Yesterday I had the pleasure of putting on an event that was perhaps the most interesting we have done. Charles London is an author who can't be more than 30 years old. He has written two books. His latest is Far from Zion: In Search of a Global Jewish Community. The book tells the story of Jewish communities in places as diverse as Uganda, Iran, Burma, Cuba and Arkansas.
London was a great speaker with an incredible story. I hope that the other houses will take a look at his website and see if there is an opportunity to host an event or get people to go to an existing event. http://farfromzion.com/
I also encourage people to buy the book, ITS AMAZING!
Jeremy
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
MHP and the community
As a part of the greater Moishe House community, Moishe House Philadelphia (MHP)’s mission is to create a vibrant and meaningful community for Jewish 20-somethings and their friends out of our home in Center City Philadelphia. Although this is just our third year in the City of Brotherly Love, MHP has been and continues to be a wellspring of tikkun olam and Jewish learning and culture. Whether it’s hosting a Shabbat dinner, holding a dialogue about the current situation in Israel, volunteering at a home for the elderly, helping out on a local urban farm, collecting canned goods to donate to a nearby food bank, or participating in Philadelphia’s sustainability efforts, MHP is continually striving to leave its mark on the Jewish community while reducing its global footprint.
MHP’s first three years have undoubtedly been a success and we hope to grow as an organization by reaching out to different pockets of the city and by attracting new members to our events. In fact, MHP has already started to expand its role in the city by reaching out to West and South Philly with its new program, “Shabbat on the Road.” Mirrored after the vegetarian potlucks that MHP has always held in its home on a monthly basis, “Shabbat on the Road” brings the food, fun and prayers to the homes of other young Jews throughout the city. “Shabbat on the Road” has been a great way for expanding MHP’s network, and will hopefully serve as the impetus for hosting other events around town.
In much the same way, Moishe House, as an international organization, is also trying to broaden its reach. With houses currently located in seven countries and in five continents, Moishe Houses are constantly springing up just about everywhere, thereby providing a Jewish community for young Jews all over the globe. As is the case within MHP, these global houses also function as hubs for tikkun olam and Jewish learning, thus ensuring that Jews across the world have a place to learn, grow and connect with one another.
The Moishe Mission
Locally, the Providence Moishe House is committed to being a source of community, culture and learning for young Jews in Providence. Moishe House enables young Jews to engage with the richness of their tradition in new ways. We do not rely on traditional forms of text study or shabbat services. Rather, we allow the plurality of Jews to shape a new expression of Jewish life. Through our activities, we also strive to contribute to the civic life of greater Providence. Moishe House has an opportunity to reach beyond the boundaries of the Jewish community through Tikkun Olam and support for charitable work. With respect to the international proliferation of Moishe Houses, any community in the world should be lucky to have a Moishe House.
Imagine your Moishe House has been chosen by a local newspaper to discuss the future of the organization as a whole in the long term - what would you say? What would you say is the mission statement for your local Moishe House? How would you frame what might become the international Moishe House mission statement? How would you incorporate the concepts of Tikkun Olam, Jewish Community or Jewish Learning in your explanation?
I would tell them: Moishe House is the home for Jewish creativity and experimentation. It is about the Jew, the world around her/him, and their relationship. It is about making a difference through building community and using that community to change the world.
All of our events, from Shabbat dinners to tu bishvat seders, from spiritual salons to soup kitchens, are about creating our world. We shape it. No longer are we contented with being mere by standards in history, whether Jewish or general. Events happen and to oft the shape history is determined for us but we have taken the reigns and are here to shape our history. We do so from a position of strength, fortified by our identity as Jews, informed by three thousand years of tradition and discussion, we take action. We do so from a position solidified by our diversity because we understand the plethora of idea's floating in the world. Each house has a different guiding philosophical idea behind it determined by it. This diversity empowers us, allows us to experiment and test the waters of society, of the ramifications and to measure the impact of our endeavours.
We are a movement dedicated to social change!
