Dear Members and Friends,
The new secular year is upon us. We hope you’ll join with us as we strive to achieve many things this year. We wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2003!
Last year was so active. Our congregation grew in numbers, we initiated a building fund for our synagogue, we have with the help of the European Region and the Friends of Progressive Judaism been able to secure the services of Rabbi Irit Shillor, and rabbinical student Alina Treyher visits our community, too. Not to forget — it’s only been a year since our congregation bought back the land (Synagogenplatz 1) where the Hameln Synagogue stood until it’s destruction in 1938. We hope this year will see us coming nearer to our dream of rebuilding on that very spot!
Chanukka
Our Chanukka celebration was wonderful. We thank the children of the Bnei Mitzvah class and our group “Shalom” for their program. Thank you to all the ladies who baked delicious goodies and decorated everything so beautifully! Our group “Shalom” also
enhanced the Chanukka celebration for our sister congregation in Bad Pyrmont. Thank you!
Visit from America
We were pleased that Mr. Vernon Mosheim visited our congregation. Mr. Mosheim wanted to see the “leaf” that hangs on our “Tree of Life” in honor of his late sister, Mrs. Ellen Mosheim. Mr. Mosheim was pleased to see that Jewish life continues in Hameln and wishes us well — especially with our synagogue plans! We are always honored when former Hameln Jews visit our community and remind us that we are their religious heirs.
Contributions to the Synagogue Fund
This month we thank two special sponsors — Dr. Ferdinand Dohme and young Danya Mavor. Thirteen-year-old Danya Mavor from Needham, Massachusetts celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on September 22, 2002. Danya’s Bat Mitzvah project was to tell the story of the Jewish congregation of Hameln. We were thrilled when Danya wrote and asked us for information. On her big day, she told the congregants of her congregation all she had learned. In honor of her Bat Mitzvah, her guests made contributions that totaled $234 and that go toward our building. Todah Rabah, Danya! (Read Danya’s special report on “The Jewish Community of Hameln”.)
New Members
We’re happy to welcome new members: Oleg Martsipi, Tetyana Fedyunina, and Olga and Pavel Alesin.
New Members in Our Freundeskreis
We welcome Dr. Maria Grote-Schmidt and her husband Christoph Schmidt. We thank them again for their most generous contribution to the building fund.
Tree of Life
Our tree has new leaves even in the winter! New leaves have been purchased by:
- Aron Kaplan in loving memory of his father, Judel Kaplan;
- Danya Mavor’s Bat Mitzvah;
- Rachel Dohme in loving memory of Sylvia Hurwitz; and
- Dieter Vogelhuber in gratitude to Aron Kaplan for accompanying him to his Brit Mila.
Mazel Tov
The congregation congratulates Dieter Vogelhuber on his Brit Mila (circumcision). We look forward with him to May when his conversion is complete!
Internet
Thanks to Mrs. Kann from “Exodus 2000” for the tip that Russian speakers can learn Hebrew online at www.hebrew.hl.ru. Visit the Israeli Embassy at www.israel.de (in German) and www.posolstvo.narod.ru (in Russian).
Birthdays in January
Shakara Khudadatova, Grigori Ziskand, Inna Golbereg, Paul Berry, Ilona Aleksanina, Eleonora Krutschkowitch, Anna Arnautova, Nadija Fesyk, Regina Avnilova, Ali Avnilova, Natalija Shcherbak, Natalija Ovtchinikova, and Sergij Kotschergin. Happy Birthday to all!
Funeral Service
Rabbi Irit Shillor lead a funeral service on December 19 for Riva Voronova. May her soul be bound up in the Covenant of Life.
Get Well Wishes — Refuah Schlama
Get well wishes to all those ill at home or in the hospital. Please call the office and ask who YOU can visit. It is a Mitzvah to visit the sick!
Shalom!
— Your board
Program for January 2003:
Jan. 4 5:00 After New Year’s Party
Jan. 17 3:30 Bnei Mitzvah class
5:00 Tu B'Schvat Seder
Jan. 21 10:00 Introduction to Judaism ( In Russian)
3:00 Lecture: “The Jewish Family”, R. Dohme & Rabbi Shillor
Jan. 22 11:00 Lecture: “Understanding our Prayers”, Part 1, Rabbi Shillor
Jan. 25 10:00 Saturday morning services, Rabbi Shillor
Jan. 27 National Holocaust Rememberance Day:
4:30 Memorial service — Synagogenplatz 1
5:00 Discussion Theme: Slave Laborers
6:00 Dr. Alfred Grosser, Lecture
Jan. 28 5:00 Russian Afternoon Art History lecture, in Russian
Jan. 31 3:30 Bnei Mitzvah class, Rabbinical student A. Treyher
5:00 Friday night services, A. Treyher
Feb. 1 10.00 Shiur (learning seminar) with A. Treyher, in Russian
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