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Looking Ahead
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Sukkot Celebration - Sunday, October 12, 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Sue Frank's home
Simchat Torah Celebration - Thursday, October 16
Details to follow.
Fall Education Series
Sundays, Nov. 2, 16, 23
Rabbi Julie will lead our fall series, "Walking All the Way Through Life Together: End of Life Issues in Sacred Community." Conscious aging involves considering end-of-life decisions which are some of the most important decisions any human being will make in a lifetime. Yet some synagogue communities focus only on able-bodied, prime-of-life relationships, leaving a gap for people grappling with end-of-life decision-making, entering frail old age and facing the end of life. We want to be a community that holds our members all the way through life. We want to be good not only at the rites of mourning but also at the entire passage up to that stage. So, in a strong spiritual context we'll engage with Jewish perspectives on end-of-life issues. Rabbi Julie Greenberg will be joined by other leading teachers to explore these important issues. Please join us in this holy and inspiring exploration. Please mark your calendar to attend these important sessions. More details will follow.
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Donate via PayPal
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Leyv Ha-Ir Listserv
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To Post a Message - just send an email to leyvhair@npogroups.org. Attachments are accepted.
Leyv Ha-Ir Event Postings - will be sent by designated people using the information on our
Other Postings - You can post information about other events or information of interest by sending an email to
leyvhair@npogroups.org.
Contact Beverly or Bobbi if there are questions about the listserv.
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Chesed Reminder
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 A reminder that we have a Chesed (acts of loving kindness) committee who will do their best to offer assistance to LHI members in need. If you find yourself in that situation please call and we'll see how we can be helpful. Contacts:
Joan Goldberg 215-561-5193
Pat Wisch 215-563-1894
Margie Wiener 215-563-8998
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Marking Lifecycle Events
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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, z"l, lovely art cards created for this purpose to the recipient of your choice.
Sue Frank will send the card and compose a note that expresses your thoughts. She can also customize a card based on your suggestion.
Please use the
contribution form on our website, which contains the mailing address for your contribution, PO Box 15836, Philadelphia PA 19103. You can also
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Home Shabbat Hosts Needed
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Our monthly Friday night home Shabbats have become a popular mainstay of Leyv Ha-Ir community life. Hosts are needed for upcoming months.
Host responsibilities are minimal and support is available to guide you every step of the way. Attendance averages 10 to 18 people.
For more information or to volunteer as a host, please contact Roby Jacobs at robyjacobs@msn.com. You'll be glad you did. |
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Join Our List
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Dear Friend of Leyv Ha-Ir ~ Heart of the City,
With the arrival of the new moon, Rosh Hodesh, on August 26 we are now in the Hebrew Month of Elul, the month before Rosh HaShana and Tishrei. Many of us will not hear or blow a shofar daily, but the intent to wake up and start re-thinking where we have been and where we are going, personally and collectively, is there. Leyv Ha-Ir is in step with the Jewish calendar, its spiritual awareness, and the preparations towards the High Holy Days.
Join us to get ready in every way possible.
May your heart (leyv), helping hands, and good spirits guide us through this season of Prayer, Return, Renewal, Awe and living in community. We can start wishing each other L'Shana Tova!
Best regards,
Bobbi and Roby
Your Co-First Vice Presidents
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| LHI CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 2014 AND BEYOND | | |
Saturday, September 6, 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 Building, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Sq., Collier Room, 2nd floor front
Contact LHI at 215-629-1995 or info@leyvhair.org for questions.
Monday, September 8, 7:00 PM, Council Meeting
All members are invited to our monthly Council meeting.
Location: Joan Goldberg's home in center city Philadelphia.
Contact Joan at 215-561-5193 for exact location.
Friday, September 12, 6:30 PM, Home Shabbat Service and Dinner
Join us at Karen Zeitz's home in South Philadelphia for a lay-led Friday night service followed by a pot-luck veggie/dairy dinner. Please contact Karen at kfzesq@aol.com or 215-802-4438 for the exact address, to RSVP and let her know what you are bringing.
Sunday, September 14, 10:30 AM, Singing Circle
OUR FIRST EVER SINGING CIRCLE! Come be a part of it. You don't need ability, just a love of music. Jessi Roemer will lead us in song in preparation for the High Holy Days. This is the first of our new monthly series. All are invited; bring your friends.
