{"id":369,"date":"2016-05-25T00:45:19","date_gmt":"2016-05-25T00:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kulanuarchive.kulanu.org\/?p=369"},"modified":"2019-04-08T10:36:16","modified_gmt":"2019-04-08T14:36:16","slug":"announcing-the-2016-kulanu-madagascar-speaking-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kulanu.org\/archive\/announcing-the-2016-kulanu-madagascar-speaking-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Announcing the 2016 Kulanu-Madagascar Speaking Tour!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Elysha<\/a><\/p>\n

Elysha Netsarh of Madagascar, Kulanu\u2019s 2016 speaker.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dear friends,<\/p>\n

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Kulanu is excited to announce our 2016 Kulanu-Madagascar speaking tour. Yes, Madagascar! We met our speaker, Elysha Netsarh, during our journey to that far-away island country off the east coast of Africa. We were immediately struck by Elysha\u2019s outgoing personality, her intellect, and her command of English, as she interpreted for us from her native Malagasy language and French.<\/div>\n
Please join us in welcoming Elysha on her first trip to North America. Her multi-media presentation will include videos of the celebration of the conversions of members of the Madagascar Jewish community and the joyous Jewish weddings that followed. Through fabulous pictures and music that will accompany her presentation, audiences of all ages will learn about the fascinating little-known country of Madagascar, populated by a warm vibrant people challenged by poverty, and home to an emerging Jewish community that will continue to grow and thrive with our recognition.<\/div>\n
We are requesting your help in identifying possible venues for this year\u2019s Kulanu-Madagascar speaking tour which will run\u00a0October 26th to December 5th, 2016. Schedules fill up fast, so please act soon to reserve your spot this fall.<\/div>\n
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This is an opportunity to make a special multilayered contribution \u2014 educating your community about the Jews of Madagascar, helping the\u00a0Malagasy Jewish community grow their relationships with the wider world, and providing support for Madagascar and around the world.<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Click here<\/a>\u00a0to inquire about booking your event now!<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n
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About Elysha Netsarh<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Elysha, a researcher and teacher who earned a PhD in plant chemistry at the University of Paris, was raised in Antananarivo, Madagascar\u2019s capital city. At a young age, she became interested in probing her country\u2019s history, as well as the history of her own family, who, in response to colonial pressures, practiced Christianity along with the majority of the country\u2019s residents. When her grandfather revealed the family\u2019s Jewish origins, she began to study Judaism in earnest. Her formal conversion in May is the culmination of her search for identity, the fulfillment of a \u201cpermanent spiritual thirst.\u201d<\/div>\n
As a leader of the Jewish community of 150 people deeply committed to Jewish practice, Elysha is in the process of preparing a Hebrew-Malagasy prayer book and compiling a Hebrew-Malagasy Chumash. The distinctive headscarf she wears elicits questions from students and colleagues at the University of Antananarivo, allowing her to share her Jewish principles as a counselor for young people about to embark on careers.<\/div>\n

Married to a researcher on soil management, Elysha has high hopes for her new-born community, as she contemplates establishing a Hebrew school for children and inaugurating chevruta\u00a0(partnered) study of Jewish texts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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About the Kulanu-Madagascar Speaking Tour<\/b><\/div>\n
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Members of the Jewish community in Madagascar live Jewish lives, studying Torah and Hebrew, and observing mitzvot, Shabbat, and holidays. In May, Kulanu sent a delegation to Madagascar. . Our delegation included a bet din (rabbinic court) of three Orthodox rabbis who supervised the conversions of more than 120 candidates. After the conversions, a dozen couples \u00a0had Jewish weddings ceremonies under the chuppah and happy celebrations. During our stay, Kulanu also organized an international symposium co-sponsored by Florida International University. Professor Tudor Parfitt gave the keynote address, while \u00a0Malagasy speakers discussed the historic roots of a people who, they demonstrated, may be an offshoot of ancient Israel. All of these historic events were videotaped by two filmmakers who will produce a documentary.\u00a0To learn more about this community, please visit\u00a0\u00a0www.kulanu.org\/madagascar<\/a><\/div>\n
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The 2016 Kulanu-Madagascar Speaking Tour will run from\u00a0October 26 through December 5\u00a0in the United States and possibly Canada.\u00a0Click here<\/a>\u00a0to inquire about booking an event.<\/strong>Please\u00a0share\u00a0this announcement<\/a>\u00a0with your networks, including your local organizational leader or event programmer!\u00a0If you are outside of the U.S. or Canada, please pass this announcement along to your American and Canadian friends and colleagues. Thank you so much!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is required of host locations?<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Please know that you are welcome to seek co-sponsors to share your event. Synagogues of all denominations, Jewish community centers, Jewish and secular schools and universities, and other\u00a0groups\u00a0have all joined together to co-sponsor Kulanu speakers. Kulanu speakers have been welcomed at Brown, Cal State, Howard, Washburn, Wellesley, Northeastern, and Yale Universities. Within universities, many departments have co-sponsored, including history, religion, music, Jewish studies, African studies, campus ministries, international development, and diversity offices.<\/div>\n
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Here is what we ask of event hosts:<\/div>\n