Moishe House Blog

Tree hugging in DC

2012-02-01T11:23:00.001-08:00

Next week Jews around the world, and here at the Moishe House in Washington, DC, will be celebrating Tu B'Shevat - the Jewish Arbor Day, if you will. Since I was young, I always looked forward to my community’s tradition of planting trees on this day, one in a park in the city, and another in Israel. I was always told that the intention was to imbue a sense of stewardship for our environment (weren’t biblical Jews environmentally progressive?), but recently discovered it has more to do with ancient tithing systems than a notion that we needed to protect and enhance the natural world.

Let me explain: Tu B’Shevat actually marks the “new year” for trees. For the first three years after a tree is planted, its fruit cannot be eaten. In the fourth year the fruit belongs to God (meaning it was tithed to the high priests in Jerusalem). In the fifth year you can go ahead and enjoy those apples.

However, Judaism has a strong tradition of environmental awareness and protection that we have connected to Tu B’Shevat, found within and outside of the Torah and Mishnah. Deuteronomy 20:19 famously reminds us that “man is a tree of the field” Since the early 20^th century, Jews have used the day to plant trees and promote environmental awareness (as well as an excuse to enjoy olives, pomegranates, dates, and other fruits associated with the holiday) .

The tradition of environmental protection and awareness is one that we in the DC Moishe House are continuing. We are beginning to compost our food waste, trying to become more aware of how our choices as consumers have a real impact on the world, and ensuring that our environmental beliefs exist alongside our compassion for our fellow man, as we develop programming that addresses issues in the environment and our communities.

Cultural Foreclosure

2012-01-31T20:08:00.000-08:00

A new normal is emerging to greet us in the years post the "Great Recession"; the harsh reality of foreclosures, unemployment, diminished opportunities, and the associated problems are hitting close to home, not only in the Jewish Community, but in the cities we live in. In the non-profit world we use terms like donor fatigue or overextended, to explain why people aren't giving. The hard part is looking inwards and asking if our own policies and procedures are sustainable in the long term; if the answer is yes, then the next question is: "What will inspire people to give?" These hard questions challenge the ego and our sense of identity.

Moishe House OC is confronting such a crisis of identity, we are facing a possible Cultural Foreclosure in July, and just like with Jack Bauer in 24, the cliché ticking clock is doing what it does best. Dwindling. Unfortunately in this episode, we don't have a staff of crack writers making sure we make it out just in time for dinner. Inside of our circle we see the good the house is doing in the community - the results are sometimes only visible when looked at over the course of the past years.

Let me paraphrase the organization's tag-line, "Letting 20-somethings in the Jewish Community be the Jews they want to be." I read this unofficial mission statement as granting us the right to operate and maintain a safe space where Jews of all backgrounds and abilities can come out and be part of the larger community; in academic terms I would call Moishe House OC a "Safe Space." Jewish Family Services called me up and asked if we are accepting of people with social disorders - ADD, social anxiety, high functioning autism - to name a few, and if the community would be accepting, the simple answer is yes.

Our house's doors are open to anyone, and we strive to do our best to give everyone a space to express themselves Jewishly. I think we have succeeded. It seems telling that we are the front line for integrating people into the community that might not have had a place to go, or a place to go where they felt comfortable. Just the mere fact that our doors might have to close, is both indicative of the times we live in and a greater problem in the community.

What we do here at our house goes beyond parties, Shabbats, or service projects. Every event is a chance for us to come from a place of service; the emails we receive from parents grateful that their adult child has a place to meet people and be social, are quite touching.

If we close our doors there are members of our community who might not have a place to go. For years we have pulled close together, called ourselves a tribe, and yet now, for whatever reasons: intangible metrics, subtle results, a lack of understanding; there is not enough funding in our community to keep alive an organization providing a place in the tribe for everyone. This is what I referred to as cultural foreclosure, we banked on funding from the community and yet when it is needed most we are having the hardest time finding it.

Montgomery County Community in Action

2012-01-31T15:28:00.000-08:00

Last year at this time, MHMoCo was unpacking, revamping and making a final decision about our name change. Decisions were made, new sofas acquired and boxes unpacked (with the help of our community members). We even discovered that our old dining room table had built in leaves that allowed the table to accommodate up to 20 people. We were a bit uncertain what would happen to our community and how it would change when we moved from one side of the D.C. metro to the other but were excited for the adventure. In our new Moishe House on Luxmanor Road, we welcomed newcomers and old timers alike, folk who were thrilled by our backyard, deck, two fire places and a close proximity to the metro and many local synagogues but the best part about our new-old Moishe House is the community itself.

Following the move, housemates discussed our interest in getting our community members more involved in planning and dictating the types of programs and activities they wanted to see. That is all fine and good, but our community members have gone above and beyond. In the last six months, our community members have shown their commitment to Moishe house, as well as demonstrated their individual skills, talents and interests, the elements that make up our diverse community.

Reflecting on the past six months, and some of the programs we planned, our community m embers were what made each of these events successful as well as unique. On Shavuot, Erica Allen wowed us with her Torah and Tanach knowledge, leading a winning team in Torahial Pursuit. During World Refugee Shabbat, Emmalee June and Bella Flores amazed us with their exceptional chopping and cooking skills and for dishes that they’d never even heard of. When we hosted a local photographer and art show which brought over 80 people to MHMoCo, Ilana Schafer graced us with her harp playing, Jessica Simon moved us with her poems and Mario Stylianou amazed us with his awesome photography. Throughout the summer, our BBQ’s were a hit, helped by Adam Marker and Jeffrey Reynolds participation in a brew test and with Andrew Brenner’s hammock village. As we moved into the high holidays, our community members continued to amaze us. Rebecca Lemus and I worked together to lead a reflective writing experience for Slichot. Ellen Abramowitz and Tamar Vardi were essential in the construction of a Kosher and standing Sukkah. Amy Egan rescued us from a maze of corn and Briana Levine co-created a do-it-yourself Zumba with Rachael. Jared Tannenbaum is so patient while teaching games at our monthly game nights and Eli Allen makes sure all of our bonfires are safe and properly extinguished. Alex Tharp made fabulous sufganiyot over Hannukah and Abby Robinson talked all about Jewish online dating just before Hamza Khan facilitated an intergroup discussion with the Jewish Islamic Dialogue Society of Greater Washington.

I am so lucky to live in MH MoCo and have such wonderful, talented individuals around me in my community. I look forward to seeing what our community members will do in 2012.

-Jordy Snyder

Ben Blatteis from Beijing!

2012-01-31T04:41:00.001-08:00

If there is light in the soul,
there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
there will be peace in the world.

Chinese Proverb - from China Leaders Magazine, David Harris January 2012

There continues to be unprecedented interest in China from western
businesses, universities, and entrepreneurs, and at Moishe House
Beijing we are at the epicenter of this exciting trend. The profiles
of individuals who are comfortable learning a new language, traveling
thousands of miles for personal development, and succeeding in a
completely foreign and, in some cases, uncomfortable environment share
some common features. Many of our participants in events from our
first month are:

1. Highly independent
2. Young and entrepreneurial
3. Transient population

As a result of the above, there is strong demand for a
comfortable and stable social structure for young professionals in
Beijing.

Young professionals who have established careers for themselves
in China tend to be highly entrepreneurial, hardworking, forward
thinking, and independent. Moishe House in Beijing has access to one
of the most interesting demographics in the world as the small
population of westerners established in China is at the forefront of
one of the world’s biggest growth stories of the century. As more and
more young westerners arrive in China, there is a growing void in many
of their lives as many have already prioritized their career and
future goals in China above all else.

Outreach to these individuals is crucial to regain the
work-life balance and to provide a much needed welcoming, stable,
Jewish home environment that is currently not being provided. Moishe
House Beijing seeks to welcome a key demographic of young professional
Jews and non-Jews alike to create engaging, memorable, and fun
experiences for the Beijing and Greater China twenty (to
thirty)-something community.

I am excited to work with my fellow directors of Moishe House
Beijing on the Speaker’s Series, Sunday bagel brunches, professional
classes, book clubs, wine & cheese nights, yoga, movie screenings,
parties and myriad of other programs and events in the heart of
Beijing’s Central Business District.

If you are ever in Beijing be sure to come by and say hello,
we'll keep the light on for you.

The Scalability of Dreams

2012-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

Moishe House is universally acknowledged by those it touches as a hugely positive force in the Jewish world and beyond.
In some places more than others.
Many Jewish people are so acclimatised to being raised in community that they are quite unsurprised by another such initiative. But for so many urban dwellers, such possibilities of communal creation and re-creation revolutionise the very fabric of their day to day lives.

Moishe House HQ has great social action supervisors, spiritual content supervisors, geographically-related supervisors.
What it would be great to have at Moishe House is more research on effective community models.
Because we are at the next step.
We are the next step of recreating meaningful community in the urban jungle.
It is all very well to consistently encourage a Moishe House to bring in new residents, and with them, new circles of friends,
but as another resident leaves, whole circles are lost, too. In some cities, this causes no problem, as there are plenty of places to go to explore cultural identity. In many American cities there are great swathes of venues where people can find comon ground whilst proudly putting their own stamp on their cultural identity, but MoHoLo is an island at the moment.
There are some amazing independent minyanim, but the House is the only physical centre, where people can meet and re-meet time and time again.

It empowers the change-makers through small simple steps, and leaves space for people to take initiative.
It reminds participants that true community is created by self-inclusion and action.
There are no spectators. We are all participants in the circle of those, and consequently in our society.
Active or passive. Positive, negative, indifferent.
What we do in our daily actions creates the community we are a part of, whether or not we think ourselves a part of it.

So, what next in London?

When Moishe House began, it galvanised funders to address the shift in Jewish community dynamics. It highlighted the post-college community drop-out rate, as many people in their 20s no longer rushed to marry, settle down and fit into synagogue-centric life. But in some cities, community demographics have raced way ahead even of Moishe House's expectations. People who come to our house range in general from 20-40, with many people not fitting into the conventional family model. We are part of such a family, tribal culture, and many traditional funders are so concerned about intergenerational continuity, they may underestimate the potential of the single, the unconventional, the childless-by-choice-or-otherwise in our extended family that intersects through common ground.
But you never know how the ripples of the pond will affect the water and stir the depths.

The MH website boasts a 'scalable approach'. It would be wonderful if the creators and supporters of Moishe House would fully acknowledge the huge impact they've had in certain cities, and took some responsibility (deeper than the recent 'Moishe House Without Walls' funding) for the gap of knowledge that goes into scaling beyond what was dreamed at the beginning. It would be wonderful if they would face the consequences of success in providing meaningful Jewish experiences, supporting leaders and creating vibrant home-based Jewish communities.
Because if they don't, in some places, (such as London, say), all the circles that Moishe House has joined together may just as soon melt away if the knowledge to empower them doesn't match the speed at which they are shifting.

Moishe House STL: A Sign of Things to Come.

2012-01-29T22:30:00.000-08:00

As Moishe House STL welcomes 2012, I can’t help but feel confident that 2012 will be a good year. After a year of transition, that saw two residents move on to the next step in their lives and two new residents welcomed into the Moishe House community, things have slowed down for MHSTL. This change in pace is a great thing for us as we have begun to build steam for 2012. Over the past couple of months we have really laid the framework for the type of programming and turnout that we have striven for; with the focus being on diverse programming and continuing organizational relationships.

Over the past few months we have started to develop a relationship with the Jewish Food Pantry. We feel that in creating an ongoing relationship with the Jewish Food Pantry, we are able to better serve the community in times of need. In addition to planning events every few months, we have “friended” members of the Jewish Food Pantry Staff on Facebook. This allows them the ability to ask our community for help when they need it.

This is the first of multiple partnerships for MHSTL and will allow for us to continue to plan diverse events, while creating meaningful ties to the community, as well. In addition to helping the community, we have had great results with these types of events, in terms of turnout and new people. Hopefully, as we continue this partnership and create new partnerships, we will also be appealing to more and more Jewish young adults. Then this, really, will end up being a good year.

Moishe House East Bay: A Time of Transition

2012-01-18T15:57:00.001-08:00

We used to have a dining room table, until about two hours ago. That table had seen a lot of memories: Had us holding a lot of hands, supported a Challah or two and some of our amazing dinners together. With the exit of our Captain and beloved roommate, Glenn Howe, our sturdy steed of a table sailed with him. He wasn’t the first to go and wont be the last to leave. In December, Jack Cohen made his grand exit from Moishe House and took with him a real genuineness and love for his community. He’s not far, and as a Moishe resident, created a program that gained so much following, he has no choice but continue it. The people have spoken; they want Torah the Explorah!

There seems to be a trend forming for me, as I watch furniture disappear and new “stuff” emerge. It was clear our home is entering a major transitional phase, and having only been a Moishe for seven months, I knew I wouldn’t be the new kid on the block much longer. As any group forms, storms and norms, our roles become better defined. We start to get a feel for what we are as individuals and who we are within the group. As one member leaves, the roles shift and a new dynamic take shape. We teach one another without even knowing that a larger lesson in life enters the foreground of your existence.

The beauty of Moishe House isn’t just the community currently being cultivated; it’s an awareness and honor of all that has come and gone before you. Although Oakland is now on the NYTimes top 45 Places to go IN THE WORLD, http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=all , Moishe House Oakland left something to be desired in a past life. Senior Moishinik, Joshua Walters, sat me down one night and told me how they struggled to keep the project afloat just two years ago. They held an open house and only two people showed up and ended up being our roommates, Eli Zaturanski and Jack Cohen. Now, in Berkeley, we’ve got emails, calls and drop bys of people from all over the East Bay wanting to join as a resident.

We’ve got a good thing going on over here, and it wouldn’t be without those that came before us, and the promise of new energy from those yet to come. Moishe House’s decentralized leadership gives us the power of our process as a home, to create the community we love. The more of us out there that can come in and leave a little goodness behind, the better for the vision and reach of our community as a whole.

So, let this be an homage to my Moishemen: the guys who brought me in, who taught and fed me well—with knowledge, acceptance and a leg of lamb. I feel confident moving forward with your spirit and support behind us.

-Katherine Bruce

You Never Know...

2012-01-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

...who you're going to meet along the way.

A week after we moved into the new West LA Moishe House, I was going through that all-too-familiar process of scouring Craigslist for a few little things we still needed to make the house feel more like home. Of course, Craigslist is always an adventure (I've met my share of unsavory characters and oddly scented furniture along the way) and you never know exactly what you're in for. This time, however, I responded to a random ad for a 'lightly used' bed frame, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that the woman who had posted the ad was not only Jewish, but was also active in our community (she happens to run a website called All Things Jewish dot com )

I asked if she knew about Moishe House and told her a little about what were doing, and suddenly we went from guarded Craigslist strangers to new friends. "Wow," she said excitedly. "Now that I know where it's going, I've got some other furniture I'd be happy to donate to you guys."

Not only that, but she took the time to write a really nice blog entry about Moishe House which you can read here: http://allthingsjewish.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/allthingsjewish-discovers-moishe-house-in-la/

One more reminder of how fantastic our community is.

You can check out her website at allthingsjewish.com

Making Jewish connections across cities via Moishe House

2012-01-10T11:22:00.001-08:00

The 20s are a complicated age for Jews of this generation (yes I know, what age hasn’t been complicated for anyone ever?) Finished with college and its comforting social environment and life structure but not yet settled into permanent family units or long-term careers, 20-somethings often find themselves fighting against alienation and uncertainty about where to be and what to do and who to associate with. Even without current economic difficulties, the pace and realities of globalized life today require a significant variety of professional experience and graduate degrees, and to obtain them young people have to go from one city to another looking for the right credentials, while hoping along to the way to have meaningful experiences and if they’re lucky enjoy themselves. Many Jewish organizations have stepped up their efforts to reach out to people of our age, and we are very appreciative of that, but in my case Moishe House has been the crucial niche.

