Category Archives: April
HELENA JEWISH COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS
Shalom!
This is the last week to catch the impressive Marc Chagall and Ben-Zion display that is currently at Carrol College’s Art Gallery, in St. Charles Hall. The exhibit runs through April 20th, 9a.m. to 9p.m. Definitely worth seeing and contemplating.
In conjunction with the weeks long multi-cultural and multi-ethnic program that Barry Ferst has been directing at Carroll, this Thursday night, April 19th, at 7:30pm in the Carroll College Student Center, main floor lounge, there will be a Holocaust Remembrance event. In addition to speakers, a student panel and candle lighting ceremony, the MAJCO (Montana Association of Jewish Communities) Holocaust poster exhibit will be on display.
Ofer Goren, Israeli mime, will be in Helena on Wednesday, May 2nd. He will perform a program both poignant and entertaining, starting at 7pm in The Forum at Touchmark, on Saddle Dr. Public invited. Ask a friend to attend with you!
On Sunday, April 29th, Rabbi Chaim Bruk will be in town to offer a one hour talk entitled, “Who Knows Ten”, a teaching about the Ten Commandments. This program will start at 1pm. Venue to be determined.
It is time to start planning for the Hazon Environmental bike riders who will be coming to and through Helena on the weekend of June 22nd-24th. They will be staying at Carroll College where we will share potluck meals with the group, enjoy Shabbat services led by Rabbi Ed Stafman, have the opportunity to take a walking tour of “Jewish Helena” and more. Do plan to attend what promises to be a wonderful and very special Shabbat weekend right here in Helena. Also, if you are up to it, consider making the 90 mile bike ride to Bozeman, with the group on that Sunday morning. Rabbi Ed and several congregants from Beth Shalom have already signed up for the challenge.
Lots going on! Hope you can join in. Janet Tatz
Who Knows 10? An in depth look at the 10 Commandments with Rabbi Chaim Bruk
With the beginning of Spring, Aitz Chaim is beginning to sponsor many activities and classes!
In addition to the performance by Ofer Goren on Thursday, May 3 and the full schedule of services on the weekend of May 4-6, Chabad Lubavitch Rabbi Chaim Bruk will come to Great Falls on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. to teach a class on the 10 Commandments!
What: Who Knows 10, an in depth look at the 10 Commandments with Rabbi Bruk
When: 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 26
Where: Conference Room on the first floor of 1015 1st Ave N in Great Falls
VIOLINS OF HOPE
Meriam Nagel brought this to my attention.
In 1996, Israeli master violinmaker Amnon Weinstein began to collect and carefully restore violins that had extraordinary histories of suffering, courage, and resiliency. These violins are precious artifacts from one of the greatest human tragedies. Some were played by Jewish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps; others belonged to the Klezmer musical culture, which was all but destroyed in the Holocaust.
Today, Amnon receives visitors bearing priceless instruments in shambles. The restoration process is complex, sometimes taking years to revive a single instrument. But when a violinist moves his bow across one of these instruments, the message resounds.
A project of national significance comes to Charlotte in April 2012
The Violins of Hope have never before been exhibited or played together in North or South America. With the support of the Charlotte community and our partners in the arts and education, the College of Arts + Architecture at UNC Charlotte presents a project that promises to inspire, illuminate, and educate.
In April 2012, UNC Charlotte’s College of Arts + Architecture will bring Violins of Hope to Charlotte for a series of exhibitions and performances focused on 18 instruments recovered from the Holocaust. Acclaimed musicians from across the country and around the world will play alongside Charlotte musicians, giving voice to the violins’ former owners and expressing the hope that comes with restoring to these instruments the power to play again.
For more information, please visit these web sites:
http://www.violinsofhopecharlotte.com
http://www.violinsofhope.org
http://www.shlomo-mintz.com/violinsofhope
Also search for violins of hope on YouTube.
THE NIGHT AFTER SEDER
‘Twas the night after Seder, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The matzah, the farfel, the charoset I ate,
After both the Sedarim, had gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked over to shul (less a walk than a lumber),
I remembered the marvelous meals I’d prepared;
The turkey with gravy, the beef nicely rared,
The wine and the matzo balls, the Migdal pareve cheese
The way I’d never said, “I’ve had enough; no more, if you please.”
As I tied myself into my apron again
I spied my reflection and disgustedly, then —
I said to myself, “you’re such a weak wimp”,
“You can’t show up at shul resembling a blimp!”
So–away with the last of the meatballs so sweet ,
Get rid of the turkey, chopped liver and meat.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
“Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won’t have any more macaroons from the box,
I can’t wait til next week. (Ah, the bagels and lox.)
I won’t have any luxion, farfel or p’chah,
I’ll munch on a carrot or wire shut my own jaw.
It’s a three day yom tov and shabbas is still
Ahead of me with another fleshiks meal to fulfill.
If I have to cook one more chicken, I think I will riot.
So a zisn pesach to you all and to all a good diet!
SOME PASSOVER SONGS
(Sung to the tune of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music)
Cleaning and cooking and so many dishes
Out with the hametz, no pasta, no knishes
Fish that’s gefillted, horseradish that stings
These are a few of our Passover things.
Matzah and karpas and chopped up haroset
Shankbones and kiddish and yiddish neuroses
Tante who kvetches and uncle who sings
These are a few of our Passover things.
Motzi and maror and trouble with Pharoahs
Famines and locusts and slaves with wheelbarrows
Matzah balls floating and eggshell that clings
These are a few of our Passover things.
When the plagues strike
When the lice bite
When we’re feeling sad
We simply remember our Passover things
And then we don’t feel so bad.
Elijah
(Sung to the tune of “Maria”)
Elijah!
I just saw the prophet Elijah.
And suddenly that name
Will never sound the same to me.
Elijah!
He came to our seder
Elijah!
He had his cup of wine,
But could not stay to dine
This year–
Elijah!
For your message all Jews are waiting:
That the time’s come for peace and not hating–
Elijah–
Next year we’ll be waiting.
Elijah!
The Seder Plate Song
(Sung to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)
(By Dan Ochman)
Shank bone on my Seder plate
Helps to make the Seder great
Charoset and some wine to sip
Don’t forget the greens to dip
Bitter herbs and an egg complete
our Seder plate so now let’s eat!
Pharoh, Pharoh
(Sung to the tune of “Louie, Louie”)
CHORUS:
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
Oy oy oy oy oy oy!
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
A burnin’ bush told me just the other day
That I should come over here and stay.
Gotta get my people outta Pharaoh’s hands
Gotta lead my people to the Promised Land.
CHORUS
The Nile turned to blood! There were darkened black skies!
Gnats and frogs! There were locusts and flies!
The first born died, causing Egypt to grieve,
Finally Pharaoh said, “Y’all can leave!”
CHORUS
Me and my people goin’ to the Red Sea
Pharaoh’s army’s comin’ after me.
I raised my rod, stuck it in the sand
All of G-d’s people walked across the dry land.
CHORUS
Pharaoh’s army was a comin’ too.
So what you think that I should do?
Well, I raised my rod and I cleared my throat
And all of Pharaoh’s army did the dead man’s float.
CHORUS
Coda:
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
Oy oy oy oy oy oy!
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
I said, we gotta go.
I said, we gotta go now.
Let’s go!
The Aitz Chaim Ram's Horn 