UPDATE TO THE BOARD OF MASORTI OLAMI • February 2016

Transcripción

Update to
the Board of
Masorti Olami
February 2016
BUILDING, ENRICHING,
RENEWING AND
STRENGTHENING JEWISH LIFE
www.masortiolami.org
with the partnership of
MERCAZ Olami
Dear Members of the Board of Masorti Olami,
Please find below a quarterly report about some of the activities and projects operated by Masorti Olami. I
have chosen to highlight a selection in which Masorti Olami is directly involved in planning and in funding.
Many other projects take place in our Masorti communities and regions around the world and I encourage
you to read our monthly on-line newsletter which includes many more activities.
The goal of this report is to better familiarize you with and provide more detail of Masorti Olami activities,
projects and programs. I welcome your comments and feedback.
Thank you to the dedicated Masorti Olami staff, Rabbi Randy Brown, Stephanie Christian, Suzanne Farber,
David Myers, Tehila Reuben, Ariela Rosemberg-Garbatzky, Alexis Silverman and Reut Yahav, who are a
strong unified team that enable Masorti Olami to flourish. It is a true pleasure working with you.
Rabbi Tzvi Graetz
Executive Director, Masorti & MERCAZ Olami
RABBI TZVI GRAETZ
Executive Director
RABBI RANDY
BROWN
Senior Development
Consultant
STEPHANIE
CHRISTIAN
New York Office
Administrator
SUZANNE FARBER
Financial Manager
ARIELA ROSEMBERG
GARBATZKY
AmLat Liaison &
Graphic Design
ALEXIS SILVERMAN
Projects Assistant
DAVID MYERS
Website Technical
Support
REUT YAHAV
NOAM Olami
Director
TEHILA REUBEN
Missions & Events
Director
1
IN MEMORY OF DR. STEPHEN WOLNEK Z”L
MERCAZ Olami and Masorti Olami are saddened by the tragic and
untimely loss of MERCAZ Olami President, Dr. Stephen Wolnek,
who passed away on Tuesday, 24 Tevet, January 5, 2016. Dr. David
Breakstone represented MERCAZ Olami and Alan Silberman
represented Masorti Olami at Steve’s funeral in New York.
Steve was our leader for the last six years and represented MERCAZ
Olami on the boards of the National Zionist Institutions, the World
Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency and Keren Kayemeth
LeIsrael (JNF). Steve worked day and night for the Jewish People, the
Zionist Movement and the Masorti Movement in which he deeply
believed.
MERCAZ Olami and Masorti Olami, together with the Jewish
National Fund, immediately began a campaign in Steve’s memory
- to plant a woodland of trees in the Israel he loved so deeply.
Half the amount paid for every tree planted will go to further the
educational activities of Masorti/Conservative youth around the
world. Our goal for this project is to raise a minimum of $25,000. As
of this publication, we have raised $16,382- two thirds of our goal.
AMLAT NEWSLETTER
Every three months, Masorti Olami distributes a Spanish edition of
an e-newsletter to more than 30,000 people around Latin America
and Spain, including lay leaders, teachers, rabbis, NOAMists and
many others affiliated in some way to Masorti Judaism. The goal
of the newsletter is to strengthen the Masorti identity of Spanish
speaking Jews and to bolster the kehillot in AmLat. The newsletter
is a resource for educational materials about holidays and seasonal
events, as well as issues of Masorti halacha. News about pluralism
in Israel and the world reaches the Spanish-speaking population
building a closer connection to Israel.
The newsletter is edited by David Arias and Ariela RosembergGarbatzky. Masorti Olami has received tremendous positive
feedback from subscribers.
Masorti Olami
‫מסורתי עולמי‬
Newsletter Digital # 1
Mayo 2015
Iyar 5775
KOL ISRAEL
Desde Israel a nuestras comunidades de habla hispana
La relación entre Israel y la diáspora es un lazo recíproco que fortalece la unión del pueblo judío. En
este marco, Masortí Olamí presenta este nuevo newsletter, con noticias del Movimiento Masortí
en Israel y con materiales ideológicos escritos por Rabinos del Movimiento. En cada número, se
podrán apreciar Responsas Rabínicas relacionadas a las festividades cercanas, artículos de opinión
y explicaciones sobre la ley judía desde la perspectiva del Judaísmo Conservador. Esto facilita la
comunicación entre las comunidades de Israel y las kehilot en el mundo entero, generando un
interés que nos permitirá seguir construyendo un movimiento a nivel global. En este número
veremos cómo se celebraron Iom HaShoá, Iom HaZikarón y Iom HaAtzmaut en Israel y las nuevas
tradiciones que han ido surgiendo. Además, la Rabina Diana Villa escribe sobre la conversión desde
la visión Halájica del Movimiento Masortí. Por último presentamos los artículos "Si Naomi viviera en
nuestra era, ¿podría recitar Kaddish por sus fallecidos?" y "La conversión de acuerdo a la ley judía".
