My dear Friends
Yesterday was The Jewish New Year for Trees. Sometimes called Tu Bi'Shvat, this refers to the date, the 15th of the month Shevat, in the Jewish Lunar Calendar. So it moves around a bit, usually between the end of January and the beginning of March.
This Feast is the anniversary or birthday of The Little Sisters of Joy. Yesterday was our 9th anniversary, so we are in our 10th year. In the year 2000, in Benigna's garden in Cambridge, a group of us stood around while I planted a sapling silver birch tree. Then we recited Psalm 96 (95) Let the trees of the wood all shout for JOY, at the presence of the Lord, for He comes...'
We were also commemorating the new life of Latif Freedman, Benigna's son-in-law, who died shortly after having lunch with us on the previous Christmas day. He was a wonderful composer and he love the little trio of silver birch trees in the Cambridge Botanical Gardens. In 2003, having moved to the Arbury, I planted another silver birch with the help of a friend. And Arbury is connected to the word in Latin 'arbor' meaning tree.
Don't you think there is something magical about silver birch trees? Feminine and elegant, they are used by some Native tribes for their canoes, as these people feel they have a special presence. The silver birch tree in Benigna's garden is extremely tall now; some years I asked Benigna, as we were standing together looking up at it, how long she thought it would last. 'Longer than you and me,' she replied.
Going back to the Feast of Tu Bishvat, it all started in my Jewish childhood, when I use to love, on this day, taking in as many fruits as I could to school. Lychees were quite rare in those days...
Our whole mission is about bearing fruit, which will last until eternity. Please pray that lots of trees can be planted with our help.
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Saturday, 19 January 2008
Weekend blues
My dear Friends
Its Shabbat, I am feeling under the weather but had to come in to the UL (University Library) to check out some details for my concert programme. Consolation is, the Anderson Music Room is beautiful, with long elegant desks. Sorry, to my great surprise, a whole bunch of sixteen year old boys from Westcliff-on Sea have just invaded the computer room, where I am writing the blog! I managed to exchange a few words with their 'leader' - I have no idea what they are doing here, but seeing ten of them troop in cheered me up.
To get back to the Anderson Room, a very nice young man is sitting there, who is a former Music student, now working in the Faculty. He has aided me with the computer and chatted to me about the concert-hopefully he may even come. I have done a lot of advance publicity, and it has gone onto an email of the Jewish community; I am singing a lot of Jewish music and the Concert is in memory of Professor Risa Domb, who died last year and who was my Hebrew teacher here in Cambridge, when I did my degree from 1988-1992.
Risa was an exceptional person. Israeli, born in Natanya by the sea, she married Dickie, an Englishman, and lived with him and their children between here and Israel for many years. She understood what it was like to live in '2 Landscapes' and I feel she is still with me now. Right at the start of The Little Sisters of Joy she gave me her support and encouragment, telling me not to be afraid of confrontation-sometimes it is necessary to get to resolution. She told me to persevere, despite any hostility I might encounter. Easier said than done, but I do try!
Since the New Year, my life has got a little more peaceful and I am looking ahead. I miss Alexia and my friends in Paris, but hopefully it won't be too long before we are reunited.
A bientot!
Shabbat Shalom!
Sister Gila
Its Shabbat, I am feeling under the weather but had to come in to the UL (University Library) to check out some details for my concert programme. Consolation is, the Anderson Music Room is beautiful, with long elegant desks. Sorry, to my great surprise, a whole bunch of sixteen year old boys from Westcliff-on Sea have just invaded the computer room, where I am writing the blog! I managed to exchange a few words with their 'leader' - I have no idea what they are doing here, but seeing ten of them troop in cheered me up.
To get back to the Anderson Room, a very nice young man is sitting there, who is a former Music student, now working in the Faculty. He has aided me with the computer and chatted to me about the concert-hopefully he may even come. I have done a lot of advance publicity, and it has gone onto an email of the Jewish community; I am singing a lot of Jewish music and the Concert is in memory of Professor Risa Domb, who died last year and who was my Hebrew teacher here in Cambridge, when I did my degree from 1988-1992.
