My dear Friends
'Wherever you go, the mother is calling her child.' So goes a song about Wales. My trip to Swansea last weekend was a bit of a homecoming for me as it was in Wales in a monastery in 1987 that I first came to Christ.
I hadn't realised that Swansea would be so beautiful, all that sea and rolling hills. My friend and I spent several hours walking along the beaches, even in the rain! For Wales is notorious for wet weather.
Swansea was the home of Dylan Thomas and we visited the Dylan Thomas Centre, with an interesting exhibition about his life. Afterwards my friend gave me a book of his poetry which I look forward to reading.
It was lovely to see all those Welsh faces and to see the signs in Welsh and occasionally to hear Welsh spoken;my friend spoke it at school until the age of nine. In another life I would love to learn it.
We wandered into quite a few pubs and also visited an art gallery and I have come with many happy memories.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Thursday, 21 October 2010
The great debate
My dear Friends
Cambridge is a very interesting place. Apart from all the colleges, it houses the Cambridge Union, which has one of the great debating chambers in the world. All kinds of famous people go there . This week the debate is 'Is Israel a rogue house?'which promises to be controversial.I have just become a life member and so will enjoy many debates in the future.
There is also a lovely coffee shop and bar, where I have enjoyed many an afternoon.Upstairs is a beautiful library, which overlooks St John's College, and which has a large stock of paperbacks.
The Union is situated next to the Round Church, one of Cambridge's famous landmarks, so easy to get to in the town.I consider myself very lucky to live here.
Tomorrow I am going on a little holiday to Swansea to see an old friend. We hope to go walking on the Gower peninsula and I will keep you posted.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Cambridge is a very interesting place. Apart from all the colleges, it houses the Cambridge Union, which has one of the great debating chambers in the world. All kinds of famous people go there . This week the debate is 'Is Israel a rogue house?'which promises to be controversial.I have just become a life member and so will enjoy many debates in the future.
There is also a lovely coffee shop and bar, where I have enjoyed many an afternoon.Upstairs is a beautiful library, which overlooks St John's College, and which has a large stock of paperbacks.
The Union is situated next to the Round Church, one of Cambridge's famous landmarks, so easy to get to in the town.I consider myself very lucky to live here.
Tomorrow I am going on a little holiday to Swansea to see an old friend. We hope to go walking on the Gower peninsula and I will keep you posted.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Talk on Sunday
My dear Friends
The talk on Sunday was a great success. Eight people came, all from different backgrounds, several Catholics and two people from the Reform Jewish community. Jonathan spoke on The Beginning of Jewish Christian Relations and it was very interesting. He spoke about the different Jewish factions in Galilee and Jerusalem in the first century AD and how this background sheds light on the New Testament .
He mentioned how the Pharisees were the 'nouveau riche' of the time and how the Temple had become corrupt.He mentioned the story of how Jesus overturned the tables of the moneylenders in the Temple.
There were various interesting questions afterwards and refreshments were served.It was a nice venue and thank you to Darwin College for hosting us.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
The talk on Sunday was a great success. Eight people came, all from different backgrounds, several Catholics and two people from the Reform Jewish community. Jonathan spoke on The Beginning of Jewish Christian Relations and it was very interesting. He spoke about the different Jewish factions in Galilee and Jerusalem in the first century AD and how this background sheds light on the New Testament .
He mentioned how the Pharisees were the 'nouveau riche' of the time and how the Temple had become corrupt.He mentioned the story of how Jesus overturned the tables of the moneylenders in the Temple.
There were various interesting questions afterwards and refreshments were served.It was a nice venue and thank you to Darwin College for hosting us.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Talk on Sunday
My dear Friends
It is always interesting to go back in history and see where things began. This coming Sunday Jonathan Gorsky will give a talk on 'The beginning of Jewish Christian relations.' Jonathan gave our very successful talk last year on 'Jewish Christian relations post the second world war.' He is a lecturer in Heythrop College in the University of London and helped devise a B.A. programme on the Abrahamic faiths. I believe he will speak about the first century, after the foundation of Christianity.
