JDC’s Elderly Welfare program in Riga, adapted from the successful FSU Hesed welfare program, provides medical and nutritional assistance to needy elderly Jews in Riga and the surrounding region. The financial crisis of 2008 has increased demand for the program’s services, as many families can no longer provide assistance to elderly relatives and government anti-crisis measures have resulted in pension cuts of 10-20%. These cuts were compounded by an across the board increase in taxes which has dramatically reduced the quality of life of Riga’s elderly.

In order to help Riga’s elderly deal with the crisis, the Elderly Welfare program has opened a number of Day Centers where elderly community members receive warm meals and psychological support. In addition, in 2010 a number of new welfare professionals were successfully integrated into Riga’s welfare operations in order to meet the growing need.

Today, the Welfare Center is an integral part of the survival of the Riga Jewish community and with that vital function it was only appropriate that it had been brought up to date.  After several months of construction, the Welfare Center moved into a beautiful new space, with two multipurpose rooms, a small kitchen, vocational training rooms and new office space. 

Steve Schwager, JDC’s CEO and Executive Vice President, attended the Welfare Center Dedication Ceremony and recorded his experience in this Executive Report.  I get a shout-out in this letter.

Photo Descriptions

Top: Members of the community excitedly make there way into the newly renovated Welfare Center.

Middle Left: Plaque at the entrance into the Welfare Center.

Middle Right: Multipurpose room in the Welfare Center.

Bottom Left: Offices in the Welfare Center

Bottom Right: Members of the Community pose with JDC’s CEO and Executive Vice President, Steven Schwager and JDC’s Director of Europe and Latin American, Alberto Senderey 

С Новым Годом! Happy New Years!

For new years I invited some friends from the community to celebrate in my apartment.  We ate, sang and danced as we rang in the new year.  We celebrated the new year in Moscow, Riga and I skyped with family and friends during the Detroit new year.  We ventured out into the city center to the monument of freedom.  Along the way there were so many fireworks it sounded like we were in a war zone.  It was very loud and very bright!  We arrived at the monument of freedom and were met by thousands of people on the streets celebrating.  There were fireworks, lights, music, and even kongming lanterns…it was an amazing site! (Video posted above)

It is customary to give gift on New Years and to decorate a New Years Tree.

The Maccabees effort to end their plight sent them into war against Antiochus and his followers.  They fought for their freedom and they fought for their religion.  The Maccabees defeated their enemies in a miracle victory and restored Judaism back to the land. 

 Post-World War II Europe has seen similar challenges in the rebuilding of Jewish communities.  Each community is unique and has dedicated individuals just like the Maccabees.  However, each community is connected through their ubiquity in the fight for the growth of their community and their Judaism.   

Here in Riga, the community has developed a sense of culture and peoplehood that the local community has rallied around.  During Chanukah, the Community puts on a Chanukah Caravan, which draws the Jewish people from all over by putting on an array of programming for every one of all ages.  Other Jewish communities - Daugaupils, Jekabpils, Liepaja, Ventspils - came to Riga and participated in the Chanukah celebrations.    

On the 5^th night of Chanukah after Shabbat, 170 people gathered into the large ornate theatre and sat down in anticipation for a night of singing and dancing.  The Executive Director of the Community, Gita Umanovska, emceed the event and welcomed everyone to the concert.  Havdallah was said communally and the large Chanukiah was lit.  The lights dimmed and the concert began.  The Israel singing group, Kinnor, came out on stage and sang a variety of songs from traditional Jewish songs, Yiddish songs, and even a selection of songs from the Fiddler on the Roof.  Cantor Shulamit Resnick accompanied Kinnor during the performance.  Cantor Resnick, a native to Riga, is a celebrated concert vocalist, amongst other occupations.  Her beautiful singing moved the audience and evoked emotions and memories of being in synagogue during a major Jewish holiday.   The local Israeli dance troupe, Eilat, added their own unique flair and performed traditional Israeli dances with a modern twist.  One of their dances told a story about life in pre-World War I Eastern Europe.   The energy and showmanship between the groups made for an exciting night without a stale moment on stage.

