FOTOS UJCL JAMAICA 2008

En esta segunda entrega, compartimos una diversidad de fotos con distintos momentos del encuentro de la UJCL en Jamaica. En ellas, podrán ver tanto la sinagoga de Kingston como su antiquísimo panteón, y así también algunos momentos importantes de las ponencias, cenas y galas del encuentro. Pero antes, compartimos un video en donde podrán ver a los rabinos de la UJCL con algunos dirigentes (¿reconocen a alguno?) bendiciendo juntos "Birkat haMazón."

Por último, incluímos a continuación una reseña (en inglés) de los highlights de la conferencia, escrita por los organizadores del encuentro de este año:

The Union of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean (UJCL) has just concluded their eleventh annual conference which was held in Kingston, Jamaica under the auspices of UJCL's President, Hilda ten Brink. It was hosted by Congregation Sha'are Shalom, the United Congregation of Israelites, Jamaica's Jewish community. Some 60 persons attended from overseas to join with the local community to participate in the lectures, workshops and various social activities. The theme for this year's conference was "The UJCL in the Diaspora: Connecting to Israel". The presenters came from member congregations and representatives from many Jewish organizations such as the WUPJ, MASORTI, WZO, HIAS, MACCABI, JDCLA, ICJW and TAMAR. Delegates came from congregations in Aruba, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Surinam, Trinidad and of course Jamaica with regrets from Cuba. Professor Lewis Gordon gave the keynote address on the opening morning with a discourse on who is a Jew today in the Diaspora. The new Israeli Ambassador to Jamaica, Amos Radian, was the guest speaker at the first day's luncheon. He spoke to the theme of the Diaspora and Israel. Ed Kritzler gave the address on our survival in the New World in the second day's lunch program. Ainsley Henriques, UJCL Secretary and Hon Secretary of Sha'are Shalom spoke about the history of the Jamaican Jews on the opening evening. Shabbat services were held in the beautiful Jamaican synagogue on Duke Street, Kingston under the direction of lay reader Stephen Henriques and the Choir led by Dr. Winston Davidson. Social activities included the Jamaicans hosting a Cocktail reception at their Hillel Academy poolside, the Oneg Shabbat family dinners for overseas guests, and the closing Dinner Dance. This event was amazingly decorated in a Pirate theme. All the guests had Pirate hats and eye patches to add to their regular dress and the chief pirate, David Matalon, was resplendent in full pirate costume. . The highlight of the conference was the surprise tour of one of the three oldest Jewish cemeteries in the New World. The oldest grave found was dated 1672. This cemetery, named the Hunt's Bay Cemetery, was the resting place for Jews who fled the Inquisition in the Iberian peninsula and the anti-semitism of northern Europe. They came to Port Royal, the infamous 17th century entré port, a desolate sandy spit at the end of what is now known as the Palisadoes peninsula enclosing Kingston Harbour. They sought and found the freedom to worship and pursue their lives without persecution, with few restrictions and higher taxes. Here they settled and thrived. The land could not be used for burials so they rowed the departed across the harbour and interred their ancestors in this now isolated cemetery. Untouched for the most of the last century it was overgrown and unkempt. Aware that we needed to care this icon of our historic 350 year old heritage, during the past year Ainsley Henriques arranged for it to be cleared. With the assistance of the Caribbean Volunteers Expedition headed by Anne Hersh, Rachel Frankel and seven other volunteers spent the week photographing, copying inscriptions, measuring and inventorying this historic site. The entire conference traveled to the cemetery on Friday after lunch, inspected the graves, heard a short set of lectures on the work being done by these intrepid volunteers and then held hands in a large circle and recited the Mourners Kaddeesh. A fitting tribute to our past in a wonderful conference. From there we retired to Jamaica's Jewish Heritage Centre and celebrated the Shabbat.