The lecture will take place in Newnham Terrace in Darwin College, which is a lovely venue.Let's hope the people flock along!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
It is always interesting to go back in history and see where things began. This coming Sunday Jonathan Gorsky will give a talk on 'The beginning of Jewish Christian relations.' Jonathan gave our very successful talk last year on 'Jewish Christian relations post the second world war.' He is a lecturer in Heythrop College in the University of London and helped devise a B.A. programme on the Abrahamic faiths. I believe he will speak about the first century, after the foundation of Christianity.
The lecture will take place in Newnham Terrace in Darwin College, which is a lovely venue.Let's hope the people flock along!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Thursday, 30 September 2010
A celebration of Cyprus
My dear Friends
On Tuesday I went to a concert to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the granting of Independence to Cyprus. The concert, in the Cadogan Hall, was given by the Oxford Philomusica under their Cypriot conductor Marios Papadopoulos.
It was a fine evening with 4 major pieces, the first being Schubert's Overture to 'Rosamunde Princess of Cyprus.' Then the Cypriot Sophie Sergi's 'Shall we Dance' a very colourful and vibrant piece. This was follwed by Christodolous Georgides' homage to Cyprus entitled 'Treasured Island' in 4 movements. Finally the orchestra played Dvorak's New World Symphony with great colour and vitality.
Heroine of the evening was Cyprus herself, who has had a colourful and turbulent history. Cyprus is the 3rd largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of its most popular tourist destinations. It joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.
The earliest known human activity on the island dates back to around the 10th millenium BC. As a strategic location in the Middle East Cyprus has been occupied by several major powers, among them the empires of the Hittites, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians and Ottomans. The island also experienced periods of Greek rule. It was placed under British administration in 1878 until it was granted independence in 1960.
In 1974, following 11 years of intercommunal violence and an attempted coup d'etat by Greek Cypriot nationalists, Turkey invaded and occupied the northern portion of the island. The intercommunal violence and subsequent Turkish invasion led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Cypriots and the establishment of a separate Turkish Cypriot political entity in the north.
But music is very unifying and there was a lovely peaceful atmosphere at the concert.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
On Tuesday I went to a concert to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the granting of Independence to Cyprus. The concert, in the Cadogan Hall, was given by the Oxford Philomusica under their Cypriot conductor Marios Papadopoulos.
It was a fine evening with 4 major pieces, the first being Schubert's Overture to 'Rosamunde Princess of Cyprus.' Then the Cypriot Sophie Sergi's 'Shall we Dance' a very colourful and vibrant piece. This was follwed by Christodolous Georgides' homage to Cyprus entitled 'Treasured Island' in 4 movements. Finally the orchestra played Dvorak's New World Symphony with great colour and vitality.
Heroine of the evening was Cyprus herself, who has had a colourful and turbulent history. Cyprus is the 3rd largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of its most popular tourist destinations. It joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.
The earliest known human activity on the island dates back to around the 10th millenium BC. As a strategic location in the Middle East Cyprus has been occupied by several major powers, among them the empires of the Hittites, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians and Ottomans. The island also experienced periods of Greek rule. It was placed under British administration in 1878 until it was granted independence in 1960.
In 1974, following 11 years of intercommunal violence and an attempted coup d'etat by Greek Cypriot nationalists, Turkey invaded and occupied the northern portion of the island. The intercommunal violence and subsequent Turkish invasion led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Cypriots and the establishment of a separate Turkish Cypriot political entity in the north.
But music is very unifying and there was a lovely peaceful atmosphere at the concert.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Sukkot
My dear Friends
September is the month for Jewish Festivals. Coming up hard on the heels of Yom Kippur is Succot, known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The word itself means 'booths' for the Festival commemorates the time when the Israelites dwelt in booths in the desert. This was a time of sojourneying and 'temporariness' before the people entered the land of Palestine.