The next day there was an encore performance that drew a large crowd and was just as lively.  The Chanukah Caravan picked up and traveled to a neighboring town, Jurmala, for a third performance by Kinnor and Eilat, attended by 90 people.  That night, a program for young adults at a small club brought together a variety of people from around the community.  Everyone had a great time playing games, chatting or enjoying the lounge musicians.  Traditional Chanukah food was plentiful and holiday spirits were high. 

The local teens celebrated Chanukah and a successful first half of the year with a discothèque.  There was plenty of fun had by all with music, food and dancing.  They even played endurance dreidel, similar to the Major League Dreidel style of play.  The youth programming volunteers and coordinators enjoyed a small party at my apartment.  They first lit Chanukah candles before playing a Chanukah game.  The game consisted of trivia, charades and other interactive activities.  The trivia varied in difficulty with questions about the dreidel, Judith, the Maccabees and Hilchot Chanukah (Laws of Chanukah).   After, they socialized and enjoyed the downtime with each other.

Photo Descriptions

Top: Myself and other community members lighting the large Chanukiah

Second Row: Posters I made for the Chanukah Caravan concerts

Third Row: Kinnor (left) and Eilat (Right)

Bottom Row, Left: Myself and Gita before I lead Havdallah

Bottom Row, Middle: Our version of the MLD Spinagogue

Bottom Row, Right: My environmentally sustainable Chanukiah.  I made it using water, olive oil, cups, twine, and tin foil.  This is where I got the idea. 

Adventure’s with Luke, Part 2

Luke and I left the Rundale Palace (see post below), and got on a small bus that took us back to Bauska and then onto Riga.  We arrived at the bus station and ran through the twists and turns of the central market to make our way to the train station.  Gasping for air, we asked the woman at the ticket office when the next train to Darzini was to leave.  She looked at her clock, and said, “4 minutes.”  Of course we went for it.  We got the tickets and dashed for the platform.  We arrived at platform 6 and jumped on the train.  Luke quickly asked the other passengers if this was the right train.  But as he did, the train started moving.  My first thought was, “I am going to have to jump off this train.”  But thankfully it was the right train, and Luke and I gave each other a celebratory hug. We got off at the Darzini stop to find nothing but a small boarded up building and forest.  

We made our trek though the pine forest to our final destination, the Salaspils concentration camp.  (for a virtual tour click here.)  The largest concentration camp in the Baltics, it had 12,000 Latvian and political prisoners.  A large concrete block marked the entrance to the memorial.  On the block, in large black letters reads (originally in Latvian) ‘the earth moans behind the gate’.  Today, the only presence of the original concentration camp are the large forest clearing and the concrete foundations.  Luke and I walked around the large pebble track in silence, except for the sound a soft metronome ticking like an immortal heartbeat.  

After some reflection and stone placing, Luke and I left the memorial to try and catch the next train.  To ensure that we got to the train stop on time, we started to run on the tracks.  In the back of my mind I kept thinking, “I think I have seen this movie before.”  Though it was funny in my head, little did I know that my thought would become reality.  I turned around and I see a train about 600 meters behind us.  I tell Luke, and we start running faster.  We need to make this train to get back in time and the tracks are the only level surface to run on.  After some time I realize what we are doing I jump off track and tell Luke to do the same.  We continue running and make it to the platform.  We arrived just in time as the train is approaching the stop….but it keeps going.  It was not a passenger train, but a commercial train.  We both laughed and waited for the next train.  Unfortunately our train did not come for more than an hour later.  Luke almost missed his flight and I was almost late to my own Chanukah party.  Thankfully everything worked out and Luke and I have an amazing adventure under our belts.

Photo Description

Top Row, Left: Luke and I in front of the entrance to the memorial

Top Row, Right: Large stone with an inscription that alludes to the many Jews that died in this place.

Second Row, Left: Enormous memorial statues symbolizing hope and defiance

Second Row, Right: Enormous memorial statues symbolizing hope and defiance

Third Row, Left: The large concrete block that marks the entrance to the memorial.  This concrete block also houses a small museum inside.

