Welcome to What's Up, Efrat?'s new season.

Watch it: http://www.voices-magazine.com/videoClip/253

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As we film this segment of What's Up, Efrat, our hearts are with our brethren in the South of Israel who have suffered terribly from relentless Arab missiles and bombardment from Gaza. Between the red alert sirens, helicopters and booming, they have no day and no night. May Hashem watch over you and keep you safe.

And our thoughts are with our brethren on the East Coast of America who have suffered through Hurricane Sandy, which has aptly been described as Frankenstorm. To those families who are without electricity or heat or phone service, we are thinking of you and hoping that your communities will be able to begin recovery very soon. May Hashem watch over you and keep you safe.

We've got great news for you. Efrat has had a tremendous victory in its struggle with the Electric Company. Thanks to head of this action, Yechiel Fishman. Next court date: November 14, 8:20 AM.

More great news. The office of the Efrat Local Council hosted hundreds of high school students from inside and outside Efrat (including all the high schools in the region) participated three days of talking and learning in a tent outside the Matnas. They discussed important issues like alcoholism among young people, youth at risk, youth self-empowerment and meetings of Jews of different stripes. The project was subsided by Minhal Chevra v'Noar of Misrad HaChinuch.

Efrat's got more to be proud of. Two of last year's final projects in Neve Shmuel Yeshiva High School's film major have made it to the finals of the country's Dati Schools' Film Competition. Good luck to RACHOK MIMCHA and TAV NECHEH, and to all those students involved in their production. Only 12 films from all around the country are in the finals which will be screened in the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv Cinemateques.

You're already winners to us. 

There's a new CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR DOG sign in town. We hope it will help keep the city clean. Meanwhile, we are still suffering from a problem with wild dogs. We'll keep you posted on this issue. If you see wild dogs in your neighborhood, please call the MOKED.

On Motzei Shabbat Parshat Chayei Sara, November 10^th at 8 PM, women, teens and girls of Efrat, Gush Etzion, and BEYOND!!! are invited to DANCE NIGHT. It's an evening of fabulastic dance with the most amazing choreographers around. Join Cheryl Mandel, Jocelyn Odenheimer. Ilana Factor, Deena Navon, Ruti Ben David, Dara Sakar, Moran Marom, Rebbetzin Tap, and Nurit Rashi on the fun and fantastic dance floor to kick up your heels in every kind of dance – Israeli Dance, Hip Hop, Zumba, Modern, Indance, Broadway, Rock - with and a special surprise – a Square Dance with the incredible square dance and country performer – the one and only Debbie Elnatan!

 The former Israeli Army base Shdema, between Har Homa and Nokdim, faces the threat of takeover by the Arabs and the international anarchists once again. Therefore the Committee for Shdema and Women in Green have once again planned activities for Friday mornings on Shdema. Please attend.

On 2 Kislev, November 16^th, Yael Ben Dov, a Lehi Fighter, will speak about Women in the Lehi  underground.

On 9 Kislev, November 23^rd, Sarah Barnea Tour guide and Erets Israel researcher, will speak about The early days of the Motza community.

On 16 Kislev, November 30^th, Lechi Fighter Ezra Yachin will speak about the emotional strength of the fighters.

Please attend and bring your families. For more information, contact Women In Green's Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar - 050-7161818 or 050-5500834, www.womeningreen.org.

On Sunday evening, 4^th of Kislev, November 18, the women and girls of Raise Your Spirits Theater debut in their happiest musical ever – ESTHER and the Secrets in the King's Court. This year marks the tenth anniversary of ESTHER's first appearance on stage. It's going to be incredible, with new musical arrangements, new choreography and staged in a new exciting way.

What? It's a surprise. 

Order your tickets for opening night November 18, or Thursday evening November 22 or Thursday evening November 29.

Order your tickets here. And we'll see you at the theater.

On Wednesday evening, the 8^th of Cheshvan, November 21 at 8:30 PM, the community is invited to an Efrat Women's Beit Midrash memorial lecture in memory of Norma Fund, of blessed memory. Rabbi Sholom Gold will speak on The Drama of Jewish History: A Chanukah Perspective." For more information [050-993-8125, www.wbm.org.il]

That's it for this issue of WHAT'S UP, EFRAT? Have a healthy winter.

What's Up, Efrat? # 6

Welcome to the newest edition of WHAT'S UP, EFRAT?

On Motzei Shabbat, January 14^th, 19^th of Tevet

BOOTCAMP!! Terrific work out instructors!!! The evening is a project of Keren Yeshua and Aseh Chayil School for the school’s needy population.

