Jewish In Seattle

challah from bakery nouveau. bagel oasis. havdallah at discovery park. sephardic bikur cholim. biscocchio. the seattle jewish film festival. carlebach shabbat. eltana bagels. the arboretum. seward park. hello robin rugelach. there's more to being a pnw jew than rain, rainbows, and lattes (although we enjoy those things too).

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15 Places in Washington You Must See Before You Die

If you haven't been to any of these 15 places around Washington before, it may be time to plan a trip!

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I FLIPPED THREE TIMES!!!! Camp 2014

We’ve been receiving all of our thank you notes for camp scholarships. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and to the JFGS and the Camp Scholarship Committee, we were able to send many, many kids to camp that otherwise would not have been able to afford to.

These letters speak for themselves. Camp is a amazing opportunity to form connections, friendships, and discover meaningful Jewish connections. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle is dedicated to making Jewish life of all kinds, affiliations, and denominations accessible and affordable to the greater Puget Sound area. 

If you’d like to apply for next year, please contact Benjamin Menasche at [email protected] or visit us on our website here. 

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Hebrew Book Week

In 1926, before the State of Israel was born, Bracha Peli, the founder of Masada Press, decided to hold a book fair on Rothschild Avenue in Tel Aviv to promote Hebrew Literature. Ever since it has been an important annual tradition showing off the small state’s strong literary and academic tradition in a 10 day festival across the country.

In Jerusalem, for example, Liberty Bell Park and First Station (the transformed old railway station of Ottoman Jerusalem now featuring trendy cafes, nightlife, free yoga, off of the “HaRekevet”-- the old train tracks that are now a walking path) are the heartbeats of the book fair. People browse until late at night, walking away with everything from the latest children’s books to an Aramaic to Ancient Greek Dictionary to the latest on biblical interpretations. In other words, the book fair is just as much part of Jerusalem nightlife as going out to a cafe after dinner. My kind of nightlife! 

Most bookstore also offer a discount during Hebrew Book Week -- so be sure to check out everything from Steimatsky’s to your favorite museum book store for deep discounts (I found amazing titles at the Israel Museum). 

It’s my favorite week in Israel, and I know it will be yours too. 

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Things to do around Israel, May 29- June 4, 2015 - Out & About

Your guide to exhibits, tours and other attractions around Israel.

Hebrew Book Week!

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#snapshotsfromjerusalem

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Daily Meditation: Shavuot

We all need help maintaining our personal spiritual practice. We hope that these Daily Meditations, prayers and mindful awareness exercises can be part of bringing spirituality alive in your life.

In case you missed shul this week, here’s a meditation on the Book of Ruth. 

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Scenes from Jewish Istanbul -- the Ashkenazi Synagogue, which has a regular morning minyan, the Neve Shalom Synagogue (which suffered at terrorist attack in 2003) and the Galata Tower-- a center for Jewish life in the Ottoman Empire and Turkish Republic. 

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Israel, Seattle Style!

PNWsters love the outdoors. Backpacking, kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing...if REI sells gear for it, we love it. Israelis are much the same way. Luckily, Israel has an amazing system of marked trails, with trail markers every hundred or so meters. Backpacking, or “Trekking,” as Israelis like to call it, is an amazing way to see the country, to see some incredible country side, natural springs (ein) and the biodiversity of Israel, and to meet amazing Israelis.

Yam l’Yam, or the Sea to Sea Trek from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee, is an incredible 80 kilometer trek that can take you through kibbutzim, the Druze village of Hurfeish, and even the sacred city of Tzfat. You can stop at your own 12th century Crusader castle along the way, view amazing fruit groves, flora, Druze shepards with their goats...and see a part of Israel that is difficult to access with big tour buses and large group travel. You can also be very ambitious and hike all of Israel on the Israel National Trail! 

Of course there are many ways to hike in Israel. If overnight backpacking isn’t possible, day hikes through the upper Galilee are incredible. Be sure to stop by a hiking shop and pick up a good map of where you’re heading. For Yam l’Yam, you’ll need Map Number 2. In Jerusalem, check out L’metayel Camping Store, Yoel Solomon 5, City Center, 02-6233338.

Seattleites love to hike, and I think we’re on to something: hiking offers the “slice of life” encounter on the trail. You’ll be sure to have an amazing time far away from the tour buses and Birthright crowds.

^^ Have lunch at your own crusader castle --Montfort.

^^ Vistas in the upper Galilee

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Juda’s Trees are in bloom in Jerusalem

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Snapshots from Jerusalem -- the Road to Yom Ha’atzmaut

This past week has been an important one for Israelis, for Jews in the diaspora, and for me. It started with Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), and this week, we have Yom HaZikaron (Day of Remembrance, which commemorates the Israeli soldiers fallen in the line of duty). Finally, the day after Yom HaZikaron, we have Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). Two difficult, emotional holidays followed by a celebration: the State of Israel’s Birthday. 

I’ve never been in Israel to celebrate Yom HaShoah before -- in fact, I didn’t even realize that I’d be here for it until a few days prior. In Seattle, we are fortunate to have vibrant Jewish institutions that put on great programming (including the Holocaust Center for Humanity), but one has to make an effort to go. In Israel, restaurants, bars, places of entertainment, grocery stores, all shut down. The television stations opt out of normal programming, only playing memorial concerts, Holocaust films on loop, or just soft music. The next morning, at 10 am, a siren goes off, and every Israeli stops in their tracks to observe a moment of silence (see this article). 

