Three thoughts on the Jewish World

I gave a presentation the other night to a leadership group in Boston. We talked about the Jewish world and some of the mission-locations they’d visited and discussed. Cuba, Hungary, Argentina and Ukraine.

And yes, every situation is different. But still … there were three themes that looked “the same” for me.

First, everywhere you go, it’s always the vulnerable who suffer first and hardest. Doesn’t matter where. Whenever there’s trouble, or conflict, or crisis. Could be in Israel, or Ukraine or any number of places.

Second, exit strategies and phase downs aren’t linear processes. We talked about how the Joint is phasing down in certain programs and countries. But we also talked about a readiness to scale back up, if the need arises or the economics worsen.

And third, communities change not just in quantity but also in quality. When a community consolidates (say, into major cities) that may look like a “shrinkage.” But if the end result of that transition is where we can build leadership programs, JCCs, Sunday Schools and other immersive experiences … then it's not the same thing. When communities consolidate geographically we're looking at economies of scale. When it's easier to build these programs because we have more density and easier logistics.

And that's a positive.

Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change

I was giving a briefing last night here in Boston on the situation in Ukraine and, specifically, on the increased costs of our operations there. If we have to keep Hesed case workers longer hours, have them sleep over in the homes of immobile clients and increase security ... these items add to the budget. But more importantly, there's a huge issue of food costs that's looming for our Hesed programs and our clients.

As inflation, hoarding and shortages hits the food supply, we've noticed a 15-30% increase in the cost of basic food items in the past couple of weeks. The problem is that if you're a Jewish pensioner living in Ukraine, then your pension barely covers the minimal amount you were buying beforehand. As it was, you've been forced to make horrible choices between food and medicine, or limit the amount of decent produce you could buy. But now ... even a slight fluctuation in food costs will make life impossible.

Explaining this with stories is important. But there's a clear visual image that brings this home:

Even before this latest crisis, the state-run social services haven't been adjusted to keep pace with the deteriorating local economies. So you saw rising costs, growing unemployment, and ongoing currency fluctuations. If you're living in Ukraine, or Russia, or many of the countries in which we serve - you won't earn enough in your pension to cover even your basic expenses.

Want to know why life expectancy in these countries is so short, and why health is so poor? Start with that chart.

Want to know how to make a difference? Help us help the poorest, neediest Jews in the world through your Jewish federation or with a direct donation.


(The quote is by Muhammed Ali)

The Philippines and Ethiopia

I'm in Boston this weekend with my inspiring colleague, Dr. Rick Hodes, JDC's medical director in Ethiopia. He is one of the most dedicated and impressive Jewish communal heroes I know, and I'm grateful to be spending time with him and CJP (the Boston Jewish federation).

While we're spending time talking about Ethiopia, and JDC's non-sectarian work, the question of the work we're doing in the Philippines keeps coming up. You'd think that they're not connected. But (unsurprisingly) they are.

In audience after audience I see the same themes resonate for the work that we do together - doesn't matter whether it was in Japan, or Haiti, or Myanmar ... or Ethiopia or the Philippines.

Working with an eye on our Jewish values is the same. No matter where.

The commitment to saving the world, one life at a time, is the same commitment.

The value of human dignity is the same value.

And the example set by colleagues such as Adam, en route to help, is an inspiration.

The Philippines

I was moved to see this wonderful email from CJP (the Boston Jewish federation) from an amazing woman. Geraldine and I have been to several countries on JDC-CJP missions together. She is a leader in the Boston Jewish community; when the typhoon hit she was on the ground, and served as a liaison for the Jewish community in the Philippines and JDC.

Her bravery, her commitment and her Jewish values are an inspiration.

