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
Monday, 22 March 2010
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
Monday, 22 February 2010
Passover meal
My dear Friends
When I was a child I looked forward very much to the Jewish Passover, with the first two nights of the Seder meal. This meal is full of symbols and rituals and commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from their slavery in Egypt. It is called the Exodus.I believe it is still valuable today, both from the historical point of view and from the idea of liberating all peoples from bondage.
The evening takes place in the form of a meal,with all the ritual foods on the table as well. There are 4 cups of wine to celebrate the notion of slavery to redemption and the unleavend bread, which the Jews ate on their way out from Egypt as they were in a hurry and had no time for the bread to rise. Bitter herbs in the form of onion or parsley are also served in the course of the meal. Something called charoset signifies the bricks and mortar the Jews used when they were forced to build houses for the Pharoah.
All of this takes us back to ancient times, but because the ritual is in a way out of time and space it is very relevant for today. We enter mystically into the Seder meal until we ourselves have experienced a sort of liberation from bondage. Enhancing the liturgy are beautiful melodies which pierce the proceedings and again give a universal feel.
Are we justified in recreating these ancient times? Of course for the Jews it is a commandment, to observe the Passover until the end of time. Here in Cambridge we enact the Passover on the Monday of Holy Week,entering into the mystery of it all, and it is a wonderful way of getting Christians to understand their Jewish roots. I believe this participation is an essential way of promoting dialogue and understanding, and not only between Christians and Jews. Even in a mystical way, it is not until we experience something of slavery that we understand true freedom.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
When I was a child I looked forward very much to the Jewish Passover, with the first two nights of the Seder meal. This meal is full of symbols and rituals and commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from their slavery in Egypt. It is called the Exodus.I believe it is still valuable today, both from the historical point of view and from the idea of liberating all peoples from bondage.
The evening takes place in the form of a meal,with all the ritual foods on the table as well. There are 4 cups of wine to celebrate the notion of slavery to redemption and the unleavend bread, which the Jews ate on their way out from Egypt as they were in a hurry and had no time for the bread to rise. Bitter herbs in the form of onion or parsley are also served in the course of the meal. Something called charoset signifies the bricks and mortar the Jews used when they were forced to build houses for the Pharoah.
All of this takes us back to ancient times, but because the ritual is in a way out of time and space it is very relevant for today. We enter mystically into the Seder meal until we ourselves have experienced a sort of liberation from bondage. Enhancing the liturgy are beautiful melodies which pierce the proceedings and again give a universal feel.
Are we justified in recreating these ancient times? Of course for the Jews it is a commandment, to observe the Passover until the end of time. Here in Cambridge we enact the Passover on the Monday of Holy Week,entering into the mystery of it all, and it is a wonderful way of getting Christians to understand their Jewish roots. I believe this participation is an essential way of promoting dialogue and understanding, and not only between Christians and Jews. Even in a mystical way, it is not until we experience something of slavery that we understand true freedom.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Ash Wednesday and Lent
My dear Friends
Today, following on from Shrove Tuesday (when you are 'shriven' or make a confession), is Ash Wednesday. Today is the solemn heralding of the beginning of Lent, when we are asked to come back to the Lord 'fasting and weeping' for the Lord is full of forgiveness.(Joel)). During the liturgy we have the imposition of ashes on our forehead to signify either that we 'repent and believe the Gospel' or that 'from dust you came and to dust you go.'
Lent comes from the German word for spring and it is a time when we look to break out of the dark days of winter and go forth to spring and Easter. It is a reflective time, when we examine our lives and reflect on our human condition. Ash Wednesday is traditionally a fast day in the Church.
We can look at Lent in another way, as a journey through the desert like our ancestors on our way to the Promised Land. Often we find oases in Lent to keep us going on our spiritual journey.It is a time of reconciliation, of man with God and of man with man, a time of healing.
Let us go forth on our journey in love and joy!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Today, following on from Shrove Tuesday (when you are 'shriven' or make a confession), is Ash Wednesday. Today is the solemn heralding of the beginning of Lent, when we are asked to come back to the Lord 'fasting and weeping' for the Lord is full of forgiveness.(Joel)). During the liturgy we have the imposition of ashes on our forehead to signify either that we 'repent and believe the Gospel' or that 'from dust you came and to dust you go.'
Lent comes from the German word for spring and it is a time when we look to break out of the dark days of winter and go forth to spring and Easter. It is a reflective time, when we examine our lives and reflect on our human condition. Ash Wednesday is traditionally a fast day in the Church.
We can look at Lent in another way, as a journey through the desert like our ancestors on our way to the Promised Land. Often we find oases in Lent to keep us going on our spiritual journey.It is a time of reconciliation, of man with God and of man with man, a time of healing.
Let us go forth on our journey in love and joy!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Monday, 15 February 2010
The lurgie
My dear Friends
I have been suffering from the 'lurgie'-bad cold and a chesty cough. This has not been enhanced by the fact I am a smoker, about 12 a day at the present count. I started smoking when I was quite young, in my wild youth when I was 16, in France on Gauloise cigarettes, which some of you may know are quite strong.
I have had long periods without smoking: for instance when I took singing lessons in 1980 I didn't have a cigarette for 12 years, then started again when I had a nervous breakdown in 1991..
The fact that I am a singer and about to do another concert doesn't seem to deter me, I shove my head in the sand and think it will all go away! But the situation is getting quite serious and I am at risk of damaging my health.
I hesitated about publicising all this on the blog, but hope you will realise I am just human and maybe make some encouraging comments.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
I have been suffering from the 'lurgie'-bad cold and a chesty cough. This has not been enhanced by the fact I am a smoker, about 12 a day at the present count. I started smoking when I was quite young, in my wild youth when I was 16, in France on Gauloise cigarettes, which some of you may know are quite strong.
I have had long periods without smoking: for instance when I took singing lessons in 1980 I didn't have a cigarette for 12 years, then started again when I had a nervous breakdown in 1991..
The fact that I am a singer and about to do another concert doesn't seem to deter me, I shove my head in the sand and think it will all go away! But the situation is getting quite serious and I am at risk of damaging my health.
I hesitated about publicising all this on the blog, but hope you will realise I am just human and maybe make some encouraging comments.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
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