I was in Boston for graduate school for 2 years (after living briefly in NY), and I made great friends at school and went to Hillel events. But as a graduate student I realized that I was looking for something a bit more organic and independent when it came to Jewish community and something not so clearly tied to a university framework, which I knew to be fleeting. Through a fortuitous encounter with someone very involved in the Boston Moishe Kavod House I ended up going there for Shabbat dinner and loved it. The feeling of the place and the range of activities they offered was wonderful. Because as it turned out I discovered it late in my stay in Boston I was never able to fully take advantage of that great community, but it clued me in to what kinds of opportunities were out there for people like me if I went looking.

When I knew that I’d be moving to Philadelphia I straightaway looked up the Moishe House to see if they were looking for new housemates. Fortunately for me they were, and after a brief interview process I was happy to be accepted. Living in a Moishe House has been an enormous boon to me as someone moving to a new city. Not only do my housemates Cody, Becca, and Heather serve as an immediate friendly family, but working together on a broader mission, even when that just means going shopping together for an event, forms a deeper set of relationships than housemates otherwise have. And of course it’s been great simply being at the center of the social, educational, and volunteering activity that goes on at Moishe House Philly. I’ve had the opportunity to meet people active both in our community and in other Jewish networks and organizations throughout Philly, and also to be connected to interesting events and opportunities I otherwise would not have known existed. And just as importantly, I’ve enjoyed reaching out to young friends and relatives of mine who are in the Philly area and encouraging them to come to our events. This is how Moishe House works; young Jews use the space and forum it provides to bring their friends into a more intentional zone of Jewish community, and by extension a large interconnected network of friends, family, and previously unknown people are involved and energized. It’s been a privilege and an honor to be part of it, and I hope that some of the people I’ve brought in have been affected as I have.

Efficiency through Trust

2012-01-10T10:44:00.000-08:00

As a co-founding resident of Moishe House San Fernando Valley (in Los Angeles), I am proud to say we are on our sixth month and going strong! The past few months have had their ups and downs, with many challenges being overcome and even more success achieved. Having experienced other programs at nearby Moishe Houses, I've gained a pretty good understanding of what my particular group of residents does exceptionally well, and I think it's important that these "trade secrets" are shared.

Most Moishe House residents can relate to the super busy and demanding schedules that my roommates and I share. Finding time to have a planning pow-wow to schedule the month's programs, as well as several prep meetings to plan out individual programs is something that we all struggle with- and we find planning meetings to be especially hard to schedule given our conflicting work schedules and social calendars. So what do we do that is so unique at our house?

The greatest strength of our house's dynamic- the thing that makes our house's programs get churned out and hum along like a well oiled machine- is trust. Of course, we communicate as much as we can to plan our programs, but a 4 hour meeting once a month is something that we can't really get done. Emails, group text messages, and conversations over hooka during commercial breaks are where we brainstorm ideas and plan out our month, but that really just puts the barebones together.

When it's time to get the programs going, we know that everyone will do their best, and we also know that there is a 100% chance that something will not go according to plan. Like I said, we aren't quite able to have meetings and plan out everything to the tee, so when impromptu decisions need to be made, it goes without saying that every resident has the leeway to make the call on what changes need to be made.

We have had Shabbat meals change from BBQ to Brunch on the day of the program, compensation plans go in totally different directions, programs planned for two dozen people yield over 40 participants, and residents not being able to be a part of every program due to other obligations. If one of us can't make a program, it goes without saying that the others will be there to pick up the slack and do what needs to be done, without any planning, any discussion, or any scorekeeping of who did what when.

Eugene - MH San Fernando Valley

Food for the Soul

2012-01-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

When I moved to Portland, OR in September, I had no idea what was in store for me. Living with more than one roommate for the first time, creating seven Jewish programs a month, and moving to a city I knew nothing about were only some of the many concerns I had.

Yet, sitting here 4 months later, I can say how grateful I am to have moved into this beautiful community filled with constant support from my roommates and Moishe House participants.

Every week, my three other roommates and I discuss the endless possibilities we have in creating a spirited, energetic, and loving Jewish community. While we all have our ideas in how this will be created, one concept we all agree upon is the importance of establishing a community in the house. After all, one cannot discuss its importance of community building if we are not living it every single day in the home we live in. With this in mind, one way we have established a community within the house is the agreement of sharing food.

Let’s face it - One of the most important rooms in a house is the kitchen. The kitchen is where food for the soul is prepared to eat and enjoy. One might think that sharing food does not take much thought or effort. However, witnessing a transition between, “My food is mine” to “Our food is for everyone!” has built a stronger connection between all of us. In addition, I have seen our home grow from individuality to community building, filled with love, support, and yummy food! This simple, yet important practice has created a bond, which will continue to shine outside of our home and help us to create the community we are focused on.

As I continue to have a vital position in this leadership role, I look forward in creating more ways to connect with my roommates and simultaneously establishing a strong and vibrant Jewish community in Portland, OR!

MH San Francisco - Happy New Year

2012-01-05T12:32:00.001-08:00

December was an exciting month at mhsf. Me and Sarah are moving out in the middle of January to a new place. It's been a year living here for me and over three for her. So the new year is coming in with big changes on the way. It's been really great living at the moishe house. It was my first time living with Sarah Beth, and a chance to make really great friendships with housemates and community members.

We have had some awesome parties over the year, like my move-in and Halloween, and tons of great smaller events as well. Volunteering at Hayes valley garden and the comics club were some of my favorites.

It's a bit bitter sweet to leave, but I am also looking forward to this next year and the new place in Oakland. And it's really good to know that the house is in good hands with Dan, jay and Meg. I can't wait to visit mh as a guest!

Last I just want to say a big thanks to all of our community members who came out to visit us. Great meeting all of you and getting to know you! And thank you also to the moishe house office and all of the donors -- big and small -- who made our household possible over the last year and beyond. Thank you and happy 2011!

*Jordan

Moishe House Philadelphia… Tradition

2012-01-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

When my roommates and I plan our calendar each month, we talk about what events to organize, how these events will fit into the holiday calendar, and how to incorporate we spend time talking about what events we would like to do, what events fit in with the Jewish holidays and what events our how to incorporate events Moishe Houseour house has consistently done at this time of year. in the past. I am lucky to have moved into a Moishe house with traditions and history to build upon. Even though Moishe House Philadelphia was only 4 years old when I moved in two summers ago, the house has its own history and events that community members come out every year for a ton of annual events and traditions that my roommates and I are able to build upon. .
That’s not to say there isn’t reinvention and transition. WithThat being said, with each new crop of roommates comesadds a new and exciting element and idea to the mix. new and exciting ideas. This year, we continued the tradition of one of my favorite events, Holiday Cocktails. That’s it you guessed it,What could be better than a holiday party plus +amazing homemade cocktails? = super fun time. This time year we changed it up a little by having our party on Shabbat and added a little more food to the mix. It was our good fortune that Chanukah fell late this year, allowing a fun mix of community members old and new, including some previous house residents..
Our house is lucky in that even after residents move on, many don’t move too far (3 ex residents live in our neighborhood). These may or may not be people I actually lived with, but either way our bond of shared experience is strong. This event, unlike others felt extra special because two of the residents, including myself, had all of our siblings attend. As we gathered for a picture of Moishe House residents old and new, I realized that much like my own brothers (whom I was lucky enough to have with me that night) my Philadelphia housemates old and new are like family rather than just friends. I look forward to a new year full of reinvention, transition and, of course, tradition at Moishe House Philadelphia.

Motor City Takeover

2012-01-03T15:44:00.000-08:00

The Moshie House is taking over the city of Detroit!

No, not literally but which Moishe House can say they had the likes of a Mayor, United States Senator, and international pop star over for Shabbat dinner within six months of their grand opening? That’s what we call Detroit Muscle…

The Detroit Moishe House is a strong group of residents who are not only trying to build a strong Jewish community within Metro Detroit but also trying to rebuild a brain-drained city. Our house is so much more then enriching Jewish life, it’s about breaking down stereotypes and rebuilding Jewish community within Detroit City limits.

A few of our residents are taking a proactive approach to rebuilding our city by founding both the Live For Detroit fund, a rent subsidy program for Next Generation leaders of Detroit to move to the city, and Detroit Harmony, a nonprofit which focuses on creating natural diversity in the city.

As residents, we understand the tremendous undertaking to rebuilding a major city like Detroit. However, with the generous giving by our donors and the outstanding efforts by people within the Detroit Jewish community, we look forward to the day where we can say that the residents of the Motor City Moishe House played an important role in the rebirth of a prosperous Jewish community within Detroit.

Thank you again to all of our donors and a special thank you to Adam Finkel who is the reason our house is in existence.

Make it a great year in 2012!

Big G

Thoughts on Leadership from MH Hoboken

2012-01-03T07:54:00.000-08:00

In leadership, sometime we just do. Knowledge, pedagogy, intellectualism, education, programming, planning, organizing, and resources are all important aspects of leadership but sometimes, as a leader, you just have to take action and make a decision. You don't know if others will follow, you don't know if they will pick up where you leave off, and many times you don't even look before you leap.

Most of these moments are small droplets of time, they are quick visceral decisions over seemingly unimportant and minuscule issues - from how to treat the awkward fellow attending a program for the first time, to whether to give a darn about recycling at your 80+ person Hanukah celebration, to whom to ask in your community to do Motze, to whether you will make an announcement on behalf of another Jewish organization... These instinctive calls we make are not reflective of laziness or sloth; our knee jerk responses are not a negative but are our natural desire to create community that we want to be a part of. These quick calls reflect less on our communities, which are determined more by our house meetings, than they do ourselves. Meetings with housemates are enjoyable but deliberate and though fun, they are fundamentally formal. These meetings are broad in scope, often covering more than one months worth of programming and discussing past points of success and of improvement. It is in the slippery but inevitable detail, the unspecified minutia that has fallen through the cracks, that we find out what type of leader each of us are. When the otherwise best laid plans of a fully cognizant community building effort isn't even part of our consciousness is when we set the tone and tenor of our communities. It is in these small programmatic puddles that our communities see who we really are - are we deferring to men to be our leaders of Jewish ritual or are we empowering all community members? Are we compromising our values for expediency or are we going the extra mile for our beliefs? Are we, as residents, the new "it" crowd or should we be welcoming, inclusive, and empowering?

While it is obvious that the singular voice of the written word tends to hyperbole it is just as true that each droplet decision we make adds to another, pooling together like rain that feeds into a stream and into a river where it eventually has a strong current. Leadership requires that ability to make a snap decision but if we are not cognitively aware of the aggregate effect of our actions than we may end up with communal currents we ourselves do not like. Sometimes to be a leader, you must swim against the current even if its of your own making.

Global Outreach

2011-12-31T21:28:00.000-08:00

In the past year I along with my fellow Moishe House San Diego residents & community have been very involved in our local community putting on a full array of events from Surfdallah to Shabbat dinners, however events have always been just that – local.

In the past year I am proud to say we have begun introducing many events, which focus on the global community, both Jewish and non-sectarian. This began due to the incredible relationship we have with our local supporters whom not only introduced us to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

After participating in a young professional study trip to Germany and Turkey and a service trip to Haiti (again made possible thanks to the generosity of our amazing local community). I returned to San Diego connected to a global Jewish world.

Last month I was able to co-chair the JDC’s first Young professional Service Trip to Ethiopia. I along with 16 other young professionals (including one of our newest Moishe House Family members: Martin Storrow of Moishe House West LA) got to explore Ethiopia and learn about all the ways the JDC is fulfilling its commitment to Jews all over the world as well as its commitment to Repair The World especially through its non-sectarian work.

I would like to share with you all two major themes, which struck me on this trip: Education & Health. We living in the developed world often take both of these for granted. Going to Ethiopia was a shock to my system to see and learn how for most Ethiopians both health and education are such luxuries.

EDUCATION

Our group was fortunate to be able to spend some time with several students from Unity University who receive scholarship grants for women that enable them to attend university when they otherwise would not be able to go. These women are not only going to better themselves but it is evident that they are going to change their entire communities.

In Ethiopia women usually do not attain college degrees and are expected to be housewives taking care of the family. With these degrees they are changing the status of women in their country.

Our group also spent a couple days at rural schools in the province of Gondar, where we helped build a new brick and mortar school (so the children in this community will not have to study in mud huts). We also assisted JDC staff in the deworming of the children, giving them pills to swallow (something many of them had never had to do before).

For all these children going to school is such a privilege, as it means not having to work all day in the fields with their parents. It is these children that I hope will become a generation of change for their communities. Their educations will open up new social and economic opportunities for them.

HEALTH

Dr. Rick Hodes, JDC’s Chief Medical Director in Ethiopia, took us into his world by allowing us to see everything from patients whom have undergone spine and heart surgeries to clinic rotations in Gondar. In Gondar he oversees the clinic for the Falash Mura who are pending immigration to Israel.

After the trip, I was able to stay an extra week and spend time with Dr. Hodes (and my brother Shaun whom is volunteering with the JDC’s Jewish Service Corps.) and visit Mother Teresa’s Clinic for the Dying and Destitute. Seeing Dr. Hodes connect to each patient was not only humbling but it was personally motivating.

I hope that I along with my fellow participants are able to take what we have learned on this trip and, in coming home to our privileged lives, keep the ball rolling and continue to “Repair our World”.

Furthermore, I would invite all of you to learn more about the JDC and the amazing work it does in over 70 countries around the world. There are amazing Service and/or Study Trips coming up in 2012. If anyone would like more information or to find out how their Moishe House and community can get involved please feel free to contact me at jonathangoldstone@mac.com.

Wishing you all a happy new year,

Jonathan Goldstone

Married to the MoHo

2011-12-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

Picture it: Wimberley, Texas, late May. I’m sitting under an oak tree outside a dining hall in a group circle getting sunburned. Just like when I was a kid at camp. Except now, I’m 26 and am back at Camp Young Judaea for yet another Jewish life experience but this time, it’s with Moishe House. I guess once you get involved in Chosen People activities, you can check out any time you like but you can’t leave. Especially when you’re in Wimberley. Anyways. In this particular activity, Social Justice Sarah lead a program where we discussed what it would mean to create a Moishe House ketubah, a contract traditionally drafted for Jewish marriages. But instead of the ketubah being between a bride and groom, it would be between the residents, their communities and their houses.

I was inspired by this concept, so much so that I decided to take on the semi-masochistic task of crafting a ketubah and a fancy frame to properly showcase this important piece of literature. Many months and several creative sessions later, the Palo Alto Moishe House ketubah masterpiece now hangs by the entrance to our house for all to see. The wording was a collaborative effort between residents and community members, as was the art, which was done by two regulars and me. We achieved this by painstakingly cutting different colored paper with X-Acto knives, turning squares of purples, reds, blues and glittery greens into a whole Moses-Exodus-Jerusalem-Heeb extravaganza. Some community members got the chance to sign the ketubah, Constitutional Convention-style except with Jews this time around. In case you don’t have bionic vision to see the wording, it reads as follows:

The Palo Alto Moishe House will be upheld by grad students, techies & normal people alike. The following tenets will help us form a more perfect union:

*Cultivate respectful person to person relationships through meaningful programming

*Respect the house & it will respect you (clean up like your mama told ya!)

*A bountiful community consists of extraordinary individuals who, with their powers combined, make…MOISHE HOUSE! *KAPOW!*

So, it doesn’t actually say KAPOW! but you get the notion. Making our very own ketubah gave us the chance to utilize an ancient Jewish religious concept with a playful twist. What better way to express the special, nerdy identity of the Palo Alto Moishe House and share the communal artwork with all that enter our start-up working, Ph.D. having, Semitic lovin’ house?

