The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2008 - Page 9
Over the Summer with Havurat Tikvah
A Reconstructionist Thought:
The Reconstructionist process for
a Jew by choice to join the com
munity includes the traditional
ritual immersion in a Mikvah, a
Bet Din for both men and women,
and circumcision for men. The
convert is instructed by a
Reconstructionist Rabbi in more
than just how to be an observant
Jew that includes history, obser
vance, beliefs, and the ability to
make choices. Those choices are,
importantly, connected to the
community to which the convert
has become a part and through
relationships with fellow converts.
(Summarized from Exploring
Judaism, Alpert and Staub,
Reconstructionist Press, 1985,
2000.)
Our June 7-8 Shabbaton with
student Rabbi Arlene Berger will
focus on “Welcoming the
Stranger.” We will have our com
munity service on Saturday morn
ing at 10:30 AM, an Adult Ed pro
gram on Saturday night at 7:30
PM, and a kid friendly service on
Sunday morning at 10:30 AM. We
will include Yizkor service on
Saturday morning.
A “challenge” for the summer
from Havurat Tikvah: Try to take
time this summer to welcome a
stranger, someone with whom you
may not be well acquainted. Say
hello, have a short chat, have a
coffee, see where it takes you
- you may be surprised to
find a friend within that
stranger, and in the Autumn
will bloom all the memories
of your summer.
Congregational Meeting
5768 - On June 22, from I-
3:30 PM, we will have our
annual Congregational
Meeting at Fellowship Hall
(see below). We look for
ward to seeing all Havurat
Tikvah members. We will be
introducing the new Board
for 5769 for approval and
discussing topics of interest
to the membership.
Our July 2008 Community
Shabbat service will be held on
July 12, at 10 AM.
Lunch and shop at
Gleiberman’s Kosher Mart on July
20 at 12 noon. Join us for this
community event and fulfill our
challenge to welcome a stranger
and shop together - what a great
way to meet.
August 8, we will hold a Friday
Night service at 7:30 PM , and on
August 9, we will observe our
Tisha B’Av service at 7:30 PM
including a discussion of the
meaning of the 9th of Av through
history. More to come.
We welcome you, whether you
are a stranger or not, to join our
warm and friendly services, a
Jewish
Reconstructionist
Federation
relaxed family atmosphere in
which all Jews can feel comfort
able, and guests are always wel
come. Havurat Tikvah is an affili
ate of the Jewish Reconstructionist
Federation - please feel free to
visit www.jrforg and click on
Reconstructionist Judaism to learn
more about us. We celebrate all
services and many events in the
Fellowship Hall of St. Andrews
Presbyterian Church, 2201
Springdale Ave. (at Magnolia) in
the Dilworth neighborhood of
Charlotte.
For an updated calendar and
information for Havurat Tikvah,
visit our website at www.Havurat
Tikvah.org or call 704-545-
0894. «
Shavuot Celebration on June 9 at Ohr
HaTorah Will Feature Ten
Commandments and Delicious Dairy
Foods
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Shavuot is a biblical festival
which commemorates the giving
of the Torah by God at Mount
Sinai over 3300 years ago. This
Divine event is considered the
most significant event in Jewish
history as this is when the
Children of Israel became a peo
ple. The very existence of Judaism
today is directly linked to this
milestone event which trans
formed the Jewish people forever.
This year Shavuot falls on June
9 and 10. There are many interest
ing rituals and customs that make
this holiday memorable and mean
ingful. One custom that has been
popularized over the years is the
eating of dairy foods on Shavuot,
such as cheesecake or cheese
blintzes. The origin of this custom
is based on the fact that Jews first
began to observe kosher dietary
laws with the giving of the Torah,
and the most readily available
foods to them at the time were
milk and cheese.
As this holiday commemorates
the giving of the Torah, it has
become a custom to draw together
as many people as possible at the
synagogue for Shavuot morning
services and to listen to the read
ing of the Ten Commandments
from a Torah scroll. According to
the Midrash, there were about
three million Israelites in atten
dance at Mount Sinai who saw and
heard as the Torah was given, and
this included small children as
well. The Midrash also notes that
the children were the stars of this
Divine multimedia event, as they
were the guarantors of the Torah.
Even today, we enact this great
historic event on Shavuot; we
encourage all Jewish children to
attend the synagogue for a most
fantastic educational and fun
experience.
Ohr HaTorah will host a
Shavuot service open to the entire
community on Monday, June 9,
with a special program for chil
dren. The program will begin at 11
AM and will feature the reading of
the Ten Commandments and deli
cious dairy foods for young and
old. There is no charge for this
event. For more information
please visit our website:
www.ohrhatorahnc.org. Or call
our office at 704-366-3984.
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