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Looking Ahead
ANNUAL MEETING
JUNE 7TH, 10:30 AM
KENNEDY HOUSE
1901 KENNEDY BLDG
30TH FLOOR
Show your support by voting
in a new slate of officers
and approving a new
budget
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 evylhi@hotmail.com, if you'd
like to
have an acknowledgement card sent.
Thank you.
Newsletter Design and eMail Marketing:
Ilene
Hass
Creative Solutions
for Business
Marketing
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Dear Friends and Members of Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City,
I would like to give you some advanced
warning of our community's status moving
forward into the future. Over the horizon,
we face a shortage of leadership and money.
This is not an immediate problem, but we
would be hiding our heads in the sand if we
ignored it. Over the past five years or so,
we have had progressively larger budgets with
the support of a generous donation and a
strong surplus from our early years. We have
entered into these budgets with optimism that
we would grow into them as our congregation
expanded. We have found over those years
that we have indeed expanded. We are
appealing to a larger community every year,
to the extent that we have trouble fitting
into our home at the Ethical Society at High
Holidays. Our membership base, however, has
remained stable. Unfortunately, our pool of
leadership is getting smaller and more tired.
We have yet to see the consequences of this
situation. Our programming remains
outstanding for a community of our size and
resources. Also, by the time we end our
next fiscal year, in June 2010, we will have
lost our financial cushion. Although there
are still funds available from the large
donation, we have spent all but next year's
portion of our surplus.
Since I became President over three years
ago, my friends know of my interest in
Synagogue business. I frequently receive
e-mails and letters drafted by Rabbis and
Presidents regarding the state of the their
congregation. Recently, I received a letter
from a Rabbi who witnessed a fire fighter
rescuing two Torahs from a burning synagogue.
My first reaction to that letter was to
think that all of the synagogues are burning.
Between the hit taken by endowments in the
current economic market, and the reluctance
of a new generation to affiliate with
synagogues, we are all in a little bit of
trouble. I joined Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the
City, remained a member and became president,
because I believe in its core vision of
participatory spirituality. I have great
love for our founding leaders, and all of our
current members. Rabbi Julie Greenberg is my
Rabbi. When my mother became sick and died
this year, a bright spot in my grief was my
pride introducing my Rabbi to my family and
friends. We are entering challenging times
as a community. It is time for all of us to
step up if we believe that this synagogue
should continue to exist more than another
year or so.
Michael Meketon, President
Leyv Ha-Ir ~ Heart of the City
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| Welcome Spring! |
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Beautiful spring day, beautiful
spring
flowers, recently photographed by
Karen Zeitz at the Tulip Festival in
Washington State.
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May 2009 Activities
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Sat - May 2 - 2009,
10:00 AM
Shabbat Morning Service
Our lay-led service will be at the Ethical
Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Sq. Stay and
schmooze at our potluck dairy/veggie lunch.
Sun - May 3 - 2009,
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Meet a Torah
Scribe!
Rabbi/Sofer Kevin Hale and Calligrapher
Betsy Teutsch will talk about and demonstrate
everything you want to know about
Torah scrolls.
Join us at the Kennedy
House Community Room, 1901 JFK Blvd.
AND ALL FOR $18 (materials, kosher
lunch). Call Evy IMMEDIATELY if you
plan to attend at 215-561-7474.
Thu - May 7 - 2009,
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Council Meeting
All members are welcome at our Council
Meetings at the Ethical Society, 1906 S.
Rittenhouse Square.
Sun - May 10 - 2009,
8:00 AM
LHI Team: Race for the Cure
We'll meet by the Rocky statue, near the
Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Fri - May 15 - 2009,
6:30 PM
Home Services/Dinner
We'll meet at Beverly's for short, lay-led
services and a veggie/dairy potluck dinner.
Call Bev at 215-557-3777 or
hayden15@verizon.net to tell her what you'll
be bringing.
Sun- May 17 - 2009,
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Israel Independence
Day Celebration
A Jewish community event at Penn's Landing.