Magali Cohen

Moishe House San Diego

2011-12-07T15:43:00.001-08:00

The prompt for this month’s blog is to write about the experiences
that have led to my development as a young Jewish leader. I’m not sure
I’m supposed to tell you that straight off, perhaps a more skilled
writer would ever so eloquently weave the theme with grace seamlessly
throughout the remainder of this blog. It’s a topic that’s somewhat
elusive, and while I understand and appreciate the role I signed up
for, assuming the title of “leader” is one I’d prefer not to take for
granted simply because I am fortunate to live in a Moishe House and be
involved with the community, co-hosting, and co-organizing events.
That said, writing about myself makes me squirm a bit and can be an
internally contentious challenge… so it’s a good thing for me that
being a “leader” of Moishe House San Diego is much more about each of
the individuals who comprise our MHSD community than it is about me in
particular.
After each yoga class that I lead at our house, I remind each of the
participants that they are my teachers and express gratitude for their
presence in my life. Each person has shown up on their mat in their
own way, each expressing their unique beauty and light through a
specific structure-- asanas (poses), pranayama (breath control
exercises), partner play and other forms --that I have chosen as the
guide for the evening. These forms are the tangible vocabulary though
which unique expressions are conveyed by the MHSD community members
who show up to practice together.

As the class leader, I talk us through the ‘correct’ positions for
each pose, describing the proper positioning of each respective asana.
If I lay a hand on someone’s trapezius, I smile inside (and out) as
she breathes a bit fuller and creates more space between her shoulders
and ears in response. If for the next person, the same prompt doesn’t
do the trick, I find another way to elicit comfort, ease in the pose.
I am reminded of how different each person’s body is, yet how similar
our feelings and experience of struggle and joy challenge and triumph.

A few class participants have expressed that it’s challenging for them
to do yoga because they feel they are inflexible. The only truth in
this, from where I stand, is if the belief of inflexibility translates
into a belief (and a reality) that they are so inflexible they cannot
grow --- as a yogi, as a person. Regardless of what it looks like---
whether someone is touching their toes and energetically reaching for
Earth’s core, or can barely reach below their knees and is hoping to
someday grab an ankle-- there is an opportunity for growth in many
dimensions. Physically, there may be a greater opportunity for growth
in the person who appears to be struggling the most. This is in no
way a condolence prize; it’s a thing of beauty. When I see the light
of new perspective and stoke flicker on -- a new realization of how to
connect deeper into a pose, or more fluidly with another person-- it
inspires me.
When the class asks for more interactive work, I get particularly
excited. We often integrate various forms of partner play, including
counter balance work and partner yoga. For some, the actions simply
mean stretching and exercise. For others who dive a bit deeper, the
structure of the asanas and other activities create a container and
support for each practitioner to express through, to interact
internally, with one another, to spirit, and beyond.

While I chose to use yoga class (asanas and other activities) as the
playground-- the vocabulary-- for this blog, I could have instead
written about our Shabbat dinners (and the amazing potluck
contributions, conversation etc. that ensue), habitat restoration
events (enjoying and giving back to nature, chatting with one another,
physical activity), or any of the other programs we host to convey the
same sentiments. Everyone who shows up has just been somewhere else
and will be going somewhere after the event. Each person has come to
the event to fulfill something inside. Each person brings with them a
bit of everywhere and everyone who has touched their life. Each
person contributes and shares uniquely, enriching each other’s
experience.

My development as a “leader” has been most contributed to simply by
interacting with those who come together to create our community. As
my awareness of that which engages and inspires each of the
individuals within the MHSD community deepens, my sense of
responsibility and desire to facilitate and perpetuate connections
within the MHSD community and between MHSD and the larger world also
deepens, as does my own sense of connection.

-Natalie

Blogging Goodbye to Moishe House DC - Rachel Streitfeld

2011-12-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

I believe it was just fewer than three months ago that the Euclid Palace said ‘peace out’ to a resident, that young lad off to pursue his pro-Israel, professional dreams. Well next month I shall do the same. I bid adieu to the District after nearly nine sweet years; my destination is sunny South Florida, where I’ll be the South Regional Director for J Street, a pro-Israel advocacy organization.

Frequently, there are great conversations about Israel at our Shabbat dinners and various parties, so respectful and civil. The regard for our community and its diversity always keeps us responsible. The camaraderie and trust that lives among friends in the Moishe House frees us to speak and listen to one another. It’s special. It’s absolutely the best, and we get into it.

What a privilege it is to have lived here and met so many bright, impressive young people. What a scene we are, The Twenty-Something Jews of Washington gathered in two dimply lit, massive rooms around couches and a banquet table on Friday nights. Each of us on the move, scheming our next win for the cause while stuffing our faces with vegan fried rice and flourless chocolate cake. On our Israel politics and many other issues, we know what we’re talking about. Sometimes we agree to disagree and move on to something more fun, no harm done. We are a formidable and passionate demographic.

My roommates Eli Wald, Noah Karesh, Lily Hamburger, Ayelet Cohen and Dan Kandy are hilarious, awesome people. (I hope everyone meets at least several of them at a retreat coming soon). The Moishe House Foundation has my lifetime support. Thank you for this humbling and life-changing opportunity to live here and be a part of this community.

A Tight-Knit Community

2011-12-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

Throughout my life, I have always tried to remain integrated within the Jewish community. I attended Hebrew school and was involved in my synagogue until I went to college. In college, I went to Shabbat dinners at Chabad and networked with rabbis in the St. Louis community. As a recent graduate, I have chosen to spend the next year of my life living in Moishe House Philadelphia. While I am not religious, it is important for me to be connected to a tight-knit Jewish community. I feel that Moishe House provides exactly that.

I have only lived in the house for two months now and I am amazed at how close the Moishe House community truly is. At every event, I see people mingling, laughing, and having fun. I am constantly surprised that some of the guests at our events have never been to a Moishe House event or even met the other guests before, yet they seem to feel right at home in the Moishe House community. This is evidence that Moishe House provides a warm and hospitable community for all Jews in their twenties.

After spending the last four years in St. Louis, it was important for me to find a welcoming Jewish community like Moishe House. I am proud to say that I am now a part of the organization that provides this community for other Jews like me, who seek an inviting group with which they can spend holidays, learn about the religion, and have fun at social events. During my two months here, Moishe House Philadelphia has hosted a wide array of events, ranging from a large Jewish New Year celebration, called Apples ‘N Hunnies, to smaller, more intimate Shabbat potlucks each month. I am still learning about my responsibilities as a resident and adapting to life in Moishe House Philadelphia, but I am happy to say that I am now a part of a close-knit Jewish community.

Heather

Moishe House Philadelphia

The Key to Longevity

2011-12-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

There are a few places where people live longer than anywhere else in the world. These include Okinawa (Japan), Ovodda (Sardinia), and, oddly, Loma Linda, California - all of which boast exceptional numbers of centurions (people who live to be over 100). Scientists have all kinds of theories about why this is, starting of course with the obvious; dietary habits, lifestyle, inbreeding (oh, those Sardinians!).

But the one that really stood out to me was Loma Linda - a seemingly normal California town - a place that obviously has the same food and culture as anywhere else in America. What do they have that the rest of us are missing?

The leading theory is that people there live longer for one reason: community. It happens that the 7th Day Adventist church in that particular area has brought a lot of people together, and members of that community simply live longer. Not only that, but a study done by Loma Linda University school of Public Health found that those who went to religious events and observed the Sabbath reported being happier and experiencing better mental health than those who did not.

Before I was asked to be a founding member of the new West LA Moishe House (Which officially opens next week), I was a big Moishe fan. When I moved to Los Angeles and was first feeling my way around, it was really comforting to know I could go to the house and would always be welcomed. And once I was there I never wanted to leave. I was not the only one who felt this way; sometimes the residents had to politely shoo people out because it was getting late and people just didn't want to go. I think they would have stayed the night if they could have.

I know many of us at this moment aren't really focused on longevity. Frankly, I'm a little more concerned with when to eat the second half of the chocolate chip cookie I started last night. But much of our happiness at any age depends on our sense of purpose and meaning. And so much of our purpose and meaning comes from the communities we align ourselves with. They have a profound impact on what we think, how we act, and how we feel.

This is what I have always admired most about those of you who are involved with Moishe House. You have made the decision to open up your private homes and lives in order to fulfill that deep desire we all have for community; to create a shared sense of belonging and tradition, to learn and celebrate together, and to contribute to each others' success and well-being.

I'm honored to be a part of this community, and I know that the four of us who are opening our new home in West LA next week look forward to striving for the ideal that the rest of you exemplify so well. May we all live to be 100, and have plenty of time to sit around and recount our favorite Moishe House memories in the years to come. In the meantime, I'm going to go finish that cookie I started.

Moishe House East Bay Camping Shabbat

2011-11-14T15:25:00.001-08:00

We’d been talking about planning a great camping trip for at least a year here at Moishe House East Bay, and we finally made it happen last weekend! We reserved a camping spot at beautiful Del Valle reservoir, located just outside Livermore. I’ve been going camping there for years, ever since I was about 11 years old, and I can say with all confidence that it is one of the most beautiful, accessible camping places in the Bay Area. It’s only about an hour outside of Oakland, and has trails, a lake, boats, beautiful camping spots, and tons of wildlife.

A couple of us showed up early to schlep in all of the food, water, tents, and toys (guitars, drums, muumuus, etc.) for the weekend, and set up everyone’s tents, put together a camp kitchen, and made the space welcoming for all who would be arriving just in time to celebrate Shabbat. Our guests were delighted to arrive to a campfire, snacks, cocktails, and live guitar music. Thanks to Birthright NEXT, we had plenty of delicious food, and so we lit our Shabbat candles, sang the blessings, feasted, and kicked off a weekend without technology, responsibilities, or distractions.

We spent our time hiking, running, swimming in the lake, sunning, making music, drumming, cooking, eating, making new friends, and just generally escaping from our busy city lives and reveling in the natural beauty of the Del Valle area. We saw tons of birds, including a couple of bald eagles, and even saw a couple of tarantulas in the area!! I’m so grateful to be a part of a community that has the resources to create such a beautiful, restful, peaceful Shabbat experience for such a wonderful group of people. It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to create these types of experiences for young people in the Bay Area who are thirsting for a peaceful, meditative, spiritual retreat.

Glenn
Moishe House East Bay

Moishe House Boston, Hurray!

2011-11-14T14:20:00.000-08:00

After spending three incredible years working with the Vancouver young adult Jewish community, I made the move out to Boston to start a graduate program at Brandeis University. When I mentioned to a friend that I'd be moving into the Moishe House here, their response went something to the tune of, "Boston, huh? You know it's a Moishe House on steroids?". I actually had no idea.

In the less then three months that I've been a housemate, this house and community continues to amaze me. Our calender is jam packed with everything from social justice events with local interfaith organizations, to holiday parties, sex ed discussions and leadership trainings. Meetings go on between various committees on an almost daily basis. People here aren't just involved. They are proud and fully committed to this community and treat it as their own.

Fall has been busy for us. Highlights included a Sukkot Party, a Tikun on Tap event which focused on the occupy movement, and our bi-weekly Shabbat services and dinner. New people are always popping in and although the work is non stop, it's more gratifying than I ever could have imagined. People live happier lives when they are connected to community, and for the young adult Jewish community, Moishe House does it better than any organization that I've seen.

With Love,

Tslil

Introducing -- SF Russian Jewish Moishe House

2011-11-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

It's a real treat writing the first entry from the Russian Jewish Moishe house of San Francisco. The team, Aleks (me), Vitaly, and Anna, are excited to embark on this amazing journey. We can't wait to meet new people, create new memories, and have a lot of fun doing it!

On Friday we inaugurated the Moishe House with our first event, a Housewarming/Halloween party. We had an amazing crowd out here. It was great to see so many people dressed up, letting loose. We enjoyed drinks on roofdeck while dancing and watching ships in the harbour. Special thanks to Gene Kosoy for setting up a photo booth.

A little about us --

We're three friends who decided to open up a Moishe house after realizing how much we enjoy hosting events and having good times with our friends.

A little about our Moishe House:

We're nestled on the south slope of Potrero Hill, which is a sunny neighborhood in SF, by the bay. We're looking to host rewarding and fulfilling events for the Russian Jewish community of SF. Drop by if you're in the neighborhood.
Address is: 632B Missouri St., SF.

-Aleks S.

Give Shabbat a Shot!

2011-11-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Let me start this blog by saying that I am nowhere near the level of a Rabbi; I'm just a simple Jew, who lives at Moishe House Great Neck, reflecting on his experience of becoming a more observant Jew. It's an experience that has changed my life, and that has given me the opportunity for tremendous growth in character and as a person. Here are few of the simple reasons why:

There is a huge misconception that observant Judaism and it's laws are restrictive to your daily lives and routine; however, I found it to be more liberating than I could have imagined. One example is Kashrut. You might find a Jew who would say, "I am a human, and true freedom is being able to do whatever I want; so I'm going to eat that cheeseburger, because I want to." In truth however, that is not true freedom; that person is merely a slave to his desires. He wouldn't eat that cheeseburger if he didn't desire it. True freedom is being able to understand that there are boundaries in life, and being able to overcome your desires.

As humans it's very easy to take the many blessings we have in life for granted; we tend to look at and desire what others around us have. However, many of us, Thank G-D, are blessed to have the ability to see, hear, talk, and walk. We are blessed to be able to see a rainbow (which we make a blessing on), smell a flower (which we make a blessing on), or even go to the bathroom (which afterwards, we make a blessing on). Another great example is waking up in the morning. Most people usually wake up dissapointed that they have to wake up so early; the first thing an observant Jew does when he wakes up is say they Modeh Ani, and thank G-D for giving him the gift of a new day. By saying blessings and thanking G-D, we automatically become more aware and appreciative of the blessings we have in life.

Finally, the most enjoyable experience for me of becoming a more observant Jew was when I became Shomer Shabbat. It's an awesome experience to be able to have the ability to completely disconnect from the work week and its stresses. It's an awesome experience to be able to have a nice dinner with family and friends without the distraction cell phones. It's an awesome experience to participate in and hear the beautiful Shabbat prayers and songs. It's an awesome experience to be an observant Jew!

So as a friend, a Jew, and fellow Moishe House resident, I would like to encourage all of you to try to apply something from Judaism to your life; even if it's overcoming just one desire, saying just one blessing, or "Giving Shabbat a Shot!"

I wish you all the best,

Joseph Yadgar

History is just stuff repeating

2011-11-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

Oh, Fall. Having lived much of my adolescence in California, the change of seasons is still a noteworthy event. This is my second Fall season as a Moishe House resident, and I already feel how different everything is the second time around! The prep for an event, the weekly meetings, the required blogs... what once seemed intimidating or confusing, hah! No longer, my friends.

As fellow bloggers have mentioned, the real start of Fall for the Jews is all about Sukkot. Yes, yes, the Hebrew calendar starts anew sometime in Fall, but Sukkot really gets you in the season properly. For me, it’s the gathering of natural materials for the schach. I’m pretty convinced that the trimming of the city’s parks, family’s yards, the city streets' trees and all that other landscaping you see at this time of year, really started because that’s when we need stuff to cover our temporary shelters. (Another example of our history governing ‘secular’ activities? Pesach & spring cleaning!)

Last year I had also found much of the material for our schach, but I was mostly just hired help, taking directions. This year, as one of 2 ‘veteran’ residents, I took it upon myself to lead the building of our sukkah. (shout-out: Moishehouserocks.com!) I won’t go into the details (you should’ve been there!), but will rather share some thing I took from it.

As we built our sukkah, 2 doors down (no, not 3) we could see a family building theirs. (Note: the family’s sukkah was more ‘kit’ than ‘creation’ but to each their own) I stopped my efforts for a few moments to watch the two children throw schach onto their latticed-roof as their parents looked on. It hit me that here I am, participating in a tradition that, by all intent, I’ll be passing on to my children. And that’s what warms my heart about the Judaism I continue to discover, practice & share as a leader in our community: the universality - and at the same time, the uniqueness - of its role in one’s life. In some years, those children will be building their own. Years from now, my children will be throwing schach onto the structure I built. And 800 years ago, far away from Philadelphia, and without the musical accompaniment of an iPod & speakers and other 21st century niceties, a father was watching his children do the same.

-Cody Greenes

A MH Vancouver Sukkah story

2011-10-31T15:51:00.001-07:00

It all began with a relatively simple plan: To build a Sukkah.

