Jews are
unaffiliated. Many hide their Jewishness and/or are not even aware
of their Jewish origins, despite nearly 2000 years of Jewish
pres-ence in the area. In the Second World War, Nazi Germans and
Hungarians killed approximately 500,000 of 700,000 Hungarian Jews,
all but extinguishing what had been the largest Jewish com-munity
in Central Europe. Because of Nazi persecution, the subsequent
Com-munist oppression of all religions, and continuing deep-rooted
antisemitism, neither the Jewish community nor the general society
has begun Vergangen-heitsbewaltigung, the proper processing of the
past. Nonetheless, since 1989, the end of the Communist era, all
religious groups have experienced a revival.
What is synagogue life like?The Neolog community, a
Conserva-
tive Jewish stream that was once great and is now declining,
lists 17 Budapest synagogues on its website. Budapest also has a
small, independent Orthodox community with four synagogues; a small
but vocal Chabad Lubavicher community with two synagogues; andin a
revival of 19th-century Hungarian Reform Judaisma Progressive
com-munity with two congregations, Sim Shalom and Bet Orim.
Sim Shalom (Give Peace), found-ed as an association in 1994 and
as a congregation in 2004, was the first Pro-gressive synagogue to
be established in post-Communist Hungary. Like many post-war
Hungarian Jews, its founding leader, Katalin Keleman, a language
teacher by profession, only became aware of her Jewish roots as an
adult. She began engaging with Judaism in the late 80s, when the
regime slowly relaxed its opposition to religion. Even-
tually she trained to become a rabbi and was ordained at the Leo
Baeck College in London. Upon her return to Hungary, she slowly
organized a community.
Today Sim Shalom has approximate-ly 60 paying members and as
many occasional visitors. Servicesusing the communitys own siddur
in Hebrew, transliteration, and Hungarianare held on most Friday
nights in a rented inner-city apartment. The atmosphere is joy-ful,
with lots of singing, as Cantor Mik-los Budai plays guitar and a
young member accompanies him on drums.
My congregation, Bet Orim (House of Light), with approximately
50 members and about 100 supporters, was founded in 2005 to educate
Hungarian Jews about Jewish traditions, history, practices, and
ethicsknowledge that had not been passed down to them from their
parents and grandparents. We consider it our mission to make both
members and drop-ins feel equally welcome. Shabbat ser-vices are
led by Hungarian-born Rabbi Ferenc Raj (PhD, Rabbi Emeritus of
Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, Cali-fornia) with humor, love,
and a little extra Jewish teaching that makes everybody feel that
theyve taken away more than they came in with. His erudite sermons
reverberate long after he delivers them. There is no dress code;
you wear whatev-er makes you feel comfortable. We read from our own
siddur, in Hebrew, translit-eration, and Hungarian, with a
smattering of English text and poems. After the ser-vice we
encourage lively discussion.
For all festivals, services are in both Hungarian and English,
which enables Bet Orim to reach out to Budapests English speaking
Jews and attract many foreign visitors. On the High Holy Days,
services occasionally feature the well-known Hungarian
pianist/singer Zoltan Neumark, the Yiddish-Hebrew-Ladino singer
Diana Samu-Pandzarisz (who belongs to the congregation), and the
internationally renowned classical guitarist Sandor Mester. Their
masterful performances draw big crowds.
Do you have unique communal celebrations?
On Sukkot, Sim Shalom builds a suk-kah in a public park, waving
the lulav and
Gottingen resident Brigitta Stam-mer oversaw the arranging of
pri-vate donationsand arranged for the synagogue to be taken apart,
wall-by-wall, stone-by-stone, piece-by-piece, moved 25 miles to the
city, and reassembled.
The small synagogue was rededicated in November 2008. Today it
is the house of prayer for some 160 members of the liberal Jdische
Gemeinde Gttingen.
