Russian Jewish Community Spends Passover in the Desert

For the fourth year in a row, members of the the Russian Jewish Community of the Jewish Community Federation participated in Passover in the Desert - an experiential celebration of liberation from slavery and exploration of Jewish heritage and legacy.  The participant-driven activities included learning about history, traditions, and rituals, playing music, practicing yoga and kung fu, singing and dancing, hiking, communal meals, arts and crafts, and generally enjoying together the beautiful space they were in.  Watch this video to see it for yourself!

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Israel’s 65th Birthday: A Time to Reflect and Feel Proud

Although established in 1948 to be the only Jewish State in the world, Israel’s population of about 7.5 million is less than 80% Jewish. It makes it to the world’s news headlines quite often because of its volatile borders, but the magnitude of positive social change that is taking place in this small state (it can fit into New Jersey with room to spare) is even more newsworthy.

Israel is indeed, a “Start-up Nation.” Science and technology is one of the country’s most developed sectors. The percentage of Israelis engaged in scientific and technological inquiry, and the amount spent on research and development in relation to gross domestic product is among the highest in the world. Israeli scientists have contributed to the advancement of agriculture, computer sciences, electronics, genetics, medicine, optics, solar energy and various fields of engineering. It is a nation of innovators, and naturally, that innovative streak is evident in the work to build a more socially just, and pluralistic society. In partnership with foundations, Israeli philanthropists, government, and our grantees, it is work that the Federation has been at the forefront of for 25 years.

The recent elections in Israel demonstrated that the desire for a more accepting society is not a minority position. During President Obama’s visit on the Eve of Pesach he observed that the story of Passover is a story about “finding freedom in your own land.” At its core, that is what so many Israelis on the ground are working for. The freedom to live in a just and welcoming society – one that provides the opportunity for everyone to earn a good living, receive a quality education, practice Judaism in a way that is meaningful for them. Our grantmaking in Israel supports organizations that are working toward these goals.

As we approach Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Day of Remembrance) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), and the 65th birthday of the Jewish state, it is a time to reflect and feel proud. Proud of the significant work we are doing in Israel, and the strong connections between Bay Area Jews and our homeland. It is incredible what this small, young country has achieved in its 65 short years of existence, and what it can achieve in the next 65 years.

Learn more about the work Federation does in Israel. For more information, contact Sigalit Rubinson, Israel and Global Program Officer, at 415.512.6429.

Invest in More than Matzo this Passover

Happy Passover from the
Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund!

The Fifth Son and the Power of Community – A Passover Message

by Michal Kohane, Israel Center Director

Studies show that Passover is the most-celebrated Jewish holiday of the year. It offers something for everyone: an extended-family get together, a hearty meal, historical insights, spiritual messages, intellectual exploration—as well as an invitation to strangers, the hungry (whether physically or spiritually), to share our table and our story.  It’s all there: Coming together as one people to enjoy a fabulous story accompanied by a grand dinner.

In many ways it’s a classic feel-good story: few against many, bad against good. One guy, no different that you and me, standing up to an evil tyrant, and although he was not given the gift of speech, he was able to inspire others to follow – and even later to lead an entire nation to the Promised Land.

Of course, along with the joy, comes the oy:  Oy, the amount of cleaning, preparing, shopping, chopping, baking, making. Oy, look, so much food; oy, I’m stuffed….  But then, kvetching can be a good sign: it comes with a certain amount of doing, often in areas that are new, less familiar and challenging. Like Moses, we too are asked to step outside our comfort zone, and act.

The Five Sons

The story of the Four Sons in the Haggadah highlights our need to reach out beyond ourselves. We can see the four sons around us or even within us. We can also see them generationally. Thus, the “wise” are paralleled to the great-grandparents’ generation who came to this country at the turn of the century, a largely traditional community that had no need for books about why keep kosher and what tikkun olam means, because pretty much “everyone knew.” Their children, however, became “rebellious,” mocking their parents for their old, outdated practices: “What is this to you?” they asked, wanting to integrate into the new surroundings, be “like everyone else” and have little or nothing to do with the parents’ way of life. The third generation, the “simple” son, grew up in the home of the “rebellious” son, with a “wise” grandpa who perhaps still upheld some obscure practices, but what and why?

Then one day, the fourth child is born. This generation grows up in the home of the “simple” son with the “rebellious” son for a grandparent. They often know that they had a great-grandparent who was observant or a rabbi, but they already know so little that they “don’t know what to ask.” Regarding them the Pesach story instructs us, the listeners: “You must start him off.” There is no fifth son. The fifth son, symbolizing continuity in the family, depends on us. Already in the Haggadah, some of which was compiled more than 2000 years ago, we, the community, are called to find ways to engage the less engaged. Like Moses of long ago, we too are called to reach out and care. We are called to act.

Taking the Message Home

The power of community is threaded throughout this story.  It is the story of our people – our interdependence, our duty, and the knowledge that when we join together, there is no limit to what we can achieve! We wish you and your family a happy and meaningful Passover!

