One of the Migdal’s core principles is a live human communication, which was disrupted by COVID-19 Quarantine...So Migdal “took off” its crown on March 22, “rolled up” its sleeves, and extended its “long arms” to everyone. All of us on different continents pushed the boundaries with the zoom and formed a worldwide virtual community so we can continue our programs and services so much needed and enjoyed especially right now!
At first, we simply talked and supported each other, sometimes with a common prayer, but then all our programs went online and new ones were added to them. The online format opened up new opportunities through worldwide communication! Now we have many members and friends who are scattered all over the world, including USA, Israel, Germany, Czech Republic, Hong Kong and many other locations, who can now participate in our programs through online format!
The Jewish Museum of Odessa for the first time during its existence released 53 videos about its exhibits, which have already gained 2630 views, and this is just the beginning!
AJT teens adapted their projects to online mode, and launched new ones. We got acquainted with the communities of Bulgaria, Germany, Georgia, Russia, Lithuania and Estonia. During this time, 600 teenagers from different countries took part in AJT events! Parents of Active Teenagers did not lag behind: the club of Active Jewish Parents (AJP) held about 20 meetings with interesting people from around the world - writers, journalists, psychologists, guides, literary critics, art historians, collectors ... the list goes on and also includes concerts and master classes with more than 500 participants!
In the Early Development Center Mazel Tov, 65 online zoom lessons took place during this time, kids from 8 months to 6 years old attended these classes totaling in 414 visits. Mazel Tov posted 45 training lessons on the YouTube channel, which scored 1,599 views!
The Pour le Chance Theater continues its work, and was joined by actors from the USA and Germany. Meetings with stage lessons and online production preparation are being held twice a week.
Before Passover, we organized food delivery packages, which were received by more than 200 families! Our volunteers also delivered over 160 food packages to the Hesed Shaarei Zion charity foundation!
Our library released 11 videos that scored on YouTube about 300 views, and
Migdal Times magazine presented its 164th issue online! The Freedom Project for disadvantaged children continues to work and regular meetings are being held online!
The total number of online meetings and visits during COVID-19 Quarantine is approaching 8000!
If you are interested in participating in our projects and initiatives, please feel free to reach out to us. We greatly appreciate your support during these difficult times! If you wish to donate to support our programs please use below link:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=aqR8cutgTU4XAr4kaC5mv3LWsAFBI-F4HArc4r7EJNUq2QsxRonlHrAYl5GGqpJQ6l0Dom&country.x=US&locale.x=US
We will be happy to have you join Migdal Family!
Lehaim, Stay Safe and Healthy!
Migdal Team
migdal@migdal.org.ua
JCC “Migdal” had shot a great video about there work. And about how they live in these tough days in Ukraine.
If you have any comments or ideas of help, feel free to write an e-mail to migdal@migdal.org.ua
Chag Pesach Sameach!
Let's face it, Ukraine is under the war now. And Odessa as well faces many troubles concerning war times. We have many people coming to live here from the East. Most of them are in bad psychological condition and need support.
So now we plan to conduct MiniFest “Jewish Odessa” that will have in its program psychological trainings, interesting master-classes, concert, Yard Sale of various goods and a lot of communication. Toddlers and small kids will have separate classes and a playing ground. As the fest takes the whole day we plan lunch for all the participants. Lunch is a good training and great way for all to sit and just communicate with each other.
But we have no funds for that and started a campaign. Please, take a look at this campaign and share it with your friends.
http://jewcer.com/project/minifest-jewish-odessa
We all come from somewhere. Our families have long history and roots. Lots of families now living in US, Israel, Australia, Germany, etc find there roots in Eastern Europe. And many many of them are somehow related to Odessa.
If you want to learn more about your family tree, find long lost relatives and build your family tree, then we'd be happy to help you.
All requests, questions and remarks can be sent to following e-mail: genealogy.odessa@gmail.com
Activity report of Migdal JCC for the 2012
• 5300 visitors of Jewish museum of Odessa and its outdoor exhibitions; 175 excursions; 150 consultations. Museum was visited by tourist from 37 different countries. 1172 new items where received for the Main museum Fund.
• 360 study hours on the Odessa tour guide courses on local-lore history, ethnography, Jewish history and ethics, literature and art.
• Participants of Jewish library: 964readers. 42 bibliographic references were generated and issued to individual needs and requirements of organizations.
• 127 consultations from the Genealogy section to those, living in Odessa, Ukraine, and the inhabitants of the CIS, as well as Poland, Germany, the U.S., Britain and France.
• 4042 study hours on Jewish education for all ages
• 7038 study hours in art groups of “Migdal” center
• Organization of 6 art exhibitions of the school of Jewish art (center “Migdal”)
• Monthly participation of 980 families in the regular programs
• 6 thematic issues of “Migdal Times” magazine
• 378000 site visits
• Center “Beitenu” works for 127 families from risk group:
Members – 127 families
Study hours: 216
• 142 families participating in programming of “Mazl Tov” Early childhood development center
Activity report of JCC "Migdal" for the year 2011
• 3692 guests of Jewish Museum, 400 excursions. Museum was visited by guests from 26 different countries.