~&~Israel
1st Arab Students Group Hosted in Israel: In 2012, the Reform
Movements Beit Shmuel (a cultural and educational mecca and housing
complex that also serves as the WUPJs Jerusalem headquarters)
hosted the first stu-dent group from the Arab world to visit and
learn about Israel. Kivunim (Directions), a gap-year program in
Israel based at Beit Shmuel, developed a rela-tionship with Moadon
Mimouna, a group of Moroccan Muslim stu-dents who study the history
and culture of Moroccan Jews and Judaism in order to better
under-stand their own culture and histo-ry. Kivunims Executive
Director Peter Geffen led a two-week experience that included a
visit to Ramallah and meetings with high-ranking Palestinian
officials. Participants left Israel with a new appreciation of the
Jewish peo-ples accomplishments in the state and a strong desire to
return: one dreams of becoming Moroccos first ambassador to Israel;
others are reviewing scholarship oppor-tunities for graduate
studies.
Progressive Preschool: In the fall of 2011, the Israel Movement
for Progressive Judaism, in coopera-tion with the Jerusalem
munici-pality, opened the Nitzanim pre-
GLOBAL NEWS from p.15
continued on p.19continued on page 23
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MOSCOW: Culture & Community
Rabbi Leonid Bimbat is rabbi of Con-gregation Le-Dor va-Dor in
Moscow.
What should travelers not miss in Moscow?
There is so much to see...Red Square, the Kremlin and its
museums, our art galleries, the Bol-shoi Theater, ballet, operathe
city is alive with culture.
What Jewish sites are most worth visiting?
The most impor-tant Jewish site is the stunning 1906 Moscow
Choral Synagogue, with its Moorish style interior and Arabesque
moldings and murals. And be sure to visit the new Jewish Museum,
which tells the story of Jews in Russia from Tsarist times through
today. I would also recommend Shalom Theater, the first
professional Jewish theater in Russia, where you can see musicals,
drama, and comedy.
What is your top travel tip?If you travel in winter, take
warm
clothes with you, as -30 Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) is not an
unusual tempera-ture for winter months.
When did Progressive Judaism take root in Moscow?
Because of the events of the last cen-turywars, the repressive
Soviet sys-temit was not possible for Judaism to develop freely and
naturally in Russia. The first Reform Jewish group was established
only 25 years ago. In 1989,
Reform Judaism, which embraced the questioning of text. This
spiritual journey led to my becoming a rabbi.
Much of my work at Congregation Le-Dor va-Dor centers on helping
Moscow Jews who have little Jewish literacy become more
knowledgeable and raise Jewish children. Many of our adult
congregants have a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, and are
therefore not recognized as Jewish by the Orthodox and
Lubavitchers. At Le-Dor va-Dor, these patrilineal fami-lies are
accepted and get to meet oth-ers like them; on Sundays, when their
children are in religious school, for example, weve created a
separate space where they can share their expe-riences and
concerns.
About 20% of our members have con-verted to Judaism via the FSUs
Reform Beth Din (rabbinical court). Most of these individuals are
converting because they have no proof that their
parents/grandparents were Jewish. In the Soviet period peoples
ethnic origins were stated on their passports, and their parents
ori-gins were recorded on their birth certifi-cates (nowadays
ethnic origin does not appear on any official documents). Dur-ing
WWII some families purposely dis-posed of their documents, and it
is now impossible to trace their origins because many archives were
destroyed during the war. Even for those congregants who were
raised Jewish, if they do not have supporting documents, the only
option to be acknowledged as a Jew by the Jewish community is by a
Reform Beth Din con-version. The process takes at least one year,
and many converts later become very active members. They also teach
their parents and even their grandparents about their Jewish
heritage.
Hineini was officially registered with the government as a
congregation.
Now there are three Progressive con-gregations in Moscow:
Hineini, Sever-naya (Northern, established in 2000), and our
synagogue, Le-Dor va-Dor
(From Generation to Generation, established in 1999). Hineini
and Severnaya serve hundreds of older people seeking a friendly
Jewish environment in their neighbor-hood. Le-Dor va-Dor is
primarily for families with young childrenwe took the name
after many families with small children decided to join. About
80% of our 200 members are under 40, and some fami-lies have 3 or
even 4 children.
What else distinguishes your congregation?
Very few of our members were raised as Jews, at least with some
degree of observance. Most discovered their Judaism as adults. My
personal story is perhaps typical. Only at age 15, at the time of
Perestroika in 1990, did I learn that my mother was Jewish. I
started to learn Hebrew in my native Ekaterinburg, Rus-sia, and
then began to bring my mother and maternal grandparents to Jewish
events. Much later I became involved with Reform Judaism, but my
very first step was choosing to be a Jew. Then came the choice of
what kind of Jew to beOrthodox, secular, Reform. As a student of
literature, I felt most at home with
BAR MITZVAH AT LE-DOR VA-DOR.
