To proceed or to postpone? That’s the delicate dilemma Jewish nonprofits have been navigating since Oct. 7 as they considered the events they had planned before the crushing attacks.
A month after the terrorist attack, amid fundraising campaigns, organizational statements, solidarity rallies, community information sessions, and calls for unity, most organizations are tweaking their programming in both tone and content, but the general “We were able to move forward together.
For Hadassah, Israel’s period of crisis is even more reason to explore and discuss Zionism in a two-day online symposium, “Inspiring Zionism: Technology, Trailblazers, and Tattoos” on October 25th and 26th. Ta. The event, which featured 22 speakers from Israel and the United States, aimed to “remind people of what Hadassah stands for,” as well as highlight the organization’s work in Israel. CEO Naomi Adler told eJP.
“Our first instinct was, let’s take a few days and see where everything is,” Adler said. “And then we realized, lo and behold, not only did we have to keep doing what we were doing, but we had to develop a strategy that said, ‘We’ll get it done, and we’ll never forget the crisis,’” she says. Told. .
Adler added that a recent fundraising gala honoring Hadassah leaders in Chicago was also moved forward. This is because the organization supports Israeli medical organizations on a regular basis, not just when Israel is in crisis.
The Z3 conference, which took place as scheduled on November 5th, had a new lineup and content to focus on the aftermath of the massacre, with a focus on anti-Semitism, democracy, terrorism, the college campus scene, and healing. A session was held.
However, the Israel Film Festival, originally scheduled for November 1-15 in Los Angeles, was postponed to January 2024 with little incident. A spokesperson told eJP that there was no press release related to the initial festival dates as the film had not yet been announced.
As the deadline for a long-scheduled event arrives in a moment of crisis, it is important to understand that the Jewish community is reeling and focus on its mission, says Gateways: Jewish Education. Amy Schulman, director of development at Access, told eJP.
“Promoting the gala to our community, whose inboxes are flooded daily with updates from Israel, requests for donations and supplies, and opportunities to connect with others who desperately need to deal with the ongoing traumatic situation.” How can I do that?” Shulman asked. “By reminding us of how our vital Jewish institutions impact the lives of our constituents and the larger Jewish community, we honor our values and achieve our goals.” We can continue to do the important work that we do,” Schulman added.
Gateways’ Sweet Sounds Celebration of 20 Years of Inclusion Orientation (November 5th) bnei mitzvah For the program, the team decided to move forward by toning down some of the more festive elements of the program, replacing the scheduled dance music with a performance of “The Night of the Dead”.HatikvahFor example, “we’re updating our messaging to be more reflective,” Schulman said.
“By honoring our 20-year commitment to marrying Jewish education and tradition with accessibility and inclusivity, we proudly demonstrate to our broader community that we are strong, determined, Jewish It goes to show that people are living lives that they have to continue to do, all over the world, now more than ever,” Schulman said.
Food also builds community. Pies for Prevention, which holds an annual pre-Thanksgiving bake fundraiser for the ovarian and breast cancer support group Sherchelette, will donate a portion of this year’s proceeds to cancer and war-related trauma. Donate to Haverut and the Israel Lemonade Fund, an Israeli organization that supports families suffering from . In Nashville, Tennessee, the annual Kosher Hot Chicken Festival and Jewish Arts and Music Festival went ahead as scheduled on October 22nd. The Atlanta Kosher Barbecue Festival in Georgia was held on October 22nd as well.
“At a time when much of the American Jewish world is focused on the situation in Israel and the subsequent rise in anti-Semitism, kosher barbecue festivals and other communal events feel like a glimmer of light in the Jewish world. Masu. Akhdut It’s something that our Israeli friends and colleagues have shared with us,” Rava Melissa Scholten Gutierrez, director of family education and engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, told eJP. “Jews from all walks of life are visibly united. The rallies do that to some extent, but there are still certain political stigmas that divide people in the United States, and these types of events bring people together. It eliminates exclusion and brings people together through food, music, and friendly competition.”
Finding community in cultural connections is a theme that will be discussed in “Jewish Identity in Non-Holocaust Comics,” the only Jewish panel at the 2023 New York Comic Con, a mass gathering of comic book and pop culture fans. That was one of the attractions. Jewish attendees gathered to “see the bright side of the Jewish people in a brighter light” as promised. [comic] “Pages” was held Oct. 12, and it was comforting to be there, said attendee Michal Schick, a writer and host of the podcast “Nice Jewish Fangirls.” .
“There was a tremor in the air. Everyone knew what was going on and felt like we were all feeling the pain together, even though we weren’t there to focus on it. ”, Schick told eJP. “The panel felt it.” despicable (homely), it is good and safe to be among Jews and among people who care about these things, whether they are Jewish or not. [Jewish] The story was told and needed to be told. ”
Arts events offer different types of community connections. In advance of the High Holy Day, Los Angeles theater company The Blade (formerly known as Jewish Women’s Theater) scheduled a fundraiser to honor legendary songwriter Diane Warren on October 15th. So when there was a terrorist attack the week before, there was controversy. Will you postpone or cancel the event? Rhonda Spinak, The Blade’s artistic director, told eJP that the organization has learned from its experiences with patrons and its 2018 event, which occurred two days after the Tree of Life murders in Pittsburgh. He said he paid close attention to the decision.
“We knew that being with our patrons would be uplifting and comforting during times like these. Many of our patrons are Jewish people who can join in and get involved. does not have a community [of it]” Spinak said. “[In 2018] “We were a very frightened community, in shock and disbelief,” she recalled. “[But] We held that event and people were grateful for coming together and making a difference. ” The Oct. 15 event “weaved in references to events happening in Israel,” Spinak said, adding that the event began with “Oseh Shalom“…An ode to peace. “Unity as Jews is powerful and necessary,” Spinak added.
On October 7, artist Isaac Bringegaard-Bialik will be in residence at a synagogue in Culver City, California on the theme of Shemini Azeret/Simchat Torah, his central project that brings together Torah text studies. I was preparing to present a program using paper midrash. Midrash and popular culture. Friday night’s program went on as scheduled, but when area residents returned to the synagogue on Saturday for a community art project, the world was turned upside down. The artist, who runs the program with his wife Rabbi Shona Bringegaard Bialik, works with the temple’s clergy and staff to make changes to the program on the fly, starting with prayers and discussions with community members. After that, I started working on the project. ” It’s about finding joy as a community. ”
“I made some minor adjustments. [programs] It’s about being sensitive to people’s needs, making sure that our arts programs can be a source of strength, or at least a distraction if needed,” said Bringergård Bialik. Speaking to eJP, the artist said, “I want to do something meaningful and help others if I can.”But I also know that not everyone wants to do what we can. Masu. ”
“Heroes and Legends” exhibit at the San Diego Jewish Cultural Center will run from Nov. 14 to Feb. 14 Brynjegard-Bialik said art usually isn’t a priority during a crisis; He says that it plays an “inevitable” role for humans. The 16th of next year.
“Is it too early for art? I mean, it’ll work out somehow. In difficult times, people were writing and making art. They’re making art in Israel now.” he said.
Brynjegard-Bialik also said she was thinking about the poem “On Genocide” by her famous relative, the Zionist poet Chaim Nachman Bialik. “He has this line about how his hands and hopes have failed. And that’s what was running through my head. I’ve been pretty prolific during the pandemic.” he said. “I haven’t been able to actually make anything out of this yet. My hand has failed in a way. Maybe it’s not my hand. Maybe I’m just not ready yet. Maybe it is. And maybe it’s not a failure. Maybe it’s too early.”