The Havurat Olam Shmoozeletter

December 04, 2007 - 24 Kislev  5767

Volume V, Issue 3

[Happy Hanukah, Take 1] [Happy Hanukah, Take 2] [Friday Night service] [Learning and Giving]

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Happy Hanukah, Take One

December 08, 2007

Potluck Party Down featuring as yet Unknown But Soon To Be Famous theatrical performances and creative offerings

(Yes, it's a Talent Show!)

So we start with lighting all our chanukiahs (that’s that eight-branched menorah made for the season).  We sing Havdalah prayers to greet the new week.

Then we eat well and party down with skits from members of The New School for All Things Jewish, music from those who like to make it, and various and sundry unpredictable contributions from members of the congregation.  Do you sing?  Tell a good joke?  Perform interpretive dance?  Join our talent show and help us demonstrate why we are surely the most gifted congregation in the Southeast.

Hanukah Harry will be making an appearance along with his magical and amazing assistant, Malka Uriela (do you know who that is???).  Everything will sparkle, we promise.  No, we are not telling, although we admit that the Shmoozeletter editor has already seen the goodies….

Please feel free to bring something (and someone) to dinner this Saturday night for our Hanukah party, Take One.

Event:	Hanukah, Take One
Date:	Saturday, December 08, 2007
Time:	06:15 p.m. dinner 07:00 party -- child care provided --
Location:	McGill Baptist Church 5300 Poplar Tent Rd. Concord NC 28027 -9757 map directions

Happy Hanukah, Take Two

Celebrating with Friends at McGill Baptist Church

December 18, 2007

Plans are in the works for our Second Annual Christmas and Hanukah Celebration with our friends at McGill Baptist Church.  We’ll hear musical offerings from our various congregational sources (they bring the hand bells, we haul the accordion), find out from the kids the meaning of both of our seasons, conduct an awesome raffle for amazing prizes, and generally spend the evening enjoying each other’s company.  We promise detailed updates on the plans for the evening, but ask everyone interested to mark their calendars for our annual Christmas and Hanukah festival celebrating the interfaith understanding we have achieved with our very fine hosts.

Event:	Hanukah, Take Two
Date:	Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Time:	to be announced
Location:	McGill Baptist Church 5300 Poplar Tent Rd. Concord NC 28027 -9757 map directions

Second Friday Family Service: What Goes Around...

December 14, 2007

Jacob, the fellow who tricked his own father is tricked, in turn, by his own sons. The sons, who once sold their brother into slavery, are nearly enslaved themselves. Joseph forgives it all; his father Jacob learns his last, terrible lesson, and the family of Israel earns, at least for a time, a little peace.

We’re nearing the end of Genesis, the opening book of Torah. But endings are tied to beginnings, and doing is connected to receiving.

This Friday night we’ll ask what it takes to end a pernicious cycle of lies and deceit and create, in its place, a world of reconciliation and understanding. Please join us for our Family Service on December 14!

Event:	Second Friday Family Service
Date:	Friday, December 14, 2007
Time:	7:00 p.m.
Location:	McGill Baptist Church 5300 Poplar Tent Rd. Concord NC 28027 -9757 map directions

Learning and Giving

The New School and Recent Donations to our Educational Cause

 Do we love our New School?  Heavens, what a time we’ve had.  Kids hopping on one foot from Ivrit (Hebrew) to Torah.  Crafty stuff going on in the kitchen, kids learning Kitah-Credits by mastering prayers, learning vocabulary, doing mitzvot.  Singing songs, practicing skits, writing weekly newsletters and planning future field trips – the excitement and energy we are experiencing is just plain awesome.

Our thanks to all our new teacher assistants, including Ginger Jensen, Pamela Partridge, Rebecca Smith, and Becky…  Thanks also to our new faculty, including Julie and Jeremy Gardner and Cyndy and Rachel Jaffe.

We also want to take this opportunity to thank the Gardner and the Jaffe family not only for their tireless efforts on behalf of The New School, but also for their many contributions to our library and game center.  We have new books, puzzles, games, and more because of their generosity, and we are thankful for it.

Happy Hanukah, everyone!