Jacob and I went to Home Depot with a Sukkah design that seemed affordable and easy to construct. It would be built with 6 and 8 foot long, thin aluminum poles attached together into a 12X12X8 foot Sukkah. Tarp walls would complete a roomy, drafty but altogether lovely Sukkah.Great.

Wandering the aisles at Home depot is probably what it feels like to be ADHD, not knowing where to look first, with nails, brackets, sinks, wood, drainage etc looming to the top of the warehouse ceiling and extending endlessly into the horizon of a D.I.Y junkie's dreamworld. Our first problem was that they didn't have poles, the right ones, that is. They had copper pipes (very expensive), long (12 foot) wobbly plastic pipes, but no 6 and 8 foot aluminum poles. So we kept exploring, silently recognizing that it would take a lot longer than expected. Ideas came to us, like using cinder blocks (didn't have the right ones), using lattices (too expensive), 2X4's (too heavy if we create a base out of them too), but were rejected, and we went home to think about it.

The next day we returned with Rotem. He thought a 2X4 structure could work. We bought 12 and 16 foot long 2X4 beams to build a 12 foot cube, with 16 foot crossbeams for support.

They were HUGE and HEAVY. Could we even fit them into a Subaru station wagon? We turned down the back seats, slid the beams in until they touched the windshield, but they still stuck out of the trunk about 4 feet. We had no rope with us either. We were impatient to go home, so Jacob and I sat in the trunk and held onto 12 -12 foot and 6-16 foot 2X4's, which, when held together, were as thick as a cedar trunk. Then we prayed that the beams a) wouldn't slip out of the open trunk door b) that the car wouldn't hit a bump c)scrape against the ground when driving uphill d) wouldn't get pulled over.

We drove 5 miles an hour to be safe. The drive from Home Depot to our house is uphill almost the entire way along a very busy street. Needless to say people were not happy we held up traffic. We shrugged off the dirty looks, the obscenities, and the people too embarrassed to even look at us for fear we are a bunch of crazy psychos. But then this car cuts us off and stops right in front of us in the middle of the street. This dude wearing a toque walks up and sticks his head in our window and says " you guys better pull over, you have no idea", I am going to write you up". We get a closer look at him and see he has a joint hanging out the corner of his mouth. Rotem looks at me, I look at Jacob who looks back at Rotem. Is he an off-duty cop smoking a joint or a stoner pretending to have authority? Rotem says something like, yeah sure we will get off the road at the next light, and he walks back to his car and drives off. We laugh and make our way slowly back home.

It poured the next day. But people showed up for the Sukkah building event, so we went out with our hammers, nails, brackets, boots and rain coats. After we began to nail the beams together, we realized a) just how tall 12 foot ceilings are, and how difficult it will be to erect the Sukkah and b) that our yard is uneven. So first we built the 3 walls separately, then laid one of the walls on the ground and nailed in the other 2 walls vertically, at right angles on opposite sides. Then we pushed and pushed until the Sukkah rotated 90 degrees, and the wall previously lying on the ground became the back wall. The walls teetered and swayed on the uneven ground, but held! The 10 people who helped stood back and laughed at how ridiculously tall the Sukkah was. It was unreal, like a distorted, monstrous prop. The Frankenstein of sukkahs. A walk- in -joke.

The Sukkah stood for 2 weeks and provided us with a place to host our clothing swap/drive, drink l'chaims, shake the Lulav, and hang out with friends. Would any of us have built such a Sukkah alone? NO, it was too much, too weird. But together as a group, somehow the weirdness of it became charming, the monster protective and comforting, the joke funny and not shameful.

Our walk-in-joke will be up next year, so if you are flying over Vancouver and your plane suddenly lurches, don't be alarmed, chances are you have just avoided our Sukkah.

Cheers,

Baruch Huberman, MH Vancouver

2011-10-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

Recently, we are in the midst of the festival of Sukkot, a holiday that celebrates the harvest and often affords us an opportunity to shift the focus of our personal energies from personal introspection outwards into the world. Nothing exemplifies this shift more, than the sukkah, a simple tent, erected at Occupy Boston. Many Moishe Kavodniks have had an opportunity this past month to break bread in this sukkah and to take a look at the the goings-on in Dewey Square and it has struck many of us what an appropriate statement that particular sukkah really is in light of the orientation shift that Sukkot often embodies. Obviously we could look at the symbolic act of moving the festival celebration to the site of a mass protest as way of taking the personal commitments made during Yom Kippur in the process of T’shuvah or repentance and turning them into action in the world. Without endorsing the goals or tactics of the Occupation Movement, it is hard to deny that a public expression of righteous indignation at the current state of affairs is most certainly a conduit for living one’s values, the usually desired end result of t’shuvah.

This is certainly true, but there is another less obvious aspect of the Occupy Boston Sukkah that spoke to me. While meandering through the tent city that currently covers Dewey Square, I saw not one concerted action but dozens, heard not one voice but hundreds. The protesters and occupiers speak to a multitude of issues. Banners and signs decrying the evils of war, economic disparity, the denigration of teachers, the hijacking of the democratic process by business interests, and environmental degradation line Atlantic Avenue. It is a great fruit salad of causes. The sukkah itself also speaks to this level of pluralism for it was erected not by one Jewish organization but by more than eight. One would think that with so many priorities, organization would be next to impossible in this confusion of differing voices, yet chaos is far from the state of affairs there. The tent city sports free hot food distribution, recycling pick-up, and a free library with internet, and has the feeling in its calmer moments of a tidy New England town. It is for this reason that the Occupy Boston Sukkah has given me pause to think. Maybe it is not only that we need to come out of our reveries of introspection this Sukkot but out of our professional and political silos as well. Perhaps this Sukkot then can serve to remind us that turning outward does not just mean looking from ourselves out into the world, but also being able to embrace a diversity of priorities and opinions, that change comes not when we are walled off from one another and working diligently on our own personal projects, but when we find common ground with others. That being in the world and taking effective action often takes not single minded focus but the ability to listen to many voices and from that chorus, finally speak with one accord.

New Orleans!

2011-10-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

All I knew before coming to New Orleans was that I would be living in the
Moishe House. That was the only fact, the only stable thing I had to look forward to
while I waited to move. I had just graduated college from the University of Michigan
in May and I had decided to quit the job I had waiting for me in San Francisco and
move unemployed to New Orleans. When I had visited New Orleans in the past I
was moved by the emphasis that people in New Orleans seemed to place on
community and relationships. I was drawn to the people I had met during my visit
and the opportunities I could foresee in such a great city. Ideologically I was sold on the city, yet when I arrived I realized, what do I do now?

My first few days were spent networking with non-profits, companies, and
even restaurants that were just not hiring. I would walk into my not yet settled
home, the Moishe House and wallop in my discouragement to roommates who did
not yet know me. The support I received from my Moishe House roommates and
the larger Moishe House community literally got me through a rough transition
period. Everybody I met was willing to hash out my sorrows with me and offer
me positive reinforcement. I believe strongly in the power of community and
specifically the power of intentional community, Moishe House exemplifies my
beliefs.

At this point I have been in New Orleans slightly over a month and Moishe
House is now not the only thing that is settled for me in this city. Yet, living at the house and hosting people on a weekly basis has helped me focus and concentrate on
creating a new home for myself in New Orleans.

Barrie Schwartz
MH New Orleans

MH San Diego turns 1!!!

2011-10-10T14:13:00.001-07:00

MHSD turns 1!!!!! That's right, as of October 1, 2011, we turned one. It's been a great year, our community has grown from essentially 3 people to hundreds. We now get at least 30 guests every Shabbat, and many regulars hang out outside of MHSD events.

That our birthday happened to fall between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur makes contemplating the year that passed both easy and interesting. This past year has been a learning experience to say the least. I personally learned how much EFFORT it takes to host successful and meaningful events and really what it takes to facilitate community-building. I want to thank my house-mates (Dovi, Natalie and Jon) for all their efforts in making our house and this social experiment called Moishe House an absolute success.

Personally, this was a year of big changes as well. It was my first complete year back in the US after living/working/studying in Israel for the prior 3 years; I also started a PhD program here in San Diego that was *a little* more time-consuming than I thought it would be. Even with all the stress of trying to juggle 5-6 events a month, tons of school work, trying to maintain a life outside of Moishe House (it's actually possible), at the end of every month it's been completely worth it. This month, I'm especially looking forward to building our sukkah (this Sunday). We just missed Sukkot when we moved in last year and I'm really excited to have an amazing house and back yard in which to build one this year.

Shana Tova and Gmar Chatima Tova to all.

Noah

I love...everything!

2011-10-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Life. Oh Life! So many things to think about. So many things to worry about. So many people to care about. But in the end...everything is great! Life. Is. Beautiful.

I spent the last 3 weeks of my life UBER stressed out with work, my love life, and I hate to admit it...Moishe House. Everything seemed to hit me at once. A few events crept up, kids at my work were being really obnoxious and hard to deal with, and for the first time in a while I was completely single (not even one date in the near future). I called my sister, cried to my mother, and then it hit me. "What am I doing?" There are SO many moments in my life where everything seems so tough and unbearable, but then I realize, I get to wake up tomorrow- healthy, well-educated, loved, etc. etc., and I get to start fresh. "Snap out of it Sonia...how lucky are you?"

I'm also lucky that this point in my life/year came at the end of the Jewish year. "Going home", aka driving 20 minutes into the San Fernando Valley, was a breath of fresh air. My cousin was in town from NY, I spent a few nights at my parents house, and I was able to really digest everything that was happening in my life and how I wanted to grow from it all. Erev Rosh Hashana was the bomb.com. I went over to my aunt and uncles house with my mom and grandma and was able to enjoy a dinner filled with fond memories from the motherland, prayers over food, and damn good challah and honey. It was easy to completely forget about all my stress and focus on laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. Moments and memories such as these seem to somehow erase all bad feelings and bad days. The bad days come and they go, but dinners with family and laughing until you cry are the memories I keep from year to year.

Moishe House was also something that made me super happy this week! Although it can sometimes be a stressful thing, Moishe House is sure to provide me with a dose of love, spirituality, and community that makes me forget about all my stress. This past week Moishe House LA hosted our biggest non-partnered event ever. We had 50 people at our house for Shabbat dinner. Being in the house all day, cooking, and setting up for 30 people only to watch person after person and group after group coming in to join in on our dinner made me smile from ear to ear. Sure there was a point in all of our nights where we thought "Oy! There's not enough food!" or "Oy! Not everyone can sit!" but...WHO CARES? There's ALWAYS enough food, and so what if people have to stand? They're still enjoying their night and meeting new awesome people. It was so beautiful, and I can honestly say I felt almost high the next day from the feeling of being so proud to be a part of our house and a part of our organization.

So I hope to share with all of you and I hope to remind myself next time I feel like crying....love! Love everything you do! Be happy! Happiness is the key to sanity! and Breathe! What ever that means to you- whether it's an actual inhale and exhale or whether it's a few nights away from reality- BREATHE!

Besos to all.

A new year, a new crew

2011-09-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

Well, MH Chicago has gone through many transitions. September marked the departure of 3 of our treasured residents, Kelly, Wendy and Emma, and the arrival of three new residents, Benjamin, Elli and Danny, who are eager to take on the mission of living in a Moishe House. September, of course, also marked the beginning of 5772.

I've had many reflections on what it means to be a Moishe House resident. It was wonderful to live in MH Chicago, the past 2 years with 4 of my best friends. We developed a rhythm and a clear set of expectations for our responsibilities and came to function like a well-oiled machine when it came to hosting programs and dinners for over 40 people. Using the principles of community organizing as a foundation for our community, we watched as many of our community members became invested in the broader MH community and developed as strong leaders. Many of our programming initiatives came from requests of what people wanted to see from MH Chicago. Then we worked with them to make their visions a reality.

Now, our three new members, all of whom were community members before, have taken over the reigns. They bring a new energy and excitement to the table. They come with fresh ideas and a passion to see MH grow. It is great to see. As we grow, I wonder how we do it in a sustainable way and how we grow in a way that does not ostracize the original community.

In this season of self reflection, I am taking time to step back and think about what I like most about MH Chicago. While there is a wealth of synagogue based initiatives for Jews in their 20s and 30s, I think we have filled a niche for people who are seeking a less institutionalized form of Judaism. A community that is member driven. A Jewish community that is pertinent to our members' lives and that is attuned to their interests. I am reminded what an honor and privilege it is to live in a Moishe House. And I am inspired by the new-comers energy to reignite my own passion for building a strong, progressive, egalitarian Jewish community.

Fall transitions at Moishe House San Francisco

2011-09-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

This fall (this upcoming Halloween actually) marks my 3rd year of living in Moishe House San Francisco. When I moved in, sight unseen, straight from Brooklyn 3 years ago, I never thought I'd live in the house for as long as I have. I moved in looking for connections with other Jews, looking for a social life, and looking for a network. I knew I loved planning events, hosting dinner parties, and participating in social justice. I also knew that the roommates I'd be moving in with were kind, passionate, and really welcoming. I didn't know how long I'd stay, and I didn't know where life would take me in the next few years. I didn't have a plan, but I had concieved of it as an interim move while I got settled in SF, maybe for a year or so before finding my own place.

Now, it's hard to imagine anything else. Moishe House is my home and a huge part of my life. My boyfriend moved in with us about 8 months ago, and now we are both completely involved in the workings of the house. It's my 'hobby,' my 'second job' and a lot of my social life. I've been in the house now long enough to see so many people come and go. Resident changes, guests, etc.

It's fall and it seems apt that there are some more changes in progress. First, we had to say goodbye to Kiki Fabian, who had been a great roommate, but had to follow her heart and started med school in Israel at Ben Gurion. Then, we got a new roommate - Monique Arar. Just as she is settling in, I'm starting to think about moving along. I don't know how I'll know that I'm absolutely 'ready' because how would anyone ever feel ready to leave such a gorgeous house, such great friendships, and such a great project?

I do know though that I've grown and learned a lot in my time at moishe house, and whenever it is that Jordan and I decide to move on, I'll take all that with me. Moishe House has changed me. It's pushed my schmooze skills to their absolute limits, it's taught me a lot about Jewish ritual that I never learned growing up in a very reform, hippy synagogue, and has connected me with hundreds of young San Francisco Jews and Jewish organizations. It has taught me about collaboration, team work, communication, and how not to be passive-agressive with routine roommate issues like dirty dishes or loud noises. I know that I'll keep hosting shabbat dinner, keep volunteering, and keep connected once I leave. My Jewish identity has grown stronger over the past few years, and really all I've done in that time that's 'Jewish' is everything moishe.
Thanks to moishe house I build a sukkah once a year, and now I frequently get to light candles, say kiddish, and eat challah; all things that really mean a lot to me. Once I leave I know I'll find a way to keep this aspect of my life in my identity and in my social plans.

We've got a lot of great September events coming up, so definitely check the moishe house website and our calendar if you'd like to join us. It's a fun filled and busy high holiday season for sure!

Bye bye MoHo-Fo now :)

2011-09-01T16:50:00.001-07:00

It's that time we all know exists, but have no idea when it will happen. It's my time to spread my wings, and move on out of the wonderful, beautifully, loving Moishe House LA.

I moved to LA a year and a half ago, and my transition into my new life would have been far more difficult had I not had the Moishe House Community. Over the past 15 months I have built some of the most loving, strong friendships which I know will continue to flourish, post-moho.

I could go on thanking the moishe house for providing me this amazing opportunity, however I feel it would be more entertaining to leave you with a couple lessons I have learned from living in a communal house.

(1) Men don't do dishes. This may be an exaggeration, because sure, occasionally, the sink will be clean. HOWEVER, for the most part, I am prepared for the sink responsibilities for my future relationships.

(2) Communication, respect and love are the most important factors in creating positive, beneficial relationships.

(3) The moishe house is not just a non-profit organization, but it is a home dedicated to providing a safe and warm space to the lost community of wandering Jews.

I am sad to say farewell, but am excited to move on with my life. I look forward to being a part of the "attending" moho community, and cannot wait to see the wonderful events mohola will throw in the future.