Cost: $5 (to cover the cost of room rental)
Location: Penn Center House Leisure Lounge, 1900 JFK Blvd., 2nd floor
Saturday, September 20, 8:00 - 9:30 PM, Turning Towards the Year, Opening to Change:
A Selichot Experience, with Congregation Kol Tzedek
See article below.
Please bring a dessert to share.
Location: The University City Arts League, 4226 Spruce Street (the 42 bus stops at the corner)
Contact: LHI at 215-629-1995 or info@leyvhair.org for additional information.
Wednesday, September 24, 7:30 PM, Erev Rosh Hashanah Services
See article below for details.
Thursday, September 25, 10:00 AM, Rosh Hashanah First Day Service
See article below for details.
Friday, September 26, 10:00 AM, Rosh Hashanah Second Day Service
See article below for details.
Friday, October 3, 6:00 PM, Kol Nidre Service
See article below for details.
Saturday, October 4, 10:00 AM, Yom Kippur
See article below for schedule and details ---------------------------------------------------------------------Take a complete look at Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir upcoming activities. |
RABBI'S MESSAGE
| |  September 2014
Dear Chevre,
It's hard to believe we are on the verge of a New Year. This week we enter the month of Elul, the month of preparation for the Holy Days, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. The month of Elul is spelled in Hebrew with initials that come from a beautiful line in Song of Songs, "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." (Ani L'Dodi v'Dodi Li-aleph lamed vahv lamed.) As we begin the essential soul searching of this spiritual time, we remember that we are held as beloveds in God-love at all times and that God's love is expressed by the way we treat each other with patience, kindness and empathy.
Which brings me to an invitation to join the Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City Chesed/Caring committee. I welcome anyone interested to join me on the afternoon of Yom Kippur for a teaching and discussion about the important mitzvah of chesed. You can meet other Chesed committee members and choose your level of involvement. The Chesed committee channels the desire to do good deeds into actual acts of caring for those in need in our community. I'd love to see you join in.
And I'm looking forward to stepping into 5775 together for a year of renewal and growing in community. In a troubled world, it is all the more important to have home bases that feel stable and caring and from which we can offer whatever nurturance and healing we can to each other and to the world. We draw on the deep well of Judaism to make sense of a wild world.
Many Blessings,
Rabbi Julie
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POWER UPDATE
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Interfaith Prayer
Vigil Held
On Wednesday, August 20 POWER held a powerful (no pun intended) prayer vigil in light of the events in Ferguson, MO. About 100 people, including Rabbi Julie and several LHI members, participated. The vigil was at Living Water UCC, where all were warmly welcomed into their beautiful sanctuary and fellowship room where the church provided snacks and beverages for all.
A number of clergy from the African-American community led us in prayer, song and thoughtful discussion. Everyone had an opportunity to contribute with their thoughts, prayers, and ideas for healing and moving forward in a positive way.
We prayed for the safety of clergy and lay leaders from POWER who were in Ferguson to assist and participate in a large gathering of clergy working for a peaceful solution to the problems occurring there.
I was proud to be a part of this event and hope that it contributes to healing and positivity in our own Philadelphia community. Many participants expressed the hope for more dialogue to improve interracial relations.
Even though I was an early skeptic, this year has convinced me that POWER is doing great work. Please consider getting involved in some way.
Bobbi Cohen
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| COME TO THE NEW MONTHLY SINGING CIRCLE! | | 
Jessi Roemer, our Cantorial leader, will teach and lead us in Jewish melodies and chants for Shabbat, holidays, and everyday life! We'll have fun during each session, and we'll come away with more tunes under our belts, ready to "lead from our seats" and help Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City be a vibrant singing community! Sessions are open to anyone who loves to sing, whether or not you think you have a good voice. Membership is not required. Singing Circles will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.on the second Sunday of the month, with some exceptions. A small entrance fee will help us cover the cost of room rental.
At our first Singing Circle, Jessi will prepare us for the High Holidays.
Date: Sunday, September 14
Location:Penn Center House, 1900 JFK Blvd, 2nd floor Leisure Lounge
Time:10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Cost:$5.00
A schedule of future Singing Circles will be distributed at this meeting. For further information, write Frann Shore, the Singing Circle Facilitator, at frann_365@hotmail.com.
