Here is a calendar of upcoming events, up and down the country. Some are organized by us, others by like-minded organizations and groups.
N.B. DIFFERENT START TIME FOR CHRISTCHURCH
THE LEGACY WE INHERIT
Understanding Intergenerational Trauma and Resilience Across Generations
The topic explores the intergenerational transmission of the legacy of the Holocaust – the trauma, the resilience, the intense longing for what was missed and those lost. It connects with the L’dor V’dor concept of scientific research on how the Holocaust legacy may pass to 2G and 3G descendants. We’ll examine ‘post-memory’ – a connection to a past not personally lived through – and discuss findings on inherited extreme stress effects.
Helen Schamroth
Born in Poland, Helen Schamroth arrived in Melbourne with her parents in 1949 and has lived in Auckland, New Zealand, since 1968. She has written extensively for national and international publications about craft and design, including her award-winning book “100 New Zealand Craft Artists”. Her writing has evolved in parallel with her visual arts career, and she has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Triennale of Tapestry in Lodz, Poland.
Working as an arts writer, arts consultant, curator and arts advocate, Helen has served on the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand and is a Life Member of the Designers’ Institute of New Zealand. In 2005, she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts.
Series Information & Booking
Join us for the L’Dor V’Dor Speaker Series 2026 to explore the vital links between our past and future.
Single session: $11.50 (Members: $8.05)*
Experience the complete 10-part journey for only $80 (Members $58)*
Early Bird series pricing ends April 20th, 2026. Secure Your Series Pass Now – Click HERE
*Prices include GST. Booking fees are additional.
Click the graphic to register
The jolly festival of Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar (late winter/early spring). It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day,” as recorded in the Megillah (book of Esther).
The Persian Empire of the 4th century BCE extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he arranged a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favor in his eyes and became the new queen, though she refused to divulge her nationality.
Meanwhile, the Jew-hating Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. Mordechai, the leader of the Jews (and Esther’s cousin), defied the king’s orders and refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed, and he convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar, a date chosen by a lottery Haman made.
Mordechai galvanized all the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray to G‑d. Meanwhile, Esther asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At a subsequent feast, Esther revealed to the king her Jewish identity. Haman was hanged, Mordechai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued, granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies.
On the 13th of Adar, the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar, they rested and celebrated. In the capital city of Shushan, they took one more day to finish the job.
Purim means “lots” in ancient Persian. The holiday was thus named since Haman had thrown lots to determine when he would carry out his diabolical scheme. You can pronounce this name many ways. In Eastern tradition, it is called poo-REEM. Among Westerners, it is often called PUH-rim. Some Central-European communities even call it PEE-rim. (WARNING: Calling this holiday PYOO-rim—as English speakers are sometimes wont to do—is a surefire newbie cover-blower.)
- Reading of the Megillah (book of Esther), which recounts the story of the Purim miracle. This is done once on the eve of Purim and then again on the following day.
- Giving money gifts to at least two poor people.
- Sending gifts of two kinds of food to at least one person.
- A festive Purim feast, which often includes wine or other intoxicating beverages.
Source: Chabad
Israel defending itself from Iranian retaliation
Israel at war has reshaped global conversations, and NZFOI supporters are invited to meet on March 24 for an open discussion about the conflict and its wider regional implications.
We’ll explore how these events are influencing attitudes toward Jewish communities worldwide, how those shifts are being felt in our own families, friendships, and local communities.
Library services will be available.
NZ Friends of Israel Association Inc – Fighting racial intolerance in New Zealand and beyond
Prof. Michal Bar-Asher Siegel
Even though Israel is at War, we are delighted to invite you to an evening with Prof. Michal Bar‑Asher Siegal, one of Israel’s leading scholars of Jewish–Christian relations in Late Antiquity and the Vice President for Global Engagement at Ben‑Gurion University of the Negev.
Prof. Bar‑Asher Siegal plays a central role in shaping BGU’s international partnerships and global academic strategy, while also ensuring a vibrant, supportive environment for the University’s international students and scholars. Her home city of Beersheva sits just 23 km from the sites attacked on October 7, bringing a deeply personal dimension to her reflections on Jewish history, resilience, and identity.
