Silver birch trees

My dear Friends

Silver birch trees have been a theme in my life ever since 1999, when we planted a silver birch tree in my landlady's garden in Cambridge, to commemorate the birth of The Little Sisters of Joy. When I moved over the river in 2003, I planted a birch the following year in my garden. .Sadly I had to remove it last year, as it grew too big for its surroundings, but I feel the spirit of the tree is still there.

The Native Canadians revere the silver birch and used the bark to make their canoes.And the Canadians sing of 'the land of the beaver and the birch.'  Strangely enough, there is an avenue of birches alongside the Criminology Faculty in the University of Toronto, and the the University here in Cambridge, England have planted an avenue of birches beside the Criminology Faculty here.

They stand near the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern studies, where I did my degree in Hebrew (taking some classes in Arabic as well) and from time to time I go and sit there, taking shelter in the shade of these beautiful trees. It is easy to dream of Peace here and for me these mysterious trees, also revered in Russia, where my grandparents came from, are a symbol of Peace.

'I will hear what God has to say-a voice that speaks of Peace. Peace for His people and His friends and for those who turn to Him in their hearts.' Psalm 85

All we can do at the moment, with the terrible events going on in the world, is stand back and pray, or think of Peace.

Shalom, Salaam
Gila  

Crossing the bridge

Very dear Friends

You have heard me speak of the Regent Hotel many times. This morning I left home and was going to have a scrambled egg across the street from the hotel, which is near the big Church, but I decided to go to my favourite place for their nice breakfast after all.

And how glad I was that I did! I spotted what I thought were two Americans(the lady was speaking with a transatlantic accent) and then she turned to me and said they were Canadians! So I crossed the short distance and threw my arms round her in a bear hug-being from Canada she didn't mind at all.

Not only were they from Canada, but they were from London Ontario, near Cambridge Ontario-the first place I went to in eastern Canada and just before I discovered Toronto itself. We had a long talk, her daughter arrived-she is a teacher of religion near Cambridge-and the parents said they would come to the book launch in Toronto next September and bring a friend who is a Catholic Priest!

As my new book is about the continuation of my journey in the Church and my attempts to found a religious community this is a wonderful thing. But I am happy that the book also contains small cameos of some of my closest friends, some still walking with me and some elsewhere now.

It is a great privilege to produce a book. And to have control every step of the way. I have worked closely with Victoire Press in Bar hill, near Cambridge and Tony, the Director and Bobbie in the studio who has worked on all the flow of the text, the cover and the photos have been absolutely amazing, yielding to my every whim! the cover will eventually go on my website.

www.ourchurch.com/member/s/sistersofjoy

I am trying to take some rest before the presses finally roll and we have beautiful weather here in Cambridge. Tomorrow I am off to Ely for some real recreation and to go to a service of the hymns of Sue Gilmaurray, who sang with me last November in Robinson college.

Until the next time
Shabbat shalom
Gila

Lucy Cavendish College

My dear Friends

In 1992 I had the privilege of graduating in Hebrew from the University of Cambridge. It took me four years and was hard work but worth it in the end.

Cambridge is a collegiate system and the college which had accepted me was Lucy Cavendish, a small college fro mature women students which had been founded only thirty years previously. This choice of college was to prove a bonus and a blessing for many reasons.

I was thirty seven when I started studying again-Lucy takes women from age 21 until you are in your nineties! So I felt completely supported and surrounded by like-minded women from all different backgrounds. My fellow students were studying law, Chinese, Japanese and many other subjects.

I was blessed with two Directors of Studies-the late Carmen Blacker, whose subject was Japanese and Michael Loewe, a scholar in Chinese from a distinguished Jewish background.

It is the sense of community which is exceptional in Lucy Cavendish. Going to lunch is a very pleasant experience and you can meet all kinds of people. I still go there after all these years, and occasionally go to formal hall and take a guest.

Dr Renfrew was appointed as my personal tutor in the early days and she is still a friend and a mentor. Lucy is the kind of place where you make friends for life.

On the date of the publication of my new book Where the Woods meet the Water , the continuation of my life story and covering the years between 1999 and 2009, I am giving a little launch. What better place than Lucy Cavendish? I will sing and speak in the old dining hall to a gathering of friends.

The place will remind me of many happy memories and hopefully inspire me. I am happily working towards this day, in a few months time.

Talk to you soon, have a great summer
Shalom from Gila

The Sabbath

My dear Friends

Lovely to talk to you again. Today in my childhood I would have celebrated the Sabbath-a day in the Jewish calendar of complete rest. We were taken as children to the synagogue, where we prayed and sang and as a child , very small ,my father would tuck in me in to his box, where only the men were, to be beside him in the liturgy which I loved.