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
Interview with Leonid Bimbat
Greetings from the Kremlin wall at sunrise.
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reform judaism 1 9 spring 2013
What are worship services like?Services are led by one of two
Rus-
sian-born rabbis (Rabbi Alexander Lys-kovoy and myself) or our
Ukrainian can-tor (Cantor Dmitry Karpenko). Having been largely
influenced by the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism, we (and
other Moscow Reform congrega-tions) use the Israeli Reform prayer
book Haavoda Shebalev, which has been translated into Russian,
reciting most of the prayers in Hebrew and a few in Rus-sian. When
a visitor from abroad joins us, we always provide an English
translation.
Our liturgical music is a unique blend of American and Israeli
melodies, Chasidic tunes, and some additional melodies with a
Ukrainian flavor com-posed by our cantor. The style of our services
varies. On Friday night we sing more camp-style melodies
accompa-nied by guitar, and attract young Jews. On Saturday
morning, services are more classical, sometimes using an electronic
organ, and families with chil-dren are the main participants.
Which holidays are most popular?Most popular is Passover, which
we
typically celebrate with communal seders intermixing traditional
readings, music (jazz and other styles), and video presen-tations
of haggadah illustrations. Seders are popular in the wider Jewish
commu-nity as well. This is our time to celebrate freedom from
Soviet oppression, recall-ing the period not so long ago when it
was forbidden to observe our religion.
Next in importance to our commu-nity is Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kip-pur. Year by year, more of our members come to understand the
importance
of the High Holy Days as a time of spiritual renewal.
What are your most important Jewish lifecycle celebrations?
The most meaningful ones at Le-Dor va-Dor are baby naming,
because we have many small children, and brit milah, because many
adults who were not raised as Jews decide to be circumcised in
private ceremonies at a local clinic.
Also, bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies are becoming increasingly
common here. In the past, 13-year-olds had birthday parties; now
most have a meaningful Jewish rite of passage. Whereas five years
ago parents did not expect their children to have formal learning,
it is now understood that bar/bat mitzvah involves a learning
period of up to one year.
What else is unique about Le-Dor va-Dor?
We are the first Progressive congre-gation in Russia to
introduce member-ship fees. The amount is very small, and does not
allow the congregation to be self-sufficient; it represents a
social (symbolic) membership fee for all those who chose to
identify as Reform Jews. It is very unlikely that our two other
Moscow congregations will follow this practice, since their members
are older Jewspensioners coping with limited income and steep
utility bills.
We hope you will come visit us. Le-Dor va-Dor is a friendly and
lively community, with many members who speak English. You will be
warmly welcomed here.
belts and machine guns at the readyat the entrance of all
American institu-tions in Singapore. This included the American
Club, where UHC services are typically held, requiring all High
Holy Day worshipers to pass by these austere looking, unsmiling
figures before enter-ing shul. On the first such occasion I
whispered to my wife, Do we have to be worried if the Gurkha hears
that my sermon was not especially good
tonight? Now, the Gurkhas are gone.Fortunately, Singapore has no
history
of antisemitism. In a city where Buddhism and Christianity are
thought to be the largest religious groupings, with signifi-cant
Hindu and Muslim populations too, the Jews seem well-respected and
fit in with ease. Jews here have also held prominent government
positions: David Marshall, an Iraqi Jew, served as Singa-pores
first Chief Minister, and later as Singapores ambassador to France,
Por-tugal, Spain, and Switzerland.
Come visit. Youll enjoy Singapore.
school, Jerusalems only preschool program for children of
refugees and foreign workers living in Israel. As a result, 20
pupils ages 36 from Eritrea, Sudan, the DRC (Congo), the
Philippines, and Korea are improving their Hebrew lan-guage skills
and being prepared for mainstream Israeli education on the
HUC/Mercaz Shimshon-Beit Shmuel campus.
