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IN
THIS ISSUE:
ARZENU ACHIEVES PLURALITIES IN BRITISH AND AUSTRALIAN
DELEGATE POLLING
The Progressive Jewish movements in Britain
and Australia enjoyed victories in recent voting to determine the
structure of their delegations to next month's World Zionist Congress in
Jerusalem. In Britain, ARZENU's Pro-Zion faction, which is aligned with
the country's Reform and Liberal movements, will constitute the largest
bloc in that country's delegation, winning six of the 18 seats.
Pro-Zion was followed by the Orthodox Mizrachi list, with five
delegates, and the Mercaz list of the Masorti (Conservative) movement,
with three. Together with Mercaz, non-Orthodox religious lists will
make up fully one-half of the British delegation. The Association of
Reform Zionists of Australia (ARZA) won five of that country's 12 seats,
tying with Mizrachi. The list aligned with Israel's Labor Party will
round out the delegation, with two seats. Says ARZA delegate and
Progressive movement activist Ian Samuel, "We got two more [seats] than
last time and have demonstrated that we are a force to be reckoned
with." The latest voting results follow the plurality achieved by the
Reform movement in the US, which, together with the Conservative and
Reconstructionist movements, will make up close to two-thirds of the145
seats in that country's delegation to the Zionist Congress (see WUPJnews
#203).
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PANAMANIAN CONGREGATION DEDICATES NEW HOUSE OF WORSHIP
Congregation Kol
Shearith Israel, a Reform community of some 180 families in Panama City,
recently consecrated a new synagogue building in the presence of
numerous dignitaries, including Panamanian president Martin Torrijos.
The two-hour ceremony was led by KSI’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Gustavo
Kraselnik. “Jewish tradition,” he told those gathered in the sloping,
500-seat sanctuary, “teaches that the synagogue is not the house of God;
rather it is the house of the congregation. Our challenge is to succeed
in having God present among us. And if I were able to synthesize my
yearning for this new synagogue, I would tell you that I hope that here
we will be able to study, pray, and
share together the most important moments of our lives.” KSI president
Milton Henriquez said the ceremony celebrated “Panama’s freedom of
worship, and the contribution KSI members have made to the country.”
Panamanian president Torrijos expressed his hope that the new building
be a “true house of prayer, a house of study, and a meeting house that
expresses the spirit of commitment to the values that have always
characterized Kol Shearith Israel.” Guests at the dedication ceremony
also included Panamanian civic and religious leaders, Israeli ambassador
Menashe Bar On, representatives of international Jewish organizations,
and leaders of the
Union of
Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean,
including Martha Lichtenstein of Aruba; Jean Claude Kahn, Roberto Ponsa
and Richard Stanley of El Salvador; Cheryle Tacher of Puerto Rico; and
Marvin and Rosario Sossin, Hilda ten Brink, Paul and Sonia Ziegler, and
Florencia Gelman of Costa Rica. A highlight of the evening was the
traditional procession of Torah scrolls, shown
below being
led by Alberto Motta
Cardoze, a major congregational supporter who donated the land. In
addition to the sanctuary, the synagogue has four classrooms, a
boardroom, a multi-function room and offices.
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SECOND
ANNUAL "MORAL MAZES" CONFERENCE LATER THIS MONTH IN HAIFA
WUPJnews wishes to remind its readers that
the Lokey International Academy of Jewish Studies will host the second
annual International Hugo Gryn Conference May 28 on the campus of the
Leo Baeck Education Center in Haifa.
This year's theme is "Excellence or Equality?" Lectures and discussions
will focus on the theme as projected on such areas as Israeli society,
education, community and culture. The conference will feature
simultaneous Hebrew/English translation for all sessions and end with
a tour of social outreach projects. There
will also be a pre-conference weekend for guests from abroad. For
further information or to register, please contact
shelley@leobaeck.org.il.
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REMEMBERING DR. PAUL SPIEGEL,
PRESIDENT, CENTRAL COUNCIL OF JEWS IN GERMANY
It is with deep sadness that the World Union
for Progressive Judaism mourns the death on April 30 of Dr. Paul
Spiegel. He will be sorely missed as a unique voice of morality and
unification, and in his role as president of the Central Council of Jews
in Germany (Zentralrat). Dr. Spiegel’s vision of cohesion, and
his groundbreaking efforts on behalf of the diverse populations of Jews
in Germany, led to reconciliation among many and to the opening of the
communal German framework to the Reform/Progressive communities. As a
Holocaust survivor, political correspondent and president of the
Zentralrat, Dr. Spiegel made his strong moral voice heard as he
criticized violence and condemned anti-Semitism while encouraging
tolerance and the acceptance of others. The World Union expresses its
deep sorrow that Dr. Spiegel did not live to witness more of the results
of his many pioneering efforts as the Jewish community in Germany is
being rebuilt.
Steven M. Bauman, Chairman
Rabbi Uri Regev, President
World Union for Progressive Judaism
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