beit:::news | 19. Adar 5770

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beit:::news | 19. Adar 5770

Rabbi Alter announcement on Purim Ball at Beit Warszawa:

On saturday evening we met for our big Purim Extravaganza at Beit Warszawa, Wiertnicza 113.

Nina Stiller opened the event in her usual lively and warm style, with teaching singing and dancing of Hebrew and jiddish tunes.
So the tone was nicely set for the reading of Megillat Esther, were we successfully blotted out the name of Haman with all the noise we made.

Afterwards it was party time, and you can be sure that I will bring back a report to Berlin that Beit Warszawa really knows how to party.

We had a lot of beautiful costumes - besides all our little princesses and princes and Spiderman were an original Mexican bandito and an noble Indian lady my personal favorites.
The stage was nicely set in a beautifully decorated house with a good looking and very tasty dinner buffet and a nicely equipped bar.
Accordingly we really had the "infrastructure" for dancing till the morning white.
This was real great Purim event, many thanks to everybody involved!
We all are looking forward for the next Purim, and we definitely know where we will party and pray.

*Friday > March 5
06.00 – 07.00 PM Lecture by Grzegorz Kołacz on Wirtualny Sztetl
Grzegorz Kołacz – historian, author of the book „Sometimes it is hard to defend oneself. “Conditioning of Jewish attitudes during the Nazi occupation in Poland”. Since August 2008 he has been working on the project “Virtual Shtetl” (www.shtetl.org.pl) of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Previously, he cooperated with the Shalom Foundation (among others, he was involved in the “Kaddish for the Departed” project (www.kadysz.pl) and the Forum for Dialogue Among Nations.
THE VIRTUAL SHTETL

The Virtual Shtetl is an interactive, multimedia web portal devoted to the history and culture of the Jewish communities living in the towns and cities of both prewar and contemporary Poland. After its launching in the Internet, which took place on June 16th, 2009 it has become the biggest database concerning Jewish local history.

More info - today during the lecture
07.00 pm The Last Shabbat Eve Services led by Rabbi Daniel Alter and Nina Stiller before his departure to Berlin

This Shabbat will be the last I will share with the beautiful community of Beit Warszawa. I would personally be very happy about every single one of you who comes by and gives me the opportunity of saying goodbye personally and maybe sharing some of the nice emotions of the past weeks.
All the best Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Daniel Alter

* Saturday > March 6
10.30 AM::: Shabbat Morning Minyan led by rabbi Daniel Alter
12.00 PM ::: Torah Study
13.30 PM ::: followed by “Lunch and Learn”

*Sunday > March 7
10.00AM – 02.00PM::: Beit Sefer Alef
04.00PM::: Lejenkrajz
06.30::: Yiddish movies project, organized in cooperation with jidysz lebt and lejenkrajz. We are presenting the most remarkable movies in Yiddish (with the polish lector or subtitles);
Błazen Purimowy
Director: Jan Nowina Przybylski, Józef Green
Scenario: Józef Victor, Izaak Manger
Cast: Miriam Kressin, Hymie Jacobson, Jonas Turkow, Maks Bożyk
Production: Polska, 1937
Languages: Jidysh, Polish lector, german subtitles
Time: 90 min.

We would like to encourage some discussion of the film after the screenings, so please come ready to offer your opinion about the film!

CUD PURYMOWY, DIR. Izabela Cywińska, music : Jerzy Satanowski, cast: Danuta Stenka, time: 57’

Movies are free of charge and open to everyone
You are the most welcome!

* Monday > March 8
Please note the following changes in schedule

05.45 – 07.15 PM::: Modern Hebrew for total beginners
07.30 – 09.00 PM::: Modern Hebrew for pre-intermediate

*Tuesday > March 9
06.00 – 07.00 PM::: Biblical Hebrew for total beginners
06.00 – 07.00 PM::: The Essence of Jewish Prayer by Rabbi Schuman
07.30 – 08.30 PM::: Biblical Hebrew for pre-intermediate
07:30 PM::: Judaism Step by Step
*Thursday > March 11
06.00 – 07.00 PM::: Biblical Hebrew for intermediate (Wiertnicza)
06.00 – 07.00 PM::: JEWISH TEXT CLASS TAUGHT BY RABBI SCHUMAN (Wiertnicza)
07.30 PM::: Torah Study (Wiertnicza)

