Presentation of the musical film-performance „PurimShpiel”

On the festive day when Daugavpils Evangelical Christian Church «God's Covenant» and Daugavpils Jewish community celebrated together all five Jewish autumn holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah in the hotel Latgola conference hall, one more very important event took place. The musical film – performance, shot on the performance "PurimShpiel-2012" shown this year during the Purim holiday, was presented.

The pastor of God's Covenant Church Stanislav Zlobin became the author of the idea and the producer of the project. In his speech he told what encouraged him for this project. First, the revival of the old tradition in the city - to stage "PurimShpiel" on the holiday Purim; after all more than 25 years has passed from the date of the last performance of "PurimShpiel" in the city. And secondly, to achieve longstanding and cherished dream - to shoot films. And now, it can be said, the dream came true. The first film is finished. And a large number of people have participated in it. In total, more than 50 people were occupied in shooting.

For those who were present at the hall the advertising video of the film - performance "PurimShpiel", prepared specially for the presentation, was shown.

In the course of the presentation the collectives which have taken part in shooting were presented:

Alla Terekhova, the director and producer of the performance, said to all who were present: «Judaic holiday Purim is a holiday of unity of Jews. And so it turned out that work on the performance united all of us, not only Jews, but also Christians, people of different nationalities. I believe it is the most important in this event. Performance was put on very short terms, only in three months time.

In the performance 14 actors were occupied. The actors occupied in the performance and acting in the film - performance were presented to those who were present:

- The role of Tsar Artaxerxes was played by Victor Petrochenko, but, unfortunately, Victor accepted the Russian nationality and left to residence in Russia. So he couldn't be present at the presentation. And the tsar was, oh, so good!

- It is desirable to express a special gratitude to the performer of the  role of Mordechai – the actress of Folk theatre "Iskatel" Stalina Tsetseruk who agreed to play a male role and played faultlessly, though there were four applicants for this role;

- The 1st narrator - Andrey Kopylov, the 2nd narrator - Evgenia Melnikova, they managed the role very well;

- Elena Fedorova played Esther's role, very penetrating and womanly;

- Karina Guseva played the queen Vashti, though the role is small, but bright and well remembered;

- Sergey Filipov played the role of villain Aman, he played excellent, but nevertheless introduced some personal positive traits to the character;

- Vladimir Senin - the vizier, was a picturesque figure on the scene;

- Svetlana Rudakova - very diligent astrologer and chronicler on the scene;

- Alexey Filipov - the 1st guard and the servant, David Zlobin - the 2nd guard and the servant, both managed their roles, everything was played precisely and in time;

- Girls: Ioanna Zlobina, Christina Nitisha and Lyuba Filipova became an ornament of the final scene of the performance;

We thank everyone and we wish further success!

Raisa Abramovna Ustinskova, the board member of the Jewish community and the member of the council «The Jewish Centre Ministry» and more, she is a teacher of Russian literature. In film credits she is called the adviser, and actually so it was. She gave advice to the actors concerning all questions: the Jewish traditions, suits, corrected texts, taught actors the correct pronunciation, was present on many rehearsals. Without her participation performance wouldn't take place at the current level.

Three collectives of the Jewish community, under the leadership of a teacher of musical school Grigory Kagan, took part in shooting: a klezmer chapel, vocal ensemble "Mazel Tov" - «We wish you good luck», children's vocal ensemble Faerlekh - "Sparks", they emphasized important and dramatic situations of the film - performance.

Dance collectives of the Jewish community "Holom" and "Aviva", a choreographer Dmitry Morderer, undoubtedly, decorated the performance and the film with dances from the time of Tsar Artaxerxes.

The huge role in the production of the film - performance played Andrey Kopylov, the operator and the video film editor, without him this miracle – production of the film would hardly had taken place. Throughout shootings Andrey surprised all of us with endurance, tranquillity and ability to work with people. This work was the first, but we hope not the last.

 Except the performers of roles and creative collectives there were other "off-screen" participants of the performance:

- the sound technician - David Zlobin;

- scenery and scene decoration - Elena Fedorova;

- suits, requisites and scene decoration - Larisa Zlobina;

- technical equipment, lights - Valery Lobanovsky and Victor Petrochenko.

The board member of the Jewish community and the Member of the council of «The Jewish Centre Ministry» Isaak Narovlyansky in his speech at the presentation summed up the work done and estimated that all that Jewish community and God's Covenant Church has done and are doing together deserves appreciation.

 Together we can do much more!