If you miss me and are hungry, come visit me at Whole Foods in Venice, Ca.

I love you all,
:),
Julie Auerbach
Mohola-'10-'11

September Fun!

2011-08-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Moisheniks,

Hope you're enjoying the summer! Although as I write this it is pouring rain, but I guess it's the summer thoughts that count...

Here at the House we are busy busy busy-- between festivals, holiday travels, planning for Rosh Hashana, and getting ready for our newest member. We have said goodbye to Joel, and are welcoming Rebecca/Becky who (in her own words) has been spending the last year in goat poo and is nervous to return to a place with WiFi and a decent public transport system. I am sure she will fill you in on the details if you only ask!

Anyway, September is jam-packed with events from geeky films, Tantra, Rosh Hashana spiritual and physical preparations, services, and even Craniosacral therapy-- read on for details!

Have a beautiful month,

Alli, Aviad, Rachel, Brett, and Clive x

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, 30 August

Geek Week pt 1- Back to the Future

Moishe House

Tomorrow 19:00

Welcome to Moishe House London's "Geek Week".
Three nights, three different "geeky" films.

Come to one, come to all-- dress up if you want, bring some snacks and drinks, and be prepared for some fun.

Tuesday: Back to the Future Trilogy
Wednesday: Indiana Jones (best two we can think of)
Thursday: X-Men Trilogy

Wednesday 31 August

Geek Week pt 2- Indiana Jones

Moishe House London

Wednesday 19:00

01 September

Geek Week pt 3- X-Men Trilogy

Moishe House London

Thursday 19:00

08 September

Mini-introduction to Tantra

Moishe House London

08 September at 18:30

After Leora Lightwoman's fantastic session at the Moishe House in December, we decided to team up with Diamond Light Tantra again. We will be their venue for this mini-introduction session. It is open to the general public for £25 per person if booked in advance (£30 on the door) but MOISHE HOUSE LONDON COMMUNITY CAN BOOK IN ADVANCE FOR JUST £10 - just call Diamond Light on 0845 388 2231 with a credit/debit card and say you're from Moishe House London, or book using the following link: http://diamondlighttantra.com/content/september-7th-tantra-introductory-evening-individual

YOU MUST BOOK IN ADVANCE WITH DIAMOND LIGHT FOR THE £10 OFFER - IT IS £30 ON THE DOOR.

Please do not re-post this special offer on any other public forum.

18 September

Elul Through Art & Learning (link to event page)

Moishe House London

18 September at 11:00

Elul is the Hebrew month preceding the High Holidays. It is a time dedicated to preparing ourselves for the upcoming Big Days. Come to our Elul day so that when we hit Rosh Hashana you feel ready instead of bewildered. Guaranteed to enhance your Grassroots experience or I'm wrong.
Freel free to join us regardless of whether you will be with us for the Grassroots Jews services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
For more about those services though, see:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=146199175464786

Grassroots Art Camp:

Create our space. Rutie Borthwick, Alli Zionts and Gaby Pomeroy will be coordinating this day of creation, decoration and adornment for the Grassroots temporary home in Moishe House. Come and crochet a part of our new trichitza will Rutie and help make beautiful things to make our space beautiful.

Grassroots Elul Learning:

Program of talks, shiurim and lectures by the best in the business. More of the high quality approachable learning that Grassroots hosts. Speakers include: Rabbi Judith Rosen Berry, Benedict Roth, Daniel Lichman, Prof. Vic Seidler. Subjects range from Talmudic insights into fasting to understanding Rosh Hashana through the lens of submissive/dominant sexuality.

Full program to be published nearer the date!

28-30 September

Grassroots 2011 (link to event page)

Moishe House London

28 September at 18:30

*Please take care! Saying you are 'attending' on Facebook does NOT secure your place at Grassroots. To ensure your spot, click this link: http://grassrootsjewishnewyearproject.wordpress.com/booking and look around the blog for all the crucial info you'll need!*

Daniel Kingsley

Craniosacral Therapy at Moishe House with Daniel Kingsley – Individual Sessions

Available every Monday from 2pm to 9pm

[link to a facebook event/page for the individual sessions]

Craniosacral therapy is a very gentle yet powerful hands-on form of bodywork, developed from Osteopathy. It is great for relieving stress, helping to resolve headaches, neck and back issues. Because it supports the body in its own rebalancing and self-healing it can also be used to treat many other conditions that conventional medicine can't such as insomnia, digestive problems, low energy, depression and hormonal imbalances. Sessions are usually experienced as deeply relaxing and revitalising.

Daniel Kingsley will be offering individual 50 minute sessions every Monday. Sessions cost £60. Free consultations are available either by phone or just by dropping into the house.

For more information call Daniel on 07958 655 406, check out his websitehttp://www.facebook.com/l/TAQATYGjOAQBMTM1eCXSacG0tdkSit2_tI4B0vs9kvr6qBQ/www.reconnectohealth.co.uk or his facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/Daniel.Kingsley.Cranio

Of All the Little Surprises

2011-08-05T18:45:00.000-07:00

In my determination not to help at all during the transition of Moishe House OC from Laguna Beach to Costa Mesa I decided to break my ankle in two places, confine myself to a couch for six weeks or so, and have a bunch of metal installed in m body. This is the obvious solution to laziness. I mean really who enjoys packing up a house and moving, when I say “I will do anything to avoid moving.” I mean it.

I am writing this from a well worn patch of couch situated in the living room of our new house. Strewn about me are the necessities of daily life, IPOD, water bottle, crutches, pen , paper, and of course my laptop. My world is really small right now, and yet the community it holds is larger than I ever imagined. After the break I disappeared home for 3 weeks to recuperate, drawing on the support of family leaving my roommates to run the new MoHo. Now that I am at our new home, my wonderful roommates are helping me, I get to enjoy events from the couch perspective, we plan events together better than ever, and out turnout skyrocketed after with the location change.

I want to return to the community though, never before in my life have I sought out a strong network of support. Yet here I am on a couch, getting messages on Facebook, phone calls and emails from community members, the very people that make this organization thrive asking how they can help. When one member of the community is in trouble, we all help. I think that this simple idea of community helping its members is often forgotten, it is the original social safety net. At our house we have not missed a beat, participants are helping with breakdown of events, moving us in, bringing extra food for Shabbat, even though we are down one person (me!) we have ten more people to help out.

Honestly all of this sentiment is feeling rather maudlin, but the truth is had anyone asked me when I started here, “If you broke your ankle what would you do?”
I would’ve said “I have no clue”. During all my forced vacation time I’ve done too much reading, and one very talented author’s words bring me comfort right now,
“…we cannot possibly know what it is we’ve yet to make manifest in our lives…”.
I couldn’t have planned for any of this, Moishe House happened to me just as accidentally as my broken ankle. All I am certain of right now is that our house is going to keep going strong, and that we have a wonderful group of people around us that will make sure we are here for quite some time to come.

Parker
Moishe House OC

August: a fond farewell

2011-08-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

It's been an unbelievable four years, but I'm moving out of MoHoLo at the end of August. If all goes well, I'll still be involved in Moishe House, working with the other MoHoLo residents and Moishe Houses in other countries, but my time living here is coming to an end.

When five of us decided to start a Jewish community house in 2007 we were prompted by a deep sense of personal need, for a type of community that was almost within reach but didn't yet exist. On my part, I wanted a better Jewish life.

Four years on and my Jewish life is completely transformed, through Moishe House London and other stellar clusters of creative Jewish community. So for this individual, it's mission accomplished.

MoHoLo continues to evolve, with all of us shaping it. If you want to run an event, get in touch - I certainly plan to be part of things.

Clive Selwyn has been a resident since before the summer and he'll continue to bring his special brand of madness to the Moishe House. And in September, again all going well, you'll be able to meet a sixth resident, arriving back in the UK with fresh ideas.

Indulge me here. I'd like to sign off with my top 5 Moishe House London events from the last four years - evenings of magic:

5) Shotei Ha'Nevua (January 2011)

4) Gaza Listening (January 2009)

3) Dining in the Dark (February 2011)

2) The Big One (December 2009)

1) Moishe Fest (July 2009)

And the future...? READ ON

Love,

Joel

We've got two Tisha B'Av events, dancing, drumming, geeky movies and, moving into September and beyond, Tantra and - oh yeah - Grassroots Jews Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services.

One more thing first: Facebook groups are changing and their new format doesn't let us do the things we need to do as residents of MoHoLo. Please help us transition to a new system of alerting you to events by filling in this form: http://tripler.wufoo.com/forms/moholo-contact-list/

It only takes a few seconds.

EVENTS

08 August

Yachad Beit Midrash - Tisha b'Av Tikkun
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	08 August from 21:00 to 23:00

The first of two Tisha B'Av events at MoHoLo is presented by Yachad. Study texts on Jewish sovereignty, ask difficult questions and search for answers together.

09 August

Footsteps in the Sand - Tisha B'Av Event
Where:	MoHoLo
When:	09 August from 19:00 to 20:30

Aviad presents his personal take on Tisha B'Av and Gush Katif, looking at the expulsion of 8,600 Jews from their houses six years ago. We will learn some Talmud and more recent Jewish approaches to suffering, before watching the film 'Footsteps in the Sand.'

10 August

Dancing the Philtrum
Where:	Moishe House London, message us for specific address
When:	10 August from 19:30 to 22:00

Free dance movement, meditation, voice, breath and automatic drawing/writing to get in touch with our innate wisdom. This session is full but there is a waiting list - email tanyabenardout@hotmail.com for more info.

11 August

Drumming Workshop
Where:	MoHoLo
When:	11 August from 19:30 to 21:30 Back by popular demand. Bring your own hand drums and percussion, and learn how to play it!

30 August

Geek Week pt 1- Back to the Future
Where:	Moishe House
When:	30 August from 19:00 to 22:00

Three nights, three 'geek classics' - projected on our big screen. Dress up (if you want), bring some snacks and drinks, and be prepared for some fun.

31 August

Geek Week pt 2- Indiana Jones
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	31 August from 19:00 to 22:00

Three nights, three 'geek classics' - projected on our big screen. Dress up (if you want), bring some snacks and drinks, and be prepared for some fun.

01 September

Geek Week pt 3- X-Men Trilogy
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	01 September from 19:00 to 22:00

Three nights, three 'geek classics' - projected on our big screen. Dress up (if you want), bring some snacks and drinks, and be prepared for some fun.

08 September

Mini-introduction to Tantra
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	08 September from 18:30 to 21:00

After Leora Lightwoman's fantastic session in December, we decided to team up with Diamond Light Tantra again, for this mini-introduction session. Enhance connectedness, harmony and compassion - with a special offer for MoHoLo community.

September 28th-29th Grassroots Jews Rosh Hashanah services: Watch This Space!

Kosher...I think so!

2011-07-27T19:16:00.000-07:00

Max Pollak and Mickey Rubin are friends of mine from Towson University. When they mentioned they were moving into Baltimore’s Moishe House, I really didn’t understand the concept. There was one Friday night where they were hosting a Shabbat dinner and I figured I’d go and see what it was all about. I ended up having such a great time and meeting so many nice people. I eventually started coming to more and more events; and helping out if my assistance was needed. For example, I’d come over early and help former Moishe House member, Andi Wagelstein with preparing for Shabbat dinners. As the year progressed, Max and Mickey found out that Andi’s job was transferring her to an office in Hoboken, New Jersey; therefore they would need a third (female) roommate. One of the main reasons I decided living in Moishe House would be a good fit for me is because all my life, Judaism has sort of been an obligation. For example, I was obligated to attend Hebrew School and go through Confirmation. Additionally, my parents keep kosher in our home. I have always been intimidated to help out in my parents’ kitchen because I never wanted to use the milk sponge for some type of meat. I want to be able to enjoy all aspects of the religious and cultural values and learn what being Jewish means to me. When all was said and done, it was mutually agreed upon that I was a good fit for Moishe House and as a roommate for the boys. I really enjoy seeing all the friendships Moishe House has created and maintained. People who meet at Moishe House have said there’s no other way to maintain a sense of a Jewish identity, besides going to services on Shabbat. Once becoming involved and eventually a member of Moishe House, I learned that being Jewish is more than going to Hebrew School and keep Kosher; it’s about how I choose to identify with Judaism- whether that’s through hosting Shabbat Dinners, playing Bingo with the elderly, volunteering at Ronald McDonald House, or gathering friends for a low key trivia night."

Invitation to group trips

2011-07-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Our trips provide an unforgettable insight into Jewish history plus the rich culture exploring the world that once existed, whilst concentrating on the present through the remaining communities. Join us and learn about the astonishing contribution the Jewish communities once made and enjoy the main sites of each particular country :-

ROME – the Eternal city 2nd September 2011 – 1 room left Week-end in Rome consisting 3 days of ancient, classical and ghetto tours, staying in Hotel overlooking the Forum Rome – A 3,000 year multi layered museum under the open sky with the worlds oldest continuing Jewish community outside Israel. The former ghetto is fascinating & thriving again with some of the best kosher restaurants in Europe. See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for full agenda and cost

Romania, Moldova & Bessarabia trip for 7 days leaving on 15^th September 2011 – Few rooms left Romania & Moldova covering the former Bessarabia & beautiful Transylvanian region of a former once vast Jewish presence where still communities exist and synagogues are being restored. We fly with Wizz airline to Cluz airport in the North West of Romania returning from Bacau in the North East by Blue Air. We will have the use of minibus and guide at all times, staying in 3+ star hotels in interesting towns and areas of natural beauty. See the detailed itinerary in what promises to be a great trip - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for full agenda and cost

**Magical Morocco Marrakesh CHILL-OUT weekend 27^th October 2011 - Following a hugely successful sold out 2011 trip, and further enquiries, demand will be huge for our next Morocco trips. We suggest you book early, as limited rooms available. We will be staying at the magnificent KSAR ANIKA RIAD with gourmet kosher food in evenings and shabbos, with only 1 or 2 guided walks planned. Four days 3 nights at a cost of £485 - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk** for full agenda and cost

DANUBE Luxury 8 day river cruise from Budapest from £999 per person in August & November 2011 JHTee is proud to announce that we have negotiated with a leading cruise Company a truly exciting trip on an exceptional boat, and at an affordable price. This amazing offer 5% discount available through JHTee tours will navigate 4 countries and the 3 capital cities of Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna before concluding in Germany, and flying home either from Nuremberg or Budapest on the reverse trip - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for full agenda and cost

FULL Morocco tour 16^th February 2012 is now confirmed for full 12 day trip, including Sahara desert. The way the trip has been planned only allows a return flight home after 8 days when we arrive in Marrakesh, for those not wishing to stay for the full trip. Our guide for the entire time is Raphael Elmaleh [excellent raconteur] who is responsible for the only Jewish museum in the Arab world and involved in the restoration of shuls and cemeteries and Jewish artifacts.
Tunisia including Djerba island – Planned for March 2012

Lithuania trip 29^th April 2012 Vilnius and Kovno trip – Consisting of 3 days 2 nights - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk in planning stage

Spain - May 2012 – Starting in Madrid then Toledo Seville Codoba concluding in Gibraltar www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk in planning stage

UKRAINE Autumn 2012 - 10 days covering everything from Lvov to Odessa - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for full agenda and cost

Incredible INDIA November 2012 - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for full agenda and cost of 8 or 13 day or 20 day trip

Marcel Manson

Jewish Heritage Tours

6, Golf Close

Stanmore

Middlesex

England HA7 2PP

Tel No 0044 0 208 9545074

Fax No 0044 0 208 954 5074

Mobile N0 0771 2290520

e-mail: marcel@jewishheritagetours.co.uk

Web site: www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk

World Champ Team - MH Dallas

2011-07-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

The world-champion Dallas Mavericks provide a profound lesson in the triumph of teamwork over selfishness. When the Miami Heat sought to craft a world championship team they did so with the thought that if they could acquire the most-talented players in their starting five they would be able to defeat anyone. The raw desire that each of the stars the Heat acquired had in obtaining a championship for themselves would naturally result in their working together to obtain a goal that would benefit all of them, (think free-market economics: As long as markets are free and competitive the actions of private individuals, motivated by self-interest, will work together for the greater good of society). LeBron wanted a championship for LeBron, Bosh for Bosh, and Wade for Wade, and in the end none of them got a ring. The self-interest model failed miserably.

