Gan Shibolim, one of YOZMA’s pre-school classes, prepared a giant picture for Schneider Children’s Hospital. The gift was presented in a ceremony to children at the hospital by Anat Cable-Boné, the Gan Shibolim Teacher, and Tzippi Weinberg, the YOZMA Coordinator. In addition to presenting the gift, Anat and Tzippi led activities with some of the children.

Even though the first day of school is still several months away, our first grade class and their families had an opportunity to meet each other as YOZMA conducted the first of several activities / meetings in preparation for the coming year. Taking place days before Yom Haatzmaut (Independence Day), the theme was the Israeli flag and the children participated in creating their own. One of these flags was presented to the YOZMA community during the Shavuot celebrations.

Last Friday morning, the YOZMA community spent a fun-filled morning celebrating Shavuot. Each of the pre-school and kindergarten classes and after-school enrichment program presented their interpretation of the holiday through dance, song and art. The pageant was followed by a communal breakfast and fun in the sun.

Each pre-school class has been working all year on models of the different Gates leading into the Old City of Jerusalem. Each gate was researched, and depicted in magnificent creative ways by the children and their staff. The entire exhibit was displayed at the Celebration. It was a beautiful and meaningful educational experience for the children and their parents.

This past Friday night YOZMA honored its out-going youth advisor, Yiftach Leibavitch, as he moves on to his military service. Under Yiftach’s leadership, YOZMA’s Telem Youth group grew to be one of the largest and most active in the Israeli reform movement. Our new advisor, Dana Wolf, who joined us 2 months ago, is already off to a great start.

Over 100 YOZMA members joined 1,350 members from other Israeli Reform Congregations for the exciting Biennial convention of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) in mid-May. The theme was the Israeli family and the branding of the movement. Leaders of YOZMA were involved in facilitating many aspects of the program; Rabbi Kinneret Shiryon shared a blessing during the opening ceremony and Community Coordinator Tzippi Weinberg and Assistant (student) Rabbi Nir Barkin led workshops on family issues during the weekend.

Kehillat YOZMA has hosted several groups over the past few months, at services, Kabbalat Shabbat in the pre-school and kindergartens and various other activities:

• Community Temple Port Washington, led by Rabbi Irwin Zeplowitz
• Temple Beth Am of Pearl River, NY, led by Rabbi Dan Pernick
• ARZA Festival of Lights trip
• Temple Isaiah of Stony Brook Congregational tour, led by Rabbi Stephen Karol
• Members of the Butrell Leadership Mission, a seminar that brings lay leaders from all over the world to Israel to get them more involved in their communities back home
• Congregational tour from Temple Beth Am of Seattle, led by Rabbi Beth Singer
• Family tour from Congregation Bnai Jeshurun Barnert of Franklin Lakes, NJ , led by Rabbi Elise Frishman
• Participants in the NFTY – EIE high school program, both during the Fall and Spring semesters
• Representatives from Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, Florida
• Representatives from Congregation Ner Tamid of Las Vegas
• Rabbinical Familiarization tour – a tour of Rabbis from all over the U.S. who toured Israel to see different places they could take their congregational tours
• A delegation from the URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) Leadership Mission

If you would like to make a contribution to YOZMA through a US/Canadian tax-exempt charity, please make your earmarked check payable to:
World Reform Appeal
633 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10017-6778
USA
Or
Canadian Friends of the World Union
3845 Bathurst Street, Suite 301
Toronto, Ontario M3H 3N2
Canada

If you would like to make a contribution to YOZMA through a UK tax-exempt charity, please make your earmarked check payable to Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe and send it to:
Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe
European Region
c/o Basement
11-12 Great Sutton St
London EC1V 0BX
England