Iom HaShoá:
En varias comunidades del movimiento masortí en Israel se llevaron a cabo ceremonias de Iom
HaShoá. Desde hace varios años se ha hecho costumbre leer la "Meguilat HaShoá" - El Rollo de
la Shoá. Este texto fue creado por la Asamblea Rabínica en Israel, en conjunto con el Instituto
Schechter de Estudios Judaicos. aquí se encuentran oraciones, salmos, poemas y testimonios.
Además fue editada con un espíritu litúrgico, para perpetuar la memoria de aquellos hechos que
sacudieron a nuestro pueblo. El material existe en diferentes idiomas y puede ser descargado en
forma gratuita en español:
http://www.schechter.ac.il/schechter/Megilat_hashoa_files/SPANISH.pdf
Iom HaZikarón y Iom HaAtzmaut:
Ya es tradición que en diferentes Kehilot Conservadoras de Israel,
se haga un acto de Pasaje entre Iom HaZikarón, (el día de recuerdo
a los soldados caídos en las guerras y también a las víctimas del
terrorismo) y Iom HaAtzmaut, el día de la independencia. Muchos ya
hablan de una verdadera Havdalá, una diferenciación, entre ambas
instancias. La idea es que a nivel comunitario y también social, se
haga simbólica y explícita la transición entre dos fechas tan opuestas
en sentimientos. Si bien no hay una liturgia establecida - como si la hay para Iom HaAtzmaut - los
actos generalmente incluyen canciones alusivas a los caídos, ya que por su mérito, pudemos seguir
levantando el Estado.
Además hay poemas, algunos rezos de recordación y también se acostumbra a izar nuevamente la
bandera, que por señal de duelo se coloca a media asta.
2
TRIBUTE EVENT
Rabbi Tzvi Graetz, Gillian Caplin and Rabbi Elliot
Cosgrove welcomed over 200 people from the USA,
Canada, Argentina, France, the UK, Hungary and Israel
who attended the 2015 Masorti Olami Tribute Event on
December 13, 2015, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New
York. Rabbi Alan Silverstein, the Master of Ceremonies
for the evening, highlighted the activities of Masorti
Olami and our incredible kehillot in 30 countries. Our
honorees, Sharon and Rabbi Richard Hammerman,
Claude Machline and Cantors Fredda and Jack
Mendelson, spoke with great emotion.
This memorable evening included inspirational music from the Mendelson Family, the Chorus of H. L.
Miller Cantorial School, Cantor Randy Herman and Cantor Azi Schwartz.
The success of this event is thanks to the visionary professional leadership of Rabbi Randy Brown, along
with our amazing Tehila Reuben from Israel and incredible Stephanie Christian in New York, who produced
a marvelous event. In addition, each member of our staff had a crucial role in putting together the Tribute
Event: Ariela Rosemberg-Garbatzky for designing publications and cultivating donations from AmLat,
David Myers for building the web site donation page and on-line journal, Suzanne Farber for managing the
finances and Alexis Silverman for phone call donor solicitation and writing materials.
The following chart lays out our successful fundraising for the Annual Tribute Event in 2015.
* 2 events: Chicago & NY
Donations summary
Stewardship
• Increased Ticket Price from $180 to $250.
• Changed dessert portion to decrease cost – negotiated well with
vendors by giving a specific budget.
• Prepared Journal in-house instead of outsourcing.
Communication
• Learning Curve - First time full team had experienced at least one
Tribute Event and we were together from start to finish.
• Activating Lay Leaders - Peer to Peer Solicitation.
• Robust Tribute Committee with constant communication.
Cultivation
• Changing culture to Culture of Giving – International Contributions.
• Prelude Event.
• Activating previous honorees.
