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IMPJ Newsletter
IMPJournal - July 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Address from
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Tisha B'Av: |
New Leadership, IMPJ welcomes |
IMPJ congratulates
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Young Russian-speakers |
New under the sun: |
Address from
Rabbi Gilad Kariv
Message from Rabbi Gilad Kariv, Director, IMPJ
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WeThis past week was a week of great challenges as we stood together, one strong Jewish community, struggling over the face of Israeli society.
I am happy to update you that thanks to our joint efforts we were successful in stopping the Conversion bill from going to a vote this Wednesday. Currently, Netanyahu has declared he does not support the bill and has expressed his intention to form a special committee to promote a dialogue around these burning issues - recognition of Reform Judaism - Klal Israel and its relationship to the Jewish state.
However, this troubling development is far from over. While we have succeeded in stopping the bill for now, we have strong reasons to believe the Bill will be put to vote once again as soon as the Knesset returns from it summer break and we must be ready to rally our opposition once again.
Having said that, we all deserve a huge “Kol HaKavod” (well done!) - once again the Reform community has proven its unity and remarkable leadership as Israel and world Jewry worked hand in hand in full cooperation against this outrages legislation.
This is the time to appreciate you, our friends and colleagues, members, professionals and lay leaders of all Reform and Progressive organizations world wide. Specific recognition should be given to the leaders of the North American Jewish community as they literally went on the plane and within 24 hours they walked the Knesset corridors with us in our joint effort to stop this legislation.
We could not have done this without the support and partnership of all of you. The unified Reform front presented before the Member of Knesset as well as the Prime Minister proved once again that the Reform and Progressive community, in Israel and world wide, is one, and is strong.
I also wish to thank all of the IMPJ and IRAC staff and lay leaders who rose to the challenge and led a professional, well organized and inspiring fight. You have made me proud to be a Reform Israeli citizen.
On this day of the 9th of Av, the day when we commemorate the destruction of both the first and second ancient Temples, we must take the time and reflect on the role the Reform and Progressive community carries in the shaping of a more tolerant and pluralistic Israeli society.
"It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it" (Avot 2:16)
Tisha B'Av:
Learning from Jewish History
Rabbi Gilad Kariv views the historic fast day in the context of the mission of Jewish leadership
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Four grievous events in Jewish history are associated with the Ninth Day of Av, considered the saddest day of the Jewish calendar: Both the first and second ancient Temples were destroyed, the Beitar stronghold, capital of the Bar-Kochba rebellion, fell, and ancient Jerusalem was razed. The Mishna attributes an additional tragedy to this date—the ninth of Av was also the date on which the biblical leaders of Israel's ancient tribes returned from their tour of the Promised Land and vilified the Land (words known in Hebrew as dibat ha'Aretz). This is the only tragedy that was not brought upon the Jewish people by an external enemy, and it can be inferred that its inclusion by the Mishna among the tragedies of Tisha B'Av is intended to influence our understanding of the importance of the self-reflection to be ascribed to this ancient day of mourning and fasting.
Too many national catastrophes have been imposed upon the Jewish people by outside forces—yet, as we commemorate such tragedies, we must also contemplate the ways in which the Jewish people—and our leadership—influence our destiny.
Tisha B'av presents conflicting models of leadership which lead to dire outcomes. The despair of ancient Israelite tribal leaders who disparaged the Land of Israel weakened the nation—they chose to give up in the face of enormous challenge. Yet, the leaders of the rebellion of Ancient Rome also led the Jewish nation to zealotry and Messianism—with their fanatic ideology.
The fast of Tisha B'Av is a painful reminder to all societies about the dangers inherent in the responsibilities of national leadership. We recall both a leadership that lost sight of its vision and a single-minded leadership blinded by its extremism. Both of these models of tragic leadership offer us important lessons. We gain insight into the importance of strength that is not deterred by challenge. We also take note of the dangers of succumbing to blind ideology.
In the Book of Zecharia, those who returned to Zion asked the prophet if they should continue to fast on Tisha B'Av, given that they had come home to the Promised Land. Zecharia reminded them that the aspect of fasting and mourning the past is secondary. The singular question to be addressed is whether it is possible to respond to the challenge of shapring a nation that will adhere to true justice and compassion. (Zecharia 9:16).
May we aspire toward a leadership which sets its sights to achieve these worthy ideals.
