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Dear members, friends, and supporters,
The month of April brought our congregation many exciting moments. We reflect on our warm and joyful congregational Pesach Seder beautifully led by Rabbi Shillor. Our celebration was perfect, thanks to the kitchen committee! Our synagogue choral group “Shalom” gave a public benefit concert the following week which was enjoyed by one and all. The small auditorium was filled with members and locals and nearly 400 Euros were raised. The following week, an exhibit of synagogue models was opened at the city bank of Hameln. These models were the year’s project of local high school art students.
(See: In the News “6 Designs” on our Web site). We thank the students for making our synagogue building project “theirs”. We also thank art teacher Mr. Hagemann and principal Mrs. Bergmann for their support.
May is upon us and we offer our members many opportunities for an active Jewish life.
We hope to see everyone at the community center!
Rabbi’s Table
The next “Rabbi’s Table” will be on May 12 at 11:00 a.m. Members and interested guests are welcome. Each meeting is different and the participants decide the topic. Mark your calendars for Rabbi Shillor’s lecture at “House of Religion” in Bückeberg on May 15th at 5:00 p.m. The topic is “The Role of Women in Judaism”.
Holidays in May
Between Pesach and Shavuoth, we count the Omer. On the 33rd day, we celebrate Lag Ba Omer. We remember the Bar Kochba rebellion and Rabbi Akiba and his students. It is a joyous day, and weddings, parties and picnics are in order. By counting the Omer, we remember that every day counts, every Jew counts, and every Mitzvah counts. We’ll celebrate both Lag Ba Omer and Memorial Day on the 9th of May at 5:00 p.m.
On Shavuoth, the “Festival of Weeks” we celebrate the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. It is a wonderful custom to spend a “Tikkun ha Laila”, a night of communal learning in celebration of this special festival. Our homes and synagogue are decorated with greens and flowers, and after services we enjoy foods made from milk — especially cheescake! We’ll celebrate with the reading of the Ten Commandments and a reading from the Book of Ruth on the Friday after Shavuoth. See you there!
Summer Camp
It’s time to sign up for summer camp. Registration forms are available in the office for youth between 8 and 17. The 10-day residential camp (July 29–August 8) will be held in beautiful Denmark. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy Jewish learning the fun way with youth leader Adi and his team of counselors!
Annual conference
The annual conference of our national movement, The Union of Progressive Jews of Germany ( UPJ ), will be held once again in our nation’s capitol, Berlin! Join us July 15–18 for four days of Jewish learning and togetherness. Registration forms are available in our office or online at www.liberale-juden.de
Keep yourself informed about the political situation of inner-Jewish discrimination by the Central Council of Jews in Germany (Zentralrat) toward the UPJ by reading English summaries of media coverage online at www.liberale-juden.de/de/Staatsvertrag.htm.
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Anasasia draws a picture of our synagogue.
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Synagogue Building Committee News
We’re waiting with great anticipation for the establishment of our Foundation for the building of the first Liberal Synagogue in post-war Germany. We hope to have all the paperwork within the next few weeks. We continue to work diligently in our fundraising efforts. The Benefit Concert of our congregational choral group “Shalom” was one such effort. We are in constant contact with architect Arnold Oppler and hope to have his first plans soon.
Cemetery
In the past weeks we have had countless meetings concerning the cemetery. We have worked tirelessly in order to find appropriate solutions. We are working on a set of guidelines for the cemetery and they will be available in the office soon. If you have any questions concerning the cemetery, please contact Rachel Dohme.
Membership Meeting
We have called a special membership meeting, to which all members have received an official invitation. We hope to see you all there on Sunday, May 16, at 3:00 p.m.
Todah Rabah — Thank You
Once again, thanks to all those who helped make our Community Seder so beautiful.
Thank you to our choral group “Shalom” for the incredible concert and all the hard work that went into it. This was a prime example of how we help ourselves!
Contributions for Congregation and Building Fund
We thank: Mr. Rostmann, Mr. Schwartz, Mr. Krug, Mr. Vogelhuber, “Shalom”, and Mrs. Spangenberger’s two 11th grade classes for their contributions.
Tree of Life
Three new leaves beautify our Tree. We thank Mr. Rostmann for two leaves, and M. Schwartz for a leaf in loving memory of Frank Humpert. Three new leaves are being engraved and will be recognized in next month’s newsletter. Please help us build the synagogue by ordering a leaf. Forms are available in the office or online.
May Birthdays
Happy birthday to all born in the lovely month of May. A birthday Kiddush will follow services on May 14. See you there!
Refuah Schlama — Get Well Wishes
We wish all who are ill at home or in the hospital a full and complete recovery. You are in our prayers. If you would like a congregant to visit, give us a call. Remember, it is a Mitzvah — “Bikur Cholim” to visit the ill and cheer them up.
Yahrzeit in May
We remember our members:
- Evgenia Benderskaja — May 25, 2001; 2 Sivan 5761
- Vladimir Rubanov — May 14, 2002; 3 Sivan 5762
Shalom!
— Your board
Program for May 2004; Iyar–Sivan 5764
May 7 Religious class for children
Friday night services
May 8 Russian Afternoon: Art History lecture
May 9 Lag Ba Omer and Memorial Day
May 11 Video evening
May 12 Rabbi’s Table
Bnei Mitzvah class
May 14 Religious class for children
Friday night services
May 16 Judaism class in Russian
Membership meeting
May 18 Slide Show: India
May 25 Russian Afternoon: Art History lecture
May 26 Shavuoth
May 28 Religious class for children
Friday night services
May 29 Saturday morning services
May 30 Seminar: Shavuot
Additional dates in May
May 8 Trip to Möringen
May 16 “House of Religion”, Bückeberg
Rabbi I.Shillor, “The role of women in Judaism”
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