Song and praise come from the heart and soul of the human being.

(Rabbi Reuven Hammer)

The Havurat Olam Shmoozeletter

April 5, 2004 - 15 Nissan 5764

Volume I, Issue 5

Out of Mitzrayim Hag semeach! A joyous holiday and a wonderful Pesach to you all! We'd also like to remind you that April 18 is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and May 7 is Israel's Independence Day.

Take Note: Friday Night Services on April 23

So you don't like to sing because the words are too hard. Never fear, one of our favorite tunes is "Shabbat Shalom", and those are the only words you have to know (All right, there's also "bim" and "bam, " but you can handle that, right?)

Please join us for an especially musical Erev Shabbat this April 23. We have some melodic moments prepared for your esthetic and spiritual pleasure.

Services are followed by an Oneg Shabbat. Please bring a little something to nosh and the time it takes to shmooze a little. We will meet at the centrally located and fully accessible St. James Lutheran Church in Concord, which is situated on the corner of Corban and Union. Enter the parking lot from Corban, and come in through the back entrance. Walk down the short hall and turn right. We will meet in the small assembly room on the right-hand side.

Please arrive by 6:45 p.m. Services begin at 7:00 p.m. and last about one hour.

Until such time as we have a budget and have collected dues, we are charging $3 per person (children included) to cover basic costs of the facilities. We have a few extra prayer books on hand for guests, but those who plan to attend regularly should purchase one or more. Please contact our Religious Services Coordinator, Brian Cutler, if you are in need of a copy of our beautiful siddur, Likrat Shabbat

Please RSVP and let us know if you plan to attend.

Upcoming Socials: Movies, Picnics, Crafts, Sing-alongs, and More

We have so much to announce that we cannot announce just yet. Stay tuned for a special announcement on our next installment of the Cabarrus County Jewish Film Festival. And we'll keep you apprised about our planned summer series of Socials in the Park. Can Joel and Barbara Nachman win the three-legged gunny sack hopping tumbling and somersaulting race of their lifetimes? Or will Glenn and Glady take the cake? (After Passover, they're entitled.) Is it likely that Elliot, the Havurat Olam Mystery Mascot, will appear at any of these amazing events? Or will the 8-foot-tall Holstein cow who showed up at Purim return to ask if you've got milk?

Stay tuned for dates, times, locations, and incentives

A Growing Community

Havurat Olam is looking for a new membership coordinator. Responsibilities include sending out forms and processing said paperwork. The job requires one cup of pragmatism, one cup of efficiency, and a dash of humor. Anyone interested? Let us know, please.

Community News

We have had our first death in our little community. Maxine Fairchild's mother, Mrs. Marion Gilmore, died last month in Concord. Maxine tells us that her mother was "very independent for the times in which she lived. Her energy was boundless," she writes. "She was an incredible mother and grandmother, a positive and creative force for all who loved her and sought her advice."

Please direct any memorials to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America, 5950 Fairview Road - Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28210, or to Alzheimer's Association, 3800 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte NC 28215-3220.