The Mavs on the other hand kept their eye on one goal, a championship for the team. There was no room for egos, simply get the job done, forget the limelight. When Mavs needed inspiration the players did not rely on their own naked ambition for personal glory but dedicated their playoff run to the likes of Caron Butler a star teammate who had been unable to play since February due to injury, yet played an integral part in keeping up morale in the locker room.

At Moishe House Dallas, we take inspiration from our world champion team. Ultimately there is only one goal at MoHo Dallas run the most meaningful and unique events possible for the greatest amount of young Jews in Dallas, by any means necessary. We all have extremely busy schedules in this house and running successful events is very time consuming and hard work, but as a cohesive unit there is little we cannot accomplish effectively. As a team it is imperative that we can rely on one another to perform necessary tasks to get the job done. Yet there are doubtless times where differing obligations will conflict for a “teammate” and require greater effort from the other teammates. In MoHo D, there are no questions asked when greater effort is needed the job will get done with no complaints. (think: Dirk’s shot goes cold, get the ball to Chandler or Terry)

There is no ego in MoHo D, the goal and mission is bigger than any one of us. The past few months have been extraordinarily difficult for me with final exams and bar review and I would like to thank my teammates of MoHo D who despite the fact that I produce like Dirk with a 103 degree fever or even Peja trying to play defense at times, my teammates with out fail always come out strong and get ‘er done, by any means necessary.

Damon Mathias

Moishe House London - July Events

2011-07-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

It's July: it's not that hot but it's the English Summer so that's okay. Murray, our only British hope, has got knocked out of Wimbledon spectacularly and been told that it's probably because his best is just not good enough - lovely! London just hosted this year's Gay Pride Parade. Lots of festivals. Lots of fun. London, for the most part, is a happy place to be.

Events for July are a delightful assortment of education, festival fun, and music and film goodness. See below for the complete list of events for July.

As always, Moishe House is open to you all the year round so come chill, play, chat, learn, entertain, be entertained, create new friends, and consolidate old ones. You are an integral part of our community, so get involved in any way you like - our doors are always open.

Much love to you all.

----

10 July

Freecycle Clothes Day!
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	10 July from 14:00 to 17:00
	Get ready for the summer by cleaning out your closet! Have a jumper in your closet you don't think you need anymore? Love finding treasures in other people's clothing-trash? Come participate in the Moishe House Freecycle Clothes Day! Bring your books, bring your old jewelry, and bring your clothes! So spend an afternoon with Moishe House, bag a few gems for your closet! Whatever isn't picked up by one of us will be donated to a local charity, so what do you have to lose? Message Alli if you have any questions. See you then!

14 July

Open Mic Evening
Where:	MoHoLo
When:	14 July from 20:00 to 23:00
	Moishe House's very own open mic evening. A chance for you to show us what you've got. Open to all... Perform in our very open, welcome and accepting space. Bring your instrument if you have one. We will provide a guitar, a mic and the sound system

18 July

Jews Dating non-Jews: the end of the Jewish people or no big deal?
Where:	Moishe House London, Willesden Green (message us for the full address)
When:	18 July from 20:00 to 22:00 Are you a Jew in a relationship with a non-Jew? A non-Jew in a relationship with a Jew? The child of one Jewish and one non-Jewish parent? Are you converting or contemplating conversion for a Jewish partner? Or do you simply want to air your views about mixed faith relationships? Whatever your circumstances come and share your thoughts, experiences and opinions on this issue with Zahavit Shalev. Zahavit runs the conversion course at New North London (Masorti) Synagogue. She is also a project worker at Jeneration (www.jeneration.org) where her job is to reach out to mixed faith couples and support them in finding a connection to Judaism that's right for them.

19 July

Burning Man Pre-Compression Briefing
Where:	MoHoLo
When:	19 July from 19:30 to 22:30
	A how to and hang out for peeps going to Burning Man this year and anyone else who's interested. Travel Supplies Costumes Medical Camping Food Water Old-timers share experience, newcomers ask questions, everyone gets excited. Dress up optional. Bring snacks.

21 July

Labyrinth Film Night
Where:	MoHoLo - please message for the address
When:	21 July from 19:30 to 22:30
	Following up on the success of The Big Lebowski night, we will be celebrating all things Bowie with the screening of the amazing '80s cult classic Labyrinth. Get lost in a beautiful film, dress up like the Starman himself if you want (who doesnt love big hair, big make-up and tight, shiny clothes?), and come along for a fun night! 7:30pm for drinks and snacks, 8pm for the film. Bring snacks and drinks as you wish, and come along for a fun night - if anyone has any ideas of Bowie-themed cocktails, let us know!! You have no power over me...

Shavuot (Sarah's May Blog)

2011-06-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Moishe House Chicago recently had a Shavuot program where we stayed up and learned different things that members of the community offered to share. People taught improv, led discussions on unions and Judaism, led text studies, learned Israeli dancing, and much more. One session specifically touched me and is one of my favorite Moishe House memories I hold close to my heart. A community member was teaching a session on Shavuot and poetry. I was very interested in attending this session because I wanted to do some writing and had not had time lately. I also wanted to support the community member who was leading the session.

This community member had come to Moishe House for the first time a year before (at the last Shavuot event). He was shy, reserved, and after the event, I wasn’t sure if he would come back. I sometimes worry that Moishe might be overwhelming for people that are introverted and don’t know many people in the community. However, the story of this man has shown me that our community does doing a good job of being inclusive for lots of different personalities.

The participant came back and slowly grew less shy and began to make friends. He began coming to trivia and happy hours. He then joined a discussion group called “Privilege, Oppression, and the Jewish Community,” and co-lead a series of discussions on history. Next, he became a part of our weekly text study group. He recently told me that he had started to think of things differently at Moishe House. He now saw issues with more of a social justice lens, and he was grateful that Moishe House had given him the opportunity to gain friends and learn about Judaism and society in a larger context.

What I saw the night that I participated in his Shavuot poetry session was leadership. He led us through three different readings about G-d giving the 10 commandments and gave us a very creative writing prompt. We all wrote poetry that we shared with each other. I thought about all the learning we were doing that night and reflected on the learning and growing we had done in the past year. As residents and community members, we have come a long way in continuing to build a meaningful Jewish community.

June already

2011-06-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

Summer. Lots of events. Events events events events events.

It is very easy to think of Moishe House London, and the other stellar groups in our sparkling community constellation, as event-based organisations. And on one level that's what we are.

But actually we're a community.

Of course that means different things to different people. But it tends to work like this. You come to, yes, an event or two. And you meet the people who also come here and you start to discover there's something about this place and these people, and soon they're your people too and you want to spend time with them in other contexts and combinations. And you want to contribute - and spend time round here when there's not an event on.

And then, what do you know, your life is changed. For real.

Well, it's almost Shavuot now and I have to go and cook some cheese ('What did the cheese say when he looked in the mirror? Haloumi!') so I will now get off my soap box and tell you about... our events.

But before I do (and talking of changing lives) we're soon going to launch a kind of Grassroots MoHoLo social justice fellowship, for a group of people to receive training and be paired with a disadvantaged child to mentor, and meet up however often it suits them for social justice learning and skills. Email thelondonhouse@gmail.com if you think you might be interested.

---

12 June

Jewellery Creation, part two!
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	12 June from 14:30 to 17:30
	Would you like to create your own beautiful jewelry? In this workshop, we will learn how to make earrings, pendants, and charms. Everything will be provided for you, and everyone will go home with beautiful creations of their own. This will cost £6 for beads for your jewelry - the rest will be provided by Moishe House. Also, because of the teaching nature of this workshop, it is limited to eight people. Please email Alli at alli.zionts@gmail.com to reserve your place.

23 June

"Big Lebowski" Night
Where:	MoHoLo (message me for the address)
When:	23 June from 19:00 to 22:00 Come along for a film night-- The Big Lebowski, classic amusing Jewish film. We shall be drinking (vegan optional) White Russians, and points to the person who comes best dressed in a dressing gown/ oversized cardigan. 7pm for drinks and snacks, 8pm for the film. Bring snacks and drinks as you wish, and come along for a fun night :)

Glastonbury Festival's Lovely Jewish Tent
Where:	Next to the Hare Krishnas, near the Glade Stage, right in the middle of the festival
When:	23 June at 19:00 until 26 June at 22:30
	One for those of you at Glasto. MoHoLo is supporting and co-organising the Jewish tent. Come join us for a little relaxation, food, drink, arts & crafts, music, poetry, meditation and general chilling. We'll be hosting a musical Kabalat Shabbat service, dubstep raves, make-your-own-lovely hebraica workshops, kabbalistic meditation sessions and anything else that you might require (let us know!) plus of course the annual institution that is our Friday night challah, humous & cocktails party. On Friday afternoon we are going to hit you hard with a mini dubstep rave using the MoHoLo Underground 900 watt sound system, this pleasure will be followed by a switch off/switch on candle lighting ceremony and a Friday night improvised service and Kiddush.

27 June

Book Discussion- "The Ladies Auxiliary"
Where:	MoHoLo
When:	27 June from 19:30 to 22:30 Tova Mirvis' novel about a tight-knit orthodox Jewish community being forced to welcome someone a little different. 7:30pm for snacks and drinks, 8pm for book discussion (and if the weather is lovely, outside!).

29 June

Clowning Workshop (MAX 20 PEOPLE)
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	29 June from 19:30 to 22:30
	Ever wondered what it takes to be a clown? Well, wonder no more! We are very lucky to be joined again by the very talented Hernandez (from The Rubbish Sideshow and Dr. Clive's Circus ). His speciality is clown/eccentric performance/physical theatre. We will be playing a lot of games on that theme. Numbers are limited to 20 and will be assigned on a first come, first served basis.

30 June

Future Sound of Yoga
Where:	Moishe House London, Willesden Green (please message us for full address)
When:	30 June from 19:30 to 21:30 This event is completely full right now (we can fit 10 yoga mats into our living room!) but if you're interested in Future Sound of Yoga's unique blend of yoga and dance with a live DJ we recommend the following: - RSVP and get yourself on the waiting list (people do sometimes drop out last minute) - Go to FSOY at one of only three other major London dates. All details here: http://www.futuresoundofyoga.com/Tour_Dates.html

My Journey to Moishe House STL

2011-06-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

When I returned to St. Louis after college and work, I had been away for almost six years, and I quickly came to the realization that my friends were scattered around the country. I had one truly close friend who dragged me to a Jewish Federation event, a happy hour for young, Jewish professionals. That event represents a turning point in my life that led me to Moishe House STL. At that happy hour I met a group of individuals who partnered with me in the creation of Next Dor STL, a nonprofit organization aimed at building Jewish community. Over the next year, I met hundreds of Jewish, young adults and watched as they developed relationships with each other. I was intrigued by the way these relationships extended beyond the platform that had been built by Next Dor STL. It was a really organic way of creating and building community.

I then began to look at Next Dor STL and the Jewish community as a whole. In an effort to provide more to the community, I began to hold speaker series and entrepreneur roundtables. I began to attend events at Washington University, and recruit speakers and mentors for community members of Next Dor STL. My goal at that point was to help nurture the Jewish community, and to assist people in making connections necessary to stay in St. Louis, as well as strengthening the partnerships and communication between the three major young Jewish Groups in St. Louis; Next Dor STL, the Jewish Federation’s Young Professional Division (YPD), and Moishe House STL. I understood the role and importance of having more than one organization aimed at this segment of the community.

In January 2011, I was approached by Moishe House STL, and was offered a chance to move into the Moishe house. After much consideration, I moved into the house in February 2011. Currently, I still serve on the board for Next Dor STL in an effort to increase cooperation between the two organizations. In my time in Moishe House STL, I, along with Jordan Mandel and Ben Levinson, have succeeded in hosting a plethora of programs ranging from community service to religious and social events. These events have consisted of Shabbat dinners, Cardinals games, volunteer work, and going bowling among many others. We have proudly partnered with YPD and Next Dor STL on programming ventures in order to have more Jewish, young adults involved in community events. Having been a part of our recent success, I can’t help but feel optimistic about the future, and I hope we are able to build even stronger relationships, and an increased sense of community with young Jewish adults.

MH San Francisco - Jordan Clare-Rothe

2011-06-06T10:07:00.001-07:00

May was a really good month for me here at Moishe House San Francisco. One event that was really important to me was Arise: posters for Japan relief. This was a fundraiser that I put on with an organization from my school to raise money for the rebuilding effort in Japan. Artists from all over the world designed posters and in the beginning of May we displayed them in a gallery in San Francisco, and sold them to raise money for Japan relief. (Five of these posters are still being sold online at http://aauaiga.com/arise/ and all proceeds go to Japan relief). It was great to make this a Moishe House event and be able to bring people out through the MH network.

This is also a month of change for us here. Our room mate Ariel moved out last week to go to New Orleans with Teach for America. And Kiki was accepted to Medical school in Israel and will be leaving towards the end of this month. I'm really sad to see these two go, but also super happy for them and excited that they are taking up new adventures. Adios, muchachos.

Another fun event at the beginning of the month was the second meeting of the Moishe House Comics club. For this meting we went to Wondercon, a huge exhibition of comics that happens here once a year. Got to hang out with Batman and Elvira. The Comics club will meet again for our third meeting in June.

Until next time, same moishe time, same moishe channel!

Transitions by Eli Zaturnasky - MH East bay

2011-06-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

ALICE by Shel Silverstein
She drank from a bottle called DRINK ME
And up she grew so tall,
She ate from a plate called TASTE ME
And down she shrank so small
And so she changed, while other folks
Never tried nothin’ at all

There are three sure things in life, Taxes, Death, and Transitions. We all go through them on a regular basis, whether we are aware of them or not. And I’m categorizing transitions with taxes and death not because I think they are bad, but on the contrary. I think transitions are too often too good to be understood. Even more often, they create unnecessary stress and frustration. A teaching that helped me stay connected and balanced during my last transition came from the Buddhist teacher Trungpa Rinpoche, who says, “We are always in transition.” According to Rinpoche, pain is an inevitable part of life; the only way to stop it is by staying with it and accepting the changes, not letting the illusion of fixed identity dictate what is right or wrong in your life.

My story of transition is the moving of our MH from Oakland to Berkeley. The un-dreamable dream--finding a 5 bedroom place, near Bart, in a safe spot, in the center of Berkeley--did not happen. We couldn’t find anything near what we were looking for, so we had to compromise and go to live in the Berkeley hills, which by all accounts is not bad, but also not centered at all. The house is located very high up a steep hill, far from Bart (our subway system), and other regular public transportation. However, it has turned out to be an amazing experience living in such proximity to forests and parks. And yes, our community is still coming and growing with us in our new location. So again, our fear of transition was unreal and a non-productive agent for us.

The challenge of transitions in general is that often we can’t see the benefits of the change before we make it. However, we must remember from experience that change also yields unexpected gifts. One of my favorite Buddhist teachers, Pema Chodron, teaches: "We suffer when we resist the noble and irrefutable truth of impermanence.” We are trying to cling to permanence and security, but those do not exist. True peace can come only when we learn to embrace the uncertainty and stay present with the changes we experience. Only then are we fully open to all of its gifts. This is a lifetime process, especially when we dealing with big choices like moving our house to a new place.

When we dream alone, it is just a dream. When we share our dream with others, we change the world.

Summer Time in Charm City

2011-06-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

It's really crazy to think that it's been 10 months since we've opened the doors of Moishe House Baltimore. Looking back, I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to connect with so many different people around the Baltimore area and provide an atmosphere in which they can reconnect with their own unique Jewish identity. Whether that has been through our awesome Shabbat dinners, rooftop BBQs or thought-provoking brunch and learns, it has been incredible to think about how far we have come in such a relatively short period of time. With all of the momentum we have gained in the past few months, both in terms of numbers as well as quality of events, the future of Moishe House in Charm City is as bright as could be!

