ÿþ<HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="Microsoft Word 97"> <META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="Mozilla/4.04 [en] (Win95; I) [Netscape]"> <META NAME="Author" CONTENT="Inés Gutiérrez"> <TITLE>KOLEINU - Newsletter - B nei Israel Congregation - San José, Costa Rica</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY TEXT="#000000" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#551A8B" ALINK="#FF0000" BACKGROUND="paperINGnew.gif"> <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica" SIZE=2> <P><IMG SRC="KOLEINU.gif" ALIGN=LEFT> <P><IMG SRC="OUR_VOICE.gif" ALIGN=RIGHT> <p>&nbsp; <p>&nbsp; <p>&nbsp; <CENTER> <H4> <A NAME="B nei Israel Congregation - San José, Costa"></A>B nei Israel Congregation - San José, Costa Rica</H4> <I>Liberal Synagogue affiliated with <U>World Union for Progressive Judaism </U><br> and with <U>Union of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean </U></I><br> Tel. 231-5243 / Fax 231-5787<br> B nei Israel Online: <A HREF="http://www.bnei-israel.org">http://www.bnei-israel.org/</A><br> B'nei Israel Congregation: <A HREF="mailto:congbnei@racsa.co.cr">congbnei@racsa.co.cr<br></CENTER> <p>&nbsp;<B> <CENTER> <H1> <A NAME="KOLEINU - Our Voice"></A> <A HREF="BOLpast.html#March_2004">KOLEINU - Our Voice</A></H1></CENTER> <CENTER><H2>MARCH 2004</H2></CENTER> <CENTER><H3>Adar I - Adar II 5764</I></H3></CENTER> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <UL> <LI> <A NAME="#Message_Rabbi"></A> <A HREF="#MESSAGE RABBI"> Message from our Rabbi</A> - <I>by Rabbi Michael Holzman</I></LI> <LI> <A NAME="#Message_President"></A> <A HREF="#MESSAGE PRESIDENT"> Message from our President</A> - <I>by David Feingold</I></LI> <LI> <A NAME="#Letters_Congregation"></A> <A HREF="#LETTERS CONGREGATION"> Letters to the Congregation:</A> <ul> <li>Tu B'shevat Seder - <I>by Donald Kass</I> <li>Chazak v'ematz - <I>by Rabbi Gunther Plaut</I> </ul></LI> <LI> <A NAME="#Sex_Rabbinate"></A> <A HREF="#SEX RABBINATE"> Editorial:</A> <ul> <li>Sex and the Rabbinate </ul></LI> <LI> <A NAME="#General_Assembly"></A> <A HREF="#GENERAL ASSEMBLY"> Extraordinary General Assembly</A> <ul> <li>Specific change to Article VIII of the Cemetery's <i>Rules and Regulations</i> </ul></LI> <LI> <A NAME="#Avodah_Committee"></A> <A HREF="#AVODAH COMMITTEE"> Update of the Avodah Committee</A> - <I>by Hilda ten Brink</I> <LI> <A NAME="#Torah_Committee"></A> <A HREF="#TORAH COMMITTEE"> Update of the Torah Committee</A> - <I>by Pilar Elkin</I> <LI> <A NAME="#Shvat_Seder"></A> <A HREF="#SHVAT SEDER"> Tu B'Shvat Seder</A> - <I>by Bill Fischer</I> <LI> <A NAME="#Saving_the_Faith"></A> <A HREF="#SAVING THE FAITH"> Saving the Faith</A> - <I>by Paul Golin</I> <LI> <A NAME="#God_Helps"></A> <A HREF="#GOD HELPS"> God Helps Those Who Help Themselves</A> - <I>by Raymond P. Scheindlin</I> <LI> <A NAME="#Purim_Festival"></A> <A HREF="#PURIM FESTIVAL"> Invitation to our Purim Festival</I> <LI> <A NAME="#The_Passion"></A> <A HREF="#THE PASSION"> Is "The Passion" anti-Semitic?</A> - <I>by Jeff Jacoby</I> <LI> <A NAME="#Costa_Rica"></A> <A HREF="#COSTA RICA"> GPS, Costa Rica Style</A> - <I>by Patricia Feigen</I> <LI> <A NAME="#Story_Purim"></A> <A HREF="#STORY PURIM"> A Story for Purim:</A></LI> <UL> <LI>Let There Be Light <LI>How can the <I>mitzvah</I> of <I>tzedakah</I> add "light" to the world? </UL> <LI> <A NAME="#Jewish_Humor"></A> <A HREF="#JEWISH HUMOR"> Jewish Humor:</A></LI> <UL> <LI>A Father's Teachings about Purim </UL> <LI> <A NAME="#News_Congratulations"></A> <A HREF="#NEWS CONGRATULATIONS"> News - Congratulations</A></LI> <LI> <A NAME="#Upcoming_Events"></A> <A HREF="#UPCOMING EVENTS"> Upcoming Events</A></LI> </UL> <P><B>Articles in Spanish without translation: (see: <A HREF="BOLmarzo2004.html#KOLEINU.bmp"> MARZO 2004)</A> <UL> <LI>Letters to the Congregation: <UL> <LI>Invitation to the 9th FUSLA Convention for Jewish Young Adults </UL> <LI>Jewish Tidbit: <UL> <LI>Rabbi makes up a prayer for Jews to recite whenever they enter sexual websites </UL> </UL> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <HR width="100%"> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <H3> <A NAME="#MESSAGE RABBI"> <A HREF="#Message_Rabbi"> MESSAGE FROM OUR RABBI</A></H3> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dear Hevreh, <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For the past two years I have been blessed to build a relationship with B nei Israel Congregation. Unfortunately, some of you may have heard the sad news that I will be leaving B nei Israel this June. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We leave with a heavy heart, knowing we will miss this community. When I began my relationship with B nei Israel, the congregation was beginning its discussion about the hiring of a permanent rabbi, and I was nearing the end of my rabbinical studies. Since then, we have all learned a great deal about the sacred and complex relationship between a rabbi and a community. This is an enormous transition for B nei Israel  to move from no rabbi to a full-time rabbi  and for me  to move from my studies to work in a congregation. In only seven months we have made tremendous strides in that transition, integrating the role of a rabbi into a community that had never had one. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In no way will my departure be a step backwards. The next five months offer us a wonderful opportunity to further develop our programs, and to further understand the congregation s need for a rabbi. We have already begun the former. Our Avodah has grown in both the attendance at services and the seriousness of our conversation about prayer. Our Torah study has exploded with programs for every age group in multiple subjects; and we continue to perform G millut Hasadim as we come together in times of need and celebration, and begin Tzedakah projects for the <i>La Promesa</i> community outside of Santa Ana. If you are worried that my departure might slow us down, just look at our bulletin this month. We have expanded our programs, we have higher attendance at services, and we have welcomed new members. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We have also grown in our relationship between rabbi and congregation. This relationship is sacred and complicated, and this year has given, and will continue to give, all of us a better understanding of how to honor and thrive in it. Over the next five months, I am dedicated to both of these areas  the program and the relationship, so that by the end of June, the congregation's strength and health will allow it to quickly move forward with a new rabbi. We certainly will not move backwards. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I have been honored to build personal relationships with many of you, and I hope that my presence as a rabbi has enriched your lives and helped you spiritually. I sincerely thank you for placing your trust and confidence in me, and I will treasure our time together for the rest of my career. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L shalom, <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rabbi Michael Holzman </font> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#MESSAGE PRESIDENT"> <A HREF="#Message_President"> MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT</A></H3> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dear Members, <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Throughout the more than 15 years of our existence, B nei Israel has continually grown and evolved. The changes we have gone through have always been positive. Through the hard work of dedicated individuals, we have progressed to where we are able to give our children a strong Jewish education, and together celebrate all our holidays and life cycle events. We have constructed a cemetery, built a new house of worship, and recently were able to have our first full time rabbi. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Now it is time for our evolution to continue. In June of this year, Rabbi Michael Holzman will be leaving us to return to the U.S. The specific reasons for Rabbi Holzman s departure are personal, and we are sad to see him go. This past year has been an incredible experience for our congregation. We have begun to learn how to work with a Rabbi, particularly how to take full advantage of this wonderful resource in our midst. We have developed an even fuller program of celebration and study, and been blessed with the personal counseling that only a spiritual leader can provide. I will surely miss Rabbi Holzman, Nicole, and Avi, and wish them all the best in their new endeavor. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As president of B nei Israel, I would like to communicate my vision for our future concerning our spiritual leadership. First and foremost, I want to be very clear that our commitment to having a permanent rabbi is unchanged. Relying on lay leadership, we have achieved much in these 15 years. In fact, some might argue that we should continue without a full time rabbi. I disagree. Although we have indeed made dreams come true, there is only so much that lay leadership can accomplish by itself. I believe that, in the last few months, we have had a glimpse of what our congregation can become with a full time spiritual leader and teacher. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If we truly desire to make B nei Israel relevant to our daily lives and to the lives of our fellow Jews in Costa Rica, we need a full time rabbi. If we truly want to understand how Judaism can be important in our modern world, we need a full time rabbi. And if we truly want B nei Israel to continue to grow and thrive in a vibrant environment of learning and celebration, we need a full time rabbi. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To that end, we have already begun the process of searching for a new rabbi. We have been in touch with placement offices in both the U.S. and Argentina, and already have a handful of C.V. s from interested candidates. In the coming weeks, we will begin conducting phone interviews, which will then be followed by personal interviews with the best candidates. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This process is one in which I hope each member will participate. We have all learned a great deal through working with Rabbi Holzman, and we will continue to learn during his remaining months with us. Through our own personal relationship with our synagogue, we each have developed opinions as to what characteristics we most desire in a rabbi. I encourage each member to think about your own priorities regarding a rabbi, and please communicate your ideas to me. Write me an email or leave me a note at the synagogue. I am eager to hear from you. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As I write this letter, I am proud to say that we currently have as much or more involvement and activities going on as at any time I can remember in our history. I hope all of us will keep the momentum going, will keep learning and celebrating, so that when the new rabbi arrives, he (or she) will hit the ground running. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L Shalom, <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; David Feingold</font> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#LETTERS CONGREGATION"> <A HREF="#Letters_Congregation"> LETTERS TO THE CONGREGATION</A></H3> <p><i>February 8, 2004</i> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dear Friends, <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yesterday was Tu B'shevat and we went to a seder at our temple. I couldn't help thinking of the many delightful Tu B'shevat seders we had at B'nei Israel, which really introduced me to the festivity. I had never heard of a Tu B'shevat seder before joining B'nei Israel. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The "lifelong learning" group at the temple went all out  and it was a lovely seder but only about 50 people came. We had more people at B'nei Israel seders, although our temple probably has a membership ten times that of B'nei Israel. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As you know, it's been a very cold winter so no one has been going out much. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The children both went to Brazil in January and had a good time. Maria's mother turned 85 today and sounds fine. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We'd like to establish some contact with friends and relatives on B'nei Israel members in NY  maybe we could get together for holidays or something. Our temple has parties for all occasions  Purim, etc.  so maybe they would like to come. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We hope everyone is well and things are going well at B'nei Israel. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Happy Tu B'shevat to all, <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Donald Kass and family </font> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <center>********************************</center> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2><I>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dear Readers: <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rabbi Plaut is the author of the Interpretations of Torah that most congregations in the world, including ours, rely upon. He visited with us, and conducted an unforgettable retreat in Atenas. He was our guest speaker at the UJCL conference in Panama. And most of all, he is my lifetime friend and mentor. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Marvin Sossin</I> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <center><H3>CHAZAK V'EMATZ</H3> <H4>by RABBI W. GUNTHER PLAUT</H4></center> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One of the fundamental experiences of being human is being subject to physical and mental problems. Rabbis are no exception. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I don t hesitate to tell you that last month, I celebrated my 91st birthday, which means I still have a long way to go if I am to equal my mother s journey. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From her I learned that getting old does not necessarily mean wilting away like a dying flower, but now that I am old, I realize that I once took for granted that the youthful alertness of my own mind would last forever, and hopefully be paralleled by my physical capacity. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I had passed my 90th birthday, and at first everything seemed to remain the same. But then, one problem after another began to assail me. But that was minor, of course, compared to what happened to my beloved Elizabeth, my mate of 65 wonderful and productive years. As you know, she became ill several years ago and was finally claimed by the Angel of Death only a few months ago. Her illness, and now her death, have left me in a state of desolation that I have never before experienced. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In addition, I have come to feel in this last while that I was strangely debilitated. Not only did I have physical problems  I had expected them  but my mind too was not functioning with its usual alacrity. I did not seem to be able to make decisions, and when I finally made them, I often did not carry them out. I did not know why this was happening, and therefore sought medical help. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The diagnosis was that I now suffer, like many people my age  and some younger  from Alzheimer s disease. And I want you, my friends and readers, to know this straight from me. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I will continue to do my best, but my best is no longer what it once was. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So, like everyone else, regardless of age or health, I now face a basic question: how exactly, can I do my best in waging a battle against Alzheimer s disease and, of course, for life? <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The answer, simple though it may seem, is best expressed by the brief Hebrew expression <i>chazak v ematz</i>. I will attempt to be as strong as possible and muster up as much courage as possible, knowing that much has been given to me in life, and knowing, as well, that much is in the hands of the Almighty. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And, my friends, I would say the same to you, in whatever battle you must wage for life and for health: <i>chazak v ematz</i>, be strong and be of good courage, and may you and I be granted the privilege of living for as long as our strength and God afford us. <P><i><font size=1>This is Rabbi Plaut s last regular column for The CJN. He has been associated with the paper for more than 30 years and has been a columnist since July 1980. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <U>The Canadian Jewish News</U> - <a href="http://www.cjnews.com">http://www.cjnews.com</a></font></i> <P> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#SEX RABBINATE"> <A HREF="#Sex_Rabbinate"> EDITORIAL:<BR> SEX AND THE RABBINATE</A></H3> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Homosexuality is much in the news these days. The news channels are filled with pictures of same sex couples joining in  holy matrimony in San Francisco. It is probable that the legality of the issue will go all the way to the Supreme Court of the U.S. And we have a decision to make in our own congregation. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rabbi Holzman is leaving in June. We are actively seeking a replacement for him. We know that a significant percentage of the applicants are gay. The Board members of B nei Israel were asked for a consensus opinion on our having a gay rabbi. The majority opinion is against. I suggest we look more deeply before the decision becomes hardened to stone. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When I was growing up the word  gay meant merry, bright (as in colors), inclined to social pleasures. There were no references in the dictionary as to sexual preference. It s a relatively new term. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Homosexuality was simply not discussed, except by psychoanalysts. Books were written, because homosexuality was considered a sickness. Psychiatry was the only road to  cure . But they failed to cure anybody with same sex preferences. They are part of the human family. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course, prejudice and ignorance abounded about such  degenerates to this day. Many parents fear that homosexual teachers will naturally prey on their children. Naturally, gay people most often lived with their shameful secrets  in the closet , as the options were, and still are, segregation and disparagement from society. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is nonsense! There is no substance whatever to the notion that a gay person is any different than anyone else, except in his or her choice of sexual partners. There is no less love and commitment in a same sex union than there is in a heterosexual union. It is a fact of marital life that half of all marriages end in divorce. So much for the status of  holy matrimony and  until death do us part . <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Torah is a multifaceted source of guidance. You can draw meanings to suit your prejudice. I hear people quoting literally from text which says  homosexuality is an abomination . However, I am beholden to the very first lines of Genesis, which speaks to the equality of man (and woman) in that we were created in the image of God. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I am persuaded by my experiences as friend to individuals with same sex preferences, that there is no reason whatever to reject the idea that we could hire a homosexual rabbi; man or woman. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A Jewish congregation is rooted in values. The values of <i>tzedakah</i>, of brotherhood, of learning, and uppermost, the values expressed by Hillel that we can read in our Siddur on every Shabbat, to treat others as we would want others to treat us. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A homosexually oriented person has no choice in his preference as to the sex of his/her partner. Nature and the chemical and psychological factors of the human physiological design channel their sexual options. But we  meaning the majority of us, who function along more traditionally accepted sexual practices  we do have a choice. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We live in the 21st century. We are Liberal Jews. We claim to eschew bigotry and prejudice. We evoke mighty screams at the world whenever anti-Semitism strikes its ugly notes. We must choose our new rabbi based on his/her merits. Don t be influenced by what others might think. The  others are prejudiced against anything we do that doesn t meld with their traditions and repetition of vote as they were taught. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We are the role models of our children. We can t pass that responsibility to anyone else. If we teach them that there is a Creator and God created us in God s image, then we should be consistent to our beliefs. We should disregard therefore, the homosexual factor, in our selection of rabbi for our congregation. In this way, we express the values and principles inherent to the Jewish religion, and a tolerant, loving, progressive society. <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><H2> <A NAME="#GENERAL ASSEMBLY"> <A HREF="#General_Assembly"> EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY</A></H2></CENTER> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There will be an Extraordinary General Assembly, held in conjunction with the Board of Directors meeting scheduled for April 19, 2004 to vote on a specific change to the Rules & Regulations of Cementerio B nei Israel. The Cemetery Committee has undertaken a major improvement project to the cemetery grounds. The Committee has suggested, and the Board has approved, that in connection with this project the existing marble grave plaques be re-installed in a manner to prevent further erosion of their inscriptions and to provide run-off for rainwater and mud. The change is as follows:</font> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <center><font size=4 color=red>ARTICLE VIII:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; MONUMENTS, GRAVESTONES AND MARKERS</font></center> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <table align=center border="0" width="70%"><tr><td> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><b><font face= arial size=3 color=blue> 8.02 - All plots will be marked by the placement of a marble plaque, placed in cement, which shall be laid <strike>flush with the turf</strike> <i>at a height of three centimeters above the turf at the bottom of the plaque and at a height of six centimeters above the turf at the top of the plaque</i>. </font> </td></tr></table> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You may vote in person at the meeting or you may vote by telephone, email (<a href=mailto:congbnei@racsa.co.cr>congbnei@racsa.co.cr</a>) or fax 231-5787. If you vote by phone, fax, or email, please do so no later than April 15, 2004. Thank you.</font> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#AVODAH COMMITTEE"> <A HREF="#Avodah_Committee"> UPDATE OF THE AVODAH COMMITTEE</A></H3> <P><I>By Hilda ten Brink</I> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Avodah Committee gives support to Rabbi Holzman in the ritual matters of our Congregation, and takes care of the administration and maintenance of our Cemetery. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This past February, together with Sisterhood, the Committee organized the Tu B Shvat Seder, a very well attended and much appreciated by the children event. Next March 7, again with Sisterhood and with Hebrew School, the Committee will organize the Reading of the Megillah and Purim Carnival, at the Lev s residence. Then, in April, we will help Rosario Sossin organize the second Pesach Seder. The Committee will help Rabbi Holzman celebrate the Shabbat services of every first Friday of the month, which will be dedicated to the small children in our Community. We want to do like we did in Tu B Shvat and put paper on the floor so the children can sit, serve them juice, nuts and raisins, leave crayons at hand, and make them feel that the Synagogue is a nice place and that Shabbat services are cool. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Together with the Torah Committee, some of our members will form the Publications Subcommittee, which will undertake the future publication of a trilingual Haggadah and Siddur for children. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As for the Cemetery, the Committee wishes to give special thanks to Rosario Sossin, Bill Fischer, Eduardo Keibel, and Sam Nieman. Rosario took care of several jobs needed in the Cemetery and, together with her husband Marvin, donated the repair of the refrigerator of <i>don</i> Rafael and <i>doña</i> María, the caretakers, which was in bad shape. Bill spent a full day at the Cemetery making sure that all was in order for the burial of Mrs. Claire Zindler. Bill is now organizing a General Assembly vote on proposed changes for the tombstones of the Cemetery. Eduardo is studying the terrain of the property, so as to decide the best course of action for the drainage, so the place doesn t flood next winter. Sam promised to bring beautiful plants to the Cemetery, once the place is fixed. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We also want to express our thanks to Paul Ziegler and his family for donating materials for building a very necessary protection fence in the front of the Cemetery. It s wonderful to have this kind of help. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And to all the members of the Committee: Pilar Elkin, Jody Bonilla, Rosario Sossin, Norma de Matheu, Gonzalo Vega, Bill Fischer, Eduardo Keibel, Sam Bronstein, Phil Gelman, David Feingold, Sam Nieman, Abraham and Maggie Waltersdorfer, Antonio Carrillo, and Hilda ten Brink, thanks for participating and working with such moving enthusiasm. <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#TORAH COMMITTEE"> <A HREF="#Torah_Committee"> UPDATE OF THE TORAH COMMITTEE</A></H3> <P><I>By Pilar Elkin</I> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Torah Committee held a meeting this past month of February, to reorganize itself. Right now, we have various sub-committees working in order to pull out many projects. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The sub-committee in charge of the Jennifer Sossin School for Jewish Education is actually busy preparing this year s budget, as well as the study and work programs. Another sub-committee is planning and developing the adult education lessons and cultural events, which are now a reality, with the Wednesday night classes and the Thursday workshops. (If you re interested, please see the agenda on the back of this issue.) <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We also have a group organizing our Library, which meets every Tuesday at 4 p.m. (in case you want to help!!). And finally, we have the Publications sub-committee, which will work in the text and prayer books that our Congregation publishes, and the group which will lead our B nei Israel Youth Group. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We have begun this year full of enthusiasm and we are sure that  with the help of the Torah Committee members  we will achieve our goal: a Jewish education of the utmost quality for all our members. <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#SHVAT SEDER"> <A HREF="#Shvat_Seder"> TU B SHVAT SEDER 5764</A></H3> <p><i>By Bill Fischer</I> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Avodah Group and the Sisterhood joined together to help Rabbi Michael make this one of our most successful celebrations of the New Year of Trees. Most congregants wore green in honor of our trees and the youngsters sat about a seder table set on the floor of the sanctuary. Some were even joined by their parents on the floor, as the Avodah Group and the Damas served a continuous parade of fruits, nuts, wines, and juices throughout the seder. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On Tu B Shvat, the 15th day of the month of Shevat, we celebrate the New Year of Trees. Shevat is the month of heavy rains, still falling and filling streams in the Holy Land. These rains mark the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Just as the fate of us all is written on Rosh Hashanah, the fate of trees is sealed on Rosh Hashanah L llanot  the New Year of Trees. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Our seder is a religious service combined with a meal in which we eat particular foods in particular order - seder in Hebrew means  order . Besides eating the fruits of the trees, we also drink four types of wines and juices made from the trees fruits. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We followed the Tu B Shvat Haggadah, added parts of our Kabbalat Shabbat service, read the immortal Joyce Kilmer poem, <i>Trees</i>, sang joyous songs, and had a thoroughly wonderful seder. Rabbi Michael aimed his carefully crafted service at the kids and had them participate by asking questions like: name something in nature we should be thankful for. Answers included trees of course, and birds and flowers and animals and someone even said girls! <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Although we were all ready to go home, the party was just starting. Because several birthday cakes and a table overflowing with sweets awaited us to join in wishing Kurt Bachman a very happy birthday and to watch him  without help  blow out more than eighty <i>candelitas</i> on his cake!! <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thank you Rabbi Michael, Damas Group, Avodah Group, and everyone who came to the seder and made it a huge success. <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#SAVING THE FAITH"> <A HREF="#Saving_the_Faith"> SAVING THE FAITH</A></H3> <P><I>By Paul Golin - <u>Moment</u>, October 2003</i> <center> <H4><font color=red>For the first time in U.S. history, the number of Jews is declining.<br> Welcoming intermarried couples can reverse the trend.</font></H4> </center> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Recently released statistics from the 2002 National Jewish Population Study show that we lost more than a quarter million Jews in a decade that saw large Jewish immigration from the former Soviet Union and overall U. S. population growth of over 30 million. If this trend keeps up, there may be as few as 2.3 million American Jews by 2080. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Several factors are responsible for the decline. Paramount among them is a low Jewish birthrate, with less than 1.8 children per couple rather than the 2.1 needed for replacement. Another factor is the change in identification that accompanies all ethnic groups as they enter their third and fourth generation of American life. But it is intermarriage that draws most of the organized Jewish community s ire. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I believe that this ire is irrational and detrimental: intermarried families actually represent the community s best chance for expansion. In fact, if we can encourage more than 50 percent of intermarried families to raise their children as Jews, the Jewish community will experience growth rather than decline. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is an attainable goal. Ten years ago, the National Jewish Population Study found that 28 percent of intermarried families were already raising exclusively Jewish children. This means that we re more than halfway there, despite little effort on the part of the organized community. If we increase programs of outreach and inclusion to better engage all people in Judaism, we could sway the majority of remaining intermarried households who are noncommittal about their children s cultural and religious upbringing. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So why hasn t the organized Jewish community made this a top priority? <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Too many Jewish leaders and communal professionals feel ambivalent  if not outright animosity  toward not just the idea of intermarriage but the intermarried families themselves. A few have gone so far as to establish  anti-intermarriage coalitions or write against outreach, saying programs of inclusion cater  to the lowest common denominator and  subvert the tribal nature of Jewish identity. Others spend thousands of academic research dollars to  prove that intermarried couples are incapable of creating exclusively Jewish households. But most Jewish leaders simply remain silent, taking no public action on this most important of domestic trends, even when faced with intermarriage in their own families. They deal with it privately, like a drug addiction, but don t let it inform their decision-making on the community level; instead, they program to what  should be rather than to  what is. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Perhaps those who direct the funding are still struggling with outmoded stigmas  such as the notion (held for generations) that Jewish spouses in intermarriages have chosen to  marry out (as opposed to their non-Jewish spouses  marrying in ). Or that by helping intermarried families, we will actually be encouraging single Jews to intermarry! (Which is a bit like saying that teaching safe sex encourages promiscuity.) Whatever the reasons, it all adds up to an ongoing message from large segments of the organized Jewish world that intermarried families are not welcome here. <img src="text_intermarried.jpg" align=right border=2 width=311 height=174 hspace=30 vspace=30> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This represents a deep chasm between Jewish leadership and the Jews  on the ground that they are theoretically serving. Polls show that most Jews in interfaith marriages have not given up on Judaism, and that a majority of parents with intermarried children want the organized Jewish community to do more to engage them. One recent American Jewish Committee study found that a majority of Jews would even consider it racist to oppose their own child s intermarriage. And it makes sense: almost every secular Jew today has at least one intermarried sibling, child, cousin, aunt, or uncle. Those of us who find something positive in Judaism don t want to write off these loved ones as  lost to the community. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So where is the big communal effort to bring these folk inside? <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After the 1990 survey revealed a 52 percent intermarriage rate, millions of dollars were dedicated to programs to  continuity that mainly encouraged young single Jews to  do Jewish with other Jews, in the not-so-subtle hopes that they would meet and marry one another. In other words, the lion s share of continuity programs addressed the intermarriage rate rather than the intermarried. While many fine programs were created, a decade later the rate remains unchanged, with the overall numbers of intermarried families continuing to climb. In fact, we are fast approaching the day when intermarried households will outnumber in-married households. In 1990, the ratio was already one-in-three, or nearly one million intermarried households. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Right now, most Jewish communities lack the mechanisms to welcome in those on the outside or show them how valuable Judaism can be in their lives. Instead, the focus remains on the Jews we know: those who already have some connection to synagogues or community centers, which makes up only about 40 percent of American Jewry. The majority of all Jews (not just the intermarried) has no connection whatsoever to the organized Jewish world. Even in the cases where we can offer warm and welcoming institutions  and there is a small but steady grassroots growth of such places, despite the lack of a national, organized push  the majority of Jews simply do not know or care. And it s these people s offspring that will be out of orbit in a single generation unless we act quickly. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Reaching this elusive population is hard work, but Judaism has too much to offer for us not to share it with those who could benefit. And the inclusive methods we use to reach intermarried families could also attract unaffiliated in-married and young single Jews as well. Through outreach, we can bring Judaism to where people  are , physically and metaphysically. A number of innovative programs (see "Sukkah-Building at Home Depot", below) already serve as successful entry points into the community, but remain under-funded and under-replicated. There are still many more exit doors out of the community than entry-ways in. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If Jewish leadership requires cold hard numbers to get past its discomfort with intermarriage, we have to realize that losing half the population in 80 years means losing half the funds flowing in the Federation system, or supporting Israel, or going to the organizations that fight anti-Semitism. It s great to be able to pour millions of dollars into these causes now, but will we look back in 80 years and wonder why we were only dedicating thousands of dollars to fix the real problem in our community? Ensuring that American Jewry remains vibrant means getting over our stigmas and biases against funding programs that help intermarried families raise Jewish children. <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <center>****************************************</center> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <H3><font color=red>SUKKAH-BUILDING AT HOME DEPOT</font></H3> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You re shopping in the mall with your young children, you turn the corner& and all of a sudden right in front of you & Judaism! Kids are singing or creating arts and crafts; adults are talking with one another and maybe even learning a little. It s a pleasant, positive encounter with the Jewish community  in a place where you d least expect it. To a non-Jewish parent charged with raising Jewish kids or to the unaffiliated Jewish population in general, this kind of  Public Space Judaism can serve as a welcoming portal into the community. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That s exactly what happens before major Jewish holidays at the North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Georgia. The Srochi Jewish Discovery Museum of the Marcus JCC of Atlanta brings its programming to public spaces, free of charge.  Of the hundreds of participants at each event, notes Suzanne Hurwitz, director of the museum,  we find an even split between affiliated and unaffiliated families. The affiliated come because they re proud to  do Jewish in the  public square, and because the events are simply fun. For the unaffiliated, it serves as a kind of first step into the community, and it works because we re providing a low-barrier, welcoming experience without first asking them to walk through our institutional doors. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; & And of course, these programs have their precursor in the  mitzvah mobile public outreach conducted by Chabad Lubavitch  but without the obligatory, jarring first question of  Are you Jewish? or the Orthodox religious agenda. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Setting up and running these programs is no easy task, and infusing them with real  outreach methodology is even more difficult. Professionals must be trained and marketing and materials have to be inclusive and accessible for newcomers. Perhaps most difficult is securing institutional buy-in behind the program, because the  next step for program participants is usually not joining a synagogue or JCC. In fact, it may take years of participation in low-threshold programs like public space events, Jewish film festivals, food fairs, and similar programs before a deeper commitment develops& . <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  It s about meeting people s needs, rather than expecting them to serve our institutions, explains JOI executive director Rabbi Kerry Olitsky.  