Article by Alla Terekhova

Photo by Evgenia Melnikova, Stanislav Zlobin

We celebrate from Rosh haShanah to Simchat Torah

Daugavpils Evangelical Christian Church «God's Covenant» together with the Daugavpils Jewish community celebrates all Jewish autumn holidays already several years in a row. Moreover, the council of «The centre of service to the Jewish people», where representatives of two communities enter, decided to carry out all five holidays: Rosh haShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

And so, on Sunday, October 21, this holiday took place in the Conference hall of hotel Latgola of the city of Daugavpils (Latvia). The hall was full. Certainly there was the Jewish population of the city in the majority in the hall, but also there were members of God's Covenant Church, citizens of Daugavpils of other nationalities and religions to whom the history and traditions of the Jewish people are interesting. As always, there were many guests in the hall: Christian pastors from the United States Erica and Scott Higgins, the conductor of wind and chamber orchestras from Israel Samuel Hagin, the native of Daugavpils, he was one of the first kleaders of the Jewish community of Daugavpils. There were guests from Vilnius, Kraslava and other cities of Latvia.

In the program of the holiday: a festive concert, then presentation of the disk of a new musical film shot on the performance "Purimspiel-2012", staged this year on the holiday of Purim and, in conclusion, presentation of New Year's gifts - 150 food packages.

And though the holidays passed, but they are still fresh in the memory and souls of all Jews. The pastor of Evangelical Christian Church «God's Covenant» Stanislav Zlobin, who gives energy and efforts to service to the Jewish people, and the board member of the Daugavpils Jewish community Raisa Abramovna Ustinskova, who acquainted those who were present at the hall with history and traditions of Jewish autumn holidays, the Higginses from the USA, and the guest from Israel Samuel Hagin congratulated and wished blessed New year to all Jewish people.

To live like Jews does not mean only history and the Jewish traditions, but also the Jewish culture and music. Music which flew from clarinets of klezmer-musicians and streamed from the fingers of violinists both in sad and joyful moments of life of the Jewish people. The concert program by Leonid Magnitskiy was opened by the unique klezmer chapel, the only one in the city, under the leadership of Grigory Kagan.

The person receives life not only from the parents, but, first of all, from God who plays a definite role in the destiny of every person. The children's vocal ensemble “Faerlech” - "Sparks" and the Jewish community performed the Prayer to God «Our father, our Tsar!» and the song, devoted to Rosh haShanah - «Next year». In a year, in a year the autumn will come and again cranes will fly… And in honour of the holiday Simchat Torah - «Pleasure about the Torah», the children's vocal ensemble “Faerlech” sang the song devoted to this holiday - «I have fun and rejoice!».

Alena Didenko, who is 12 years old, with the song «As the deer wishes to the waters that flow …» and her melodious voice bewitched the listeners. «Why do you grieve, my soul, and why are confused? Hope for God!» - Alena sang.

In the row of Jewish autumn holidays the holiday of Sukkot in the Torah is called «A harvesting holiday», during these days the Jewish people thank the Supreme God for the rich harvest. The composition «Thank God for the Harvest» was performed to the audience by the drama school of God's Covenant Church by Christina Nitisha, Alexey Filipov, Samanta Varakina, Lyuba Filipova, Ioanna Zlobina, David Zlobin and Natalia Tumashevich.

Vocal ensemble "Mazel Tov" (We wish you good luck), accompanied by a klezmer chapel and under the leadership of Grigory Kagan, performed the medley of popular Yiddish songs. The alarm and pride, despair and hope, both pain and happiness, and love are intertwined in them. Yiddish language won't die, while it lives in music, in songs and while there are people who love these songs and sing them.

The constant participant of our concerts, the singer and vocal teacher Inna Kralika, also performed Jewish song. In her performance sounded the song «The Jewish eyes» on verses of the Jewish poet Simeon Berenstein, who has unique personal destiny from the disabled child to the poet who is known to the whole world. Her song on Yiddish “Bei mir bist du schеjn” was warmly accepted by the audience.

For the first time the performer of bard songs Irena Cimbale took part in the concert. She sang, accompanying herself on a guitar, Alexander Rosenbaum's  song «Jewish tailor» in which it is told about home, about parents, about love, about endured, and about hope for the best future; the song and her performance were warmly met by the audience.

The Jewish dances executed by dance ensembles of the Jewish community "Holom" and "Aviva" undoubtedly became an ornament of the holiday. Dance for Jews - the musical chronicle which reflects people’s life. Also, what is characteristic for the Jewish people? First, they start to sing and then to speak, first to dance, and after that to walk...

In conclusion of the concert program, for the first time in such concert, a duet from God's Covenant Church Vilma Makrecka and Svetlana Rudakova performed in Russian and in Hebrew languages the Jewish prayer - «Creating the peace in heavens», and all the hall sang with them. 

Israel is not only the country of citizens living in it. Jews who live in other countries all around the world are a part of the great Jewish people, though they don't live in Israel. They, as the Israelis, turn their looks upon the Supreme God and ask Him for peace, good fortune and rescue.

Article by Alla Terekhova

Photo by Evgenia Melnikova