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IN
THIS ISSUE:
BEUTEL SEMINAR HONES SKILLS OF UP-AND-COMING
PROGRESSIVE LEADERS
A
record 23 people from 14 countries participated in the third Beutel
Seminar for Progressive Jewish Leadership Development, which took place
January 5-15 at Mercaz Shimshon-Beit Shmuel, the World Union’s education
and cultural center in Jerusalem. Held under the auspices of the Anita
Saltz International Education Center, the Beutel Seminar is for
Progressive Jews aged approximately 30-50 who have demonstrated
leadership capability at the local, national and/or international level,
and have the potential to assume a more active role in the leadership of
the World Union. It is named in recognition of Nani and Austin Beutel
of Toronto for their longstanding leadership contribution to the World
Union. This year’s participants came from Argentina (1), Australia (2),
Brazil (5), Costa Rica (1), France (1), Germany (4), India (1), New
Zealand (1), Poland (1), South Africa (1), Spain (1), the UK (1) and the
US (3). “The participants returned to their home countries with a deep
connection and appreciation for the World Union for Progressive Judaism,
and a tangible connection with Jewish leaders from other Progressive
communities,” says Rabbi Rich Kirschen, director of the Saltz IEC. “In
addition, this was an opportunity for [them] to rekindle their
connection with Israel and to understand the centrality of Israel within
the philosophy of the World Union.” A full report on the Beutel Seminar
will appear in a special issue of WUPJnews.
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ISRAEL MOVEMENT TO RAISE FUNDS WITH GOLF TOURNAMENT
In
addition to Riding4Reform, a long-distance bike ride in late March aimed
at raising funds for community projects (see WUPJnews #194), the Israel
Movement for Progressive Judaism will shortly be holding a golf
fund-raiser. Golfing FORE! Reform will take place May 4-9 in the
beautiful, ancient/modern seaside town of Caesarea, where participants
will play 54 holes of golf over three sun-drenched days on an 18-hole
course built to PGA standards. The tournament will conclude with a
festive dinner and awards ceremony. Players are being asked to arrive
with a fund-raising pledge of at least $5,000, which will go toward IMPJ
programs. Beyond the golfing, there will be touring and an IMPJ Shabbat
Experience, including services and dinner, as well as classes and
discussions with rabbis, meetings with local congregants, and
presentations about the IMPJ and its work. For further information,
contact
golfing@impj.org.il.
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FSU WINTER CAMPS INSPIRE STRONGER TIES TO PROGRESSIVE
JUDAISM
The
World Union and Netzer Olami, its international Zionist youth movement,
held two five-day winter camps last month for some 200 young people in
the former Soviet Union. One camp, held outside Moscow, was Netzer’s
first winter camp in Russia. Attending were some 100 campers from 10
Russian Progressive congregations. According to Alex Kagan, World Union
director for the FSU, the theme was "Judaism through the Ages" and
focused on such historical periods as the Middle Ages (first day), the
Emancipation (second day) and modern times (third day), and on their
impact on the Jewish population. The theme of the last evening was "Netzer
in Our Lives," and featured performances in which campers expressed the
significance of Netzer Olami and the values it imparts. The second
winter camp took place outside Minsk and was held for some 90 campers
from Belarus and another 10 from Ukraine. The theme was "Jews, Values
and Time," and included discussions on the relevance and timelessness of
specific Jewish values. According to Kagan, campers were asked to
describe their Jewish identity as if they were living in a different
place and time. Afterwards, with the assistance of counselors, they
considered their place as Jews in today's world. The theme of the final
evening was "Timeless Values," and through a variety of performances,
the campers expressed the significance of such values as love,
friendship, family, etc. Feedback from both camps indicates the campers
benefited from the programs and now feel yet stronger ties to
Progressive Judaism. Kagan adds that despite severe cutbacks by the
Jewish Agency, which in past years had been a major sponsor for such
programs, the World Union and Netzer were among the few organizations
working in the FSU that were capable of undertaking winter camps this
year on such a large scale.
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EUROPEAN BIENNIAL TO TAKE PLACE IN HANNOVER NEXT
MONTH
The World Union's European Region will hold its biennial conference
in Hannover, Germany, March 16-19. The theme will be "Building
Progressive Jewish Communities in the 21st Century." The keynote
speaker will be Professor Julian Schoeps, professor of modern history
and director of the Moses Mendelssohn Center for European-Jewish studies
at the University of Potsdam in Germany. The host congregation will be
the Liberal Judische Gemeinde in Hannover, with the Union of Progressive
Jews of Germany helping out with the logistics. During the biennial, a
delegation from Chicago’s Congregation Emanuel, led by Rabbi Michael
Zedek, will present a Torah scroll to the Hannover congregation as a way
of honoring the Chicago congregation’s rabbi emeritus, German-born
Herman Schaalman, who will be part of the delegation. For further
information or to register for the biennial, go to the European Region’s
website, at
www.europeanregion.org.
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CONDOLENCES
The
World Union mourns the death of Sam Ruth, husband of ARZA Canada Vice
President Nancy Ruth, and a Toronto community leader in his own right.
The funeral took place Sunday at the city's Holy Blossom Temple.
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CORRECTION
In
WUPJnews #195, we included an incorrect link to the Web site of Kibbutz
Lotan, which is offering a downloadable kit for teaching and celebrating
the upcoming Tu B’shevat holiday. The correct link for downloading the
kit is:
http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/community/friendsLotan/tuBshvat2006.html
.
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