Risa was an exceptional person. Israeli, born in Natanya by the sea, she married Dickie, an Englishman, and lived with him and their children between here and Israel for many years. She understood what it was like to live in '2 Landscapes' and I feel she is still with me now. Right at the start of The Little Sisters of Joy she gave me her support and encouragment, telling me not to be afraid of confrontation-sometimes it is necessary to get to resolution. She told me to persevere, despite any hostility I might encounter. Easier said than done, but I do try!
Since the New Year, my life has got a little more peaceful and I am looking ahead. I miss Alexia and my friends in Paris, but hopefully it won't be too long before we are reunited.
A bientot!
Shabbat Shalom!
Sister Gila
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Sparks of Joy
My dear Friends
It's Saturday evening and I have just been speaking to my Catholic Friend Anne from Manchester. Manchester... We were just reflecting what an enormous Jewish community that wonderful city has. In certain neighbourhoods you can see the very Orthodox Jews, 'Black Hats' as they are known in Jewish circles, walking along the streets with their children on Shabbat, the Sabbath, going to the Synagogue.
Their colour scheme suggests a kind of glooominess, but in fact that is quite contrary to the tradition from which they came. In 17th Century Poland, when the poorer Jews were being discriminated against by the Jewish hierarchy, a group rose up and formed their own movement of Orthodox Jews - the Chassidim. Their leader was a Rabbi known by the beautiful name of 'Baal shem Tov', Master of the good name.
The Chassidim believed that there were Divine sparks everywhere, that prayer should be simple and joyful, and so went out into the fields to pray, much like St Francis of Assisi and his band had done before them. One of the strong themes of The Little Sisters of Joy is this link between the JOY of St Francis and the JOY of the Baal Shem Tov. In the writings of the Chassidic Rabbis, there is a strong emphasis on unconditional love, which is reminiscent of some of the great mystical writers in the Christian tradition.
Some years ago, the headline in the Catholic newspaper The Tablet read:
'Let us pray like the Baal shem Tov!'
Simplicity, Joy and a sense of God in nature - surely we can all understand that?
As the Shabbat yields to the Day of Resurrection, I wish you all a peaceful and joyful week, lit up by those sparks which were so central to the life and prayer of the Chassidim.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
It's Saturday evening and I have just been speaking to my Catholic Friend Anne from Manchester. Manchester... We were just reflecting what an enormous Jewish community that wonderful city has. In certain neighbourhoods you can see the very Orthodox Jews, 'Black Hats' as they are known in Jewish circles, walking along the streets with their children on Shabbat, the Sabbath, going to the Synagogue.
Their colour scheme suggests a kind of glooominess, but in fact that is quite contrary to the tradition from which they came. In 17th Century Poland, when the poorer Jews were being discriminated against by the Jewish hierarchy, a group rose up and formed their own movement of Orthodox Jews - the Chassidim. Their leader was a Rabbi known by the beautiful name of 'Baal shem Tov', Master of the good name.
The Chassidim believed that there were Divine sparks everywhere, that prayer should be simple and joyful, and so went out into the fields to pray, much like St Francis of Assisi and his band had done before them. One of the strong themes of The Little Sisters of Joy is this link between the JOY of St Francis and the JOY of the Baal Shem Tov. In the writings of the Chassidic Rabbis, there is a strong emphasis on unconditional love, which is reminiscent of some of the great mystical writers in the Christian tradition.
Some years ago, the headline in the Catholic newspaper The Tablet read:
'Let us pray like the Baal shem Tov!'
Simplicity, Joy and a sense of God in nature - surely we can all understand that?
