The Big LaBLOGski

A Special Day with "A Special World"

2008-08-06T09:22:00.021+03:00

On Sunday July 29th, Moishe House Minsk joined a local non-profit organization, "A Special World," for a day of horseback riding and a picnic. What made this activity extra special were the children who joined us from "A Special World." Each child is disabled and uses a wheelchair. We decided to go horseback riding with them in order to provide them with an activity that is both fun and therapeutic.

"A Special World," directed by Elena Serkulskaya, helps the children in a variety of ways. First, Serkulskaya has trained this group of children and their mothers in adaptive wheelchair dance and their dance troupe, "Mandarin," has traveled all over Belarus and abroad to perform. Adaptive dance for those in wheelchairs is an excellent means of rehabilitation and has improved the self-esteem of the children tremendously. Additionally, since the mothers participate, they feel proud to dance with their children, instead of ashamed due to social stigmas regarding disability. Lastly, the group of children and mother pairs is cohesive and supportive, which is one of its most important assets. On Sunday during our group event, Moishe House Minsk was privileged to take part in that supportive group.

"Mandarin" Performs at the Minsk Jewish Campus

Directors of "A Special World," Dmitry Shaplyko and Elena Serkulskaya, are themselves world champions of adaptive ballroom dance. As partners, they won the Paralympic World Championship in adaptive dance in Tokyo in 2004. Dmitry was trained in traditional ballroom dance and partnered with Elena, who dances in a wheelchair, in 2003. Many years ago when performing a complicated freestyle ski-jump routine, Elena endured a serious accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. After spending many years without leaving her home, Elena felt that as an athlete, her life was over. Nevertheless, she not only found the strength to rejoin society, but to improve the lives of children in wheelchairs as well. She manages the "Mandarin" dance troupe of disabled children and mother pairs, instructs rehabilitative excercise, and provides governement agencies with educational seminars on disabilities and effective rehabilitation. Additionally, Elena is a PhD candidate, one of the first to have writen her disertation on disability and rehabilitaion in Belarus. On Sunday, she was our instructor of rehabilitative horseback riding and each of us took part in the process of helping the children, and Elena herlsef, ride.

Helping Elena onto the horse

And she's on!

The most marvelous thing about our day of horseback riding with "A Special World" was that after each of the children had parked their wheelchairs many meters away and gotten up on the horses it became difficult to remember which of us had arrived in wheelchairs and which hadn't. Moishe House guests began to see the children as Geniya, Anton, and Natasha, instead of seeing them as their disability, so blatant when one sits in a wheelchair. And more importantly, the children themselves began to feel liberated from their wheelchairs, moving much higher and faster than usual. Elena herself remarked that being on the horse reminded her of walking.

After everyone had had a turn on the horses, mothers included, we sat down for a picnic lunch.

We shared stories from Moishe House events and listened to stories from the children and mothers of "A Special World." When it was time to go home, everyone left smiling, having enjoyed a very special day.

Celebrating Israel's 60th in Minsk

2008-06-22T14:16:00.004+03:00

I have celebrated many a Yom Haatzmaut in the diaspora before, but this year's was different. Perhaps because of the hardships the Jews of Minsk have endured in their recent history, and because of the relatively limited Jewish outlets here (compared to other diaspora locations where I have lived like Los Angeles and New York), I expected to feel particularly far away from Eretz Yisrael Sheli on Israel's sixtieth. But several events were held by the Minsk Jewish community, which actually brought me very close to Israel in unexpected ways.

First, a benefit concert was organized by several Jewish organizations here, at "Bronx" nightclub, one of Minsk's most popular. The concert featured a Belarusian Rock Band called J:MORS. The band usually sings in Russian in Belarusian, but in honor of Yom Haatzmaut, they added a new language to their repertoire, Hebrew! The band, whose members are not Jewish, but have some friends in Israel, sang the famous Israeli song "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav," Jerusalem of Gold, by Naomi Shemer.
Take a look at the video below. Vladamir of J:MORS sang from his transliterated song sheet so well that you might forget that you're watching a Belarusian band.

Second, The Israeli Embassy and Israel Cultural Center in Minsk sponsored an Israeli film festival, which began with the showing of one of my favorite Israeli films, "Ha Kochavim Shel Shlomi," or "Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi." This film has the power to emotionally transport you right into Israel, even from Minsk!

Minsk's First Mimouna

2008-04-29T17:19:00.032+03:00

On the evening of Sunday, April 27th, Jewish Minskers celebrated their very first Mimouna. Originally a tradition observed by Jews from North Africa, a Mimouna is a party held on the evening when Pesach is finished and Jews get to trade in their bread of affliction for chametz-o-licious treats. Accordingly, the Mimouna is an evening filled with songs, dance, and most importantly, said treats. One especially traditional and tasty Mimouna delicacy is called moufletta. It is basically a folded crepe with honey and butter inside. Nothing says chametz-o-licious quite like moufletta.

In Israel today, the mimouna celebration is enjoyed by Jews from all over the world, Sephardi and Ashkenazi alike. Inspired by this synergy of traditions, I decided to organize a Mimouna in Minsk. Basically every Jew in Minsk is Ashkenazi. At least one grandparent of nearly all my friends here speaks Yiddish. But Jews here are still hungry for knowledge (and moufletta!) about Jewish traditions from around the world. Thanks to Moishe House and the JDC, Natasha and I were able to organize this event in the big hall of the Minsk Jewish Campus. Preparations began weeks in advance, with our advertisement which we posted in many of the Minsk Jewish youth clubs and organization offices.

Then we decided the "program" for the evening. Here in Minsk, people rarely just throw a casual party. An unwritten social rule is that there must be a program for the evening.

Mimouna Minsk Program

We began the evening with Havdalah, which in this case sanctified the separation between the holiday at the end of Pesach and the rest of the week.
Mimouna is said to celebrate the luck of the people of Israel that God parted the Sea of Reeds and allowed them to escape the Egyptians. While Pesach remembers the moment of the exodus from Egypt, Mimouna remembers the arrival at the sea, which occurred seven days after leaving Egypt. Thus, we decorated the stage and curtain to look like the Sea of Reeds, complete with waves and fish.

Our emcees, the charming Olga and Dima, also connected quite literally to the theme of the parting the sea. Olga dressed as Moses and held her staff high to part the sea curtain for the first act. And Dima dressed as Moses' sister Miriam who lead the women with their timbrels in a victory song and dance after the seas had parted. They introduced themselves in character and lead our audience through the Mimouna performances with grace, aplomb, and, well, gender fluidity.

Our first performers were from the Hillel dance group and they performed an Israeli folk dance in pairs.

Later in the evening, the ladies and one brave young man performed a middle eastern style dance for us as well.

Our next act was the wonderful singer, a true Belarusian Jewish diva, Anya Shalutina.

Each act was separated by the presentation of some slides with information and pictures of Mimouna celebrations throughout history. The presentation was translated into Russian and can be seen here, and for the English version, click here. Use the arrows to control the slides.

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And last but not least, a professional belly dancer named Karima performed two dances for us and then taught our guests some moves. One of her dances was choreographed especially for us to a song in Ladino sung by Yasmin Levy. The audience was surprised to hear that just as the Jews from this region once commonly spoke Yiddish, the Jews of pre- and post- Inquisition Spain spoke Ladino.

