August 2006 Newsletter – High Holidays Issue

THIS NEWSLETTER IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE DENVER/BOULDER AREA SECULAR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM COMMUNITY!

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - Jon Budoff

Since my last message was so long, I'll make this one short.  The congregational meeting went well.  I'll send out a separate email to all members with details on what happened and our plans for next year.  To summarize ... The officers for next year are going to be the same as this past year - myself as President, Barry Levene as Treasurer, and Sheila Malcolm and Maida Deborah sharing the Secretary position.  The Executive Committee will take overall responsibility for planning only four major events - High Holidays, Chanukah, Tu B'shevat, and Passover.  The rest of the events throughout the year we expect to be planned and executed at the "grass-roots" level.  I am encouraged that many members have already expressed interest in putting together an event, and have high hopes for this plan to still provide our membership with a wide array of activities throughout the year.  I would also like to see us find ways to participate in more charity activities as a congregation.  Look for more information on all this in the near future.

Our High Holiday celebrations with Rabbi Wine are almost upon us.  See below and the website for details on all the events.  It was suggested to me that every member try to bring at least one guest to the Yom Kippur service with Rabbi Wine.  I think that's a great idea!  Let's pack the place and give Rabbi Wine a big welcome!

Remember the new Amazon.com link on our Beth Ami homepage!

You can now shop for items from Amazon.com, Target, ToysRUs, BabiesRUs and Office Depot through the Amazon.com link on your own Beth Ami homepage www.bethami.com.  Beth Ami will receive a percentage of all purchases, which will go towards helping to support our Jewish Cultural School.

BETH AMI JEWISH CULTURAL SCHOOL – Toni Budoff

The Fall semester for Beth Ami's Jewish Cultural School (aka Sunday School) begins on Sunday, September 10th.  The classes will again run from 10:00am to 12:00pm, and will again be held at the Westminster City Recreation Center.  Adam Schonberg is returning as School Director, and we are excited to have Marti Hirsch join our teaching staff.  The teachers and Education Committee have been hard at work planning the curriculum for the year, and it's going to be another fun and exciting year.

Copies of the entire schedule for the year are available on the website.  The activities for the first three classes are as follows:

- Sept. 10th - First class.  The children will be going on an "archealogical" dig.

- Sept. 24th - Children's Rosh Hashanah service with Tashlich led by Adam.

- Oct. 8th - Class to be held at the Budoff's.  We will be building a Sukkot in the backyard.

SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS

Calendar events will be updated on the website, www.bethami.com.

For Jewish events in Boulder, link to www.boulderjcc.org.

For Jewish events in Denver, link to www.jccdenver.org.

·        BASH Book Group, Sunday, September 9 at 6 p.m. at the home of Gerrie Karasik for Havdalah, potluck and book discussion. See below. 

·        Rosh Hashanah Service, Sunday, September 23 at 1^st Universalist Church, 10:30 a.m., followed by Tashlich Service and bring-your-own picnic at Mamie Eisenhower Park.

·        From September 29 to October 2, Rabbi Sherwin Wine visits Denver for High Holidays

·        Shabbat Service with Rabbi Wine, Friday, September 29 at 7 p.m. at TBD location, followed by potluck dessert.

·        Members Potluck Brunch and Planning meeting with Rabbi Wine, Saturday, September 30 at 10 a.m. at the home of Elaine.  This is going to an opportunity to discuss the future plans of Beth Ami and get input from Rabbi Wine.  Any members interested in helping to shape the future of the congregation are welcome to attend.

·        Walking Tour of LoDo with Phil Goodstein, Saturday, September 30 at 5 p.m. followed by 7:00 dinner at Dixon’s at 16^th & Wazee. All invited! Details below.

·        TENTATIVE - Rabbi Wine Book Signing, Sunday, October 1 at Barnes & Noble at 960 S. Colorado Blvd. in Glendale.

·        Evening Yom Kippur Service and Kol Nidre with Rabbi Wine, Sunday, October 1 at 7 p.m. at 1^st Universalist Church at E. Hampden and Colorado Blvd.

·        Rabbi Wine meets with Jewish Cultural School, Monday, October 2 at Westminster City Recreation Center at 10 am.

·        TENTATIVE - Executive Committee Meeting, Saturday, October 21 at 10 a.m., location TBD.

BASH BOOK GROUP - Ellen & Bennett Inkeles

A new Jewish book group co-sponsored by Beth Ami and Shir Chadash will meet five times during the year on a third Saturday of the month. In the future, dates, times, locations and titles will be determined by the group. The next book is Rashi's Daughter: Book 1 by Maggie Anton.  The meeting will be held at Elaine Bloch's home on Saturday, September 9 at 6:00 p.m. for havdalah, potluck, and book discussion. NOTE: This is a location change from what was originally announced.  Kindly RSVP to Ellen at beink@iglide.net.

LOCAL

A New Affiliation – Barry Levene

As a result of several meetings between Beth Ami members and Rabbi Brian Field of judaismyourway.org, an affiliation is emerging which will make Rabbi Field available to provide for-fee rabbinical services for our members for Humanistic life-cycle events.  Rabbi Field has also agreed to host/facilitate an exclusive event for Beth Ami.  Look for future information describing in more detail what he will do and how to get in touch with him.

