Iyar, a Month of counting
Jewish? Jew-adjacent? On the Jewish spectrum? Oy Vey has events and discussions for you! Join us for Shabbat, Havdalah, The Jewish Manifesto, and the Deviant Yeshiva. Come to one or come to all. You are welcome.
But first, your Jewish horoscope.
Your Jewish Horoscope
The Sefer Yetzira has this to tell us about Iyar, the month we are in now:
God produced ו [Vav], predominant in Mind, crowned, combined, and formed Taurus in the world, Iyar in the year, and the left hand of the human.
We’re Counting Omer!
We’re not quite sure what we are celebrating on Lag b’Omer. Some mark the day with bonfires. Some say that it marks the end of a plague that killed thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s disciples. Others say it’s the yahrzeit of a Talmudic scholar. It could be the number 33, which is the number of days we have been counting omer.
And what is omer anyway? Is it a seed of grain? A sheaf of grain? Does it just help us keep track of the calendar?
We’re not sure. The one thing we are sure about is that, weather permitting, we will light a tiny bonfire for a bbq on the Shabbat close to Lag b’Omer which is on the 5th of May: Liberation day! Please join us!
Sign up for our Lag B’Omer Shabbat on May 5
Events
Coming in Iyar and beyond…Events are grouped by type for your convenience.
Shabbat and Havdalah
Friday, May 5, 2023
18:30-22:00
Potluck, BBQ Shabbat
Details
Saturday, 6 May 2023
19:15 – 21:15
Havdalah Meditation
Details
Discussions!
Sunday, 30 April 2023
14:00 – 15:30: Online: The Deviant Yeshiva (reading group)
This session’s reading is Andrea Dworkin’s Jew Hate/Women Hate from her book Scapegoat
Details
Sunday, 7 May 2023
14:00 – 15:30: Face-to-Face: The Deviant Yeshiva (reading group)
We’ll be reading Hélène Cixous’ “Jewish colonial womanhood”
Details
Sunday, 14 May 2023
13:00-14:30: Online: Jewish Manifesto Dialogue – Jewish Joy and Comfort
Details
Sunday, 28 May 2023
14:00 – 15:30: Online: The Deviant Yeshiva (reading group)
We’ll be reading Hélène Cixous’ “Jewish colonial womanhood”
Details
Monday, 29 May 2023
19:00 – 20:45 Face-to-Face: The Jewish Manifesto: Jewish Joy and Comfort
Details
FROM OY VEY MEMBERS
30 April, May 4 & 5: Open Joodse Huizen & Huizen van Verzet
An amazing series of conversations and open houses organized by Mirthe Frese!
Sprekende herdenkingen waarbij vertellers, bezoekers en bewoners verhalen delen in huizen waar mensen woonden en werkten voor, tijdens en vlak na de Tweede Wereldoorlog.
Details
4 & 5 May: IWalk
Our very own Mari Varsányi developed a tour of the Jewish resistance in Amsterdam that you can download online. Details below… Well done, Mari!
Loop mee met de IWalk ‘Joods verzet in Amsterdam’ en ontdek de verhalen van de oude Jodenbuurt: Een IWalk is een historische wandeling, gebaseerd op getuigenis video’s, die je via een applicatie volgt. Je ontdekt een stuk lokale geschiedenis terwijl je een buurt bewandelt en persoonlijke verhalen beluistert over gebeurtenissen die zich op dat plek hebben afgespeeld. Stap terug in de tijd met deze IWalk.
Details
We’re reading Nina’s Siegal’s THE DIARY KEEPERS, available in Dutch as De Vergeten Dagboeken!
Nina Siegal gained access to a treasure trove of diaries kept by Dutch people during World War II. The result is a powerful, must-read book. We’re reading it now and highly recommend it!
UPDATE: Oops, the title of Nina Siegel’s book is The Diary Keepers, not The Forgotten Diaries. This post has been updated to reflect that.