Dear CJP Family,

As many of you know, I spent the past week in the Philippines coordinating relief efforts to various areas ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan. Locally known as Typhoon Yolanda, Haiyan is now considered one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the Pacific region. While my family was spared, many of my relatives and friends lost loved ones to the winds and sea as their homes were engulfed by 30 foot waves and as winds of over 195 mph battered debris across towns and cities, tossing people around like flies and literally ripping children from the arms of their parents.  With 4,000 dead and 3 million displaced, the numbers belie the additional horrors of those who currently survive. 

Highly anxious about my family's safety and what I might find upon reaching my damaged town, I was therefore surprised to receive an email from Barry when I landed in Manila.  That Barry even thought of reaching out to me during this time of need moved me greatly.  And the messages of support I subsequently received from Gil, Zamira and Seth provided so much comfort that I literally started crying when I received the emails. Though thousands of miles away, their thoughtfulness and concern exemplified to me the unique and authentic caring we have for one another in our Boston community. 

What happened after that was even more amazing.  As CJP opened a mailbox to support relief work, thousands and thousands of dollars poured in to fund CJP's coordinated efforts with the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).  It wasn't too long before I started communicating on a daily basis with JDC Israel and New York about what was going on the ground and how we might best create a strategic plan to maximize the deployment of funds especially donated by our Jewish communities. 

While waiting for the JDC to arrive, I, for the next few days, threw myself into distributing throughout my province potable water, food, tents, and other relief goods alongside the Red Cross and Rotary International. I toured damaged areas with UNICEF, providing much needed translations, since I speak the local dialects fluently. I also did what I could to comfort refugees seeking shelter in evacuation camps and donated medicines to local public health offices. 

When the JDC finally arrived a week later, I was able to provide them with both a written and oral report of my on-the-ground observations and thoughts regarding the country's needs and prospects for rehabilitation.  I am also continuing to arrange for them people to meet in government as well as the private sector.  Realizing how well we work together, JDC's Danny Pins (whose grandparents were flown by the JDC along with 1000 other Jews to the Philippines to escape Nazi Germany during World War II) has requested that I continue to "stay on the team" for the duration of this relief effort which of course I am absolutely more than happy to do. 

I also have to mention that in the midst of all the chaos, one of my more uplifting experiences was davenning with the Filipino-Jewish, mostly Sephardic Orthodox kehilla at the Beit Yaacov Synagogue on Shabbat in Manila. (The attached photo is a meeting of the leadership of the Philippine Jewish community with  Geraldine   and a representative of the JDC )   Surprisingly, I was able to follow along with the entire Sephardic service and derived much strength and comfort from singing some familiar tunes. At the kiddush we exchanged stories about our respective communities, discussed what we do at CJP and marveled at the amazing presence of the IDF, IsrAID, and soon to arrive Israel Trauma Network in the country's most devastated areas. 

As I reflect upon my experiences over the past week, I humbly think about how small we are in the greater scheme of the universe and how insignificant we seem against the powerful forces of nature. And yet, despite our human frailty, the Torah portion read at Beit Yaacov, of Jacob's struggle with the angel and his subsequent renaming as Israel also reminded me of how great we can be when we infuse our humanity with spiritual strength to overcome, and face head-on, whatever challenges might come our way. 

It is with this in mind that I wholeheartedly thank Barry, the Staff, the Board, and everyone at CJP for rising to the occasion and responding immediately, without hesitation, to address the unimaginable human suffering that has befallen the country in which I was born.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for reaching out to me and my fellow Filipinos in this dark time of need. And thank you so much for allowing me, through your actions, to experience the purest form possible of chesed and rachamim.  You have no idea how much spiritual strength you give me. I am so proud to be a Jew and a member of our community. 

With my deepest thanks,

Geraldine

The Past and The Future

One of the greatest accomplishments we have in Hungary is the revitalization of Jewish life for the "new generation" and the "missing generation."

In 1948 when the communists took power, lots of Jews saw it as a very positive sign, finally they could look to a better future. Those who – on an individual level – emphasized their personal and religious Jewish identity, had already left. Those who wanted to be 'Hungarians' stayed. 

