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 based on your suggestions. Sue will also compose a note that carries your thought to the recipient.

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

Join our lay-led minyan for a Shabbat morning service, Torah discussion and pot-luck veggie/dairy lunch.  

Location: Ethical Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Sq., second floor front.

Sunday, February 2, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Engaging with Prayer:  Learning More, Leading More

Come for brunch and the first in our next education series with Rabbi Julie. See article below for more information. 

Location: Kennedy House Community Room, 1901 JFK Blvd., 30th Floor 

Members - $10, Guests - $15  

Pre-registration requested (not required) by contacting Evy Simon at evysimon@hotmail.com or 215.561.7474

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

All members are invited to our Council meeting.

Location: Pat Wisch's home. Call 215-563-1894 or email patwisch@comcast.net for exact location.

Friday, February 14, 6:30 PM, Home Shabbat Service and Dinner 

Join us at the new home of Frann Shore for a lay-led Friday night service followed by a pot-luck veggie/dairy dinner. Contact Frann at frann_365@hotmail.com or 267-614-4012 to RSVP and to let her know what you'll be bringing, and to get her new apartment number.

Friday, February 21, 7:30 PM, Kabbalat Shabbat Service Honoring our Founding Members 

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

Dear Chevre,      

I've been appreciating what a gem our little congregation is at the heart of the city. Some current highlights are the wide range of learning, prayer, and social options available on our calendar; the excellent management and financial wellbeing of the congregation; and the community's sense of purpose in caring for our own members as well as for what needs to be healed in the world.

That sense of caring purpose is the essence of a Jewish community. We speak about the Jewish religion being a "practice" and that is because human beings literally have to practice being good to each other. Judaism offers us experience in holy community to help us develop the precious skills of menschlikeit/being good human beings.

If it were easy to always treat each other well, we would not need to practice these skills. But it is the opposite of easy. When you factor in different backgrounds, different levels of mental health and physical need, different levels of engagement, different needs and desires, different personalities, different strengths and weaknesses, you can see why we need to work at being kind, patient, forgiving and generous.

Being in community is a gift that can grow us all. Let's allow the strength of our community as a whole, to strengthen each one of us, to grow us, stretch us, mobilize us, inspire us, hold us and nurture us in growing Jewishly as good human beings.

With Love and Blessing,

Your Rabbi, Julie

2014 Theme: LIVING STORIES

Experience a spiritual, intellectual, and emotional adventure at this beautiful location at the seashore.

What will be happening?

• Arrive at Port-O-Call after 3 pm Friday 
• Candle lighting and Friday night dinner
• Friday Kabbalat Shabbat services with Rabbi Julie
• Evening Session: LIVING STORIES
• Saturday morning breakfast
• Saturday Shabbat services with Rabbi Julie
• Saturday lunch
• Afternoon workshop: LIVING STORIES
• Purim Shpiel preparation
• Free time
• Dinner on your own
• Saturday Havdalah service
• Evening activities: comedy hour, biblio-drama, movie, singing, games, etc.
• Sunday sunrise on the beach
• Sunday breakfast
• Closing activity
• March Council Meeting

Registration, including everything listed above:

~ LHI Members $215  

~ Guests          $240

To register, please send a check payable to Leyv Ha-Ir and with a note saying "Retreat" to:

Leyv Ha-Ir

P.O. Box 15836

Philadelphia, PA 19103  

Hotel rates per night, per room:

Ocean view room with 2 double beds  $115 + tax

"Bay View" room with 2 double beds    $95 + tax

Room amenities: balcony, mini fridge, single serve coffee maker, and hair dryer

Call Port-O-Call Hotel for reservations at 609-399-8812 or 1-800-334-4546 and mention that you with the Leyv Ha-Ir group. Hotel room payments are made directly with the hotel. 

Rabbi Julie Recognized for her Education Work 

VOICES OF POWER FUNDRAISER 

What a splendid event! POWER's very first fundraiser lifted the roof at Congregation Rodeph Shalom. 

The walls of their beautiful sanctuary were vibrating with the sounds and rhythms of ten different musical and speaking groups of every denomination. The afternoon began with our very own Jessi Roemer leading her group, Sonic Theology (photo below).

Our leader, Rabbi Julie Greenberg, has been very involved with POWER, almost since its inception.  It was no surprise that Rabbi received the "School Crusader" award for her hard work and commitment to this organization. (See photo)

Leyv Ha-Ir was so well represented at the concert. Almost half of our members were in the audience to cheer everyone on. We are certainly "the little synagogue that could."

POWER UPDATE 

Members of the Leyv Ha-Ir community joined with members of other congregations affiliated with the Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower, and Rebuild (POWER) in a meeting to discuss voter engagement and turnout, held at New Vision United Methodist Church in North Philadelphia, on Monday January 21st, 2014.

The Reverend Greg Holston, Pastor of New Vision, welcomed people attending and staff members' spoke of their participation at the PICO training conference in Atlanta.

Wes Lathrop, POWER organizer, spoke about engaging members of POWER congregations to vote in the May, 2014 primary elections, which will include elections for the primary candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania. A key piece of legislation, which will appear on the May ballot, will be a referendum question that would authorize City Council to raise the minimum wage for contractors and sub-contractors that receive city subsidies. The new minimum would be $10.88 per hour.  A registered voter can vote solely the ballot questions without having to declare as a Republican, Democrat or Independent. 

It is essential that POWER get out the primary vote to ensure that this ballot question passes. In order to do this POWER will be organizing phone banks, door to door canvassing and presentations to inform the voters. Leyv Ha-Ir has been asked to estimate how many votes we can guarantee for the May primary. Since we are so small, LHI members might consider making presentations in the condo/coops we live in to educate residents about the importance of turning out to vote for the minimum wage ballot question. 

In addition, POWER has been meeting with gubernatorial candidates to assess their position on supporting a full and fair funding formula for public schools throughout the state. Voters need to turn out on May 14 to make sure that the gubernatorial candidate that is chosen supports such a formula.

If you are interested in working on any of these campaigns, please email Susan Thompson at susandanazoe@gmail.com.

We will keep you informed of ongoing voter engagement projects. For now, please note that the 2014 Civic Engagement Public Campaign Launch is Feb. 11th, 7-9 p.m., location will be announced soon.

Submitted by the LHI POWER Team - Bev Hayden, John Mason and Susan Thompson

ALLIES BOOK DRIVE UNDER WAY  

Thanks to your wonderful support and generosity, Leyv Ha-Ir was able to supply many books for 2013 summer reading to the students at Spring Garden school. We are hoping to initiate the same program for Summer 2014.

Won't you help?  Please send your donation to Leyv Ha-Ir, P.O. Box 15836, Philadelphia, PA  19103, designating BOOK DRIVE. Contact Beverly Hayden, hayden15@verizon.net with any queries. Thanks, in advance, for your help.