Then the evening continued with Israeli, Turkish, and Arabic disco dancing. And sure enough, by 11pm, there was not a trace of moufletta left. When the last song was over and everyone began to leave, I overheard one friend remark that she hopes they'll have a Mimouna again next year. I hope so too.

Perpetual Pesach

2008-04-23T23:54:00.011+03:00

Two kindred spirits in the Minsk Jewish Campus parking lot : the matzah-colored Zhiguli and the matzah.

I have 5 seders down and another 2 to go. Apparently, the Minsk Jewish community likes to have a lot of Pesach seders throughout the entire week of Pesach. You would think more than two seders would be enough to make anyone say "dayenu," but somehow, I'm still going strong. Possibly thanks to my box of "Joint" brand matzah that I took home with me on Friday afternoon!

One of the highlights of Pesach 2008 in Minsk was the Cantorial Concert held in a large concert hall in the center of the city on April 22nd. The concert was organized by the World Union for Progressive Judaism, Minsk JCC Emunah, and sponsored by the Joint Distribution Committee and Union of Jewish Communities. The concert showcased musical pieces composed and sung by cantors and performers from Israel, America, Russia and other countries as well. Additionally, dances were performed by groups of children and young adults from the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Minsk JCC. Every performance added something special to this concert.
The concert began with a group of cantorial students from Hebrew Union College, accompanied by Rabbi Grisha Abramovich, carrying a Torah into the concert hall and laying it down on a small platform on the stage. They covered the Torah in talitot and it remained on the platform throughout the entire concert, transforming the stage into a real bima just for the event.
An especially moving performance was by a young boy named Dmitry Rubinshtein, who recently celebrated his Bar Mitzvah. Since having a Bar Mitzvah is less common for Jews in Minsk today, Dmitry's choice to have a Bar Mitzvah reflects a strong commitment to his Jewish heritage. Dmitry played guitar and sang "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav," "Jerusalem of Gold," while a captivated audience sat silently listening to his sweet voice and perfect accompaniment.

How powerful it was to sit amongst a multi generational Jewish audience of more than 200, listening to such resonant Jewish songs, in a concert hall in the heart of Minsk. A concert hall situated less than a kilometer away from what was once the Minsk Ghetto. And today, Jews can proudly carry their Torah right into the hall and hold a concert while it remains in the spotlight throughout.The contrast between Jewish Minsk during those years in history and today could not have been more tangible.
Click the arrow to see Dmitry's performance.

The concert quite appropriately concluded with "Dayenu" in Yiddish. All performers joined this classy lady on stage and sang together.

Aliyitchka Wants YOU... to see Purim in Minsk

2008-04-02T13:54:00.021+03:00

By the end of Purim in Minsk, it's hard not to feel shpieled, costumed, and hamantaschened out, because the Jews of Minsk really know how to get their Purim on. In this post, I'll take you through my unforgettable Purim in Minsk.

It began with an idea to bake about 150 Hamatashen in my kitchen. Some would be used for Mishloach Manot, and most would be for the Mazal Tov children's Purim Concert.

I invited Tanya, my co-teacher, to help me bake. Vodka bottle=excellent rolling pin!

We brought all the hamantaschen to the Minsk Jewish Campus and got ready for the Mazal Tov Purim Concert. Children in their costumes began to arrive.

The mazaltovniki tots wore costumes and masks. They held their groggers eagerly waiting for Haman's name. Boooo!

Right before our concert began, all the parents and grandparents gave me a surprise birthday gift! Then the children sang me Happy Birthday in English.

And then our program began. First we presented a Purim puppet show in English (with translation) for the children and their families. That's Mordechai telling Queen Ester about Haman's evil plot.

Then the children performed a medley of English songs, including this one:
"Purim Day, Purim Day, what a happy holiday! Wear a mask, wear crown, dance all around! Round go the groggers, rush rush rush (x3), on Purim day."

And then is was time for Hamantaschen and juice. All the parents and grandparents asked me for the recipe!

Who knew Haman's ears could be so tasty?

Then the characters of Purim made their final cameo appearance, ate a few hamantaschen, and went back to Shushan where they belong.

Hevruta: Jewish Knowledge Day at the Minsk Jewish Campus

2008-03-26T16:35:00.008+02:00

The following article is from the Minsk Jewish Campus Website.

At 8pm on March 9, 2008, over 500 participants of “Hevruta” — Jewish Knowledge Day, left the Minsk Jewish Campus. They looked tired, but extremely happy — they spent 10 hours of their Sunday studying Jewish tradition and history, making new discoveries about Jewish heritage and modern research on burning Jewish issues. Each and every participant expressed hope that such a large scale educational event will take place in the Minsk Jewish Campus regularly.

It took over six months for the organizers to get everything ready for the event. There were lots of disputes and various ideas of how the “most perfect Hevruta” was to be held. Despite different views and arguments, the day was a great success and people want the initiative to be continued.

“We are happy we managed to involve many new people and volunteers in the “getting ready for Hevruta” process — they sewed textile tote bags for each participant, decorated the MJC halls where the activities took place, assisted in registration, prepared materials for booklets, and did other important things for Hevruta to become a real community event.

We also would like to express our deepest appreciation of the support provided for the event by the Ginsburg family and AJJDC ,” — said one of the organizers.

The event participants wrote wonderful comments in the Hevruta participant guest book:

…It was a real holiday! The lectures were so interesting and informative. We wanted to be present at all lectures simultaneously. This event was a great opportunity for communication. Thank you, Hevruta!

…Thank you for great lecturers and great Jewish atmosphere!

… Thank you for the opportunity to become one of the participants of this really Jewish event. Can it be held annually?

Aliyitchka's Hevruta Session

I chose to teach two sessions on one of my favorite Jewish traditions: the bedtime "Shma" and "Modeh Ani," said upon waking. Since each of these passages are traditionally recited before and after going to sleep, I thought it would be both interesting and practical to decorate pillows with the words of the Shma on one side, and Modeh Ani on the other.

First, participants who were unfamiliar with this tradition learned the words of each passage and their origins. Next, everyone got to craft their very own pillow with the words transliterated into Russian.I had a great time teaching this session and learning from the other volunteers in their sessions as well.

The Jews of Minsk simply can't wait for the next Hevruta!

(Giddy after a long day of Hevruta fun, I politely asked the jazz musician if I might momentarily sit down in his drum case. That's a normal request, right?)

Babushka

2008-03-11T21:41:00.002+02:00

Babushki (Grandmothers) are a very important part of life in the Former Soviet Union. That is why this new music video has rapidly become our favorite. Enjoy!

Holy Carp!

2008-03-04T22:24:00.005+02:00

"Some carp are much more lovable than others, and that Passover, we had an unusually playful and intelligent carp in our bathtub"
-"The Carp in the Bathtub"

One of my favorite children's books is "The Carp in the Bathtub." Until coming to Minsk, "The Carp in the Bathtub" was purely a fictional tale for me. But one of the most thrilling things about living in Minsk is to experience "The Carp in the Bathtub" as reality:

There's nothing quite like opening the door to the bathroom in a friend's apartment and being greeted with the sight of 9 carp swimming around (ok, some were unfortunately bobbing upside down) in the tub. I realize that some of these carp look a little less playful and intelligent than the ones in the book...