 

Pop Up Purim Stores

by Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder
Rabbi in Residence at B’chol Lashon

Rabbi Ruth

On the first night of the Northern California Rabbinic Mission of Israel, Rabbi Stacy Friedman opened our Federation sponsored trip by pointing out that just as we have seasonal Halloween pop up stores throughout our region, in Israel there are pop up Purim stores which similarly sell costumes, make up and accessories. For Rabbi Friedman, these stores are a reminder of how public life in Israel moves to the rhythms of Jewish life.

But Purim differs from Halloween. At Halloween, we don costumes to scare others. At Purim, we don costumes to see the world through different eyes. To literally put on a different point of view.

So it is only fitting that this trip is happening in the weeks leading up to Purim. The 17 rabbis traveling the country this week represent the full diversity of Jewish life in Northern California. We have different approaches to religion and observance, we serve big and small congregations as well as non-profits and in chaplaincy.  We have many points of view. By traveling together we are learning to see Israel through each other’s point of view.

We are also “trying on” all sorts of Israeli points of view. Our itinerary is purposely introducing us to many different Israelis, who each tell a unique Israeli story. On our first day alone, we met with the founder of a youth movement for Orthodox gay teens, with the head of Israel’s premier civil rights organization, and with the leadership and students of a secular Yeshivah in Tel Aviv. At each stop we not only saw Israel through their eyes, but also saw the changes they are affecting on Israeli society and culture.

Paintings, too, capture different points of view. We saw the retrospective of 82 year old Naftali Bez. Bez came to Israel during WWII as a young man and has been painting what he sees since his early teens. Even our food came with a story and a new way to look at the world.  Liliyot, a fine dining restaurant, fills its kitchen with an apprenticeship program for at risk youth. Graduating them to full time jobs in culinary arts. Good food and good works.

In Haifa, we learned about the thousands of foreign educational and non-profit leaders who make their way through the leadership training institute founded by Golda Meir. Each teacher from Ghana, social worker from Thailand, or government employee from Ecuador who spends three weeks learning from the best of what Israel has to offer becomes an unofficial goodwill ambassador. At the Technion, Israel’s leading technical university, we learned how the school is committed to reaching out to every sector of Israeli society from the Ultra Orthodox to the kids in crisis. At Beit Hagefen, a center dedicated to religious and cultural dialogue, we heard from a rabbi and a Muslim leader about how religious leaders come together to speak out against discrimination.

But while some points of view are easy to try on, others stretch us and make us see the world from places we may not choose to get to on our own.   On Thursday, we experienced two radically different points of view. First we visited with the settlers in Hebron and had a chance to visit the holy burial site of Abraham, Sarah, Rebecca,  Isaac, Jacob and Leah. We heard from a young army spokesman who is responsible for the security of over 600,000 individuals. And in the afternoon we went on a tour with Ir Amim where we learned about how the current political and security realities are effecting the Arab population. Whatever our points of view, we are challenged to consider opinions that we may have not considered before.

Next week, we return to Northern California to our congregations and organizations. We will be bringing back the new visions and experiences to share. And when Israel or Purim ‘pops up’ we will have a great many perspectives to draw upon.

Purim Fun for Everyone

Purim is just around the corner and there is no shortage of community events for any age group.  Shake your grogger at one or more of these fun celebrations:

Children, Teens, and Families

Purim Shabbat Celebration: Friday, February 22 at JCCSF
Purim Party at Ashkenaz: Saturday, February 23 at Ashkenaz (Berkeley)
Sensory Friendly Purim Carnival: Sunday, February 24 at Peninsula Temple Beth El
Purim Palooza: Sunday, February 24 at Osher Marin JCC
GIANTS-themed Purim Party: Sunday, February 24 at Grattan Elementary School (San Francisco)

Young Adults

Purim Party, Megillah 3.0 with Killing My Lobster: Saturday, February 23 at Intersection for the Arts (San Francisco)
2013 Peatot Purim Party: Saturday, February 23 at Club Fox (Redwood City)

For information on more upcoming community events, check out the JCF online community calendar.

Happy Hanukkah from JCF

‘Tashlique’ Celebrates the New Year with a Twist on Tradition

by David Katznelson, JCF Director of Outreach and Strategy

Tashlique (a play off of Tashlikh) is a long-standing Jewish practice usually performed on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and is one of my favorite rituals.  It brings to life all the temple discussions and meditations and pairs them with one of the greatest bodies of water in the world, the Pacific Ocean. For those unfamiliar with Tashlique, it is a time when Jews from all over the world go to a large and natural body of flowing water to symbolically, through a piece of bread,  “cast off” the past year’s previous sins and sorrows.  Whatever you choose to leave behind incorporates into the fibers of the bread, and the ocean envelops it and whisks it away.

Our version of the ritual started with two friends of mine performing the annual ceremony, and eventually others joined. For the last five years, JCF along with the JCCSF and Reboot, have participated, adding a special twist. While holding true to the basic part of the ritual — the bread-water aspect — today there are new additions that are attracting hundreds of non-traditional Tashlique participants to the beach.

