April 16th, 2010
Dear Friends,
Shabbat Shalom! I would like to start off by telling you some very good news regarding Or Hadash Vice President, Mirjam Jurman’s health. While she is still in the hospital following her tragic accident last month, her health condition has improved in recent days by a great deal, and I must tell you that I believe everyone’s prayers and thoughts have helped her to fight. Since last week, I have visited her twice, and have seen her drastic improvement with my own eyes. If things continue to improve for her, I hope that she will eventually recover enough to come back and join us at Or Hadash, and continue spreading her love for people and Reform Judaism through her hard work and dedicated service.
While we continue to pray for Mirjam’s recovery, we also are praying for the fast healing of Yaakov Kilgerman, father of Or Hadash President, Yuri Kilgerman. Yaakov just endured major surgery, and is currently doing well and recovering in the hospital.
1. Yom HaShoah Ceremony at Ironi Hay High School
We are now between Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remebrance Day), and Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and terror victims). Last Monday I came back from a very moving ceremony at the Ironi Hay High School in Haifa, where I was asked to speak and blow the shofar to commemorate those who were murdered in the Holocaust. The ceremony, which was conducted by some 20 students who just returned from participating in The March of the Living in Poland (Some of these students have had their aliyah here at Or Hadash with us some five years ago), and was put on for 400 students and their parents.
2. Yom HaShoah Ceremony at Or Hadash Lead by our Youth Leaders and Members
On Sunday night, April 11th, Or Hadash had our own very touching ceremony that was lead by the youth leaders in the congregation, under the guidance of Or Hadash Board Member Shlomit Berger, and the participation of the “Shir Hadash” adult choir- which is directed by Doron Tovim. At the beginning of the ceremony our youth leaders: Dana Ivstan; Gil Berger; Noy Gutman; Sahar Zohar; and Maya and Ayelet Ivtsan invited six Or Hadash members to light memorial candles representing the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. It was a very special ceremony this year since because of the wonderful participationn of our youth, as well as our adult members: Masha Goren; Jacquelin Zohar; Eli Lefler; and Ilan Freund.
This coming Sunday we will have a ceremony for the fallen soldiers and terror victims of Israel, and then on Yom HaAtzmaut, we will have a special service at sunrise, where the shofar will be blown to signify the birth of the State of Israel with the “birth” of the sun.
3. Yom HaShoah Ceremony In Memory of the Ghetto Resistance Fighters
In addition to the other ceremonies I attended, our Executive Director lead a group of 20 Or Hadash members to the largest Yom HaShoah ceremony in Israel to memorialize the ghetto resistance fighters. The ceremony took place at Kibbutz Lohamey HaGhettom, and commemorated the importance of those Jews who fought against the Nazi regime from within the ghetto of Warsaw. The Or Hadash delegation was a good chance to represent the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism through our participants, amongst the 10,000 person crowd.
The ceremony itself lasted for many hours, and as in previous years focused on the strength, determination, and will to live, that was exhibited in the Warsaw ghetto fighters. From their stories we derive strength as a Jewish people to go on, and to fight to protect and defend ourselves, and the lives of the innocent.
4. April Visitors
This month Or Hadash is excited to welcome the following longtime friends and supporters from the Boston area:
-Our great friend Rabbi Elaine Zecher with a group of congregants from our oldest partner congregation- Temple Israel, Boston on April 22nd.
-Our wonderful friend Rabbi Howard Jaffe, with a group of 32 Congregants from our second oldest partner congregation- Temple Isaiah, Lexington, MA, on April 23rd-24th
- Our friends and great supporters Jeff and Naomi Stoneberg from Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley, MA also on April 23rd-24th
& Many other friends!
At this time I would like to thank you all for your friendship and support to Or Hadash, and your efforts towards establishing liberal Judaism in the modern State of Israel. Sometimes I find that the struggle has a long way to go until Reform and Conservative will have equal rights in our beautiful state. However, when I feel the warmth and the friendship from our friends abroad, I know that one day it will be possible. Now I would like to conclude with some pictures of our children from last year’s Yom HaAtzmaut celebration.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,,
Edgar