Tu B'shvat is often known as the Jewish Earth Day or the New Year of the trees. We will be hosting a virtual Tu B’shvat seder.
When: Jan 17, 2022 08:00 PM Eastern Time 5:00 PM Pacific Time
Register in advance for this meeting by clicking here.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
This is a member-only event. If you are not currently a member, please consider joining or renewing your membership.
By Terry Waslow
Many years ago, I read about a Jewish group called the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic needlework They get together with the mission to pass on Jewish needlework traditions. And many years ago, before children, when I was living a more carefree, independent single life, I used to weave. I became very interested in the fiberarts traditions of various cultures. I thought it would be interesting to explore how to combine my Jewishness with this love of fiberarts.
My mother was a knitter and my grandmother was quite skilled in crochet and embroidery. They made utilitarian items, turning the mundane into works of beauty. Among the items that I cherish are a beautiful lace tablecloth, napkins and runner my grandmother made for my mother as a wedding gift. It is 77 years old. I look at it and admire the patience and skill it took to make it and I wonder how she completed the work amidst all the other responsibilities in her very busy life.
Well, I finally joined my local chapter of the Guild just a few years ago and began some new and exciting projects. Our chapter name is Masorot meaning tradition. The other members are so skilled and kind when teaching techniques and I have learned many new ways of combining my Jewishness with traditional and modern needle arts. But one of the other things I love about this group is their commitment to tikkun olam, making the world better. They use their time and supplies to add beauty to the lives of others faced with challenges many of us will never face. We have been making hats for premature babies and donate them to hospital neonatal intensive care units and blankets for seniors in various facilities. This week we got together and began making blankets for refugee families, new arrivals from Afghanistan. In the first hour of our working together we completed 18 blankets and a number of scarves. One more session and we will soon have a good number of completed items to get to families as the cold weather sets in.
These sessions may not be the radical activities I often take part in, but knowing that something positive is being added to individual lives is just one step in making this world a better and more beautiful world, a bessere un shanere velt. Needlework adds moments of pleasure and relaxation to my often hectic life and gives me the needed moments to energize myself for the work ahead. It is one step I can take in between the bigger, more impactful actions.
Tayere khaveyrim, dear friends,
We have just finished a significant holiday season and I hope your time was meaningful. Some of us have felt safe enough to gather in person and some felt more secure continuing on zoom. Our affiliates shared the holidays in multiple ways, some in person, some virtually and some chose to create hybrid celebrations. As we continue in these strange times, I know we will have multiple responses to how to gather and what activities will be safe and strategic. Please continue to let us know how you are planning on moving forward with your activities as things seem to change rather quickly.
CSJO has begun to do some in-person gatherings, but will continue to have programs on zoom. This is not solely a response to the ongoing pandemic. We have found zoom to be a wonderful way to bring members from various and distant locations together and to be more readily available to new members. We will continue with our monthly shabes programs and our book club using a virtual platform. We are also exploring other programs that we can offer. As we carry on virtually we will explore the possibility of an in-person conference.
Our most recent shabes program took place during sukis and our presenter shared some wonderful information about how the holiday is celebrated by various Jewish groups across the diaspora. We learned that the sukkah is decorated differently according to which tradition you follow.Ashkenazi Jews usually decorate with foliage and fruit. Syrian Jews use the 7 species to decorate: barley, wheat, pomegranates, dates, figs, olives, and grapes. Spanish and Portuguese Jews use cranberries and plums. Moroccan Jews hang rugs and “Elijah’s” chair on the walls and on the last day the children burn down the sukkah. There are also varying traditions with the lulav (the 4 species, etrog, palm, willow and myrtle). Ashkenazi Jews assemble the lulav, use it during the holiday and never see it again until the following sukis. Moroccan Jews decorate the lulav with silk ribbons and bells. After the holiday they often put it in a flower pot believing that will promote good health if they place it over the ark that holds a torah scroll. Moroccan, Spanish and Syrian Jews will keep the lulav until Passover and then use it instead of a feather to search for and brush away crumbs.
It is so interesting learning these other Jewish traditions and expanding our understanding of the diversity of our people.
Remember, we will be celebrating shabes together October 29, 5:00 pm pacific time/8:00 pm eastern. This month’s shabes will be coordinated by Rifke Feinstein. You can join in with this link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86036265044?pwd=Ty9KRFRtQ0Z0UVQrSlVBdFhjMmV5dz09
Meeting ID: 860 3626 5044
Passcode: 536560
If you are interested in coordinating a shabes program please contact me.
The book club met in September and we discussed the UnAmericans by Molly Antopol. There was a great discussion and everyone seemed to like the book. Of course we all had different stories in the book that were favorites, but overall we agreed that they were all good to read. Each story invites you into the life of a character to see how their lives have been impacted by history, from McCarthy era Los Angeles, to communist controlled Prague, to modern day Jerusalem and back again.
We will meet again December 9 and the group has chosen to read "Bee Season" by Myla Goldberg.
This is the story of a complex family and the unremarkable daughter and sister who just doesn’t seem to fit in. Suddenly she is thrust into the limelight winning spelling bees and changing her role amongst the challenging array of family characters. Myla Goldberg received much acclaim for this book. Consider joining us in December for our discussion. If you are interested in participating in the book club please contact sarah.csjo@gmail.com. This is a CSJO member only event. If you are not currently a member, please consider joining.
CSJO continues to be a member of the Secular Coalition for America (SCA) and joins a number of other member organizations to support their efforts in publicizing and responding to issues that threaten the U.S. and infringe on the separation of church and state. Take a moment to look at the SCA's most recent press releases.
What are the issues that concern you the most? The Board of CSJO is interested in hearing from our members. Your input will help us determine where to focus our energies and how to best represent our membership.
One of our at-large Board members needed to resign due to other recent obligations. This leaves us with an open position. If anyone is interested or would like to ask some questions about the responsibilities feel free to contact me or any of our current Board members. You can find updated information about our current Board on the CSJO website.
CSJO depends on your generosity to promote and support a secular Jewish identity. Please consider joining (if you haven't) and/or donate as you are able.
Until next time, zayt gezunt, sano i rezio, be well!
Terry Waslow
Executive Director, CSJO
congress@csjo.org
267-625-2756
