Happening

Help Israels Now

Order gorgeous roses by the dozen for your simcha. Or gifts for everyone on your list: jewelry, handmade toys, ritual objects, books, and food items and help Israel at the same time. No matter where you live, you can now buy goods from Israeli artists, stores and businesses. A website created and underwritten by Jane Scher (with the assistance of 14-year-old webmaster Matthew Feldman) has over 100 Israeli vendors who can take credit card orders and ship anywhere in the world.

www.shopinisrael.com

Volunteers for Israel. If you’re 18 to 65, consider going to Israel on a 2-4 week program to work in medicine, maintenance and supply services, as a kibbutz volunteer, help children with special needs, or as a civil guard. Contact in USA: (212) 339-6063: fax: (212) 318-6145: taliya@jazo.org.il:www.jewishagency.org.il

Send cards to Israel. American rabbinical students studying in Jerusalem initiated this project now assisted by the Egged bus company. Handmade cards or pictures or posters of support and encouragement to Israel—including the name, age and community of the creators—will be posted on store fronts, bus stops, places of terrorist attacks and hospitals in Israel in the hope of improving morale in a bleak situation where many Israelis feel isolated. Send a personal card—or those of your school, camp, or other group—to: Schechler Institute, c/o Dana Rone Saroken. Relior Avraham Granot #4. PO Box 8600. Jerusalem. 91083. rafianddana@yahoo.com

Children Caring for Children. Israeli parents and children invite others to join them in sending Palestinian children a small gift package along with a personal drawing or letter to demonstrate their belief that war is not the right path. For more information contact Michal Pundak- Sagie (972-052 751261). Yarden Dankner (972-054 494020)

Your Writing

Tense Dialogues: Speaking (across) Multicultural Differences. Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women’s Studies and Gender Issues, will examine this subject and how it affects Jewish society in the diaspora and in Israel. To be published in summer 2003 under the guest editorship of Maria Brettschncider. Submission of articles by October 31, 2002; proposals by July 31, 2002, preferably by e-mail:

dvorahg@zahav.net.il; Nashim, The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, FOB 8600, Jeru.salem 91083; fax: (972-2) 6790840.

Unpaid Work. The women’s movement has for decades been trying to get women’s unpaid work recognized and valued by governments, social movement activists and families. Now an academic journal wants to marshal thinking on this theme. Send your interdisciplinary, critical or creative writing, in English or French, by February 28, 2003 to: Cecily Barrie, Atlantis: A Women s Studies Journal. Institute for the Study of Women, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3M 2J6:www.MSVU.ca/atlantis

On The Big Screen

Argentine-born German filmmaker Jeanine Meerapfel has made a film in which the protagonist, who just turned 50, returns to her grandmother’s Greek island home to discover the Sephardic family’s history. “Anna’s Summer” can be seen at the 22nd annual San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, held July 25-August 12; (415) 621-0556:

jewishfilim@stiff.org

The 18th Israel Film Festival—following runs in Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami—opens in New York June 13-27. It includes “Whose Land Is It?” directed by Liora Avni and “The Secret” directed by Ronit Kertsner. At the Clearview Cinemas 59th Street East www.israelfilmfestival.com

Workshops

Women Considering Becoming Single Mothers. Thousands of single women are making the conscious decision to become mothers by conceiving or adopting children on their own. (LILITH has published several articles about Jewish women making these women’s choices and the new family paradigms they have created.) A weekend workshop, August 9-11, facilitated by nurse-midwife Dcbra Nodiff, and social worker Linda Woznicki will explore the complex issues involved. Linda Woznicki, Institute for Holistic Studies, 150 Lake Dr. Rhineheck, NY 12572: (845) 266-4444; LWoz@eomega.org;

www.eomega.org

A Suitcase Full of Love and Memories: Artist Sara Harwin uses Jewish reflections to spark memory and inspire hands-on creativity through ritual objects (from Pesach pillow covers to Mizrachim). She brings her workshops to large or small community groups. Harwin’s goal is to help fill each participant’s “suitcase” for a more fulfilling Jewish life through the mitzvah of sanctifying holiday and daily life. Sara Harwin, 9101 SW 15th Ave, Portland, OR 97219; (503)245-8900: fax (503)246-7479; www.harwinstudios.com

Shoah

Women’s Holocaust Memoirs Collection. We think this is a first. The Frances and Kathryn Brandt and Lilith Magazine Women’s Holocaust Memoir Collection at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor brings together books of memoirs, analysis and history. It is made possible through the generosity of Lilith board member Frances Brandt, www.lib.umich. edu/ar ea/Near.East/judaica.html

There Once Was A World, a book by Yaffa Eliach, chronicles 900 years of the shtetl of Eishyshok where she was born and where 3500 Jewish residents were massacred in 1941. Eliach, whose mother and grandmother were photographers [see Lilith Fall 1992] also created the Tower of Life at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum from 15,000 photos of shtetl life. Now she is working together with the town of Rishon Lezion in Israel to reconstruct the shtetl as a living museum in which costumed ‘ residents will give tours. You will be “; able to see a Yiddish play in the town’s theater, visit synagogues, eat typical food, make purchases, and even hold old-fashioned weddings. Eliach’s goal is to collect $1,000,000 to fund this project. The Shtetl Foundation, 300 E. 54th St. #23K, New York, NY 10022; (212) 319-2927; fax (212) 751-7932; shtetlfoundation@prodigy.net

Brush Up Your Hebrew

Modern Hebrew Literature is a twice-yearly publication with reviews and excerpts in English of recently published Hebrew works from Israel. A one year subscription is $12. You can learn about other publications as well on the website of this organization that offers foreign rights and encourages the translation and dissemination of Israeli literature. Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature. POB 10051. 52001 Ramat Gan, Israel; (972) 3-579-6830; fax (972)3-579-6832; litscene@ithl.org; www.ithl.org.il

Students with little or no Judaic background applying to Jewish middle and high schools are being mainstreamed through their participation in special preparatory tracks. If you have a child in this situation, take a look at a report commissioned by a pioneer in the funding of such programs, “The Effectiveness of Preparatory Tracks in Jewish Day Schools,” from the Avi Chai Foundation, 1015 Park Ave., New York, NY 10028; (212)396-8850; fax (212)396-8833.

New Ways to Resist Violence

Violence against Women on the Internet is an online course exploring ways in which this violence is facilitated through the use of the Internet, as well as how you can use the Internet to resist such violence. Learning modules include “Campus Sexual Assault Policies,” “Safety,” and “Sex Trafficking.” The not-for-credit course, taught by Diane L. Rosenfeld, offered by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at I Harvard University, is { free and open to the public. @cyber.law.harvard,edu; http://eon.law.harvard.edu/vaw02/

The New Start Loan Fund provides interest free loans of up to $5,000 to help women who are extricating themselves from unusually difficult life situations, primarily abusive homes, to achieve economic self-sufficiency. For an application or information about this fund created by the Women’s Executive Circle of New York’s UJA Federation Campaign, contact Judith Stecklow (212)836-1533; stecklowj@uJafedny.org

Life’s a Stitch: The Best of Contemporary Women’s Humor, a collection of stories, sketches, poems and cartoons edited by Anne Safran Dalin and illustrated by Flash Rosenberg, includes the work of Roz Chast, Delia Ephron, Julie Gold, Judith Viorst, Wendy Wasserstein and others. Royalties benefit the American Foundation for AIDS Research, The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organzations. $16.95 at your bookstore; www.lifesastitch.net