What: Following a potluck dinner and Havdalah service, a taste of Jewish literature from the shtetl to Israel and America, presented by Malka Mittelman-Seifert.

Where: Gordon Gamm's home in Boulder. Directions below.

When: 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 22

RSVP: Sheila Malcolm at 303-499-5933 OR sheilamalcolm@earthlink.net for potluck assignment.

Anyone wanting to car pool from Denver, please contact Barry (303-750-4317 or levene@ecentral.com) or Terry (303-860-0031 or terryfleisher@msn.com).

Directions to Gordon's:

>From Hwy 36 - Exit Foothills/S. Boulder Rd. and bear left ONTO FOOTHILLS HWY. At the next exit, make a right onto Baseline Rd. for about a mile to stop sign. Turn left onto Cherryvale Rd., then take the first right onto Baseline Rd. again. (Trust me.) Pass Platt Middle School. Gordon's house is 6609 Baseline, a lovely modern home on the left. Park in driveway.

>From 93 - 93 becomes Broadway. Take it north about 1 1/2 miles to Baseline Rd. Turn right and stay on Baseline about 3 miles to that stop sign above.

All members, former members, quasi-members, and their extended families (however defined) are cordially invited to attend our annual picnic at Steve and Helen Greenspan's Mount Impeachmore Ranch, in the Deer Creek Canyon area of Jefferson County (address is 9424 Erin Lane, Littleton).

The day is Saturday, June 12 (changed from the earlier-announced 19th), from noon to 5PM. It is a potluck (we will provide drinks along with burgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers). Please bring a salad or side dish. As it also is our twelfth birthday celebration as a congregation, we shall provide a cake as dessert.

The pool should be up and running, so children (adults too) should bring suits and towels. We will start eating around 1PM, so come early.

RSVP is not necessary, but contact Steve Greenspan if you have any questions (303/ 948-3452 or sgreenspan@earthlink.net) Directions:

From north: C-470 south to Kipling:

1. Go south on Kipling to end, turn right (west) on Ute
2. Go ¾ mi. on Ute (turns into Owens) to stop sign (follow sign to Deer Creek Canyon Open Space)
3. At stop sign, turn right (W.) onto Deer Creek Canyon
4. Go ¾ mi. Deer Creek Canyon Rd, to 1st left onto Cougar
5. Go 1/10 mi. on Cougar, & take right at fork onto Buckhorn Rd.
6. Go ¼ mi. on Buckhorn and take left at first paved rd onto Erin Lane. Tale this to end and park in field. (house number is 9424 Erin Lane)

From east: I-25 to C-470 west:

1. Exit on Wadsworth
2. Go south ¼ mile to first light
3. Turn right (west) onto Deer Creek Canyon Rd.
4. Go 2 mi. to stop sign. Go straight (bear left), still on Deer Creek Canyon Rd.
5. Follow directions from line four above.

Non-highway directions:

1. Go south on Kipling or Wadsworth, cross over C-470, and follow one of the above directions.
    

Jews have always been satisfied claiming a tiny percentage of the world's population, by taking pride in their status as "the chosen people." In the old days, when Jews were prevented from being equal participants in most countries, this was largely a matter of being chosen by God, but today--when so many Jews do not believe in such a fiction--this is mainly a matter of being successful and notable in many fields of endeavor. Within the tiny minority of the world's Jews, there is an even tinier minority who claim to be Humanistic Jews. It used to bother me that the number of Humanistic Jews--both in Colorado and around the world-was not larger, but then it occurred to me that this is something not to regret but to celebrate. If the vast majority of people around the world are not lucky enough to be Jews, then we can feel sorry for the vast majority of Jews who are not lucky enough to be Humanistic Jews.

It is not that we are preventing anyone from becoming a Humanistic Jew. All one has to do is send in an application form and a modest check. We do not even have stringent requirements on the Jewish side of the equation. If you declare that you think of yourself as a Jew, that is good enough for us. So what is preventing our numbers from growing in a manner that one might expect, given that so many Jews are unaffiliated and alienated from more mainstream congregations? To some extent, this is a sign of our failures, but to a greater extent it is a failure in the imagination and courage of those who choose not to join us.

On our side of the failure equation are several factors: we could do a better job of selling ourselves, and we could work harder at becoming a full-fledged congregation (one reason we have not done this in Colorado is that most of our members have lots of other things going on in their lives and are not able or willing to make such a commitment). In my view, however, perhaps our biggest failure is that our services fail to stir the soul. One thing that causes Jews to affiliate with a mainstream congregation--even if they do not believe in God--is that they find something familiar and comforting in the traditional songs, rituals, etc. Personally, I find HJ services to be too dry, too "left brain." I like the fact that our services are brief, but we need to do more to make them appealing, both on an intellectual and, more importantly, on an emotional level. This is an area where we have been making efforts at improvement, and I am hopeful that in the not-too-distant future, we will be offering services that "soar" more than is currently the case.