Happy Defenders of the Motherland Day!

2008-02-25T10:54:00.018+02:00

Real Belarusian Males

Popularly referred to as "Man Day," February 23rd is a Belarusian holiday designated for the celebration of those of the masculine persuasion, specifically those who serve in the Belarusian armed forces. Little boys, adult men, and grandfathers alike are given gifts and praised, as they represent the defenders of Belarus. There's nothing quite like "Man Day" to reinforce strong gender identities!

So how do the Minskers celebrate their noble men?
First, since Day of Motherland Defenders and Armed Forces is a national holiday, there are usually wreath laying ceremonies and speeches given by high ranking officials.

Second, there are fireworks ceremonies in the national colors of Belarus, red, green and white, all over the city on the night of "Man Day."

(P.S. The fireworks in honor of New Years only stopped happening every night about one week ago...but I digress...)

Even Belarusian cellular telephone company, Velcom, offers a special Motherland Defenders Day deal!

And what do Minskettes do for their manly compatriots? Quite like the platoons and battalions they celebrate, scores of women storm the men's departments of the national stores like GUM and TZUM in search of the perfect present. Popular gifts include cologne, neckties, pens, and underwear, especially in camouflage print.

TZUM="Central Universal Store"

It was actually in TZUM that I learned just how fun shopping for "Man Day" can be. I was thinking that the abundance of women's events offered by Moishe House Minsk is a tad discriminatory, so we decided to offer a males only "Man Day" event. Natasha and I wanted to present our man friends with Moishe House Minsk logo undies. This required going to TZUM and requesting from the friendly store clerk, 12 pairs of white boxer-briefs in various sizes, and some permanent markers for printing our logo.

Imagine:

Me: "Excuse me, can I have 12 white underpants please?"
Clerk: "12?" (She looked at me like I was either an idiot or socially deviant. I couldn't tell which.)
Me: "Da"
Clerk: (She started handing me men's thong-style underwear.)
Me: "Uh. Nyet. Different ones, please"
Clerk: "We only have 9 pairs of regular white underwear." (She paused while impatient women behind me in line started to fume.)
Me: "What about those?" (I pointed to the very large pile of what can only be described as many more than 9 pairs of exactly what I was asking for.)
Clerk: "Uh huh." (She handed me more and more pairs as I counted them in Russian. Under the intensity of the moment, I blanked at the number 7. Older woman behind poked me with her umbrella, kindly reminding me, "syem!")
Me: "12 pairs, ok, that's enough. Thank you."

I paid and was on my merry way to the stationary department to do it all over again, but this time I only needed one red permanent marker for printing "Moishe House Minsk" on the triumphantly obtained unmentionables.

Natasha has great printing skills!

So the man-friends of Moishe House Minsk had their male-only event which included both fun, and learning about influential chemist and Jewish hero, Chaim Weizmann.

Hooray (Ooorah! in Russian) for Motherland Defenders and for the XY chromosomed contingent of Moishe House Minsk!

Presenting the bold, brave, strapping, and resolute! Moishe House Minsk Man Friends!

Legumes in Classrooms

2008-02-02T13:53:00.000+02:00

Last post, I wrote that in my Mazal Tov class, we sprouted beans and planted them for Tu B'shvat. Well, they've grown very fast. Three-year-old Stasik's bean plant is the tallest one. Ironically, he's the smallest child in the class!

Take a look:

Santas, Seminar, and Sprouting Beans

2008-01-23T17:37:00.000+02:00

It all began with a little New Years party we decided to throw here at Moishe House Minsk. A little party that lasted over 48 hours...

(The party starts!)

(And many hours later... It seems the party has ended.)

In Minsk, January is not a quiet month. You see, the Belarusians love their New Years, and all the tinsel, Father Frosts, chatchkes, "New Year trees," and fireworks that go along with it. The Belarusians love their New Years so much that even today, January 25th, people are still setting off fireworks in the streets. So, in honor of what has undeniably been the longest celebration of my life, I raise my glass to you and acclaim, "C NOVOM GODOM!" "Happy New Year!"

But that's not all I've been up to this month. I also paid a visit to the Holy Land with my fellow Jointnik volunteers from all over the world for a wonderfully informative and enjoyable seminar. We learned together and shared stories that you probably wouldn't believe unless you too were placed in a country where you didn't know the language and the culture was completely unfamiliar. We learned that fellow Jointniks might be the only ones who can truly relate to our stories "from the field." We could all sympathize, if not empathize, with the volunteer who was required to give a stool sample in order to be granted a residency permit in the country, and the volunteer whose bathtub was moved into the kitchen for a week for plumbing repairs, and even the volunteer who "never really figured out how to do laundry" in his/her placement.... Oh fellow Jointniks, we have a special bond!

And there's much more to add to this whirlwind of a month... Let's not forget the Jewish Birthday of the Trees: Tu B'Shvat!

But on the fifteenth of Shvat, when I looked out my window and I saw this,

I couldn't help but sing the famous children's Tu B'Shvat song, "The Almond Tree is Blooming," with a lingering question mark at the end. "The Almond Tree is Blooming?" Really? Where?

But sometimes our Jewish holidays come right at the time we need them the most! It's more or less the dead of winter here, but there will be a spring (it's my mantra, in fact!) and that's enough reason to celebrate today.

And celebrate, we did! We had a kabalistic Tu B'Shvat seder here at Moishe House Minsk, and I sprouted beans for planting with my Mazel Tov students. Everyone enjoyed eating traditional Tu B'Shvat foods native to Eretz Yisrael, like dried fruit, nuts, pomegranates, and olives.

I hope that I helped make it an enjoyable holiday for contemplating our relationship with the natural world, even if our natural world is frozen right now... Happy Tu B'Shvat!

Krazy About KEFIR!

2007-12-25T15:33:00.000+02:00

...and 10 more things I love about Minsk:

1. I can use my balcony as an extra refrigerator.

2. Diminutives. Even cars here are called "Mazdachkas" and "Toyotichkas."

3. The food. If you smile at your plate of beets, pickles, noodles, and mystery cutlet, it will smile back.

4. Adults (and I) shamelessly collect stuffed animals!

5. BelaKola, the "Belarusian People's Cola!"

6. Frolicking in the snow.

7. Pickled everything

8. Going to the banya (Russian sauna) and being beaten with birch leaves to "improve circulation." Where else could you get this VIP spa treatment?

9. Fur for all!

10. The Jewish community, of course!

Connecting with the Past, Present, and Future in Borisov and Chashniki

2007-12-21T12:56:00.000+02:00

It was 7:00 in the morning and still dark outside when we climbed into the JDC minivan and began our journey to Borisov and Chashniki. Passengers included Natasha, director of logistics for JDC Minsk, Arieh, director of strategic planning for the JDC in New York, and Sebastian and Erica, my fellow JDC volunteers. The purpose of our journey was twofold: we were on our way to Borisov in order to meet with leaders of the Jewish community center, and after, to make the journey to the small village of Chashniki in order for Arieh to reconnect with his ancestral roots through a very meaningful visit to the still-intact Jewish cemetery (a rarity in Belarus) and the village's few remaining Jews.

