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Dear members, friends and supporters,
Special moments and interesting programming have launched our community's first month in the New Year. We enjoyed our “After New Year's New Year's Party” with good food, friends and music. Itamar Baum's second workshop was well received and attended as were Sabbath services with Rabbi Irit Shillor. What a treat to have our young cantor, Rebekka Dohme, with us again. Her beautiful voice added to the meaning of our services.
All these activities are a fitting preface to our 10th anniversary celebration this month. In the 10 years since our establishment, our congregation has grown and developed, both internally as well as externally. We are proud to have been the first Jewish community to re-establish itself in our city since the war. What began as a small group of strangers from different backgrounds and cultures has developed into an active community of over 200 members from seven nations. Our religious services are attended by young and old alike. Our community center serves our members religiously, socially and culturally—a home way from home for many.
Our members have learned to assume responsibility in our communal life, and we are especially proud of our democratic administration. The synagogue board holds monthly meetings and offers an open and transparent structure to our members. Each and every member is valued and respected. It is upon this foundation that we enjoy an honest atmosphere of trust and cooperation. All this gives us cause to celebrate. And what a celebration it will be! Honoring us with their greetings will be Hamelin's mayor, Mrs. Lippmann; President of our state board of Jewish Congregations, Mrs. Katarina Seidler; President of the Hamelin Society of Christians and Jews, Mrs. Christa Bruns; and Deacon of the Catholic Church, Mr. Hans-Georg Spangenberger. Our synagogue choir “Shalom” will frame the celebration musically along with accordionist Ulrike Dangendorf. May the celebration strengthen us and give us added encouragement in our congregational work, insuring Jewish life in our city of Hamelin.
Annual Membership Meeting
Mark your calendars for our annual membership meeting on Sunday, February 25th at 3:00 p.m. We hope for a strong turn out as we review the past year's activities and present the treasurer's report. Together we will plan the New Year and look forward to member's input. Please submit discussion topics by February 16th. Members who cannot take part are encouraged to assign their vote to another member.
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Holidays in February
 Our congregation will celebrate Tu Bi Shevat, New Year of the Trees, with rabbinical student Jona Simon on Saturday morning, February 3rd. The Torah teaches us that we may enjoy the fruits of the trees in their fifth year, determined on the 15th of Shevat. The tradition of celebrating this harvest holiday dates back to the 16th century. Join us as we celebrate this day with a Tu Bi Shevat Seder, enjoying fruits, nuts, seeds and wine. Torah compares us to “trees of the field” rooted to the earth. We stretch our limbs toward the heavens, searching for meaning and purpose. We strive to bring forth the fruits of our labor. It is our desire to leave the world better than we found it. The Tu Bi Shevat Seder's ceremonial foods symbolize our connection and commitment to Israel.
Dues
As we all know, there's no free lunch. Please pay your membership dues. The many activities and programs offered by our community need your financial support. The monies we receive from the state, in comparison to what the Orthodox receive are peanuts. We need every Euro, Rubble and Dollar! Those who can afford it, are encouraged to give accordingly.
New Siddurim
After many years of use, our “blue Siddur” is worn out. We have decided to print a new and improved prayer book for our community. We are indebted, once again, to Rabbi Irit Shillor for preparing the prayer book's layout. Of course, the Siddur is tri-lingual. We thank Dieter Vogelhuber and Volodymr Pesok for their editing skills. We hope to have the new Siddurim finished soon.
Who has E-mail?
Paper and stamps are expensive and needing to economize where we can, we ask you to inform us if you can receive our newsletter electronically. As you know, our newsletter is available every month on our Web site: www.jghreform.org. Our Web site is sponsored by the Jewish Appleseed Foundation.
10th Anniversary Celebrations
Shabbat Mishpatim, February 17th, will mark our first decade. This is cause to celebrate! We will celebrate this wonderful milestone with friends and family, beginning at 4:00 p.m.
In 1997 we established the first Jewish congregation in post-war Hamelin and brought Jewish life back to the city. Since then our congregation has developed in size and spirituality. Together, we will review our modest beginnings and look forward to all that is to come. Special guest speakers will be the president of our state board of Jewish communities, the Mayor of the City of Hamelin, the president of the Hamelin Society of Christians and Jews and the deacon of St. Elisabeth Catholic Church, where we had our first rooms. Mincha services will be led by Gábor Lengyel, and Havdallah will be musically framed by our congregational choir “Shalom” and Ulrike Dangendorf. We ask members to help by bringing a vegetarian dish to share.
Claims Conference
We are not accepting Claims Conference reimbursement requests for 2007 until the 2006 requests are answered. We will inform members when new requests can be made.
WUPJ Conference in Jerusalem
Our president, Rachel Dohme, along with other representatives from Germany, will attend the international conference of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) in Jerusalem from March 15th to the 20th. Rachel will present in two workshops. In her role as international contact for the Union of Progressive Jews of Germany (UPJ), she will alert the WUPJ leadership to specific problems in Germany.
