The Havurat Olam Shmoozeletter

October 05, 2005 - 12 Tishrei 5766

Volume III, Issue 1

[High Holy Days] [Simchat Torah] [Children's Sukkah] [Adult Education event] [Services] [Religious School]

High Holidays 2005

A Note from Havurat Olam's Religious Committee

They were historical (our very first set!). They were warm (especially at Kol Nidre!). They were, we hope, what you were looking for.

We’d like to thank our many new guests for joining us. We had such a fine turnout, and saw, in addition to our longtime members, so many new faces that we decided that there’s no better time than the present to ask for your feedback.

Please feel free to comment or make suggestions by replying to this email missive. Your comments will be distributed to committee members Raymond Keasler, Dr. Brian Cutler, and rabbinic intern Dr. Barbara Thiede.

Simchat Torah Celebration

October 22, 2005

Simchat Torah means “rejoicing over Torah.” And we all know that Havurat Olam is very serious about rejoicing. You like to dance? You like to sing? You like to eat? Here’s your opportunity to engage in whichever form of merriment suits you best.

And that includes learning, we hope, delight-fully . This year, we will take the opportunity to show you the many special qualities of our Torah, as we prepare to roll back the scroll and rediscover what happened “in the beginning…”

The program:

4:00 p.m.	Estimated arrival time.
4:30 p.m.	Our first and second bar mitzvahs, Erik Thiede and Raymond Keasler, will read from the very end and the very beginning of the scroll. Rabbi Andrew Ettin, spiritual leader of Temple Israel in Salisbury, and rabbinic intern Dr. Barbara Thiede will point out and explain the many beautiful and intriguing features of our Torah as we scroll backwards.
5:00 p.m.	Torah processional.
5:30 p.m.	Potluck dinner!
5:45 p.m.	Our havurah children will sing ALL the songs and prayers they have learned in Religious School. Stand-up comedy will also be a feature of our Havurat Kids' contributions.
6:15 p.m.	Israeli dancing with Lisa Boguslav, instructor of dance at Catawba College.
7:00 p.m.	Havdala and singing for die-hard party-goers.

Event:	Simchat Torah
Date:	October 22, 2005
Time:	4:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Location:	Central United Methodist Church Coltrane Fellowship Hall 30 Union St. N, Concord NC 28025 map > RSVP <

A Little Note

Check out our Kehilla Kids' Sukkah

Havurat Olam has its very first sukkah! Just now the havurah children are studying, singin, and otherwise having a good time under its greenery during their Religious School Classes. Feel free to let us know if you'd like to stop by and take a look-see. Just send e-mail for directions or click on this map.
Do keep in mind that if you are and adult, and any taller than the H.O. rabbinic intern, you'll have to bend over so as not to disturb the greenery!
Our thanks to Erik Thiede and Raymond Keasler for design and construction.

Learning About Shabbat on Shabbat

Many of you have expressed interest in learning the why as well as the how of Shabbat services. Barbara Thiede will lead an Erev Shabbat study session, which will include exploring the service and its parts as a set of actionable stages and (or) understanding the process as a trip through the Four Worlds of Assiya, Yetzirah, B’riyah, and Atzilut.

After study, practice. We’ll look at our own Likrat Shabbat prayerbook and identify the parts of the service we’ve just explored. We’ll close with an introduction to new Shabbat melodies.

Event:	Adult Education: Studying Shabbat
Date:	November 11, 2005
Time:	7:00 p.m.
Location:	570 Wilhelm Place NE Concord NC 28025-2530 map Please: > RSVP <

Friday Night Services

With Preliminary Children's Service

November 25, 2005

What better way to use up your leftovers than at our oneg? Please join us in our own form of Thanksgiving, at our November Shabbat service .

We’ll begin with our Children’s Service at 6:30 so that your kids have an opportunity to steal our show. Kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming Shabbat) will continue at 6:50, and adult services will get into full swing by 7 p.m.

Please bring a leetle something to nosh at the oneg following services. We will meet at MgGill Baptist Church in Concord.

Event:	Friday Night Services
Date:	November 25, 2005
Time:	7:00 p.m.
Location:	McGill Baptist Church 5300 Poplar Tent Rd. Concord NC 28027 -9757 map > RSVP <

What's been Happening at the Havurat Olam Religious School?

A Note from Barbara Thiede

Our kids have been studying (and singing) singing Shabbat songs, creating New Year’s cards and Succot mobiles, exploring the Aleph-Bet, discussing Bible stories, and discovering the qualities needed to become bona fide mensches.

Pictures of our children singing inside Havurat Olam’s Kid’s Sukkah will soon be posted on our website; we’ll let you know when you can see the children in some beautiful Jewish surroundings.

I would like to thank our parents for their support and enthusiasm. We have had a wonderful start to our first year.

So, everyone, get ready for a fall filled with party-down and prayers up. We hope to see you soon!

Membership information and form.

Shalom, Chaverim! Feel free to contact us with questions. We take two questions and three opinions per person every month.