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Jewish Reconstructionist Events

Regional Reconstructionist activities and Reconstructionist programs throughout our Region

News from Chesapeake Region, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation April, 2008

As I write this newsletter, I am getting ready to go to Israel for Pesach, and I am reflecting on the last four weeks in Chesapeake JRF! We had a program rich, terrific month, and a wonderful year filled with diverse programming.

The Afternoon of Honor was a wonderful afternoon and evening filled with celebration and music and deserving honorees and participants. We honored our cantors and music specialists, who fill this region with spirituality. We were able to share their music at the Afternoon of Honor! What a great privilege and experience! We also honored John Riehl, our Regional President, who over the last 10 years has brought our region to where we are today, cohesive, and filled with multi-faceted programming. John has also been instrumental in making Reconstructionism a part of the regular vocabulary of the Jewish community that we live in. We also were able to honor special congregants from each of our synagogues, and we raised a significantly higher amount of money for JRF than we have in past years! Yasher Koach to all our deserving honorees. Thank you to all of you for what you do to keep Reconstructionism thriving in our community!

This past Saturday night Chesapeake JRF co-sponsored a Craig Taubman concert for Tikkun Olam. We had participants at the concert from all over the region, and together we had a night filled with Ruach and spirituality. The concert raised over $2500, which will be sent to Darfur Relief and Mazon. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this concert such a huge success!

Our Chesapeake Council is in the process of planning for next year! I hope to have our program dates in the next newsletter. If you would like to help plan future events or be a part of the Chesapeake JRF regional council, we welcome your participation. Please contact me at jljrf@aol.com if you are interested!

Mark your calendars for March 22nd, 2009, our next Afternoon of Honor and Celebration.

Also, please mark your calendars for June 1, 2008 and plan to attend the Washington area Israel @ 60 celebration on the National Mall. More information is at the end of the newsletter.

Save the Date now for the 42nd JRF Convention in Boston, November 13-16th, 2008! For more information check out www.jrf.org. The theme for convention is JRF--Transformative Judaism for the 21st Century!

I wish you all Hag Pesach Sameach, a Happy Pesach!
Kol tuv!
Jackie
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From John Riehl, our Regional President!

We’ve had an amazing year in the Chesapeake Region. I’m writing this column the day after the April 5th Craig Taubman concert, which our Region helped co-sponsor. For me, this concert was another example of what makes what we do as a Region so special – and so wonderful. People from all of our affiliates came to the concert. There was tons of ruach and singing. There was good contemporary Jewish music performed by a group with excellent “bimah” presence. And we raised money for Darfur relief and Mazon. Our Afternoon of Honor was also amazingly successful on a number of levels. On the one hand, this year’s AOH (Afternoon of Honor) festivities definitely ran too long – we will fix that for next year’s celebration, which will be held next year on March 22. On the other hand, we raised more money for JRF than in our history, honored more people than ever before – (what can be wrong with that)? – heard some good music, and had some good food and good conversation.

And, although I wasn’t there, all reports have it that the Shabbaton we held in November was fabulous – that participants left wanting to have another one soon. All in all, we’ve really strengthened our ties to each other and to JRF.

Lastly, I just want to say “thank you” to you all for honoring me with the Yehudit award this year. The words Jackie read by way of an introduction, as well as what other people have said to me, as well as the contributions you all have made to JRF on my behalf and on behalf of all of our honorees mean more to me than I can express. They just reaffirm what I’ve always known to be true – that you all in the Chesapeake Region are an incredibly committed and caring group of Reconstructionists!!

I probably will not be able to write a column for the next newsletter since I’ll be in Kazakhstan for about a month beginning the 2nd night of Pesach. Chag sameach, everyone! Have a wonderful summer – and stay tuned for Chesapeake Region news each month!!

* * * * * * * *

Our synagogues sponsor great programs that our open to our whole community. Check out their websites to find out what is coming up this spring. Plan to attend the programs that interest you!

Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation
Beit Tikvah
Columbia Jewish Congregation
Kol Ami: No. Va. Reconstructionist Community
Mishkan Torah
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Below are some upcoming synagogue events and classes! Mark Your Calendars and Plan to Attend!

Friday, April 25, 2008 Beit Tikvah- Yom HaShoah Remembrance Service - Flyer Attached!
Yom HaShoah Remembrance
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Friday, April 25, 2008
7:30 p.m.
Guest Speaker:
Linda Klein
Director of the Holocaust & War Victims Tracing Center
at the American Red Cross

Congregation Beit Tikvah
5802 Roland Avenue ♦ Baltimore, Maryland 21210 ♦ 410-464-9402 ♦ www.beittikvah.org

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Upcoming Events at Kol Ami-- Open to Our Regional Community!

MAY 17 - 1:00 PM JUNE 7 - 1:00 PM
For more information check out the Kol Ami website-- http://kolaminvrc.org
Rabbi Leila will be leading an adult education session on The Complexities of Tzedakah on May 10 at 5:30 PM at the UUCA.
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Mark Your Calendars and Plan to Attend! - Community Program-

Israel at 60: A Capital Celebration on the National Mall Sunday, June 1, 2008
Join The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington as it hosts a community-wide celebration of Israel's 60th birthday, Sunday, June 1, 2008, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

This afternoon free event will feature internationally-recognized entertainers, including Israeli musicians and artists, as well as local music, dance and theater performances. It promises to be one of the most exciting festivals honoring Israel in our Nation's Capital - ever. For more details visit www.israel60dc.org.
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Save the Date!!!! JRF ~Transformative Judaism for the 21st Century
Save the Date for the 42nd JRF Convention in Boston, November 13-16, 2008!
If you would like to list your synagogue activities in our newsletter, please send them to jljrf@aol.com by the 8th of any month!

p-coming programming from the Jewish Federation of Howard County

FEDERATION HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Wanted: If you are a curious teen, grade 8-12, and seeking to connect with your Jewish identity and meet other local Jewish teens, please contact Nicole Siegel, president and founder of "The Federation Teen Council." Nicole can be reached at 410-531-9032.
  • Support the Annual Federation Campaign. Last year the Federation allocated $60,000.00 to local synagogues and teen programs for scholarship assistance. Our phonathon will begin shortly and we need volunteers from each synagogue to call neighbors and fellow congregants. Please say "yes" when your Federation Board rep calls to ask you to volunteer a few hours. Live Generously. It does a world of good.
  • The Federation has funds available for day school scholarships and teen programs in Israel. Please call: 410-730-4976 x101 for an application.

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, at the Bain Center at 10:30 a.m. Bring your lunch - Federation provides drinks and snacks.

LUNCH AND LEARN

Every 3rd Wednesday of the month 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.in the new Federation community room. Have your lunch and learn too!

Bring your lunch and enjoy the discussion.

An exciting new season of programs for the whole community (55+) is at your doorstep. Membership for the year is $18.00.

Sophie Novinsky, Programming
Jewish Federation of Howard County
410-730-4976 x 103

JRF Activities

Please consider the environment responsibly before printing this email.
http://www.jrf.org/climate

  • Are you looking for scholarship money to help pay for Camp JRF? The Jewish Federation’s CamperQuest program wants to help you give your son or daughter a lifetime of memories by providing him or her with a powerful Jewish summer experience at 0vernight camp. All Oseh Shalom families are eligible. For more information, please look for the full-color CamperQuest leaflets on the literature wall near our education wing, or do a Google search for “CamperQuest”. Applications are due at Federation by Friday, February 15, 2008.

