| Looking Ahead |
August 13
Hold the evening of August 13 for our annual observance. The 9th of Av, Tisha B'Av, is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, when both our Holy Temples were destroyed, and exile, persecution and spiritual blackness began. More details to follow.
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Parking Informaion
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On-street parking permits are available for our Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat morning services held at the Ethical Society Building. Discounts are available at some garages. For complete info and to download the required, street permit, click here. |
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Donate via PayPal
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Leyv Ha-Ir List Server
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To Post a Message - just send an email to leyvhair@googlegroups.com. Attachments are accepted.
Leyv Ha-Ir Event Postings - will be sent by designated people using the information on our web calendar.
Other Postings - You can post information about other events or information of interest by sending an email to leyvhair@googlegroups.com.
Contact info@leyvhair.org if there are questions about the List Server.
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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. Contact:
Pat Wisch 215-563-1894
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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 and mail it to: P.O. Box 15836, Philadelphia PA 19103.
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Join Our List
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Shop at Amazon Smile
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Earn donations for LHI
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir.
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Center City Kehillah
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Check in with the Center City Kehillah to see what's happening in our larger, diverse Jewish Community.
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Dear Friends:
I can't believe how the time flies by. Now, as we enter the hot summer months, the incoming Council and many of our members will be hard at work planning for the High Holidays and our fall programs. Now is the best time for your suggestions to have the biggest impact. Find time in your busy summer schedule to connect with our new leadership team and offer them your ideas and your support.
As you travel to far-off distant lands, remember to take your Judaism with you. At any meal, but especially on Shabbat, you can do a kiddish and a motzi to sanctify the moment. There are many interesting synagogues around the country and around the world. Make it a goal to visit one or more. Most important of all, come back home safe and rested. We will miss you at Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir and will be waiting to welcome you back with open arms. Enjoy the summer and bon voyage! Larry Finkelstein President
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ONE BOOK, ONE CONGREGATION
| |  Sunday, August 28, Penn Center House
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein is a brilliant explanation of why the climate crisis challenges us to abandon the core "free market" ideology of our time, restructure the global economy, and remake our political systems.
In short, either we embrace radical change ourselves or radical changes will be visited upon our physical world. The status quo is no longer an option.
Please join us on Sunday, August 28th, 11:00 AM as Rabbi Julie Greenberg explores the ideas and implications set forth in this fascinating book. |
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ANNUAL MEETING
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 On Sunday, June 12th at 10:30 AM, Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir held our Annual Meeting.
After a delicious brunch and a brief musical interlude featuring Issac Singer, Rabbi Julie gave a kavanah about creating Jewish community and bringing Jewish values to the world, through acts of Tikkun Olam and our work in POWER, and she encouraged us to go deeper into this work.
Julie welcomed everyone, and said we are celebrating Shavuot, and read Jewish legends around Shavuot. Julie also commended Joanne Perilstein on her birthday; Joanne sponsored the brunch, and Julie commended Joanne for her commitment to Judaism and to learning. Julie commended Donna Finkelstein for organizing the brunch.
The following officers of the congregation were installed at the meeting.
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President
1st Vice President 2nd Vice President Secretary Treasurer Council-at-large | Larry Finkelstein (2nd year of 2-year term)
Pat Wisch
Daniel Johnson
Phyllis Gottlieb
Donna Finkelstein
Joe Fishman
Roby Jacobs
Iris Newman
Patricia Saddier |
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| HELP WANTED | | |
Volunteers Needed
With all of our plans for the upcoming year, we need volunteers to help with many different activities; some small, some more involved. If you have any time to give to your community, please let us know how you can help. I'm sure we can find a place (or two) where we could use your assistance. You don't need to be a member to volunteer. Please write to info@leyvhair.org or call 215-629- 1995 to let us know how you can help. Thank you. |
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FIND YOUR JEWISH VOICE AT LEYV HA-IR
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 We value your ideas and welcome your individuality. Join us in creating a Judaism that respects the past and embraces the future, that explores both tradition and innovation. We will challenge your mind, nurture your spirit and support your Jewish journey. We welcome all seekers.
It's not too early to join or renew your membership. You can find a printable copy of the membership form on our web site. Click here to download and print.
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LHI CALENDAR JULY 2016 AND BEYOND
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Saturday, July 9
10:00 AM Shabbat Service - Ethical Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Sq.
Lay-led service with Torah discussion and pot-luck veggie/dairy lunch
Monday, July 11
7:00 PM Council Meeting - Pat Wisch's home
Friday, July 15
6:30 PM Home Shabbat - Evy Simon's home
Lay-led service followed by a pot-luck veggie/dairy dinner
Saturday, August 6
10:00 AM Shabbat Service - Ethical Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Sq.