Torah group
We would like to read the Torah from beginning to end together this year. Join us every Shabbat morning at 10:00 a.m. as we read and study the parashah of the week! These sessions will be communal and lay-led except for weekends when our Rabbi or our rabbinical student is with us. The sessions are held in German and Russian. Check the calendar for dates.
Contributions
We wish to thank Mrs. Belling and Board of Trustees president, Dr. Teilbüscher from the Lenze Company once again for their most generous contribution toward our synagogue project. We hope other local firms will follow their example. We also wish to thank Dr. Löwe for her generous gift.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the following persons: Mrs. Pfeiffer, Mrs. Grimme, Mrs. Dories, Mr. And Mrs. Taube, Mr. And Mrs. Lengyel, Mr. Sosin, Mr. And Mrs. Heinrichs, Mr. Aron Kaplan, Mr. Arthur Herz, the Jewish Appleseed Foundation, and the ZIV Foundation and many anonymous contributors. May they all be blessed for their generosity.
Tree of Life
New leaves continue to grow even in the winter. Recent additions are:
- “In memory of my parents' 100th birthdays Mother Riva and Father Judel 1907–2007,” from Aron Kaplan
- “The Herz Family, Warburg-Berlin-Rochester, NY” from Arthur Herz
- “In memory of Chevra Kaddisha member Genrihk Leimunskis,” from JGH
Leaves are available for a minimum of “Triple Chai” ($54) and can be purchased online. Every leaf helps to bring our dream of our own synagogue a little closer. May you be blessed for your generosity.
Todah Rabah
We thank Genrihk Leimunskis, of beloved memory, sister, Ira Leimunskas for the many books, videos, plants and other items from her brother's home. We also thank her for helping others in our community by giving them items from her brother's estate. A very special thanks to Aron Kaplan, Polina Pelts and Elena Gorbachova for assisting the family.
We thank Evgenij Jevdokimov for the beautifully crafted Magen David (Star of David), which he crafted for the funeral chapel.
We also thank Anna Arnautova for organizing the visit of the Russian consulate and helping many of our members to retain their Russian citizenship. Larissa Chapiro's assistance aided the busy administrative morning.
Birthdays in February
Happy birthday to all who have a February birthday. Join us on Friday, February 23rd, for a special birthday Kiddush after services.
Refuah Schlamah — Get Well Wishes
We wish all who are ill a speedy and complete recovery. Anyone wishing a home visit should call Mrs Berta Friedmann.
Condolences
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Ira Leimunska on the loss of her beloved brother, Genrihk Leimunskis, of blessed memory, who died on December 29th — 8. Tevet 5767. The funeral was held on January 5th.
Our condolences go out to our member Susanne Kessler on the loss of her beloved mother.
 Yahrzeit — We remember:
Anna Raik: February 12, 2000 — 6 Adar I 5760
Vladimir Legkov: February 7, 2003 — 6 Adar I 5763
Please join the congregation and families to say Kaddish at services for them.
Shalom,
—Your synagogue board
Program for February 2007 • Shevat–Adar 5767
Friday, February 2 5:00 p.m. Friday night services with Jona Simon
Saturday, February 3 10:00 a.m. Shabbat morning services /Tu Bi Shevat Seder
with Jona Simon
Monday, February 5 12:00 a.m. “Introduction to Judaism” with V. Pesok
Tuesday, February 6 4:00 p.m. Video Afternoon: “Esther”
Thursday, February 8 3:30 p.m. “Young and Jewish Hamelin Jr.”
with Michal Tal
4:30 p.m. B'nei Mitzvah class
5:30 p.m. Hebrew class or adults
Saturday, February 10 10:00 a.m. Shabbat morning services/Torah study
with Rachel Dohme
Tuesday, February 13 11:45 a.m. Synagogue tour and discussion: 11th grade
of the HLA School with Rachel Dohme
Saturday, February 17 4:00 p.m. 10th Anniversary Celebration — the Jewish
Congregation of Hamelin is 10 years old!
Join us as we celebrate our first decade.
Please bring a vegetarian dish to share.
Thursday, February 22 3:30 p.m. “Young and Jewish Hamelin Jr.”
with Michal Tal
4:30 p.m. B'nei Mitzvah class
5:30 p.m. Hebrew class or adults
Friday, February 23 5:00 p.m. Friday night services with Rachel Dohme
Saturday, February 24 10:00a.m. Shabbat morning services / Torah study
with Rachel Dohme
Sunday, February 25 3:00 p.m. Annual Membership meeting
Tuesday, February 27 4:00 p.m. “Russian Afternoon” with Maya Olvovska
Wednesday, February 28 11:00 a.m. Informational meeting: New immigration laws
Speaker: Margarita Souslovich
Activities outside our congregation
Wednesday, February 7 4:00 p.m. Society for Christians and Jews, open
discussion, St. Augustinus Church
Monday February 19 Exhibit: Petr Ginz, “My Prague Diary”
Matthias book shop
Wednesday, February 28 7:00 p.m. Society for Christians and Jews annual
membership meeting Speaker: Dr. W. Ender:
“What role does anti-Semitism play in the
Middle East conflict?”
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