Masorti News From Around the World | July 2024
July 17th, 2024

In this edition of our newsletter, we are excited to share some of the highlights from our Masorti/Conservative worldwide movement in recent months through the work and achievements of our global organizations and regions.

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Message from our Executive Director

Along with many of our brothers and sisters around the world, we have not had a minute to breathe lately. We overcame the pandemic and the challenges we all faced during that time, and then the war started in Ukraine, and now the war in Israel. We never imagined that such a terrible war could break out in Israel, and last for so long. As we approach nearly 10 months since the war in Israel started, we hope and pray for it to end, and to see the immediate release of all of the hostages.

At the start of the war, we couldn’t fully grasp how it would impact our Masorti/Conservative communities around the world. Very quickly we understood that it affects all of us greatly, both within our global work and vision and within our communities around the world. We see the resilience of the Jewish People and how our communities immediately reacted and responded to create and organize local efforts of support.

We have heard from some of our communities that they have grown stronger and more unified since the start of the war. We also hear how people are in need, now more than ever, of their community as a [metaphorical] shelter that will guide and protect them from what is going on around them.

You will see in our newsletter below the amazing work that we have been able to achieve, along with the amazing programs within our communities and regions across our movement. With creativity and consistency, the activities have not stopped; and neither have our lives.

We invite you to be our partners in all that’s happening around our world and join us in the amazing and rewarding experience of being a Masorti/Conservative Jew.

I pray that we see an immediate end to all the wars and conflicts around the world and that all of our hostages return home safely and healthy.

Rabbi Mauricio Balter

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Masorti Olami International Programming

If you haven't yet checked out our 2023 Annual Review, here's a reminder to browse the stories and achievements of our initiatives and projects to support and help strengthen the Masorti/Conservative movement around the world. Click below to learn about milestones, activities and results from our global organizations and regions.

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Members of our Masorti/Conservative communities in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, South Africa, Uganda, UK, and Ukraine shared their favorite Passover traditions in their communities and families. Click the player above to watch, and select the “cc” setting to turn on English subtitles.

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In honor of International Day of Social Justice, which gives us an opportunity to reflect on the reality in which we live in, and our place within it, Masorti Olami created a study page with texts from the sources and works of modern thinkers in order to offer a Masorti/Conservative perspective of the responsibility of the individual towards one another or the vulnerable in society. Click here to read a special message from Executive Director Rabbi Mauricio Balter and download the files in English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish, and Ukrainian.

Israel at War

Masorti and MERCAZ Olami remain committed to raising awareness about the 120 hostages, men, women, and children, that are still being held captive in Gaza, and we pray for their immediate and safe return home, and for an end to the suffering of all innocent people.

Click on the images to read the statements and learn how to join us in our efforts to help bring our people home.

We have organized various different briefings, events and resources to bring to our communities, which you can read more about here.

MERCAZ Olami

Delegates of Masorti and MERCAZ Olami participated in the WZO's 38th Zionist General Council (Va'ad HaPoel) in February, with the theme "The Zionist Movement – The Day After – Diaspora, Aliya, Israel". The group, with representatives from Argentina, Canada, France, Israel, UK and USA, participated in many plenary and committee discussions and a one-day conference called "The Challenges of the Jewish People – Post October 7th Global Leadership Meeting".

During the conference two of our representatives were awarded with the Honorary Fellows recognition: Alan Silberman, representative and board member of MERCAZ USA and former president of Masorti Olami (2006 to 2013), and Emily Levy Shochat current co-Chair and Treasurer of MERCAZ Olami.

❱❱ Learn more ❰❰

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The Zionism Under Attack Seminar, hosted by MERCAZ Olami in Israel from February 6-8, brought together 30 representatives from Masorti/Conservative communities in Canada, Chile, Argentina, Russia, UK, Hungary, Sweden, and France. The seminar's purpose was to address challenges facing Zionism in the contemporary world and to foster discussions on the role of Masorti/Conservatives communities in supporting and defending Zionism.

❱❱ Find out more ❰❰

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The World Zionist Congress, which will take place next year, is your chance to shape a vision for Israel built on democracy, equality, and pluralism. By supporting MERCAZ, you're not just securing vital funding for Masorti/Conservative programs globally—you're ensuring resources for community education initiatives and promoting religious pluralism in Israel. 2023 brought unprecedented challenges. Now, as we stand with the Jewish state, MERCAZ is at the forefront of responsible recovery efforts, strengthening the bonds between Diaspora Jews and Israel.

We encourage you to be an advocate for MERCAZ and to Israel's pluralistic future, and the unity of the Jewish people. To learn more about MERCAZ Olami and the World Zionist congress, visit: mercazolami.org.

NOAM Olami

From June 26-30, NOAM Olami held its International Conference in Jerusalem themed Sustainability Through a Jewish Lens: NOAM Leaders Shaping Tomorrow. The event gathered 35 NOAM leaders from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, France, Germany, Israel, Spain, the UK, and Ukraine. With panels, workshop sessions, visits, and tours, the conference program included activities led by our NOAMists and by prominent figures.

❱❱ Learn more ❰❰

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In early January, NOAM Ukraine welcomed 40 chanichim and madrichim from across the country to its winter camp, which took place in Sun Valley, Chernivtsi district.