~&~Poland
Training Progressive Para-Professionals: As there are no native
Polish-speaking Progres-sive rabbis working in Poland yet, Beit
Polska (the national association of Progressive Juda-ism in Poland)
is running an intensive service-leader training program in Warsaw
called Shatz (short for Shlichei Tzibur, which in Hebrew means
service lead-ers) for native first-year and second-year students.
Once the students achieve the required level of competency, they
will lead Shabbat services at small, emerging Jewish communities
throughout the country
Milan Offers Torah to Krakow: This past October, 10 members of
Beth Shalom Progressive Congregation in Milan, founded in 2002,
presented a Torah scroll to the even younger Beit Kra-kow
con-gregation in Krakow. Starting at the Galicia Jewish Museum, the
Torah was placed under a chup-pah and marched, amidst crowds
singing and dancing, through Krakows old Jewish quarter,
GLOBAL NEWS from p.17
continued on p.21
Singaporecontinued from page 15
MARCHING WITH GIFTED TORAH TO BEIT KRAKOW.
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reform judaism 2 0 spring 2013
Rain
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Mas
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Tem
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Greetings from El Yunque Rainforest
Harry A. and Barbara Tasch Ezratty are both past presidents of
Temple Beth Shalom. Harry is also author of 500 Years in the Jewish
Caribbean; Barbara is a food writer and book publisher.
What excites tourists about Puerto Rico?
The islands pub-lic beaches are popular destinations for
snorkel-ing, scuba diving, boat-ing, swim-ming, sun-bathing, and
kayaking. Fishing for Blue Marlin in the Atlantic Trench is a
year-round sport that also attracts deep-sea fishermen worldwide
for the falls big-game tournament. Big draws are professionally
designed golf courses and hiking in El Yunque Rainforest, Puerto
Ricos highest mountain range (3,500 feet). Zip-lininghurtling above
the tree-lines from a looped line stretched from one mountainside
to anotherhas become a hot new sport, and the Caves of Camuy, one
of the worlds three largest cave systems, are breathtakingly,
expan-sively beautiful.
What are the cuisine options?Puerto Rico is known as The
Culi-
nary Capital of the Caribbean. You can enjoy American, Asian,
Brazilian, Caribbean, Cuban, French, Italian, Mex-ican, Middle
Eastern, Peruvian, Puerto Rican, Spanishand more. Tables Magazine:
Puerto Ricos Guide to Great
SAN JUAN: Culture & Community
RJ INSIDERS GUIDE
On Friday nights, services are mostly in English and Hebrew,
using Gates of Prayer; on Saturday mornings, services are mainly in
Spanish and Hebrew, utiliz-ing a Spanish/Hebrew prayer book. This
meets the whole congregations needsthe majority of whom are
English-speak-ers and approximately 30% for whom Spanish is their
first language. Fifteen years ago, TBS was all English-speaking,
but as trained locals began to replace state-side middle-management
personnel in island jobs and the resident Puerto Ricans started
exploring Judaism, a number of Spanish speakers converted and found
their Jewish home here. Many of these new Jews-by-choice came from
anusim, families who knew or suspected their for-bearers included
secret Jews. To this day, visiting rabbis offer training to them,
and we hope more anusim will join us.
The TBS attire is very casual (except no shorts or beach clothes
are allowed). Although we began as an almost Classical Reform
congregation, we have moved towards traditionalism in ritual
obser-vance; today most men wear kippot, and prayer shawls are
prevalent. Part-time visiting rabbis, who stay for one or more
months during the winter season, repre-sent varying degrees of
tradition on the bimah, all of which are welcomed.
Do you have unique celebrations?Taschlich services are held on
the
Caribbean beach, two blocks from TBSoften surprising
bathing-suit clad tourists.
Join us for weekly services. Youll not only meet our friendly
members, but people from other island congregations, cruise ship
passengers, businesspeople staying at nearby hotels, and local
univer-sity studentsand become part of Reform Judaisms family in
sunny San Juan.
Dining (tablespr.com) can help you navigate 700 of the plentiful
options.
The basic island food derives from a combination of the old
Caribbean Taino Indian and Spanish influences. Basic food-stuffs,
such as root vegetables, rice, and seafood, are available today in
old-style
and updated versions reflecting the influx of myriad cultures on
the islands cuisine.