In 1956 there were anti-Semitic outbreaks as a reaction against the Communists. Many religious Jews left. 

Therefore, those who remained were - even more so - those who didn't take their Jewish identity as an important factor and didn't educate their children about their heritage. 

And others left when the regime fell in the 1990s.

So the revitalization of Jewish life, in places like the Balint JCC, is critical .... and it's happening on a scale that is unprecedented for Hungary. You can see the future of Jewish Hungary in this video.

Cuba participates in the 19th Maccabiah Games

A report from my amazing colleagues in JDC Cuba ...

It was about a year ago that World Maccabiah got in touch with JDC because they wanted a meeting with the Cuban Jewish community. This year the Maccabiah had the vision to invite small communities in the Diaspora to participate in the games experiencing a world Jewish encounter. They formally extended this invitation to the president of the Jewish Community, Adela Dworin, assuring that the participation of any Cuban athletes would be guaranteed, sponsoring the air fare, meals and accommodations. It was with pure honesty and determination that the vice president of the community, David Prinstein, also present in the meeting expressed “we don`t have any professional athletes in our community, but if you give us six months, we´ll make them”.  After several encounters, the decision was made, the Jewish community of Cuba would be represented for the first time in their history in what might be the biggest Jewish global event, by participating in the 19^th Maccabiah Games.

The following steps were made by the local Cuban community that began a research all over the island to look for amateur athletes within community. Each local community`s president would do a thorough search of their congregants and propose them to make up the Cuban teams. As a result, 33 athletes were selected from not only Havana (where the majority of the population and institutions are located) but from different provinces across the country such as Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba and Santa Clara. The community put together Table Tennis, Futsal (indoor soccer), Karate, Archery and a Softball team. This last one was made up half by local members of the community that live in Cuba and completed by the other half of former members of the Cuban Jewish community that had made Alia and currently live in Israel and have their own team. In addition, 13 dancers were selected from all over the country to represent the community in the largest Rikkudim (Israeli folk dancing) Dance Festival in Israel known as the Carmiel Festival. The dance troupe would not only participate in the festival but proudly dance in front of the Cuban delegation at the memorable Maccabiah inauguration ceremony.

The months of hard training in the different sports took place and the community had to make the best efforts for their delegation within the possibilities. The community owns no training facilities so the practices took place in public places with the several disadvantages this option carries.  JDC funded essential projects in the important stage of preparation. Projects such as a nutrition complement for the athletes to enhance a healthy diet. The food packet delivered once a month included extra proteins (chicken, beans), pasta, milk among other products.

Another goal was to assure each athlete and dancer with a pair of sneakers which they were lacking of and in some occasions the exact training footwear needed to practice the sport.

It was import to assure refreshments (mineral water and energy drinks) during practice, transportation for the players to reach the practice area and back, and extra transportation and accommodation for the participants living outside of La Habana were the training took place. In average, once a month an intensive training was scheduled were players living in other provinces travelled to La Habana and had a 4 day long training with the team.

In the case of the Futsal team, in joint efforts with Clam and JDC, a coach from the Argentinean team travelled to Cuba for 10 day intensive training and helped in the arrangement and preparation of the team.

In addition to setting the conditions for proper training, the road to the Maccabiah games was long and at the same time, going by quickly. There were a series of things that had to be considered before the team actually made it to their flight and accommodations in Israel, to begin with uniforms: for each sport and a unifying delegation one. JDC, private donors and the support of other community friends fully funded all the uniforms and costumes of the Cuban Delegation.

Also taken care of by JDC were:

·        Tax fair rate

·        Transportation to and from the Airport for the Delegation

·        Transit Visa in France

·        Cell phones for the Delegation Staff in Israel

·        Transportation of the Uniforms to Cuba

·        Per diem for the 2 Archery  Athletes that received training in Israel 15 days before the games

The commitment was powerful and passionate. The Cuban Jewish community was already full of pride as their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers prepared for the games. In Cuba it was much more than a game, it was the first time a delegation as big as 46 people would leave the country altogether to represent something they are proud to be: Cuban Jews. Some participants had left the island to participate in programs such as March of the Living or Birthright, but many had never had the opportunity of travelling abroad. The 19^th Maccabiah games became a theme of growing unity within the community where the children from the Sunday school would prepare videos expressing the support and the adults choir would prepare songs to congratulate a team that were already winners at home.