A professor in the Goldstein‑Goren Department of Jewish Thought, her research focuses on the complex interactions between early Christians and rabbinic Jews, using comparative readings of foundational texts to illuminate how these communities shaped — and challenged — one another. She has held prestigious visiting professorships at Harvard Law School, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, and is a member of the Israel Young Academy of Sciences.
Her acclaimed books include:
- Early Christian Monastic Literature and the Babylonian Talmud (CUP, 2013), winner of the 2014 Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award
- Jewish‑Christian Dialogues on Scripture in Late Antiquity (CUP, 2019), a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award
Join us for what promises to be a fascinating and timely exploration of how a university faces and overcomes many challenges encountered in wartime.
Date: Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Mary Potter Community Centre
442 Durham St North, St Albans, Christchurch 8014
Online access. Please contact the Secretary if you wish to obtain the link to allow you access to the live talk.
Please bring a plate of finger food to share for supper afterwards.
No pork or seafood products, thank you for your understanding.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Passover or Pesach (/ˈpɛsɑːx, ˈpeɪsɑːx/;[4] from Hebrew פֶּסַח Pesah, Pesakh), is an important, biblically-derived Jewish holiday. Jews celebrate Passover as a commemoration of their liberation by God from slavery in ancient Egypt and their freedom as a nation under the leadership of Moses. It commemorates the story of the Exodus as described in the Hebrew Bible, especially in the Book of Exodus, in which the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. According to standard biblical chronology, this event would have taken place at about 1300 BCE (AM 2450).[5]
Passover is a spring festival which during the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem was connected to the offering of the “first-fruits of the barley”, barley being the first grain to ripen and to be harvested in the Land of Israel.[6]
Passover commences on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Nisan and lasts for either seven days (in Israel and for Reform Jews and other progressive Jews around the world who adhere to the Biblical commandment) or eight days for Orthodox, Hasidic, and most Conservative Jews (in the diaspora).[7][8] In Judaism, a day commences at dusk and lasts until the following dusk, thus the first day of Passover only begins after dusk of the 14th of Nisan and ends at dusk of the 15th day of the month of Nisan. The rituals unique to the Passover celebrations commence with the Passover Seder when the 15th of Nisan has begun. In the Northern Hemisphere Passover takes place in spring as the Torah prescribes it: “in the month of [the] spring” (בחדש האביב Exodus 23:15). It is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays.
In the narrative of the Exodus, the Bible tells that God helped the Children of Israel escape from their slavery in Egypt by inflicting ten plagues upon the ancient Egyptians before the Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves; the tenth and worst of the plagues was the death of the Egyptian first-born.
The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a slaughtered spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord knew to pass over the first-born in these homes, hence the English name of the holiday.[9]
When the Pharaoh freed the Israelites, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread dough to rise (leaven). In commemoration, for the duration of Passover no leavened bread is eaten, for which reason Passover was called the feast of unleavened bread in the Torah or Old Testament.[10] Thus matzo (flat unleavened bread) is eaten during Passover and it is a tradition of the holiday.
Historically, together with Shavuot (“Pentecost”) and Sukkot (“Tabernacles”), Passover is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals (Shalosh Regalim) during which the entire population of the kingdom of Judah made a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.[11] Samaritans still make this pilgrimage to Mount Gerizim, but only men participate in public worship.[12][13]
Yom HaShoah: Join us as we honour the six million and all who perished in the Shoah. Together we remember, we mourn, and we affirm our commitment to stand against hatred in every generation.
Click these links to register:
- For Wellington – https://tinyurl.com/WellingtonYomHaShoah
- For Auckland – https://tinyurl.com/AucklandYomHaShoah
- For Christchurch – https://tinyurl.com/chchYomHaShoah
In partnership with the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation, we invite you to come celebrate Israel’s 78th birthday (Yom Ha’atzmaut). There will be lots of activities for young and old. Please bring a plate of finger food. No seafood or pork products. Thanks for your understanding.
We will be finishing by about 8.30pm as the next day is a school day.
