Looking Ahead
A few upcoming events you might
consider
participating in are listed in the main
section of this newsletter
Marking Life Cycle Events
Making a financial contribution to
Congregation Leyv
Ha-Ir is a great way to mark special life events,
simchas, yahrzeits, etc. We are happy to send an
acknowledgement of your contribution to a
designee
of your choice. Contributions can be sent to our
regular P.O. Box address, or contact Evy
Simon, at
215-561-7474 or [email protected], if you'd
like to
have an acknowledgement card sent.
Thank you.
We Are Moving to the Energy of Love �Roy
Shenberg 2007
We are moving
Energy in motion
Shimmering streams
Waves upon the ocean
We are moving, yes moving
Moving to the energy of love
We are budding roses
Blooming in the sunlight
Divine dreams
Dancing in the moonlight
We are moving, yes moving
Moving to the energy of love
We are sparks of light
Sparkling in the sun's heat
Birds in flight
Gliding to the earth's beat
We are moving, yes moving
Moving to the energy of love
We are you and I
Singing with each other
Discovering,
We are sisters, we are brothers
We are moving, yes moving
Moving to the energy of love
We are moving, we are changing
Lives rearranging
The earth is spinning at an awesome speed
Let us savor being together
Spreading hope and love like we sow seeds
I believe love's what we need
We are moving, yes moving
Moving to the energy of ---
Love.
Newsletter Design:
Ilene
Hass Creative Solutions for Business
Marketing
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Dear Friends of Leyv Ha-Ir ~ Heart of the City,
Happy Summer time. Our lay-led services
at Leyv Ha-Ir ~ Heart of the City will
continue during the summer. They provide an
excellent opportunity to become acquainted
with our hospitality and spirituality. Each
member of our community takes responsibility
for her own spiritual journey, and we have
phenomenal respect for these varied and
genuine expressions of Judaism.
It is not too early to consider where you
are spending your High Holidays. Twelve
years ago, I decided to attend Leyv Ha-Ir.
After the first Rosh Hashanah service, I sent
a check in and joined. I was so delighted
when Beverly the President, recognized my
name when we met. She said, "Oh, you're our
new member," and she hugged me. Since that
time, I have never looked back. Now it is my
honor to be President. I hope I can impress
you the way Beverly impressed me. This year
you join. Baruch Hashem in a decade, you'll
have the opportunity to write this letter.
Send me an e-mail at [email protected] if I
can answer any questions for you.
Stay safe in the hot weather and drink
plenty of fluids.
Blessings,
Michael Meketon, President
Leyv Ha-Ir ~ Heart of the City
[email protected]
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Remembering Gloria Goldstein |
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Gloria Goldstein passed away Tuesday, May
29, 2006. Below is her poem, written in
December 1997. Gloria is second from left in
the adjacent photo, taken at a past Leyv
Ha-Ir Annual Retreat. We will miss you, Gloria.
Gloria's Poem
For the women who can and the women who
can't
For the women who will and for the women who
won't
For the women who died unfulfilled and
unloved &
For the women who were their own person
regardless of the consequences
For the women who fought, marched and
protested &
For the women who remained silent & bore
their pain
For the women who stood tall & kept the vigil
during all wars & desperately tried to keep
it all together during peace times
For the women who are nurturers & the women
who only want to be pampered and waited on
For the women who care & for the women who
don't
For the women who struggled for their place
in the sun & for the women who knew not their
place nor dared or cared to know
For the women of today who have met the
challenge of a man's world
And for the women who have not and who remain
locked in their own cocoon & refuse to grow
with the times
I only know that I am proud to be a woman
with strong convictions & it is great to be
living in the 20th century
Which has given me the opportunity to be
myself to express myself artistically & I
look forward to the 21st century with great
enthusiasm & delight
Gloria Goldstein
12/5/1997
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A Three Hour Mitzvah Opportunity -- July 31 |
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As a social worker, I've recently started
working at a low-income, independent living
residence for the elderly in South
Philadelphia, which is very close to the
Stiffel Senior Center. Many of you may know
that in the early to mid 20th century, South
Philadelphia was a hotbed of Philadelphia
Jewry. A number of my residents at Jackson
Place who are Jewish attend the Stiffel
Center. Many of these individuals are but
vestiges of a culture that used to be thriving.
You would really be doing a MITZVAH if you
took three (3) hours (11 am - 2 pm) out of
your day on Tuesday, July 31st, to pack food
packages at the JCCs Stiffel Senior Center*
for the surrounding community. It's
an easy bus ride from Center City, and I
guarantee you it would give you a good
feeling to do this. Please RSVP me so we can
figure out the logistics of transportation.
If anyone has a car, please note this.
Thank you,
Margie Wiener
*JCCs Stiffel Senior Center is located at
604 Porter
Street
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Call 215- 832-0821 or click for more information |
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Leyv Ha-Ir Annual Meeting Minutes |
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Date: May 20, 2007
Location: Penn Center House
Time: 11 AM to 1 PM
The meeting was called to order by
President, Michael Meketon.
Rabbi Julie Greenberg made a few opening
remarks and led a group participation activity.
Topic: Officers
Discussion: Beverly announced
the nominations for officers as follows:
President - Michael Meketon (concluding
2-year term)
First Vice President - Bobbi Cohen
Second Vice President - Evy Simon
Secretary - Iris Newman
Treasurer - vacant
Council Members at Large - Maria Mackey
and Myrna Schlanger.
