Calling for articles on Jewish Diversity for a contest and upcoming book

The Organization Kulanu (www.kulanu.org), which means "All of Us" in Hebrew, is calling for articles on Jewish Diversity for a contest and upcoming book:

Writing Contest Announced - August 13, 2001 Contact: Karen Primack, primack@starpower.net or 301 565 3094

The organization Kulanu is calling for articles on Jewish Diversity for a contest and upcoming book.

Kulanu, which assists "lost and dispersed Jewish communities around the world," hopes to publish a booklet entitled Readings in Jewish Diversity. It is intended for use in synagogue services, home ceremonies, communal gatherings, and quiet contemplation of the rich diversity to be found within Judaism.

The organization is seeking poems, prayers, prose, and songs. Perspectives can be Ashkenazic or Sephardic, white or nonwhite, American or Asian or African, Lubavitch or "Marrano." The writing can be, but need not be, geared to a particular holiday or life-cycle event. Non-English writings should include an English translation.

Send submissions to primack@starpower.net or Kulanu Book Project, 1217 Edgevale Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910-1612 USA.

After checking out www.kulanu.org I see they are dedicated "to finding and assisting lost and dispersed remnants of the Jewish people." Among the groups they help are the 'Marranos', "a large group of Jews [which] was 'lost' during the period of forced conversions to Christianity in Spain and Portugal starting in the 15th century. Many of these so-called 'Marranos' continued to practice Judaism in secret. Today their descendants can be found in Brazil, Mexico, the southwestern United States, and Majorca, as well as mainland Spain and Portugal.".

When I was a student in Israel in the early 90's, during summer, I used to guide groups of kids from Europe and America. One my groups turned out to be a mixture of kids from Western and Eastern Europe, including England, France, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Belgium, Romania, Spain and Portugal. Since I speak French, Portuguese, English and Hebrew fluently, I was perfect for the job.

One of the kids came from a small northern Portuguese village, a Marrano community. It was the first time I met a Marrano, and we kept in contact for years after he went back to Portugal. For more info on Marranos, click here.

I copy below Kulanu's full press release and my submission to the contest, "Pleading for my Land" by the French singer and poet, Herbet Pagani.

Writing Contest Announced
www.kulanu.org - August 13, 2001
Karen Primack, primack@starpower.net or 301 565 3094

The organization Kulanu is calling for articles on Jewish Diversity for a contest and upcoming book.

Kulanu, which assists "lost and dispersed Jewish communities around the world," hopes to publish a booklet entitled Readings in Jewish Diversity. It is intended for use in synagogue services, home ceremonies, communal gatherings, and quiet contemplation of the rich diversity to be found within Judaism.

The organization is seeking poems, prayers, prose, and songs. Perspectives can be Ashkenazic or Sephardic, white or nonwhite, American or Asian or African, Lubavitch or "Marrano." The writing can be, but need not be, geared to a particular holiday or life-cycle event. Non-English writings should include an English translation.

Both published and unpublished writings are acceptable, by well-known authors and obscure authors alike (Kulanu will not publish anything without written permission).

As an incentive for authors to write something especially for this collection or to submit one of their unpublished works, Kulanu will award prizes of $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place for the most beautiful, moving and appropriate original submissions by an adult. It is running a separate competition for young writers (16 years of age and under) with awards of $150, $75, and $50, respectively.

All contest submissions will be considered for publication in the book. Please indicate clearly if your submission is for the contest as well as for publication. There is no reading fee, but submissions cannot be returned. The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2002.

This idea was inspired by a moving Social Action Shabbaton held in January 2002 at Tifereth Israel Congregation in Washington, DC. The service included readings that the congregation printed in a small booklet called "Bring Us Home from the Four Corners: Readings and Prayers of Identity, Hope and Justice".

Send submissions to primack@starpower.net or Kulanu Book Project, 1217 Edgevale Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910-1612 USA.

For information about Kulanu's mission and work, see www.kulanu.org

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-----Original Message----- From: David Melle [mailto:dmelle@factsofisrael.com] Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 12:36 AM To: primack@starpower.net Subject: Writing contest - submitting song by Herbert Pagani

Hello,

I have received the email below, and would like to submit a song written and composed by the French singer and poet Herbert Pagani.

I have translated the song to English and you may find the whole story at:

Pleading for my Land
http://www.factsofisrael.com/load.php?p=/blog/archives/000215.html
Herbet Pagani was a French/Italian poet and singer who was very popular in the 70’s. He was communist and Jewish. He eventually became an enthusiastic Zionist and wrote the text below. This text, called “Pleading for my Land”, was read by Pagani on November 11th, 1975 on the French radio station Europe 1, after the UN passed a resolution equating Zionism to Racism.

For the original song (MP3 format, 4MB) check:
http://www.factsofisrael.com/en/
files/herbert_pagani_plaidoyer.mp3

He also wrote a song called “The Golden Star” (I haven’t yet translated it to English):
http://www.factsofisrael.com/en/
files/pagani-etoiledor.mov

As a young Jew living in Brazil (with French parents) I remember listening to Pagani’s song and feeling how much I was connected to my people and Israel. I hope you will include some of Pagani’s work in the book.

Bye,

David Melle
dmelle@FactsOfIsrael.com

Posted by David Melle
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