On the other side of the failure equation are those who have not responded to the opportunity to join us, even when they know of our existence and even when we fit with their own value and lifestyle orientation. To some extant this reflects an intractable structural problem: to wit, when people are turned off from organized Judaism, it is hard to convince them that they should reverse course and join us. But I think the problem goes a little deeper, and that is that it takes a certain degree of both courage and intelligence to join a group as radical, in a way, as ours. Most human beings, including most Jews, are herd followers. They take their cue from what other people are doing, and what other Jews are doing (when they are doing anything) is joining mainstream congregations. I like to think that Humanistic Jews are fiercely independent thinkers, and there are just not a lot of independent thinkers in the world. So we should take pride in the choice that we have made, while at the same time continuing to beat the bushes for a few more people like us. Maybe this is just a defensive posture but, what the hell, it makes me feel better.

Gibson's movie The Passion of Christ has surely stirred up the hornets leading to many stinging comments and retorts. He was accused of totally ignoring the modern scholarship of the Gospels. His response (paraphrased) was clear and succinct: "Who needs scholars? All you have to do is read the text." Well, he stuck with that and got it mostly wrong.

What is astonishing is the response of our Christian friends and neighbors. The Vatican, for example, has remained peculiarly aloof. The Pope was reputed to have said something like "That's the way it was," but his handlers immediately disavowed that statement, and nothing further has been offered. There is no official Vatican policy about the movie, although it is not true to the Gospels. Further, the Denver Archbishop, Dennis Chaput, has given Gibson the annual Imago Dei (Image of God) award, I assume for meritorious service to Catholicism. But I should not ignore the Arab response. They see it as evidence of the perfidy of the Jews.

Our Christian friends and neighbors are rather divided about whether or not the film is anti-Semitic. They generally have a tendency to focus on the portrayal of Christ's last days and don't notice much about how Jews are characterized. Jews who have seen the movie tend to have another response. The ADL, and other Jewish organizations, see it as clearly anti-Semitic. I guess it's something like how American Indians complain about the use of nicknames and mascots such as the Atlanta Braves or the Washington Redskins. (Many, many high school and college teams use such as their team identifiers.)

Or consider the word welsher, someone who goes back on a bet or a deal. The Welsh people are not thrilled with how an English slur has become part of everyday language. I don't know if there is a significant movement by the Welsh to expunge the word, but they surely don't like it. So, now that you know its history, do you plan to abandon it?

Finally, an organization is trying to do something about Gibson's artistic creation. The Messiah Truth Project has asked Attorney General Ashcroft to determine whether it violates hate legislation; they argue that its portrayal of Jews amounts to an "anti-Semitic diatribe."

Who are they? I found them on the Web (messiahtruth.com). A Jewish organization, they exist to fight the Messianic Jewish movement. They claim to offer the truth about the Messiah so that unwary Jews will not be lured into their web. Whatever you might think of such efforts, the site is extremely interesting, providing much information about the Gospels and Jesus.

Anyway, what are the chances that Ashcroft will take them seriously? I suppose the probability is zero, but it cannot be zero be because there is always a chance. But in this case, the probability is indistinguishable from zilch, nada, and zippo. Way to go guys; give 'em hell.

SHJ Supports Marriage Rights of Same-Sex Couples
Proposed October, 2003; Adopted April 16, 2004
By the SHJ Board of Directors at the Toronto Convention

Whereas the SHJ affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every person,

Whereas the SHJ supports the right and responsibility of adults to choose their marriage partners,

Whereas the SHJ philosophy is supportive of equal rights and responsibilities for all in the matters of marriage and divorce, and

Whereas lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people have been denied the social, economic, and political benefits and consequences of marriage and divorce,

Be it resolved that we support the legal recognition of marriage and divorce between adults of the same sex, and that we affirm the value of marriage between any two committed adults with the sense of obligations, responsibilities, and consequences thereof.

(The Beth Ami/CCHJ Board voted to support this resolution.)

Hosted by Kol Hadash, Northern CA Community for Humanistic Judaism
June 25-27, 2004, beginning Friday, 7:30 p.m., to Sunday, Noon.

All sessions held at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Avenue, Albany CA

Local Information:
Bert Steinberg, Treasurer, 239 Brannan St. #16G, San Francisco, CA 94107
Call Bert (415) 543-4595 or Lucia Brandon (925) 933-1284 for further information

Fee:
Matriculating student--$200 (minus $25 for airfare)
Continuing Jewish Education for credit--$150 full weekend
Continuing Jewish Education non-credit (non-members)--$100 full weekend;
morning or afternoon sessions--$40
Kol Hadash members--$80 full weekend; morning or afternoon sessions--$30

____________________________________________________________________________

I wish to register for the seminar Sephardic and Oriental Jewish Culture (JC 160)
on June 25-27, 2004, in San Francisco. My enclosed fee is $___________ .