* Friday > March 12
07.00 pm Shabbat Eve Services led by Rabbi Schuman followed by Shabbat dinner

* Saturday > March 13
10.30 AM ::: Shabbat Morning Minyan led by Rabbi Schuman
12.00 PM ::: Torah Study
13.30 PM ::: “Lunch and Learn”

Sunday > March 14
10:00 am- 2:00pm: Beit Sefer Alef – Our Sunday School for children from 4 to 13 years old.
04.00PM: Lejenkrajz
06.30::: Movie Night:
We would like to encourage some discussion of the film after the screenings, so please come ready to offer your opinion about the film!
Movies are free of charge and open to everyone
You are the most welcome!

* Monday > March 15
05.45 – 07.15 PM: Modern Hebrew for total beginners
07.30 – 09.00 PM: Modern Hebrew for pre-intermediate

*Tuesday > March 16
06.00 – 07.00 PM::: Biblical Hebrew for total beginners
06.45 – 07.30 PM::: The Essence of Jewish Prayer by Rabbi Schuman
07:30 – 08.30 PM::: Biblical Hebrew for pre-intermediate
07.45 PM::: Judaism Step by Step
*Wednesday > March 17
03.00 PM::: Rabin Schuman will give a lecture on Progressive Judaism and about Beit Warszawa and Beit Polska for the students of Warsaw University, room nr 3, Polish Culture Institute. Members of our community are the most welcome to take part in this presentation.

*Thursday > March 18
06.00 – 07.00 PM: Biblical Hebrew for intermediate (Wiertnicza)
06.00 – 07.00 PM::: JEWISH TEXT CLASS TAUGHT BY RABBI Schuman (Wiertnicza)
07.30 PM::: Torah Study (Wiertnicza)

SAVE THE DATE:

* Friday > March 19
06.00 PM ::: meeting with the author of the book “And i was supposed to be a princess from the fairytale…” Nili Amit.
The meeting will be led by Dr. Maciej Kozłowski, historian and former Polish ambassador in Israel
07.00 pm::: Shabbat Eve Services led by Rabbi Burt Schuman and Nina Stiller

* Friday > March 26
06.00 PM ::: presentation on the Organic pro-energy by Marina Coey, President of the Management Board, Procesy Inwestycyjne Sp. z o.o. and PhD Krzysztof Żmijewski, Warsaw University of Technology.

Marina Coey, President of the Management Board, Procesy Inwestycyjne Sp. z o.o. An expert on corporate communication, public relations and marketing, Ms. Coey has held high managerial positions in governmental agencies in England (British Council) and Poland (KAPE – the Polish National Energy Conservation Agency) and has extensive experience in cooperation with EU institutions (she represented Poland in the Steering Committee of the SAVE II programme).
At present, the President of the Management Board of Procesy Inwestycyjne Sp. z o.o., a company functioning in the strategic communication and consulting areas.
Ms. Coey is highly competent in execution of projects in the following sectors: financial (Nationwide), insurance (Sedgwick James International and Hogg Insurance Brokers) and energy (E.ON) and has a deep-rooted knowledge of the Polish business environment, gained during 10 years of working in Poland.
PhD Krzysztof Żmijewski, Warsaw University of Technology - Manager with exceptional experience in the area of strategic management and infrastructure. In the years 1990-2001 held highly responsible positions in the Polish government (vice-minister of construction), governmental agency (founder and first president of the Polish National Energy Conservation Agency), one of the largest Polish governmental companies (President of the Polish Power Grid Company) as well as international telecommunication company (member of the management board of Polkomtel SA). Professor and Manager of Institute of Building Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology, independent consultant and author of numerous publications on the subject of energy. Currently Advisor to the Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Economy, Waldemar Pawlak, and Secretary-General of the Public Board for the National Programme for Reduction of Emissions, Member of the National Development Council at the President of the Republic of Poland, Lech Kaczyński. Initiator and merit coordinator of the ElaStan Project – Promotion of Flexible Forms of Employment and Protection of Companies’ Intellectual Capital. Additionally, independent consultant, expert in the field of energy market development, columnist and lecturer (Warsaw University of Technology, KSAP, PJWSTK).

