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Dear members, friends and supporters,
A guest was overheard after services recently, “This congregation is really very special. I’ve never encountered such warmth and friendliness anywhere else. I feel right at home!” What a lovely compliment. One of our members remarked after Yom Kippur services, “In my Russian passport was a stamp which said I was Jewish. But only here, in my congregation, do I feel Jewish. Thank you.”
The High Holy Days, Sukkot and Simchat Torah lay behind us for another year. The good feelings of community remain in our hearts and give us strength for the coming year.
The first notes of Kol Nidre, so stirringly sung by Faina Pelts and Uwe Wolandowitsch transported us to thoughts and memories of those who came before us, who had also heard these words and moving melody. Rabbi Ilana Baird led services, often visibly moved, in Hebrew and Russian. Translation in German was offered for our German-speaking members, allowing everyone spiritual access to the prayers. The symphony of languages reminded us once again of the diversity of our People and the joy we feel when we join together in prayer and reflection.
We resumed on Yom Kippur morning. The Torah service and Rabbi Baird’s sermon afforded us spiritual nourishment. Each prayer allowed us the opportunity for introspection and reflection, making the services meaningful and personal. Thanks to Mascha, the children were well looked after during the long Yom Kippur services, yet present for important moments during the service.
After a pause, we returned to the synagogue for Yiskor services and the sanctuary was once again filled. The children had created a beautiful memorial Yahrzeit poster and the names were read aloud. Rabbi Baird led us in Yiskor prayers as we recalled loved ones no longer with us. Each congregant was given a stone and one after another, we came quietly forward, laid the stone and said those names dear and near to our hearts. Afterwards, Faina Pelts played a bittersweet melody, allowing everyone time to remember,
Our services were concluded with a short Ne’ila service and the final tones of the Shofar at sundown. In the hope to each be inscribed for a good year, we wished eachother a good year and broke the Fast with tea, challah and cake, lovingly prepared by our Kitchen Committee ladies. With both body and soul at peace, we each went on our way home .
Four days later, the men of the congregation were building our Sukka. Busily, they constructed a Sukka for the 7th time on our land, Synagogenplatz in the Bürenstrasse. Soon the children arrived and the decorating could begin. The Kitchen Committee ladies followed with fruits, challot, sweets, wine and juice and the short service, led by Rachel Dohme could begin. Joining her this year was Dr. Anja Schmidt from the Lutheran church, who read Psalm 121. Young and old came into the Sukka to shake the Lulav. Happily people stayed, talking and laughing as the sun set.
 
The eight days of Sukkoth end with the festivals of Shemini Azeret and Simchat Torah. We were pleased that our rabbi, Irit Shillor joined us for Simchat Torah services. After the procession—Hakafot—and having heard the last words of Deuteronomy and then the first words of the 1st reading of Genesis, we all stood together, holding the unrolled Torah. Rabbi Shillor stood in the middle, reading sections of the Torah aloud for us. In this way, symbolically and spiritually we show the centrality of Torah in our congregational lives.
Looking back, we thank all those who sent their good wishes for the New Year from around the world. We enjoyed the High Holy Days with Rabbi Baird from Israel and Simchat Torah with Rabbi Shillor from England. We enjoyed services with our friends from “Netzwerk Bünde” and Temple Sinai from Denver Colorado. Our prayers were heard in Hebrew, Russian, German and English. Our congregation is so warm and friendly that everyone feels at home. This is our wish for the coming year.
Benefit Concert in Commemoration of
the 70th Anniversary of November 9th, 1938
Congregational president, Rachel Dohme posed the following question in a recent newspaper article she penned on the subject of this year’s historic “9th of November”.
“Is it even possible to commemorate the loss of 6 Million people in a dignified and meaningful way? Certainly commemorative services and speeches will be written and read. Wreaths will be laid. All well-meant and respectfully intended. All deeply meaningful forms of remembrance. The reality remains that no words, however deeply heartfelt, can in any way express the immense loss and endless pain caused by the Shoa. Perhaps the only comfort in remembering this past is the will and desire to call up the future. For our community this means a vital Jewish congregation in the heart of the city of Hamelin, Germany: anchored and visible through the building of a synagogue—a synagogue that will stand on the very soil upon which it once stood. Achieving this dream has not been and will not be easy. Many generous people have and will continue to help us on the way.
And so, we will remember the Pogromnacht this year, the 70th Yahrzeit of the “Night of Broken Glass.” With heavy hearts we will remember those who came before us. We are especially honored that relatives of former Jewish Hamelin families will stand with us. Siblings Peter Cranston, and Eva Brown and husband Harold representing the family of Dr. Siegmund Kratzenstein come to us from Australia. Ruth Torode and her son Benjamin come from Ireland joined by Ruth’s brother, Frank Jones from England, representing the Jonas family. Together, they will lead us in the recitation of Kaddish.
