|
IN
THIS ISSUE:
MECHINA PREPARES ISRAELI HIGH SCHOOL GRADS FOR ARMY LIFE
Members of the third
graduating class of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism's
mechina program are about to embark on their compulsory military
service armed with a year's worth of academic, spiritual and ethical
preparation. The mechina is the IMPJ's year-long army preparatory
course that combines community work, studies and leadership training for
high school graduates who postpone their induction by one year. The goal
of the mechina and of similar Israeli programs that are quickly
gaining in popularity is to impart a sense of responsibility and
community that can help prepare draft-age youth for the rigors of army
life. Israel's Ministry of Defense formally recognized the IMPJ's
mechina program last year, making it easier for candidates to
receive a year's deferment and resulting in a substantial rise in the
number of applicants.
Most of the 13 boys and
girls who participated in this year's mechina were either
graduates of the IMPJ's Noar Telem youth movement or members of
Progressive congregations. They lived communally in two rented
apartments in Jaffa (see photo below), where, in coordination with
voluntary organizations and the social services department of the Tel
Aviv-Jaffa municipality, they volunteered with groups such as children
and youth at risk, Holocaust survivors and the blind. They also devoted
a considerable amount of time each day to studies in Judaism,
philosophy, Israeli society and social justice, as well as to prayers
and part-time work, the latter to help defray living expenses that were
partially covered by the IMPJ. Throughout the course of the year, there
were also seminars and field trips, as well as organized leisure
activities.
All signs indicate that
the program will continue to grow – 25 young people are set to take part
in the next mechina starting in August, with more than a few
coming from outside the Progressive movement.
Some
of the graduates of this year's IMPJ
mechina
program, "at home" in Jaffa.
Back to “In this Issue”
LBC MARKS 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH CONFERENCE AND ROYAL VISIT
Over
130 rabbis from 15 countries
attended a four-day international rabbinic conference held as part of
the golden anniversary celebrations of London’s Leo Baeck College, which
trains spiritual leaders and other professionals for the Reform and
Liberal movements in the U.K. and throughout Europe. The conference,
which also marked the 50th yartzeit of Rabbi Baeck, one of
the giants of Progressive Judaism and the World Union's second
president, explored the past, present and future of Progressive Judaism.
“We live in troubled
times,” LBC’s vice-principal, Rabbi Michael Shire, told participants.
"This conference is about learning what we must do as teachers of a
religious tradition to bring repair to this fractured world, and to
renew our commitment to the intellectual and spiritual legacy that we
have inherited.”
Twenty-four rabbinic
students from LBC and the two other Progressive seminaries in Europe –
Germany’s Abraham Geiger College and Holland’s Levisson Institute – were
also at the conference, which saw the ordination of three new rabbis -
Miriam Bayfield, Malcolm Cohen and Neil Janes - for Reform and Liberal
pulpits in Britain.
During the conference
there was a meeting – initiated by the World Union - of leaders from all
of the Progressive seminaries: LBC (represented by Shire and incoming
principal Rabbi Marc Saperstein); Geiger College (represented by its
principal, Rabbi Walter Homolka); the Levisson Institute (represented by
its dean, Rabbi David Lilienthal); and Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion (represented by the dean of the Jerusalem campus,
Rabbi Michael Marmur). Also in attendance were the World Union's
president, Rabbi Uri Regev, and its vice president for international
development, Rabbi Joel Oseran.
According to Oseran, the
forum discussed the worldwide shortage of Progressive rabbis and ways to
coordinate rabbinic training for different parts of the world (in
particular, for the former Soviet Union and Germany). It also addressed
the wording of a draft statement regarding World Union policy on
rabbinic recognition, and planned the seminaries' sponsorship of,
participation in, and faculty contribution to the rabbinic kallah
to take place prior to the March, 2007, World Union international
convention in Israel. Oseran says that this unique forum “can play a
critical role in harnessing the energy and expertise of our worldwide
seminaries and would convene as often as possible.”
As part of the 50th
anniversary celebrations taking place prior to the conference, Britain’s
Prince Charles participated in a Jewish-Muslim dialogue at LBC that
brought together rabbinic candidates with students from the Muslim
College in Ealing. The Prince of Wales met and spoke with each of the
participants and shared his own views on the importance of dialogue (see
photo below).
“His Royal Highness was
fully engaged in the conversations and was keen to know what impact such
dialogues could have,” says Rabbi Shire, LBC’s vice-principal. “He was
reassured to know that through dialogue seminars like this, Jews and
Muslims had greatly improved their understanding of each other’s
religion, but also that they reduced fears and anxieties about one
another.”
The prince also met with
LBC governors and faculty, and viewed some of the rare books and
manuscripts in its library. Prior to departing, he planted a tree in
memory of his grandmother, the late Queen Mother.
The college will hold a
gala anniversary dinner on November 16. The theme will be “interfaith
relations,” with guest speakers to include Baroness Rabbi Julia
Neuberger, Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan, and Dr. John Sentamu,
Archbishop of York.
The
Prince of Wales speaks with Leonid Bimbat (2nd from left), an LBC
rabbinic student from the FSU, with LBC’s vice-principal, Rabbi Michael
Shire (2nd from right), looking on.
Back to “In this Issue”
CONDOLENCES
·
The World
Union extends its deepest condolences to the family of Alan Senitt
z"l, a member of Britain's Reform movement and a former chair of the
country's Union of Jewish Students, who was killed while trying to
prevent the rape of a young woman he was escorting home in Washington,
D.C. He was the son of Jack and Karen Senitt, long-time members of
London's Edgware & District Reform Synagogue, where Karen is
administrator. Alan was believed to have a bright political future and
was in Washington on a six-month internship for U.S. presidential
hopeful Mark Warner. "The brutal killing has left all of us at the World
Union in a state of shock and outrage," says World Union president Rabbi
Uri Regev. "That such a violent and senseless act could cut short the
life of such a promising young man is simply incomprehensible. Today,
the prayers and wishes of the World Union family are with Alan’s parents
and brother. We wish them the strength to weather this difficult time.
May they know no further sorrow."
·
The
leadership and staff of the World Union express their sincerest
condolences to Rabbi Yehoram Mazor, spiritual leader of Congregation
Darchei Noam in Ramat Hasharon, Israel, and longtime secretary of MARAM,
the Council of Progressive Rabbis in Israel, on the death of his father,
Yochanan Moser z”l. May his memory be for a blessing.
Back to “In this Issue”
UPCOMING EVENTS
·
Join us in
Jerusalem, March 15-20, 2007, for Connections 2007 – the 33rd
International Convention of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.
Further details soon.
·
Special
World Union
Mission to South America,
November 9-20. (Adobe Reader required for this download)
·
World Union
International Humanitarian Awards Dinner honoring Betty B.
Golomb and Rabbi Jonathan A. Stein in New York City, September 10, 2006
·
Shared Destiny
– the World Union International Award Celebration honoring Rabbi
Roberto D. Graetz, Lorry Lokey and Joanne Harrington in San Mateo,
California, October 8, 2006
Back to “In this Issue”
|