As the Shabbat yields to the Day of Resurrection, I wish you all a peaceful and joyful week, lit up by those sparks which were so central to the life and prayer of the Chassidim.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Canadian tales
My dear Friends
I thought I must get cracking again after publishing the Christmas Newsletter-the response from round the world has been overwhelming! Thank you so much, The Little Sisters of Joy, thanks to modern technology, is beginning to feel more and more like one huge family!
I wanted to share with you something which is giving me so much pleasure and delight at the moment, while I am in the 'waiting zone' for Canada. When I tell some people about my plans, they open up and share with me some very beautiful experiences they have had in Canada over the years, usually on holiday, although one man worked for a while in native Canadian country and became familiar with their beautiful soapstone carvings.
Another friend said I must go to the 'Martyrs Shrine' - a place deep in the woods of Ontario, where some Jesuit priests had been killed some centureis ago and who are listed in the liturgical cycle of prayer in The Divine Office (collection of the Psalms as laid out for different days in the Catholic Church.) An elderly lady on the bus just this morning spoke of a week she would never forget in southern Ontario, miles from anywhere, where you hear the hoot hoot calls of those special birds(I forget the name) in the silence of the middle of the night.
I treasure these experiences: I know I will never get to all those places, but they are already forming a kind of memory bank in my own soul. It is all part of the preparation and is very exciting.
If any of you have your own memories of Canada or north America, do share them on the Blog or send an email.
For now, its getting late, I am in the Grad pad and have to make my way home...
Goodnight, Dreams of fine gold..
Sister Gila
I thought I must get cracking again after publishing the Christmas Newsletter-the response from round the world has been overwhelming! Thank you so much, The Little Sisters of Joy, thanks to modern technology, is beginning to feel more and more like one huge family!
I wanted to share with you something which is giving me so much pleasure and delight at the moment, while I am in the 'waiting zone' for Canada. When I tell some people about my plans, they open up and share with me some very beautiful experiences they have had in Canada over the years, usually on holiday, although one man worked for a while in native Canadian country and became familiar with their beautiful soapstone carvings.
Another friend said I must go to the 'Martyrs Shrine' - a place deep in the woods of Ontario, where some Jesuit priests had been killed some centureis ago and who are listed in the liturgical cycle of prayer in The Divine Office (collection of the Psalms as laid out for different days in the Catholic Church.) An elderly lady on the bus just this morning spoke of a week she would never forget in southern Ontario, miles from anywhere, where you hear the hoot hoot calls of those special birds(I forget the name) in the silence of the middle of the night.
I treasure these experiences: I know I will never get to all those places, but they are already forming a kind of memory bank in my own soul. It is all part of the preparation and is very exciting.
If any of you have your own memories of Canada or north America, do share them on the Blog or send an email.
For now, its getting late, I am in the Grad pad and have to make my way home...
Goodnight, Dreams of fine gold..
Sister Gila
Monday, 24 December 2007
'The harvest of righteousness shall be sown in peace
by those who make peace.' (Letter of St James)
Friends of The Little Sisters of Joy
an ecumenical foundation
of
Prayer, Peace and Reconciliation
Newsletter no 9
Christmas 2007
‘Adam lay y-bounden
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long;
And all was for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkes finden written
In theire book.
Ne had the apple taken been,
The apple taken been,
Ne hadde never Our Lady
A been heaven’s queen.
Blessed be the time
That apple taken was!
Therefore we may singen
‘Deo Gracias!’
My dear Friends
I awoke at 6am wondering where to find the inspiration for this Newsletter. Turning on the radio, I heard the above ancient anonymous carol being sung by the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir, conducted by John Rutter! It contains the whole theology of Christmas and the incarnation of Christ, through the Virgin Mary. It succinctly links the Old and New Testaments, in stating that it was through Adam’s choice of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so contravening God’s will, that Christ came to save us.
From an historical point of view, clearly stated in the genealogy at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, the Messiah is rooted in his Jewish heritage, as is Joseph, his ‘foster’ father. The story of the birth of Christ is both particular and universal at the same time.