Topic: New
Council Members and Committee Chairs (Mike)
Discussion: Nominations from the floor
were taken for members for 2 Council at
Large. The nominations were:
John Mason and Marci Fleet
Outcome: Members voted to
accept the nominations as stated. The new
committee members that were
appointed are:
Margie Wiener - Tikkun Olam and Joan Goldberg
- Education, The members voted and accepted
the new Council at Large Members.
Topic: Budget (Sol,
Bobbi)
Discussion: Sol discussed the
2006-2007 budget and Bobbi discussed the
2007-2008 budget. Karen Zeitz questioned the
rationale for the Seder and the Shabbaton
listed as a profit making activity. It was
explained that the budget serves only as a
guideline. A lively discussion ensued. Karen
then made a motion to amend the budget so
that the income from the Seder and the
Shabbaton was decreased from $500.00 to $250.00.
Outcome: The members voted and
the amendment to the budget was approved.
Topic:
Fundraising
(Mike)
Discussion: Mike revealed a
recent anonymous endowment of $15,000. The
donor has also agreed to match future
donations for one year. Mike is consulting
with experts in the field to decide how to
best use this.
Outcome: A new committee for
fundraising events will be forming.
Topic: Gratitude
(Mike)
Discussion: Mike discussed the
success of our 2006 High Holiday activities
and thanked all who assisted with this. In
addition, Mike honored the Executive Board
with complimentary words and mezuzah covers.
The members honored were: Bobbi Cohen, Evy
Simon, and Iris Newman
Outcome: None. Congratulations
to the above members
Topic: Harvesting and Challenges (Mike)
Discussion: Mike asked everyone
to discuss something about how Leyv Ha-Ir has
influenced their life in the past year. Many
members had significant points to make. In
addition, Mike discussed how our ability to
openly discuss matters has helped us to deal
with challenges such as the number of people
at the High Holiday events and the discussion
of political issues.
Outcome: None needed
Topic: Family Torah
Group (Mike)
Discussion: Mike discussed the
Family Torah Group which consists of 11
families that meet once a month in member
homes. Several changes have taken place to
encourage the participation more families
with children.
Outcome: None needed
Topic: Adult
Education (Karen)
Discussion: Karen announced
that she will be leading a 3 part educational
activity including: Writing Ethical Wills,
Estate Planning, and Charitable Bequests.
Dates and times will be announced.
Outcome: None; Thank you, Karen
Topic: New book
discussion
Discussion: Rabbi Julie
announce the book that will be discussed at
the August Bagels and Books. The book is
Spiritual Communities by David Teutsch.
The meeting was adjourned at 1 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Myra Caplan
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An Open Invitation to our Tikkun Olam Meeting |
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The Tikkun Olam Committee
invites you to our summer Tikkun Olam
Committee meeting, which will be held at Joan
Goldberg's parlor on Sunday, July 22, at 4pm,
Apt. 1806. 1901 JFK Blvd.
This is a very exciting time for our
committee. Ideas are brewing, members from
other committees are getting involved, and
we're taking a more "activist" approach this
year. We're seeking individuals who feel
passionate about issues and who want to have
a stake in recommending which social action
projects our congregation might get involved in.
There are a lot of topics for our meeting
agenda -- to name a few:
1. Donating dictionaries for prisoners,
matching their requests with the books, and
then packing them
2. Preparing hospitality kits for the homeless
3. Raising funds by selling energy-saving
lightbulbs
4. Donating Jewish-oriented books for
Graterford's Jewish congregation
5. Enlightening our congregation about
international human rights education on
Martin Luther King's Day
6. Raising funds to buy solar cooking
machines for Darfur women in refugee camps
(thus empowering them and preventing them
from leaving the camp for wood and exposing
themselves to rape and slaughter by the
Janjaweed militia)
7. Preparing food packages at the Stiffel
Center in South Philly for the few, elderly,
low-income Jews remaining from what was once
a thriving culture..
So, please RSVP me and come to the meeting.
Margie Wiener, Chair
[email protected]
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RESULTS OF RACE FOR THE CURE - May 13, 2007 |
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Dear Teammates,
Well, Heart of the City did it again!
Thanks to you, "the little team that could",
has collected $1,267 to help with the
advancement of breast cancer research,
detection and curing.
As promised and hoped for it was a
beautiful day for us in every way: weather,
walking, sharing talking; meeting, greeting,
laughing, eating; all together..........
I had a pleasant and informative chat with
a paid assistant from the Philadelphia Komen
Office today. This was in regards to some of
the feed-back I received from you, as well
as, my concerns as the Captain. Kathy agreed
that signs saying TEAM TENT need to be posted
all around it, so that it's visibility and
locations can see seen from all directions.
As for our own "meeting" challenges, we need
to exchange cell phone numbers and keep them
active during the morning of the Race.
(Sleep-overs or meeting in front of Frann's
building was also suggested at our after Race
brunch.)
My biggest concerns are team registration
and a more user-friendly website. The former
is up to us LHI members; the latter, Komen's
Philly IT Group. Heart of the City had 8
members register on-line and the 5 who
registered by mail or in person, still are
not accounted for!!!! (This is due to
Komen's very small staff of volunteers
handling a voluminous amount of individual
paper registrants)
Let's make The Race 2008, on May 11th,
even more fun, easier, meaningful and
beneficial to us and Komen for the Cure. All
13 and hopefully more of LHI members, friends
and family need to register on-line so that
we can be recognized in a timely manner and
receive all the donations in the same way.
(We really have collected more to date, but
without the help of modern technology, it is
easy to understand what a time consuming
process it is.)
Have a wonderful summer. Thank you all again.
Love ya, and stay cool, happy and healthy.
Susan
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