Many Jews come to this region to visit the shtetlekh of their ancestors whose lives were likely characterized by a combination of rich Jewish traditions, poverty, and persecution at each turning point in the region’s tumultuous history. Many fled or were murdered but managed against all odds to create the legacy of some of the greatest achievements of the Jewish people, collectively and individually, throughout Jewish history. Moreover, their legacy includes the important work of the JDC, and the revival of Jewish life here today. The synthesis of past, present, and future for Jews in this region was never more apparent for me than on the day of our visit to Borisov and Chashniki.

We were greeted in Borisov by the leaders of the Jewish community. They gave us a tour of their Jewish community center and expressed their hopes and plans for future programs and provided us with tea and cookies. We then participated in a lively Yiddish singing session with the community center’s pension-aged group (see Eritchka’s babushka of the month). Many shared their stories of survival through some of the most difficult periods of Jewish history, including the Holocaust, which obliterated approximately 800,000, or 90% of the Jews in Belarus. Everyone we spoke to had experienced at least one miraculous turn of events to which they could attribute their survival. Located amidst industrial back lots and heaps of wood and rubber, the Borisov Jewish community center was an unlikely place to find such lively Yiddish singing and such a warm community for the area’s pension aged Jews.

Next, we climbed back into the minivan,full from tea, cookies, and the joy of hearing Yiddish songs that against all odds are still being sung by Jews in the periphery of Belarus today. We sat quietly in the minivan as we steadily drove through the slush and endless forests, marveling at the survival of the Jewish people, engaged in the timeless internal Jewish discourse of theodicy.

The forests faded into fields of snow and rickety wooden fences into dachas with smoke drifting out of their little chimneys. I couldn’t stop looking out the window and taking in the scenery so foreign to my eyes. It was on this long drive to Chashniki when Arie shared his family story with us. How moving, all the small miracles and twists of fate that had to occur in order for us to be on our way to Chashniki that day, and for Arie to have attained the precious memories of his past.

He thoughtfully recounted his story to us and allowed me to share it here:

"My grandmother Edie was born in 1923 in Vitebsk in the USSR. In 1925, she arrived in Sydney, Australia with Liza, her mother. Liza had been so traumatized by whatever she had experienced in Belarus during those years -- including the death of Edie's father before the baby's birth -- that she simply never spoke a word of that place and time. Edie -- or Eta as she was originally named -- spent many decades with a deep sense of emptiness about her own family and her past: she knew almost nothing about her father, about her mother's parents or brothers and sisters, about what had happened that propelled her mother to voyage across the Soviet empire and over the ocean to the most distant land imaginable.

In the 1970s, a few years after her mother's death, Edie wrote a letter to a distant relative in the US of whom she had some knowledge. The relative was Nathan Cohen, a retired and elderly gentleman living in New Jersey. Nathan was Edie's first cousin. In her letter, Edie wrote asking if he could tell her something about her mother's life and family before she moved to Australia. Because of his advanced age, Nathan decided not to write back, but to speak to her on audio cassettes. Over a series of months, Nathan recorded a number of cassettes that he sent in installments to Edie. He told her the story of Liza's life -- and the story of the first few years of Edie's life.

Nathan's cassettes were a true gift -- they restored to Edie a part of her own self. Nathan told of Chashniki, the shtetl in which the family had lived for some generations. He spoke of Edie's grandfather the blacksmith, of aunts and uncles and cousins, of the bandits and violence that characterized the Civil War and the years that followed, of shtetl life. Edie's own story was that her father, who worked as a technician in a veterinary hospital in the city of Vitebsk, had contracted an infection and died before his daughter was born. Liza found herself with a baby girl, but bereft and with no means of support. For a few months, she put Edie in a Jewish children's home in Vitebsk, visiting her whenever possible. After some time, Nathan told my grandmother that the family decided to bring Edie to Chashniki, so they went -- on a horse and carriage -- and took her out of the home. Nathan remembered Edie's arrival in Chashniki -- "you were a bag of bones, Edie". They fattened her up with home cooking, and some months later Liza decided to leave the USSR entirely and start a new life in Australia.

As a child, I remember when my grandmother received the cassettes from Nathan, and how moved she was to have made this connection to a relative and to her own story. I have listened to them many times. Through my grandmother, they are a living connection to my heritage. I was the first of Liza's descendants to return to visit Chashniki, four years ago. My experience then, and again a few weeks ago, have become a precious part of my own identity. Liza may have never wanted to step foot again in the land of her past. But I hope she may have found some joy in the fact that, when one of her descendants made the journey back to Chashniki, he recited the names of every one of her dozens of descendants."

We drove into Chashniki and met Liev and Costia, two older Jewish men whom Arie had met during his first visit, four years ago. Liev and Costia represent two-thirds of the Jewish population remaining in the village of Chashniki. Costia lead us through the snow to the Jewish cemetery, which he maintains himself. He showed us the grave of his mother and we searched, albeit unsuccessfully, for grave stones that bore Arie’s family name.

(Liev's House, Chashniki)

(Costia and Arieh at the Jewish cemetery)

(Costia wiping snow from a grave stone in the Jewish cemetery)

Then Liev invited us to his home, led us through his garden which provides him and his wife with nearly all of their sustenance each year, showed us the chickens in his chicken coop, and told us the remarkable story of how his non Jewish father hid his Jewish mother in the underground cellar in their home during the Holocaust- the very home into which he invited us that day.

(Liev showing us his cellar)

Our visit to Borisov and Chashniki bolstered the intentions of my work as a volunteer with the JDC, an organization committed to the “rescue, relief, and rehabilitation” of Jewish communities worldwide. The stories of the Yiddish singers at the Borisov Jewish community center, of Arie’s great grandmother and her unimaginable journey from Chashniki to Australia, and of Liev and Costia who remain in Chashniki amidst the memories of the past, honoring those memories steadfastly by maintaining the Jewish cemetery and some semblance of a Jewish life against the backdrop of destruction-- These stories, so much more than just stories, are catalysts, sparks, driving forces behind every Jewish holiday I introduce to my young Mazel Tov students, every Shabbat meal I host at Moishe House Minsk, and each day that I enter the Minsk Jewish Campus and feel the force, vigor, and conviction of this living, breathing, dynamic Jewish community.

From Boston to Minsk, Moishe Houses and Tikkun (Healing)

2007-12-16T22:00:00.000+02:00

Click above to read what Margie Klein, resident of Moishe House Boston, wrote about Moishe House Minsk and her own house's recent activities.

Pasha and Egor Wish you a Happy Chanukah!

2007-12-07T12:09:00.000+02:00

Five year old twins Egor and Pasha with their Chanukah boxes of candles and chocolate gelt

Words can not describe the delight in my heart when three-and-a-half year old Stasik pointed to the tallest candle in the Chanukia and said to me "It's a shamash!" Stasik is one of the students at the Minsk Jewish Campus Mazel Tov children's program. I've had the privilege of teaching him, as well as twenty other Mazel Tov students, ages 3-5, since my arrival in Minsk. We began to prepare for Chanukah in late October because it's never too early to learn the words to what became the children's favorite song, "I'm a Little Latke."

The goal of the class that I teach together with a wonderful teacher named Tanya, is for the children to learn basic English and a bit about Jewish holidays and concepts. Each lesson, the children practice introducing themselves in English. They have learned the names of nearly all the colors and an abundance animals as well. They also love to sing songs like "Ba Ba Black Sheap."

