By Megan Ma
 Los Altos Hills Beth Am members Cherie Half (left) and Irina Grach (right) host 21-year old Alla Mahas, the spiritual leader of the Beth Am congregation in Poltava, Ukraine. |
In an effort to help spread and nurture young Jewish leaders abroad, Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills has established a twin relationship with young people in Ukraine.
Led by 21-year old Alla Mahas, Congregation Beth Am of Poltava in Ukraine has flourished into a hearty congregation of 200 thanks to the local synagogue. An annual concert Saturday featuring jazz singer Pamela Rose aims to raise enough funds to cover the Poltava operation for the next year.
After Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny, one of only a few progressive rabbis in Ukraine, visited Beth Am in Los Altos Hills in 2001, Cherie and Fred Half of Palo Alto saw a growing need to strengthen support for progressive Judaism in the former Soviet Union. Their efforts focused primarily on those in former Soviet strongholds like Ukraine, where Communist rule had decimated Jewish institutions and widespread anti-Semitism prevented Jews from worship. Dukhovny referred the Halfs to a group of youth in Poltava eager to start their own congregation but who were without the financial means.
“They had nothing. They had four walls that they weren’t even able to pay for. We are really starting a community from the ground up,” said Cherie Half, chair of the Poltava Committee.
In addition to paying for rent, electricity and computer equipment, Beth Am in Los Altos Hills has donated Judaica items, prayer books and other decor that add beauty to the sparse room that seats only thirty people. Russian-Jewish books for the children are also on the list, said Half.
Half advocates and believes in progressive Judaism. It’s a model, she said, that has more meaning to the people of the former Soviet Union, who were spiritually disenfranchised for two generations. “It’s not as rigid, welcomes women and diversity. It lets people have choice,” Half said.
Mahas, 21, a former student of the Machon program for modern Jewish studies in Moscow, is the energetic spiritual leader of the Poltava congregation. Most of her charges are young adults and families - the first generation of Jews to emerge from past religious oppression.
As part of her ongoing spiritual training, Mahas is visiting Beth Am in Los Altos Hills on donated frequent-flyer airline miles and the hospitality of members. Mo Budak, a local dentist, has performed crucial dental work for the young leader.
A full-time student at the University of Poltava, Mahas also devotes an enormous amount of time to creating and developing programs for the growing Poltava community.
The Machon program is run by the World Union for Progressive Judaism - a governing body of progressive Judaism that encourages women to become spiritual leaders. With para-rabbinic authority, Mahas leads Jewish studies and Shabbat services and teaches Hebrew, among other duties, and hopes to become a cantor, a vocalist of Jewish liturgical music.
“Alla is bright, articulate and spiritual. She has a magnetism that draws people to her and she’s honest and open,” said Half, who is acquainting Mahas with local Jewish institutions and synagogues this week as part of her ongoing spiritual training.
Born and raised in Poltava, Mahas was raised by a Jewish father and Christian mother who supported her faith from an early age.
Her immediate goals, she said, will be to work hard to encourage more participants. In order to attract young parents, childcare is a crucial need for those who spend long hours in classes and services, she said.
The “Music for a Sunday Afternoon” concert featuring jazz vocalist Pamela Rose is scheduled 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills.
Tickets are $18 per person in advance, $25 at the door. For more information, call Rho Brown at 948-5748.
Proceeds will benefit the congregation in Poltava, Ukraine.
