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Dear members, friends and supporters,
There is truly nothing more beautiful than a newborn’s face, as it sleeps in complete contentment in its mother’s arms. This was the scene during Friday night services on Yom Jerusalem (Jerusalem Day). Our community shared Rebecca and Rudi Brückner’s joy along with big sister Miriam and big brother Gabriel, as Rabbi Shillor gave the Brückner’s newborn daughter her name: Naomi bet Rivka v’ David. The moving service and joyous singing didn’t faze Naomi who slept happily through the entire evening. The table was laden with sweet, homemade desserts brought by our members to celebrate Naomi’s first Kabbalath Schabbat. As we all know, the children are our future, and Naomi will help ensure that the Jewish Community of Hamelin carries on. Welcome little Naomi!
Because Rabbi Shillor couldn’t be with us this Shavuoth, it was decided that she would offer a Tikkun Leyl Jom Jerusalem (Night of Learning) instead of the traditional Tikkun leyl Shavuoth. From 8:00 p.m. until after midnight, a study group, including members of our “Friends,” participated
in a fascinating evening revolving around our beloved city of Jerusalem. Each one of us felt as if we were walking through the streets of the Golden City as we discussed Talmud and Psalms. It was the perfect preparation for Shavuoth, which we celebrated the following week.
Rabbinical student Gábor Lengyel led our congregation in prayer on Shavuoth. The synagogue was decorated with colorful flowers and greens. Shavuoth, one of the three pilgrimage festivals, celebrates the “first fruits” as well as the receiving of the Ten Commandments. We feel as if we, too, stand at Sinai and receive the Law. It is, in a sense, the birth of the Jewish People. How appropriate then that the children, our “first fruits,” wearing handmade crowns of flowers, stood next the congregation and recited the Ten Commandments.Thanks to Orly and Michal, who with Gábor Lengyel, prepared our youngsters for this service.
A pleasant afternoon was had by one and all as the Women’s Club of our sister congregation in Hannover paid us a visit. After enjoying a cup of tea and cake and a brief talk from our congregational from vice-president, Mrs. Polina Pelts, the Hannover ladies, joined by our own members, walked to the future site of our synagogue.
There, Rachel Dohme gave a short lecture on the synagogue’s history: the 9th of November 1938 and our plans to build the first Reform synagogue in post-war Germany.
Future visits and exchanges with the organization of our own Women’s Club are being planned.
Please note: Our social worker, Faina Pelts, will be on vacation August 11–30. During this time, the office will be “manned” by Michael Pesin from Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 a.m. till noon. There will be no Claims Conference office hours during Mrs. Pelts’ absence.
Summer vacation
As we hope you have noticed, this is a double newsletter. This newsletter covers both summer months of July and August. After such an active year we all need and deserve time to relax. As you can see, our congregation is offering a full course of activities in July. In August we will continue to have office hours and two Kabbalath Shabbat services, but all other classes and coursea will take a break in August. This pause will enable us all to begin anew in September in preparation for the High Holy Days. We wish everyone a happy and healthy summer!
“Music and Word”
The series “Music and Word” will commence on July 5th and run throughout the summer until August 30th. Each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. a different spiritual theme will be highlighted in an hour of prose and music. Our congregation is honored to have been asked for the third straight year to take part in this event. Rachel and Rebekka Dohme will share the evening of July 12th with Mrs. Christa Bruns. Mrs. Bruns will read selections from Lessing’s Nathan, the Wise. Rachel Dohme will read short biographical texts about the great Jewish liturgical composer, Louis Lewandowski (1821–1894). Young Cantor Rebekka Dohme will sing several psalms that Lewandowski put to music. We hope to introduce many Hamelin citizens to the beautiful Hebrew liturgy of one of the greatest Jewish composers of all times.
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Rabbi Irit Shillor
It was a pleasure to have Rabbi Shillor with us in June. We’ll have to wait until September to see her again, but mark your calendars now for September 7th and 8th! She’ll begin her visit with the ever-popular “Rabbi’s Table” discussion and in the afternoon will take over the children’s religious school class. In the evening she will offer an Schiur or lecture in preparation for the High Holy Days. Make a point of joining us for an interesting evening. Friday morning Rabbi Shillor has open office hours for anyone wishing an appointment or home visit. The Giyur class will meet with her in the afternoon and we will all join together for Friday night services. We look forward to the many opportunities with our rabbi.
Goodbye Orly — Hello Michal
We have been fortunate to have had Ms. Orly Kenig as our Schliach for two years. During that time she has helped educate our children and youth. In addition, she offered adult Hebrew classes. All of her work in Hamelin helped develop our community’s sense of religious identity. We are very grateful to her. While we wish her a safe and happy trip home, we will miss her friendly and kind presence in our community. Orly will be taking the children on an outing on Sunday, July 9th, and her last full day of classes will be on Thursday, July 20th.
We wish to thank Netzer Olami and especially Maoz Haviv and the Jewish Agency for making Orly’s time here possible. Todah Rabah!