It seems one of their favorite activities is watching the Chanukah candles as they are lit and counting them in English until they've reached eight. And when you ask them why there are eight, they know- there are eight days of Chanukah! And with great dedication and persistence, each child learned all four lines of the song "I'm a Little Latke," in preparation for yesterday's Mazel Tov Children's Chanukah Concert. Proud babushkas, dedushkas, moms, and dads sat in the audience while their children or grandchildren displayed their remarkable English skills, and extensive knowledge of Chanukah as well. Check out the video below:

These Mazel Tov tots are tiny Chanukah experts!

Chillin' Out! Moishe House on ICE!

2007-12-05T11:36:00.000+02:00

On Saturday, November 24th, Moishe House Minsk took a little field trip. After everyone handed in their signed permissions slips and participated in a loud count-off, we made our way over to one of the most popular places in Minsk, ICE PALACE. Natasha and I were happy to have Moishe House sponsor this post-shabbat, chill-out activity. It proved to be an interesting experiment in trust building and group cohesion!

When planning the event, we feared that bringing a large group of first-time-ice-skating Jews to the rink might prove catastrophic (or hilarious depending on which way you look at it...) but we learned that most of our Belarusian friends have innate ice skating powers. And most of us non-native Minskers were just as impressive as the famous Jamaican Bobsled team of the distinguished film, "Cool Runnings."

After a frenzy of fastening rental skates and making sure we still had each member of our group, we hit the ice. Literally, for a some of us. But when our Talmudic sages of blessed memory first uttered the famous quotation "All Jews are responsible for one another," or

"כל ישראל ערבין זה לזה," I'd like to believe they had us ice skating Jews in mind.

The most important lesson of the evening was that when ice skating with Moishe House Minsk, you can always count on someone to hold your hand and scrape you up off the ice when you're sure you've bruised your tuchis.

"A" for effort!

Brr...It's Cold in Here! It must be Rosh Chodesh Kislev in the Atmosphere!

2007-11-11T23:45:00.000+02:00

Well, friends, winter has definitely arrived here in Minsk. The cold hard truth (pun intended) really hit me when my wet bathing suit, inside my gym bag, froze (!!!) on the 10 minute walk home from the local pool.
Seriously. It's cold.

My Street!

But what better way to combat the plummeting temperature than to celebrate the beginning of a new Jewish month so filled with warmth and light! On the evening of Sunday, November 11th, Moishe House Minsk celebrated its first women's Rosh Chodesh gathering*, in honor of Rosh Chodesh Kislev.
.

Eight of us sat together in our living room, ate dinner, discussed what it means to each of us to be a Jewish woman, learned about Rosh Chodesh and its meaning as a woman's holiday, and shared our hopes for personal character improvement in the coming month. Light being a key theme for the month of Kislev, we each lit small candles as we shared our thoughts. Though I feared that my friends might find this aspect of our activity just a tad kitschy, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it created an atmosphere of warmth and sharing.

It was so interesting to hear how my lovely lady friends here in Minsk interpret the role of the Jewish woman. One idea that seemed to resonate with nearly all women present was that it's difficult to think about a Jewish woman as a single person; her role seems to always depend upon others: her children, her partner, her parents, etc... We discussed the challenges of being a single, modern, Jewish woman and how complicated this identity truly is. I couldn't help but marvel at how paradigmatic our discussion was.

It was an informative and enjoyable evening of learning and sharing.

Warmth abound, for a short while I even forgot how cold it was outside!

*Click HERE to read about starting your very own Rosh Chodesh group!

Hatikvah Halloween

2007-11-10T14:37:00.000+02:00

What does a pumpkin have in common with the Israeli national anthem? Well, both squash and hymn were the guests of honor at Moishe House Minsk, the evening of October 30th, a.k.a. “erev” Halloween.
Why? Well, in Russian, the word for pumpkin is "tikva," and the name is the Israeli national anthem is “Hatikvah,” or The Hope, in English. This fun linguistic coincidence was all we needed here at Moishe House Minsk to combine American Halloween traditions with some good old Zionist education!

Our guests arrived and were immediately greeted in the spirit of American trick-or-treating. First, they were offered candy and treats by yours truly, decked out in a dog costume I found in the Minsk Jewish Campus preschool toy box. That the costume was likely fashioned for a six year old did not stop me from wearing it with pride!

As guests proceeded towards the table of delectable sweets, a certain Star of David shaped light beckoned to them.
What could it be? Sure enough, the source of the emanation was our Jewish jack-o'-lantern; a “tikva” carved with “Hatikva” in mind.

After guests began to satisfy their sweet tooth, they sat down for an interactive presentation on the history of “Hatikva,” written by by Naftali Hertz Imber, a Zionist poet from Zloczow (formerly Galicia, now Ukraine) in 1877. We listened to two recordings of “Hatikva,” one sung by Ofra Haza, and the other sung by Abayudaya ("Jewish" in Lugandan) children in Uganda. Needless to say, the two versions provided an interesting contrast to one another. Those who knew the words sang along to both.

After the “Hatikva” segment of the evening was over, we watched the horror film, “The Reaping.”
Once all of our guests had left, Natasha and I were left with the remains of our dear Jewish jack-o'-lantern. After mourning its short but meaningful life, we made tikva soup.

Home is Where the Moishe is...

2007-11-01T17:29:00.000+02:00

After many meetings, extensive planning, a bit of consulting, lots of inviting, and the purchase of an abundant array of snack foods, Natasha and I announce to you the opening of MOISHE HOUSE MINSK in our apartment!

What is a Moishe House?

Moishe Houses are a collection of homes all over the world. In these homes, the residents receive a rent subsidy and project budget in order to host events and activities. Moishe House Minsk will hold 5-7 events per month; We promise they will be fun, creative, and somehow Jewishly inclined!

Moishe House is funded by the Forest Foundation, which has partnered with the Center for Leadership Initiatives and the Schusterman Foundation in order to expand their program.
There are currently Moishe Houses in:

Moishe House Minsk is the first Moishe House in the Former Soviet Union!

To see the Moishe House Minsk web page with a description of the house, our bios, and our calendar of events, click HERE.

Our First Event

Our first event, a “Chanukat Bayit,” Hebrew for “House Dedication,” was held on Saturday, October 27th. About seventeen guests joined us for homemade cookies and cakes, tea and coffee.

First we did Havdalah together, complete with lalalalalalalalas.

Then, Yoni the JDC Representative, helped me attach a mezuzah (Lablogski Jewish symbol of the month!) to the inside of our front door. We all said the blessing together:

Next, Natasha and I showed a power point presentation that we prepared on the history of Moishe House and about ourselves as well. Take a look!
(Can you spot Alf's cameo appearance???)

| View | Upload your own

At the last minute, we feared the power point presentation might not work, but our friendly mullet-donning comrade, Dima, saved the day with his computer savoir-faire. Thanks Dima!

Then we did what Minsk Jews do best. We schmoozed the night away over tea and sweets.

Shiny Happy Moishe House People!

So, thank you Moishe House, and thank you JDC, for enabling us to work on this fun project!

Meet Moishe! Psychologist Morris Bear Squire originally established the Forest Foundation the 1950's

"It's So Nice to Have a Wolf Around the House." It's Even Nicer to Have Natasha Around the House!