Having opened our doors in August 2010, we were only able to really enjoy the summer time in Charm City within the friendly confines of this house for a month or so. With the weather just starting to really heat up, we couldn't be more excited for all of the fun that will be going on around the house during this time of the year!

Continuing what we have started: MH Palo Alto, Josh Weinstein

2011-06-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

Palo Alto is a complex town. Life moves rapidly. Fortunes are both made and ambitions dashed. But somewhere in the bustling landscape of technological revolutions, boundless optimism, has-been’s, will-be’s, and graduate students lies a kernel of the who-am-I. For Jews, this question is part of the perennial task of integrating the personal and the communal, the ancient and the modern. It is identity politics and religious observance and careers and family and friends, and the dizzying task to reconcile each of these facts of life in turn.

We first hung our mezuzah and moved into our house in the quiet Palo Alto neighborhood of Barron Park in July 2010. Since then, our Moishe House has worked to enable young Jews living in the hyper-competitive world of Silicon Valley to form and define their relationships to Judaism and the Jewish community at large. Our successes, I believe, have come from events that focused on creating a strong culture of Jewish traditions, values, and unity. In the past year, what have we accomplished? We have held Kabbalat Shabbat services with dozens of young Jews singing together in our very own living room. We have hosted fundraisers for Lone Soldiers and youth villages in Israel. We have built sukkot around our neighborhood. We have hosted weekly parsha classes, Shabbat dinners, and speakers. Our kosher kitchen has made Jews from every denomination feel welcome, and the warmth we have brought to these events has drawn crowds. We have, in short, created something that simply did not exist here before for Jews in their 20’s.

Where do we go from here? As resident turnover and an expiring lease loom large on the horizon, the answer, I believe, lies in honing a social atmosphere that differs qualitatively from the atmosphere our community of young Jews experience in their day-to-day lives. This is to say that our strength, and value, is measurable within this contrast. Continuing to ensure Moishe House Palo Alto acts as a haven that fosters Jewish identity and Jewish life in a comprehensively welcoming way, is, I believe, the surest path to its continued success.

Start planning those Summer week-end getaways..........

2011-05-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Jewish Heritage Tours Summer programme has limited spaces still available on the following weekend breaks;

Krakow opening weekend of The Jewish Culture Festival The largest Jewish event of its kind 24^th – 27^th June.

SOLD OUT

Krakow closing weekend of The Jewish Culture Festival 1^st – 4^th July 2011 Including Music, Films, Exhibitions & Sightseeing. Culminating in Klezmer concert. Auschwitz-Birkenau visit included.

LIMITED SPACE STILL AVAILABLE

Rome – The Eternal City 2^nd – 5^th September 2011

3 days of ancient, classical and ghetto tours – a weekend with the worlds oldest continuing Jewish community outside Israel - & some of the finest Kosher cuisine in Europe.

BOOK NOW FOR SPECIAL OFFERS WITH AIRLINES

Jewish Heritage Tours provide an unforgettable insight into Jewish History and culture, exploring the Jewish world that once existed together with remaining communities.

Join us and learn about the astonishing contribution Jewish life & culture has made, and the lasting impression in this part of the world.

Jewish Heritage Tours tailor-made trips offer cultural & informative travel in a fun, relaxed environment making our tours a perfect addition to your travel calendar.

Please check our website www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for all package details and offers;

FUTURE TRIPS…

Romania, Moldova & Bessarabia 7 days leaving on 15^th September 2011

Magical Marrakesh weekend 27^th October 2011 chill out

Danube Luxury 8 day river cruise from Budapest November 2011

Morocco February 2012

Tunisia incl Djerba island March 2012

ISTANBUL April 2012

BALTIC States May 2012

UKRAINE Autumn 2012

Poland - Warsaw, Lodz & Lublin June 2012 to coincide with Euro Championships

Incredible INDIA November 2012

Jewish Heritage Tours

6, Golf Close

Stanmore

Middlesex

England HA7 2PP

Tel No 0044 0 208 9545074

Fax No 0044 0 208 954 5074

Mobile N0 0771 2290520

e-mail: marcel@jewishheritagetours.co.uk

www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk

My First Jewish Experience: MH East Bay Glenn Howe

2011-05-09T10:03:00.001-07:00

The first Jewish experience I can remember was when I went to a Seder at the local Synagogue in Arcata, the town where I was attending college at Humboldt State University. It was a beautiful ceremony, and the Rabbi emphasized throughout the main principles of freedom, celebration, and above all, community. I loved the songs, the rituals, the symbolism, and the conversation. And drinking 4 cups of wine while reclining came naturally to me as well. I attended a few Shabbats with some close friends of mine after that, and found the song, dance, celebration, and symbolism to be beautiful, compelling, and powerful. After college, I moved back to my hometown of Oakland, where I didn’t many Jewish friends, and so my experience with Jewish culture tailed off. Until I found Moishe House Oakland, that is.
I came to a Moishe House Oakland for the first time in 2009 as a friend of Brady Gill’s, one of the very first Moishe House residents who started one of the founding houses, Moishe House Oakland, back in 2006. “Brady, I’d love to come over, but…I’m not Jewish,” I said. He reassured me that I would be welcome, and so I decided to come over. The event was a great gathering of young, vibrant people, eating good food, singing good songs, and reading stories and poetry to each other in an informal open mic setting—without a mic. Like I said, informal. I had a great time, and thought to myself, “this is a community I’d LOVE to be a part of.” I came to many more events, and got to know the Jewish community that regularly gathered at Moishe House Oakland. I made many friends, and even hosted a couple of events with them. I took everyone to the B.A.D Girls (Bay Area Derby Girls) roller derby in Richmond one evening, where Joshua Walters, current Moishe House East Bay resident ended up getting a gig beatboxing for the derby for the entire season. I also brought my car over one afternoon for the Moishe House Oakland community to “decorate” with spray paint—you may have seen an eclectically painted Nissan Sentra cruising around Oakland, Pac Man on the driver’s side, a Jolly Roger on the passenger side, sea foam cresting off the hood, ocean waves riding along the trunk, and Einstein smiling out from the compass rose on the roof, guiding me along through the Cosmos of the Mac Arthur Maze traffic.
As my involvement with and ties to the Moishe House Oakland community—and particularly its residents—grew deeper, a question arose: Can a non-Jew be a resident in a home dedicated to building Jewish community? At first, the answer was an obvious NO. We laughed at the idea, dreamed of the day when all peoples live in harmony, and then blessed the Shabbat wine and got down to some serious chillaxing—day of rest, and all. But as the weeks and months went by, the question kept coming up, again and again…the residents were looking for another resident to move in and contribute to the project, and not finding the right person…I was living on my boat—a romantic, but lonely adventure—and was looking for a community to call home. I already had a strong connection to the residents and community, and a knack for helping with and hosting events…the only problem…not Jewish. We’d ask ourselves the question again, and one of us would invariably stop, look at the group, pause, and say, “Not Jewish.” We’d laugh and get back to Mario Karts, Baking Challah, and singing our favorite Jewish songs--mine happens to be “Hinei Ma Tov,” which I play beautifully on guitar, ukulele, and kazoo, in case anyone’s asking.
Then Passover came, the Afikomen was hidden, and when we all searched for it, low and behold, I was the one who found it! Sacrilege? Maybe. Or, beautiful synchronicity? I say yes to the latter. I held it aloft with excitement, uncertainty, and anticipation, and Joshua Walters saw me and burst into a grin. I said, “what do I win?!” Josh said, “You get to live in Moishe House.” A joke, of course…but when I submitted my application to Dave Cygielman, CEO of Moishe House, he invited me in for an interview, and said YES. “YES, Glenn Howe, you can be a resident of Moishe House. You’ve already made an obvious contribution to the community, and are dedicated to the project. We’d love to have you.” The only proviso: There should be at least 4 other Jewish roommates, to make sure that we’re still a majority-Jewish household that will be inviting to young Jews who are looking for a strong, vibrant Jewish community. Done. I became a member, and have LOVED the opportunity to exercise my community building muscles. I don’t have a strong background in Jewish learning, naturally, but I’m able to make a valuable contribution to the community none-the-less because of my propensity to connect with people of all walks. Come to the Moishe House East Bay and I’ll greet you at the door, offer you food and drink, and sit down with you and connect, 1-on-1. The songs, tradition, and rituals of Jewish culture still speak to me with the same clear, simple message that I learned on that first Passover dinner in a synagogue in Arcata: Freedom, Celebration, and—above all—Community. If my presence here in Moishe House East Bay says anything, it says that this community is strong, inclusive, and welcoming. Those are values that I can get behind.

Glenn

MH Hoboken

2011-05-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

As I sat down to write this blog I realized how much I have seen both the MH Hoboken community and Hoboken Jewish community grow. When I first moved in, almost 2 1/2 years ago, we were the only Jewish group in Hoboken that was having Shabbat dinner on a regular basis. Now there is at least one Shabbat dinner every Friday night being organized and sponsored by different Jewish groups. Next week we, in collaboration with UJA-NNJ and MetroWest Federation and other local Jewish groups, are throwing a large Yom Ha'atzmaut party in Hoboken for young adults. The programming we do has also evolved and expanded tremendously including more tikkun olam events, joint community programs, and a broad range of speakers.

About a month ago we organized a meeting of Jewish community builders engaged in building grassroots, independent, peer lead Jewish community of, for, and by young adults (20/30's) from across NYC and New Jersey; which was held at the Birthright offices (thanks, birthright!). The community builders ranged from local Jewish community organizations of all types, spiritual, religious, tikkun olam focused, social, socialist, learning focused, Zionist and any mix of the afformentioned meeting, sharing their communities raison d'etra and vision, learning about other communities in the area, sharing strengths and area's of improvement, and meeting other community leaders they may want to collaborate with but didn't even know existed. The meeting was a great success and resulted in great ideas for future collaboration between the groups.

The connections and friendships that I have made through MH Hoboken are ones that I hope will last a lifetime!

ON BEING A MEXIJEW ON CINCO DE MAYO!

2011-05-05T13:17:00.001-07:00

ON BEING A MEXIJEW ON CINCO DE MAYO!

Rodrigo Rafael Rodarte, MoHoLA

Ever since I moved into Moishe House LA, I’ve been filled with pride. Proud of being young and living in this great city, proud of being part of an amazing organization, and proud of being a Jew. So much so that I was recently called a racist – sort of. “It’s great that you’re getting in touch with your Jewish roots,” a friend of mine told me, only half-sincerely, “but what about your Mexican side?” It’s true I am half Mexican, and that my Mexican side is not Jewish, so it often sparks a conflict of who to identify with, and occasionally someone will point out the fact that I do seem to favor one culture over the other – at least externally.

“You live in a house with all Jews, you host Jewish events and hang out primarily with Jewish people, you eat at Kosher restaurants and you talk about Judaism all the time. What about the other wonderful cultures out there? And what about your own Mexican side? Don’t you think you’re being… exclusionary?!”

Exclusionary? Does she mean racist? Is it racist to care about your religion and culture so much that you want to incorporate them into all aspects of your life? I don’t think so. My Moishe House mates and I don’t treat anyone else any differently, we just happen to love Jews a little extra. But what about the other thing she said – the part about my other half, my… non-Jew half? I’d hate to think I’m only embracing half of who I am. But what am I supposed to do? I was raised by a single mom, a Ukrainian Jew from the Bronx, I went to an Orthodox pre-school, got yelled at by my grandparents in Yiddish constantly, ate gefiltefish and borsht more than rice and beans, and probably most noticeably, I’m white as can be, wear glasses and possess what you might call a healthy Jewish nose. It does get Jew-ier than that, but not by much. So then… my friend is right… Right? Maybe not – culture, after all, is not as simple as black and white.

This month is Cinco de Mayo. Also it’s my birthday month. A month filled with little reminders of who I am at every turn. When I get just as many “feliz cumpleanos” Facebook posts as “happy birthdays.” A month filled with tequila and piñatas and sombreros and Coronas – when, for one special day, everyone gets to feel like they’re Mexican. And more than that, it’s also a time to remember our past and honor those who haven’t always had it as easy as some of us do now. This Month we celebrate May Day, commemorating the history of labor struggles in California and those who fought hard for equal rights. Also on May 1st this year we remembered the 6 million members of our extended family who were taken from us during the Holocaust. And on May 11th we honor our fallen soldiers in Israel – our brothers and sisters who gave their lives so that our people will always have a land of our own.

With all of this going on in one month, it’s impossible for me to ignore the fact that so much of who I am is in no small part thanks to these two cultures – both having struggled so much and come so far. I spend so much time thinking about myself, making Facebook invites for my birthday and worrying about how many girls are going to come to my party, that I sometimes forget I’d be nothing at all if it weren’t for my parents, both of them, and their parents before them, and the generations before them, both Mexican and Jewish. That I’d be nothing without Hashem, and the thousands, the millions who’ve given their lives so that I can do what I do today. So that I can live in this house that brings so much joy to my community.

This month I remember to be proud of who I am, and of everything that has played a part in bringing me to where I’m lucky enough to be right now. To keep my heart open for all, not just Jews, and, whether it be in English, Hebrew, Spanish or Tagolog, to offer a warm welcome to anyone who wants to be a part of my life.

Independence Day - Harry Flaster MH Palo Alto

2011-05-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

Independence Day

“We are all exiles, Harry”.

He says this with solemn certainty. He is my friend and roommate, a Jewish Persian American whose family fled Iran when he was 10.

“We are all exiles”.

We are sitting on the balcony overlooking the stage. The lead singer begins the next song. His Farsi is a low, soft rumble in the microphone, the sound of distant thunder in the desert awaiting the rain. He is a large man with curly hair. When he is not leading Iran’s most famous outlaw rock band, he is an architect. The drummer wears black and is balding. He has glasses and looks like he just completed a great novel. The violinist is young, thin, and beautiful, with characteristic large Persian eyes. She wears dark jeans and a tight blue sweater. She is a bundle of compressed energy gracefully channeled into her strings. The back-up singer, another beautiful woman with short hair caressing her face, has a shy but endearing stage presence. She gives a gentle smile when the lead singer introduces her. The guitarists, all men, hold their guitars with poise, caressing their instruments until the music brings them to furious life. The piano and accordion player is in a corner, a man with a full head of curls that bob and wave with the music.

There are no veils, no hijabs. In the audience men and women hold hands. Muslims and Jews share tables.

They sing in metaphors, of buses that make no progress because each passenger demands to go their own route, of love and freedom and struggle and revolution. The lead singer makes jokes and the audience erupts in laughter. He invites many guest musicians onto the stage to perform, and personally thanks members of the audience for their support. It is a family reunion.

This family of beautiful women in black dresses and proud men in jeans and sports jackets sit drinking cocktails and eating sushi in a club in San Francisco. It is July 4th,, 2010. This family was vomited out of their home country of Iran. They are members of the Persian exile, Jews and Muslims, doctors, lawyers, architects, businessmen and talented musicians, all proud heirs to a cultural fortune built over millennia.

They are here to celebrate, and to mourn.

The band is called Kiosk, and its members left Iran in 2005. Finding it increasingly difficult to perform, living a life haunted by the secret police and stifled by the religious police, they named their band Kiosk after the small storefronts that hosted their clandestine and impromptu performances. They would play at any kiosk at anytime, but never the same kiosk twice, in order to evade the police. Their albums are illegal in Iran.

This band has what so many American bands lack but try so hard to achieve – they are cool. Not because they wear make-up, or smash their guitars, or yell with rage, but because they are just cool. There is no acting on this stage. Acting is a temporary refuge for those who fall prey to an interrogator. There are no fireworks. Fireworks are for those caught in the crossfire at a protest. There is no rage. Rage is in a prison cell in Iran. But, there is composure. There is joy. And there is sadness.

Outside there are fireworks to mark the birth of a new country.