It has to be from this standpoint that the business of Jewish-Christian reconciliation begins. For too long the theology has tended to be black and white; in reality, and with the experience and hindsight of my own life, lived first as an Orthodox Jew and in the last 18 years as a Jewish Christian, it is much more nuanced.
With the great Feasts of Light of Chanukah, the Winter Solstice and Christmas converging, we must ask ourselves what are the underlying human factors that we share, which can lead us to Peace. We are all on a journey of linear time, pierced at any moment by eternal time, endless and boundless. We can only ever see eternity in the moment, however we express it, by LOVE. At this momentous time of Christmas, when all human history converges on one tiny point, the birth of Christ, we are at the intersection of the past, the present and the future. It is a good time to assess our own lives, before leaping into the unknown of the New Year.
In 1989 I was in Amsterdam, to bring in the New year with my friend Chava. She was playing the piano, her mother was in the room and her grandmother was upstairs. Outside in the street they began to light bonfires. I was thinking of a very close friend and, as we went outside, I could feel the year actually ‘turn.’ There was a haze from the fires in the distance and we could have been anywhere…
2007 has been a year of great journeys for me. (Documented on the Blog.) Toronto last March, Hungary in August, Paris and Provence in September and Paris again this month. It has also been a time of personal healing and the realisation that, like the farmer tending his crops and waiting for the Spring and Autumn rains, we must be patient. Patient for reconciliation.
A new life beckons. While I am waiting to make the final leap, I have arranged to give another Concert for Peace and Reconciliation, on February 16th 2008 in the Lee Hall in Wolfson College. Praying as I sing, with the audience singing with me, we will be asking for the healing of the world. Come and join us!
In the deep Joy of the Lord is your stronghold!
Shalom, and Shalom again now and in 2008
Sister Gila sistergila@hotmail.com
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long;
And all was for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkes finden written
In theire book.
Ne had the apple taken been,
The apple taken been,
Ne hadde never Our Lady
A been heaven’s queen.
Blessed be the time
That apple taken was!
Therefore we may singen
‘Deo Gracias!’
My dear Friends
I awoke at 6am wondering where to find the inspiration for this Newsletter. Turning on the radio, I heard the above ancient anonymous carol being sung by the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir, conducted by John Rutter! It contains the whole theology of Christmas and the incarnation of Christ, through the Virgin Mary. It succinctly links the Old and New Testaments, in stating that it was through Adam’s choice of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so contravening God’s will, that Christ came to save us.
From an historical point of view, clearly stated in the genealogy at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, the Messiah is rooted in his Jewish heritage, as is Joseph, his ‘foster’ father. The story of the birth of Christ is both particular and universal at the same time.
It has to be from this standpoint that the business of Jewish-Christian reconciliation begins. For too long the theology has tended to be black and white; in reality, and with the experience and hindsight of my own life, lived first as an Orthodox Jew and in the last 18 years as a Jewish Christian, it is much more nuanced.
With the great Feasts of Light of Chanukah, the Winter Solstice and Christmas converging, we must ask ourselves what are the underlying human factors that we share, which can lead us to Peace. We are all on a journey of linear time, pierced at any moment by eternal time, endless and boundless. We can only ever see eternity in the moment, however we express it, by LOVE. At this momentous time of Christmas, when all human history converges on one tiny point, the birth of Christ, we are at the intersection of the past, the present and the future. It is a good time to assess our own lives, before leaping into the unknown of the New Year.
In 1989 I was in Amsterdam, to bring in the New year with my friend Chava. She was playing the piano, her mother was in the room and her grandmother was upstairs. Outside in the street they began to light bonfires. I was thinking of a very close friend and, as we went outside, I could feel the year actually ‘turn.’ There was a haze from the fires in the distance and we could have been anywhere…
2007 has been a year of great journeys for me. (Documented on the Blog.) Toronto last March, Hungary in August, Paris and Provence in September and Paris again this month. It has also been a time of personal healing and the realisation that, like the farmer tending his crops and waiting for the Spring and Autumn rains, we must be patient. Patient for reconciliation.
