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The Pulse of Our Congregation March 2006

In this Issue

Looking Ahead

March 2006 Activities

Celebrate with Us:
"Sing-along Songs for Seder" evening

Retreat 2006: Another Winner!
by Joanne Perilstein

Random Acts of Loving Kindness to Perform for Leyv Ha-Ir
by Karen Zeitz, Past President


 

Looking Ahead

Here are a few upcoming events you might consider participating in:

Fundraiser for Gershman Y, Saturday Evening, April 8, 2006. Arlo Guthrie in performance. Tickets $35 - $50 Reception before concert, $150

Community Passover Seder, April 13th., Reservations A Must. Reservation information is in the mail or available via this link.

Bagels and Books April 30.

Race for the Cure May 14

For more information call our voice mail 215-629-1995


Homeless and Hungry,
a poem

He posts himself at

the front of the store

and holds a sign

Homeless and hungry

please help

I talk to him

put some money in the cup

(for coffee)

and tell him

"I wish you the best"

"Thanks man"

from his mouth

is my receipt

Sometimes he wears a beard

Sometimes an army cap

When did he go in?

Viet Nam?

Persian Gulf?

Or somewhere in between?

I had my times

when I thought I would

lose my job

and my home

and my mind

that guy with the sign

in front of the store

could have been me

He is me.


--John Mason




An Invitation to Learn Hebrew

Have you ever sat in a Jewish prayer service and felt a little left out because you don’t know what the Hebrew words mean? Most congregants don’t understand every word and yet many find comfort and value in listening to the beauty of the Hebrew language. But wouldn’t it be great to crack the code and go deeper into the prayers?

Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City invites you to join in a Hebrew learning adventure. The course of study will involve goal setting, independent work, support from a learning partner and from the Rabbi and step by step success. The first goal is for students to learn the aleph-bet, the Hebrew alphabet. There are 22 consonants plus some vowels. No need to worry about uppercase and lowercase because Hebrew only has one case.

Each student receives a programmed text book. It teaches a lesson, gives you exercises and then gives you the answer. This way you don’t have to shlep out to a class on a weekend or at night. You can do your learning in whatever place and at whatever time works best for you. There’s no pressure – this is about learning in a way that works for you. You will have regular check-ins with your learning partner and with the Rabbi. There is no charge for this adventure in learning.

So far, fifteen students are participating. If you are interested, now is the time to start. Our first goal is to have mastered the aleph-bet by the High Holy Days. More advanced students are encouraged to join a center city Gratz class one evening a week. Please give me a call at 215-843-9592 if you’d like support for lifelong Jewish learning.

Rabbi Julie Greenberg
Leyv Ha-Ir ~ Heart of the City


  • March 2006 Activities
  • Some of the events listed below have flyers with more detaied information about each activity. You can view these fliers as .pdf files and print them. The events with associated flyers are underlined with clickable hyperlinks to the associated flyers.

    Wednesday, March 1
    Council Meeting, Michael
    Ethical Society, 7:00 PM

    Friday, March 3
    Shabbat Services, Rabbi Julie
    Ethical Society, 7:30 AM

    Saturday, March 4
    Shabbat Services, Lay-led
    Ethical Society, 10:00 AM

    Tuesday, March 7
    Ma'ariv Meditation, Rabbi Myriam
    Ethical Society, 7:00 PM

    Monday, March 13
    Purim, Rabbi Julie
    Ethical Society, 7:30 PM

    Wednesday, March 15
    Prayer Class, Iris N.
    Ethical Society, 7:00 PM

    Saturday, March 18
    Shabbat Services, Lay-led
    Ethical Society, 10:00 AM

    Wednesday, March 22
    Passover Sing-along
    Rabbi Julie
    Ethical Society, 7:30 PM

    Saturday, March 25
    Shabbat Services, Lay-led
    10:00 AM

    Saturday, March 25
    JRF Mid-Atlantic Region Evening of Celebration
    Honoring Sibyl Cohen
    Mishkan Shalom, 7:30 PM
    Price $90 per person, or discounted price of $810 for a table of 10 people. Contact Evy for discounted reservations.