Lay-led service with Torah discussion and pot-luck veggie/dairy lunch
Please see the Leyv Ha-Ir calendar for more details, or look for the "This Week at Leyv Ha-Ir" message. Click here to subscribe to This Week.
You can always call 215-629-1995 or email info@leyvhair.org if you need additional info.
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INTERFAITH RAMADAN IFTAR DINNER
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The Interfaith Iftar program and dinner on June 21 at Trinity Memorial was well attended by members of Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir. We joined with many Center City friends from ten different faith congregations.
The Peace Island Institute of PA provided an educational program about Ramadan and fasting.
There was a moving, melodious call to prayer which occurred at 8:34 PM with "Allahu akbar-God is the greatest" in Arabic. The translation of the entire prayer is, "I bear witness that there is no deity but God. I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Come to prayer. Come to success. God is the greatest. There is no deity but God."
After the call to prayer, the fast was broken and we were treated to a meal with halal chicken, rice, a salad, humus, falafel and pita bread. And water! The fast had started at dawn, at 4:00 AM. after breakfast. This being the 21st of June it also was the longest day of the year for a fast!
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RACISM IS A SICKNESS | | 
Following our Annual Meeting, Rabbi Julie and a group of LHI members attended a private presentation of the #RacismIsASickness exhibit in the Collier Gallery of the Ethical Society.
Ethical Society Leader Hugh Taft-Morales introduced Tieshka Smith, the visual artist and blogger who created this installation. It is a very thought-provoking and dramatic art installation. Smith uses mixed media to illustrate how citizens can process the painful reality of racism.
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HISTORY OF THE FABRIC DISTRICT EXHIBIT
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The Philadelphia History Museum (aka Atwater Kent Museum) - 15 South 7th Street - is having a display of The History of the Fabric District of South 4th St. My Dad is one of the merchants who is featured. In this picture I am looking at 2 of the pictures displayed. The top picture shows him on the TV show, Betty Hughes and Friends, talking about textiles. (Betty Hughes was the wife of Governor Hughes of New Jersey). The bottom picture shows him buying fabrics in Southeast Asia. The fabric is being dyed in what looks like a river or some body of water. Many of his fabrics were bought in France and Italy. The Opening Reception included a short informative discussion and people had a chance to discuss their experience. I mentioned that I had been working on South 4th St. since I was 10 years old. The kids in the elementary school I went to were children of merchants who worked in their fathers' business on Saturdays. It was especially difficult for me since I was so shy. After I spoke I found out that the person sitting behind me was my 2nd cousin who I had not seen for 60 years!
When I see young Asians working in their parents' stores, I always compliment them for helping their parents out.
The exhibit will be featured through the summer.
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POWER/TIKKUN OLAM UPDATE
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Voter Registration - Help Needed
LHI and the Ethical Society will be teaming up to register voters as part of POWER's 2016 Voter Registration campaign. The registrations will take place on Saturday mornings at a location yet to be determined. We will start on July 16, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon. Further updates to follow. Contact Susan Thompson at susandanazoe@gmail.com if you are able to assist.
Report from Tabernacle Tuesday
Four hundred followers of POWER (adults and many children) marched on the Pennsylvania Capital to stress to our legislators that 400 million dollars more are needed to fund the education budget to a level that is feasible for the next year. Pennsylvania is ranked number 48 for education funding in the nation. That's 48 out of 50! Many clergy, including our own Rabbi Julie, were in attendance as well as many children who testified, danced and sang about the dilemma in schools today. As Nelson Mandela wrote, "The legend of humanity is how they treat their children." Amen!
Susan Thompson, Beverly Hayden, POWER Reps
Honoring Bishop Dwayne Royster
POWER's Founding Director, Bishop Dwayne Royster, is being called to help lead the work of POWER's national partner, the PICO National Network, in Washington, DC. Please join POWER on Thursday, July 21 at 5:30 PM to wish him farewell and Godspeed. The event will be held at Lutheran Theological Seminary Brossman Center - Benbow Hall, 7301 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19119 ( RSVP by clicking this link; no tickets required, free will offering at the event.)
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| DONATIONS | | |
Every month, many of our members and supporters make generous contributions in honor of a specific life cycle event. Thank you to everyone that made a contribution to recognize these events and to support Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir.
| General Fund | In Honor Of | Iris Newman
Sandy Brown
Susan Thompson | Get Well to Frann Shore
Iris Newman's recovery from surgery
Speedy recovery for Iris Newman
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| | General Fund | In Memory Of | Evy Simon
Evy Simon | Rochelle Schwartz's sister Florence
Lew Becker |
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| JULY MEMBER YAHRZEIT | |  May this soul be bound in the Book of Eternal Light:
Marci Fleet
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