Traditional outreach like synagogue-based Intro to Judaism classes or JCC-based interfaith discussion groups are still essential elements in creating a more inclusive community, but if we want to reach the majority of Jews  intermarried or otherwise  we need to program out beyond our institutions own four walls and make a long-term investment in the people, without sitting back and waiting for them to come to us. <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#GOD HELPS"> <A HREF="#God_Helps"> GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES</A></H3> <P><I>Raymond P. Scheindlin  JTS Magazine</I> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; How is it possible to tell a story of redemption without even once mentioning the name of God? <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the story of Purim, the Jews overcome their enemies and are saved from destruction. In the story of Exodus, the archetypal tale of national salvation, the main actor is God. It is God who vanquishes the Egyptians through miracles and wonders; the Jews accept redemption passively. And Exodus serves as the foundation of the historic belief in the chosenness of Israel and in God's promise that He would be available in times of trouble. <IMG SRC="megilla_esther.jpg" width=350 height=240 align=right hspace=30 vspace=30> <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Although Megillat Esther hints at such a special providence, it is not the main emphasis of the book. Its focus is on the people of Israel, not God. Its purpose is to teach active political responsibility, not passive faith in divine providence. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The first chapters describe the court of Ahasuerus as a world of grandeur and intrigue. The narrator passes no moral judgment on this state of affairs. He describes the king's riches in lavish, approving detail. He does not comment on Ahasuerus' behavior in deposing Queen Vashti. He delights in the eroticism of the harem as he describes the competition to replace Vashti. And he does not judge Esther, a descendent of the Judean aristocracy, for her participation in the competition. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Esther is one of many Persian women taking advantage of a one-time opportunity to rise to a glamorous, powerful position. Why should she name her people and her homeland if it will hurt her chances? She is Persian in her speech, dress and manners; no one would ever dream that she is a Jew. And Mordecai, who warns her not to reveal her origins, is quite familiar with the life and manners of a courtier. From his Judean aristocratic lineage and his behavior in the Persian capital, it is evident that he is shrewd: quick to leap at an opportunity, cautious to spoil one. Having saved the king from the plot of Bigtan and Teresh and having watched his niece crowned queen, he must have felt secure in his prospects as a courtier. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But Mordecai makes a mistake in not bowing to Haman. The Book of Esther does not explain why he refuses to bow, and the commentators have never managed to come up with an explicit religious prohibition against bowing to a human being. The story line lends itself to only one interpretation: Mordecai misjudges his position in the court. Out of sheer self-satisfaction and self-importance, he imagines that he is above the law requiring all courtiers to show Haman this deference. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It has never occurred to Haman that Mordecai is Judean, nor is there any evidence that Haman previously hated Jews. But the minute he is told that the courtier who offended him is of foreign origin, he determines to take revenge on the whole people. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When Mordecai hears the decree, he is at once overwhelmed with horror and regret. We don't know whether he weighed the personal danger of his decision not to bow, but he certainly did not consider the danger to his people. Suddenly, he is forced to recognize that he is not just a Persian courtier but a Jew. Haman's decree stings his conscience, and in this moment of spiritual crisis, Mordecai adopts the practice of his ancestors, appearing outlandishly dressed in sackcloth at the king's gate. The act is partly a ritual of mourning over the decree, and partly an external expression of Mordecai's inner feelings of shame and remorse. For the first time, he presents himself in public as a Jew. Esther, who hears of his strange behavior, is shocked. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It is hard for Mordecai to persuade Esther to take action on behalf of her people, for she has not undergone the crisis that overwhelmed him. When he demands that she go to the king, she at first refuses. Only by appealing to her self-interest can Mordecai succeed in overcoming her resistance. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Do not think that out of all the Judeans you alone will find refuge in the royal palace. For if you should dare be silent at such a moment, the Judeans will find rescue and safety elsewhere, but you and your line will perish." <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; True, Mordecai assumes that God can intervene to save the Jews ("...the Judeans will find rescue and safety elsewhere"). But the offhand way this idea is stated and the overall shape of the narrative show that faith is not the point of this book. Salvation depends mainly on the Jews themselves and the readiness of their highly placed brethren to take charge of their fate. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just as the author expresses no opposition to life at court, so he sees nothing wrong with Jews participating in political life or aspiring to power and wealth. At the end of the story, Mordecai succeeds Haman in his high rank and Esther remains in the harem. But they are changed. Both of them now know that when a Jew reaches for high status, it is his duty to seek the welfare of his people. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And so the question of the absence of the name of God is resolved. The allusions to God's name and His intervention that generations of commentators have forced into the text obscure the author's real intention: to teach us  through the inner development of the characters  that we Jews are responsible for our own fate, as we are responsible for one another. <p><font face=arial size=1><i>Raymond P. Scheindlin is professor of medieval Hebrew literature.<br> 1944 Purim postcard from the print collection of the JTS Library</i></font> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#PURIM FESTIVAL"> <A HREF="#Purim_Festival"> PURIM FESTIVAL</A></H3> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <p>&nbsp;</p> <table border="0" align=center cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="85%" id="AutoNumber2"> <tr> <td width="50%"> <p align="center"> <img border="0" src="grogger.gif" width="125" height="152"></td> <td width="50%"> <p align="left"><b><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="7" color="#FF0000">PURIM</font></b></td> </tr> </table> <h1 align="center">&nbsp;</h1> <p align="center"><span lang="es"><b> <font face="Comic Sans MS" size="5" color="#000080">JOIN US IN OUR TRADITIONAL</font></b></span><b><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#000080"><br> </font><font size="7" color="#FF00FF" face="Comic Sans MS">PURIM<span lang="es"> FESTIVAL</span></font><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#000080"><br> </font></b><span lang="es"><b> <font face="Comic Sans MS" size="5" color="#000080">AT THE LEV'S </font></b> </span></p> <p align="center">&nbsp;</p> <p align="center"><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#FF0000" size="4"> <span lang="es"><b> Sunday, March 7<br> 2:00 to 5:30 p.m.</b></font></p> <p align="center">&nbsp;</p> </span> <table border="0" align=center cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="66%" id="AutoNumber1"> <tr> <td width="39%"> <p align="center"><u><b><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span lang="es">TICKETS</span></font></b></u><span lang="es"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><b>:</b></font></p> <p align="center">&nbsp;</td> <td width="61%"> <p align="center"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><b>adults:&nbsp; 1000 colones<br> kids up to<span lang="es"> <span lang="es">13</span>:&nbsp; 500 colones<br> younger than 3:&nbsp; </span>free</b></font><span lang="es"></td> </tr> </table> <p align="center">&nbsp;</p> </span></span> <ul> <li> <p align="center"><span lang="es"><b> <font face="Comic Sans MS" size="5" color="#FF0000">FOOD - WINE - REFRESHMENTS</font></b></span></p> </li> <li> <p align="center"><b><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="5" color="#FF0000"> <span lang="es">READING OF THE MEGILLAH</span></font></b></p> </li> <li> <p align="center"><b><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="5" color="#FF0000"> <span lang="es">GAMES AND COSTUME CONTEST</span></font></b></p> </li> </ul> <p align="center">&nbsp;</p> </span></span></span></span> <p align="center"><u><b><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="2"><span lang="es"> Organized by</span></font></b></u><span lang="es"><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="2"><b>:&nbsp; Sisterhood, Jennifer Sossin School, Avodah Committee.