Dear Moishe House Family,
As another week is upon us, our hearts and minds continue to be with those most directly impacted by the ongoing conflicts in Israel and Ukraine, including members of our own Moishe House family. We acknowledge the release of some of the hostages in Israel – a moment of relief and hope – while we hold space for the lingering shadows of fear and uncertainty that these times cast.
In this spirit, and as an organization focused on inspiring Jewish young adults to proudly explore and express their Jewish identity, we are hosting a special Global Voices Briefing for our staff and board and would like to extend an invite to the broader Moishe House community. Join us on Wednesday, December 13th at 11:30am EST/17:30 CET/18:30 IST for an intimate conversation with Moishe House Community Builders based in Israel. Where we’ll hear about their experiences on the ground in Israel over the past few months, how they’ve been able to build community and what their communities need right now. This conversation will be moderated by Tel Aviv-based Moishe House Board Member, Dammara Kovnats Hall. Click here to register and receive the Zoom link.
In times like these, we have the privilege of leaning on the Jewish value of hitchazkut – strengthening others. This week, we are proud to spotlight the incredible efforts of our RSJ and Ukrainian community builders who exemplify this spirit of community through their dedicated service and volunteering initiatives:
Moishe House Tel Aviv – RSJ partnered with Magen David Adom to provide first aid training where community members learned the important skills needed to assist in an emergency and raise money to support Magen David Adom’s lifesaving work. They had 180 people register to attend this event, so our community builders set up several more sessions to meet the demand!
Moishe House staff member and peer-led retreat facilitator David Pasmanik brought 10 RSJ participants from across Canada together to explore the Jewish value of Hachnasat Orchim – hospitality. Together, they dove into sessions on welcoming strangers, supporting Ukrainian refugees in Canada, and the importance of embracing the unknown.
Due to the recent events in Israel, Moishe House Vilnius invited a psychologist to support their community. They explored the nature of a crisis, different reactions to stress, and how to cope with it. With professional mental health support, they were able to discuss the tough topics at hand and find comfort by being together in community.
At the North American RSJ retreat, attendees participated in an Open Circle forum – the first in a series that will be included in all upcoming North American and FSU RSJ retreats. In this session, the group explored their individual RSJ identities, discussed the nuances of being part of a community affected by two wars, brainstormed how we can better connect RSJ communities around the world, and thought through how to take these learnings home after the retreat. While these are big questions, our RSJ team plans to dedicate time during each retreat to answer them in partnership with our RSJ community.
Leading the charge of all our Tikkun Olam work is Jessica Herrmann, our Director of Jewish Service Learning, which is made possible by our unique partnership with Repair the World. Jessica expertly guides our community builders in designing and implementing impactful programs. If you are looking for inspiration on how to give back to your community, here are a few ideas from Jessica to help get you started.
Our commitment to uplifting others is not just a call to service but a journey of continuous growth and understanding. As we prepare to light our Hanukkah candles on Thursday night, let us reflect on the light we can bring into the world through our actions, together.
-Your Moishe House Mishpacha