What are the Jew-ish sites of interest?
In San Juan, three synagogues serve the popula-tion of
approximately 2,000 Jews: a 215-family Conservative congregation, a
20-family Chabad congregation, and the 60-family Reform
congregation, Temple Beth Shalom (TBS)some of these fam-ilies being
descendants of Jews who emi-grated from the States to the island in
the 1950s and 60s and formed the congrega-tion in 1967. All three
congregations join together for community events and cooperate with
the Chabad movements Jewish Welcome Center in Old San Juan, which
offers tours of Jewish interest.
What are services like?Were very proud of being a singing
congregation. Without a full-time cantor, our congregants have
learned both old and new melodies for weekly and holiday services
from visiting vocalists. We par-ticipate not as audience members
but fullyvery vocallyin weekly services.
Interview with Harry A. and Barbara Tasch Ezratty
TEMPLE BETH SHALOM SERVICE AT THE HISTORIC FORTRESS
IN OLD SAN JUAN.
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reform judaism 2 1 spring 2013
Travels in American Jewish History A Study Mission to Historic
Philadelphia, PA
May 1-5, 2013On May 1-5, 2013, the AJA will lead a group to
Philadelphia,
PA to study its rich Jewish history. Participants will have the
opportunity for interactive learning while touring sites such as
the National Museum of American Jewish History, the Rosenbach
Library plus the historic congregations of Philadelphia. Featured
scholars include Dr. Jonathan D. Sarna, Dr. Lance J. Sussman and
Dr. Gary P. Zola.
For more information, please contact Lisa Frankel, Director of
Programs for the AJA, by e-mail: [email protected], phone:
513-487-3218 or visit our website: AmericanJewishArchives.org.
Reserve your place on the trip!
present
The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of theAMERICAN JEWISH ARCHIVES
Ayelet Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Family ToursCreating Lifelong
Memories
In Depth Jewish Heritage Tours Guaranteed Weekly
DeparturesChoose from 9,11,12 & 14 nights.
Making the Journey YoursIn IsrAel and ArounD THe WorlD
www.ayelet.com800-237-1517
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Join Prof. Stephen Berks TrAvelInG unIversITY.
eastern europeJun 1627, 2013Jun 1527, 2014 Nov 414, 2014
ChinaNov 416, 2013
Australia & new ZealandDec 326, 2014
and to three synagogues before reaching the High Synagogue,
where it was formally presented to Beit Krakow.
~&~Spain
Barcelonas Beit Din: In June 2011, 30 people (24 adults and six
children ages 412) were convert-ed or welcomed back to Juda-ism at
a Shabbat morning service in Barcelona.
It all started when the news got out that Rosina Levy of Bet
Sha-lom of Barcelona would be pre-senting its candidates to the
World Union for Progressive Judaisms European Region Beit Din
(rabbinic court). Then, other Jewish communities throughout Spain
asked to send their own candidates toosome of them traveling
hundreds of kilometers to the only Beit Din that would help them
achieve their dream of becoming Jewish.
Having studied with local teachers for at least a year before
the Beit Din, the participants demonstrated proficiency in Jewish
history, customs, religious festivals, and life-cycle events; the
men also presented a certifi-cate of circumcision, as required by
Jewish law and in accordance with European custom. Look-ing ahead,
many of the newly initiated adult Jews-by-choice are already
planning for their bar/bat mitzvahs.
This conversion program not only propelled Bet Shalom onto the
front lines of Progressive Judaism in Spain, says Dr. Rifat
Sonsino, who served as officiat-ing rabbi, but is now a model for
other small congregations, which have learned what can be
accom-plished with enthusiasm, dedica-tion, and the support of the
Euro-pean Region of the WUPJ. This made me really proud.
GLOBAL NEWS from p.19
continued on p.23
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Copa
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Greetings from Copacabana Beach
Raul Cesar Gottlieb is vice president of WUPJ Latinamerica,
board member of ARIAssociao Religiosa Israelita of Rio de Janeiro,
and editor director of Devarim Magazine.
What excites tourists about Rio?Brazil is a very welcoming
country.
Be ready to be sur-rounded by smil-ing people 24/7, to drink
heavenly caipir-inhas (a strong alcoholi