Third Row, Right: Concrete foundation and large concrete block 

Bottom Row, Left: Tally of Prisoners in the camp by year

Bottom Row, Middle: Large memorial stone where the metronome was the loudest

Bottom Row, Right: Toys that adorned a memorial.  This motif continued as a reminder and memorial to the many children that lost their lives.  It is believed that children were experimented on at the camp.

Adventure’s with Luke

I was preparing a havdallah set before a Chanukah concert, when a man approached me and asked me a question in Russian.  Unfortunately I did not understand his question, so I apologized and told him I speak english.  He responded with a simple, “Okay.”  Stunned, I quickly inquired about his citizenship.  This man, Luke, is an American that lives in Florida.  We spoke for a bit and we learned that we have a lot in common.  He was raised about 30 minutes from where I grew up.  We both are graduates of the University of Michigan.  And we even discovered our birthdays (excluding the years) are 2 days apart.  We found more similarities as we spent more time together.  I know…how incredible.  If he had never approached me with a question, I would have never known that a fellow Michigander and fellow wolverine was sitting just a few feet from me.

At the community’s Chanukah young adult program, Luke invited me to go on a day trip with him.  I met him the next day around 7 am and our adventure began.  We got on a bus that was en route to Bauska, Latvia.  Unfortunately and unknowingly we got off the bus, one stop to early.  It was not until Luke asked a local shop owner what city we were in till we discovered our mistake.  However, we were at the bus station and just waited till the next bus came.  After an argument with one bus driver, a confused, but willing bus driver drove us to Bauska.  We arrived and just missed the bus that would take us to our first destination, the Rundale Palace.  The construction of the palace was finished in 1740 and was the summer residence of Duke Ernst Johann of Courland.  To prevent anymore time loss, we found a taxi and went straight to Pilsrundale (Palace Rundale).  We got out, paid the cab fair and walked down a long dirt road.  Then in front of us…was Rundale Palace.  A large, yet beautiful, palace that seemingly was in the middle of nowhere.  The palace was not open to the public for half an hour (I guess we did not have to worry about missing the bus) so we walked around in the garden behind the palace.  The symmetrical garden was full of trees and shrubberies.  A large fountain marked the middle of the garden and a few other structure were scattered about, including a pagoda.  We were told to come back during the spring when the flowers were in bloom (very pretty).  We toured the palace and there was never a moment when my jaw wasn’t dropped.  There was so much so see.  Each room was alluring and ornate.  My pictures pale in comparison to the beauty of this over 200 year old palace.  Consider taking this virtual tour.   

Picture Description:

Top Row, Left: Entry into Rundale Palace.  The red bricked structures on the sides are rounded stables.

Top Row, Right: Gates and courtyard of Rundale Palace.  The ground stonework was placed in three large concentric circles.  The edge of the courtyard switches from a circle pattern to alternating triangles.

Second Row, Left: The Duke of Courland’s Bedroom

Second Row, Middle: Portraits of family, dignitaries and other important figures hang all over the Palace.

Second Row, Right: The large blue and white porcelain object is an oven made from Holland tiles.

Third Row, Left: The gilded hall served Duke Ernst Johann Biron and his guests.  The marble, mirrors, and emblematic garland give the room its ornate and extravagant look. The ceiling painting portrays some greco-roman mythological characters.  Including Heracles and Saturn. 

Third Row, Right: German occupation of the palace during World War I converted parts of the palace into a hospital and commandant’s office.  The presence of the German soldiers can still be seen today through etchings - pictures, initials, and signature - on the marble walls.  

Bottom Row, Left: View of the garden from the second storey of the palace.

Bottom Row, Middle: I have been able to determine that this is Rembrandt’s Simeon and Anna in the Temple.  From what I have read, the real painting is in the Hamburger Kunsthalle collection.  Therefore I believe this is a print.  However, the painting was once in Latvia and owned by the Duke of Courland.  

Bottom Row, Right: Luke and I had some fun taking a picture in parallel mirrors.