As lovers of Israel and unconditional supporters of Israel's right to exist, we are well aware of the many serious challenges confronting Israel today, as well as the threats faced by the Jewish people everywhere. In addition to the existential questions confronting Israel, as Reform Jews we are also faced with serious questions concerning societal and institutional values.  Questions like: Will Israeli society and institutions respect and fairly treat all denominations, regardless of how they observe Judaism?  Will gender equality be the norm - where men and women can pray and live as equals? Will we see lasting peace with security and stability for the land and people of Israel and her neighbors?

Or Chadash is committed not only to supporting our brothers and sisters in Israel but also to shaping its future. Together, we have an opportunity to advocate for an Israeli society that represents our values and clearly puts forth our vision for Israel - a vision in which the ideals of pluralism, equality and peace are accepted.

A few weeks ago I shared with all of you some information about how each one of you can have a very real impact on Israel and Jewish people around the globe.  From the comfort of your favorite spot and a link to the Internet, you can vote in the World Zionist Congress elections.  You might think: What is the WZC and does voting really make a difference?  The WZC was created by Theodore Herzl more than a century ago -- long before Israel became a modern state.  It helped support the Zionist cause in those early years.  It is still on of the most important organizations that determine what policies Israel follows because it directs financial resources in proportion to groups that receive votes.  So yes, voting absolutely matters! 

We are given the opportunity to vote for representatives to the WZC only once every five years.  So, if you care about the Reform Movement in Israel, if you support egalitarian prayer, if you believe in freedom of religion, the right of Reform rabbis to conduct marriage, divorce, burial and conversion, if you believe that women should have equal status, here is your chance to make a difference.

Please join me in supporting ARZA, the Reform Zionist group, and vote in the World Zionist Congress elections. For information on the WCZ and a link to vote in the critical election click here. 

Shalom,

Rabbi Joseph M. Forman

By the time you read this, January will be over. It's one of my least favorite months. We are all recovering from the Hanukkah/New Year's rush and the excitement of the holidays feels long past. Yet, it's still dark early in the morning and the afternoons still feel as though I am missing out on some essential daylight. 

But when the page turns to February, there is a glimmer of hope for spring ahead.  In our family we have Evan's birthday to look forward to, and even though it is a holiday constructed completely by Hallmark, there is always Valentine's Day. (Really an excuse to eat more chocolate, but that's not a bad thing.)

At Or Chadash the latter part of January has been quite busy as we emerged from the quiet time at New Years.  Having enjoyed the events in January (again, chocolate was a theme!) and new programs filling practically every weekend in February, the activities at Or Chadash definitely give me something to look forward to.  

The Purim Carnival is on March 1 this year. Our fantastic committee always has some new fun things up their sleeves. We also have an ongoing roster of Sisterhood "Walk and Talks." It's a great way to spend a few hours after you drop the kids at Religious School on Sunday morning.  

Mark your calendars for June 6th, when we'll be holding a fundraising wine tasting event at Old York Cellars. Tickets will go on sale shortly. Bring your friends and neighbors to enjoy a beautiful and fun night out.

Don't forget Friday night services and our monthly family services.  They are great events with terrific and engaging programming.  No matter how you've kicked off the new year, I look forward to seeing you at Or Chadash in the weeks and months to come.           

Shalom!

Caryn

NBC news recently featured a segment on Quiet Time, a stress reduction strategy used in several San Francisco middle and high schools.  Initially controversial to many parents, faculty and administrators as the meditation time takes away from academic minutes, the program's results have been outstanding.  Within a year of adopting meditation, the school which had gunfire and murders, fighting, suspensions  and high teacher absenteeism has had a complete turnaround.  In the first year suspensions fell by 45 percent.  Within four years, the suspension rate was among the lowest in San Francisco.  Daily attendance rates climbed to 98 percent, and GPAs increased markedly. Other schools that adopted Quiet Time recorded the highest happiness levels in San Francisco, less stress and depression and greater self-esteem than non participant schools.  I encourage you to watch this link. 

Betsy Zalaznick

During the depth of Winter I often find myself resentful of the cold, snow and darkness that seems to pervade my world. My activity level decreases as I spend more time indoors, curled up with my dogs in front of the TV or with a good book. I feel as if my world becomes somehow smaller as I go inward into a semi-hibernation state, a reflection of the slumber of the world outside.

It is precisely at this time of year that I start to notice small changes. As I drive to work at 7:00 in the morning the sun is already peeking over the horizon. I have become aware that we have close to an hour more daylight in the afternoon. Somehow my car feels a little bit warmer when parked in the sun all day. These small changes add up to an awareness that the earth is slowly coming back to life, renewed once again by the restorative power of the seasons.

I carry this awareness with me into my daily life. When things seem dark and empty I look for the small changes, powerful spots of time that indicate a potential transformation into something greater than the present if we but embrace them.

It is at this time of year that we will be starting our 6th grade Torah trope classes. I thoroughly enjoy introducing our students to the basics of chanting Torah, a system that is older than musical notation. In six weeks I hope to give them a basic understanding of how this system works, which will make their Torah portion much easier to chant when the time comes. Chanting Torah is a very powerful experience for me, I feel myself connected to the generations before me, chanting the same words with the same melody. My greatest hope is that I can transmit this same connection to the students as they take their place in the history of our people, a living legacy of LaDor vador, "from generation to generation." On a "seasonal" note, the classes will be finished just in time for Spring break!  

Many Bles-sings,

Kathy Gohr