2007-10-21T18:32:00.000+03:00

When I was little, my momitchka (yes, even moms have a diminutive name here) used to read me a book called, It's So Nice to Have a Wolf Around the House. In this children's picture book, the wolf, a former criminal, sought to redeem himself from his crooked past by assisting an old man around his house. One day, the old man discovered that his wolf was actually a former bank robber, but forgave him and allowed him to continue to be his trusty home companion anyway. Now, I'm not sure what exactly made me think of this once-forgotten literary gem of my past, but here are two possibilities:

1. I have my own trusty home companion these days, namely my roommate, Natasha!
2. Taxidermy seems to be the decoration of choice for many restaurants in Minsk. Sorry wolf...

Now more about possibility #1:

I have a great roommate. Some of you may recognize her from my post entitled "Scoot over Sarit Chadad..."

Here's a little something that Natasha wrote about herself:

"For a start, I would like to introduce myself to you. My name is Natallia (Natasha) Kirykovich. I was born in Pinsk, but now I live in Minsk - the capital of the Republic of Belarus. I am 23 years old and I finished university last year. My profession is translator. My first foreign language is German and my second is English. After university I moved to Germany for a one year in order to improve my language skills. My hobbies include music (play piano, singing), traveling and reading."

Natasha is helping me learn Russian and I'm helping her improve her English.
(Check out all those dual language post-its in our kitchen!)

Also, Natasha has this fantastic Alf doll that giggles when you squeeze his foot! I love Alf! When I saw it for the first time, I was overwhelmed by a sudden sense of kismet; indeed I had chosen the right roommate!

We are so excited about our new apartment and we've put a lot of effort into making it home.

Thanks to Mr. Proper, our place is squeaky clean!

Natasha and I love to cook. She makes a mean latke and I got her to try some specialty items I brought from home, like Chilula hot sauce, and Skippy peanut butter! But not together, of course!

(Natasha and Olga eating latkes, or "draniki" in our kitchen)

I'm sure that for the aforementioned old man character, having a wolf around the house was quite lovely. For me, having Natasha around the house is even better!

*Important note: The Natasha/wolf analogy was just a figment of my silly post-midnight musings... While the wolf was an ex-con, Natasha has the pristine past of the nicest of nice Jewish girls!

(Our apartment. Here they're called the kukurooza, or corn buildings.)

Aliyitchka in The Cleveland Jewish News

2007-10-16T14:45:00.001+03:00

My official title here in Minsk is the Rozlyn Z. Wolf Fellow. Here is a description of the Fellowship, taken from the Jewish Federation of Cleveland website:

The Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland-JDC International Fellows Program

Spend a year abroad. Get a lifetime of rewards!

This joint project of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) has been established through the generosity of the late Ambassador Milton A. Wolf, Ph.D. and his children to permanently honor and memorialize his beloved wife. A Federation Trustee for Life, Roz's Jewish community commitments set an example for many and continue to motivate other volunteers.

Each year, the Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland-JDC International Fellows Program will provide one college graduate the opportunity to spend a year abroad, where he or she will help isolated or re-emerging Jewish communities develop programs that educate youth, care for the elderly and train future leaders.

In August, I traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, for a few days to become acquainted with the Cleveland Jewish Federation and the Jewish community in general. When I was there, I was interviewed by a writer for the Cleveland Jewish News and the article was recently printed.

CLICK HERE to read it!

Scoot Over Sarit Chadad! Make Room for Natasha, Aliyah, and Olga!

2007-10-12T18:34:00.000+03:00

On Friday, October 12th, I had the honor of singing with my two friends (Oh yes, I've made friends!), Natasha and Olga, at a Minsk Jewish Campus event! Our friend Vitusha accompanied us on the piano.

Together we sang "Shma Yisrael Elohai," by pre-eminent Israeli Mizrahi t singer, Sarit Chadad. (Click here for lyrics)

(Can you spot the Babushka in the background?)

The very special event to which we were invited to sing was the opening of a new art exhibit at the Minsk Jewish Campus. The artist, Natalia Baronetzkaya, was a participant on Taglit Birthright Israel, a ten-day free trip to Israel, this past summer. She was so inspired by the sights and scenes of Israel that now, two months after her return, she has produced an entire exhibit of beautiful paintings. I was so impressed by the way she was able to capture the colors of nature in Israel and the way that light emanates from Jerusalem stone. Kol Ha Kavod Natalia!

Here are some of her paintings:

And here is Natalia the artist with me:

We were asked to sing "Shma Yisrael Elohai," because it is a very popular and powerful, but sad, Israeli song. It was written in 2000 after the brutal lynching of two Israeli reserve soldiers in Ramalla, and expresses the desperation felt by many Israelis during difficult times. Here is the Sarit Chadad Music video:

I miss Israel and long to be there, even though I'm enjoying my time here in Minsk very much. Today, while singing Sarit Chadad and viewing beautiful scenes from the holy land, I felt that much closer...

The Ginsburgs offer a HELPing Hand!

2007-10-09T21:16:00.000+03:00

The Ginsburgs are a very special and deeply appreciated couple for the Minsk Jewish community. Their philanthropic generosity has benefited Jewish communities in Minsk and Vitebsk tremendously, and touched the lives of many members within those communities.

I was honored to have met this couple from New York last night at a Project HELP gathering at the Minsk Jewish Campus. Project HELP is a business education and loan program for young Jews from the Minsk Jewish community. At the gathering, the Ginsburgs shared their experiences as accomplished business people and answered questions from the audience. Their wisdom and practical guidance were appreciated by all, including myself.

I'm certainly not a "business person" by any stretch of the imagination (read: I've been here for a whole month and I'm STILL mystified by Belarusian rubles), but I still found their advice relevant and valuable. I especially appreciated hearing how they understand their Jewish identity in the context of their professional lives and about their decision to create a relationship with Jewish communities in Belarus by giving.

Even after the program, I still wanted to hear more from Mr. Ginsburg!

An Etrog Grows in Gomel

2007-10-01T19:58:00.000+03:00

Ok, I'm not sure if the etrog was actually grown in Gomel but it certainly found its way there for Sukkot festivities!

On Sunday, Setember 30th, Pasha drove a few of us from the JDC all the way to the southern cities of Mozir and Gomel for a visit to Sukkot family festivities. The JDC gives a lot of support to Jewish communities in the "periphery" of Belarus (anywhere not Minsk) by helping them enjoy chagim and providing other resources. The drive took about four and a half hours each way but Pasha played a fascinating Mongolian film on his car DVD player that really helped pass the time!

In Mozir I was impressed to find a small Hebrew lesson taking place. Two pensioner who plan to make aliyah shortly were learning Hebrew and I was happy to take part in their conversation.

And the Gomel celebration was filled with tons of wholesome Sukkot family fun. The community rented a cafeteria and converted it into a lively Sukkot celebration complete with a kippa-sporting emcee, Israeli music and dancing, contests for children, and and a symbolic decorated tent sukkah.

I loved showing this adorable Gomel tot and his father the lulav and etrog!

That's right little dude! Shake it like a Polaroid picture!

Mi Dacha es su Dacha!

2007-09-29T22:00:00.000+03:00

Dacha: Russian word for a seasonal or year-round country home.