3
NOAM OLAMI
One of Masorti Olami’s pillar beliefs is the education and
involvement of our youth. We are proud that a large part of our
work, projects and funds are invested in NOAM Olami. NOAM
Olami’s Director, Reut Yahav, has made great strides in creating
a strong NOAM identity shared around the world and in the
development of new chapters.
On October 23-25, 2015, NOAM Olami held their annual
International Seminar Shabbaton in Israel with 29 participants
from 10 countries. The objective of this seminar was to learn about
NOAM in each country, define roles and leadership within NOAM
Olami and reaffirm the values of NOAM Olami. Reut also introduced
the new NOAM Olami mascot, DubiNOAM. DubiNOAM left Israel
and has been travelling among NOAM snifim throughout Latin
America and is expected to arrive in Berlin in February.
NOAM OLAMI
The Global Network for Masorti Youth
Reut visited NOAM Olami’s newest chapter in Berlin, Germany on
December 13-16, 2015. The chapter was launched in September
2015 with 40 children between the ages of 7-15 and two Rakazim.
Reut spoke with them about ways to develop NOAM and strengthen
its connection with NOAM Israel and the rest of the world. Reut
joined their Hanukkah celebration, met with Masorti leaders, visited
the Jewish school and met with parents to discuss the principles of
NOAM and encourage involvement. Her visit was very significant
to them as it symbolized their recognition as an official chapter of
NOAM Olami and that the NOAM Olami Director came especially
from Israel.
Reut also traveled to London from December 17-21, 2015 where
she joined NOAM UK’s Seminar for Madrichim and met with NOAM
youth leaders, Masorti leaders and NOAM staff. Together they
discussed the need for leadership training programs for NOAMists
to empower themselves to represent Israel in the face of rising antiSemitism. They also discussed ways to recruit NOAMists for Israel
programs.
Reut developed the Onward Israel NOAM Olami program, together
with the Jewish Agency, as a response to requests from many
countries for NOAM staff training. Masorti leaders from around the
world have the opportunity to participate in a six-week program
designed to develop their professional skills and experience day-today life in Jerusalem, working and living as locals.
The youth leaders will expand their professional experience with a four-day a week internship, in a wide
variety of fields and positions. On the fifth day and two evenings a week, there will be programs to enrich
their Jewish knowledge and improve their leadership skills, strengthening their contribution to NOAM
Olami. The participants in the Onward Israel NOAM Olami program will return to their home communities
filled with motivation, imbued with the principles of NOAM and Masorti Judaism and equipped with the
tools of hadracha.
4
RABBINICAL AND CANTORIAL STUDENT MEETINGS
Masorti Olami launched a new program which provides a unique
opportunity for Masorti/Conservative rabbinical and cantorial
students from around the world to meet fellow students once a
month, during their year in Israel. The students are from the Ziegler
School of Rabbinical Studies in Los Angeles, the Schechter Institute
in Jerusalem, the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York,
the Zecharia Frankel School in Berlin and the Seminario Rabinico
Latinoamericano Marshall T. Meyer in Buenos Aires.
These meetings are designed to learn about each others’ cultures as well as to discuss common issues as
future Masorti/Conservative rabbis and cantors. The meetings will rotate among the academic institutions
for each school in Israel and will host a variety of speakers and topics from the institutions, from Masorti
rabbis and cantors in Israel and around the world. We also are planning an annual Shabbaton outside of
Jerusalem with all the students to strengthen the personal bonds. Our goal is to bring the students closer
together with a deeper understanding of each other in order to strengthen personal relationships, Masorti
Judaism and communities around the world.
The first meeting on February 2, 2016, was very significant and it was emotional to see 35 rabbis and
cantors from around the world connecting through dialogue and common goals, hearing first hand from
each other about their Masorti communities and the roles of the rabbi and the cantor, the similarities and
the differences. Additionally, we formed a committee of student representatives from the four different
schools, enabling them to be part of the planning process and to prepare sessions led by students.
The students each introduced themselves and explained why they chose to become a Masorti rabbi or
cantor. The meeting continued by dividing into groups to discuss the topic, “Why do we need a world-wide
Masorti Movement?” At the conclusion of the discussions, each group defended its position.
The goal was to deliberate the challenges our movement currently encounters and to be direct about the
problems and different trends in the Jewish world. The students came up with compelling opinions on all
sides. Inspired by this discussion, the rabbinical and cantorial students left thinking about this question and
the choices they make as Jewish leaders.
