NEWSLETTERTOP

March 2016 - 5776

Volume LXIV #6

Member of the Union For Reform Judaism

978-251-8091

www.congregationshalom.org

Congregation Shalom is a Reform Jewish community committed to education, spiritual growth, and Tikkun
Olam (healing the world).  We are proud to be an extended family of equals - welcoming, caring, and inclusive.
 Together, we engage in religious observance, enjoy social activities, and pursue life-long learning.
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Rabbi From our Rabbirabbi   

Dear Friends,
 
A famous Jewish joke: One person overhears another ask the question, "So when is Channukah coming this year?" Another person responds slyly, "Same as always - the 25th of Kislev!" This points to the interesting intersection of the Jewish calendar and our secular calendar. The Jewish dates are the same, year in and year out, but the way these dates interface with the civil calendar changes. 
 
Nu?  So?  Why am I so focused on calendar jokes? In thinking about this newsletter article, I realized that this year there was a coincidence that I had never consciously noticed before. This year is a leap year in our civil calendar AND a leap year in our Jewish calendar.  Being the "Googler" that I am, I decided to "Google" the question, "How often does a civil leap year and Jewish leap year coincide?" I got an answer that would make any person who loves puzzles and numbers go wild.  Try reading the article Tzarich Iyun:  Your Hebrew Birthday at ou.org. I found it fascinating, but STILL could not figure out the answer. Feel free to pick up pen and pencil and try it for yourself. If you figure it out I would love to know!
 
For those of you who are trying to understand what a Jewish leap year is, here are some of the basics.  The Jewish leap year has 13 months and occurs 7 times in a 19 year cycle (years 3,6,8,11,14, 17 and 19!).  When there is a Jewish leap year, an added month is inserted after the month of Shevat. This month is known as Adar 1, Adar Rishon or Adar Alef.  Since Adar II is the "real" month of Adar, Purim always falls in Adar II, as well being the month in which Adar yarzeits are marked.  Jewish tradition has always considered Adar as a lucky and happy month and being the month that Purim falls, a time of rejoicing and celebration. There is a famous line, perhaps borrowed and adapted by Bobby McFerrin, "Be Happy, It's Adar!"  When there is a Jewish leap year, since there are two months of Adar - Adar I and Adar II - it is sometimes called Shanah Me'uberet, or a pregnant year. I love to think that since this is a Jewish leap year with two months of Adar, it is a time for double happiness, joy and celebration. Rosh Chodesh Adar started on February 10th, so friends, for the next two months, be mindful of the advice:  "Be Happy, It's Adar!"
 
One way to find happiness is to embrace opportunities for community, learning and celebration and the months ahead at Congregation Shalom are filled with such opportunities.  Although I cannot in any way list all the programs, services and celebrations that will be happening, I did want to highlight that on March 6th at 7:00 pm we have invited our youth educator, Steven Philp, to teach an adult education class entitled, Different Branches of the Same Tree:  A Crash Course in the Emergence of Jewish Movements. Together we will learn about the different branches of Judaism and the shared commitments that hold us together. The course will involve a hands-on interpretive exercise that will help immerse you in this fascinating history. Steven is a wonderful educator and I hope you will join us as we learn together. In the realm of celebrating Purim, our community will gather at the end of the month on Saturday night March 26th and Sunday morning March 27th to celebrate Purim. Saturday night there will be an adult celebration and Megillah reading and Sunday morning will be our family celebration and Shalomite Purim carnival. Please join us for all of the above. The Social Action committee will once again be selling rattles at the Purim celebration to help raise monies for families in need. Finally in looking way ahead, keep the date April 5th open. We will be welcoming Dr. Ruth Nemzoff whose program, "Human Conversations with a Jewish Twist", is sure to bring new perspective and insights into the way we talk and relate with each other.
 
So friends, "Be Happy, It's Adar!"
 
