The First Mitzvaton took place in Madrid, in 2009, ten years ago, when the Jewish Community of Madrid (CJM) decided to organize a day to involve anyone belonging to this beautiful Congregation to participate on any of several proposals in order to accomplish mitzvot, meaning performing actions dedicated to help your community, environment or any other area of our day to day life.
This year the Mistvaton has been again organised but they have had the initiative to set the date between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. As most of you know, these days are called “Atseret Yeme Tshuva” (“The 10 days of return”). The day started in the JCC (Jewish Community Center) in Balmes Street of Madrid with a global Shachrit and Selichot, conducted by Rabbi Moshe Bendahan SHLITA, Chief Rabbi of Madrid Jewish Community and FCJE(Council of Jewish Communities of Spain) and after that there was a quick breakfast and everyone went stright to their tasks. There were many ways to be involved in this day, such as visiting old people of our congregation who live alone, fixing up damaged prayer book from different synagogues, or even participating in giving used clothing taken from The Jewish Community of Madrid to a Catholic Parrish in Madrid, giving with this a sample of intercooperation.
Good Job to everybody!!!
The Alcala Gate (La Puerta del Alcalá) is one of the most visited and iconic monuments in Madrid. Located in Plaza de la Independencia and just in front of the main entrance to Parque del Retiro (Retiro Park), this monument is the remaining of the Walls around city during the Kingdom of Felipe IV (Phillip IV) from 1625 to 1868. These were not defensive walls, but essentially served for fiscal and surveillance purposes: to control the access of goods to the city, ensure the collection of taxes, and to monitor who went in and out of Madrid. The materials used for construction were brick, mortar and compacted earth. From the arquitechtonical point of view it has a very singular construction as both sides are different.
Those people visiting Madrid las weekend had opportunity to visit the Chocolate Fair (CHOCOMAD), a place for Chocolate lovers.
Red de Juderías (Spanish Netwrod of Jewish Quarters) was promoted participating on October 4th, in the “Jornada de la Cultura Sephardi” that was held at the Cervantes Institute in Tokyo, with the attendance of more than two hundred people.
I had opportunity yesterday of visiting the opening of the Temporary exhibition of Moises Bentata and Moshe Castel at Centro Sefarad Israel in Madrid. It was not only an honour but a very special feeling to see how a friend of mine has converted into a well named artist.
The Jewish Community of Madrid has announced that it will award its 2017 Or Januká Award to the State Security Forces and Corps for its defense of democracy and constitutional order and for “their risky work”.
This time the expo is enriched with a panel dedicated to football in Melilla and the inaugural event will feature the intervention of former footballer Antonio Potous.
A judge in Barcelona has sentenced a young man of 22 years to four months in prison, special disqualification for the right of suffrage and about 500 euros fine for having painted a Nazi swastika at the door of a synagogue in the Catalan capital. The sentence nevertheless agrees to suspend the sentence of deprivation of liberty, if the defendant complies with a series of rules of conduct. The first: not to commit crime for two years. And the second, more in the way of education, condemns the young anti-Semite to participate in a human rights course aimed at full respect for equality and non-discrimination of people, especially for anti-Semitic reasons, and to be taught By the Department of Justice of the Generalitat. These courses should include visits to the synagogue, to know the reality of the Jewish people and “break prejudices and anti-Semitic stereotypes,” according to the ruling issued by the TSJC.