Moish House Hoboken
I would tell them: Moishe House is the home for Jewish creativity and experimentation. It is about the Jew, the world around her/him, and their relationship. It is about making a difference through building community and using that community to change the world.
All of our events, from Shabbat dinners to tu bishvat seders, from spiritual salons to soup kitchens, are about creating our world. We shape it. No longer are we contented with being mere by standards in history, whether Jewish or general. Events happen and to oft the shape history is determined for us but we have taken the reigns and are here to shape our history. We do so from a position of strength, fortified by our identity as Jews, informed by three thousand years of tradition and discussion, we take action. We do so from a position solidified by our diversity because we understand the plethora of idea's floating in the world. Each house has a different guiding philosophical idea behind it determined by it. This diversity empowers us, allows us to experiment and test the waters of society, of the ramifications and to measure the impact of our endeavours.
We are a movement dedicated to social change!
Moish House Hoboken
An interview you want to read with me - MH Cape Town
Shalom ;)
Wow.
I can't believe I writing a blog for October month. This year passed to fast!
whatever... I guess it's a goo sign and means we all having a good time, hey?
So...Imagine some local newspaper here in cape town decide to interview us about Moishe House. Here is a fictive interview.
It goes like this:
Q: Hello. So what is it this Moishe House the whole Jewish community in Cape Town is talking about?
A: Hi. My name is Doron Moshe I am a member of Moishe House here in this city. I am living with another 3 members and our goal is is create a Jewish environment to young Jewish adults in Cape Town. I guess this also our mission statement.
Q: How do you do that?
A: I think the key is variety of Jewish events. It can be Tikun Olam when we go and help underprivileged communities. I can be Jewish Learning when we all discuss and analyze Jewish text on Shabbat or other Jewish holiday and it can be Jewish community event when we all gather to socialize and get to know each other.
It's good fun.
Q: wow! is it happening only in cape town?
A: No. It's an international organization. lots of different cities in the world.
Only here in South Africa we have 2 (the other one is in Joburg).
Q: I see. and what is the global mission statement of Moishe House?
A: To create Jewish environment to young Jewish adults in different places in the world.
Keep the Jewish people united.
Q: It's sounds bigger than what I thought. Where do you see Moishe House in the future?
A: Yeah. It is big.
I see Moishe House "conquer" many cities and communities in the world and add a unique flavour to the life of young adults all over the world.
Q: Amazing. Thank you so much for your time. you guys doing a great job.
A: Thank you ;)
Wow.
I can't believe I writing a blog for October month. This year passed to fast!
whatever... I guess it's a goo sign and means we all having a good time, hey?
So...Imagine some local newspaper here in cape town decide to interview us about Moishe House. Here is a fictive interview.
It goes like this:
Q: Hello. So what is it this Moishe House the whole Jewish community in Cape Town is talking about?
A: Hi. My name is Doron Moshe I am a member of Moishe House here in this city. I am living with another 3 members and our goal is is create a Jewish environment to young Jewish adults in Cape Town. I guess this also our mission statement.
Q: How do you do that?
A: I think the key is variety of Jewish events. It can be Tikun Olam when we go and help underprivileged communities. I can be Jewish Learning when we all discuss and analyze Jewish text on Shabbat or other Jewish holiday and it can be Jewish community event when we all gather to socialize and get to know each other.
It's good fun.
Q: wow! is it happening only in cape town?
A: No. It's an international organization. lots of different cities in the world.
Only here in South Africa we have 2 (the other one is in Joburg).
Q: I see. and what is the global mission statement of Moishe House?
A: To create Jewish environment to young Jewish adults in different places in the world.
Keep the Jewish people united.
Q: It's sounds bigger than what I thought. Where do you see Moishe House in the future?
A: Yeah. It is big.
I see Moishe House "conquer" many cities and communities in the world and add a unique flavour to the life of young adults all over the world.
Q: Amazing. Thank you so much for your time. you guys doing a great job.