Warm regards, 
Rabbi Sig
 Rabbi Shoshana M. Perry

From our PresidentBarryTop    

Ester, Mordecai, and Hatach

This year, I will have the joy of joining many of you at an adult Purim celebration, where we will chant the Megillah, the scroll of Ester, on Saturday, March 26th at 7 p.m. It is strange how each year, something new jumps out at me from my reading.

Last year, I chanted and my focus was on Ester finally accepting that she was going to risk her life and go before the king without an invitation. She asks Mordecai to have all Jews in Shushan fast for her for three days and then she will go to the king, and then, hauntingly, says, and, if I perish, I perish.  Sometimes, we have to do things... our conscience and our wise loved ones have told us so. But, that doesn't make it less hard. We simply have to summon our inner voice and act, just like Ester did.

This year, I noticed that in chapter 4 - same section as last year - there is very important communication but no direct conversation between Ester and Mordecai... Ester has one of her attendants, Hatach, speak with Mordecai. And, I found myself wondering... what must it have been like for this servant to do Ester's will... what did he think of the Jewish people? By all accounts Hatach was a eunuch - talk about your tough working conditions. Yet, he noticed Mordecai at the king's gate and told Ester. Hatach did his job well, communicated clearly back and forth, and the Jewish people survived with his help. He was a go-between... but, a very important one. Without him, would Ester have known and been able to save us? To me, this story says that sometimes, we have to rely on others for our help, even, for our very survival. And, maybe, sometimes, the best we can do is our job to its fullest, applying all our intelligence and diligence to see that it is carried out. The good that comes out of it may not be clear to us at the time, and even our daily life may be a struggle to do our job. 

I find that is true in the work I do for money and the work I do for love: harsh words, long hours, too much to do, people's hot buttons pushed unintentionally causing sparks or hurt. In all these situations, I try to remember Hatach who did his job well and Mordecai who reached out for help.Together with Ester they enabled us to be here today.

I hope you will join me and be here this month to hear the WHOLE Megillah. And, I am very excited about my costume - I think it is daring and apropos! It is not as polished as some of the fine ones I saw last year, but it speaks strongly to me. I hope you are able to join us - whether you will chant or speak a Megillah section - or whether you will be in costume or not!

 Chag Purim!
Tamar's signature
Tamar R. Wexler

From our Education Director    

Maimonides, also known as the Rambam, was a famous Jewish scholar, known for his code of Jewish Law called the Mishneh Torah. He was also a medical doctor. In the Mishneh Torah, Rambam wrote about the different levels of tzedakah. Through his teachings, we are encouraged to think about levels of giving and to reflect on our own charitable giving.
 
A few weeks ago, our students were asked to wrestle with the different levels of charitable giving. Is it a higher level of giving to give unhappily or to give anonymously? Should we give less than we can but happily or should we give only after we are asked? These were issues our students had to talk about and reflect upon. We challenged our students to think about why they thought one level of giving may be higher than the next. These are not easy questions to grapple with and our students were thoughtful and mature in their discussions.
 
As a student body we thought about our tzedakah project, "The Shoe That Grows" and I shared with the students that our shoes will go to a township in Namibia called Swakopmund. This area is struck by severe poverty and there is a high rate of alcoholism and unfortunately with the broken bottles on the floor, children often cut open their feet. Our collected money will help to alleviate the problems associated with these children not having shoes.
 
As we explored Maimonides ladder, we looked at how much we as a school have raised. As I am writing this article, we have raised $750, an amazing achievement. The students were excited with this amount but we all committed to try to reach $1500 by the end of the year.This would mean 150 pairs of shoes! Our Chai School students have been asked to join this challenge as well and they were offered a matching grant for the money they raised. I was witness to a school filled with amazing caring young Jewish people who understand the values of charitable giving and are willing to wrestle with its complexities.
 
Please take a minute to look at our newly created art project that Steven Philp built with the students depicting Maimonides ladder of giving, I am sure you will be so impressed. The ladder they built is truly spectacular.
 