The Seamy Side of Denver – Barb Griss

While Rabbi Wine is in Denver, we have a fun evening planned for Saturday night, September 30th. Myth-busting historian Dr. Phil Goodstein will lead us on a tour of downtown Denver from 5-7:15 p.m. Holding a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Phil is a Denver native who has conducted numerous walking, restaurant, bicycling and cemetery tours of Denver. He has written articles and books about Denver history and is best know for his book The Seamy Side of Denver, which is the topic of our tour. After the tour we will have dinner at Dixon’s Downtown Grill, located on 1610 16th Street (16th and Wazee). Tour reservations are limited to 20 people. Please contact Barb Griss at bgriss@yahoo.com for tour and dinner reservations and directions.

NEWS FROM NATIONAL

Dear Friends,
 
The war in Lebanon and Gaza has highlighted the dangers which Israel confronts in this expanding world of Muslim hatred and terrorism. The people in Israel need to know that we Jews in the Diaspora stand with them in unity and solidarity.
 
At the end of December an historic event is taking place in Jerusalem. Nine Secular Humanistic rabbis will be ordained. They are pioneers. They will be the first Israelis to serve as rabbinic leaders for our movement. They are already beginning to change the religious and cultural landscape of the Jewish State under the guidance of Rabbi Sivan Maas and her father Professor Yaakov Malkin.
 
An eight day mission of solidarity has been created by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism and the International Federation of Secular Humanistic Jews. We will go to Israel as leaders and members of our movement to express support for our brothers and sisters in the Jewish State. We will meet with Israeli leaders and opinion makers. We will travel to the North, under the guidance of our new Israeli rabbis. We will visit important sites of political and historic significance. Above all, despite the trauma, we will celebrate the ordination of the rabbis at the Shrine of the Book. Our voyage will be an expression of confidence and hope in the future of Israel.
 
I hope that you will choose to come. Your presence will strengthen our link with the Jewish State, a message of needed support, and intensify our connection with our ideological ‘family’ at a great moment in their history. It will also provide you with a profoundly meaningful experience filled with discovery and friendship.
 
The details lie in the enclosure. The importance and inspiration lie in the experience.
 
With encouragement,

Sherwin T. Wine, Provost and Co-Chair

Mission To Israel
A Journey of Solidarity and Support
Sponsored by the Movement of Secular Humanistic Judaism

Featuring

·                                 Meetings with Israeli Leaders and Opinion Makers

·                                 Discussions with Israelis Confronting the Crisis

·                                 Three Day Mission to the North

·                                 Three Days in Jerusalem

·                                 One Day Experience in Tel Aviv

·                                 First Ordination of Secular Humanistic Rabbis in Israel at the Israel Museum

·                                 Encounter with A.B. Yehoshua, Israel’s greatest Writer

·                                 Celebrating a Secular Humanistic Shabbat in Jerusalem

·                                 Seminar with Curator Adolfo Roitman at the Shrine of the Book

·                                 Visiting “Shrines” of Secular Humanistic Judaism

·                                 Spending Quality Time with the New Secular Humanistic Rabbis of Israel

Accommodation  Five Star Hotels in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

Transportation  Every mission member will arrange his/her own transportation to Tel Aviv by air, arriving no later than Wednesday morning, December 20.This will enable participants to utilize frequent flyer miles. Taxis are available to take mission members to the first day’s activities in Jerusalem. Once in Jerusalem, the mission begins. Buses or vans will be provided until the departure from Tel Aviv.

Guides The nine new Secular Humanistic Rabbis will be our guides and companions.
Cost $1190 per person, which includes a tax deductible $200 contribution to the Israeli Rabbinic Program of  The International Institute
Special Meetings Board members of the International Federation and the International Institute will attend private meetings on Wednesday, December 20.

Schedule
Dec. 20 (Wednesday)  Jerusalem. Touring.  Board Meetings
Dec. 21 (Thursday        Jerusalem.  Roitman Seminar.  Ordination of Rabbis.
Dec 22 (Friday)            Jerusalem.  Roitman Seminar.  Shabbat Celebration
Dec. 23 (Saturday)      Jerusalem.  Meetings with Leaders, Writers, Opinion Makers
Dec 24 ( Sunday)         North. Tiberias.  Kibbutz Discussions
Dec. 25 ( Monday)      North.  Nazareth.  Kibbutz Beit Ha-Shitta
Dec. 26 (Tuesday)       North.  Haifa.  Discussions with Israelis
Dec. 27 (Wednesday)  Tel Aviv.  Humanistic Sites. Encounter with Journalists

Registration Please contact Sue Luria, Executive Director of the Institute, iishj@iishj.org or call 248-476-9532 for all arrangements.

SEND A LITTLE SMILE…

·                    Please contact Maida Deborah if you know of someone who is ill, needs help or is celebrating an important life event!

·                    Many thanks to Michelle Davis (violin), Donna Levene (piano) and Irving Franke (voice) for an uplifting afternoon of musical selections on July 22.

MAZEL TOV TO…

·                    Elaine Block on the June 4 wedding of her daughter and new son-in-law, Debbie and Guy Grace. Rabbi Brian Field officiated.

·                    Barb and Don Griss on their upcoming 46^th anniversary, to be celebrated early with a trip to Grand and Bryce Canyons.

This newsletter will be published at least four times/year with the goal of communicating events and information to inform our members and those interested in celebrating "Jewish culture and identity consistent with a humanistic philosophy of life." Kindly send submissions by email to sheilamalcolm@comcast.net. (New email)

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Last modified: 11/05/06