It was an ambition to have an “intensive training” with all the athletes and dancers together to build the bonds of The Cuban Delegation,  regardless of what sport or what choreography tied each one to the project. The overall project was representing the community they all belonged to. So, JDC developed and supported an overnight camp with the objective to turn the group into a team. Volunteers were chosen to prepare different workshops that would help the participants feel reassured before the games. These workshops varied from: explaining security issues at airport and Israel level, packing and ideal suitcase, expected behavior at hotels including the first experience with Israeli buffet breakfast, history of the Cuban Jewsih community, etc.  The camp altogether set the seed of the Maccabiah games near and real and by the end of the day athletes could dance and dancers could score.

The only thing missing was a grand “good luck” ceremony from the community to the delegation. JDC supported a community Havdala with special guests, including local authorities, community presidents from all over the island, the community Rabi Shmuel Szteinhendler and the associated JDC director for Latin America, Dr. Fabian Triskier. That evening the delegation’s flag bearer was announced and the Cuban community said farewell to a team that aspired to win the medal of dignity, not knowing that they would return having earned another 5 winning medals.

Once in Israel, the delegation was divided in teams to different cities to start the competitions. The feeling of a whole Cuban delegation wasn’t split up and in the little free time, teams would travel to support each other at different games. The inauguration ceremony was a true example of the fervent joy the teams felt of representing Cuba for the first time in the Maccabiah Games. The reception of the Cuban delegation was wild, surprised by the lively entrance of the 13 energetic dancers and a 9 meter Cuban Flag held by the athletes. That night, the thoughts shared were filled with deep emotion when the delegation identified their Cuban flag in the spectacle of the ceremony and realized that they were making history for their community. 

Each player was true to the sprit to fair play and stayed this way outside the completion as well. And in the completion, the teams showed real enthusiasm, reaching results much surpassing any expectation:

·         Bronze medal in Karate: Abel Hernandez (the Delegation`s Flag bearer)

·         Bronze Medal in Karate: Heberto Bedoya

·         Bronze Medal in Archery: Roxana Gonzalez

·         Silver Medal in Team Archery: Roxana and Rafael Gonzalez (siblings)

·         Gold Medal in Team Archery: Roxana and Rafael Gonzalez

Yet the congratulation also goes to the teams that had no wins in their participation and still left the games feeling winners, because they gave their heart and souls with great appreciation of the possibility to play. The dancers also had their share of recognition vibrantly spreading their local music and joy at the Carmiel Festival. 

Now, with all 46 back home, the community is eager to hear about the delegation`s performance and so we are currently planning the occasion where the athletes and dancers can share their meaningful experience. With the spark the 19^th Maccabiah Games left, all athletes are willing and excited to continue training and hopefully develop a new Sport Department in the Jewish Community of Cuba.  Perhaps, this may turn into the next program that enhances social and cultural community life while rebuilding the Jewish identity on the island. For the Jewish Community of Cuba to participate for the first time in an world Jewish event such as Maccabiah means many things, but unquestionably strengthens a voice that echoed this last Shabbat when each participant was welcomed home to their community, a clear voice that together sounds like this:  Am Israel be Cuba Chai.

Boston Hungary Mission 2013

From Todd, on our mission ....

Here are 3 brief minutes from this amazing mission. We learned about Hungary's hope, joy, promise, need, pain and rebirth by spending time within the Hungarian Jewish community. Thank you CJP and JDC

My favorite Hungarian anecdote

We had a terrific tour of the Hungarian Parliament for our CJP Mission

And one thing that struck me was the cigar-holders on the window-ledges outside the assembly hall.

