Shomer Shalom Institute for Jewish Nonviolence

Celebrating and Exploring Jewish Nonviolence in a Time of Conflict and War

with Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Rabbi Everett Gendler, Rabbi Chava Bahle, Rabbi Brant Rosen,  and Jewish hip hop artist EPrhyme

Chicago, May 15-18, 2008

People of all faiths are welcome to any and all events.

Thursday May 15, 2008, A Rabbi’s Journey to Islam with Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb 5:00pm-7:00pm, DePaul University Art Museum, inside the DePaul University Library, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave, Chicago, IL. Sponsored by The DePaul University Center for Interreligious Engagement.

Friday May 16, 2008 Evening Shabbat Service, 8:00pm-11:00pm with Rabbi Chava Bahle, Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, and Rabbi Everett Gendler, at Makom Shalom, 2008 W. Bradley Place, Chicago IL, in the Fellowship Hall of Epiphany UCC.

Saturday May 17, 2008 Retreat on Jewish Nonviolence at The Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 303 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL with Rabbi Brant Rosen, Rabbi Everett Gendler, Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, and Eprhyme.

Torah study with Rabbi Brant Rosen 9:00am-10am

Morning Shabbat Service with Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb and the JRC Minyan 10:00am-12:00pm.

Lunch and conversation with Rabbi Everett Gendler, 12:30pm-1:30pm.

Nonviolence Workshop 1:30pm-3:30pm

Tour of JRC’s new Green Building 3:30pm-4:00pm.

All Ages Evening Performance: Peace Tales with Rabbi Lynn 7:30pm.

Sunday May 18, 2008 Shomer Shalom Ceremony 11:30pm-12:30pm, Scoville Park, Oak Park, IL.  Shomer Shalom peace walkers are welcome to participate in the Walk for a Just Peace, organized by the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine at 1:00pm. Shomer Shalom peace walkers wear white.

Sponsors: Makom Shalom Jewish Renewal Congregation, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Peace Dialog Group, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Tikkun Olam Fund, AFSC, and the newly formed Shomer Shalom Institute for Jewish Nonviolence

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb is a ’spellbinding’ performance artist, peace activist, and one of the first women rabbis in Jewish history and has been a practitioner of Jewish nonviolence for 34 years.

Rabbi Everett Gendler is one of the contemporary grandfathers of Jewish nonviolence and at the invitation of the Dali Lama, has led eleven workshops on nonviolence with the Tibetan community in India.

EPrhyme is a Jewish hip hop artist who blends and juxtaposes diverse sounds and ideas into a swirling and seamless whole which is a powerful and poetic plea for justice and peace.

For more information or to RSVP write to shomershalom {at} gmail(.)com

If you require a homestay, please RSVP with your name, and contact information.  Let us know if you require home hospitality (be sure to include animal or other alergies), dietary restrictons, and travel itinerary so that we can arrange rides to and from Chicago airports.

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb is currently leading a Fellowship of Reconciliation delegation in Iran.  This is her first blog post.

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Dear friends,

 I arrived in Iran three days ago. We have met with many people from formal meetings to people on the streets and everyone expresses the same message: please urge our government to negotiate with their government. 

The most moving experience for me personally has been to meet and pray with the Jewish community of Teheran. I was able to meet the current and future Jewish member of Parliment. Ciamak Morsathegh, who begins to serve his community as a member of parliment in 20 days also hosted me and several delegation members to a wonderful Sabbath meal. While at synagogue on Friday evening, I was called to address the congregation. It was a very moving experience and people were extremely warm and clapped profusely, even when I expressed a hope that I would like to someday return to Iran and meet the first ordained woman rabbi in Iran.  The Iranian community appears to be doing well, worships freely, and sponsors six day schools with a population of five hundred chilren attending. The youth were very evident at services.

There is among many people a desire for more freedom and it has been difficult to wear hijab, and at the same time, I am finding Iran a very vibrant and sophisticated society composed of people who want to be seen as human beings able to determine their own future. When I am not rushed(!) I will speak at length about my experience. Of course, the food is bountious and delicious!   Rabbi Lynn

By the way, the Jewish community knows of Shomer Shalom and is anxious to take part. I have invited Mr. Morsathegh to join the Elders Council, and he has accepted. We are forming a chapter in Teheran!