A new life beckons. While I am waiting to make the final leap, I have arranged to give another Concert for Peace and Reconciliation, on February 16th 2008 in the Lee Hall in Wolfson College. Praying as I sing, with the audience singing with me, we will be asking for the healing of the world. Come and join us!
In the deep Joy of the Lord is your stronghold!
Shalom, and Shalom again now and in 2008
Sister Gila sistergila@hotmail.com
Friday, 21 December 2007
After Paris-before Newsletter
My dear Friends
All being well, I will publish the Newsletter from the Arbury local library on Monday morning, Christmas eve. Just to let you know that Paris was absolutely wonderful. Bitterly cold, they call it over there 'un rude hiver'. There is no exact translation in English, we could say 'a crude, bitter, cruel winter.' Nonetheless, one Parisien lady said it was good for them, as it had been a long time since it had been so cold, and to me it was actually purifying, like the snow which didn't come, because it was too cold.
Alexia was in good form, a bit tired as she is having to work long days in her new enterpirse. But we spent the evenings together and all weekend. Her parents joined us as we walked along the shops in Bercy-a rather unusual and posh neighbourhood of interesting shops. As we walked, I noticed tram lines on the ground. Jean-Francois explained that the place was formerly a stockyard for wine, and his brother had worked there in the beginning. Quite a change to what it was now!
Alexia and I visited the Musee du Cluny - we were both staggered by the Tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn, woven in the 14th Century.Incredibly beautiful and moving, there are 5 of them in a sequence. Alexia even more than me felt they were a unity. I saw parallels to the Song of Songs, and of course in the Christian tradition the Unicorn is associated with Christ. Eventually I told Alexia that I had to go-it was just too overpowering. So then I took her on a tour of the other mediaeval art, new to her, which I was able to explain a little.
The Musee de Cluny is virtually on the Boulevard San Michel. This is where much of the busking of my wild youth took place. As sson as we entered a cafe near the Sorbonne, I immediately remembered it from what was nearly 40 years ago! Now all of my memories are good and I am planning yet another trip-this time in May to 'pick the muguet'-the lily of the valley associated with Mary. Most French people probably don't know that but they take 1st May as a national holiday anyway!
So-I have found 'un petit coin' a little corner, en route to Toronto, where I feel happy and loved.
In advance, JOY peace and blessings for Christmas and New Year, Newsletter coming soon.
Love and shalom
Sister Gila
All being well, I will publish the Newsletter from the Arbury local library on Monday morning, Christmas eve. Just to let you know that Paris was absolutely wonderful. Bitterly cold, they call it over there 'un rude hiver'. There is no exact translation in English, we could say 'a crude, bitter, cruel winter.' Nonetheless, one Parisien lady said it was good for them, as it had been a long time since it had been so cold, and to me it was actually purifying, like the snow which didn't come, because it was too cold.
Alexia was in good form, a bit tired as she is having to work long days in her new enterpirse. But we spent the evenings together and all weekend. Her parents joined us as we walked along the shops in Bercy-a rather unusual and posh neighbourhood of interesting shops. As we walked, I noticed tram lines on the ground. Jean-Francois explained that the place was formerly a stockyard for wine, and his brother had worked there in the beginning. Quite a change to what it was now!
Alexia and I visited the Musee du Cluny - we were both staggered by the Tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn, woven in the 14th Century.Incredibly beautiful and moving, there are 5 of them in a sequence. Alexia even more than me felt they were a unity. I saw parallels to the Song of Songs, and of course in the Christian tradition the Unicorn is associated with Christ. Eventually I told Alexia that I had to go-it was just too overpowering. So then I took her on a tour of the other mediaeval art, new to her, which I was able to explain a little.
