Please remember Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City when you have any occasion to send a greeting card to someone. 

While we are happy to receive contributions in any amount, for a minimum $10 contribution we will gladly send one of Marci Fleet's lovely art cards created for this purpose to the recipient of your choice.

Sue Frank will gladly send along either one of Marci's cards, or one she will customize one based on your suggestions. Sue will also compose a note that carries your thought to the recipient.

Saturday, June 1, 10:00 AM, Shabbat Morning Service

Join us at the Ethical Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square, Second Floor, for a lay-led service and discussion of the Torah portion. Stay and schmooze at our veggie potluck lunch.

Sunday, June 2, 10:30 AM, Annual Meeting

All members are welcome to be there for brunch provided by Leyv Ha-Ir, followed by our meeting.  We'll elect officers and Council members for the coming year, approve a budget and much more!  The location is the William Penn House Community Room, 1919 Chestnut St., 1st floor.  

Monday, June 10, 7:00 PM, Council Meeting

All members are invited to our Council meeting at Iris Newman's home. Call 215.561.0228 for exact location.

Friday, June 21, 6:30 PM, Home Shabbat Service and Dinner

Join us for a short (45 minute) lay-led Kabbalat Shabbat service, followed by a veggie/dairy potluck dinner. Our host is Michael Meketon at 840 Earp St. in the Bella Vista section of South Philadelphia. Please call 215-983-9329 or email michael.meketon@gmail.com to RSVP and let Michael know what you'll be bringing.  

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.

Take a complete look at Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir upcoming activities. 

Dear Chevre,

Please join me in reading a fascinating book by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who was the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations in England. The book is called The Dignity of Difference , published in 2002. He writes about the ethics of globalization and the kind of theology we need to develop to be world citizens in this era. A Jewish vision of diversity is "at the heart of the monotheistic imagination," according to Rabbi Sacks, and this understanding will help us take our place in a world of interconnection. We'll gather as a community at the end of the summer, on August 25, for a Bagels and Books discussion at the home of Laura Jacobs (for address, feel free to e-mail or call our info line.)

Thank You

Thank you to the current Council Members and past Presidents who represented Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City at a blessing circle for my daughter Rosi Greenberg. She will be married in June to Richard Cozzens, who also grew up in Mt. Airy, Phila. They met seven years ago teaching disadvantaged children in a local summer program. All your good wishes mean so much to us as we celebrate this joyful union.

A Blessing for You

Words from Isaiah (55:12) to launch you into summer:

For in joy will you go out,

In peace be led across the Land,

Mountains and hills will burst into song,

And the trees of the field will clap their hands!

All the best,    

Rabbi Julie

Shalom friends,

We are at the end of our year with me as your spiritual leader! I can't tell you how much I have learned and grown from working with you in this capacity - the love, enthusiasm and generosity in this community is so amazing and so precious.

Thank you for offering your bodies, hands, and hearts to the worship, discussions, and celebrations we've shared this year. And thank you for stepping in as a community to help those who needed assistance. Very special thanks to the Leyv Ha-Ir leadership this year, who worked hard and skillfully in service of their community -- and made my job very easy!

I look forward to continuing as your High Holiday Cantor and Musical Director in the coming year!

Welcome back, Rabbi Julie!

With love,

Jessi

Special Guest Rabbi Service Leader 

Recent WHYY/Newsworks.org story 

Bat Mitzvah Story here 

Bio about Kelilah Miller is here  

POWER continues to focus on two main issues:

1. adding an addendum to the city's airport expansion contract with US Airways that would insure a living wage for all airport workers as well as first source hiring for city residents and
2. asking voters to write their legislators, City Council members and Governor Corbett requesting that $180 million be restored to Philadelphia's education budget.

About 40 members of POWER, including Bobbi Cohen and Susan Thompson, attended the May 23 City Council meeting where the airport expansion bill was submitted. It was decided that all POWER members in attendance would place POWER stickers over their mouths to indicate that they were part of a silent protest to support underpaid airport workers who have no voice in this matter. In addition, congregants can call 1-877-400-7921 (toll free) to tell City Council to stand up to U.S. Airways for good jobs at the airport.

The fair wage bill will be sent to the Transportation Committee of City Council for consideration. It is imperative that POWER congregants be present on June 4 at 3 p.m. at City Hall to make public comments and support the bill. POWER hopes to see at least 200 members in attendance. A final vote on the bill should occur in mid June.

POWER representatives have been meeting with City Council members to ask for their support to provide an additional $60 million to the School District's 2013-14 budget. Representatives from POWER's Educational Strategy Team have met with a number of influential persons and organizations, including Sandra Dungee Glenn, former president of the SRC (School Reform Commission) and Susan Gobreski of Education Voters PA, to plan a letter writing/calling campaign on a city and state-wide basis. Information about the letter writing campaign was e-mailed to all on our listserv during the last few weeks. We hope you were able to communicate with your legislators about the need to increase the education budget. Without these funds Philadelphia public schools could lose art, music, support staff, counselors and nurses in addition to everything that's already been taken away from the schools (e.g. libraries). Class size could be increased. There could be no money available for books and school supplies. A final vote will occur by June 30.

Locally, Cecily Harwitt, Susan Thompson and members of Rodeph Shalom, St. Paul's and St. Malachy's have been meeting with Spring Garden School parents on a 1:1 basis to increase parent participation at the school. We have held several small group meetings in addition to the 1:1 interviews. A core group of about 5-8 families have been identified. Hopefully, we will be able to have a meeting of these parents before the summer. Similar parent involvement projects within the city are also taking place at Nebinger School and Universal Bluford Charter School.

Post Script: Our fund-raising efforts have paid off.  Spring Garden School's Principal Robinson informed us that bookplates, containing Leyv Ha-Ir and Rodeph Shalom's names, have been placed in all of the summer reading books. These will be distributed shortly as part of the Summer Time Reading project. An excess of $400 remained in the account and a check was given to the principal with which to buy school supplies for the upcoming school year. There is no budget for these items in the proposed school budget. THIS IS GOOD WORK, MEMBERS!  WE SHOULD BE PROUD!!!