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European Union for Progressive Judaism February 2017 Newsletter © European Union for Progressive Judaism Chairman’s Message History made in Italy The civil year 2017 has begun Italian Federation of Progressive Jewish Communities and already EUPJ is involved in is launched. a number of initiatives. Earlier this month I had the pleasure to spend Shabbat with our communities in Budapest at the launch of the West London Synagogue / EUPJ twinning project. With Rabbi Ariel Pollak co-ordinating the various services in conjunction with Rabbi David Mitchell it was a vibrant and moving beginning Miriam Kramer to the project. The plan is that Rabbi Pollak will visit Budapest approximately every six weeks. There are, as we all know, many important dates in the Jewish calendar. In the past four weeks we have marked two of them: Holocaust Memorial Day and Tu b’Shvat. One reminds us of the horror of acts L-R rear: Lenny Robbins, Carlo Riva, Rabbi Joel Oseran, that people can do against other people on an David Pollak, Rabbi Leigh Lerner. Front: Joyce Bigio; unimaginable scale. The other is the new year of Carey Bernitz; Franca Coen; Giorgio Coen trees when we are made aware of the importance of nature and our responsibility for safeguarding it. It is It was as if the Florentine sunshine was giving us a my view that these two particular observances can sign. With Tu B’Shvat only two days away and with be seen as counter-balances to each other. spring in the air, the four presidents of our Italian I find it imperative to mention the recent death of communities gathered together on what will go down Rabbi Lionel Blue. When Leo Baeck College was in history as The Glorious Twelfth. Franca Coen of founded in London in 1956 there were two students: Beth Hillel, Rome; Carey Bernitz of Beth Shalom, Michael Leigh z’l and Lionel Blue. In their different Milan; Carlo Riva of Lev Chadash, Milan and Lenny ways they were pioneers in establishing a British Robbins of Shir Hadash, Florence were joined by rabbinate which has developed and evolved in the Rabbis Leigh Lerner, Sylvia Rothschild and Joel intervening decades. Rabbi Leigh served a large Oseran. They, together with Giorgio Coen from London congregation with distinction and Rabbi Rome, Joyce Bigio from Milan and your reporter, Blue’s path led to him serving a number of David Pollak of the EUPJ, were led by Joel in an congregations in various countries as well as appropriate and fitting Shehecheyanu before becoming a well-known teacher, author and concentrating on the task of reviewing and finally broadcaster in the UK. agreeing on a draft constitution which will lead to the Looking forward there is Connections 2017 in formation of the Federazione Italiana per l’Ebraismo Jerusalem in May. If you have been before you know Progressivivo or FIEP for short, our first Italian what an exciting and stimulating event it is. If you Federation of Progressive Jewish Communities. have never been then you really must see what all continued on page 8 the fuss is about. The three days offer an unrivalled opportunity to meet Progressive Jews February 2017 Contents from the seven WUPJ regions and to make connections with them. 1 EUPJ, Italy 9 Austria, Hungary Finally many people have been asking about the 2 EUPJ 10 Poland, Portugal, next EUPJ conference: where and when will it be? 3 Belgium Netherlands, Sweden We are very close to a decision so please be 4 Spain 11 France patient. If the past two or three conferences are any 5 Switzerland 12 France indication you can be certain that 2018 biennial will 6 Germany 13 UK be fantastic. Miriam Kramer 7 Germany, Scotland 14 UK 8 Italy 15 WUPJ, IMPJ EUPJ Newsletter February 2017 1 EUPJ EUPJ Honorary Officers Kol Ha-kavod, Italy! and Staff 2016 Congratulations on this most important initiative. I have been Honorary Life Presidents involved with EUPJ for over 20 years Leslie Bergman and it has long been a dream to see Ruth Cohen the various Progressive communities Jeffery Rose in Italy unite in order to give each President other support and to encourage the Gordon Smith growth of Progressive Judaism in the Vice-Presidents country. I do so hope that after your hard work in creating the Italian Rabbi Dr Andrew Alex Dembitz Goldstein Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein Federation for Progressive Judaism, Rabbi Dr Walter Homolka each of your communities and the Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris federation will go from strength to strength. Kol Ha-kavod. Jonathan Lewis Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein Chairman Miriam Kramer Sarah Sussman is EUPJ Assistant Editor Vice-Chairmen Sarah is the newest addition to our Stéphane Beder team. She holds degrees in Political Sonja Guentner Science and Law from Salzburg Michael Reik University in Austria. Together with Honorary Secretary her husband she currently resides in John Cohen Dublin. Honorary Treasurer She works in marketing and David Pollak has substantial