A: Thank you ;)
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
San Francisco
Moishe House's goal for the future should be to have as many people in the world as possible be able to say, "yeah, I've heard of Moishe House. It's pretty cool." Once word of mouth spreads, anything is really possible. If Moishe House attains the leverage and authority granted by international popularity and recognition, then they dictate the future of the organization. Right now, Moishe House is one of many similarly situated organizations vying for funding, and it's existence; however, hopefully Moishe House separates itself from the other organizations and can become the frontrunner for funding opportunities.
Several organizations have similar goals/mission statements to Moishe House. They all include ideals related to creating Jewish community for Jews in their 20's, furthering Jewish youth community, or similar goals. However it's phrased, Moishe House shares a mission statement with a number of other organizations. That similarity begs the question: well then why is Moishe House necessary? The answer is simple: Moishe House achieves the above-stated goal better than any other organization. The unique approach of providing a home in a number of cities all over the world creates the potential for an international Jewish community better than any other organization. This unique approach should be expressed and focused on when dealing with fundraisers, as I'm sure it is.
Moishe House San Francisco is proud to be a Moishe House and our house shows the future of stability of the organization. We've been around 4 years and we have an amazing and growing community that attends our events. A number of houses have recently opened and are likely struggling to expand. However, with time will come growth because the amazing idea and unique structure of Moishe House is, quite frankly, hard to screw up. I hope funders realize that as well.
Several organizations have similar goals/mission statements to Moishe House. They all include ideals related to creating Jewish community for Jews in their 20's, furthering Jewish youth community, or similar goals. However it's phrased, Moishe House shares a mission statement with a number of other organizations. That similarity begs the question: well then why is Moishe House necessary? The answer is simple: Moishe House achieves the above-stated goal better than any other organization. The unique approach of providing a home in a number of cities all over the world creates the potential for an international Jewish community better than any other organization. This unique approach should be expressed and focused on when dealing with fundraisers, as I'm sure it is.
Moishe House San Francisco is proud to be a Moishe House and our house shows the future of stability of the organization. We've been around 4 years and we have an amazing and growing community that attends our events. A number of houses have recently opened and are likely struggling to expand. However, with time will come growth because the amazing idea and unique structure of Moishe House is, quite frankly, hard to screw up. I hope funders realize that as well.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Mission
Our enviroment here in Poland is very specific. That's why Moishe House in Warsaw has a very unique mission here to do. Our community is very small to compare it with other cities. First of all, community is small and meaning of judaism here in Poland is something different. Jews in Poland are for common people a legend and are some people who where here in the past but now no one has seen them, and probably they don't exist. So our goal, besides our general aim which is our community, is to change that, to show people that WE exist. And here in Moishe House we have an opurtinity to meet with each other and create such a community, and make that kind of ideas which will change that.
But what really important is to understand that thing helps us as a whole group. To show others who we are is to really beleive in it ourselves. That's how Warsaw Moishe House is developing an idea of a whole organisation. And that's how perhaps should the whole organisation think. Because if we think about our mission as a goal to show ourselfs to others, then we will work harder on our community, our traditions, and many other things which makes us special. In terms 'others', not especially 'better'.
And right here, we're coming back to basics of MH organisation. Tikkun olam – that's the most important concept. This is, I think, besides Jewish Learning and Jewish Community, as a MH rules, thing that shows to us and to others, what is really important. To make our community bigger and stronger is to make ourselfs better people. And to make myslef better is to work on our enviorment in terms of people, community and traditions.
But what really important is to understand that thing helps us as a whole group. To show others who we are is to really beleive in it ourselves. That's how Warsaw Moishe House is developing an idea of a whole organisation. And that's how perhaps should the whole organisation think. Because if we think about our mission as a goal to show ourselfs to others, then we will work harder on our community, our traditions, and many other things which makes us special. In terms 'others', not especially 'better'.
And right here, we're coming back to basics of MH organisation. Tikkun olam – that's the most important concept. This is, I think, besides Jewish Learning and Jewish Community, as a MH rules, thing that shows to us and to others, what is really important. To make our community bigger and stronger is to make ourselfs better people. And to make myslef better is to work on our enviorment in terms of people, community and traditions.
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