Ilene Perlman was the guest speaker at the Rashi Learning & Leadership Council earlier this month. Ilene is a photographer who travels the world to tell the stories of Jewish community members from all different backgrounds and ethnicities. She travels to places like Ethiopia, Cuba, Ireland, Germany and Paris.
Ilene recently received a grant from CJP to continue telling stories all over the world. When Ilene travels to a new country she writes about things such as her experience there, the environment when they would celebrate holidays, people’s practices, and what was similar and different to the United States. The point of traveling is to tell people’s stories, explore world Jewry to show that Jews don’t just come from Israel, and they need our support all over the world.
When Ilene visited Havana, she got to witness 10 couples getting married at once in the main synagogue. The synagogue does not have a Rabbi, but for special occasions like weddings; they will bring one or two in. In this instance Rabbi Alejandro came to Havana from Argentina. This shows how Jews around the world remain connected across borders.
Prior to Ilene visiting, The Rashi Learning & Leadership Council asked students to find out about their family ancestry and traditions. When Ilene came in to speak to the students, they got to discuss holiday traditions and religious practices. Ilene gave the students a post activity to bring to the next module: write a short story or poem that reflects a Jewish community other than the U.S. or use a collage to show your ancestry.
Thank you to Ilene Perlman for sharing your incredible talents with the staff, community, and students of the Rashi Learning & Leadership Council!