Kislev / Tevet 5783

RUACH

Hanukkah:

Join us for an on-line Hannukah celebration as we light the Menorah, sings songs, and schmooze. It’ll be a great way to share some light and connection during these wintry nights.

In the Zoom Room, starting at 4:00 PM on Sunday, December 18!

Tu B’Shevat

Yes, the days will be getting longer, and the “New Year of the Trees” is right around the corner!

Stay tuned for the details about our Chavurah in-person gathering, when we will re-connect with nature as it begins to bloom and grow, and the days get longer.

Sunday, Feb 5 – details to follow!

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TIKKUN OLAM

Thanks to the generosity of many, Chavurat Shir Hayam exceeded our goal of $1,250 by raising $1,775 to reduce hunger through this year’s Crop Hunger Walk. The total for Bainbridge Island / NK was $14,985. We raised the third highest amount. Not bad for our little chavurah. Thank you to all who contributed. If you still want to contribute, go to Denise Brown Cropwalk

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CULTURAL EVENTS

Did you know there were four significant waves of Jewish migration to China, starting with the Silk Road around 1000 CE and ending during WWII? Each wave settled in a different part of China and some of those communities are still active.

In December and January, we’ll be exploring the history and experiences of Jews in China through books, a video lecture, and a very special presentation by Rabbi Dario Feiguin of Kol Shalom and his wife Yudi, who have led many trips to visit Jewish communities in China.

Webinar by Rabbi Dario, “Jews in China,” January 5, 7:30 pm via Zoom

This will be a Zoom event. All are welcome. We’ll send the Zoom link a day or two in advance. Watch your email. (This event will be recorded and available afterwards.)

Video lecture, Rabbi Anton Laytner, “The Jews of Kaifeng”: The Jews of Kaifeng: Yesterday and Today–A Lecture by Rabbi Anson Laytner – YouTube

Jews have lived in Kaifeng in central China for over 1,000 years. Rabbi Laytner, a scholar of this population, discusses what brought them to Kaifeng, what their lives were like, and the community today. (Watch anytime.)

Book discussion, Sunday, Jan. 22, 11:00 via Zoom

Pick a book and join the discussion! There are many interesting books about Jews in China, so rather than pick one book for everyone to read, we’ve come up with a list of books to pick from. Pick one (or more!) and then join us for a discussion where we’ll share what we’ve learned.

Here’s a list of books to pick from. (If you find others that look interesting, if you find others that look interesting, let us know at robin.a.simons@gmail.com

Peony by Pearl S. Buck: set in the 1850s in Kaifeng, the novel follows Peony, a Chinese bondmaid of a prominent Jewish family, and shows through her eyes how the Jewish community was regarded in Kaifeng at a time when most of the Jews had come to think of themselves as Chinese.

Escape to Shanghai by Alex Ross: the true story of four Jewish families who escaped from Germany to Shanghai during WWII.

Farewell, Shanghai by Angel Wagen­stein: a novel based on real people that tells the stories of Jewish refugees in Shanghai during WWII.

More books about Jews in Shanghai during WWII:

https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/books/reading-lists/chinese-jewish-experiences

The Last Kings of Shanghai, The Rival Jewish Dynasties That Helped Create Modern China, by Jonathan Kaufman: the story of two powerful Jewish families who dominated trade in Asia for 150 years until shortly before WWII. This is also available as a YouTube lecture by Jonathan Kaufman.

To do:

• Watch your email for the Zoom link to Rabbi Dario’s presentation on January 5th.
• Read about Jews in China during December and January
• Watch your email for the Zoom link for the book discussion on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 11:00 am.

We look forward to seeing you at these events!

Robin Simons robin.a.simons@gmail.com

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COMMUNITY NEWS:

Mazal Tov, Mazal Tov to Michele Lyons on the marriage of her daughter, Allison, to Will last month.  Married on a perfect day in La Jolla, California, Allison married exactly one year after her brother Jeremy’s wedding.  Will and Allison are living in Los Angeles.

Rachel Brown, daughter of Denise and Jeff Brown, has joined King County Metro’s Research and Innovation team as a Research Associate. She will be advising teams on how to improve mobility options for transit users across the County

Mazal Tovs also to Jon Garfunkel and his daughters!

—Emily met Jack Sims at Columbia University and they are now engaged to be married in August of 2023.  With a degree in Sustainable Development, Emily will begin a new job in January as a policy analyst at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.  They live in Chicago.

—Maddy, a Licensed Massage Therapist, opened her own practice in September on Bainbridge called Body Wise Wellness in the Coppertop Loop complex.  Her combination of modalities include deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, myofascial release clinical massage, Craniosacral Therapy and Fascial Counterstrain. Learn more at https://body-wise-wellness.com

Mazel Tov to Robin Simons on her long-awaited retirement!

BAGELS AND COFFEE

Jane and Bob Greenberg are hosting a Coffee, Bagels, and Conversation event at their home on Sunday, January 29 @ 10:30 AM. To reserve your spot, please RSVP Jane at jwren7@gmail.com

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COORDINATING COMMITTEE

Next meeting: Monday, Dec 12 at 6:00 PM in the Zoom Room. All invited to attend.

The committee has developed a Land Acknowledgement Statement which can be used when we are publicly gathering or conducting a service. Contact the committee for the Statement. Thanks to Jon Garfunkel for his work on developing the Statement.

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Update on BI/ North Kitsap Interfaith Council (IFC)

Sharon Rutzick provided this update about IFC, to which our Chavurah has been an active member for many years:

The IFC sponsored another beautiful Thanksgiving Interfaith celebration on the theme of “Gratitude to Mother Earth” with music, readings, and featuring speakers from the Suquamish Nation and Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church.

Thanks to Jeff Brown for representing Shir Hayam in the candle lighting ceremony.

In terms of social action, the IFC meetings address many topics, from gun control to trans awareness.  At last Thursday’s meeting, we had a presentation of work being done by two members on developing a Climate Pledge for faith communities and a report by John Kydd who had just returned from the Climate Change Conference at Sharm el-Sheikh.  It can be overwhelming when considering the major challenges facing us as human beings, as Jews, right now – gun proliferation and violence, war, racial, religious, and gender prejudice and hatred, immigration, political polarization – it’s a long, powerful list.  And at least as important, and perhaps overarching, is climate change. 

The IFC CLIMATE CIRCLE is perhaps one place where we might consider committing some effort as a community.  The Climate Circle will be addressing both personal and communal ways we can approach climate change, and hopefully political ways as well.  For one thing, they will be asking different faith communities what efforts they have made to reduce their carbon footprints so that we may learn from each other.  I am very proud that Shir Hayam began these discussions long ago, and perhaps we can also consider what other communities have done or are doing.  They will also be asking each of our local faith communities to consider signing the Climate Pledge that is being developed.

If any Shir Hayamers are interested in joining the IFC Climate Circle, they would be very welcome.  Please contact Mike Cox at 206.799.3725

REQUEST from Sharon:

I will not be able to attend the IFC meetings in February and March.  Is anyone interested and available to go to either or both of these meetings?  They will be on Thursday, February 2 from 6:30 till 8 p.m., and Thursday, March 2, from 6:30-8 p.m. I can forward you the meeting locations when I receive them and the speakers and/or topic for each session. If available, please contact me at sharonrutzick@gmail.com or call 206.393.7300