President’s Message – October 15

Word of the Week:

Dear all,

Most of us have a mezuzah at the entrance to our home and business. Here are some quick facts that I learned when I read an article on Mezuzot from My Jewish learning. If you need help acquiring a mezuzah or klaf please let us know.
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/mezuzah/

• “And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts (mezuzot) of our house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:9, 11:20).
•  The words that I shall tell you this day: that you shall love your God, believe only in Him, keep His commandments, and pass all of this on to your children.
• Mezuzah refers as well to the case or container in which the parchment is enclosed.
• A mezuzah serves two functions: Every time you enter or leave, the mezuzah reminds you that you have a covenant with God; second, the mezuzah serves as a symbol to everyone else that this particular dwelling is constituted as a Jewish household, operating by a special set of rules, rituals, and beliefs.
• The klaf ( parchment with hebrew script) must be hand-lettered by a kosherscribe
• The mezuzah should be put up as soon as possible after moving in, and not later than thirty days.
• The mezuzah is affixed to the right side of the door as one enters a room.
• The blessing in English reads: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah”.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Thank goodness for Amalia and her wealth of information. She passed on this link about a free workshop on the Jewish Caribbean and Nazi Persecution in Literature and Art.

“During World War II, Caribbean expatriates living in Europe found themselves caught up in the war and, in some cases, imprisoned in internment or concentration camps. Meanwhile, some European Jewish refugees found safe haven in Trinidad and other parts of the Caribbean.

Long overlooked in standard accounts of the war, these entangled histories are made visible in Caribbean art and literature.

This talk with Professor Sarah Phillips Casteel argues that creative mediums are especially deserving of our attention in the context of the Jewish Caribbean because of their capacity to recover creolized wartime memories that have fallen between the cracks of academic disciplines.
Click the link below to register.
https://www.southamptonartshumfest.co.uk/bhm/whats-on/?id=17

OCTOBER YAHRZEITS
Bernd Lewkowitz- October 26
Ellen Steinbok- October 29
(If I have missed anyone’s Yahrzeit please email me at BJC@jewishbarbados.org)

MITZVAH DAY
Thank you to Micah Rubin who has given a few ideas of things we can do for Mitzvah day.  We welcome your ideas and would love to form a subcommittee to help organize an event for the community. Please email us bjc@jewishbarbados.org if you would like to join in this endeavor.

This Friday night services will be on ZOOM at 6:30pm.  Please click this link to attend.  If for any reason you need a passcode, please email bjc@jewishbarbados.org.
Here is a link to a copy of our Sim Shalom siddur.
https://www.bethshalomnb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Shabbat-evening-SIDDUR-SIM-SHALOM.pdf

Shabbat Shalom!
Sharon Oran

President, Barbados Jewish Community