My dear Friends
Just to tell you that the Passover meal, the Seder, took place at Sawston Parish Church last night. It coincided with the first night of the Passover for the Jewish people, so quite a grace.There were about 45 people present and I sat with Fr Dick, a priest from the large Catholic Church in Cambridge, and together we conducted the Seder.
It began with the lighting of the festival candles and there followed a reading of the account of the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. There were also the 4 questions that normally the children ask and I sing a lovely melody in Hebrew to start this off. 'Why is this night different from all other nights?' Because on this night we eat bitter herbs(to commemorate the bitterness our people experienced in Egypt) Because on this night we recline like free men. And so on.
We drank the 4 cups of wine of liberation and salvation and ate the unleavened bread, the Mazzoh, after having an explanation of the ritual foods eaten in the Passover and which are on the Passover plate: a roast shankbone to commemorate the lamb our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt the night before they fled, a roast egg also to commemorate the sacrifice, the bitter herbs and the salt water which reminds us of the tears the Israelites shed.
Then there was another beautiful melody on a passage which relates how many are our enemies but we have overcome:the Holy One, Blessed be He, has saved us from their hands.
After a shared meal, we sang Hallel psalms (as Jesus would have done in the Last Supper) and I accompanied the gathering on my guitar.We then opened the door for Elijah, the herald of the Messiah and the Passover was almost concluded. But we finished with a round of Shalom Chaverim, Shalom Chaverim, lehitraot shalom. Peace my friends, until we meet again, peace my friends.
It was a moving occasion and an opportunity for Christians to participate in their Jewish heritage and to enter into the mystical experience of being slaves in Egypt and being liberated. Several Churches were represented: the Free church, the Anglicans and the Catholics, so it was truly an ecumenical Seder.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Thursday 25 March 2010
Annunciation
My dear Friends
Today, 25 March, is the Feast of the Annunciation. What is it? It commemorates the meeting of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, to announce the Good News that she was to bear a child and would call him Jesus, the Saviour. Obviously Mary was a little incredulous and wondering how this would come about, never having been with a man, but the angel explains all.
He describes how the Trinity will bring this about, with the Power of the Most High resting upon upon her and overshadowing her and the presence of the Holy spirit creating this child in her. O wondrous event! Mary is to be the Second Eve, through whom salvation is to come into the world.
This is the day, 21 years ago, that I was baptised into the Catholic Church. It took place in Newmarket, during the course of the Easter Vigil, the service on the Saturday night which precedes Easter Sunday. A bonfire is lit outside the church to commemorate the creation and candles are lit inside the Church for the people to hold during the first reading. There are 9 readings, from Genesis and Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea to and Isaiah and finally the Gospel on the Resurrection, the light coming into the world.
I was also given the sacrament of confirmation and the sacrament of the Eucharist, in which I felt the 'peace which passeth all understanding.' It was a wonderful night and rounded off by a performance of folk music by two people from the village in which I was staying.
Here's to the next 21 years!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Today, 25 March, is the Feast of the Annunciation. What is it? It commemorates the meeting of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, to announce the Good News that she was to bear a child and would call him Jesus, the Saviour. Obviously Mary was a little incredulous and wondering how this would come about, never having been with a man, but the angel explains all.
He describes how the Trinity will bring this about, with the Power of the Most High resting upon upon her and overshadowing her and the presence of the Holy spirit creating this child in her. O wondrous event! Mary is to be the Second Eve, through whom salvation is to come into the world.
This is the day, 21 years ago, that I was baptised into the Catholic Church. It took place in Newmarket, during the course of the Easter Vigil, the service on the Saturday night which precedes Easter Sunday. A bonfire is lit outside the church to commemorate the creation and candles are lit inside the Church for the people to hold during the first reading. There are 9 readings, from Genesis and Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea to and Isaiah and finally the Gospel on the Resurrection, the light coming into the world.
I was also given the sacrament of confirmation and the sacrament of the Eucharist, in which I felt the 'peace which passeth all understanding.' It was a wonderful night and rounded off by a performance of folk music by two people from the village in which I was staying.
Here's to the next 21 years!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Monday 22 March 2010
Cancellation
My dear Friends
Unfortunately the musical event at Starbucks had to be cancelled. Starbucks claimed the venue was now not available. But it has been good fun, practising with my friend and I have gained some new reperotire. Till the next time!
Spring has hit Cambridge in a big way and the daffodils are all out. It's a joy to walk in the street with the fresh breeze. I am typing this in the local library of Arbury Court, a place where the locals all meet and hang out. There's a chip shop, vegetable shop, supermarket and chemists and one or two benches under trees where we can sit. The guy in this library was very helpful about putting the Newsletter on the Bog with the pictures, so I am grateful for that.Often I dive into town in the mornings so forget about this handy space.
More next time!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Unfortunately the musical event at Starbucks had to be cancelled. Starbucks claimed the venue was now not available. But it has been good fun, practising with my friend and I have gained some new reperotire. Till the next time!
Spring has hit Cambridge in a big way and the daffodils are all out. It's a joy to walk in the street with the fresh breeze. I am typing this in the local library of Arbury Court, a place where the locals all meet and hang out. There's a chip shop, vegetable shop, supermarket and chemists and one or two benches under trees where we can sit. The guy in this library was very helpful about putting the Newsletter on the Bog with the pictures, so I am grateful for that.Often I dive into town in the mornings so forget about this handy space.