Each cigar-holder was numbered. So you'd put your fine Havana cigar in your holder (you could smoke outside the hall) and go listen to a speech. And if it was a really good speech, your cigar would have fully burned to ash by the time you got back. So ... the way to tell a really good speaker is how long the ash was.

And the phrase for a really good speech is "it was worth a Havana."

Szarvas 2013 ... CJP Mission visit

Quite possibly the best mission video to Szarvas (with a minute or two at the beginning with the Balint JCC kids) I've ever seen. Kudos to Todd ...

The Weight of History

I’m here in Budapest with a terrific group from CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston). And one of the issues we’re grappling with is the history that’s all around us.

Our (Jewish) guide made a fascinating reference to how she loves going for a swim in the beautiful Danube river … that same river into which were shot and killed so many Jews in 1944.

And we’re walking around a city around homes which belonged to Jews, from where Jews were expelled. So much of the city was built by Jews. So much of the Jewish story here is tragic.

In the building in which the federation of Jewish communities sits, you hear that Adolph Eichmann had his offices there.

As you walk through the central streets you learn how much was built by Jews, who were killed and persecuted (and not just during the fascist period).

The weight of history can be oppressive. Even though so many Hungarian Jews survived. Even though there is a real story of renewal and revitalization. There is also a past.

Rescue

I’m on my way to Hungary with a Combined Jewish Philanthropies (Boston Jewish federation) mission. It’s a great group and I’m looking forward to framing our work and telling the story of what we do in a fascinating and revitalizing community.

But first, I wanted to write down something that happened to me in synagogue yesterday, Shabbat morning.

I took my kids, who played (somewhat noisily, it’s true) at the back of the room with two other kids – whose mom was their teacher at the JCC last year. The mom introduced me to her in-laws, and we spoke in a mixture of Hebrew and English. I knew something of their immigrant origins, and these stories always fascinate me. And they asked me about this trip, and about my work at the Joint.

And, as we said goodbye after the Kiddush, the mother-in-law looked at her husband and said to me, “and of course, the Joint rescued him after the Shoah, and put him through the DP (Displaced Persons) Camp in Europe.”

Then I remembered. Last year, as a favor to the teacher, I had found her parents’ JDC emigration cards in our archives. They had been registered with JDC in Europe after World War II. Her father-in-law was in Ferewalt from 1946 to 1949.

“But you,” I said. “I remember you were also in a DP Camp, no?”

“Yes. Fulda [Germany],” she said. “I was saved by the Joint as well. We were both rescued.”

It was a good start to the weekend.

Hungary

I’m taking a mission from CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston) to Hungary this weekend, so this was of particular interest …

After Years of Stalling, Hungary Resumes Social Welfare Funding to Holocaust Survivors

Following protracted discussions over the course of several years, the Hungarian government has agreed to release $5.6 million in previously committed funds for social welfare services for needy Holocaust survivors of Hungarian origin living outside of Hungary. These funds will be distributed through the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference). That organization can now resume its worldwide distribution to social services agencies outside of Hungary that assist Hungarian Holocaust survivors with daily living. Additionally, the Hungarian government committed to continuing negotiations for the restitution of assets.

“Nearly 70 years after the persecution and mass murder of Hungarian Jews by the Nazis and their local collaborators, the government has fulfilled its previous agreement to support elderly Hungarian survivors,” said Greg Schneider, Claims Conference Executive Vice President. “We very much appreciate the critical support of State Secretary Janos Lazar for this significant initiative that will enable elderly survivors in need to live with an added measure of dignity and comfort.”

The money will be a lifeline for survivors who require homecare, medicine, meal delivery, transportation, emergency cash grants, winter relief, case management and socialization programs. Such services enable survivors to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible, a primary goal of the Claims Conference.