Finally, I have listed the 8 levels of giving that the children were given and we encourage you to wrestle within your own family about where you would place the different levels. We assure you, it is not an easy task and it will definitely spark meaningful conversation.

 

1. Giving unhappily

2. Giving less than you can but with a smile on your face

3. Giving generously, but only after a poor person asks you to

4. Giving to a poor person, without being asked

5. Giving to a poor person who you DO NOT know but who

     does not know you

6. Giving when you know who you are giving to, but the recipient       does not know your identity

7. Giving to a poor person who you do NOT know and who does       NOT know you

8. Giving a loan or a job to someone or teaching them so he or         she will never have to ask for a loan again

 

Yael Signature
Yael 

From our Cantorial Soloist    

Musically at Congregation Shalom, we continue to grow and to change. Our music is not only instrumental in making prayer more accessible to us, it makes the act of prayer a fluid and engaging practice. At Congregation Shalom we are continuously trying out new approaches in our song while also maintaining our connection to tradition. 

Over the past couple of months, Adam Dehner and I have composed several new liturgical melodies that we look forward to sharing with you at our upcoming Friday night services. It is our hope to integrate these new pieces into the rich musical culture that is our sacred community.  Juxtaposing these new melodies with the traditional tunes will enable us to keep our services fresh and engaging while at the same time preserving and valuing our minhag hamakon (the custom of the place).
 
B'Shalom V'Shira (With Peace and Song),

Jodi Blankstein
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Social Action Committeesocialaction

Successful family social action project, Sunday February 7
Thanks to the kids and families who came after first session of religious school on Sunday Feb 7 to make valentines crafts. Together we created over 40 cards, lollipop flowers, and floral pens to bring cheer to homebound seniors. We had fun while helping to make the world a better place - thank you!
 
Save the date: April 15 Martin Ames Social Action Shabbat
We are in the process of planning this year's annual Martin Ames Social Action Shabbat, which will take place on Friday April 15 at 7p.m. This year's topic will be immigration, with a focus on the experiences of newly arrived immigrants in the United States and their needs. Stay tuned for more details to come in next month's newsletter.

Monthly Food Donations for Middlesex Transitional Living 
Center
Congregation Shalom is collecting food for the Lowell Transitional Living Center (LTLC). It is easy to help out with this mitzvah. Donations of meatloaf, and/or brownies and/or salad are accepted each month. There will be a cooler chest located by the doors of Congregation Shalom. Simply place your donation in the cooler and know that you have done a good deed! The food will be collected and brought to the Lowell Transitional Living Center in Lowell, where our donations are greatly appreciated each month.You can leave your donations in the cooler beginning on Wednesday, March 16 through Thursday, March 17 (until 5pm.) April dates will be April 20-21 - mark your calendar now!

Volunteer at Table of Plenty in Chelmsford
Congregation Shalom is part of a team of volunteers at the Table of Plenty in Chelmsford, an organization that serves a free meal to all, no questions asked, every Tuesday from 5 - 6 p.m. at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Chelmsford Center. Our team serves every other month on the third Tuesday, and will next serve on March 15. If you have time to volunteer during the afternoon on Tuesdays and would like to take part, please contact Linda Newhard at lsnewhard@comcast.net.

Questions? Need more information? Please contact socialaction@congregationshalom.org. Thank you for your participation with this mitzvah.

Fundraisingfundraising
While the Fundraising Committee takes a break, I want to remind everyone about the following ongoing 'passive' fundraising events:
 
1.  Amazon.com - no not Amazon Smile. If you haven't done so, go to the synagogue website, www.congregationshalom.org and find the portal to Amazon then 'bookmark' it, making sure to delete your old bookmark if you have one.  Now you are all set to buy your goodies from Amazon and donate to the temple. For everything you buy on Amazon, we receive a deposit anywhere from 2% to 15%. Again, this is not Amazon Smile. We have been on this program for years and it is no longer offered but we are 'grandfathered' to the program for as long as we want to participate. We have literally received thousands of dollars from them over years.
 