07.00 pm ::: Shabbat Eve Services led by Rabbi Burt Schuman and Nina Stiller followed by the dinner;

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BW LIBRARY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
We are happy to announce that the Beit Warszawa Foundation’ Book Collection is open for those interested on: Tues, Fri, Sun from 17.00 - 18.00, Mon., Wed. from 11,00 - 15,00.
Contact: Kinga Olgyay-Stawikowska
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ANOUNCEMENTS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

>>>>>>>>>>BEIT WARSZAWA FOUNDATION<<<<<<<<<<<

Dear Friends,
I want to wish you a joy-filled, healthy and prosperous calendar year 2010!
Since September 2009, our community has been functioning as The Beit Warszawa Foundation, the Progressive Jewish Community of Warsaw. This has given us a level of stability and continuity we had hitherto not experienced as well as the ability to develop a variety of new programs, greatly improve the quality of our religious, educational and cultural activities, our communications, our publications and our services to communities in both Warsaw and throughout Poland. Moreover, attendance at our Shabbat and Holiday worship services and activities has been consistently very good and growing; the positive spirit and atmosphere that reigns at Beit Warszawa has indeed proven very contagious and reflects our vision of a warm, welcoming and truly inclusive liberal Jewish home.
Now you have an opportunity to be part of our community’s future by becoming a supporter and a friend of The Beit Warszawa Foundation, so that we may continue offering the high level of education and service you have come to expect and to offer even more activities in the near future. None of this comes for free and to ensure a liberal Jewish future in Warsaw you need to participate in its financial burden.
I urge you to become a supporter of Beit Warszawa today:
The annual payment per person is 360,- Pln, 720,- Pln for a family. Students, pensioners and individuals with modest income may apply for a 50% reduction.
You may pay at the office or wire transfer to:
Bank Account:
Fundacja BEIT Warszawa
Postępowa Społeczość Żydowska w Polsce
(Beit Warszawa Foundation
Progressive Jewish Community of Poland)
ul. Wiertnicza 113
02-952 Warsaw, Poland
PLN 93114019770000592902001001
BRE Bank SA
ul. Marynarska 19
02-674 Warsaw, Poland

Beit Warszawa Foundation offers:
- Sabbath Services together with a delicious dinner in a family atmosphere
- Shabbat Morning Minyan, Torah Study and "Lunch and Learn"
- Beit Sefer Alef - Sunday school for children ages 4 – 13 “Learn by playing”. Introducing children to Hebrew, Bible and Jewish values; Jewish programming for teens
- A summer school
- Trips and weekend excursions
- Rabbinical assistance and counseling
- The solemn celebration of Jewish holidays together with visiting rabbis, cantors, guest scholars and special guests
- A full range of life-cycle events (Brit Mila, Bar and Bat Mitzwah, Weddings etc.)
- Conversion and Rabbinical supervision in cooperation with the European Progressive Beit Din
- Courses in Introduction to Judaism for those interested in broadening their knowledge and those considering conversion to Judaism; and more advanced courses in Jewish history, text and thought
- Courses in Biblical and Modern Hebrew
- Meetings and lectures by prominent artists, scientists, writers, scholars and political figures
- A growing library - lending books, albums and multimedia materials
- Concerts and Movie Nights
- Substantial discounts at wonderful Restaurants in Warsaw, Lodz and Krakow
- Substantial discounts at a prominent Dental Clinic

Let’s keep alive the “Miracle on Wiertnicza Street”
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Burt Schuman

*********************BW MOVIE NIGHTS*******************
Ladies and Gentlemen

We are happy to inform you, that the movie screenings in Beit Warszawa will restart.
We decided to change the time of the evening meetings. The shows will take place on Sundays, at 7 p.m. We would like to offer you four movie cycles:
1.Yiddish movies project, organized in cooperation with jidysz lebt and lejenkrajz, where we will present the most remarkable movies in Yiddish (with the polish lector or subtitles);
2.films presented in Spring 2009, during the International Film Festival Jewish Motifs, as a part of the polish document cycle;
3.films presented in Spring 2009, during the International Film Festival Jewish Motifs, as a part of the foreign document cycle;
4.Good Movie Night: contemporary in our opinion good films not necessarily only on Jewish topics.

