Issue # 270

Issue #270 – 28 June 2007 / 12 Tammuz 5767

IN THIS ISSUE:


CONNECTING PENNSYLVANIA AND UKRAINE COMMUNITIES THROUGH TORAH

ISRAELI AFFILIATES MARK MILESTONES

AUSTRALASIAN REGION OKAYS SAME-GENDER COMMITMENT CEREMONIES

UPCOMING EVENTS



CONNECTING PENNSYLVANIA AND UKRAINE COMMUNITIES THROUGH TORAH

“Every year,” says Susan Edelstein, education director of Congregation Beth Or of Maple Glen, Pennsylvania, “I choose a theme for our religious school which is incorporated into our learning and into some kind of tzedakah project. This year the theme is ‘Torah, Our Tree of Life.’”

When one of her students mentioned the World Union for Progressive Judaism as a possible vehicle for tzedakah, Edelstein made some inquiries and learned of its Guardians of Torah program, in which congregations donate spare Torahs to other congregations that don’t yet have one. “I talked with our rabbis,” she said. “They talked to the board of directors, and they said – YES!”

Rabbi Gregory S. Marx informed the congregation of the decision: “To date there are hundreds of Jewish communities across the former Soviet Union that are rediscovering their Jewish roots and heritage,” he wrote. “One such community is in Kerch, Ukraine. In this port town, there are approximately 100 Jews who are dedicated to establishing a Progressive synagogue where one has not existed for over a century. They have dedication, passion and faith. All they lack is a Torah.”

It all came together last month, as a Torah scroll and silver ornaments – rimmonim, breastplate and yad – were presented to the Kerch congregation at a special Shabbat ceremony in Maple Glen. Accepting the Torah on behalf of the Kerch community was Alexander Dukhovny, the World Union's Kiev-based rabbi and the incoming chairman of the Rabbinic Council of the former Soviet Union.

“There truly is no greater mitzvah,” Dukhovny said, “than to provide a congregation with Judaism's most sacred text as a tangible symbol of Jewish identity and faith.”

The presentation was made on the congregation’s annual “Education Shabbat,” when it honors teachers and students at its religious school for outstanding performance. This year, Education Shabbat came immediately after Shavuot, the holiday that commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai.

Dukhovny called his visit to Beth Or “an amazing and fulfilling experience,” and expressed confidence that the Torah donation will lead to an ongoing relationship that will build on and strengthen a “relevant, dynamic and living Judaism” in the two countries. He invited the Pennsylvania congregation’s clergy, lay leadership and members to visit Ukraine to witness “the miracle of the Jewish renaissance in Eastern Europe.”


Pictured with Rabbi Dukhovny, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine (center) are
(l. to r.) Steven Stone, President, Rabbi Gregory S. Marx, Susan Edelstein,
Education Director, and Rabbi Craig Axler, all of Congregation Beth Or.


Back to In This Issue



ISRAELI AFFILIATES MARK MILESTONES

Kibbutz Yahel, in the southern Arava desert about 40 miles north of Eilat, recently celebrated 30 years as a joint venture of the United Kibbutz Movement and the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism. The milestone was marked with weekend-long festivities, starting with Kabbalat Shabbat services led by members of Noar Telem, Progressive Judaism’s youth movement, a festive Friday night dinner, an adult b'nei mitzvah ceremony, and a cultural program that featured a reunion of kibbutz rabbis from the past three decades.

Most of Yahel’s 65 members are Israeli-born, and although the kibbutz as a community adheres to the values of Progressive Judaism, members enjoy complete freedom of choice about their personal levels of observance. The kibbutz economy is based primarily on field crops, dairy cows and tourism, although many members work outside the kibbutz. Today, Yahel is one of two Arava kibbutzim affiliated with the IMPJ.

Congregation Sulam Yaakov of Zichron Yaakov, midway between Tel Aviv and Haifa, also celebrated an anniversary recently - its 10th - with a festive Kabbalat Shabbat service, during which two members of the congregation were recognized for their hard work in helping Sulam Yaakov grow. The congregation also thanked Rabbi Golan Ben Horin, their recently-ordained prayer leader who will be pursuing a doctoral degree in Boston.

In honor of its anniversary, Sulam Yaakov acquired a refurbished Torah and, in an emotional service, several women were given their first aliyot. On hand was Zichron Yaakov’s mayor, who told the congregation that a location had been found for a pre-fabricated structure it will soon begin using as a synagogue. So far, the IMPJ affiliate has been holding weekly Kabbalat Shabbat services at the town’s Wizo House.


Members of an adult b'nei mitzvah group who were called to the
Torah as part of Kibbutz Yahel's 30th anniversary celebrations.


Back to In This Issue



AUSTRALASIAN REGION OKAYS SAME-GENDER COMMITMENT CEREMONIES

The Moetzah – Council of Progressive Rabbis – of the Union for Progressive Judaism in Australia, New Zealand and Asia (UPJ) moved on May 28, 2007, to allow its members to officiate at same-gender Jewish commitment ceremonies. In so doing, it follows in the footsteps of the South African Union for Progressive Judaism, which made such a move the previous month (see WUPJnews #267).

“For many years,” said a statement issued by the UPJ, “the Progressive movement within Judaism has been striving to support and bring equality to all Jews, regardless of sexual orientation. During that time, a number of resolutions have been passed in our region and internationally advocating for the rights of gay and lesbian Jews to live fulfilled lives within Jewish tradition.

“In keeping with our deep concern for the abiding Jewish principles of justice (tzedek) and human dignity (kavod ha-b’riot)," the statement continued, "we affirm the resolution adopted at the 111th Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, March 2000, that states: ‘The relationship of a Jewish, same-gender couple is worthy of affirmation through appropriate Jewish ritual.’ Therefore, the Council of Progressive Rabbis hereby resolves to permit, but not require, its rabbis to officiate at same-gender commitment ceremonies between two Jews.”

The UPJ statement added that the rabbinic council is committed to “ongoing discussion of the nature of such ceremonies.” It was signed by Rabbi Jeffrey B. Kamins, who chairs the Council of Progressive Rabbis, and by Phyllis Dorey, president of the UPJ.


Back to In This Issue



UPCOMING EVENTS

July 12-15, 2007 – Annual conference - Union of Progressive Jews in Germany, Berlin/Spandau. For information, write to michelsohn@liberale-juden.de

October 18-22, 2007 – Biennial conference of the Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ), Hobart, Tasmania

December 12-16, 2007 – URJ Biennial - Union for Reform Judaism, San Diego, California

January 29-February 3, 2008 – Annual conference of the Union of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean (UJCL), Kingston, Jamaica

February 27-March 20, 2008 – “Shalom India: Seeing India through Jewish Eyes” tour, led by Rabbi Fred Morgan of Melbourne, Australia

March 13-16, 2008 – Biennial conference of the World Union’s European Region, Vienna, Austria


Back to In This Issue

 

Recent Issues