Matriculating students mail checks to IISHJ, 28611 West 12 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, MI 48334

Name_________________________________________________________________

Address________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip____________________________________________________________

Daytime Phone ( ) __________________ Evening Phone ( )__________________

Fax:_________________________ E-mail address:_________________________

Upon registering, reading requirement info will be sent to Leadership Program students.

THE HUMANIST ESSAY CONTEST
for Young Women and Men of North America

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Eligibility
If you are at least thirteen and not yet twenty-five years of age and have thoughts on humanity and the future, you are invited to share your perception and vision by entering an essay. The contest is open to any student or potential student who maintains residence in the United States or Canada.

Prizes
Annually, essays are judged in two age categories: thirteen through eighteen and nineteen through twenty-four. Ages are determined as of the entry deadline of December 1 of each contest year.

Honorable Mention recipients each receive a special certificate. If you cite a teacher, librarian, dean, or other educational adviser (with mailing address and other contact information) as instrumental to your having entered an essay, and if you are a winner, that adviser will be recognized with a special award of $50.

Procedures
An essay needs to be under 2,500 words in length, written in English, and word-processed or typed, single-spaced, for easy readability. You may enter the essay via postal or e-mail. If by e-mail, your essay may be placed within the body of the message or attached as a file in any common word processed format. Only one essay may be submitted each contest year.

Provide your name, age, date of birth, permanent address (not a post office box), telephone number, e-mail address, and other contact information on the title page of your essay (so we can easily determine your age category and readily contact you if you are a
finalist or winner).

Entries must be postmarked before December 1, 2004, and mailed or e-mailed to the address below. No essays are returned.

The Humanist reserves the option of first publication of all entries until the contest winners have been announced in the spring or early summer of 2005. Winning and Honorable Mention essays then become the sole property of the American Humanist Association, publisher of the Humanist, while all rights to other essays revert back to their authors. The list of winners is published in the Humanist and posted on the Humanist website.

Quality and freshness of content or approach will be among the criteria, and all decisions by the panel of judges will be final.

Criteria
Quality and freshness of content or approach are among the elements sought in winning essays. All decisions by the panel of judges are final. The definition of Humanism used to guide the judging appears on the inside front cover of each issue of the Humanist.

Possible Topics
Humanistic essays applying head and heart to any subject or field of endeavor are welcome. For topic ideas, an issue of the Humanist may be a useful source. A free sample copy is available on request; a one-year discounted subscription is $19.95. Winning essays can be found in the September/October 2001, July/August 2002, July/August 2003, and May/June 2004 issues. Additional information and select essays can be found on the Humanist Web site. Entrants should express their views based on the interpretation of Humani! sm that appears on the inside front cover of the Humanist. That statement reads as follows:

Humanism is a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion. Affirming the dignity of each human being, it supports the maximization of individual liberty and opportunity consonant with social and planetary responsibility. It advocates the extension of participatory democracy and the expansion of the open society, standing for human rights and social justice. Free of supernaturalism, it recognizes human beings as a part of nature and holds that values-be they religious, ethical, social, or political-have their source in human nature, experience, and culture. Humanism thus derives the goals of life from human need and interest rather than from theological or ideological abstractions, and asserts that humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny.

Background
The Humanist has conducted national essay contests since the 1950s. This effort has not only cultivated young talent and produced inspiring material for the magazine but many winners have gone on to make noteworthy contributions to society. We therefore welcome your participation and encourage you to tell a friend about this contest and to post this announcement where others might see it.

The Humanist Essay Contest
1777 T St, NW
Washington, DC 20009-7125
contest@theHumanist.org
www.theHumanist.org
(800) 837-3792

A group called Reaching Common Ground: Dedicated to Building Bridges between Christians and Jews is also sponsoring a contest for writers aged 16-22. They are offering a $25,000 first prize, a $10,000 second prize, ten $5,000 third prizes, and fifteen $1,000 fourth prizes.

How to enter: Visit www.reachingcommonground.com and follow directions to complete an official entry form. Compose an original essay on your choice of one of the three following topics:

1. Faith and Bible
   
   The Tanakh, known to Christians as the Old Testament, includes the Torah, or Five Books of Moses, along with Nevi'im, or Prophets, and Kethuvim, or the Writings, such as Psalms. Choose a passage from the Hebrew Scriptures that has great importance for Christians and Jews. Explain how this passage sheds light on what Christians and Jews have in common and on what distinguishes them from each other. What steps would you take to help Jews and Christians read and interpret this passage so that they might come to understand each other better?
2. History
   
   Choose a historical event between 1209 B.C. and 135 A.D., examine why you think this moment was critically important to Jews and Christians, and explain why this event continues to have significant implications for both religious communities today?
3. Current Events
   
   The release of Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, has generated widely conflicting responses. Many Christians have had their faith deepened and confirmed by this film. Others Christians and many Jews have found it troubling, even offensive. What do you think these responses indicate about the religious tensions within American society? What project would you propose to help people better understand these divergent views and how might this project assist people in the discovery of common ground?

Much more information is available on the website.
 

Send mail to webmaster@bethami.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 11/05/06