By Rabbi Alan Silverstein, Ph.D.

Rabbi Alan Silverstein, President.

What is unknown to all but a few "insiders" is the expanding global nature of Conservative/Masorti Judaism - in Latin America, Europe, the FSU, Australia, Africa and Asia! Masorti Olami is our Movement's "best kept secret."

As evidence of the extent of this "secrecy" - I urge you to take the following "test." Then, please share this "20 QUESTIONS" exercise with other committed Conservative/Masorti Jews.

Did you know the following? YES or NO

1. Masorti Olami is the Hebrew name for the World Council of Conservative/Masorti Synagogues, and participates in the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency.

2. The international headquarters of Masorti Olami is based in Jerusalem, with a New York City Diaspora office as well.

3. Masorti Judaism is the mainstream (largest Movement) in Argentine Jewry, and is a central religious address in Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba and many other Latin American countries.

4. There are nearly a dozen Masorti kehillot in the London area coordinated by United Kingdom's Assembly of Masorti Synagogues (AMS).

5. "Chayl Masorti" (Masorti Youth Service Corps) sends young adult volunteers to Australia, England, Czech Republic, Spain, and so forth.

6. MAROM (Masorti young adults ages 18-30) networks exist in a dozen countries throughout Europe and the FSU, with conferences and leadership training of future rabbis, educators and lay leaders.

7. The Leadership and Board of Masorti Olami consists of outstanding Conservative/Masorti men and women from all over the globe, and from all of the institutions of our Movement.

8. NOAM (teenage) groups, as well as (Israeli-style) Ramah Camps are active in Latin America, Europe and the FSU.

9. Masorti Batei Din have enabled sincere Jews By Choice to enter into the ranks of Am Yisrael in Poland, Czech Republic, England, France, Latin America, Uganda and elsewhere.

10. Masorti Olami partners with the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem in sponsoring and placing rabbinical students in France, Germany, Russia, and numerous other future locations.

11. Masorti Olami's active and indispensable partner in its Israel and Hebrew oriented agenda is MERCAZ Olami, with both organizations working in close cooperation with the Masorti Movement in Israel.

12. Masorti Olami also partners with the International Rabbinical Assembly in its service to Latin American and European RA regions and rabbis.

13. Masorti Olami and our Masorti rabbis serve more than 80 diverse kehillot in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Australia, South Africa, Japan and elsewhere.

14. Masorti Olami has recently sponsored the bringing of Torah Scrolls to kehillot in France, Spain, Czech Republic and Ukraine.

15. Masorti Olami partners with the educational efforts of Midreshet Yerushalayim (an arm of the Schechter Institute) to create supplemental and full day school options, as well as family education and new kehillot in the Ukraine.

16. Masorti Olami partners with the International Rabbinical Assembly in locating and placing rabbis in Diaspora Masorti kehillot outside of North America.

17. Masorti Olami is engaged in distributing prayer books and chumashim to kehillot around the world and in producing liturgical translations and other Conservative/Masorti publications as needed.

18. Masorti Olami partners with the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs effort to provide tefillin world-wide, with the Women's League's goal of connecting Masorti women throughout our kehillot, and USYers connecting with Masorti peers abroad.

19. In addition to the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem, Masorti Olami partners with numerous other vibrant Masorti training institutions: Jewish Theological Seminary, University of Judaism, Seminario Rabbinico Latinamericano “Marshall T. Meyer” in Buenos Aires, JTS Project Judaica in Moscow, Rabbinical Seminary and Pedagogium in Budapest and the new Masorti Lehrhaus in Berlin.

20. Masorti Olami works actively with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the Cantors Assembly, the Jewish Educators Assembly, and the other aforementioned members of the Leadership Council of Conservative Judaism.

The global dimension of our Movement is expanding rapidly. Jews in every country are calling to us for assistance and involvement. To meet these proliferating needs, we are seeking interested individuals, Conservative synagogues and foundations to help us to respond.

Join us in establishing and sustaining the option of Conservative/Masorti Judaism everywhere that Jews reside. We need your voluntarism, your philanthropy, your ideas, your passion and your commitment! Together we will ward off Diaspora pressures toward assimilation, and do our part in the sacred effort of "Kiyyum HaAm" (Jewish continuity)!

B'yedidut,

Rabbi Alan Silverstein, Ph.D.