More next time!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Monday 15 March 2010
Music at Starbucks
My dear Friends
Saturday March 27th is the date I am planning to sing in Starbucks. the performance will take place in Starbucks in Market Street from 6.30pm. It will be great to get another chance to do this and a friend has offered to come and sing with me, so I won't be alone.
We plan to do Blowing in the wind, Mr Tambourine Man and others together. I will sing most of it and my friend will play her guitar along. I am hoping that these and other songs will resonate with the audience-the whole thing should be quite informal as the people will be popping in and out during the course of the evening.
Then I plan to sing my Hebrew melodies-many and various. There is a beautiful setting of Psalm 23 and Psalm 126, sung as the grace after meals on the Sabbath, so it takes me right back to my childhood. Then there is Jerusalem of gold, composed during the 6 day war in Israel Palestine and now very famous as the kind of theme tune of Jerusalem. Also there is Eli, eli , my God, my God,a song about the transcendence of God which was composed by a lady called Hannah Senesh.She was a Hungarian woman who became a fighter pilot in World War II and who lost her life at the hands of the Nazis.
My friend will sing solo too, from her repertoire of busking, so let's hope for a good night!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Saturday March 27th is the date I am planning to sing in Starbucks. the performance will take place in Starbucks in Market Street from 6.30pm. It will be great to get another chance to do this and a friend has offered to come and sing with me, so I won't be alone.
We plan to do Blowing in the wind, Mr Tambourine Man and others together. I will sing most of it and my friend will play her guitar along. I am hoping that these and other songs will resonate with the audience-the whole thing should be quite informal as the people will be popping in and out during the course of the evening.
Then I plan to sing my Hebrew melodies-many and various. There is a beautiful setting of Psalm 23 and Psalm 126, sung as the grace after meals on the Sabbath, so it takes me right back to my childhood. Then there is Jerusalem of gold, composed during the 6 day war in Israel Palestine and now very famous as the kind of theme tune of Jerusalem. Also there is Eli, eli , my God, my God,a song about the transcendence of God which was composed by a lady called Hannah Senesh.She was a Hungarian woman who became a fighter pilot in World War II and who lost her life at the hands of the Nazis.
My friend will sing solo too, from her repertoire of busking, so let's hope for a good night!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Buenas dias
My dear Friends
Last year I met Mercedes, a Spanish lady from Santiago de Compostella and she invited me there. this is supposed to be a very beautiful place and is famous for being a pilgrim route, following in the footsteps of St James. Near the mountains, you start the journey in Veselay (excuse spelling ) in France, some hundreds of kilometres away.
Mercedes gave me a few Spanish lessons and I thought I must continue,so every week on Monday nights I have been trekking to Hills Road sixth form College for an adult education evening class.We started off with twelve enthusiasts and are down to six, but the group is very varied. Gemma is going to South America for five months, which is very exciting. I think I am the only one in the group who has never been to Spain.
Learning a new language is always a challenge-I am lucky to already know French, German and Hebrew-but Spanish has its own delights.I am not passionate about the language but find it very interesting and want to continue. So when I am struggling between the derecha (right)and the izquierda (left)(or is it the other way round?) think of me!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Tuesday 2 March 2010
Spring
My dear Friends
You would be forgiven for thinking that Spring had come to Cambridge today, the sun is shining and the sky is blue. So I have just taken a trip to the Botanical Gardens with a very old friend, Sister Jane Phelan from the local convent of the Congregation of Jesus here in the south of Cambridge.
The gardens almost border the convent, anyway they are just a few yards away.What a joy! The aconites, peoonies and snowdrops are all out and there was a wonderful smell in the air from some flowering shrub as we went in. We made our way round the stream and pond and sat down under some enormous trees-Jane said one was a Cedar of Lebanon, another a fir. then we meandered round the shrubs to go to the cafe where we had a fine lunch of jacket potatoes, beans and cheeses.
After more chat and we had eaten our fill we entered the 'Dry Garden' also colourful in its way and sat in what was then some pretty warm sunshine, admiring the plants in their different reds and greens. Outside the garden was a water area with a display of plants from the Fens, this flat landscape in East Anglia which was drained to make Ely Cathedral amongst other things.
Are you experiencing any signs of Spring where you are?
I hope so
Shalom from
Sister Gila
You would be forgiven for thinking that Spring had come to Cambridge today, the sun is shining and the sky is blue. So I have just taken a trip to the Botanical Gardens with a very old friend, Sister Jane Phelan from the local convent of the Congregation of Jesus here in the south of Cambridge.
The gardens almost border the convent, anyway they are just a few yards away.What a joy! The aconites, peoonies and snowdrops are all out and there was a wonderful smell in the air from some flowering shrub as we went in. We made our way round the stream and pond and sat down under some enormous trees-Jane said one was a Cedar of Lebanon, another a fir. then we meandered round the shrubs to go to the cafe where we had a fine lunch of jacket potatoes, beans and cheeses.
After more chat and we had eaten our fill we entered the 'Dry Garden' also colourful in its way and sat in what was then some pretty warm sunshine, admiring the plants in their different reds and greens. Outside the garden was a water area with a display of plants from the Fens, this flat landscape in East Anglia which was drained to make Ely Cathedral amongst other things.
Are you experiencing any signs of Spring where you are?
I hope so
Shalom from
Sister Gila
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