    • http://www.jrf.org

    For Tikkun Olam see http://www.jrf.org/to

    For Affiliation see http://www.jrf.org/outreach

    For Congregational Resources see http://www.jrf.org/congregations

    Community Interpreter Fund to help subsidize the need for interpreter services in our community

    The Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning is pleased to announce the creation of the Community Interpreter Fund to help subsidize the need for interpreter services in our community. This fund is supported by local synagogues and community agencies in the Greater Washington Jewish community and administered by the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning.

    Who Can Apply to This Fund:

    • Professionals at synagogues and Jewish community agencies
    • Individuals who need the services of an interpreter to attend a synagogue or Jewish community event

    (All individuals will need to partner with the synagogue or agency holding the event so full funding can be obtained.)

    Subsidies Available:

    The Partnership will review each request and when approved, will pay 50% of the cost of an interpreter for 1 time events. The fund will subsidize up to four hours of interpreter time. Requests for additional time will be considered individually.

    Application Process:

    Download the Community Interpreter Fund application at http://www.pjll.org (search: Community Interpreter Fund).

    Please submit request at least two weeks prior to event to:

    Lenore Layman
    12230 Wilkins Avenue
    Rockville, MD 20852

    llayman@pjll.org
    Fax: (240) 283-6201

    After your request is approved and the event has occurred, please submit a copy of the interpreter's invoice to the address above. Please indicate if reimbursement from this fund should go directly to interpreter, synagogue or agency.

    Finding Interpreters:

    Each individual and synagogue/agency is responsible for finding their own interpreter. The Partnership can provide a list of area interpreters.

    JRF News Clippings

    There have been some terrific articles of interest to Reconstructionists in the news this past few weeks.

    To read all the stories, click on http://www4.jrf.org, then click on "Links" on the header bar, then click on the topmost entry: JRF Clippings—Reconstructionist News on the Web.

    Jewish Reconstruction Federation (JRF) Ma Nishma

    Now everyone can subscribe to Ma Nishma. Register at JRF web site at http://www4.jrf.org/user/register then click "Manage your JRF e-newsletter subscriptions" at the top left of the home page to subscribe. hr>

    Jewish Magazine

    The new April Passover Jewish Magazine is now available online for free. Passover is the time of Liberation. Liberate your mind from preconceived notions and ideas. The new Jewish Magazine brings you many more things about Passover everything and anything Jewish: History, Humor, and Holocaust to Torah, Mysticism, Poetry, Philosophy, Recipes and Stories!

    The Jewish Magazine is the only vehicle to bring you Jewish thought, experience and entertainment from a myriad of sources. Our authors range from observant to non-religious, Askenazic and S'fardic, Jews and even non- Jews, everyone is represented in the Jewish Magazine.

    Always free, always friendly, always entertaining and always enlightening. For the current Jewish Magazine, click through or cut and paste in your browser: http://www.jewishmag.com. Make certain that the Jewish Magazine is on your bookmarks!

    The Jewish Magazine is in its Eleventh year on the Web - with over 1800 varied and interesting Jewish articles - all available for free. No wonder why it is the number ONE independent Jewish resource on the web. To browse the 1800 varied Jewish articles in the archives, click through or cut and paste in your browser. Sixty-three articles on Passover alone in Archives: http://www.jewishmag.com/archive.htm

    We accept articles from our readers. We are preparing our next issue, have something? Send your article to note@jewishmag.com and we will be happy to review it for publication.

    We need your help to continue. Make a secure donation via PayPal:
    http://www.jewishmag.com/donation/donation.htm

    If you like the Jewish Magazine, give your friends a free subscription at: http://www.jewishmag.com/subscribe.htm

    Links:

    Recon-DT, the Reconstruction Divrei Torah email list, has more than 400 subscribers. Its moderators (Barry Brian, Sydney Nestel and Aaron Seidman) edit and publish commentaries of 700 - 1,200 words from subscribers and I build the on-line library which now has more than 170 selections. See www.jrf.org/recondt

    To go directly the current week's parasha use the link http://www.jrf.org/recondt/index.html#week