This year, 200 attendees gathered around a fire pit by the ocean. People carrying shofars were asked to stand at the front of the group, and mostly children approached, proudly showcasing their instruments. Tekiah Gadolah was called out, and all began blowing the long drone of the shofar in unison. Before their breaths subsided, two bagpipe players from the Irish Pipers band of San Francisco joined in, followed by six members of the Jazz Mafia brass section. It was magical to see this eclectic group of various professional musicians, children, families and adults all gathered to welcome the New Year through the joyful noise that flooded the beach and basked in the partly clouded sun.

After a few minutes of this symphony, the pipers turned and began a procession to the sea, followed by the participants, with bread in hand. The image was divine.  It was a beautiful San Francisco day, and the sun’s warm rays shot through the clouds, while the shore became dotted with families and friends all pensively looking towards the horizon as the bagpipers began to play their version of the Shema. Sticks were passed out so participants could write messages in the sand that they wanted the waves to wash away. The Jazz Mafia players began accenting the pipers melodies and for this magnificent moment, this temporary community was together and alive.

After all sorrows had been cast into the ocean, it was time to enjoy the sweetness of hope and dreams that come with a new year.  The pipers turned to head back to the fire pit, ushering the crowd to follow.  There, they enjoyed smores and fry bread, celebrating the last component of the beloved ceremony.

Ten questions that will get you thinking

Where have you been? Where are you going? What values do you want to take on the journey ahead?

With the value of reflection all too often lost in today’s fast-paced society, here’s an easy way for people of all backgrounds to slow down and examine their lives in a meaningful way.  Reboot and the SF Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund are partnering again this year on 10Q, a project that provides a cutting-edge way to commemorate the High Holidays, and provides an easy way to reflect, react, and renew by answering 10 of life’s biggest questions online. We are inviting the entire Bay Area community to share their views and visions for the upcoming year.

HOW IT WORKS
Register now on http://doyou10q.com and starting September 16, 2012, a question will land in your email inbox on each of the following ten days. Respond to each question securely online either immediately or after discussion with family and friends. Each answer gets sent to the secure online 10Q vault for safekeeping. One year later, the vault will open and your answers will land back in your email inbox for private reflection. Next year the whole process begins anew.

Yom HaZikaron: Remembering Those Lost and Looking Forward

By Jennifer Gorovitz, Chief Executive Officer

Just three weeks ago, we took a committed and enthusiastic group of lay leaders, our Israel and Global Committee, as well as members of our Board of Trustees, to Israel to evaluate the progress of our grantees in social and economic inclusion and pluralism. We found that our shared dreams have become reality with incredible community development, poverty fighting, education, and social businesses. We were awed once again by Israel’s beauty, its ingenuity and creativity, and its complexity. Together we stand in good times and in sad times, like today.

Community members arrive for JCF's Yom Hazikaron ceremony.

When we met with Amos Oz, one of my favorite Israeli authors, and a person who expresses these dual realities so well, he said: Israelis are a fiery collection of arguers, prophets, prime ministers and missiles all shouting at the top of their lungs to be heard. Ours is a people of doubt and argument, which also makes us a people of creativity and invention. When we solve our two major issues, war and peace, and social solidarity, Israel will truly be paradise on earth. The land of dreams and intentions and master plans that finally come true.

In the meantime, together we work to honor the memories of those lost, help those who were connected to them to go on, and transform our dreams into reality.

Let me tell you one such story: When we were in Israel this time, we visited a trauma center in Sderot, in the south of Israel. Before we could really begin, we needed to understand where the bomb shelter is in this school, knowing that any moment a siren could go off and we would have only 15 seconds to get there.

We got up, we moved in an orderly fashion, and we did not make it in time. Once inside, we were reminded that 12,000 missiles have fallen in this area in the past 10 years. The children here know all too well, and they know that a siren means run, not walk, to the shelter.

The techniques that are applied to the children to teach coping and resilience are now being applied to the soldiers too.

While we were sitting in the classroom, about to hear from a soldier, a rocket landed not far from us I guessed by the way the ground rumbled and the thunderous sound it made. Our hearts raced, our anxiety peaked, yet no alarm went off.

And then we heard Yaron’s story. Yaron is 28 years old. He fought in the Second Lebanon war and was a company commander. He was responsible for 120 soldiers. During his command, a rocket fell on a building they had entered and one of his soldiers was killed and 10 were wounded. His unit was sent by the Army to the trauma center to help them now to lead stronger, healthier lives by processing their experience and their pain. Combat leaves marks, and rather than be diminished by them, there is now growing recognition that with support these boys can grow differently and lead more resilient lives by using the intensity of their brothers in arms for social support. during the program, these combat units visit diaspora cities and learn how grateful we all are. And for many of them, they are realizing, hey I did that for the Jewish People. And their perspective on their experiences is forever changed. Yaron believes that this program is invaluable. The government isn’t so sure. He and others like him are building a movement, one soldier at a time, one memory, one trauma at a time.

Today we join him in remembering the soldier he lost in battle, the innocence he lost in battle and in wishing for him and others that they may transition from the army to civilian life in a way that bolsters them, strengthens them and helps them to lead full lives.

You can connect with Jennifer Gorovitz on Facebook and Twitter.