Earlier this year, with the appointment of Janos Lazar to the position of State Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, a new tone was taken by the government, which seemed to change course from placing obstacles in the way of transferring the funds, to trying to work cooperatively to resolve whatever issues remained in the way of the funds’ transfer.

In 2007, the Hungarian government pledged $21 million to be distributed over the course of five years to assist Holocaust survivors in Hungary and abroad. The Jewish Heritage of Hungary Public Endowment (MAZSOK) – a restitution foundation in Hungary composed of local Hungarian Jews, government officials and the World Jewish Organization (WJRO) – was tasked with administering one-third of the funds to survivors currently living in Hungary, while two-thirds of the funds were transferred to the Claims Conference to fund social welfare services for needy survivors living outside of Hungary.

But in 2010, a new government came to power in Hungary, and the transfer of funds to the Claims Conference in the final two years of a five-year commitment was suddenly suspended in 2012, leaving survivors deprived of the assistance they had come to expect and which they so desperately need. The $21 million represents an advance payment on a hoped-for larger agreement to provide compensation for the heirless and unclaimed formerly Jewish-owned assets confiscated by the Nazis during the Holocaust and/or subsequently nationalized by the Communist regime after the war.

-         See more at: http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/after-years-of-stalling-hungary-resumes-social-welfare-funding-to-holocaust-survivor/#sthash.a39PWpPX.dpuf

Medallas

(well, two bronze medals, to be precise ... but mazal tov to the Cuba Maccabia team for their wins, and remember, everyone, it's not the winning but the taking-part that really counts, right kids?)

Thanks again to the generosity of donors and supporters who helped send the Cuban Maccabia team to Israel this month. Here are some more terrific photos from my colleague Lisa ...

Together

We're so grateful for the support of generous Cuba mission supporters from Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston and the Jewish Federation of Greater Rhode Island, who helped us equip and support the Maccabiah Team from Cuba ... my colleagues Lisa and Victoria were present tonight at the opening ceremony and sent these terrific photos .... the uniforms, nutritional support, sneakers and so much more are because of your generosity. Together we can do great things!

Budapest Jews Plan World's Largest Kosher Sandwich

I'm so pleased to read this ... not only because it's a great sign of pride, but also because I'm taking a CJP (Boston Jewish Federation) mission to Budapest in August. I hope the sandwich isn't still there by then ....

(Hat Tip to Nina Robinson for spotting the story ...)

Published Sunday, June 9, 2013, 1:55 pm

By JTA

Organizers of a Jewish festival in Budapest said they will try to set a world record for the tallest kosher sandwich.

Many dozens of bread slices will be used to construct the tower on Sunday on Kazinczy Street in the Hungarian capital’s so-called Jewish Quarter during the sixth Judafest cultural street party, organizers said on Facebook. One of the organizers told JTA the plan is to have a 7-foot stack at least.

The Guinness World Records website shows no record for kosher sandwiches, but the tallest non-kosher sandwich was made in 2007 in India and measured 50 feet. It contained 100 pounds of cucumbers, 88 pounds of meat and 330 pounds of butter.

Judafest is expected to attract thousands and is among the largest Jewish events in Hungary. In addition to assembling the sandwich, participants will participate in a cookie-baking contest.

In addition to the culinary activities, visitors to the one-day festival will be invited to watch films about Jewish humor, notably by and featuring Woody Allen. There will also be walks and a rickshaw tour of the Jewish quarter.

The Budapest branch of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee launched Judafest.

Hungarian horizons

I was in Boston yesterday with my colleague Zoya Shvartzman, JDC’s Director of Strategic Partnerships for Europe. 

Zoya is Moldovan-born, growing up in Tel Aviv and Vancouver, and has lived and worked in Montreal, Mexico, Budapest and Tel Aviv. Specifically, we came for a series of meetings with CJP, the Boston Jewish Federation, to discuss our work in Hungary and prepare a mission for the summer.

