So, I know its been a while, but I am back now :D

I have been trying to write abo what the Jewish community is about here, and its proving more difficult then I thought. Before I write about it, I need you to know I am not blaming or judging anyone in this community.

   I will start with the kosher store, where I worked for a little bit. They have a lot of packaged foods that they have shipped from Holland, Belgium, France and Israel. They get things like Bissli, pretzels, cookies, chocolate bars, pasta, canned soup, and soup mixes, crackers, grape juice, falafel and meat (chicken and beef)...
   
     Now, they also have a Deli/café where they serve sandwiches, salads, meet Kebabs, and Falafel. All the foods in the deli are Israeli style, and made by one of the owners. The owners are not religious, and therefore the lines of Kashrus are blurred. For instance, One of the other girls working there was doing dishes in he back, from the deli. (They have real milk for the employees coffee in real mugs, so they have a milk side of the sink, and a meat side) Well, this girl didn't know this, and washed a ton of meat dishes, on the milk side, in boiling hot water. So, Halachically, its not Kosher anymore. BUT, according to the owner, it was ok, BECAUSE it was in hot water. At first I thought, well, she doesn't know, its not her fault. But when the Rabbi got involved, she put up a fight to what he was saying as well!

   Most people (in America) go to a Shul that has at least one or two people who drive to Shul on Shabbos/Yom Tov. Here, just about everyone does, and they come in with their large purses and text during services. ALTHO this usually only happens on Yom Tov, not Shabbos. On Shabbos only more serious people come, but a lot still come by Metro or car.

   We also have a problem where when wine is being used at a Kiddush, or Yom Tov meal, we have to be careful because a lot of people are not Jewish, thru intermarriage, so if they pour wine that is not Mevushal we cant use it.

NOW, all that being said, the community does have some amazing qualities! They organize meals for the Chagim at the Shul for those interested, and when someone is visiting they are included with no fuss. Everyone is very sweet and polite (I guess that's from the Finnish culture ;) ). For example, most people here live I apartments, and do not have anywhere to build a Succah. So on Succos, the Shul built a Succah and anyone who wanted to join in the meal being held was welcome. The Chazzan cooked food for EVERY meal of Yom Tov and didn't even except money in return. Just wanted the community to join in the Simcha! It was SO beautiful! Everyone inside singing, and laughing, and sharing what they learned in the Parsha, etc...

 One of the main reasons Finland Jews are surviving now, is due to the Chabbad Rabbi here. He organizes Shabbos meals for people, and will invite people n Shabbos to his house last minute if they don't have anywhere to go, and is always up to learning with anyone interested! One night, as we were leaving from Simchas Torah, he pulled some guys together who had been walking back with us from shul and started dancing. He got so into it, as did the other guys, that he even got some who never danced like that before to do so, right on the street corner!! It was the most beautiful thing I have seen so far!!

AND of course one of thmost important things, is one of the guys in the community is letting us use a spare studio apartment he owes, RENT FREE until we find a pace of our own! We can not thank him enough!


Till next time!
    ~Naomi Chava