Coming up in March 2010:

1.Yiddish Movies Cycle: the cycle is organized in cooperation with Jidysz Llebt
March 7:
Purim Jester
Gecl, a Purim Jester arrives in town. A poor shoemaker gives him a job. Gecl falls in love with his daughter, but she falls for the circus artist, however after few days the circus leaves town. The shoemaker receives a big inheritance and decides to arrange a good marriage for his daughter. During the holiday of Purim, Gecl offends town inhabitants, who banish him. The shoemaker’s daughter runs away with him, by accident they meet the circus artist, who takes care of them. The daughter makes a hit as a singer. Her parents agree for her marriage with the beloved one.
Director: Jan Nowina Przybylski, Józef Green
Screenplay: Józef Victor, Izaak Manger
Cast: Miriam Kressin, Hymie Jacobson, Jonas Turkow, Maks Bożyk
Production: Polska, 1937
Original language: Yiddish, polish lector, German subtitles
Movie genre: feature
Time: 90 min.

2.Polish Documentaries Cycle: the cycle is organized thanks to the courtesy of the International Film Festival Jewish Motifs.

March 14
Saved By Deportation: An Unknown Odyssey of Polish Jews
In 1940, a year before the Nazis started a mass deportation of Jews to the concentration camps, Józef Stalin, ordered a deportation of Polish Jews. About 200.000 Jews were deported from the eastern Poland, a territory occupied by the Soviet Army, to the forced labor camps inland USSR. Although the conditions in the transports were inhuman, they saved many lives. Deported Polish Jews have constituted a greater part of those, who survived Holocaust. 65 years ago Aszer and Szyfra Szarf traveled that route, from Poland to Siberia and further to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This unknown story gives a testimony of a shocking experience, as well as of human kindness in those dark times.
Director: Sławomir Grunberg
Screenplay: Robert Podgórski
Movie genre: documentary
Time: 79 min.
Rozencweig’s Dance
Avigdor is a tap-dancer. In 1939 this fact saved his life. Today he is 88 years old, living in old age home. When Avigdor dances in his room, he laughs as long as he can catch a breath, making yet few more steps of his strong will. For Avigdor, dance is not a hobby or therapy, but a way of life.
Screenplay and Directing: Keren Hakak
Production: Israel 2008
Movie genre: short feature
Time: 15 min.
Second life
Izaak Landesdorfer, this was his name, written on a famous Schindler’s List. After the war, wanting to hide his identity, he changed it to make it sound more Polish. 65 years after the Krakow Ghetto liquidation, a man that says he owes his life to Oscar Schindler, still does not want to reveal his name, so no one will discover his true identity, linking him to the memoirs he published. Accidental meeting with a girl, a movie director interested in the war history, creates a need to tell the truth. The two of them became friends. For the character this is like half -opening a closed door to the past. For the girl it is meeting an amazing person
Screenplay and directing: Paulina Fiejdasz
Production: Poland 2008
Movie genre: documentary
Time: 30 min.
Maria and Anna
The story of Maria Dworzecka, saved from Tykocin, is one of metaphysical tales, since from the rational point of view it could not have happen. The series of amazing and intriguing events made it possible, creating a material for the movie. The director is mostly interested in the post war history of a main character, who decided to do something incredible, help a defenseless child. She adopted a Polish child, 6 years old Anna that lived in the orphanage, giving her the opportunity for a better life.
Director: Jacek Knopp
Production: Poland 2008
Movie genre: short feature
Time: 28 min.

3.Foreign Documentaries Cycle: the cycle is organized thanks to the courtesy of the International Film Festival Jewish Motifs.

March 21
Gut Shabbes Vietnam
A couple of young Jews, Chabad Lubavitch’s emissaries, given one way ticket are send to Vietnam, in order to create a Jewish community in this communistic country.
Screenplay and Directing: Ido & Yael Zand
Production: Israel 2008
Movie genre: documentary
Time: 52 min.
And Thou Shalt Love
Ohad, participating in „Hesder”, a special program of the Israeli Defense Forces, experiences great loneliness, hiding from others the fact that he is gay. When he calls to the religious help line, he is toled that forty days of fasting and repentance will eradicate his tendencies. Ohad follows the advice and after the recommended period believes that he is “cured”. When Ohad’s boyfriend, Nir, comes back from the army, Ohad feels that he can no longer avoid difficult questions about himself and his relation to God.
Screenplay and Directing: Chaim Elbaum
Production: Israel, 2008
Movie genre: short feature
Time: 28 min.

