How excited we are to partner with our friends at the Jewish International Film Festival on our Love Letter to you this week.

Formerly Festival & Distribution Manager at JIFF, our Education & Programs Manager Tamar Simons has curated five films to fill your head and heart (not to mention days!) I’ve no doubt Oma & Bella, Hava Nagila, Wedding Doll, Nicky’s Family and Scaffolding will beguile and bring you comfort.

Today we launch three events to help you celebrate and commemorate our upcoming holidays. Our much-loved educator Paul Forgasz is hosting a brand new lecture on the art, history and commentary around the Haggadah this Sunday from 7.30pm; Zoom and receive food for thought ahead of this year’s seder. Spurred on by our short course participants who now affectionally refer to themselves as ‘baby Zoomers,’ we’ve events for Yom Hashoah and Yom Haatzmaut you will love too.

Finally, our Senior Schools Education Coordinator Jenny Better shares her thoughts on navigating Pesach as we confront COVID-19:

‘Many of us are not committing to Pesach this year. Some will not follow the ritual of removing bread products as in a time of shortage it feels wasteful, while others can’t face the restrictions on daily life that will make preparation difficult.

My family will try to observe the festival as we normally would. We will have a seder and have accepted that instead of the big, noisy crowd of family, friends and travellers, those around our table will be immediate family. Our parents in their eighties will not be present, though we will find a way to keep them included.

Everything that is usually shared will be presented so as to avoid contact; each person will have their own plate with saltwater, parsley, maror, haroset and the relevant sections of matzah. We six will be spaced out evenly around a table that seats 20. I know that as we recite the Haggadah and ask “why is this night different from all other nights” we will have so much to say.’

Our thoughts are with you as we head into the holidays. It was so heartening to hear from many of you after last week’s Love Letter, stay well until we meet again.

Jessica Bram
Director & CEO