<br> The funds collected will be for the Jennifer Sossin School.</b></font><span lang="es"><span lang="es"></p> <p align="center">&nbsp;</p> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#THE PASSION"> <A HREF="#The_Passion"> IS "THE PASSION" ANTI-SEMITIC? </A></H3> <p><i>By Jeff Jacoby - <u>The Boston Globe</u>, Tuesday, February 24, 2004</i><br> <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/02/24/is_the_passion_anti_semitic/">http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/02/24/is_the_passion_anti_semitic/</a> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;     "The Passion" is violent, bloody, and sadistic.  Mel Gibson's movie about Jesus last day  two hours and six minutes of almost unrelieved savagery and gore  has to be the most graphic and brutal death ever portrayed on film.  It is being described as a masterpiece  soul-stirring and beautiful.  I found it stomach-turning and deeply troubling. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I am not a Christian, but I tried to view "The Passion" the way a Christian might view it.  I tried to experience it as a message of God's love and mercy, as a depiction of self-sacrifice so complete and all-embracing as to transform human history.  I tried to imagine believing that all that blood  and "The Passion" is drenched with blood  was shed to wash away my sins.  I tried to understand this grim nightmare as an enactment of mankind's redeemer being tortured and killed, to accept that this was the purpose for which he was born, to feel that I, no less than the howling mob on the screen, was responsible for  and the beneficiary of  his death. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I tried  but I failed. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I failed in part because I am not a Christian, but a believing Jew.  I don't believe that Jesus was God come to earth in human form  I believe that God is One, incorporeal and indivisible.  To me, the Passion is not a manifestation of divine love, but a vicious and evil ordeal inflicted on a victim who didn't deserve it.  As a Jew, I cannot look at the savage murder of an innocent man as anything but a grievous sin.  And as a Jew, I could not watch a movie about the crucifixion of Jesus and not be aware of all the other Jews, scores of thousands of them, who also died on Roman crosses. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Most of the pre-release publicity about "The Passion" has focused on its depiction of the Jews and its potential to fuel anti-Semitism.  But in truth, Gibson's film barely acknowledges that most of its characters are Jewish. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you didn't know that Jesus of Nazareth was born and died a religious Jew, you certainly wouldn't learn it from "The Passion."  Almost nothing in this movie connects him with the Jewish people.  He does not refer to himself as a Jew or take part in any recognizable Jewish ritual.  His reason for being in Jerusalem was to celebrate Passover, but there is never any mention of that Jewish holiday.  When he is glimpsed praying or teaching, it is always outdoors, never in a synagogue.  Only once is Jesus identified as a Jew: when Judas, about to betray him, greets him with, "Hail, rabbi." <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Many Christians will see other gaping holes in what "The Passion" conveys about its main character.  The movie has precious little to say about Jesus life and ministry.  There are a few brief flashbacks; occasionally Jesus utters a familiar line; but on the whole there is nothing that makes clear who this Galilean was, why he attracted a following, or why anyone in Jerusalem would have given him a second thought. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And if there is next to nothing about his life, there is even less about what followed his death.  The last few seconds of the movie seem to show Jesus walking away from his tomb, but there are no words of explanation, no context, no answers.  It is hard to avoid the conclusion that for Gibson, what is most important about Jesus is not that he lived and preached, nor that he rose from the dead.  All that matters is that he died a bloody and agonizing death. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Is "The Passion" anti-Semitic?  That depends on whether it is anti-Semitic to re-enact the story told by the Christian Bible.  To be sure, there is a good deal in Gibson's movie that is *not* in the New Testament.  In one scene, for example, Judas is driven to commit suicide by a gang of demonic Jewish children.  In another, Pontius Pilate, beholding a shackled Jesus who has already been beaten bloody by Jewish guards, chastises the High Priest: "Do you always punish your prisoners before they are judged?" <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But there is no getting around the fact that the parts of "The Passion" that are the most unflattering to Jews  the bloody-minded and hateful Temple priests, the Judean mob howling for Jesus death  come straight out of the Gospels.  I shudder at those depictions and reject them as historically false, but I cannot call a Christian antisemitic for believing in the truth of his Bible.  I will not smear Gibson as a Jew-hater. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But neither will I pretend that he is unaware of the long and horrid history of Passion plays, or of the millions of Jews who have died at the hands of killers demonizing them as "Christ-killers."  It is not unreasonable to worry about the effect of a movie like "The Passion" at a time of surging anti-Semitism. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shortly before his death, Pope John XXIII wrote a prayer of atonement for all the Jewish suffering caused in the name of Jesus.  Would that Gibson had read it before making this film: <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>"We realize now that many, many centuries of blindness have dimmed our eyes, so that we no longer see the beauty of Thy Chosen People and no longer recognize in their faces the features of our first-born brother.  We realize that our brows are branded with the mark of Cain.  Centuries long has Abel lain in blood and tears, because we had forgotten Thy love.  Forgive us the curse which we unjustly laid on the name of the Jews.  Forgive us that, with our curse, we crucified Thee a second time."</i> <p><i><font size=1>(Jeff Jacoby is a columnist for <u>The Boston Globe</u>.)</font></i> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#COSTA RICA"> <A HREF="#Costa_Rica"> GPS, COSTA RICA STYLE </A></H3> <P><I>By Patricia Feigen  <U>Glimpse Magazine</U>, March 2004</I> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Live in a foreign country for a number of years, especially a  Third World country, and you will be irrevocably changed. You will at first wistfully yearn for things you once took for granted good cheddar cheese, smooth roads, daily arrival of the mail. Over time, however, memories of these amenities and conveniences will fade and you will think: Are these things even important? <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When I moved to Costa Rica with my family (chastened by the fact that after endless years of study, I had perfected French, not Spanish), I was in for quite a shock. Costa Rica is fairly well developed as far as Third World countries go; on the surface, at least, it does not appear all that different from the United States. You can vacation there and dine at any number of North American chain restaurants. You can stay only in U.S. chain hotels. (Why you d <i>want</i> to do this is another question!) The veneer of familiarity may fool you into thinking that, except for language, Costa Rica is just like home. I can assure you, it s not. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Let s talk physical. Costa Rica has a rainy season and a dry season. When it rains, the landscape is obliterated and the roads become rivers of mud. When it s dry, the dust permeates your pores and the wind plays catch with any object not nailed down. We re talking extremes here, and they happen every day. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Earthquakes are common in Costa Rica. I experienced my first <i>temblor</i> while I was standing in the checkout line of a modern supermarket. First I noticed the shelves undulating, then the cashiers fleeing for safety. The irony of dying in a checkout line did not escape me. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Among tourists, Costa Rica is perhaps best known for its amazing biodiversity. Your jaw will drop at the sight of rare and colorful birds, shockingly bright frogs and egg-laying turtles the size of small cars. Live in Costa Rica though, and this will seem a mixed blessing. You will be forced to share your home with every insect you can think of (including scorpions), not to mention birds, squirrels and bats. Cows, horses and goats persistently munched on our lawn. My children thought we had moved to the zoo! <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One day, while eating breakfast in my dining room, I looked up from my newspaper to see a dozen or so luminous butterflies dancing around me. The doors and windows were closed, so why was I suddenly in a butterfly garden? The rational explanation was that they d been incubating in the ficus tree across the room. As I sat there in wonder though, I was more than willing to accept mystical reasons for this bit of magic. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But physical aspects aside, it s the country s culture though that can truly blind-side you, if you re paying attention. Patience is not just a lofty virtue, it s a necessity if you live in Costa Rica. The natives have it in their blood, or at least in their upbringing. Visitors must learn to adapt. The power grid fails. The water stops running. You can t travel quickly anywhere because most of the roads are notoriously potholed and must be shared with four-legged creatures of all sizes. You ll get there when you get there, which can be a hard lesson for a gringo. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And  getting there is also contingent on being able to find your destination. You see, there is no such thing as a street address in Costa Rica; instead, there are directions. Rather than tell someone you live at  23 Mango Drive, you give the actual position of your house in relation to oter known (or in some cases unknown) buildings or landmarks. Our legal address was "50 meters north of the Los Eliseos Residence." Since virtually no one has ever heard of Los Eliseos, we opted for the following if we wanted the pizza or person or FedEx package to actually arrive: <i>100 meters west of the Los Anonos Bridge, 300 meters south, 1.7 kilometers east, turn left 50 meters past Condominiums Appen, go 100 meters more, past empty lots to first house on the right. Good luck!</i> <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When we first moved to Costa Rica, we lived in a sprawling house tucked into the mountains of Santa Ana, down a snaking dirt road more traveled by chickens and pedestrians than cars. Every so often, I would have to call a taxi to my house, a task I dreaded because my Spanish was in its infancy and the directions to my house were rather complicated. Invariably the cab would call back three or four times as it inched ever closer but still hopelessly lost. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One day, I asked our housekeeper to call for me. I'd noticed that the taxis she ordered almost always arrived within five minutes, which I always attributed to the fact that she spoke the same language as the dispatcher. What I heard her say into the telephone though was so remarkable, I thought she was joking. When she hung up, I asked her to repeat the directions she'd given. Almost before she could get them out of her mouth again, we heard the  beep-beep of the taxi waiting outside. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She had said, "A taxi please, to the house in front of the house with the goose." Our neighbors directly behind us had a "watch goose that honked whenever strangers came up the drive. I was incredulous at the simplicity and absurdity of the directions. How could this possibly be, I thought? Surely there is more than one goose in town? <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Apparently not. That day, the Goose Positioning System was born! <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You probably thought GPS was some fancy navigational device that can pinpoint your exact location in time and space anywhere in the world. Not in Costa Rica! No, this quaint little system does not (yet) have global reach. Costa Rica's GPS is decidedly low-tech but highly accurate and dependable. Like many things in the country, it seems to work against all odds. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But first, you must believe. Over the years, my way of thinking slowly adapted and shaped itself to the local manner of doing things. I grew calmer, less demanding. I learned to take life as it was offered to me; my frustrations with the sometimes maddening aspects of Costa Rica took wing like so many butterflies. I had to change to fit into this different reality, dependent as it is upon the often untamable physical world. Either that or go crazy. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Change comes slowly in Costa Rica. There s been endless discussion over the years about the need to formalize street addresses. Maybe some day it will happen. In the meantime, you can rely on the Goose Positioning System to locate our old house, unless (and this is unlikely), the landmark beast has become the unfortunate centerpiece of a special holiday meal. Alas, if the goose is cooked, so is yours. <P><I><font size=1>Patricia Jempty lived in Costa Rica for six years (1996-2002) with her family. She loves to read, especially books written by writers from Asia, Africa, India and South America. She speaks Spanish fluently and has also studied French and Italian. Cooking and eating are among her favorite things to do.</font></I> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER><IMG SRC="CORDON_CELESTE.bmp" border=0 width=480 height=12></CENTER> <H3> <A NAME="#STORY PURIM"> <A HREF="#Story_Purim"> A STORY FOR PURIM</A></H3> <p><I>Taken from <u>Living as Partners with God</u>, by Gila Gevirtz</I> <P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <CENTER> <H3><font color=red>LET THERE BE LIGHT</font></H3> </CENTER> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY><font face= arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The story is told of a rabbi whose students asked him how to rid the world of evil and injustice.  Tell us how to remove this darkness from the Earth, they begged. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  Let us seek the answer in the cellar, the rabbi said. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He handed every student a candle and led them down the wooden stairs. The students wondered why their teacher was taking them to such a dark and cold place. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then the rabbi lit his own candle. It was still dark. But when he used that candle to light everyone else s, the basement became filled with light. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then the rabbi explained,  Do not despair over evil and injustice. Instead, work together to remove it from God s world. Just as God brought light into the world through Creation, so we can bring light through our acts of <i>tikkun olam</i>. <BR><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <font color="#000080">The Hebrew word <i>tikkun</i> means  repair and  strengthen. When we do the work of <i>tikkun olam</I>, we repair and strengthen our caring relationships with