As Jews, as human beings, we have all been affected by the crimes against humanity of the Second World War. But here in Israel, as we take time to remember those six million Jewish souls that were lost, and we prepare for Yom HaZikaron, we recognize how precious a Jewish State is. 

Next week, Seattle Jews will be celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut at the Jewish Community Center, at the Jewish Day School, and other places. I urge you, in the days that lead up to it, to contemplate the history and the journey that the Jewish people have been on, that Israelis have been absorbed in during the past week, and to remember what it means when we say “Happy Birthday Israel.”

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This powerful video shows Israel coming to a total stop for Holocaust Remembrance Day

Every year, Israelis mark Yom HaShoah by stopping everything for two minutes — no matter where they are or what they're doing.

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Cleaning for Passover

^^ Western Wall receives her annual Passover cleaning, image from the Jewish Daily Froward.

All over Jerusalem I keep seeing signs advertising for extra help to clean for Passover. Having been privy to more observant life here in Jerusalem and back home in Seattle, I know a little of what Traditional and Orthodox Jews go through to really, truly, kasher their house for Pesach. I did a little digging around, and I found some really interesting takes on the ritual. Here’s an interesting read on women’s roles during Passover from the Jewish Daily Forward. 

I especially like Dr. Michael Laitman’s take on the meaning of the ritual:

“I'm all for cleanness and getting rid of junk, but the Passover cleaning actually has a far deeper meaning than mere dusting and tidying of basement closets. A person's heart is considered one's home. Cleaning one's home means cleaning one's heart from "junk," namely from bad thoughts about others.

Passover marks the first time when we pass over from a self-centered mindset, otherwise known as "evil inclination," and achieve the first degree of love of others--a ladder of brotherly love that we climb until we achieve a state known as "love your neighbor as yourself." Before we come to that first step, we must scrutinize all our desires and thoughts, and avoid using all those that are self-inclined. This scrutiny is the Passover cleaning.”

Of course, if you need something Halachic, Aish HaTorah provides this comprehensive guide for preparing your home. Chag Pesach Sameach. As always, consult your Rabbi if you have any questions regarding Jewish Law. 

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Aviv, anyone? 

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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

^^ Botanical Gardens at the Hebrew University 

Next time you’re in Israel, consider a visit to a campus of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The University has an incredible history and a walk through its gardens and binyanim will give you a sense of daily academic life in Israel.

The Givat Ram campus is home to mostly science faculties, while the Mt. Scopus campus contains the law school, Rothberg School of International Studies, many humanities and social science faculties, as well as the Mandel Institute for Jewish Studies. 

If you pay close attention, you will notice Israel’s challenges and triumphs laid out in the university grounds. The original Board of Governors include Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Martin Buber, and Chaim Weizmann. The 1925 opening gala attendees included Lord Balfour (as in the Balfour Declaration). When the Jordanian government cut off access to Mt. Scopus, Givat Ram was built and completed in 1958. After the 1967 Six Day War, Mt. Scopus again became the main university campus.

Perhaps most impressive is Givat Ram’s National Library of Israel, which is home to not only the largest collection of books on Judaica and Hebraica, but also acquires any book that is printed that has to do with the State of Israel. Anyone is welcome to request and read a book at the library after a simple registration process. 

^^ Letter from Albert Einstein about creating a university in Israel

^^ Art Installation in front of the Life Sciences building, Givat Ram Campus

^^ the grounds of Hebrew University 

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Snapshots from Jerusalem: Purim

Hi All,

Introducing a new series -- we're calling in Snapshots from Jerusalem. Just a way to keep up with our friends in Israel and bring a little bit of a special place to the city of Seattle.

Here are a few images from last week when Jerusalem celebrated Purim. In the Diaspora, Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar, but here in Jerusalem, on the 15th. The Jewish Sages decided that any city with a wall from the time of Joshua will celebrate it a day later, because the people of Shushan continued to battle their enemies on the 13th and 14th days of Adar. There is some historical uncertainty as to whether or not other cities had walls dating to the times of Joshua, like Jaffa and Tiberias, so these cities observe two days of Purim just in case.

^^ Mishloach Manot ready made at the supermarket

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Tzedakah

Why do we give? Judaism instructs us to give tzedakah, meaning justice or righteousness. Tzedakah is not charity, it is not voluntary. Instead, it is an obligation, and all Jews, even the poorest Jews, are required to give Tzedakah.

It is customary to give Tzedakah before lighting shabbat candles. Do you have a Jewish National Fund Tzedakah box in your home? Or perhaps a fancier version given to you as a wedding or b’nei mitzvah gift?

Purim has a tradition of Tzedakah, of giving to the poor on Purim Day as well as handing out Mishloach Manot. We will be hearing from Amy Hilzman-Paquette shortly about how her family honors the tradition of Tzedakah over the next few weeks.

Why do you give? How does Judaism inform your giving?

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Rabbi David Rosen Reveals The Most Dangerous Thing For Religion

We are so fortunate to live in a city like Seattle, where we have organizations and people behind those organizations that bring experts to our community for us to learn from and engage with.

The AJC's event with Rabbi David Rosen on Wednesday, February 18, was spectacular. Here is an article about him from the Huffington Post -- but click through to the video.