2.  "Recycle That" is the grey container in the temple parking lot. They accept just about anything unless it is listed as a 'no-no'. They even take clothing that is too worn for Savers (as an example) - they somehow recycle it.
 
3.   Recycle in the green and yellow Paper Retriever container, also in the parking lot. They take your newspapers, junk mail and magazines. Please NO CARDBOARD BOXES - I wind up pulling them out.
Featured This Issue
Music
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Save the Date

3/6 - Different Branches of the Same Tree
3/8 - Cafe Wisdom
3/26 - Torah Study
3/26 - Purim Party/Megillah Reading (for adults)
3/27 - Religious School Purim Carnival


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GroupsBlockGroups
  
  
  

 

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QuickLinksQuick Links
 
   

Links to Our Website
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Start Thinking About Purim

The Purim Party (complete with megillah reading and costume contest) is coming!  Is your costume ready?  7 pm on Saturday March 26 at the synagogue!  We'll bring hors d'oeuvres, you BYOB.  Email purim@congregationshalom.org for more information.

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thankyou ThankYou
  
We would like to thank all those who made a donation to the Temple in memory of Barbara Penfield. It was heartwarming to get those donation cards in the mail. Barbara was a very special lady and would have been honored to be remembered in this way. We are so grateful to be part of such a caring community!

Dave Penfield, Becky Bronson, Andy and Scott Penfield

Thank you to all those who made donations and checked in with me during my recent illness.  Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated and made my recovery that much speedier.

Gayle Hurd

Thanks to all of my congregation family for their good wishes and delicious dinners during my recent illness

Laurie Fidler

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Good and Welfaregoodandwelfare

Condolences to David Penfield and family on the passing of his step-mother, Barbara B. Penfield.  

Condolences to Jeanne Penn and family on the passing of her father Stanley Kulewicz.  

March Yahrzeitsyahrzeits

3/4/16
Jack Bresnick
Frances Strock Circle
Hanna David
Hanna Kapon David
Gloria Fierverker
Edith Follis
Ruth Graff
Cindi Davis Holub
Danny Lapin
Paulene Leader
Charles Miller
Frank Niedergang
Benjamin Pearlman
Dora Porfetta
Estel Porfetta
Esther Porfetta
Isha Porfetta
Leon Porfetta
Julia (Sabel) Salmirs
Randy Shuldiner

3/11/16
Ida Burton
John Estrella
Nathan Kashuk
Albert Shaponick
Doris Waldman
Mack Weinstein
Morris Wyszogrod

3/18/16
Harold Cohen
Gayle Friedlander
Thelma Goldstein
Eunice Klein
Ira Klein
Harry Marcus
Laura Mizen
Jacob Porfetta
Elizabeth Richards
Stella Schaevitz
Edward Skolnick
Alice Truitt

3/25/16
Vernon Beck

4/1/16
Elizabeth Burke
William Derby
Meyer M. Dreher
Adelle Egan
LIllian B. Fostie
Helen Gross
Thomas Herring
Brian Howard
Patricia Sedgwick
Nathan Singer
Joseph Waldman

Our Caring Committee Can Help

The Caring Committee is always available to provide meals or transportation to those members and families who need a little help. Please don't hesitate to email Katie Wolman at caringchair@congregationshalom.org or Rabbi Perry at rabbi@congregationshalom.org, or feel free to call Katie at home.

Newsletter Ads and You!

 

We are always looking for advertisers for the Temple newsletter. Ads can be placed at any time with special pricing for members. Ads need not be for a year so if you want to try us, we take ads for 3 months as well as six months. If you decide to continue your ad for a full year, we do pro-rate the price. As the saying goes, "Try us, you'll like us!"