Directly following the memorial service at the site of the former (and future) synagogue, we will adjoin to the Weserberglandzentrum for a benefit concert which will begin at 5:00 PM. Memorial prayers will preface the concert, recited by Rabbi Gábor Lengyl and the Brown, Torode and Jones family members. Once again, our member Uwe Wolandowitsch has organized a benefit concert to raise awareness and funds for our synagogue building project. The nationally acclaimed Klezmer Duo Chalil, the Hannover Mitzvah Band, Duo Benkschaft and our very own Shalom choir will perform for us all on this very special evening.
We ask you to join us on this historic evening. We invite you to commemorate this day with us as we remember our past and build our future. Even if you can’t come, contributions will be gratefully appreciated as a vital sign of your support of our efforts here. To make a contribution, go to our online donation form or write to racheldohme@jghreform.org
Foundation News
What’s new with the Foundation: A synagogue for Hamelin?
We are grateful to the many generous contributions that we acknowledge in our monthly newsletters. Contributions for our building project reach us from members, friends and neighbors, from here and abroad, independent of their religious affiliation. This show of belief and confidence empowers us to believe we can achieve our goal of building the first newly constructed reform synagogue in post-war Germany.
Foundations members work tirelessly for contributions of every sort. With gratitude, we thank local companies who have pledges material goods. These include Wilkhahn Furniture Manufacturers, Vorwerk Carpet Manufacturers and Junker Roofers. Having the support of local businesses further substantiates our belief that this synagogue will be a synagogue for all of Hameln’s citizens.
We have submitted an official request for funding to the mayor and county commissioner’s office and we wait in anticipation that the political leaders accept their moral responsibility by supporting our project.
New Members
Do you know anyone in Hamelin who is looking for an active Jewish community? Please have them contact us and we will provide them with information about our congregation. Our door is open and we welcome new members.
Friends
All Friends are always welcome at any and all our religious and cultural events.
Contributions
We thank the community members and friends who have so generously supported our communal life and synagogue construction plans with their contributions: Mrs. K. Rosenstein, USA, Mrs. S. Varschavskaja, Mrs. N. Krivsowa, Mrs. I. Scheinberg, Mrs. P. Pelts, the Pelts family, Faina Pelts and Felix Golbereg, the Dohme family, Mrs. A. Lybych, Mr. P. Blase, Mrs. M. Selman, the Berhovski family, Rabbi Ilana, David, Anat and Daniela Baird, Israel, Dr. V. Geletneky, Dr. Oleg and Anna Rubanov, Mrs. U. Bomnüter, Mrs. E. Bruns, and the Pesok family. We also thank all those who contributed anonymously. May you all be blessed for your generosity.
Tree of Life
Who will contribute the next leaf? Each leaf not only adorns our sanctuary but also helps us raise funds for our synagogue. Leaves can be ordered through our office or by contacting Rachel Dohme or on this Web site: Tree of Life. Each leaf costs $54 (triple chai). Contribute a leaf and help us to build our synagogue!
Mazel Tov
We congratulate Pastor Martin Hoffmann on his 60th birthday and wish him health and happiness.
Thank You — Todah Rabah
We are grateful to the many people who continually support our work.
We thank Rabbi Ilana Baird and her family for spending the High Holidays with us. The services led by Rabbi Baird were meaningful and appreciated. We also thank our rabbinical student, Yan Tsipris for assisting Rabbi Baird. A special thanks to our mother and daughter team of translators, Polina and Faina Pelts. We thank Volodymr Pesoks who once again masterfully blew the Shofar. Our appreciation goes out to Faina Pelts and Uwe Wolandowitsch for singing Kol Nidre so beautifully. We thank all our members who brought delicious home-made foods for our Rosh Hashana buffet, for helping build and decorate our Sukka and who helped at Simchat Torah, making all the holidays festive and joyous.
Special thanks to our member Peter Wendt for the fascinating lecture he gave on Dementia.
We thank the Yevdokimov family for new books for our library.
Thank you to our young adults Greta and Inna Golbereg for translating Rabbi Baird’s Russian sermons into German for non-Russian speaking members and to Julian Dohme for the graphic layout of this newsletter.
Birthdays in October
We wish all those celebrating a November birthday, the very best of health and happiness. We have a small gift for all our November Birthdays after services on November 21st. Join us for coffee and cake!
Refuah Schlama — Get Well Wishes
We wish all who are confined to their homes or in the hospital a complete recovery. If you would like a visit please contact the synagogue office.
November Yahrzeit — We remember:
- Revold Banschukov — November 28, 1999 / 19 Kislev 5760
- Jan Olvovski — November 25, 2001 / 10 Kislev 5762
- Riva Voronova — November 11, 2002 / 11 Kislev 5763
May their memory be for a blessing. Please join family members during Sabbath services as we recite Kaddish. Yahrzeit candles are available in the office.
Shalom,
—Your Synagogue Board
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