here - The World Union for Progressive Judaism

Netzer Olami's International Conference - 2011
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צנ לש תימלועה הדיעוה
Special guest lecturers included Rabbi Ron Klotz, Director and Max Klaben, Assistant
Director of the URJ GUCI camp in Indiana. Margarita Fruman, Netzer's Coordinator
for the FSU, and Emma Brodetskaya, Netzer's Madricha in Moscow, attended the
GUCI camp in Zionsville, Indiana, in June. This is the continuation of the cooperation
between the camps that began in February. Both the seminar and camp twinning were
made possible through the initiative and support of Anne Molloy and Henry Posner.
Nearly 30 people took part in a youth seminar in Riga at the end of September. While
the seminar focused on prayer in Judaism, there were also Sukkot related activities.
Rabbi Alex Lyskovoi led the seminar and held a discussion on the place of Reform
Judaism in the modern world.
A regional leadership conference was held at the Moscow Center for Progressive
Judaism during October 29-31. A total of 85 participants from all regions that the
World Union is active in attended and included: community leaders, chair persons,
rabbis, Netzer madrichim, youth, educational professionals, etc. The topic of the
conference was: "200 Years of Progressive Judaism
Worldwide, 20 Years in the FSU". The 2-day conference was
intense, filled with study, prayer and other activities.
Participants also met with World leadership, Rabbi Joel
Oseran, Alex Kagan and Danny Jaffe. Among guests at the
conference was the Israeli Ambassador to Russia, Dorit
Golender.
Special projects:
During the Netzer Vieda in Jerusalem in January 2010, the FSU was represented by 5
amazing madrichim from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, who took an active part in all
activities and decisions made at the veida.
Congregations and Netzer clubs in the FSU celebrated Tu B'Shvat together.
Celebrations included Seders and lessons about the holiday and our special connection
to the land of Israel.
Netzer Minsk came in first place at the annual Purimshpiel in Vitebsk
during March 12-14. This year, 150 participants from different Jewish
organizations all over the FSU, and Eastern Europe took part in 3
days of Purim plays and learning. Rabbi Grisha Abramovich was the
rabbi at the festival and led prayers and gave lectures on different
topics.
Netzer members took part in Pesach celebrations all over the FSU
and along with Rabbis, HUC students, community workers and volunteers, created an
unforgettable experience during one of the most important holidays in the Jewish
calendar, enabling over 5000 people to come together around festive tables of freedom
all over the FSU.
Preparation seminars for Netzer camps in the FSU took place in Minsk, Moscow and
Kiev in May and June of 2010. Nearly 60 madrichim worked very hard to create an
educational, rich and fun summer camp program.
The WZO began funding salaries and activities for new
positions of local workers and point persons in Moscow
(November) and Kiev (September) in the framework of their
joint project Zorei Zionut (Planting Zionism).
Netzer began the 5771 year by celebrating Rosh Hashannah all
over the FSU along with members of the different Jewish
Reform communities.
5 Netzer groups took part in the annual International Chanukah Film Festival that was
held in Minsk during December 10-12. Various films about Chanukah were shown,
depicting the story in a very creative way.
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