Instead of dwelling in a sukkah for Sukkot, JDC employees opted to honor the holiday in a slightly less temporary abode, namely a delightful Belarusian dacha!

On Wednesday, September 26th, nearly 25 JDC employees traveled to the organization's lawyer's Dacha for a day of barbecuing (shashliki), box wine, and Belarusian countryside leisure. A lovely day of group bonding and enjoying the natural surroundings ensured that the spirit of the festival of booths was felt by all!

Since kosher meat is not sold in Minsk, the barbecue posed a bit of a challenge for the "koshervores" among us (ie Eritchka and I). But thankfully Eritchka brought along a few packs of Hebrew National hot dogs brought to her via freezer pack all the way from New York! Thanks Eritchka!

Yum! Check out by "bun!"

And now I would like to introduce you to some special JDC folks:

(Pasha, myself, Yoni)

First we have Pasha the JDC driver. Pasha is great. He drives the JDC minivan with skill and grace! He has made it his personal mission to have me speaking Russian by next week (we'll see...) and even miraculously taught me to pronounce the tricky guttural Russian letter "bl" correctly. Pasha enjoys smoking his pipe at the dacha, fishing, Mongolian films, and classical music.

And then, of course, we have Yoni. Yoni is the JDC Minsk representative and the head of the JDC office in Minsk. He is my supervisor, has helped me adjust to life in Minsk, and introduced me to many of the people I will be working with this year. Yoni enjoys DJing during long drives to areas in the "periphery" of Belarus and has impeccable taste in music. Yoni also likes to ask me in Russian if I'm sleeping because "Ya nyee splyoo!" ("I'm not sleeping!") is a whole Russian sentence that I can actually say!

(Iliya)

And next we have Iliya, also a JDC driver. Iliya is an excellent van driver and I am grateful to him for picking me up from the airport when I first arrived in Minsk. Iliya speaks Hebrew, which I really appreciate, and is generally a nice person to talk to.

(Natasha)

Then we have the oh-so-helpful Natasha, director of logistics for the JDC Minsk. Natasha has helped me so much, from organizing my visa to helping me find an apartment. Her English is excellent, which is great since I always have about a hundred questions for her.

I am grateful to all of these people and many more for helping me through my first three weeks in Minsk.

In the words of one of my favorite (and personally relevant) novels, Absurdistan, by Gary Shteyngart, "When you are in Absurdistan, my mother will be your mother, my wife your sister, and you will always find water in my well to drink." Oh, and my dacha is your dacha too!

(I learned a new dance at the dacha. It's called "Ifoundtheouthouseyipee!")

Falliday Festival at the Minsk Jewish Campus!

2007-09-24T12:13:00.000+03:00

You haven't seen Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot celebrated in style until you've seen the Minsk Jewish Campus Autumn Holiday Festival!

On Sunday, September 23rd, the Minsk Jewish community gathered at the Campus for a festival to celebrate the Jewish New Year and the other Jewish holidays of the Fall season.

Festivities included a ribbon cutting ceremony for a newly built playground, complete with swings and seesaws. The children were welcomed to play on the new equipment.

(Notice the emcee's fashionable mullet haircut. It's the favorite 'do of this Jew!)

(Progressive Rebbetzin Ira Abramovich cuts the ribbon as children get ready, set, go!)

I tried out the monkey bars and swings before the ceremony, just to make sure they were safe for the kids of course! Testing the slide and jungle gym is serious business.

(Who doesn't love a little boy in a bow tie?!)

(Belarusian babies sport stylish headware!)

Other festivities included performances by various dance and choir groups. There was a fabulous dance performance by a group of women from Chesed, the campus' senior citizens group. Don't be fooled though, these pensionerettes are far from frail! They've got some mean moves and add even added pizazz to Yiddish songs like "Cheery Bim Cheery Bom!"

And another performance that knocked our Belarusian socks off was by the Divas. The Divas, a singing group directed by Hillel member, Vicktor "Vitusha" Maslov, sang a lively medley of Hebrew songs with a catchy techno beat. Betcha can't sit still while watching this one!

During the festival the Campus turned into a meeting ground for nearly all the Jewish organizations in Minsk. I especially loved spending time at the Jewish Agency for Israel table where lots of Hebrew speakers could be found. The new Israeli shlicha from JAFI arrived with her family about one month ago and I'm already in love with her adorable kibbutznik children.

You might recognize the Jewish Fallidays as the "Yamim Noraim," or the "Days of Awe," but here in Minsk, they're celebrated with style!

Aliyitchka: American #2 in Belarus!

2007-09-19T10:49:00.000+03:00

Eritchka wrote a blog post about my arrival in Belarus and our adventures together on her blog, "Babushka." It's very funny!

CLICK HERE TO READ IT!

A Memorial for the Jews of Slutsk

2007-09-18T17:23:00.000+03:00

On Sunday, September 16th, Erica and I, along with many members of the Minsk Jewish community, traveled to Slutsk, a small town about an hour and a half drive from Minsk. Once the hometown of many Jews and a prominent yeshiva, Slutsk’s Jewish community now contains only about 100 Jews. This past Sunday, a memorial was dedicated to honor and remember “the victims of the Slutsk Ghetto” and a ceremony was held to officially open the monument. Until now, very little has been done to honor the memory of the many Jews who once lived in Slutsk and were forced to live in the Slutsk ghetto, eventually displaced and killed. Sunday was a special day because the Jews of Slutsk were publicly remembered and the mood at the ceremony reflected a sense of both solemnity and accomplishment.

Honey Fair!

2007-09-11T13:00:00.000+03:00

Here is a picture of Erica and I with our new Belarusian hunnies!

Just kidding! Well, sort of... On Sunday, September 9th, the sweetest place to be in Minsk was the center of the city, along the Svislach River.

Minskers gathered for a colorful festival of honey from all over Belarus. Vedors set up booths selling honey, honeycomb, bee pollen and other bee products. Erica and I particularly enjoyed free sample tastes of the different kinds of honey. Erica's favorite was a dark amber honey from kasha and mine was a light colored, whipped clover honey. The vendors we purchased our honey from graciously allowed us to take a picture with them! Thanks "honeys"!

Speaking of honey, I would like to wish everyone a Shana Tova U'Metukah! A sweet new year! Make sure to have some apples dipped in honey!

From Couscous to Kartoshkas…

2007-09-08T01:59:00.000+03:00

Privet! Shalom! Hello!

I’m excited let everyone know that I have arrived safely and it's been a great time so far!

First, let me explain the title of this post. My grandmother, who was born in Casablanca, Morocco and is originally of Algerian Jewish descent, prepares a special food, couscous, on special occasions. Couscous is a delicious traditional North African food and is often served with broth and vegetables. My grandmother made sure to prepare a wonderful Shabbat meal of couscous with vegetables and chicken right before I left. It was, of course, delicious!

(Grandma with couscous) (Aliyah with couscous)

And here in Belarus, Kartoshka (Russian for “potato”) is a very traditional food. Potatoes are prepared in many different ways and I’m excited to try out some traditional recipes. Think of Belarus as a veritable land-o-latkes. So far, I have enjoyed Belarusian potato chips in… mushroom flavor! This may sound a bit funky to some, but believe me they are “ochen vkoosna” (very tasty)!

