Sunday, January 14, 2007
FSU Pesach Project
Many of you have already received a letter about this, but we wanted you all to hear the details of our next adventure. We are participating in a program called the FSU Pesach Project, which my mother has renamed "Seders Across Russia."
This April, 38 rabbinical, cantorial and education students and their spouses will travel to the Former Soviet Union (FSU) on a mission to lead Passover seders for thousands of underserved Jews. The Former Soviet Union is the second largest Jewish population in the diaspora (non-Israeli). During the time of Soviet rule, very few Jews were able to practice Judaism or teach their children about their heritage. Today, thousands of Jews want to have a connection to their roots, but know little about Judaism. The major Jewish force in the area is Chabad, an Orthodox organization, which does not recognize progressive Jewish sects. However, many of these Jews want a modern life and to freely practice Judaism.
As part of the Reform Movement's efforts to provide services to these Jews, HUC sends their first-year students to the FSU in teams of two or three to lead Passover seders in many communities, varying in size, age, etc, during the week of Passover. We will likely go to synagogues, retirement or nursing homes, youth programs, young family programs, and everything in between!
Jamie and I have requested to be sent to Ukraine. Although we won't know for a while to which cities we are going, it is very likely that we will head to a synagogue outside of Lvov, which is only an hour's drive away from the shtetl (village) where his great-grandparents are from. Hopefully, we actually see the shtetl in Ukraine where he comes from!
As you have probably guessed, we need the support of our family and friends back in the States to help make this trip possible. The entire cost of this trip is fundraised each year by the participants, including airfare, transportation, translators, hotel stays, food, etc. But the fundraised money goes so much farther than that. Any money raised beyond the travel expenses for the students goes directly towards gifts for the communities we visit. Some gifts are simple and some are quite large. Last year, the group was able to pay for a new bathroom for a synagogue, where they had previously had to walk through snow in the winter to use an outhouse, they were now able to have a working toilet right in the building. Another year, they were able to raise enough money to buy a synagogue their first Torah, which was carried personally by one of the students.
If you are interested in learning more about this program, or making a tax-deductable donation, please go to www.pesachproject.com. If you receive our posts as emails, you can also always go directly to our blog, where there is a link on the left side panel. We're happy to share more information with you and can't wait to show off our pictures when we get back!
This April, 38 rabbinical, cantorial and education students and their spouses will travel to the Former Soviet Union (FSU) on a mission to lead Passover seders for thousands of underserved Jews. The Former Soviet Union is the second largest Jewish population in the diaspora (non-Israeli). During the time of Soviet rule, very few Jews were able to practice Judaism or teach their children about their heritage. Today, thousands of Jews want to have a connection to their roots, but know little about Judaism. The major Jewish force in the area is Chabad, an Orthodox organization, which does not recognize progressive Jewish sects. However, many of these Jews want a modern life and to freely practice Judaism.
As part of the Reform Movement's efforts to provide services to these Jews, HUC sends their first-year students to the FSU in teams of two or three to lead Passover seders in many communities, varying in size, age, etc, during the week of Passover. We will likely go to synagogues, retirement or nursing homes, youth programs, young family programs, and everything in between!
Jamie and I have requested to be sent to Ukraine. Although we won't know for a while to which cities we are going, it is very likely that we will head to a synagogue outside of Lvov, which is only an hour's drive away from the shtetl (village) where his great-grandparents are from. Hopefully, we actually see the shtetl in Ukraine where he comes from!
As you have probably guessed, we need the support of our family and friends back in the States to help make this trip possible. The entire cost of this trip is fundraised each year by the participants, including airfare, transportation, translators, hotel stays, food, etc. But the fundraised money goes so much farther than that. Any money raised beyond the travel expenses for the students goes directly towards gifts for the communities we visit. Some gifts are simple and some are quite large. Last year, the group was able to pay for a new bathroom for a synagogue, where they had previously had to walk through snow in the winter to use an outhouse, they were now able to have a working toilet right in the building. Another year, they were able to raise enough money to buy a synagogue their first Torah, which was carried personally by one of the students.
If you are interested in learning more about this program, or making a tax-deductable donation, please go to www.pesachproject.com. If you receive our posts as emails, you can also always go directly to our blog, where there is a link on the left side panel. We're happy to share more information with you and can't wait to show off our pictures when we get back!