One of the aspects of that work that fascinates me about Hungary is how the horizons and challenges of the Jewish community intersect. Hungary has the fourth-largest Jewish community in Europe (after France, the UK and Germany), with some 120,000 … but the total number of Jews participating in any form of community engagement is probably no more than 20,000. Maybe less.

And one of the key questions we discussed with professionals at CJP yesterday was the difference between engagement and outreach in the Jewish community.

Here in the US, we sometimes use the terms interchangeably. But in fact they're very different.

In Hungary we can't engage the middle and older generation, because in so many cases, there’s no one with whom we can engage. 

There’s no Jewish memory, no Jewish collective education. They were cut off for so long, and much of what we take for granted in the West as aspects of Jewish life – synagogues, religious institutions, federations, community organizations – are treated with suspicion. So outreach is more of the flavor. 

And unlike in the US, where we reach out to parents, and through them we can reach the kids, in places like Hungary we have to reach out first to the kids, and hope that through them we can reach through to the parents.

That’s why Szarvas Camp, the Balint JCC programs and other young-family programs are so critical.

And that’s why what happens in Hungary will be the precursor, in many ways, to what we try to do in many other countries around the world.

The Weight of History

I’m in Boston tomorrow preparing a group of dedicated and impressive philanthropists through CJP (the Boston Jewish Federation) to go with me to Hungary in August.

One of the key factors here is history, and the weight of history.

For nearly a thousand years, Jews in Hungary have faced rising and falling fortunes. They’ve seen shifting political powers and threats to Jewish life.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Jewish life in Hungary was thriving; pre-war Budapest had a Jewish population of 23% and there were more than 125 synagogues operating. But everything was threatened in the years between the Wars, with repressive anti-Jewish legislation, rampant anti-Semitism and brutal pogroms.

By the end of WWII, 50% of Budapest’s pre-war Jewish population had been massacred in Auschwitz and the labor camps. For those that survived, the rise of communism in Hungary in 1949 weakened any remaining Jewish affiliations, further unraveling the chain linking Jews to their tradition.

We’re still facing the after-effects of the 2008 economic crisis and its toll on Jewish community life in Hungary. Middle-class and struggling Jewish families have been plunged into serious financial distress. Many call it the rise of the “new poor.”

With European open borders (“Schengen rules”) there’s been a massive emigration of young Hungarians to western Europe … one of my colleagues told me the other day that many Hungarians think that their country is getting poorer and older.

So … there are new needs, new strains on resources, and in the midst of all this, a revitalizing Jewish community. How this will all shape out is going to be the subject of our discussions this week in Boston, and in August on the ground.

Hungary

I spent the last couple of days with my colleague Zsuzsa Fritz, Director of the Balint Jewish Community Center in Budapest and the International Szarvas Camp in Hungary.

Like so many in Hungary, her family sought to protect her and never told her that she was Jewish—concerned that she would never be able to advance in communist Hungary if she was openly Jewish. There were no elements of Jewish life in her home growing up, though all her family members were Jewish.

Then at age 16, Zsuzsa's father died and at his funeral, conducted with Jewish traditions, she discovered that she was Jewish.  For several months she tried to absorb this stunning reality.

This was then the last decade before communism's fall and the Jews of Hungary started to feel more secure as Jews. She joked that her mother asked her to go find a nice boy at a local Jewish Rabbinical school, and listening to her, she started attending all kinds of Jewish events, eventually leading her to a trip to Israel and a lifetime career in informal Jewish education.

With her exceptional drive and passion for informal Jewish education, today Zsusza is the Director of the Balint JCC, a focal point for Jewish life in Budapest. Today Hungary is home to 120,000 Jews, the largest Jewish community in central Europe.

Her story is the story of Hungary's Jews, a miraculous transformation that she passionately shared, first-hand, and which is still taking place through the support of our partners. 