My blog post title reflects more than just food, though. It represents an interesting combination of identities. My mother’s family is Ashkenazi Jewish, of Russian or maybe Ukrainian descent, and as I mentioned above, my father’s family is Sephardic Jewish, of North African descent. Put those two together (Ashkenazi+Sephardic) and I’m an Ashkephardic Jew!

In the past, I have associated strongly with my Sephardic side, its spicy food, Passover traditions, and fascinating history of both accommodation of non-Jewish Arab traditions and the preservation of a distinctly Jewish identity. I have also appreciated aspects of my Ashkenazi side, but now, here in Belarus, I feel that I might connect with it on a deeper level. Once the heart of the “Pale of Settlement,” this area was heavily saturated with Jewish communities, nearing 50% of the general population. Now that population is smaller, but enjoying a vibrant revival which I am proud to take a small part in.

So, my journey from couscous to kartoshkas is not only a physical one, but a process of broadening my mind and exploring aspects of my “Ashkephardic” identity, especially the “Ashke” part. While I once shied away from admitting that I actually like some foods like gefilte fish, herring, and horseradish, (in Yiddish and Russian “Hrain”) I will now say it loud and proud! I almost feel as though I’ve joined a support group where I hesitatingly declare, “My name is Aliyah and I like herring,” and my group replies in unison, “Privet (Hi) Aliyah!”

(The herring aisle at the local market. Yum!)

Food is always a nice place to begin but what else has made first impressions upon me?
People have been especially warm and nice to me. Current JDC volunteer, Erica Fishbein, has been especially wonderful, accompanying me everywhere, introducing me to important people with whom I will work closely this year, and slowly guiding me through the initial foreignness (so foreign, I feel like Borat) of grocery shopping and money exchange. Thanks to Eritchka I’m not overwhelmed, just 'whelmed'!

(Erica, Alona, and Aliyah at the JDC office)

And the Minsk Jewish Campus impressed me a great deal as well. At the campus, many different Jewish organizations share space and offer a rich community setting to a very broad sector of society here. Much of the campus’ activities are run by highly committed volunteers and employees who take their work seriously.

Friday evening, Shabbat, I enjoyed taking part in a gathering of about 20 Jewish Belarusian students at Hillel. We first had an abridged kabalat shabbat service and then socialized while snacking on challah (which is delicious and sweet here) for at least a couple of hours.

(Aliyah and Erica with Hillel friends)

Personally, I’m still a bit jet lagged, but adjusting quickly. I am enthusiastic about learning Russian and I’m picking up new words all the time. (Ella, padrujka, you’d be proud!) I have a long ways to go in terms of language but I can see that this sort of immersion is the best way to learn. For now though, I find myself smiling and nodding while not really understanding everything.

And I hope you will smile knowing that I’m happy, warm (weather’s been ok so far), well-fed, being challenged, and looked after well by good people during this new beginning.

May we all take an opportunity to look at the foods we enjoy and what they might mean in the context of our identities. Learn a traditional recipe! Teach someone one you are fond of! And if you like herring, then say it loud, say it proud!

(Herring!)

Aliyah Writes her First Russian Composition

2007-08-18T00:34:00.000+03:00

Below is a picture of Aliyah's first short composition in Russian.

And this is after Ella corrected and graded it. A-!!! (Ella is a tough grader.)

Translated into English, it reads:

My House
"I sleep in my room. I sleep on my bed. Also, on my bed, I read books and magazines. I sleep with two pillows on my bed. My dog is deceased, but when he was living, he slept on my bed.
In my room there are drawers, a mirror, a lamp, and a window. Last year, I did not sleep in my room because I lived in New York.
In my house there is a kitchen. In my kitchen there are sinks, an oven, a table, chairs, a window, and a refrigerator. Yesterday, I ate breakfast in my kitchen. I want to eat a banana in my kitchen. Yum! Do you want a banana too? I invite you to my house to eat a banana in my kitchen."

And here are Ella and I after a Russian lesson. She was flattered that I invited her over for a banana in my kitchen.

Welcome! A Bit of Background on Your Humble Correspondent and her Work

2007-08-12T01:01:00.001+03:00

Privet! (Hi!)

My name is Aliyah and I will be volunteering as the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's Roslyn Z. Wolf Fellow in Minsk, Belarus, for one year. Through the blog, (fondly named after the 1998 movie "The Big Lebowski") I hope to be able to communicate some of my experiences from this adventure to my family, friends, colleagues and other visitors. Basically, by writing about the new sites, people, sounds and tastes that I am bound to encounter, I hope to include you in my journeys, even if just virtually. (Literally too, if you're willing to pay me a visit!) I welcome you to leave constructive and respectful comments and feedback to which I will be sure to respond.

I found out about the Jewish Service Corps program about a year ago when I was trying to decide what to do after graduating from the Columbia/Jewish Theological Seminary Joint Program . Although I was sure I wanted to make Aliyah, I wanted to gain some invaluable international service experience before making that step. I am still sure that Israel will be my future home and that my time in Minsk will only strengthen and inform my personal and professional skills for the future.

Here are some facts about the Jewish community in Minsk. Some of the information was taken from the binder that was prepared for me by the JDC.

-Total Jewish Population in Belarus: approximately 75,000
-Jewish Population in Minsk: approximately 40,000
-The Minsk Jewish Campus opened on April 24th, 2002. The Campus shelters a number of key organizations, for example, The Union of Belarusian Jewish Organizations and Communities, Hesed Rachamim Welfare Foundation, Jewish Community Center Emunah, and Jewish Student organization, Hillel. The Campus' existence represents Jewish revival in Belarus. I know I will spend a great deal of time here!

Here are some personal goals I have for my year in Minsk. I'm sure they will change and adapt once I arrive and throughout the year.

-I hope to learn Russian (and some Belarusian since both are spoken in Belarus). I prepared for my year by taking private lessons in Los Angeles with a wonderful tutor named Ella. So far, I can say many useful things like "Where is the bathroom?" and "I don't speak Russian... No, seriously, I don't speak Russian!" (I've been told my accent is pretty decent *blush*).
-I want to establish a Moishe House in Minsk. This is an amazing project funded by the Forest Foundation . Slowly but surely, it seems like a Moishe House in Minsk might become a reality! I am so excited to be working on this! If it works out, I will live with several active Jewish Belarusian roommates and we will have small programs and gatherings in our apartment! I will keep you posted on this...
-I hope to learn more about the rich history of the Jews in Belarus and become acquainted with Belarusian culture. No doubt, a year in a new and foreign place where so many things are unfamiliar at once will be challenging! I'm excited to encounter those challenges which are sure to result in some valuable personal growth.
-Last, but certainly not least, I hope to represent Roslyn Z. Wolf, the extraordinary woman whose memory is honored by the establishment of the Wolf Fellowship, as best I can. Here is an excerpt from the JDC website about Roslyn Z Wolf:

"Among her many accomplishments, Roslyn Wolf was a trustee of several Jewish organizations, chaired the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury, served on the boards of the Ohio Arts Council and Cleveland State University, and worked tirelessly on behalf of disabled and elderly persons. She also chaired the Committee of 110 Ambassadors’ Spouses in Vienna, Austria, while her husband was posted there, and traveled with him to more than 50 countries, meeting most heads of states."

Next time I post, I will send you a proper "Privet!" from Minsk! I can't wait!
And now on to the daunting task of packing...