We’re very pleased that Michal Tal from Ramat Yischai, Israel, will carry on where Orly leaves off. Michal accompanied Orly to Hameln and joined us for Shavuoth services. Michal will lead “Young and Jewish Hamelin Junior” come September. Welcome, Michal!
Mazel Tov — Congratulations
We are pleased to announce that two new Reform congregations have joined our national organization, the Union of Progressive Jews of Germany. We welcome the Jewish Congregation of Kiel and the Jewish Congregation of the Ruhr Valley. This brings the number of German Reform congregations to 21!
We also congratulate Mrs. Charlotte Knobloch on her election as President of the Central Council of Jews of Germany. As Reform Jews, we are especially pleased to see a woman heading the national association for the first time in history. We look to her to continue the important work of inclusiveness and plurality in Jewish life in Germany.
Mazel Tov to Itamar Baum on the publication of his book of Hebrew poetry, The Miracle of Joy. We wish him much success with this volume.
 Tree of Life
Summer brings fresh green leaves to all the trees and our tree is no different. We thank those who have added their “leaves” to our tree:
A. Zyranov: “In memory of my wife Nataliya Zaychenko
Leaves cost only $54 and can be ordered online. Just click on “Tree of Life” and help us build our synagogue. Money collected from our leaves goes to our synagogue-building fund.
Contributions
Please accept our heartfelt thanks for contributions to our congregation and/or building fund: Mrs. U. Niedert, Mrs. U. Gibas, Mrs. H. Tanenbaum, Rabbi Debbie Prinz, John Smith, Pastor K-H Schnell and Mr. A. Zyranov. We also thank the Seniors Club of St. Augustinus, the Women’s Club of the Liberal Jewish Congregation of Hannover, and the House of Religion for contributions made for lectures held by Rachel Dohme.
Special thanks to the Society of Christians and Jews and the Catholic Youth Office for contributions for our youth programs.
May you all be blessed for your generosity.
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Todah Rabah — Thank You
We wish to thank our young Cantor Rebekka Dohme for the years of voluntary service she has given our congregation. Her beautiful voice and spirituality have adorned many of our services. She has represented our congregation musically for many years at countless civic functions. We congratulate her on her high school graduation and wish her all the best of luck for her university studies in New York City. We will miss her and look forward to her visits home. Rebekka’s final service will be on July 28th. We look forward to seeing you all there and giving Rebekka a good send off. A special Oneg will follow services in Rebekka’s honor.
We thank Mr. Judelsohns and Mrs. Vainberg for contributions of books for our ever-expanding congregational library.
July and August Birthdays
Celebrate with us on Friday, July 28, and August 25 after services as we recognize those members who have birthdays in July and August.
Refuach Schlama — Get Well Wishes
We wish all who are ill at home or in the hospital a speedy and complete recovery. Please call our Bikur Cholim chairwoman Mrs. Friedmann if you wish a home visit.
 July Yahrzeit — We remember:
Nataliya Zaychenko — July 1, 2003/ 1. Tammus 5763
May her memory be for a blessing. Please join us as we, and her family, say Kaddisch for her during Shabbat services. Yahrzeit candles are available in the office.
Shalom,
—Your synagogue board
Program for July-August 2006 Newsletter • Tammuz–Av–Elul 5766
JULY
July 3 12.00 p.m. Introduction to Judaism in Russian, led by V. Pesok
July 6 11:00 p.m. Lecture: “Israel,” led by D. Vogelhuber
8:00 p.m. Synagogue tour and talk with the Kirchhosen Women's
Club, led by R. Dohme
July 9 Young and Jewish Jr. Hamelin Outing with Orly Kenig
July 11 4:00 p.m. Video: “Everything is Illuminated,”
led by R. Dohme
July 12 11:00 p.m. Information seminar with Faina Pelts
6:00 p.m. “Music and Word”: Münsterkirche
with Christa Bruns, Rachel and Rebekka Dohme
July 13-16: 12th Annual Conference of the
Union of Progressive Jews of Germany, Berlin
July 14 5:00 p.m. Friday night services, led by D. Vogelhuber
and V. Pesok
July 20 2:30 p.m. Citizenship course, led by D. Vogelhuber
3:30 p.m. “Young and Jewish Junior Hamelin”
5:00 p.m. Hebrew for adults, led by O. Kenig
July 22 10:00 a.m. Shacharit services and Torah study, led by R. Dohme
4:00 p.m. Slide show: ”The Jewish Community of Springe.”
led by Mr. H. C. Rohde
July 28 5:00 p.m. Friday night services, led by Rachel
and Rebekka Dohme: “Farewell service for Rebekka”
AUGUST
August 11 5:00 p.m. Friday night services, led by D. Vogelhuber
and V. Pesok
Special guest, Cantor Dr. Jeremy Wasser, USA
August 25 5:00 p.m. Friday night services, led by D. Vogelhuber
and V. Pesok
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