experience, both Rabbinic Adviser professionally and on a volunteer Rabbi Ruven Bar-Ephraim basis, in editing, proofreading, and European Rabbinic Association translating. Besides English, she is Rabbi Ruven Bar-Ephraim, Chairman fluent in German, French, and European Beit Din Serbian. Sarah Sussman Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, Chairman In her free time, Sarah enjoys Administrator conducting genealogical research, Deborah Grabiner [email protected] reading, drawing, and photography. Newsletter Editor Arthur Buchman [email protected] Assistant Newsletter Editor Free online Sarah Sussman Talmud A new online library has set the Talmud ‘free’ Synagogues everywhere with full, no-charge Progressive congregations and Shabbat translations. This internet services can be found nearly version of Oral Law everywhere during your travels. Click on a could revolutionise Torah blue link to find a synagogue near your study, with pop -up destination: Europe — Worldwide commentary to reverse- engineered biblical references — in Aramaic, Hebrew and English. Read more here. Download the Talmud here. Jüdische Gemeinde Kiel, see page 6 EUPJ website update Please support We are working hard to build and launch a brand new Friends of EUPJ site for the spring of 2017. Our website remains Progressive Judaism withdrawn after being hacked into in September. We in Israel and Europe. apologise for the inconvenience and assure our members They support us. and readers that you will be the first to know when we are on line once more. www.fpjie.org.uk EUPJ Newsletter February 2017 2 Belgium Large turnout for “Side by Side” for Kiddush on Saturday morning. Said IJC member Brian Doyle: “As we came together on Friday evening Shabbat services in Brussels for Kabbalat Shabbat, we were warmly welcomed Warm and welcoming says IJC and settled into the space that had been set up for us - into our sanctuary. Beth Hillel welcomed everyone upon arrival, and graciously directed them to the service they chose to attend. The parallel services did not disturb one another - on the contrary, the sound heard in the background from the 'other' sanctuary was somehow reassuring. It felt good to share this Jewish space, this synagogue. The large turnout enjoyed an animated potluck dinner in a warm atmosphere. The Beth Hillel shul was accommodating from beginning to end.” Saturday morning saw record IJC attendance, with members of all ages simultaneously committed to making this experimental service as meaningful as possible and curious to mingle with Beth Hillel congregants. To replicate a full Shabbat experience, Hebrew School classes also took place on the Brussels harmony: L-R: Steve Brummel, IJC President; premises in comfortable classrooms that Beth Hillel Miriam Kramer, EUPJ Chairman and Gilbert only uses on weekdays. All IJC Hebrew School Lederman, Beth Hillel President teachers, and parents contributed to the success of On January 27-28 Belgium’s two progressive the day’s session. communities orchestrated “Side by Side” Shabbat The co-ordination effort and thought invested by both services at the Beth Hillel location. For the IJC communities’ rabbis, boards and administrators community it was a very positive experience. “We yielded a positive and fulfilling outcome, which was wanted to maximise synergies and get to know each further confirmed when the IJC surveyed its other better,” said IJC president Steven Brummel. members online regarding their feelings and thoughts The physical space was divided into two areas, both about the Side-by-Side Shabbat. Diana Kanter on Friday night and Saturday morning, so that each congregation, led by its own rabbi, could hold Kabbalat Shabbat and Shacharit services as per A moving experience usual. The IJC is an English-speaking congregation, For Gilbert Lederman, chairman of the board at Beth led by Rabbi Ira Goldberg, and Beth Hillel is a Hillel, "this Shabbat test was a moving experience. French-speaking one, led by Rabbi Marc Neiger Not only because expats were the founders of Beth and its president, Gilbert Lederman. The weekend’s Hillel 52 years ago, before the birth of their own Side-by-Side services, requiring no small measure community IJC, but because sharing the same of logistical planning and concerted efforts, proved building with two communities enriches the prayer enjoyable and fulfilling for all. EUPJ Chairman and strengthens the vivid life of Progressive Judaism Miriam Kramer attended both sets of services. in Belgium. IJC’s Rabbi Goldberg felt the difference immediately. “Now we are working to transform this single success “We were clearly in a shul, a Jewish building, with a into a permanent condition. This would be a major mezuzah on the door. Although our services were breakthrough for families and congregants of both separate, having both communities in the same communities. Each community will keep their own location made me feel that we were larger than the identity, minhagim and activities.
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