With 'The Stars of Judaism' as its main theme, the camp included workshops and activities, some led by the chanichim themselves. 

Marom

Marom, the young adult organization in the Masorti/Conservative Movement brought a second group of volunteers from around the world for a new unforgettable and meaningful experience in Israel. Together with Taglit, the Marom Volunteer Delegation 2.0 brought together young people from Argentina, Brazil, France, Russia, Uganda, Kenya and Ukraine. From May 6 - 16, the 27 participants volunteered helping organizations supporting displaced families and working in agriculture in Moshav Shekef, in south-central Israel. The group also met with key leaders and representatives from the movement, to learn about the importance of being part of a global movement. 

The project aims at bringing young people to Israel and helping them understand post-war Israeli society and the role of the diaspora in these difficult times, and strengthening their connections with young people from other countries who share the same Masorti/Conservative values of solidarity and Tikun Olam.

❱❱ Find out more ❰❰

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AmLat

In partnership with the Center for Social Innovation of University of San Andrés, in Buenos Aires, the third edition of Masorti AmLat’s Leadership Development Program was concluded in March. This edition, which featured the participation of Masorti and MERCAZ Olami Executive Director Rabbi Mauricio Balter, who led a in-person session in Argentina, trained 30 volunteer and professional leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and El Salvador. 

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Our AmLat region released a promo video for its environmental best practices and standards campaign, Eco Masorti. In the video, rabbis from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, and the president of the Latin American Rabbinical Assembly, Rabbi Judy Nowominski, bring the decalogue norms and their importance and relevance, and invite our communities to join the initiative. Click on the player to watch.

Europe

Masorti Europe, in collaboration with Masorti Judaism in the UK, hosted their first regional gathering since the pandemic, which brought together an international delegation of over 250 participants from 14 different countries for Masorti Europe’s regional conference. The participants, including community presidents, rabbis, cantors, youth directors, community directors, lay leaders, professionals, and members of communities, came together for a weekend of shared learning on the theme of ‘A European Conversation,’ to explore perspectives on being Jewish in Europe today.

❱❱ Read the full report ❰❰

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We celebrated and welcomed the two new rabbis ordained by our European Masorti Rabbinical School Zacharias Frankel College in Germany: Rabbi Levi Israel Ufferfilge and Rabbi Karen Engel.

Masorti Olami and Masorti Europe were proud to send key representatives to honor and celebrate our two newest rabbis in the movement, including Masorti Europe President Wanda Teplitsky, Masorti and MERCAZ Olami Executive Director Rabbi Mauricio Balter and Deputy Director Tehila Reuben.

❱❱ Learn more ❰❰

Ukraine

Our Ukrainian Masorti/Conservative communities welcomed 13 new mashgichim who completed an intensive 7-month Kashrut Supervisor Course taught by Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow.

Masorti Olami is excited to welcome the new certified mashgichim to our network, and to support this project together with the Schechter Institutes. 

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Kehillat Aviv, our Masorti/Conservative community in Chernivtsi, brought together 60 people from Odessa, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Chernivtsi for their Family Camp in May. Families and children participated in educational and fun activities and games, attended Shabbat services and shiurim, and were joined by an additional 30 other Chernivtsi community members for a Sunday Lag BaOmer celebration.

❱❱ Find out more ❰❰

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This Purim and Pesach, Masorti Olami together with Schechter Institutes called upon our friends and supporters worldwide to give generously to a special joint campaign based on the mitzvah of Matanot L'evyonim - Gifts for the Needy - for our communities in Ukraine that continue to struggle with the repercussions of the ongoing war, which began in 2022.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine we have managed to provide our Ukrainian community members, both in Ukraine, and those refugees in Europe, Israel and the US with Jewish communal life.

Pesach celebration in Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Pesach celebration in Chernivtsi, Ukraine

We would not have been able to provide the support we did to our communities without the support of our donors and friends around the world. Thank you for continuing to trust us to help our Ukrainian Masorti/Conservative family. | ❤ Donate here

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Africa

The tallitot collected in a campaign led by Masorti Olami together with Masorti Israel communities were delivered to the Namanyonyi community in Uganda.

Moshe Sebagabo, spiritual leader of the community that is one of the nine Abayudaya communities in the country, received the donations that will certainly make a big difference in their religious services.

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Together with Masorti Olami, current Denver Jewish Day School senior students Maya Friedlander, Mia Wexler, and Megan Coughlan fundraised money for matzah, wine and other Pesach essentials for the Abayudaya Jewish communities in Uganda and Kenya. The campaign was a huge success and we were able to provide 10 communities across Uganda and Kenya with wine and matzot for the holiday.

Click here to learn more about this generous initiative by the students from Colorado, USA.

We thank all donors and friends around the world for continuing to help us support the Abayudaya communities and their more than 2,500 members spread across villages and centers in eastern Uganda and northern Kenya.

Thanks to these generous donations, we continue to help them by providing ritual objects for Shabbat and Holidays, helping to develop their future leadership and teachers, and working with NOAM youth to plan their activities, conferences, formulate a long-term work plan, and increase their network. | ❤ Make a donation today!

Support Masorti/Conservative Jewish communities around the world and the continuation of our faith and values from generation to generation. Donate now.

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