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Be’chol Lashon Newsletter: February 2010
Namasté! Andrew Esensten of Be'chol Lashon traveled to India last month and visited several Indian synagogues and neighborhoods. This is his report on the Jewish communities in Delhi (one synagogue), Mumbai (10 synagogues), and Cochin (site of the oldest synagogue in the British Commonwealth).
In a world of JDate and Frumster, American Jews don't seem to want for opportunities to meet other American Jews—preferably cute, single ones with stable jobs. But across the ocean, the Jewish community of India struggles with the challenges of a shrinking population.
Why was Purim such a solemn holiday for the Anusim? And why did they single out Purim as the holiday that best expressed their loyalty to their Jewish heritage? To answer these questions, we must travel to a world where it was forbidden to light Shabbos candles, pray in a synagogue, or have a Pesach Seder: the world of medieval Spain.
If you identify as African American and Jewish, please consider sharing your spiritual journey. Be’chol Lashon is partnering with Dr. Jamie Wilson on his upcoming book, Black and Jewish: African American Jewish Identities in the Early Twenty-First Century, a collection of autobiographical narratives. The essays will give voice to those who stand at the intersection of African American and Jewish communities, documenting the history and traditions of Jews of African descent in the United States. Click here for more information.
“Do you feel black?” a counselor asks Avery Klein-Cloud in the documentary Off and Running voicing the question that hovers subliminally over every scene.
Ruzow’s 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra, or 4WAKO, is just what the name implies: a band that combines Afropop with Eastern European Jewish music—though there are hints of other styles floating around in there, as well.
President Shimon Peres expressed hope on Friday that rabbis worldwide will find a viable solution to the problems of conversion, so that all streams of Judaism can continue to relate to their Jewish heritage.
A Jewish former banker was elected the vice president of Costa Rica.
Luis Lieberman will become vice president after Costa Rican voters elected Laura Chinchilla as the Central American country's first female president by a wide margin.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is not an abstract issue I've collected under the umbrella of my feminism. Along with an aunt who is four years older than me, I belong to the first generation of women in my extended family not to have been subjected to it.
It might be considered by some as a symbol of Palestinian “resistance” or solidarity, but for a group of young, hip US Jews, wearing a keffiyeh – especially one with blue embroidered Stars of David – is just as much their right as anyone else’s.
Even as they hew to their Iranian heritage and their parents’ culture of hospitality, the Hedvats and other 20- and 30-something Persians, the first to be born in America, are transforming the famously insular Iranian community here in unexpected ways.
In Tel Aviv, where she works, Alina Serjukov is Jewish. In Ashkelon, where she lives, she’s considered a gentile. Alina discovered her strange predicament in the run-up to her January 14 wedding, when she and her husband attempted to register their upcoming marriage with the local rabbinate.
Hear about Rabbi Funnye's journey to Judaism, his work with Be'chol Lashon to strengthen the global Jewish people, as well as a few inside stories about the First Family. Click here for tickets.
Mark you calendars for the next meeting for Jews from Diverse Ethnic and Racial Backgrounds.
Join us for a special evening celebrating the life and music of internationally acclaimed Yemenite-Israeli singer, Ofra Haza. Pre-concert talk at 7pm with Prof. Ephraim Isaac, Director of the Institute for Semitic Studies and President Emeritus of the Yemenite Jewish Federation of America. Click here for tickets.
Celebrating Jewish identity and survival, Purim is traditionally observed with a joyous, irreverent and carnival-like festivities. Celebrate the holiday with food, wine, music and activities including face painting, henna art and hamantaschen baking. There's something fun for everyone!
Shanghai's Jewish population was diverse in nationality, socio-economic class and occupation. This discussion of the Jews’ experiences in Shanghai encompasses art, culture, architecture, immigration, survival and other aspects.
Morning sessions include workshopping material submitted by participants before the start of the workshop, and discussing readings relating to the elements of the form including voice, memory, structure and process.
Evening sessions include sharing the afternoon’s writing assignment, discussing technique, and deepening our understanding of what it means to transform one’s life into art. Click here for more information.
The Feast of Jewish Learning is an annual, award-winning, community-wide outreach program for Jews of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. The Feast mission is to provide a taste of Jewish learning, spark interest for further Jewish exploration, and raise the profile of Jewish education. Click here to RSVP.
Author and educator Audrey Friedman Marcus discusses the Shanghai experiences of her late husband, Fred Marcus, who fled from Germany at age 15. His recently published diary depicts the challenges and struggles that he and some 20,000 fellow Jewish refugees encountered. Presented by the American Jewish Committee San Francisco Office and the Bureau of Jewish Education of San Francisco.
The Be'chol Lashon Media Awards honor excellence in coverage of the ethnic and racial diversity of world Jewry. No entry fee. Deadline: February 26, 2010. Click here to submit your work for consideration.
Camp Be'chol Lashon's mission is to offer a safe, nurturing, challenging residential Jewish camp experience for children of racially and ethnically diverse Jewish families and those who want to be part of a global Jewish community. Register | Apply for staff It's worth repeating that malaria is the number 1 killer in Africa. Scientists reported recently that malaria was a likely cause of death of Egypt's King Tutankhamen. For the complete update and to read updates from 2007 and 2008, click here. Be'chol Lashon is now on Twitter! Follow us at www.twitter.com/bechollashon. And, if you haven't already, become a fan of Be'chol Lashon on facebook: www.facebook.com/bechollashon. We welcome your participation in the Be’chol Lashon Newsletter! Please send us information about events in your community or articles of interest that relate to Jewish diversity. E-mail Esther Fishman. Submissions are subject to editing for content, clarity and style. Special thanks to all the contributors who make the newsletter interesting and informative. |