Questions? Contact the dynamic duo: Heather Cohnen or Dara Saker.   Cohnenh@aol.com or darasaker@michalwigs.com

On Monday evening, January 16^th, 21^st of Tevet, everyone is invited to the Efrat Book Club in the Library to discuss, "House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton.

On Tuesday morning, January 17^th,  22^nd of Tevet, and for seven more weeks, the Women's Bet Midrash will present two mini-courses in Bet Knesset Tiferet Avot:

 **  "Women as Servants of God: Women's Obligation in Daily Mitzvot", with Noa Jeselsohn, 8:30-9:40am.

** and "Parshat Shavua for your Shabbat Table", with Bracha Krohn, 9:50-11am. Call for details. 050-993-8125

 Also on Tuesday at 4 PM, in the Beit Bnei Rachel in the Kever Rachel Complex, Rabbi Efraim Sprecher will lead a very topical discussion, "Is the Current Exodus Failing Because of Attitudes against Women?" The Rachel's Children Reclamation Foundation will also host a supperette consisting of a healthy homemade buffet.

RCRF Winter Lectures continue, including Atara Gur every Wednesday at 11 AM at the Kever Rachel Complex.

 On Sunday, January 22^nd , 27^th of Tevet, at 8 PM, in advance of school registration, Aseh Chayil invites parents to hear about its unique educational outlook and programming.

Also on all-day Sunday and Monday (until 10 PM), our friends at the Benjamin Library in Beit Shemesh's Meyeroff Matnas in Givat Sharett are holding a gargantuan, humongous, immense, positively elephantine Book Sale!!! All books, hardcover or paperback, are only NIS 5 each!

An unprecedented number of books in English and Hebrew! New books will be put out constantly throughout the day: Adult fiction and non-fiction, thrillers, romance, detective, science fiction, classics, and everything else for adults and teens. For more information or directions, call 991-8499On Tuesday January 24^th, 29^th of Tevet, at 4 PM, Rabbi Dr. Yosef Klausner will be speaking in the Kever Rachel Complex on "The Neviot / Women Prophets: Halacha and Hagadda. A light supperette will follow.

It's time to register your children for next year's preschool and elementary school. Please do so from January 25^th through February 17^th. Please go to the Moetza to register for preschool or Mechina. And register your children for elementary school at each individual school.

On January 25^th, Rosh Chodesh Shevat, Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin Presents Grow and Let Grow - A full day of inspiration for Tu Beshvat, beginning with a musical Hallel, and including shiurim, creative workshops and life advice from 9:45 AM to 10 PM. Wow.

Life is like a tree. :-)

Information/registration:  Elana Benarroch 02-993-4945, info@berotbatayin.org, www.berotbatayin.org

LOOKING FORWARD A BIT:

On Motzei Shabbat, January 28^th, the 4^th of Shevat, Kehillat Zemer HaZayit presents a Shiur: Women as Instructors of Halacha by Dr. Tova Ganzel, Bar Ilan Tanach and Halacha Lecturer.Everyone is invited to visit Shiloh Gal, the former long-time Mayor of Gush Etzion, in his orchid greenhouse in Elazar. You can view these beautiful flowers and purchase orchids for your own home directly from Shiloh. For more information, call 02-9932666

As in previous years, Tuv Haaretz will be selling fruit packages for Tu Beshvat. Most dried fruit sold in Israel today is imported, from Turkey and other countries. Tuv Haaretz, a company started by evacuees from Gush Katif, has been selling dried fruit grown only in Israel, for the last three years.

These packages are perfect for your Tu Beshvat needs with 6 different types of fruit, YUM. To order a package, 993-2212.

Here's another delicious idea, this one from the Zayit Raanan synagogue – a cookbook fundraiser. Send your best recipes to zayitraanancookbook@gmail.com. These recipes will be collected, reviewed, tasted and then published in a fundraising cookbook.

That's about it for this month.

Wait…Have you purchased your tickets yet for this year's DAMES of the DANCE 5 – MIRACLES. It's going to be an incredibly GREAT SHOW, IY"H, dazzling, exciting, fun, inspirational with more than 100 women and teens on stage dancing the personal, natural and national miracles we have all experienced. There's jazz, hip hop, tap, 60s, stomp, Israel Dance, Mizrachi, modern and more.

And it's all to feed the needy. For more information or to buy tickets, visit: http://damesofthedance.voices-magazine.com

 

Watch this edition of WHAT'S UP, EFRAT?

http://www.voices-magazine.com/videoClip/231