Rabbi Hillel said: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the entire Torah, all of it; the rest is commentary. Zil g'mor-- go and study."

(Tractate Shabbat 31a)

The Havurat Olam Shmoozeletter

March 08, 2004 - 15 Adar 5764

Volume I, Issue 4

Friday Night Services in March: A Special Interfaith Opportunity

Clearly, Havurat Olam is about reaching out to our community. That includes not only our Christian family members, but our non-Jewish friends and acquaintances. A number of guests will be attending our next Friday night service on March 19. They include senior pastor Rev. Dr. Kathy Baines, associate pastor Rev. Chad Huebner, director of music ministries Mark Frye, and Assistant Aubrey Hillis from St. James Lutheran Church in Concord, which has so graciously offered a service home to us for many months. In addition, Forest Hill Methodist Church is sending their study group to our service.

Please help us demonstrate that we are glad to have such guests by taking part in this service.

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.

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.

More Interfaith Opportunities: Concord's Panel Discussion on "The Passion"

Havurat Olam has been asked to participate in a meeting of several area congregations to discuss the recent release of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. This meeting is not open to the public, but confined to members of the following congregations:

• Central United Methodist Church, Concord

• St. James Lutheran Church, Concord

• First Presbyterian Church, Concord

• Havurat Olam, Concord

• Temple Israel, Salisbury

The panel for our discussion will include ministers and pastors from the participating churches. Dr. Andrew Ettin, a professor of English Literature at Wake Forest University and the Salisbury synagogue's rabbinical leader for many years, has graciously agreed to represent both Havurat Olam and Temple Israel at this event. Dr. Ettin has published scholarly work on the Jewish perspective on Jesus and taken part in a number of similar discussions in the Winston-Salem area. We can be absolutely certain that his kind and gentle approach to interfaith issues will be a credit to our community.

We would very much like to encourage a thoughtful discussion. We would also like to make it clear that you are not, by any means, required to see the film in order to attend. We would be most grateful for your participation; please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the program.

Please RSVP.

Shalom from the Olamettes!

The Olamettes have scheduled their next monthly meeting for March 20 at Maxine Fairchild's house. Here's a new twist, ladies (literally). Each meeting from here on out includes half-an-hour to one hour of ethnic dance lessons from our genuinely Middle Eastern roots. And, according to historical traditions, women are learning and dancing for and with one another. No menfolk over the age of ten allowed! (Sorry, guys.)

But before we dance, we'll discuss. Our main concern next meeting will be making sure everyone has a place for a seder at Passover. Please join us, ladies, at 5:30 p.m. For any questions, contributions, or suggestions please email our Omelettes Guru, Maxine Fairchild.

Speaking of Sinai

Please start thinking about what Havurat Olam can do for you and what you can do for Havurat Olam at Pesach. If you are willing to host guests at your seder table, please let us know. If you need a place to go, please let us know.

The sooner the better, of course, although we will send out a separate email as Passover gets closer to us.

Passover is a beloved holiday. Let us please make certain we all have guests at our table or a place at someone else's, shall we?

Please reply if you have some idea what you need at Pesach.