Matzah Covers for Pesach
| Masorti Olami, in partnership with the WZO, recently produced decorative Matzah Covers for Pesach and distributed them to Masorti kehillot. Pictured above are : Masorti Europe Director, Rabbi Chaim Weiner with Armando Azubel of Alicante; Eszter Susan of Budapest with MAROM Olami's Avigail Shapira.
|
Rabbi Zachary Heller z''l
| Masorti Olami is sad to announce the passing of its former President, Rabbi Zachary Heller. Rabbi Heller was President of Masorti Olami - World Council of Synagogues from 1989 to 1994, a role which he carried out with enormous passion and devotion. Rabbi Heller had been senior Rabbi at Temple Emmanu-El in Bayonne, NJ for almost 30 years. May his memory be a blessing to us all. Click here to read a full obituary. |
First Masorti synagogue in Australia
Architect's image of the sanctuary in Nitzan's new synagogue.  | | Work continues in Melbourne, Australia on the new home for Masorti Kehillat Nitzan. As we reported at the end of 2009, the kehillah were lucky enough to have been donated a building and are in the midst of renovating it. Jewish media house, JTA, recently published an article charting the history of the first Masorti community in Australia. Click here to read the JTA article, or here to read another article from the Australian Jewish News. |
|
| Plans for the 36th World Zionist Congress are moving forward, and the joint Masorti Olami and MERCAZ Olami delegation will be more than 120 strong. The delegation will meet in Jerusalem on June 13th to 14th, 2010 for Pre-Congress meetings, followed by 3 days of the Congress June 15th to 17th, 2010. For more information, including timetables and downloadable registration forms, visit www.mercazolami.org
|
Masorti Olami projects are supported by
 |
 Want to share this newsletter with a friend?
Click here.
|
|
|
|
 Greetings for Pesach
Pesach is a time when we celebrate our freedom - a collective freedom to express our Judaism. This Pesach, hundreds of Masorti kehillot around the world came together for Pesach seders to celebrate according to ancient traditions and remember the story of our people escaping from slavery. Indeed, many thousands of Masorti Jews around the world are right now observing Pesach according to halacha with the open and modern spirit of Masorti Judaism in their minds. In this way, Pesach is a time when the Masorti movement around the world can be strengthened by this unity of celebration.
בשנה הבאה בירושלים ! We hope that you are all having a happy and joyous Pesach.
|
Masorti synagogue in Concepcion - before & after the earthquake  | Chile Earthquake Relief Fund
As you may have read in our reports in the world's media, a severe earthquake hit Chile at the end of February. Within a few days, Masorti Olami opened a Chile Earthquake Relief Fund, and with tremendous help from Rabbi Alan Silverstein of Congregation Agudath Israel of Caldwell, NJ along with the Solomon Schechter Day School in West Orange, and with the partnership of the USCJ and the Masorti Movement in Israel, Masorti Olami has raised more than $45,000 to help the rebuilding efforts in Chile after the earthquake. Most seriously affected was Communidad Israelita de Concepcion, in the town of Concepcion which was close to the earthquake's epi-centere. Some of the funds that we received will help pay for repairs and rebuilding there. Other funds will help the community in Santiago rebuild (both physically and emotionally) after this disaster. We would like to once again offer our sincere thanks to all who helped with this campaign, and all who gave a donation. If you would like to read the full story of the earthquake relief fund, and see more pictures from Concepcion, please click here. If you would like to make a US tax-deductible contribution by check or credit card click here. For Canadian tax-receipt info, click here. On behalf of all the Chilean community - thank you.
|
Top - Masorti Rabbis from Europe and around the world. Bottom - participants in the closing session  | Masorti Europe Conference in London
Almost 250 people from 11 different countries participated in the Masorti Europe Conference We Will Be Dreamers, which took place in London at the start of March. The conference started with participants from outside of London celebrating Shabbat at Masorti kehillot around the city. On Sunday, the New North London Synagogue hosted a full-day educational conference which included sessions on Jewish text, Israeli politics, community building and the chance to ask challenging questions to the assembled rabbis. This was only the second time that members of kehillot from across Europe have come together in one place for such an event, and it was truly a great success. Masorti Europe President, Gill Capiln, told us, "When we first started to plan the conference, we thought we were dreaming big. But as the name of the conference suggested, we CAN be dreamers, and make great things happen for our European Masorti communities." MAROM Europe members had a parallel weekend seminar in London, and participated in the conference on Sunday, with more than 30 representatives from 9 different countries. To see more pictures from the conference, click here.
|
 Purim around the world As usual, Purim celebrations in Masorti kehillot around the world were filled with the sound of the Megillah, as well as elaborate costumes and lots of fun. Kehillot in Argentina, Brazil, France, Israel, Czech Republic and Hungary sent us pictures and reports from their celebrations which you can read in our Purim round-up here. In Ashkelon, Israel children from a local school joined forces with children from Congregation Bet El in Mexico City and illustrated their very own Megillah. Click here to read the full story and see pictures.
|
 Masorti Rabbi gives lecture in Paris Cathedral amidst opposition
In a historic move Rabbi Rivon Krygier of Masorti kehillat Adath Shalom was invited last week to give a lecture at the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. However, hard-line traditionalists in the Cathedral tried to disrupt the lecture by chanting prayers very loudly. In an effort to avoid conflict, the lecture took place in another part of the Cathedral. Rabbi Krygier was not put off and told us that he will continue to work on interfaith relations in the city. Read the article from Ynet and Haaretz, along with Rabbi Krygier's response here.
|
 Moishe House - building community in Budapest
|
|
|
|
|