 

Youth ScholarshipsYthScholar

Throughout the year, there are many enriching Jewish experiences available to our youth through our synagogue or the community. These include, but aren't limited to, summer camps and trips to Washington, New York, and Israel. Fortunately, there is some scholarship money available through the temple to those families in need of financial assistance for these opportunities. Please contact Margie Berenson at scholarship@concgregationahalom.org with any questions and/or for an application form. 

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Changed Your Address?

Notify us at  emailchange@congregationshalom.org and we'll make sure all the right organizations at the Temple are informed. Please include your full name in your request.

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Deadline for the

April Newsletter is

Thursday, March 17.

 

Please send articles to

newsletter@congregationshalom.org.  

 

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Sisterhood Newssisterhood
 
February was a quiet month for Sisterhood, but one of our favorite events is coming up in March! On Saturday, March 5 we will gather for a one day retreat at the Colonial Inn in Concord, MA. Our original venue, the Stonehedge Inn in Tyngsboro, had a pipe burst which is forcing them to close for several weeks. We think the Colonial Inn will be just as nice. We are looking forward to participating in all of the activities that the planning committee has developed, and to enjoying a Shabbat service with music from Sue Horowitz.
 
Our second event on the schedule for March is a beading night at Katie Ebersman's home on Thursday, 3/24 at 7p.m. We are lucky to have Laura Rodman share her talents to help each of us create a unique necklace or bracelet with a variety of beads. Watch for more details soon.
 
If you need any items for Shabbat, Passover or b'nai mitzvah gifts, there is a selection on display at the Sisterhood gift shop. Please contact the Sisterhood by email if you would like to make a purchase.    
 
Our next board meeting is on Tuesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend.
 
Toby Sedgwick and the Sisterhood Board 
sisterhood@congregationshalom.org

 
 
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Brotherhood Newsbrotherhood

March winds may be upon us, but Brotherhood members sense spring in the air. In February we had a snow shoe event led by the intrepid winter explorer Neal Berenson. There was even a youngster who came. Guys night out was at the Oasis Brazilian Bar-B-Que Grill. As usual there were a good number of members attending.
 
Our resident card shark, Paul Hantman, is planning an upcoming learning session on how to play the various types of poker games. Look for evite on when this session will take place. Coming up, our own vintner, David Correia, will lead a group in the process of fermenting and bottling of wine, so be on the lookout for the date.
 
On Sunday March 13 from 3-5 PM Brotherhood is organizing a glass making event at Fiamma Glass in Waltham. Depending on the size of our group, we may have the option of doing glass flaming, making a fish or marble, or glass fusion, making a Mezuzah or Seder plate. All temple men and women are welcome, but we need a head count by March 3rd to insure Fiamma has enough instructors. Cost is $50 plus $15 for materials. Contact Brotherhood to reserve your spot.
 
Don't forget to reserve your spot now for the always sold out Brotherhood retreat in Brewster weekend May 21-22. E-mail Brotherhood if you have questions.
 
The temple Brotherhood is primarily a social organization that takes fun seriously. We encourage non-Brotherhood members to try an event to meet the guys.
 
David Brother
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Shalomitesshalomites

An enthusiastic group of Shalomites had a blast at our most recent event, "Chinese Jew Year"! This was a new event for us and I think it's safe to say that with Sudoku puzzles, catching up with friends, and eating lots of yummy Chinese food, the event was a success! We are beginning the planning process for the Purim Carnival and hope that many of our Shalomites will get involved and attend our planning meeting on March 1st. 

Julia Segal
Shalomites President 5775-5776
 

 
 
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Adult Education - Community Events ListingAdultEd
    

ADULT EDUCATION EVENT PLANNER

Event

Date/Time

Location

Information

Torah Study

Feb. 27

9-10:30 a.m.

Congregation Shalom

Rabbi Perry

Facing History/Facing Ourselves-Holocaust Series: Session 4

Feb. 29

7-8:30 p.m.

Congregation Shalom

Topic: Holocaust Memory Moving Forward

Presented By: Amy Degen

 

Boston Jewish Music Festival

March 1-13

TBD

www.bostonjewishmusicfestival.org

MVJF Women's Event

March 3

7:00 p.m.

