aaah, moishe house in the AUTUMN (that's fall to you americans)
as we near winter, it is raining outside
inside, friends gather for the pesach meal, as we explore different themes to do with the passover festival
chinese oppression of religion, the crisis across our border in zimbabwe (where over a month after the fact, the opposition still have not been announced as the winners of a presidential election).
friends, both old and new, come over often
things have been great this year so far, with many events ranging from movie nights to israeli guest speakers to relaxation evenings - we've had it all.
jonathan has moved in as a new member of the house, immediately fitting in while bringing a whole new crowd to liven the place up.
what a brilliant few months, bodes well for the future
daniel
Monday, May 5, 2008
MHSS Alan was killed by Passover
Oh my god what a trip. And I didn't even go anywhere. At MHSS we had about 20 people over, eating, talking, playing games, and observing the entire three day Shabbat-Passover-Passover holiday, complete with two Seders that each lasted past 3:30 am! This included my family, and Rachael's family came over one night as well.
I'm exhausted!
Just in time for the upcoming Yom ha-Atsma'ut party....
I'm exhausted!
Just in time for the upcoming Yom ha-Atsma'ut party....
the House London - RRR - Power of 5
It has occurred to MHLon how much we need to have fun and relax with each other.
We are all friends, that's how this started. In the madness of always being the hosts to the party it's easy to feel like we're always in the midst of a party, but it's not quite the same.
The MH Binder allows for one house-residents-only event per month.
I've heard that some houses don't use it, that it is perceived as a pointless bit of fun when it could be spent on some world-changing event. I cannot stress how important it is to hang out with my housemates socially and to have fun. Otherwise all I'll ever associate them with is the business of running the house, and the House, for all my passion, may become more of a chore. I want to associate my housemates with fun, I want to get to know their personality outside of meetings and conference calls. I wnt to value them as whole human beings.
It seems that MH is about getting people to form their community in their image. Who would not wish to have fun? How can we expect our guests to chill if we are not chilled? How can we expect to work hard without a day of rest?
I would recommend using the budget, use that day as suggested in the binder. It may seem silly to some, but it's quality time that builds into something bigger.
We are all friends, that's how this started. In the madness of always being the hosts to the party it's easy to feel like we're always in the midst of a party, but it's not quite the same.
The MH Binder allows for one house-residents-only event per month.
I've heard that some houses don't use it, that it is perceived as a pointless bit of fun when it could be spent on some world-changing event. I cannot stress how important it is to hang out with my housemates socially and to have fun. Otherwise all I'll ever associate them with is the business of running the house, and the House, for all my passion, may become more of a chore. I want to associate my housemates with fun, I want to get to know their personality outside of meetings and conference calls. I wnt to value them as whole human beings.
It seems that MH is about getting people to form their community in their image. Who would not wish to have fun? How can we expect our guests to chill if we are not chilled? How can we expect to work hard without a day of rest?
I would recommend using the budget, use that day as suggested in the binder. It may seem silly to some, but it's quality time that builds into something bigger.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Rachael, MHSS, April -- May -- What??
I don't think I blogged for April!
It's been nuts here:
Pesach CRAZINESS at the house - first Pesach with my Maryland family since 2004 - Margo's literally on her way moving out - the search for new Moishemates - teaching my 6th graders which ever Sundays we actually have class - subbing for Pre-K thru 9th grades other days - family experiences, wonderful & not nearly enough of them - my cousin is about to have a baby! (!!!) - got a new mobile phone ["finally," my friends & family say: my other one is from 4 1/2 years ago; the only reason I replaced it is because the battery was amped no more -- my phone would only work when plugged into my car charger] - reuniting with friends I haven't seen in a long time (& who haven't seen one another in a long time) - seeing some friends more frequently, including one that I would sometimes see every couple years if I was lucky - loving Old Time Radio - producing amazing (to me) lesson ideas (I love teaching!) - FANTASTIC matza pizza + Prince of Egypt event! - on a quest to clear out the past, try new things, & activate dormant ideas - looking forward to an AWESOME May & the visit of Jeremy, our fearless West Coast leader!