It is customary for Jewish people these days to erect a booth or a succah in the garden of their homes and to spend some time in it to remind them of the days in the wilderness. The roof of the Succah is open to the sky, while decorated with branches and hanging fruits.Most appropriately in the Synagogue the book of Ecclesiastes is read, which is all about the transience of life.
It is an 8 day Festival, with some colourful ceremonies.A willow and myrtle branch, taken together with an 'etrog' which looks like a large lemon are waved to the 4 corners of the earth and carried round in procession. Then on the last day, Simchat Torah, the last portion of the Torah is read together with the beginning of Genesis, in a great outpouring of joy. This day means 'rejoicing of the Law' and there is dancing and waving of flags in the Synagogue.
One interpretation of Succot is that is was given to the Jews to help root them back into temporal time, after the mystical and dizzy heights of eternity on Yom Kippur.
Enjoy!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
September is the month for Jewish Festivals. Coming up hard on the heels of Yom Kippur is Succot, known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The word itself means 'booths' for the Festival commemorates the time when the Israelites dwelt in booths in the desert. This was a time of sojourneying and 'temporariness' before the people entered the land of Palestine.
It is customary for Jewish people these days to erect a booth or a succah in the garden of their homes and to spend some time in it to remind them of the days in the wilderness. The roof of the Succah is open to the sky, while decorated with branches and hanging fruits.Most appropriately in the Synagogue the book of Ecclesiastes is read, which is all about the transience of life.
It is an 8 day Festival, with some colourful ceremonies.A willow and myrtle branch, taken together with an 'etrog' which looks like a large lemon are waved to the 4 corners of the earth and carried round in procession. Then on the last day, Simchat Torah, the last portion of the Torah is read together with the beginning of Genesis, in a great outpouring of joy. This day means 'rejoicing of the Law' and there is dancing and waving of flags in the Synagogue.
One interpretation of Succot is that is was given to the Jews to help root them back into temporal time, after the mystical and dizzy heights of eternity on Yom Kippur.
Enjoy!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
The Jewish New Year
My dear Friends
Last Wednesday evening, Thursday and Friday was the Jewish New year, known as Rosh Hashanah. I celebrated it by saying some prayers , lighting the festival candles, drinking some kosher wine and eating apples and honey. This is a tradition to ensure you have a sweet New Year.
Rosh Hashanah is a penitential time, when the Jewish people ask for the forgiveness of their sins. It leads into the ten days of Penitence and then into Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.Yom Kipppur is a fast day, with strictly no food and no water.People spend all day in the Synagogue, fasting and praying.White is traditionally worn, as a sign of purity.There is a great feeling of grace working. There are several services, culminating in the Neilah service-Closure-the closing of the gates of repentance.
One tradition on Rosh Hashanah is to throw your sins in the river, in a symbolic gesture. The ceremony is called Tashlich and I always remember enjoying this as a child, when we would celebrate Rosh Hashanah in a Jewish hotel by the seaside.
Shana tova!
Happy New Year!
Sister Gila
Last Wednesday evening, Thursday and Friday was the Jewish New year, known as Rosh Hashanah. I celebrated it by saying some prayers , lighting the festival candles, drinking some kosher wine and eating apples and honey. This is a tradition to ensure you have a sweet New Year.
Rosh Hashanah is a penitential time, when the Jewish people ask for the forgiveness of their sins. It leads into the ten days of Penitence and then into Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.Yom Kipppur is a fast day, with strictly no food and no water.People spend all day in the Synagogue, fasting and praying.White is traditionally worn, as a sign of purity.There is a great feeling of grace working. There are several services, culminating in the Neilah service-Closure-the closing of the gates of repentance.
One tradition on Rosh Hashanah is to throw your sins in the river, in a symbolic gesture. The ceremony is called Tashlich and I always remember enjoying this as a child, when we would celebrate Rosh Hashanah in a Jewish hotel by the seaside.
Shana tova!
Happy New Year!
Sister Gila
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