The Musee de Cluny is virtually on the Boulevard San Michel. This is where much of the busking of my wild youth took place. As sson as we entered a cafe near the Sorbonne, I immediately remembered it from what was nearly 40 years ago! Now all of my memories are good and I am planning yet another trip-this time in May to 'pick the muguet'-the lily of the valley associated with Mary. Most French people probably don't know that but they take 1st May as a national holiday anyway!
So-I have found 'un petit coin' a little corner, en route to Toronto, where I feel happy and loved.
In advance, JOY peace and blessings for Christmas and New Year, Newsletter coming soon.
Love and shalom
Sister Gila
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Between my birthday and Paris
My dear Friends
Yesterday was my 56th birthday, although people say I don't look a day over 30! I spent it quietly, in my favourite watering-hole, where the waiter brought me a specail bowl of tomato soup with herbs, basil and cream and bought me a soft drink. Then he said it wasn't a proper birthday without a cake, and two brownies, ice cream, cherries and a candle appeared from nowhere on my table!
It was a thoughtful day too, with Mass in the morning and a reading from Isaiah to herald the Messiah and containing the words most people recognise from the Oratorio, The Messiah by Handel: 'He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and he shall gather the lambs in His arms.'In my former days of classical professional singing, I sang it many times with Benigna at the piano.
Hopefully by my next birthday I will be in Toronto, surrounded by Canadian geese. Meanwhile I am on my travels again, back to Paris to see Alexia again and stay in the little hotel in the middle of everything. I long to see the famous tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn in the Musee de Cluny, wander round the Rue du Seine and the art galleries, and drink lots of coffee and a few brandies. Alexia will be at her work during the day, but in the evenings and at the weekend we will spend time together and catch up on the events that have happened in both our lives since we last saw each other in September.
In my job, there is always the unexpected, so there may be some threads of Peace and Reconciliation to follow up-actually the last 10 days have been particularly stressful so I hope I can do things gently and take any surprises in my stride.
Watching and waiting - these are the key words of Advent, in the countdown to the birth of Jesus, particular and cosmic at the same time. The birth of Jesus can actually take place at any time and anywhere in a person's life, Love stretching down a Divine Hand. May it happen to you and your loved ones in abundance.
Every blessing at this momentous time
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Yesterday was my 56th birthday, although people say I don't look a day over 30! I spent it quietly, in my favourite watering-hole, where the waiter brought me a specail bowl of tomato soup with herbs, basil and cream and bought me a soft drink. Then he said it wasn't a proper birthday without a cake, and two brownies, ice cream, cherries and a candle appeared from nowhere on my table!
It was a thoughtful day too, with Mass in the morning and a reading from Isaiah to herald the Messiah and containing the words most people recognise from the Oratorio, The Messiah by Handel: 'He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and he shall gather the lambs in His arms.'In my former days of classical professional singing, I sang it many times with Benigna at the piano.
Hopefully by my next birthday I will be in Toronto, surrounded by Canadian geese. Meanwhile I am on my travels again, back to Paris to see Alexia again and stay in the little hotel in the middle of everything. I long to see the famous tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn in the Musee de Cluny, wander round the Rue du Seine and the art galleries, and drink lots of coffee and a few brandies. Alexia will be at her work during the day, but in the evenings and at the weekend we will spend time together and catch up on the events that have happened in both our lives since we last saw each other in September.
In my job, there is always the unexpected, so there may be some threads of Peace and Reconciliation to follow up-actually the last 10 days have been particularly stressful so I hope I can do things gently and take any surprises in my stride.
Watching and waiting - these are the key words of Advent, in the countdown to the birth of Jesus, particular and cosmic at the same time. The birth of Jesus can actually take place at any time and anywhere in a person's life, Love stretching down a Divine Hand. May it happen to you and your loved ones in abundance.
Every blessing at this momentous time
Shalom from
Sister Gila
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