Seventy‑eight years after its rebirth in 1948, Israel stands as one of the most extraordinary success stories of the modern era. A nation born in the shadow of trauma and surrounded by immense challenges has not only endured but flourished in ways few could have imagined. From a population of just over 800,000 at independence to more than nine million today, Israel has built a vibrant, diverse, and resilient society rooted in ancient heritage yet boldly oriented toward the future. Its survival alone would have been remarkable; its thriving is nothing short of inspiring.
In less than eight decades, Israel has become a global leader in science, medicine, agriculture, cybersecurity, and humanitarian innovation. It has turned deserts into farmland, pioneered life‑saving technologies used around the world, and fostered a culture of creativity and determination that continues to defy the odds. The story of Israel at 78 is not simply one of endurance — it is a testament to human spirit, ingenuity, and hope. It reminds us that even in the most difficult circumstances, a nation built on courage and vision can achieve the extraordinary. Yom Ha’atzmaut is a day for celebration.
MARY POTTER COMMUNITY CENTRE
442 DURHAM ST NORTH
CHRISTCHURCH
6.30PM. TUESDAY MAY 12, 2026.
RSVP TO
Shavuot is a moed (appointed time) mandated as a commandment of God. It is also called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.
Shavuot has a double significance. It marks the all-important wheat harvest in the Land of Israel (Exodus 34:22); and it commemorates the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the entire nation of Israel assembled at Mount Sinai, although the association between the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) and Shavuot is not explicit in the Biblical text.
The holiday is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer, and its date is directly linked to that of Passover. The Torah mandates the seven-week Counting of the Omer, beginning on the second day of Passover, to be immediately followed by Shavuot. This counting of days and weeks is understood to express anticipation and desire for the giving of the Torah. On Passover, the people of Israel were freed from their enslavement to Pharaoh; on Shavuot they were given the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God.[2] The word Shavuot means weeks, and the festival of Shavuot marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot. The yahrzeit of King David is traditionally observed on Shavuot. Hasidic Jews also observe the yahrzeit of the Baal Shem Tov.[3]
Shavuot is one of the less familiar Jewish holidays to secular Jews in the Jewish diaspora, while those in Israel as well as the Orthodox community are more aware of it.[4][5] According to Jewish law, Shavuot is celebrated in Israel for one day and in the Diaspora (outside of Israel) for two days. Reform Judaism celebrates only one day, even in the Diaspora.[6]
L’DOR V’DOR
Wed 27th May 2026, 12 pm – 1:30 pm
THE SHADOW OF 1945 IN 1967
Memory, Survival, and the Six-Day War
0Presentation by TAMMAR STEIN, Author and Researcher
THE SHADOW OF 1945 IN 1967
Memory, Survival, and the Six-Day War
This presentation examines the deep psychological link between the Holocaust and the 1967 Six-Day War, illustrating how an existential dread of a second genocide defined the “waiting period” leading up to the conflict. With Holocaust survivors constituting nearly a third of the Israeli population at the time, Tammar’s research—highlighted by intimate interviews with her father—explores the transition of trauma from survivors to the second generation. By weaving together the harrowing emotional toll on a grandfather who feared history was repeating itself and the heavy mantle of “protector” assumed by his soldier son, the study reveals how the national memory of 1945 directly dictated the collective mindset and survival instincts of 1967.
TAMMAR STEIN, Author and Researcher
Tammar Stein is the author of multiple children’s books, including The Six-Day Hero, a middle-grade novel about the Six-Day War that was a Junior Library Guild Selection, a PJ Our Way Selection, and a Sydney Taylor Award Honour Book. Her follow-up novel, Beni’s War, won the Middle East Book Award and received a starred review from School Library Journal. Her books have been named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, a Virginia Readers’ Choice, a Texas high school summer reading book, and a New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age.
Tammar has lived on four continents and in six countries. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, German, Russian and Ukrainian. She lives in New Zealand.
If you purchase an In-person attendance series ticket and find that you cannot attend in person on the day, please inform us so we can send you Zoom details.
If you purchase an Online attendance series ticket and decide to come in person to a session, please inform us in advance for security purposes.
* Prices include GST. Booking fees are additional.