This project came together due to the diligent work by Ariela Rosemberg-Garbatzky. She coordinated the
meeting and communication among all the leaders, students and institutions.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR RABBI ANGEL KREIMAN Z”L
On December 30, 2015, Rabbi Tzvi Graetz attended the ceremony
in the Eshtaol Forest for the dedication of a grove in the KKL
Forest in the name of Rabbi Angel Kreiman z”l. Rabbi Kreiman
was a pioneer. He was the first graduate of the Seminario Rabinico
Latinoamericano Marshall T. Meyer as well as the first president
of the Union of Latin American Rabbis, now the Latin American
Rabbinical Assembly. Rabbi Kreiman set an example as a respected
rabbi, community leader and accomplished educator.
He was awarded the Human Rights Award of the Chilean National Commission of Human Rights along with
President Aylwin of Chile and Senator Edward Kennedy, as well as the Rene Cassin Prize of International
B’nai Brith for outstanding work in the field of human rights.
Rabbi Tzvi Graetz spoke of Rabbi Kreiman’s strong leadership skills and devotion to his community. He
highlighted Rabbi Kreiman’s leadership during the devastating earthquake in Chile in 2009 which destroyed
the Masorti synagogue in Concepcion. Rabbi Kreiman helped Masorti Olami launch an international
campaign which inspired Masorti kehillot from all over the world to donate in order to rebuild the
synagogue. The ceremony was attended by his family, rabbis from the Masorti Movement, representatives
from KKL and members of the Kehilla in Concepcion, Chile.
5
CHILEAN LEADERSHIP MISSION (3G)
Masorti Olami has supported the 3G Program since 2013. The
program, which takes place in Santiago, Chile, includes a special
mission to Israel. The participants are young adults who are
preparing to become the future leaders of the Jewish community in
Santiago. The program includes sessions led by local professionals
and specialists such as lawyers, government leaders, researchers
and various educational experts - all sharing their knowledge with
emphasis on aspects of their respective fields of expertise which are
relevant to the Jewish community’s development and preservation of Jewish identity and cohesiveness.
As part of their trip, they participated in a Shabbaton that was planned and supported by Masorti Olami.
Rabbi Paul and Nina Freedman hosted the participants of the Chilean Leadership Mission in their home for
Shabbat dinner. The Freedmans were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and commitment displayed by these
young leaders. Furthermore, the group left a positive impression about Masorti Olami’s work in Chile and
South America as a whole, in strengthening our worldwide movement.
Rabbi Tzvi Graetz and Ariela Rosemberg-Garbatzky met with the group in Jerusalem on their final day.
Over lunch, the participants summarized what they learned during their mission and the challenges
they faced while in Israel. They further discussed the goals of the Masorti Movement worldwide and the
participants’ contribution to the movement in their home communities in Chile.
ABAYUDAYA YOUTH ASSOCIATION (AYA) CONVENTION
IN UGANDA
As in past years, Masorti Olami supports the participation of young
people from the Masorti Abayudaya (Sons of Judah) Community
in Eastern Uganda near Mbale, in the annual Abayudaya Youth
Association (AYA) Convention.
In January of this year, Leetal Vaknin from MAROM Olami and
Klil Atad from NOAM Israel, travelled to Uganda to learn first-hand
about the community, to meet the inspiring MAROM group and to
take an active part in the AYA Convention from January 6-10, 2016.
AYA is the local youth movement which is part of the NOAM Olami network of Masorti/Conservative youth
groups. The convention included sports and music as well as discussions on the purpose of prayer, halachot
of Shabbat, leadership skills and the benefits of unity. The AYA convention brought together 150 students,
ages 13 – 27, from eight different villages.
Leetal and Klil spent time with Rabbi Gershom Sizomu and his family and young leaders from the Jewish
community in Uganda. In addition, Leetal and Klil met with young people interested in participating in
MAROM’s five-month Israel program, which begins in June.
“Once again we are very much appreciative for your support and love and for all who contribute toward
our success and welfare: Rabbi Gershom, Leetal and Klil, for the wonderful lessons and encouragement.”
Samson Nderitu, AYA President
‫קרן קיימת לישראל‬
KKL - JNF
This Board Report was made possible thanks to the generous support & partnership of
the World Zionist Organization and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael.
6

UPDATE TO THE BOARD OF MASORTI OLAMI • February 2016

Transcripción

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