Till next time!
It's been nuts here:
Pesach CRAZINESS at the house - first Pesach with my Maryland family since 2004 - Margo's literally on her way moving out - the search for new Moishemates - teaching my 6th graders which ever Sundays we actually have class - subbing for Pre-K thru 9th grades other days - family experiences, wonderful & not nearly enough of them - my cousin is about to have a baby! (!!!) - got a new mobile phone ["finally," my friends & family say: my other one is from 4 1/2 years ago; the only reason I replaced it is because the battery was amped no more -- my phone would only work when plugged into my car charger] - reuniting with friends I haven't seen in a long time (& who haven't seen one another in a long time) - seeing some friends more frequently, including one that I would sometimes see every couple years if I was lucky - loving Old Time Radio - producing amazing (to me) lesson ideas (I love teaching!) - FANTASTIC matza pizza + Prince of Egypt event! - on a quest to clear out the past, try new things, & activate dormant ideas - looking forward to an AWESOME May & the visit of Jeremy, our fearless West Coast leader!
Till next time!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Moishe House London - Joel - April
I'm writing this in a willful pause as I wade through the 150 or so emails I've let build up over the last few days. It's been that busy since I got back from my month in New York. A flurry of deadlines converging at once. I think I'm doing alright. And to be honest, all this work and activity has readjusted me to life in London. Plus it's quite fun stuff. I led a drama workshop on Wednesday at Alperton Community School, the first of ten sessions on the topic of domestic violence against women. We meet each week and the teenagers ultimately create some kind of performance to show their peers or parents. Then yesterday fellow-housemate Daniel and I led a drama and rap/poetry workshop to Jewish kids on the subject of self-esteem youth issues.
But perhaps most interesting was the panel I was on, this Wednesday night. I was asked to speak to the Adam Science Foundation Leadership programme and its alumni about innovation in the British Jewish community. I was alongside someone from the JCC, someone from Limmud and Trevor Pears of the Pears foundation. In the course of the conversation, which was very interesting, we identified a split, between those who want change and the development of new, engaged ways of being Jewish, and those who would rather sit back, pay their shul fees for their burial rights and accept the same old. Why change?
Because every society needs a growing edge. The bark of a tree grows old. It becomes the core but if there is no new layer the tree will die.
"Why change?" is what they said to the Baal Shem Tov too.
But perhaps most interesting was the panel I was on, this Wednesday night. I was asked to speak to the Adam Science Foundation Leadership programme and its alumni about innovation in the British Jewish community. I was alongside someone from the JCC, someone from Limmud and Trevor Pears of the Pears foundation. In the course of the conversation, which was very interesting, we identified a split, between those who want change and the development of new, engaged ways of being Jewish, and those who would rather sit back, pay their shul fees for their burial rights and accept the same old. Why change?
Because every society needs a growing edge. The bark of a tree grows old. It becomes the core but if there is no new layer the tree will die.
"Why change?" is what they said to the Baal Shem Tov too.
Springtime in the north, atumn in the south...
It's getting cold down here in Montevideo, and it was strange celebrating Pesach in the fall weather. All the life and rebirth symbology that I normally attach to the holiday just didn't fit. It was also my first Pesach without my family, which was hard. So it was different for me this year.
I still enjoyed a lovely seder and ate matzah all week though. It's funny how at the beginning of the holiday matzah always tastes so good, and by the end I never want to see it again. Kosher for Passover food isn't always the tastiest, but in the States at least there's options. These days it seems like they have everything except for kosher for Passover bread.
Well, finding kosher for Passover food in Montevideo is not so easy. For that reason, we hosted back-to-back-to-back dinners at Moishe House Montevideo! It was a great way to get people together and celebrate Pesach, and I think we made their kosher food hunt a lot easier.