Later that night, we arrive at a party 15 floors above the city. An older woman opens the door and invites us in. It is packed, and the dance floor is filled with young men and women. The men shake their shoulders and writhe their arms back and forth in the air. The women shake their hips and make graceful turns with their hands. The music is loud and hits you like the heat of an oven. Shouted conversations are in Farsi with scattered English.

Our group adds the following to the party: two American Jews, two Persian American Jews, one Persian American Israeli, and one Persian American Muslim who has driven us to the concert and to the party. Discrete questions are asked among the Jews in our group soon after we arrive. We are the only Jews at the party.

I have four shots and start to dance.

I shake my shoulders back and forth and my arms are writhing snakes. My hips keep the beat and my body rides the music. A girl starts to dance with me.

“Do you speak Farsi?”

“Baleh.”

Yes is the only word I know. It does not take long before she discovers this, but we have made a connection. We dance for a while.

“What is that bracelet for?”

She asks, pointing at a blue bracelet on my wrist.

“You don’t want to know.”

“No, I do. Please tell me.”

“I have two brothers who served in the Israeli army. One of them started an organization to support soldiers who serve without their family.”

Pause. We stop dancing.

“I told you that you didn’t want to know. Does this mean you can’t dance with me?”

I smile as I say this. She smiles and we keep on dancing.

Later that night we are talking in the kitchen. I notice that she too has a bracelet. It is green and says: “Free Iran”.

“I want your bracelet. Lets trade.”

“I will never wear yours. You know that I attended all the free Gaza protests?”

“I also want a free Gaza, though by different means. I also want a free Iran.”

She pauses for a second, as if to take this in.

“Did you vote for Obama?” she asks.

I laugh; “Yes, I did.”

“Well, at least you have that going for you.”

She examines my bracelet. There are no markings that betray its identity as supporting Israel. It says, simply: “Lone Soldier Center”.

She agrees to trade. We pour shots and I toast:

“To a free Gaza, and a free Iran!”

For the rest of the night, I wear a green bracelet and she wears a blue bracelet.

A few hours later and we are returning from the city to Palo Alto. Most of the car is drunk, with the important exception of our driver, our friend the Persian American Muslim Doctor who is driving a car overloaded with inebriated Jews.

When we return to Palo Alto, I think:

In Israel my brothers are awakening. Their guns are stored under their beds and their uniforms hang in their closet. In Iran, the first call to prayer is heard. The Ayatollah prepares another sermon denouncing Jews, Israel and the United States.

We may be exiles. But for tonight, at least, we were all Americans.

MOISHE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER - MAY EVENTS

2011-05-05T05:03:00.001-07:00

HI MOISHE CREW!

Hope you all have a spring in your step, eyes forward towards the summer!

We are celebrating having not only a full compliment of house mates back. But have the pleasure of many visiting guests from all over the world and Yes, the rumours are true, Dr. Clive Selwyn has moved into the house for a bit. We would like to Welcome him all the way from Kilburn.

Well, we have a great variation of events on this month's calendar. We are still waiting to confirm a Hang Out At The House event for this month. Please keep your eyes peeled for that on the facebook.

We look forward to seeing you this month.

Much LOVE

Xx Alli, Aviad, Brett, Clive, Joel, Rachel and our international guests xX

MAY EVENTS

Ongoing until Monday, May 23

NW6/NW2 Beit Midrash: 'Difficult Questions' Series
Where:	Moishe House London, Willesden Green (message for the exact address)
When:	Tuesday, May 3 at 7:30 pm until Monday, May 23 at 10:00 pm Falafel supplied for anyone attending ON TIME from Pita in West Hampstead!

Tuesday, May 10

Book Discussion- "The Finkler Question"
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	Tuesday, May 10 from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm

Wednesday, May 11

New Israel Fund Yom Ha'Atzmaut with Naomi Chazan
Where:	Moishe House London, Willesden Green
When:	Wednesday, May 11 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Saturday, May 21

Dr. Clive's Circus - Lag B'omer Special
Where:	MoHoLo
When:	Saturday, May 21 from 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm

Sunday, May 29

Jewellery Creation, part two!
Where:	Moishe House London
When:	Sunday, May 29 from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Friday, June 3

Davening in the Dark: A Shabbat of Sensory Deprivation
Where:	Moishe House London, Willesden Green (message us for the address)
When:	Friday, June 3 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Jeremy Guzik - MH Orange County

2011-05-03T20:52:00.001-07:00

Life at the Moishe House in Orange County

Moishe House has brought me many things both before and after I became a resident. Moving back to Orange County in the end of 2009, I soon realized that most of my friends growing up were either still in school, working, or just MIA, leaving me with a lack of Jewish community and a social life. Just my luck, a fellow alumnus informed me of this great organization, Moishe House, so I gave it a try and went to one of the Shabbat dinners that happened to be during the World Series (Go Angels!). From day one, I liked what I saw and enjoyed the events Moishe House threw, the people who came to them, and to be put simply, the aspect of belonging somewhere.
After a year of participating in many events, I was asked to move in as a resident, an offer I could not refuse. In the beginning it felt as if my life turned upside down. I was out of my parents’ house, throwing events to bring my peers together, and living by the beach…I can’t really complain. Moishe House has helped to make me an independent person. Four months have come to pass with many things changing, but mainly only within my perspective. I no longer view an event as an activity I create for my peers, but an event is more so hosting a place for the entire community to come together to create what we call an “event.” This may be subtle, but it is quite the difference to me.
Many of the attendees who come out to schmooze, as that is what Jews do best, are searching just like I was for a place to fit in. It puts a smile on my face knowing what I am capable of contributing to the community. Whether we are throwing a social event, educating on Jewish heritage, Tikkun Olam, or in some cases, bringing couples together, I hope that I can continue to contribute for some time to come.

-Jeremy Guzik

MH San Diego - Dovi Kacev

2011-05-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

Today we had an event to commemorate Yom Hashoah. As I was sitting listening to the program it dawned on me that nephew, who was born just four short weeks ago, will likely never have this experience. He and his generation will never sit around listening to their grandparents and their grandparents’ friends talk about their lost families. They will never go to a day school function or their local Jewish Community Center to hear survivors recount the atrocities they experienced in Europe during the Holocaust. This realization made me understand that for this next generation, I will have to be the witness that helps them never forget.

This also made me think about the concept of never forgetting. What is it that we should never forget? Is it just that we as Jews were severely persecuted that we must remember. I think it is also important to never forget that we as a religion and as a people survived the persecution; that as the Third Reich went the way of many of our previous persecutors, we are still here as a people. Of course, in surviving, we lost six million people, many entire families, and many aspects of our culture. It is heartbreaking to listen to tales of children who had to survive without their families as they were moved from camp to camp, but none-the-less these are stories of survival. I hope that we, as a community, do not only gather once year to shed communal tears, but that we never forget to celebrate and appreciate the vitality of our Jewishness, however we choose to express it.

MHSD - mr. kacev

Loco for MoHoMoCo

2011-05-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

We've had an insanely busy year as we moved from our old Silver Spring location to our beautiful new house in North Bethesda. I am so glad we made this move as now we have the space to comfortably host many more people for our events, e.g. Shabbat dinners. Last Shabbat we had over 60 people at our house, all having a fantastic time sitting both in our dining room as well as outside on our gorgeous backyard porch with candlelit tables. Realizing I've become an integral part of the Jewish community here is both an honor and a responsibility.

April marks my one year anniversary as a Moishe House resident, so this is a perfect time for me to reflect upon how Moishe House has shaped me into who I am today, as well as how I'd like to shape Moishe House and its community. I recently won a DC Jewish Guy of the Year award from www.gatherthejews.com, and I know that wouldn't have happened were it not for Moishe House.

I've always had a strong Jewish identity, but I wasn't very active in the traditional aspects of Judaism. My co-residents and previous residents of MH-MoCo (previously known as MH-Silver Spring) are much more active in Jewish practices, so this has been an incredibly intense learning period for me. With local Rabbis, I've been delving deeper into Torah and Talmud as I try to reconcile my identity as a scientist/skeptic with my rapidly evolving/growing spiritual life.

This personal journey to reconcile different aspects of myself lies at the heart of what I consider to be one of the most important challenges as a Moishe House resident: Creating a pluralistic environment for the Jewish community. Even though I wasn't raised religious, I still feel kinship with my deeply observant Jewish brethren, and I want nothing more than to provide a space in our home for them to feel welcome and comfortable. The challenge lies in the fact that it is unfortunately very hard to do that in a way that both secular and observant Jews can feel comfortable in the same room at the same time.

Given that the Jewish community is so small when compared to the rest of the world's communities, I feel that fragmentation within the Jewish community is a very significant obstacle. All that said, I do NOT believe that homogenization is a viable solution - we need/want to have all different kinds of Jews with different practices and outlooks in our world and in our lives - we just need to find a way to get along and connect with each other without judging or feeling judged.

As part of this effort to increase solidarity, I've been working hard to encourage more interactions between different Moishe House communities - last month I took a group of people to Philadelphia to see the new American Jewish History Museum, and we all stayed and hung out with MH-Philly. This last Shabbat, MH-Philly came to visit us, and I would dare say that these two events were some of our best ever (at least while I've been living in the house)! We've also had two great events with MH-Hoboken, and hopefully soon we'll be planning a triple MH event with Hoboken, Philly, and MoCo for a 4th of July weekend.

Along with a book club on science and G-d, the other thing I've been emphasizing in my efforts to create a greater sense of community is to have events that anyone can enjoy. As silly as it sounds, movie nights, nature hikes, and the like are incredibly important for bringing people of different outlooks and lifestyles together. I am particularly fond of our hiking events as these settings tend to foster deeper dialogues, and therefore deeper connections.

I know that I cannot live in Moishe House forever, so it is important to me that I leave something behind that lasts. I haven't figured out exactly what that is, but I think it will have to do with generating lasting partnerships with local organizations. If nothing else, I believe that helping MoHoMoCo make the transition towards a locally self-sustainable organization would be a significant contribution, so hopefully I can help make significant progress on that soon.

Thanks for reading :)

Kin-ect

2011-04-25T15:22:00.001-07:00

Kin-ect
Providing space and time to foster connection has been one of the most important components of my Moishe House life. The San Diego Jewish Film Festival was held in February. We San Diego residents (through the generosity of the Leichtag Family Foundation) were gifted passes to attend the festival, and invited to meet and mingle with some of the folks involved in the film Yes, Miss Commander. The film is about a special training center, Havat Hashomer, where the opportunity to complete basic training (and effectively, to have a fresh start) is offered to young men with troubled backgrounds--- histories of violent crime, imprisonment, drug issues, and many who come from abusive families. While both men and women hold higher ranks at the base, the commanders directly in charge of the soldiers are all female and roughly the same age as their charges. It is through love and compassion, the commitment to not giving up on each individual that drives so many transformations and success stories at the base. The strength, grace, dedication, and sensitivity that each of the commanders possess was extremely moving. One of the commanders from Havat Hashomer was in town for the screenings, and as Moishe House residents, we were afforded the opportunity to spend time with her and get to know this wonderful woman. This connection across the globe will never be lost. Learning about this special program and share its existence with our community members, and to connect with this inspiring woman are incredible gifts that have left a beautifully indelible mark.

Moishe House San Diego also hosted THE Joshua Walters (of MHEB) and several community members came to the house to get their laugh on during his House Concert (coming soon to a Moishe House near YOU?!?!?!). Connecting with other house residents, discussing various ways to run programs and house logistics, learning new ways of doing things is a wonderful opportunity that doesn’t necessarily have to wait for our national and regional retreats.

After an evening event, a few of us were enjoying each other's company so much-- sipping tea and relaxing, dancing, and playing music, YouTubing, philosophizing, having deeper conversations-- that by the time we closed down for the night it was already pushing on 2am. Foregoing work-night shut-eye in favor of enjoying the company of Moishe House community certainly says a lot in my book on the value of connections forged through the Moishe House experience. Many thanks.

--MHSD

MohHoLalalal

2011-04-24T21:01:00.001-07:00

Shavuah Tov!

Julie here from MoHoLA :) My house just picked up and moved into a new, amazingly beautiful house in West Hollywood and I can't help but feel extreme gratitude for my current living situation.

I find it to be absolutely amazing that in our new house, we held our largest Shabbat Dinner yet, with more than half of the attendees being first timers. On Friday night, I truly felt the impact of the Moishe House Mission. Our goal, as Moishe-house-nicks, is to build a Jewish community wherever we live. It is our mission to help introduce like-minded young professionals to one another, and I am so proud to be a part of this organization. I find it amazing, that in our old house, we had a beautiful community, but in our new house we were already able to tap into a new community with the blast of one short e-mail. This just makes me wonder how many other communities have not yet been tapped into..

I feel so blessed to be able to live in this beautiful house, to work my dream job, and to build, my own, beautiful community. My first year in the Moishe House flew by, but kept me grounded in my Judaism, in my community, and as an individual. I look forward to the coming year, the new friendships, the new community, and the new opportunities that are to come!

To feeling alive,

Julie

Moishe House Blog

Tree hugging in DC

Cultural Foreclosure

Montgomery County Community in Action

Ben Blatteis from Beijing!

The Scalability of Dreams

Moishe House STL: A Sign of Things to Come.

Moishe House East Bay: A Time of Transition

You Never Know...

Making Jewish connections across cities via Moishe House

Efficiency through Trust

Food for the Soul

MH San Francisco - Happy New Year

Moishe House Philadelphia… Tradition

Motor City Takeover

Thoughts on Leadership from MH Hoboken

Global Outreach

Married to the MoHo

Moishe House San Diego

Blogging Goodbye to Moishe House DC - Rachel Streitfeld

A Tight-Knit Community

The Key to Longevity

Moishe House East Bay Camping Shabbat

Moishe House Boston, Hurray!

Introducing -- SF Russian Jewish Moishe House

Give Shabbat a Shot!

History is just stuff repeating

A MH Vancouver Sukkah story

New Orleans!

MH San Diego turns 1!!!

I love...everything!

A new year, a new crew

Fall transitions at Moishe House San Francisco

Bye bye MoHo-Fo now :)

September Fun!

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, 30 August

Wednesday 31 August

01 September

08 September

18 September

28-30 September

Of All the Little Surprises

August: a fond farewell

Kosher...I think so!

Invitation to group trips

Lithuania trip 29th April 2012 Vilnius and Kovno trip – Consisting of 3 days 2 nights - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk in planning stage

Spain - May 2012 – Starting in Madrid then Toledo Seville Codoba concluding in Gibraltar www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk in planning stage

UKRAINE Autumn 2012 - 10 days covering everything from Lvov to Odessa - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for full agenda and cost

Incredible INDIA November 2012 - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk for full agenda and cost of 8 or 13 day or 20 day trip

World Champ Team - MH Dallas

Moishe House London - July Events

Shavuot (Sarah's May Blog)

June already

My Journey to Moishe House STL

MH San Francisco - Jordan Clare-Rothe

Transitions by Eli Zaturnasky - MH East bay

Summer Time in Charm City

Continuing what we have started: MH Palo Alto, Josh Weinstein

Start planning those Summer week-end getaways..........

Magical Marrakesh weekend 27th October 2011 chill out

Danube Luxury 8 day river cruise from Budapest November 2011

Morocco February 2012

Tunisia incl Djerba island March 2012

ISTANBUL April 2012

BALTIC States May 2012

UKRAINE Autumn 2012

Poland - Warsaw, Lodz & Lublin June 2012 to coincide with Euro Championships

Incredible INDIA November 2012

My First Jewish Experience: MH East Bay Glenn Howe

MH Hoboken

ON BEING A MEXIJEW ON CINCO DE MAYO!

Independence Day - Harry Flaster MH Palo Alto

MOISHE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER - MAY EVENTS

Jeremy Guzik - MH Orange County

MH San Diego - Dovi Kacev

Loco for MoHoMoCo

Kin-ect

MohHoLalalal

Lithuania trip 29^th April 2012 Vilnius and Kovno trip – Consisting of 3 days 2 nights - See www.jewishheritagetours.co.uk in planning stage

Magical Marrakesh weekend 27^th October 2011 chill out