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New Leadership
IMPJ welcomes new board members
An excerpt from the address made by the Director of the Jewish Agency at the opening session of the IMPJ Biennial
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IMPJ's board elections, held in June, reflect that Reform and Progressive Judaism in Israel is indeed a "home-grown" movement. All the candidates have demonstrated impressive credentials and commitment to their congregations and the movement, and we look forward to their continuing role in our shared vision. We congratulate the elected officers, who have begun their two-year terms on July 1, 2010.
Chairperson: Yaron Shavit is a member and past chairperson of the Mevasseret Zion congregation. Yaron is a partner at the Shenhav, Konforti, Shavit & Co. and earned an MA in legal studies. He recently retired from his last position as the Division Chief of Staff of an elite division, and is still active in the reserve duty as a Colonel in the IDF. He has been a board member of his congregation for more than a decade, and served as chair for five years. Yaron is the Arzenu representative to the World Zionist Organization. He is married and has three children.
Vice Chairperson and Treasurer: Batsheva Shezaf is a second term member of the IMPJ board. She is an active member of Congregation Darchei Noam in Ramat HaSharon. She earned an M.A in information technology and was the past executive of WIZO International and ILA (the Israeli Association for Information Management). She has extensive experience in working on behalf of IMPJ's central institutions.
Board Members
Yossi Barad lives in Rishon LeTzion and has been a member of Congregation Achvat Israel since he made aliya in 1974. Yossi is married and the father of two children.
Daniel Chin is a member and past chair of Congregation Kol HaNeshama in Jerusalem. He has served on the board of the Tali Beit Hinuch School (affiliated with IMPJ) and the finance committee of the World Union of Progressive Judaism. He is an attorney and the CEO of an Israeli bio-technology company. He is married and has three children.
Reuven Marco has been a member of Congregation Natan-Ya (in Netanya) since its founding in 1969. He has served as the congregational cantor and as a board member. He is CEO of eNitiatives Ltd., an intellectual property rights consulting firm. Reuven is married and the father of six.
Deuel Peli, a longstanding active member of the Har-El Congregation in Jerusalem, has served as chair of the congregation's finance committee. Mr. Palai, an attorney, is married, and the father of four children, one of whom attends the IMPJ's pre-IDF Mechina program in Jaffa. He is also chair of the Mechina's building committee.
Jay Shofet is a member of Congregation Yozma in Modiin and has served as chair of its board. This is his second term on the IMPJ board. During the first term he served as the chair of IMPJ’s protocols committee. Mr. Shofet has held leadership roles at the Jewish Agency and is currently a resource development advisor for Shatil, the New Israel Fund's empowerment and training center.
Lori Kotlin Stark has lived on Kibbutz Yahel since she immigrated to Israel in 1981 from the United States. She has served as the Kibbutz secretary-general, and is its IMPJ representative. Lori is responsible for the Kibbutz's overseas tourism and directs the "First Home in the Homeland" project. She has served in a wide range of roles in the IMPJ and WUPJ. She is married and has two children.
Lior Zalmanson is an active member of Congregation Ahvat Yisrael and IMPJ's Young Adult Leadership Forum. Lior is serving his second term as an IMPJ board member. During his first term, he was chair of the congregational development committee. Lior is an IDF Airforce sergeant. He is combining active duty with doctoral studies at Tel Aviv University (information technology management).
We welcome our new board with shared aspirations for worthy achievements. We are deeply grateful to Professor Avraham Melamed, who has served as IMPJ board chair for the past four years. We also express our appreciation for the commitment and leadership of our outgoing board members, Paula Edelstein, Rachel Alkalay and Mike Nitzan.
May we continue to progress "from strength to strength."
IMPJ Professional Leader takes on Senior
Post at the World Zionist Organization IMPJ Congregations
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This month, Gusti Braverman-Yehoshua assumed her new post as Chair of the World Zionist Organization's Division for Overseas Activities, after 17 years during which she held a full spectrum of positions at the IMPJ. She views her new post as a natural continuation of her work at IMPJ, where she guided the development of Reform and Progressive communities in Israel and the expansion of youth programs, the young adult forum and projects to welcome immigrants to Israel and the Reform movement.