A "heads up" - no refreshments will be served.
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MAH TOVU
| |  "How good, how fair are your tents, Jacob; your dwelling places, Israel!"
- Numbers 24:5
For the High Holy Days, more helping hands are needed to welcome our friends and guests into our tent, and also to do odds and ends chores. Let me know if you can help. Contact via my email or phone number if you have this, or use info@leyvhair.org or 215-629-1995. Thank you, Roby Jacobs |
SELICHOT WITH KOL TZEDEK
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Turning Towards the Year, Opening to Change
A Selichot Experience
Saturday, September 20, 2014
8:00 - 9:30 PM
Location: The University City Arts League, 4226 Spruce Street
It is always so striking to come back year after year to the haunting and beautiful liturgy of Selichot, the prayers asking for forgiveness that are repeated on Rosh HaShanah and especially on Yom Kippur. Join us in this musical journey as we open our hearts to the possibility of a new year, reflecting on what we would like to change as we move into this awe-filled season. In addition to singing and meditating, we will have time for some guided teshuvah (repentance, turning) and conversation.
Led by Rabbi Lauren, Jessi Roemer and musicians. Rabbi Julie will be joining us there. The 42 bus from center city stops on the corner of 42nd & Spruce St.
We are grateful to Kol Tzedek for their invitation to join with them for Selichot this year. PLEASE BRING A DESSERT TO SHARE, AS THIS IS OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE EVENING.
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HIGH HOLY DAY SCHEDULE
| |  All You Need to Know
Services will be conducted by Rabbi Julie Greenberg with Cantorial Soloist Jessi Roemer, and will be held at the Ethical Society Building, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. For security purposes, we request that everyone -- members and guests -- register in advance for all services and our Yom Kippur Break Fast. The easiest way is to go here. Or, you can call us at 215-629-1995 or email us at info@leyvhair.org. People not registered in advance will be asked to show photo identification upon arrival. Space is limited, so come early. Tickets are not required, although contributions are strongly encouraged. Parking permits will be available at the Ethical Society Building lobby for limited on-street parking. Discounted parking is available at: EZ Park - 2101 Chestnut St. River West Condo Garage, $9 after 5 PM and weekends, $14 weekdays. Central Parking - 2040 E. Rittenhouse St., $8 flat rate up to 12 hours, limited parking available Parkway Corporation - 1845 Walnut St., $13 flat rate up to 6 hours. Rates are subject to change. Bring your parking ticket to services to be stamped at the Ethical Society desk to receive the discount. Schedule: Wednesday, September 24
| Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
| 7:30 PM
| Thursday, September 25
| Rosh Hashanah Service - First Day
| 10:00 AM
| Friday,
September 26
| Rosh Hashanah Service - Second Day
| 10:00 AM
| Friday,
October 3
| Yom Kippur Kol Nidre Service
| 6:00 PM
| Saturday,
October 4
| Yom Kippur Morning Serice
| 10:00 AM
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| Yizkor Service
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1:00 PM
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| Break/Study Session
| 2:30 PM
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| *Chesed Gathering with Rabbi Julie
| 4:30 PM
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| Minchah/Ne'ilah Services
| 5:30 PM
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| Break Fast
| 7:00 PM
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*Gathering for people interested in participating in our Chesed -- Kindness work, caring for people in need in the congregation. Meet with Rabbi Julie and our Chesed Committee for a teaching from Jewish tradition and a personal discussion about how you can be part of the great mitzvah of Chesed. Join us to usher in the Jewish New Year with reflection,
community and the call of the shofar. |
| ONE BOOK, ONE CONGREGATION | |  "My Promised Land" by Ari Shavit
Twenty-six members and friends gathered together to discuss the book selection made by Rabbi Julie for our annual summer reading project. This year's selection was "My Promised Land - The Triumph and the Tragedy of Israel" by Israeli journalist Ari Shavit. Rabbi Julie led this thought-provoking discussion as many voices were heard.
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| SEPTEMBER MEMBER YAHRZEITS | |  May This Soul be Bound in the Book of Eternal Light: Sylvia Goloff
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