Fri - May 29 - 2009,
7:30 PM
With Rabbi Julie Greenberg, we
celebrate the holiday of Shavuot and welcome
the Sabbath Bride at the Ethical Society,
1906 S. Rittenhouse Square.
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 these events,
check
out the link to Center
City Kehillah.
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Click here for a complete look at Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir activities for the upcoming two months. |
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Message from Rabbi Julie
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Dear Chevre,
Would you like a bit of wisdom from the
ancestors? Would that enrich your life,
uplift you, tickle your fancy? Well you are
in luck because this is the season for
studying passages of Pirkei Avot, Wisdom of
the Ancestors.
If you google Pirkei Avot you will come
up with some great resources (who needs a
library anymore?) How about inviting a friend
or a potential friend to spend an hour
discussing some of the teachings?
Traditionally this is done every Shabbat
afternoon during the Omer (the counting
period between Passover and Shavuot.)
Ben Zoma said "Who is rich? He who is
happy with what he has." (4:1) Does that mean
you should not strive to change your
circumstances? Is being rich simply a
reflection of an attitude of satisfaction?
How can you cultivate happiness no matter
what your situation? The wisdom of Pirkei
Avot may sound simple but there's plenty to
ponder if you delve deeply.
Have a great spring.
Rabbi Julie
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Read more from Rabbi Julie |
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| From Marci Fleet - Our Resident Artist |
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I am thrilled to be in the current show
at the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill.
The museum is housed in a beautiful old
mansion at 9204 Germantown Avenue.
It's a very affirming experience to have my
work in the same show as my print-making
teacher's work from art school. Prior to
this, I have exhibited and sold my work in
smaller shows in alternative art spaces such
as: restaurants, hospitals, and book stores.
So, I see this as a step forward in my
evolving as an artist.
I have been working with digital
photography for a year. Last spring I took a
course at Moore and I developed a passion for
the medium. My recent work in the art show is
a piece, using digital photography in a
creative way.
The exhibit will be going on until June 7 at
the museum. I welcome all questions and
comments at thriving2@verizon.net,
more
information about the Woodmere Art Museum can
be found at www.woodmereartmuseum.org.
Above: From left, Landscape-2, Ode to
Robert Indiana, and the times are a Changing
all by Marci Fleet
Upper Right: Reflection, on display at the
Woodmere exhibit
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| Seder Success! |
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The photo shows an
impromtu song presented by
Roby Jacobs (second from left) with David
Uniglicht, Rabbi Julie and
choir director, Jessi Roemer, joining in.
Leyv Ha-Ir's Annual Second Night Community
Seder was a great success. Forty-five
attendees enjoyed the telling of the
Passover story with Rabbi Julie Greenberg
preciding. The food
and frolic was great.
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| Chesed Committee News |
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From the Chesed Committee:
Susan Thompson will be working on the Chesed
Committee with Pat Wisch. Pat will be away
from early May until mid September. Susan
looks forward to working with any congregants
who have Chesed needs. If you would like to
reach her, call Susan at 215-923-4040 or
email at thom5@comcast.net.
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| Conference on Jewish Women Facing Serious Illness |
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On Thursday, May 7, 2009 from 8am-3pm at Har
Zion Temple, Jewish Family and Children's
Service will present the Third Edna S.
Tuttleman Symposium on Jewish Women entitled,
"Tikvah (Hope): Jewish Women Facing Serious
Illness." Attendees will learn more about how
Jewish tradition, community, and individuals
can offer a compassionate response in
difficult times. Blu Greenberg will be the
keynote speaker and there will be workshops
throughout the day on related themes.
As you know, illness can dramatically
impact the lives of individuals and their
families and create complex emotional and
spiritual responses. It is in these moments,
that many turn to Judaism for solace. Please
help us spread the word about this conference
by passing this message along to your
colleagues, friends, family, etc.
If you would like additional information,
please contact
Debbie Boyer at info@jfcsphilly.org
or
267.256.2108.
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| Classified: Let Jack-of-All-Trades Help You Get Things Done |
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I am available for all forms of
jack-of-all-trades, general-purpose work you
need done. Please call John Mason at (215)
271-2982. Thanks.
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