• 324 study hours were spent on Local history, ethnography, Jewish history and ethics, literature and art.
• Members of Jewish library: 990 people.
• 1720 study hours of Jewish education for all ages
• 3460 study hours in the art groups of Migdal center
• Organization and conducting of 6 art exhibitions prepared by School of Jewish Art.
• Monthly participants of Migdal’s regular programs – 860 families
• 6 thematic editions of Jewish magazine for all “Migdal Times”
• 300 000 visits to Migdal’s website
• “Beitenu” center for families at risk – 120 families
• Number of study hours in Beitenu center - 212
Blessed is the one who can help. And he will be helped by others. Helping – is like a snowball, it keeps growing and growing. You just need to start.
There are many ways in which Odessa JCC “Migdal” is helping its members. They help them build new Jewish families; help them find their Jewish roots and self-identity. Unfortunately, in Jewish community there are still many families who also need financial help. Young families and families with small kids are among those who often face financial troubles.
It is clear, that possibilities for help are limited, and that is when others come in to join your efforts. For “Migdal” center such help from within came in a face of two wonderful foundations at once – Kids in Distressed Situations (USA) and Jewish Child’s Day - JCD (UK). These two organizations were a real gift from Above that came through close friends of Odessa community center– Leaders family from New York and Israel Strategic Initiatives from Jerusalem.
Dear friends!
This is important information; please take few minutes to read this. Migdal is planning some major repairs in the building due to the urgent need! We hope to be able to change our coal heating system into gas that has many positive sides to it. Firstly, it will prevent our old building from falling, secondly, this way of heating is much more effective and we won’t be cold in winter any more. But its also very expansive changes! If any of you can help or knows anyone (any foundation) that can, please contact us personally!
Without your generous help and sincere friendship Migdal won’t be able to survive all the hardships!
Thank you for taking a minute of your precious time!
Pesach is not over yet but while we are looking for last holidays we’d like to share with you story of Pesach in Odessa.
With a help of Migdal International Society Inc. and especially Leader’s Family in Odessa in JCC “Migdal” were held two Seders for more then 100 people.
For more then a week prior to Seders JCC “Migdal” along with Early Childhood Development Center “Migdal – Mazl Tov” were cleaned totally up to get rid of chametz. As there is so much place to clean, volunteers among parents were called to help out.
All rooms and cupboards, all toys and books were thoroughly cleaned and freed out of chametz. And in the hall of “Migdal”, where Seders were to take place at, cleaning was supposed to be even more serious. All the tables and chairs were not only cleaned and washed but also covered twice by oilcloth. Amazing, how much was done by our wonderful volunteers among which were men as well as women and kids.
Shalom friends!
International Jewish Family Camp “Halom” is opening its 15th season and invites to you to spend marvelous week at the seaside near Odessa.
August 17-24 you will have
“Incredible adventures of Jews in the desert”
Participants get:
- educational and entertainment program
- 4 Kosher meals a day
- Deluxe and economy class rooms
- Transfer from/to Odessa to/from the camp
- Additional excursions, tours and other attractions in Odessa after the Family retreat
Call us: +38-0482-372128, +38-048-7770718 everyday except Friday, Saturday and Jewish Holiday from 14.00 to 20-00, Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00
e-mail: migdal@migdal.ru
Don’t think for too long as space is limited!
Apply now!
Paideia One-year Fellowship 2011-2012
Paideia is a non-denominational institute of higher Jewish learning with an academic focus on textual sources.
Dedicated to the renewal of European Jewish culture, Paideia is also an applied institute linking academic studies to action.
Paideia offers you a unique international Jewish studies opportunity in Stockholm
Features:
· Academic studies of Jewish text and culture
· World-renowned faculty from Israeli and European universities
· Interactive text studies using the traditional Hevruta method of studying in pairs
· Applied project work
· Networking in an open, international and pluralistic European environment
· Hebrew Ulpan – 5 hrs / week
· Follow-up programs and conferences
· A cooperative Master’s Program in Jewish Studies with Hochschule für Jüdische Studien in Heidelberg
Candidates should have the following qualities:
As is generally known, the anti-Semitic propaganda actively uses two myths: “All the Jews are exploiters” and “All the Jews are revolutionaries” and both of the abstracts are often used simultaneously. The less logic there is, the more readily people believe in it– something of the kind was used by Goebbels’ propaganda. However, this device was used long before Goebbels and is still used.
Particularly stable is the stereotype about “the Jews-revolutionaries”, speaking about the period of so-called “Russian revolutions” (1905-1917). The project of the virtual catalogue “The Jews of Odessa and Russian revolutions”, supported by the Rothschild Foundation Europe, makes it possible to more objectively assess the place of the Jews in these historic events. Since this spring the material is available at: http://migdal.ru/migdal/museum/catalog.