4.Movies on the Jewish Topics Cycle:

March 28
Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
The story starts in 1941, when Germans closed a Warsaw Ghetto and ends in 1944, when Irena Sandler is bought back from the Gestapo. Irena Sendlerowa saved 2.500 Jewish children, taking them from the Ghetto and hiding them with the Polish families, orphanages, convents, in Warsaw, Chotomów and Turkowice.
Directing: John Kent Harrison
Screenplay and Directing: John Kent Harrison, Larry Spangola
Cast: Anna Paquin, Marcia Gay Harden, Goran Visnjic
Production: USA, Poland, 2009
Time: 95 min.
Movie genre: feature
In the Name of their Mothers – Irena Sandler’s Story
The movie presents the story of Polish women, who, together with Irena Sendler, saved lives of Jewish children, leading them out of the Ghetto. Their activity is presented through the interviews with Irena Sandler, her collaborators and saved children.
Producers: Mary Skinner and Piotr Piwowarczyk, 2010
Movie genre: documentary
Time: 60 min.

For those of you, who would like to participate in the preparation of movie nights, we have an offer. If you would like to present a movie of your choice, please let us know, not later than three weeks before the intended screening.
The information should include:
title of the movie
name of the director
production year
country, where the movie was produced
length of the movie
the language of the movie, if applicable – also subtitles
short movie description
We would like to invite you for the shows and preparations of the movie nights.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>TaMaR Conference in Jerusalem<<<<<<<<<<<<

Active supporters of our community are welcome to apply!

I am writing to raise the possibility that Beit Warszawa will agree to send a representative to the upcoming TAMAR conference which is set to take place in Jerusalem from March 18-23. Beit Warszawa has sent a TAMAR participant for the past several years and this year it would be particularly important as well.

The World Union is in the process of working out a special arrangement with the WZO to provide funds to give to a few congregations in the world to be able to employ a local youth worker. We are considering Warsaw as one of those locations. The local youth worker would be employed and paid by the WZO, but would work exclusively for Beit Warszawa on a part time basis (the total salary for the year would be approximately $7,000 USD). Our idea would be to have the youth worker also serve as the Arzenu representative in Poland, to help generate enthusiasm and participation for an Arzenu chapter in Poland and coordinated work with our Arzenu central office in Jerusalem (Dalya Levy).

Assuming Beit Warsazawa is interested in partnering with us on such an arrangement , we think it would be a great opportunity for the prospective youth/Arzenu worker to be the Beit Warszawa participant at the upcoming TAMAR conference in Jerusalem. That way, we would get the chance to meet the candidate, the candidate would get the chance to better understand the larger Progressive movement and the people behind it.

As you know, our World Union office in Jerusalem, through NETZER/TAMAR, covers nearly all the expenses of the representative to come to the TAMAR conference. There is only a modest share for airfare with must be covered by the participant.

We would truly hope that we can put into place this local youth worker position, starting as soon as we get final word from the WZO on approval of the funding. In essence, this arrangement will provide BW the possibility to organize more youth and young adult programming, do important Israel/Zionism work, and strengthen your community's attachment to the larger Progressive movement. Coming at this critical time of efforts for Beit Polska, it seems an important step forward.

Please be in touch with the BW office: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or with Rabbi Schuman: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions.

>>>>>>>>"World Class" fitness centre SPECIAL OFFER<<<<<<<<<

"World Class" fitness centre at the Marriott hotel is offering special prices for members & friends of Beit Warszawa.
The centre offers 3 amenities - pool, fitness gym and group training. It is possible to join one, two or all three programs.
Prices are based on a year membership:
- all 3 amenities at 275 zl monthly or 2,900 zl paid in advance
- 2 amenities at 250 zl monthly or 2,600 zl paid in advance
- 1 amenity at 225 zl monthly or 2,300 zl paid in advance

The offer also includes : No joining fee, free towels, dry & steam sauna, 10 sessions of solarium, 1 free introduction training, 6 guest passes, possibility for upto 1 month freeze of membership.
This offer valid until 28th February 2010. Subject to availabiltiy.
Please mention 'Beit' as reference upon applying. For inquiries and membership please contact Ms. Alicja Chlebna at 600097662 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Shabbat Shalom