    Sunday, March 26
    Rosh Hodesh
    Home, 4:00 PM
    Joan Goldberg

    As part of the Kehillah of Center City we are invited to attend all of the events that are sponsored by the Kehillah and our larger community. To learn more about Super Sunday now rescheduled for March 12th; the Night of Jewish Learning: Shabbat, March 2nd; Jewish Relief Agency (JRA) program; Challah Delivery Program; and more, Check out the link to Center City Kehillah.

    Click here for a complete look at activities for the next two months...
  • Celebrate with Us:
    "Sing-along Songs for Seder" evening
  • Cantor Jack Kessler (well known musician, singer, and teacher) will entertain and teach us new and old songs that we can bring to our Seders. Our Rabbi Julie Greenberg will talk with us on "Spritual Preparations for Passover" as well as provide an opportunity for consultation with her on finding or making a meaningful Seder.

    Wednesday, March 22, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
    Ethical Society Building, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Squeare,

    This event is being made possible by a grant from the Kehillah of Center City, a project of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia in cooperation with the Jewish Outreach Partnership

  • Retreat 2006: Another Winner!
    by Joanne Perilstein
  • Ten years ago we began, with some fear and trembling, and excitement to go off to the shore in February to Ocean City to laugh learn, pray and enjoy each other’s company. Each year has a theme and this year it was: Life’s Journey: Lessons Learned. Saturday afternoon our perennial workshop leader, Iris Cutler led a program in which many of us recalled and discussed lives and the lessons we have learned. Although Iris thought she would need to present a guided meditation to spur our memories and prompt discussion, we were comfortable and willing to discuss our lives without need of any prompting. We learned more about ourselves and each other. As usual, Beverly Hayden and her committee did a fine job of planning, executing and hopefully enjoying the weekend.

    Festivities began with dinner on Friday evening after most of us had checked in. There was delicious vegetarian food topped off by a tasty dessert. Food has rarely been missing at our retreats. Following the dinner, services were led by Iris Newman. Later on, we viewed the documentary starring none other than our Karen Zeitz. A longer movie entitled "Paper Clips", was presented, which described the efforts of a small town in Tennessee to recall the six million Jews lost in the Holocaust; it moved all who viewed it. Saturday morning Rabbi Julie led the service which included study of the text. After dinner we had a comedy night that was enjoyed by all in attendance.

    Sunday morning we had a special workshop on creating scrap books. As usual we had a farewell ceremony in the sand facing the ocean.

    Evy Simon was placed in charge of complaints. My prime complaint: The time passed much, much too quickly! Lesson Learned: Leyv Ha-Ir presents enjoyable, enriching retreats! Just ask our first timer, new member Myra Caplan!

  • Random Acts of Loving Kindness to Perform for Leyv Ha-Ir
    by Karen Zeitz, Past President
  • Try one a week, month or year:

    1. Call a new member and introduce yourself.
    2. Invite a new or "old" member out to coffee, tea or Shabbos dinner.
    3. Set up or clean up, even if it is someone else’s "job".
    4. Call an old member you haven’t seen in a while.
    5. Sit next to someone you don’t know at a service or event.
    6. Be in the "Purim-spiel".
    7. Come to Council at least once a year (meetings are the first Wednesday of each month).
    8. Write an article for our monthly eNewsletter.
    9. Bring flowers to services, just because it will add beauty.
    10. Invite a friend (or 2 or 3) to a service or event.
    11. Celebrate your birthday or special event by providing an Oneg at Friday/Saturday service.
    12. If you’ve never been to a Saturday lay-led service, or Spirituality Group or Rosh Chodesh, try one.
    13. Get on a committee for the Retreat, Tu B’shevat, Passover--pick your favorite.
    14. Hug the President!!!
    15. Discover where your passion/expertise intersects with the needs of LHI’s community, and perform that service, especially if it means creating something new.**

    "The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." ** ALBERT SCHWEITZER

    :: 215-629-1995