Career Alternatives [“Chen”] Haifa

Career Alternatives is working with some of the finest Haredi seminaries in Israel to train their young women to enter professions that are more gainful and in higher demand than the over-saturated field of teacher education. Career Alternatives ensures that these young women will be able to contribute significantly to their future families while remaining true to their Haredi values.  By working with the top seminaries, TEVET seeks to help quietly stimulate cross-sector change in women's employment, as other seminaries look to adopt more gainful and diverse career training. 

ELISHEVA is the teacher; the girls will leave here in two years with full preparation, it’s an incubator that helps them think and initiate. She shows some examples of projects:

E-book viewer in E-pub format. It’s an ‘electronic college’ for religious texts, normally in pdf format (which doesn’t allow interactive use). This was a project designed by 7 girls, it’s very exciting – they had to figure out text format from right to left, new fonts, nikud, footnotes; we’re looking at Megilat Esther. The advantage of E-pub is that it adapts itself to the format of the screen (ipad/tablet, iphone, laptop etc) so the challenge is e.g. with the Gmara how to add the parshanut – they used floating windows.
There’s nothing like this in the religious world and it’ s very exciting. It will change the way religiou s people read texts online; what was funny was they were explaining that the text is essentially a rolling scroll … which is what the original text was, I pointed out (pas-glila), so there was something very positive about the discussion.

Multimedia children’s stories, e.g. to teach road safety. This is a huge issu e in the haredi world. 7 girls worked on this project.

There are 27 girls on computer studies first year, 18 in second year, total 45. All aged 18-20.

ETTI (Tevet coordinator) – the Bet Yaakov structure is very strong in the Haredi world, very well respected, traditionally for training teachers and kindergarten teachers but the income for this is decreasing and less funding. There's a new generation of girls who see work differently and the need to bring income differently. There’s always been a connection with the Joint. We’re focusing on realizing people’s potential. Especially here in the seminars – a girl who studies two years has studied 2600 hours in total. If we don’t get into the curriculum we’ll miss a great opportunity for both the haredi community and Israeli society. It’s not simple.
The Seminar is first and foremost and educational institution for building up the girls as good women, good mothers, good citizens. How to grapple with reality, building a Jewish home with Torah, values, ethics but at the same time realizing that there’s no Torah without flour.

Bet Yaakov is the ‘manufacturing factory’ of Haredi society, motivated by the value of education. Partners in Chen include Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Tamat, Seminars, JDC.

There's no model to build here. If your father is a lawyer or a doctor, you can understand and aspire to a career. But here there's no option like that, which is why the role of the employment coordinator is so critical. The girls have no way to think differently.
PNINA is the employment coordinator for Chen. She comes from the community. They couldn’t bring in outsiders like psychologists, advisors etc., because you have to t rain and communicate with people from the inside, there was opposition because of the differences in language and culture. So people like Pnina came to the JDC-Tevet courses and were trained by the best from the outside world, but they themselves are from the Haredi world.

PNINA for the second year we’re working on computer graphics and software engineering, while also adapting the materials to the haredi world. The girls are learning and discovering new skills and capabilities. There are things I can do, and I enjoy, that I didn’t know beforehand. It’s progress. We’re saying to them, come with your values and b uild in the world of employment.

 

There are 21 Bet Yaakov Seminarie s. Chen is in 12 of them. This is the 3rd year in Bet Yaakov Haifa.

Now the girls are learning about interviews, networking, personal marketing, self-confidence. They ran simulations how to do an interview for a job, how to write a resume for the first time. There’s a barrier and they need to do a mental switch, but it’s not opposed to their values. The first year (i.e. third year of program) girls have already found employment in places like Elbit, Rafael, Electric Corporation, and more.

We visit the classrooms, Elisheva is teaching unitask/SQL database management code. There's a huge demand for people with this skill. This is a second year class.

Eliezer is showing one of the final projects for one group of girls – it’s the entire software package for restaurant management, 100 pages, well-designed and extremely professional, with pull-down menus for different food categories (vegetarian/price/calories/needs/etc) working in conjunction with the kitchen, wait-staff and more. Very impressive.