New projects, articles and Limmud

We’re counting down to the upcoming Limmud conference in Auckland and looking forward to sharing progress on our work and some of our new projects.

One of those projects is an Auckland Jewish Heritage Walk. We have engaged the services of Sarah Oliver, an Auckland university student who undertook a Summer scholarship research project on the Auckland Jewish community a couple of years ago. Sarah is assisting with research on the sites of interest, with supervision from Prof Leonard Bell. We are excited to show you the progress on the development of an App for use in self-guided tours. The walk will be a tangible and experiential way of making the Jewish story in Auckland better known.

We continue to add new stories to the website of Jewish Lives in New Zealand…

Raye Freedman’s Legacy

Be inspired by Raye Freedman’s example of generosity. She was raised to identify actively with the Jewish people and religion, and to pursue mitzvot with a generous heart. An incident in Canada when Raye was 12 was formative in her later philanthropy. Two elderly nuns arrived at the family home one cold winter night, seeking charity. She turned them away. When her father heard what she had done he was furious and bundled her out the door to find the women and bring them home for food and warmth: ‘This incident . . . made one of the greatest impacts on my whole being. The way I have since tried to conduct my life goes back to those early years.’

Oliver Spalter

We congratulate Oliver Spalter, now pursuing his music career at the prestigious Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois. Oliver first picked up the double bass at the age of 14 and immediately found himself in love with its sonorous tone and incredible ability to sing in all registers. Starting the bass wasn’t Oliver’s first introduction to the beauty and power of music though, rather the result of a life of being exposed to all kinds of art and culture through his Jewish identity.

More from Mixed Blessings

We’re pleased to share another story from Mixed Blessings: New Zealand Children of Holocaust Survivors Remember. ‘Gefilte Fish’  is one of a series of fictionalised short stories inspired by the lives of Helen Schamroth’s parents, Martha and Feliks Ash.

As old as Auckland

‘As Old as Auckland’ tells the history of L.D. Nathan & Co. Ltd and of the David Nathan family, 1840–1980. You can read an abridged version of the fascinating history of two generations of this enterprising Jewish family as they negotiate their new life in Aotearoa. This was first published on our parent website.

Do enjoy this month’s read and we look forward to seeing you at Limmud.

Jewish Lives Trustees

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