Solel Congregation of Mississauga

From the Educator

Connecting to our homeland, to Israel...

How can it be accomplished? What ties do we have to this land geo-graphically so distant but deep within our hearts?

It is a land, a country, rife with politi-cal, economical & religious strife - as are many countries, but it is also the embodiment of the dream, the hope for a Jewish homeland going right back to Torah (Beresheet) when Abraham is commanded - ”Lech Lecha - Go, you go to the land that I will show you.” And throughout our history - in the Tanach, the Talmud, in the poetry and prose of Jewish writers such as Shai Agnon, Amichai, Ha Levi. Israel has a compelling centre of Jewish identity.

For 2 weeks this past summer, I had the privilege of studying with a group of 14 International Educators at the Bergman Institute housed at H.U.C. in Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Steve Israel and Paul Liptz (the Seminar coordinator and Director of Education respectively) all the educa-tors travelled through literature, texts, geographical locations, ancient sites, and market places, learning how to connect to Israel.

Our studies included visits to the First Temple area, Yemin Moshe, Israel Museum, Tower of David, Yad VaShem, Museum of the Diaspora, Safed, Cesarea, Rosh Pina, The Mili-tary Cemetery and Ethiopian Memo-rial, as well as swimming in the Kenneret, shopping on Machaneh Yebuda and strolling along Emek Refaim and Ben Yehuda.

If these places trigger your memories of Israel, then we both have shared an amazing experience. If these are all unfamiliar to you, then it is time to start planning your trip to Israel. No matter how much those of us who have been there share our experiences, our stories, our pictures, nothing can compare to personally visiting Israel.

Whether on a Solel trip ( next trip is set for June 2013) or through your own arrangements, the best connection to Israel is made when one is able to be there.

We say at Pesach “Next Year in Jerusa-lem”. Make it happen.

Shanah Tovah Arliene.

Arliene’s Lunch & Learn

TBA

Our Education Director

Arliene Botnick received her Honours B.A. degree from University of Toronto and her M.Ed. from OISE. As well, she was granted the title Reform Jewish Educator from the National Association of Temple Educators.

Arliene has been Director of Education at Solel Synagogue for the past 22 years, prior to which she taught both in the public school system and was a volunteer teacher at Solel's Hebrew/Religious school. Her present staff, continuing Solel's tradition, is entirely avocational - parents are the teachers.

Arliene is involved in several community organizations and is a member of the Steering Committee of the 905 Interfaith Organization, the Credit Valley Spiritual Advisory Committee, Pathway Community Projects, the Family Education Network of the Board of Jewish Education (Mercaz), and the Teacher Education Institute. She was the chair of the Reform Educators’ Council and is a recent graduate of the International Summer School of Holocaust Studies - Yad Vashem in Israel.