Gusti was elected to her new post by Arzenu, the World Zionist Organization's umbrella organization for Reform and Progressive Religious Zionists. In her new position, she will also be a board member of the Jewish Agency. Gusti’s election is an important milestone for Israel’s Reform and Progressive community. The appointment is the outcome of productive cooperation among Reform and Progressive leaders in Israel and overseas to give the Movement more prominent representation within the World Zionist Organization. We are grateful to everyone who had a role in making this achievement possible.
Gusti notes that her work at IMPJ, and the Israeli Movement’s unique relationship with world Jewish leaders, will guide her endeavors in her new capacity and she looks forward to retaining her close ties with IMPJ as a lay leader.
The IMPJ Staff and lay leaders, wish Gusti the best of luck as she takes on this meaningful new challenge. We are all grateful for her years of commitment and partnership and look forward to working together to advance our shared goals of strengthening heritage and the bonds that unite the Jewish people in Israel and overseas.
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Young Russian immigrants explore their new
Israeli-Jewish identities at an IMPJ weekend seminar
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Israel's Russian speaking communities are taking a growing interest in deepening their links to Jewish heritage through venues offered by the IMPJ. A first-time seminar for recent young immigrants from the FSU drew enthusiastic participation. Twenty-five Russian-speaking Israelis who had been Reform movement activists in the FSU participated in the gathering and reunion on the grounds of the IMPJ's Camp Havaya (near Netanya).
The seminar weekend included Shabbat prayers, thoughtful exploration of Jewish-Israeli identity and social activities. Participants exchanged perspectives on their lives in Israel and their personal transitions from Reform movement activists in Russia, Belarussia, the Ukraine and Latvia to young citizens of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Netanya. They also spoke of the opportunities to renew their ties with Reform Judaism through the IMPJ now that they have made Israel their home.
The weekend was guided by Rabbi Gregory Kotler, IMPJ's Director of Outreach to Russian-speaking Israelis and Conversion Programs. Rabbi Kotler was born in Donyetsk (the hometown of Natan Sharansky) and has lived in Israel for the past 19 years. Rabbi Kotler was the first Rabbi of Russian-speaking origin to be ordained at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and he also served as the Rabbi of the Reform movement in Moscow. (He now resides in Kfar Saba with his wife and their two children.)
The weekend was a lively and heartening occasion for each of the 25 participants. These young Russian-speaking Israelis, in their 20s and early 30s, took an active role in the seminar, including leading prayer services, and guiding getting-acquainted and recreational activities. Activities included pantomime for classic Israeli expressions such as sababa ("fabulous") and rega ("just a minute") and a trivia game (What distinguishes the Israeli national anthem from all others? It is the only one sung in a minor scale).
Rabbi Kotler notes that these immigrants offer the promise of a new generation of Reform and Progressive Jewish leadership in Israel, and he looks forward to building on the momentum of the gathering. Participants expressed enthusiasm for future gatherings, shared holiday services and becoming acquainted with a full spectrum of Reform and Progressive religious and cultural opportunities. wide.jpg)
New under the sun:
Camp Havaya offers Jewish perspectives on going green
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This year, over 600 participants at the IMPJ Rechler Camp Havaya will investigate environmental justice and Jewish heritage in a creative program in which informal learning is naturally integrated into the recreational activities traditional to summer camp. Activities include planting a community garden and cleaning up a local beach, to be linked with a day-long workshop on preserving Israel's environment (conducted with the Society for the Protection of Nature). Daily prayers and study sessions will also be infused with environmental themes, drawn from traditional Jewish texts and contemporary Israeli literature.
The first camp session began on July 4, with tremendous enthusiasm expressed by "old timers" and newcomers. This year, 45% of participants are first-timers and all of the counselors are former campers.
The guiding principle, explains 24-year-old Yair ("Ya-Ya") Tobias, leader of Camp Havaya's Jewish educational staff, is to inspire youth to discover Jewish heritage—and its meaning in their twenty-first century lives. Tobias, who was born and raised on the Reform movement's Kibbutz Yahel, points out that basic Jewish beliefs and practices are remote from many Israeli youngsters who participate in the camp. Camp offers them an important opportunity to think about, and experiment with, Jewish concepts and rituals. For many youngsters, camp is a first step which opens the door to Reform movement youth activities, greater family participation in local congregations and eventually, future young leadership roles in Israeli society and the world Jewish community.
Over the years, The Rechler Camp Havaya has earned a loyal following among thousands of Israelis from diverse walks of life and is a thriving and beloved institution that has become a model for informal pluralistic Jewish education in Israel.
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