Actually it was quite an active month for us at Moishe House Montevideo, with 12 events in all. The coolest had to be El Asado Mas Grande del Mundo, or in English, "The Biggest Barbeque in the World." It was an event organized by the city of Montevideo to celebrate their meat-loving culture, and generated a turnout of over 22,000 people. And there cooking the kosher meat was Moishe House Montevideo! Check out the pics... http://moishehouse.phanfare.com/album/541556/840271#imageID=39109790
So... here comes the winter. There weren't many April showers, and I doubt there'll be any May flowers. Just cold, and I'm not too excited about it. We'll try to keep things cookin at Moishe House Montevideo though! Until next time,
Jay Krefman
MH MVD
I still enjoyed a lovely seder and ate matzah all week though. It's funny how at the beginning of the holiday matzah always tastes so good, and by the end I never want to see it again. Kosher for Passover food isn't always the tastiest, but in the States at least there's options. These days it seems like they have everything except for kosher for Passover bread.
Well, finding kosher for Passover food in Montevideo is not so easy. For that reason, we hosted back-to-back-to-back dinners at Moishe House Montevideo! It was a great way to get people together and celebrate Pesach, and I think we made their kosher food hunt a lot easier.
Actually it was quite an active month for us at Moishe House Montevideo, with 12 events in all. The coolest had to be El Asado Mas Grande del Mundo, or in English, "The Biggest Barbeque in the World." It was an event organized by the city of Montevideo to celebrate their meat-loving culture, and generated a turnout of over 22,000 people. And there cooking the kosher meat was Moishe House Montevideo! Check out the pics... http://moishehouse.phanfare.com/album/541556/840271#imageID=39109790
So... here comes the winter. There weren't many April showers, and I doubt there'll be any May flowers. Just cold, and I'm not too excited about it. We'll try to keep things cookin at Moishe House Montevideo though! Until next time,
Jay Krefman
MH MVD
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Moishe House Warsaw goes to London
Myself and Tadek had a great luck to be able to visit the London house while Kevin was touring Europe. The guys there deserve their house of the month prize. I didn't see any other houses but there is so much energy there and good things happening it got us totally inspired. So now ..... ladies and gentleman we are looking for the new, bigger house in Warsaw to be able to bring this feeling of community to Warsaw too. Keep your fingers crossed since when we do find it you are all welcome.
The trip to London kind of showed me what a Moishe House can be and I believe that it is so important that we will get the chance to meet once in while together to talk and exchange ideas, after all I believe our Moishe House network is as important as the small communities we are trying to create. Looking at the activities of the guys in London it gave me a lot of new ideas and approaches of how we can build our Jewish Community, how to take on a different level and introduce Judaism and Jewishness into our every day life. So Kevin I hope you will keep your promise and we can all meet son for the Europe retreat.
Talking about Kevin I just wanted to share with everyone that he is a wonderful person a good and kind men with a 'huge heart' (if there is such an expression in English).
I'm currently in Brussels telling my friends about Moishe House, I guess having one in the EU capitol would be cool.
Bye for now.....
The trip to London kind of showed me what a Moishe House can be and I believe that it is so important that we will get the chance to meet once in while together to talk and exchange ideas, after all I believe our Moishe House network is as important as the small communities we are trying to create. Looking at the activities of the guys in London it gave me a lot of new ideas and approaches of how we can build our Jewish Community, how to take on a different level and introduce Judaism and Jewishness into our every day life. So Kevin I hope you will keep your promise and we can all meet son for the Europe retreat.
Talking about Kevin I just wanted to share with everyone that he is a wonderful person a good and kind men with a 'huge heart' (if there is such an expression in English).
I'm currently in Brussels telling my friends about Moishe House, I guess having one in the EU capitol would be cool.
Bye for now.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)