Migdal is definitely blessed with good friends.
Just few months ago we got acquinted with wonderful man from UK. He wanted to visit Odessa and find places, where his ancestors lived. But unfortunately, the vulcano disturbed all his plans.
And we greatly appriciate our new friend, Simon Majaro, who unfortunately didn't come to Odessa and Migdal as planed.
But even in this condition, Mr. and Mrs. Majaro wanted to help Migdal and made generous donation. With their help we would be able to continue our work in developing Jewish life in Odessa.
THANK YOU dear Mr. and Mrs. Majaro! Our new wonderful friends!
Odessa – is a marvelous city, filled with history and a sense of mystery. You’ll need a lot of time to discover its beauty and charm and see all places of interest in Odessa. But if you have just few hours or maybe few days you can choose some tour-roots that you like best.
And these are the tours proposed by JCC “Migdal”:
• Odessa highlights. The tour begins by visiting the lovely Fine Arts Museum (former palace of Count Pototsky) to wonder at centuries of Ukrainian and Russian paintings. The sightseeing of the wonderful city includes sightseeing Center of Odessa, Deribasovskaya str, Potemkin square, architectural sights and many other. You get a chance to make a glimpse on our Sea Pearl.
As the 18th anniversary of Migdal arrives we decided to look back. To summarize, analyze, and make some plans for future using acquired experience.
We decided not to go too far behind cause that was already done before 15th anniversary. As a result, we looked just through last year.
Even few years ago our work was led mostly by intuition. As the volume and experience of our work enlarged Migdal started to work more planning then intuiting. It means that before beginning of the school year we have a brainstorm in order to invent something even more interesting in Migdal’s life.
In 2009 JCC Migdal stated such strategy:
• Spreading Idishkait among Jews that are still far from living Jewish life
• Propaganda of Jewish early childhood development
• Restoration of main JCC Migdal’s building (Malaya Arnautskaya str., 46a). Building, in which was long ago synagogue of kosher meet butchers turned 100 years old this year and is in very bad condition.
• Development of existing programs and projects
“Funny Stories” are back in early childhood development center “Mazl Tov”
Complacency, benevolence, bliss…nirvana. Not particularly Migdal JCC style, but somehow precisely such atmosphere settled down in a new for Halom camp-sight. However, the faces were familiar and the atmosphere still wonderfully warm… Halom-13 – annual summer family retreat organized by Migdal JCC took place on August 19-26 and included 135 participants among whom just as every year were both new members of the community and those who had taken part in Migdal camps every year. This year’s camp was made possible thanks to our sponsors: Genesis, CAF, JDC “Joint”, Jonathan and Dina Leader.
One of the main specialties this year, besides tranquility and total peacefulness was a beautiful pond which was right in the center of the camp-site and attracted everyone’s attention immediately, becoming the central location for most of the activities.
Thanks to the help of Leader’s family from New York, our friendly organization Migdal International Inc. and local sponsors the whole water and heat system in the JCC “Migdal”’s building and also repairs of lavatory rooms were possible. And all these repairs give an opportunity for normal functioning of the building and the Center itself.
Migdal is thankful to G-d for great friends that we have. Among our very helpful friends should be named Leader’s family from New York, former Odessit Mila Dolgin with family living now also in New York and our friendly organization Migdal International Inc. This new non-profit organization is located in USA and is already very helpful to Migdal activities.
Help of our friends is invaluable. Thanks to their support prior to Rosh ha-Shana in Migdal will appear normal lavarotory rooms. They are very important to our members and Migdal’s publicity. And also repairs in basement and drainage strengthened the whole building. And this was done also due to 100th anniversary of our great building on Malaya Arnautskaya str., which is a former synagogue and is still in very bad conditions.
Also, thanks to support of our foreign and local sponsors members of Migdal last weekend had a chance to go on a trip around Ukraine. It was expedition to Jewish cemeteries (Medzhibozh, Uman, etc.) where wise men and tzadikim are buried. While near these holy graves we asked G-d to grant us and all our friends with great year and healthy life.
Shana Tova u-Metuka!!! Have a great and happy year!!!!
The night of March 10th was the most cheerful night of the year. Traditionally Purim in Migdal JCC of Odessa is celebrated at night and usually it is lots and lots of fun. This year was no exception and besides lots of fun, it also lasted longer than usual. Those who lasted till the very end of the program definitely managed to prolong their lives by laughing hard, as it is a well-known fact that laughter makes our lives longer.
Programming, design and maintenance by Jewish Student Club of
Migdal
International Center of Jewish Community Programs
the International Center of Jewish Community Programs
«Migdal»
,
Odessa.
Kira Verkhovskaya , the President of the JCC «Migdal» center.