We knew we were somewhere different when we saw the traffic sign as we drove up to the Universal Hall at the Findhorn Foundation – not the usual white “stop” on a red background – this one said “stop worrying”!
So we did… and the whole evening went brilliantly!
We were joined at the buffet and Being Jewish in Scotland discussion by around twenty people, some who live at the Findhorn Foundation, others visiting from Forres. Sky, from Glasgow, told us she had come to Findhorn for two weeks to help to run a B&B – and, fourteen years later, she's still here! Everyone had fascinating tales to tell of immigration, travel, exploration, and adventure, with grandparents from the Ukraine, Hungary, Lithuania, and Austria who had travelled to make a new life in Europe or the USA. Everyone in the room had made a positive decision to come and live in this beautiful part of Scotland, and none regretted it.
Yvonne, an Australian who’s lived at Findhorn for fourteen years, told us “I love Klezmer music, I love when the Klezmer musicians come – we always have wild dancing, full of life force and energy, with lots of centuries of tradition”, and Fionnuala, another Findhorn resident, told us “The music speaks to my heart”.
As many as thirty dancers were on the floor for every dance, and even on the ‘listening’ numbers they were up there doing freestyle stepping. All the excitement was captured on film by Judah Passow, who has received funding from Creative Scotland to work with SCoJeC during 2013 making a photographic record of Jewish life in Scotland, that will form a touring exhibition opening in 2014 at the Scottish Parliament.