My father was asked to participate a lot and sing the portion of the prophets which followed the reading of the Law or Torah.

After the lovely service, we went home and a nice lunch-usually chicken soup, and rested for the rest of the day. My mother and I were rather unusual. in that we listened to the radio in different rooms and compared notes.

It is a day for listening to the voice of the Creator in a special way and to be together as a family, so round the table for afternoon tea we had friends and visitors.

The Regent Hotel

My dear Friends

I would like to share with you a little haven I have in this busy city of Cambridge. It is a small family hotel, right in the centre and is run by an Italian family from the South of Italy. They are very welcoming and friendly and there is always a very warm reception. I often go there to chill out, have some breakfast and maybe talk to the residents.

There is also a little computer that i can use if I need to check the internet.

Recently the place has been refurbished and there are lovely green chairs, with new blue wallpaper.The owner, Mrs P likes to come and have a chat with me.

Over Easter, which we celebrated joyfully here  in Cambridge, I popped in while I was near to the Church. One of the pluses about the hotel is that is near to the Church of Our lady and the English Martyrs.

This was my home Parish when I first became a Catholic. It was only ten years ago that I moved over to the other side of town and now I go to the Parish of St Laurence.
I have many friends, old and new and some of them go to Church with me.

Hoping you had a joyful and blessed Easter, wherever you were.

We are now into eastertide, a very joyful five weeks, leading up to the wonderful Feast of Pentecost, which corresponds to the Feast of Shavuot in the Jewish religion.

All the very best
Shalom as ever
Gila

 

Visit to the Synagogue

My dear Friends

Yesterday, on the Jewish Sabbath,or Shabbat as it is called, I had a beautiful experience. I had been invited to BethShalom Reform Synagogue, where I was going to pick up two prayer books I had ordered from one of their members.

Beth Shalom Synagogue is not new to me  as I had been a member of the congregation between 1986 and 1988. I took some of their services and it was during this period that I learned to chant in Hebrew from the Torah scroll-my teacher was the late Louis Berkman, formerly cantor of Belsize Synagogue in London. This was indeed a great privilege.

Yesterday's service was on the eve of the Festival of Purim, commemorating the time when Queen Esther saved the Jews from their enemies in Persia and it is a delightful feast for adults and children alike. Yesterday's actual reading from the Torah was rather complex, being from the Book of Leviticus and its injunctions on sacrifices-I was particularly interested in the Peace offerings, which were strictly laid down.

As I was standing and singing and gazing at the beautiful Torah scrolls, a thought struck me. As this community do not yet have their own building, the 'mobile' Ark containing the scrolls resembled that of the ark of the covenant which was carried round in the desert. How appropriate for me, during Lent, to be there, amongst my Jewish people! For I have always envisaged Len as my own journey through the desert with the Israelites, as in days of old.

The cantor sang well and I heard many new tunes that i had not heard on a previous visit. I resolved to come again before too long.

Happy and joyful journey through the desert!
Shalom from Gila.

Towards Lent

My very dear Friends

It is hard to believe that we are approaching Lent once again. It seems that it was only yesterday that we celebrated Advent, Christmas and the New Year. and with snow on the ground still in so many places (not in Cambridge however) that we have just had the first official day of Spring.

Spring-that is the real meaning of Lent and many of the religious poets commemorated and celebrated it in beautiful poetry. Like George Herbert, for example, one of my favourite 17th century poets. He wrote a wonderful poem called 'Easter Wings' which I first came across the night after I was baptized into the Catholic Church at Easter 1989.

This is why Lent and Easter 2014 have such a special meaning for me, as it is my 25th anniversary of being a Catholic. It has been a momentous 25 years, with many ups and downs, twists and turns along the way. but I have never regretted it and have been told  that my Orthodox Jewish upbringing was my best formation for my new life.I have tried my best to bring everything that was meaningful  from the Jewish religion into the last 25 years and have attempted to build bridges between Jews and Christians through music, encounter and Friendship as best I could.

It has been my privilege to have been given the grace to found, with the help of a friend, an organization dedicated to that aim, The Little Sisters of JOY and this has been, and will continue to be, the focus of everything I do.My life as a Catholic Christian gives me the structure and above all, the sacramental life, to follow in the steps of Jesus and to do his work.

I am blessed with a huge variety of friends from every religion and culture whose love and support nourishes me and empowers me.

And you!
A blessed and joyful Lent
Shalom from Gila