Newspapers / The Charlotte Jewish news. / Oct. 1, 2001, edition 1 / Page 13
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
The Charlotte Jewish News - October 2001 - Page 13 m Havurat Tikvah Shabbaton to Focus on Spirituality Dr. Raachel Jurovics, a prac- tioner of spiritual companionship, rabbinic student, and program director for Temple Beth Or in Raleigh, will visit Havurat Tikvah November 16-18 for a Shabbaton devoted to “Returning to One’s Self: Finding Your Spiritual Direction.” Through services, study and an evening program, she will introduce emerging practices in Jewish spiritual direction, a process of t'shuvah or turning back to God. “The connection to God, in an odd way, can go unexpressed in Jewish life, even in traditional communities,” Raachel says. “Yet, we have a rich language for think ing through our personal relation ship with the Holy One and for being attentive to that relationship. We’ve just gotten out of the habit of using the language and prac tices we’ve inherited.” She plans to explore those practices during the Shabbaton in November. Locations and times will be announced soon. For two years, Raachel has been studying the practice of spir itual direction or companionship, which integrates prayer, ritual, text study, meditation, contempla tion, music, chanting, and silence to help individuals reach a height ened alertness to the divine pres ence. As a practitioner, she cur rently guides four people through the process of listening for and interpreting spiritual signposts. She is also writing a book on spir itual direction as a Jewish prac tice, and she refers interested seekers to the work of Carol Ochs and Kerry M. Olitzky, “Jewish Spiritual Guidance: Finding Our Way to God,” published by Jossey-Bass Inc. “While I’d like more people to be aware of the one-on-one spiri tual companionship process, there are not yet many Jewish practi tioners,” Raachel notes. “What I Dr. Raachel Jurovics want to do for Havurat Tikvah is to introduce some of the concepts underlying the process and to offer a way for members of this prayer community to provide support to one another. There are accessible, routine things anyone can do to keep in touch with God. I hope to create a climate for individual seekers and the community to be comfortable hearing more God language, talking about their rela tionship with God and gaining insights into that relationship.” In addition to serving as the program director for Temple Beth Or, a Reform congregation, a post Jewish Reconstructionist Federation she has held since 1997, Raachel has been studying for four years in the ALEPH (Alliance for Jewish Renewal) smicha program. A Los Angeles native who has been active in Jewish communal life for many years, she holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from UCLA and worked in communica tions and software design before training as a rabbinic aide under the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. The November Shabbaton and other events with visiting rabbis or rabbinic students will be coordi nated through the Religious Affairs Committee, headed by Gwen Offerdahl and Elaine Millen. Plans are underway to hold a concert featuring Rabbi Rayzel Raphael of Philadelphia, a Reconstructionist rabbi, singer and composer who performs with MIRAJ, a women’s a cappella troupe. A second Shabbaton will be held next year with Rabbi Daniel S. Brenner, a Charlotte native and who serves on the fac ulty of CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership in New York, NY. Special events and Shabbatons supplement the group’s regular schedule of Shabbat and holiday religious services, facilitated by Laura Duhan Kaplan, resident rab binic intern, who also is a student in the ALEPH smicha program. The Charlotte community is welcome to attend the November Shabbaton. For more information, call 704-653-1390. “Mention you saw this ad in The Charlotte Jewish News and you get an immediate $20 off any service call or repair. It’s my way of saying ‘Thank You’ for your business.” Dewey Jenkins, Owner Morris-Jenkins go. AIR CONDITIONING • HEATING • SERVICE 704-357-0484 All Ages Enjoy Retreat In the Blue Ridge MM Fi Havurat Tikvah mem bers gathered for a Labor Day Shabbaton August 30 to September 2 at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly near Black Mountain, NC. It was the first year the group met at the Assembly, a large complex with hotel-like accommoda tions, recreational facili ties, hiking trails and a variety of meeting places. Friday night and Shabbat morn ing services brought everyone together. Children enjoyed fabric paint ing and fabric stamping with crafts maven Ellen Chelmis, now an Asheville resident. Saturday evening, adults shared where they were on their Jewish journeys and the next morning discussed the havurah’s re-organization plans. Laura Kaplan solicited members’ written comments about what they wanted from her as resident rab binic intern. In between events, there was plenty of time to schmooze in the dining room, explore hiking trails, swim and sing. and Brenda Waxman, Jessica Saxe and Laura. ^ F^hions arriving daily Visit Jon Simon at our Morrocroft store. - Suits Sport Coats Sports Wear Ties Shoes Morrocroft Village 3900 Colony Road • 704.366.4523 www.paulsimonco.com BRUNO MABL(«JHANE BARNES »BHtONI iZEBNA" BARBERA, HICKEY-FREEMAN ■ DXXFORD «2ANELLA • FERRAGAMO ■ TED BAKER IT'S A COMPETITIVE WORLD. DRESS FOR IT. Gate Chess, Hannah Settle and Lily Schorr dec orate T-shirts with waterproof paints during Havurat Tikvah’s Labor Day Retreat. Havdalah service outdoors, led by Laura Duhan Kaplan, ends Havurat Tikvah’s Shabbat at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. Her daughter Hillary prepares to douse the candle. Behind the scenes, Frank Fleming arranged for the meeting site, with help from Pam Crown, Havurat Tikvah Coming Events Havurat Tikvah is an affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation. Torah observance, 10 AM, October 13: Home of Laura and Charles Kaplan, 2900 Somerset Drive. For more information, call 704- 653-1390. OCTOBER Succah Party, 7 PM, October 6: Kosher dairy potluck dinner and havdalah; home of Leah Sepsenwohl and Carol Bentley, 2033 Charlotte Drive. Shabbat Services with Simchat ChangingTheLook Of Charlotte One Shoe at aTime Offering the finest in men's & ladies' shoes and accessories. VIA VENETO FASHION SHOE HOUSE mm 704.556.0710 www.viavenetoshoes.com phillips place • fairview rd charlotte, north Carolina Scottsdale, arizona - las vegas, nevada
Oct. 1, 2001, edition 1
13
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75