| Dear Friends,
Hanukkah is a favorite holiday at BINA, probably because we love change - we are after all the Jewish Movement for Social CHANGE - and Hanukkah is a holiday full of change. In fact, it has evolved many times over the years, with each generation adding its own interpretations and perspectives – finding new relevance to the present whilst maintaining a dialogue with the past.
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Whether it was the Maccabees who celebrated the victory over the Greeks and the re-dedication of the Temple, or the Rabbis in exile who added the miraculous pot of oil into the holiday narrative, or the Zionists who celebrated the return to the land and their fight for independence, the two overarching themes of the holiday are still as relevant as ever: The struggle for religious freedom – the right to practice Judaism in any way that we choose, and the attempt to increase the light in our lives.
May this holiday be one of freedom and of light – in our nation, our communities; our hearts and our homes. Happy Hanukkah!
Noga Brenner Samia
Deputy Director, BINA
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Shabbat as a Sanctuary in Time
December 15 // December 29 // January 12 // January 26 // February 9 //
February 23 // March 9 // March 23
The Secular Yeshiva and Ganei Yehoshua are delighted to announce the long awaited return of our community Kabbalat Shabbat events in the Botanical Gardens, south Tel Aviv! The series of events will involve unique musical performances, food and drink stalls (at affordable prices) – an oasis of sanctuary in the center of the city – and will be conducted in BINA’s open, pluralistic style.
We are opening the season with a special Hanukkah Kabbalat Shabbat this Friday, December 15th.
18:00 – doors open
18:30 – lighting 4th Hanukkah candle and doughnuts followed by good music, great company and beer!
Botanical Gardens, Ganei Teva, entrance and free parking from Herzl 155.
More information: yeshiva-tlv@bina.org.il
Events are free and in Hebrew for full event details - to sign up in advance click here.
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| The Freedom of Debate Goes Both Ways - What could be less Jewish than that? by Dan Herman
"American Jews have been fighting their own wars...but the Jewish values that American Jews have incubated over time have also found expression in other important battles. Jewish leaders marched with African Americans in the Civil Rights Movement, and some Jews even gave their lives in the fight for full equality in the United States.
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Still today, Jewish organizations and volunteers are at the front lines in fighting for social justice and poverty alleviation. Just as Jews around the world seek to learn from the awe-inspiring, vibrant Jewish society that has been built in Israel, Tzipi Hotovely would be well served to listen to the deep and meaningful values in Diaspora communities." Dan Herman, Director of BINA's International Department. Read the full article in the Jpost here.
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Judaism and Consciousness
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#GIVING TUESDAY 2017 - Thank You!
THANK YOU to all our friends and partners that supported BINA’s #GivingTuesday campaign – we were excited and thrilled to see how many of you feel as passionately as we do about BINA’s mission and values. With your help we will be able to continue to do what we've been doing best for the last 22 years: Jewish Study, Social Justice and Community Building.
Still haven't found the time? There's still time - click here to make your tax deductible year end contribution to BINA.
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| My Shabbat at Holot, the Desert Detention Center
by Alissa Charvonia
Donating money is great. Going to protests is wonderful. Lobbying governments for change is excellent. But I keep finding, more and more, that showing up and listening to the
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individuals that I want to help by action is an action in itself….from what I saw on my Shabbat at Holot, it makes a difference to the individual as well. Especially when people typically avoid them if not silencing them all together. Try it sometime. Don’t focus on what a good deed you’re doing by volunteering to feed homeless people or volunteering as a mentor to children. Focus on what the individual in front of you is sharing about their experience, either verbally or otherwise. Make your work about human understanding. Build relationships where you can, whether they last for 5 minutes, 5 months, or 5 years.” Alissa Charvonia is a participant on BINA's Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv - Jaffa (Post College) program in south Tel Aviv. Alissa writes a regular blog, in this post she describes her thoughts and feelings on visiting the Holot detention center. Click here for the full post.
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| Sarah’s Blog – "Are you a tourist?" What Israelis think of ME on first encounter
by Sarah S. Nabaggala
"I’ve met Israelis who have invited me to their houses for Shabbat dinner with their families within just an hour or so of meeting me, sweet old women who have planted kisses on my cheeks calling me endearing names like “chamudah
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and metukah”….And then, there are Israelis who are confused when they see me in certain places (for example the Dizengoff Center or in tourist areas) that, much of the time, barely have any African people wandering around. On these occasions, they give me so much unsolicited attention and sometimes approach me and we strike up a conversation...." In her most recent blog post, Tikkun Olam's Sarah S. Nabaggala explains what it's like to be a Ugandan Jew in Israel and how people react when they meet her. Follow Sarah's Israel journey each week. Click here to read more.
You can read all of Sarah’s blog posts on our website and follow us on Facebook so you don’t miss any of Sarah’s Israel journey.
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BINA: The Jewish Movement for Social Change, operates under the Israeli nonprofit "Merchavim Chevra Lechinuch Vetarbut".
BINA operates under the Israeli nonprofit Merchavim, with the support of the Kibbutz Movement and the Posen Foundation. BINA is proudly funded by the UJA-Federation of New York, as well as additional supporters, including: Aronson Foundation, Avi Chai Foundation, Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation, Federation CJA Montreal, Gimprich Foundation, Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest, JUF / Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Berl Katznelson Fund, Leichtag Foundation, Littauer Foundation, Matanel Foundation, Montefiore Endowment, Morris Levinson Foundation, Rappaport Family Trust, Shahaf Foundation, Alan B. Slifka Foundation, Sobell Foundation, Ziering Family Foundation, dozens of municipalities across Israel and hundreds of private donors.
WWW.BINA.ORG.IL/EN
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