Lanam Club  Andover

Author: Tova Mirvis discusses her 3 novels

Different Branches of the Same Tree

March 6

7:00 p.m.

Congregation Shalom

Steven Philp: Crash Course in the Emergence of Jewish Movements

Caf� Wisdom

March 8

10:30 a.m.

Congregation Shalom

 

Return of the Jew: Identity Narratives of the Third Post-Holocaust Generation of Jews in Poland

Thursday March 10  12-2 p.m.

Temple Emanuel Andover

   Author Katka Reszke will speak about her book

Free Admission: Bring Kosher or Bag Lunch      Co-sponsored by Nashoba Valley and Merrimack   Valley Hadassah and the MVJF

Beyond Bubbie's Kitchen

March 13 

5:30-7 p.m.

Back Bay Event Center

                http://www.jartsboston.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/JArtsBoston_Spring_2016.pdf

 Explore Boston Jewish food favorites

Torah Study

March 26

9-10:30 a.m.

Congregation Shalom

Rabbi Perry

Dr. Ruth Nemzoff

April 5

7:00 p.m.

Congregation Shalom

Human Conversations with a Jewish Twist

Caf� Wisdom

April 12

10:30 a.m.

Congregation Shalom

 

MVJF Jewish Film Festival

Starts May 1 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Osgood's Landing        N. Andover

 

Besa: The Promise Movie/Discussion

May 4

6:30 p.m.

Congregation Shalom

Yom HaShoah

http://besathepromise.com/thefilm.html

Caf� Wisdom

May 10

10:30 a.m.

Congregation Shalom

 

One Book/One Congregation

My Promised Land by Ari Shavit

May 15

10:30 a.m.

Congregation Shalom

An interesting take on the state of Israel; Facilitated discussion

 

 

 

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Grocery Store Cards  


WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME MONTHLY GROCERY SHOPPERS!!

If you are like my family of four, you shop for groceries every week!  Please help the temple with one simple action - sign up for a monthly grocery card. 
 
Just email Judy Beningson at giftcards@congregationshalom.org and I will get you started. Once a month, you get a grocery card for Hannaford, Stop & Shop or Donelan's, and the temple gets cashback 7%. Join the ten other Congregation Shalom families that are already Monthly Members.  

You can also purchase in person on Sundays at the temple during religious school.

THANK YOU. 

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Library News

Book Review of The Secret Chord 
by Geraldine Brooks
  
Once again, I am reviewing a novel by one of my favorite authors, Geraldine Brooks. Brooks is a Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist. She was a journalist in Bosnia, Somalia, and the Middle East. Her first book was a non-fiction book called Nine Parts of Desire, which was about the secret lives of Muslim women and was fantastic!  I learned so much from that book.  Her specialty is taking a tiny morsel of history and spinning it into an entire historical novel.   
The Secret Chord is her fifth novel, and is a reimagination of the life of the biblical King David. She was reported to be inspired to write this book when her ten-year old son told her he wanted to play the harp. In researching the book she and her youngest son traveled to Israel and spent some time herding sheep and goats in the Desert.Natan, the prophet/seer who advised David, is the narrator. The story starts in the middle of David's life. It moves back to his childhood, and his relationship with Saul, and also describes the later part of his life.
 
Brooks continues as a masterful storyteller with her descriptions of biblical times. It talks about David the shepherd, the harpist, the soldier, the outlaw, and the king. David's relationship with his many wives and children are explored. The royal plotting and machinations are reminiscent of "Game of Thrones!" Natan talks about how David is flawed, and indeed most of the characters are flawed. This is something we often forget when we are reading about biblical heroes. In the end, they are just human, and often chosen by God for a purpose that is sometimes unclear. Add free will, and sometimes, things don't work out the way they are supposed to.
  
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.      
           
Submitted by Rhonda Waxman
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BGBook Group

The Congregation Shalom book group is open to anyone who is interested in attending our stimulating book group meetings. We enjoy discussing and reviewing an interesting selection of books in an informal setting.

The following is a list of our future meetings: 

March 14 7:30 p.m. at the home of Phyllis and Fred Kallus
Book Selection: The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell
 
April 11 7:30 p.m. at the home of Fran and David Herschel
Book Selection: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion



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This is a phase from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera"
  • And makes one think of the beautiful music from Friday Night Services.
  • And makes one think of people in our hearts - past, present, and future which also happens when you listen to: "From Within"
  • This is the title of the wonderful CD with Jodi Blankstein, the lead vocalist and also our cantorial soloist with Laura Weiss on the piano and Adam Dehner playing the guitar. 
This CD also makes one think of people in our hearts past, present, and future.
 
To listen to some of the renditions from this CD go to www.jodichants.com. Not only can you hear samples of the music from this CD but you can purchase it as well.
 
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iGiveiGive for Congregation Shalom
Have you ever thought how great it would be to be able to shop online at 783 different well-known stores and still donate money to Congregation Shalom?  Well, you can do that!  It's free and easy so join those of us who have been sending donations to the synagogue for years simply by shopping by first going to the iGive website once you have established the link.  Click here to register for Congregation Shalom to automatically be the recipient cause.
  
If you make a purchase through iGive within 45 days of signing up, an extra $5.00 will go to Congregation Shalom.  If you have any questions, please contact Laura at fundraising@congregationshalom.org.
  

 

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ExtendedCommunityExtended Community

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NASHOBA VALLEY AND
MERRIMACK VALLEY HADASSAH CHAPTERS AND THE MERRIMACK VALLEY JEWISH FEDERATION
 
 JOINTLY HOST
 
                LUNCH AND LEARN


 


Author, Katka Reszke will speak about her book
 
Return of the Jew: Identity Narratives of the Third Post-Holocaust Generation of Jews in Poland
A new generation of Jews in Poland are discovering their Jewish heritage and beginning to seek a means of associating with Judaism and Jewish culture.

THURSDAY MARCH 10th
Noon-2pm
Location:  Temple Emanuel
7 Haggetts Pond Rd., Andover, MA
Free Admission.  Bring Kosher or Dairy Bag Lunch.


 









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Table of Plenty in Chelmsford

Free Dinner Served

Every Tuesday from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Chelmsford Center

 

All are welcome. No questions asked.

Also, if you know of someone who cannot get out,

but would benefit from a dinner being delivered to them, please contact us.

 

For more information contact:

tableofplentyinchelmsford@gmail.com

www.tableofplentyinchelmsford.org

978-710-8328

 

 Return to Quick Links


 

 
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From the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston & Affiliates...

 

VNA Hospice Care needs volunteers! Hospice volunteers play a key role in helping to provide caring and compassion to patients and families facing life-limiting illness and loss. A volunteer may provide patients with company and emotional support, give the spouse, partner or other caregiver a needed break from care giving, and/or help caregivers run errands or get to and from appointments. A strong need exists for volunteers who can visit on weekdays. We also seek: musicians who would like to sing or play music quietly at the bedside of nursing home residents; Reiki practitioners who would like to offer Reiki to patients and/or caregivers; and people interested in visiting with their therapy dog. Volunteers who speak both English and a second language are also helpful. We provide volunteer training and ongoing support. Call 781-569-2888 and ask to speak to a Volunteer Coordinator for more information. Or email LPalais@vnab.org.

  


Spiritual Poetry Journal

 

"Soul-Lit" is a new on-line spiritual poetry journal. A number of entries have been from Jews and have Jewish content. Writers are encouraged to submit their own poems which have a level of spiritual content to them. Two volumes have already been published.

 

To check out the website, please click here.

 

Please spread the word to members of the community who are writers / poets, and who may wish to submit their own writings.

 

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