Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation
Those were terrific blogs in the Why I Chose Reconstructionism series from Elizabeth Brindley and Dave Nelson. Now apparently it’s my turn.
For me, it’s a matter of valuing the caring, thoughtful community that our family has found over the years at the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC).
Here are a few photos that show the special connections and spiritually enriching experiences that our Recon community provides.
By Rabbi Gabrielle Pescador
This article appeared in the January 2026 Washtenaw Jewish News. See page 7 here: https://washtenawjewishnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Jan-2026.pdf
This year, the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) is delighted to have four students at the B’nei Mitzvah stage of their Jewish journey, and to have the opportunity to form a cohort — a model that allows our students to learn together, support one another, and build community as they prepare for this special milestone in their lives.
The cohort began their journey this past spring with Hebrew Boot Camp led by veteran religious school educator, Aviva Panush. In the 2025–26 fall/spring semesters, the students are continuing their studies with me, strengthening their Hebrew decoding skills, deepening their understanding of the Shabbat morning service, creating their own B’nei Mitzvah projects, and exploring what it truly means to embrace Jewish life and values on their own terms.
A major focus of the year will be learning both the structure and the thematic elements of the Shabbat morning service — gratitude, praise, deep listening, personal reflection, connecting with Torah in a deeply personal way, and committing to doing good. My hope is for the cohort to co-lead their B’nei Mitzvah service with me, not only to build skills and confidence, but to help them experience themselves as spiritual leaders within our community. This approach is especially meaningful within a Reconstructionist community, where collaborative leadership is a core value.
To engage the students creatively, I invite them to choose melodies they love. Students will also have the opportunity to play musical instruments during the service, if that brings them joy, to add extra richness to the already collaborative and uplifting energy of AARC’s prayer landscape. Jack Kessler z”l, my beloved teacher and director of ALEPH’s Cantorial Studies Program, used to say that music helps people “have fun in shul,” a pearl of wisdom that I take very seriously. When our young members experience joy in prayer and spiritual community, their post–B’nei Mitzvah engagement will hopefully become more natural and enduring.
The cohort is also learning how to craft a d’var Torah. Each student is invited to explore their Torah portion by identifying what they find meaningful, inspiring, or even challenging. In wrestling with the text — its beauty, its complexity, and its questions — students begin to discover their own values and what feels important or compelling to them. This process helps them develop a personal relationship with Torah and a thoughtful, authentic voice in interpreting tradition and finding its relevance in their daily lives.
Each student also works individually with their Torah chanting coach, Deb Kraus. Deb not only teaches trop (the cantillation patterns for Torah and Haftarah) but also guides the students in translating and interpreting their Haftarah portions into contemporary English. Our community takes great pride in our unique custom of having our students chant their own interpretive English rendition on their special day.
The goal of this cohort model is to nurture community-building not only for the students, but also for their families. The shared journey offers opportunities for families to support and deepen their relationships with one another through this rite of passage, and feel more connected to the congregation as a whole.
The cohort also enriches the wider AARC community. Younger students in the AARC Beit Sefer (religious school) with director Shlomit Cohen, witness their older peers taking on leadership roles — reading Torah, leading prayers, offering teachings — and can begin to imagine themselves in those roles. Our hope is that this visibility sparks excitement and a sense of belonging, helping younger students look forward to their own future B’nei Mitzvah journeys. And of course, it is only natural for the older generation to kvell (take pride and delight) over the accomplishments of our youth and to be encouraged by the planting of seeds for future community-building.
On a personal note, it is particularly meaningful to me to have the opportunity to be part of the process of nurturing our youth — guiding their learning, celebrating their questions and witnessing their growth. According to our tradition, this is a form of sacred communal birthing. As our sages teach, “One who teaches another’s child Torah is regarded as though they had given birth to them” (Sanhedrin 19b). I am so grateful for the privilege of getting to know the minds and hearts of these young people and of helping shepherd them to enter the next stage of their Jewish lives.
To learn more about the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, please visit https://aarecon.org/ or email info@aarecon.org.
Winter is a fantastic time for enjoying the snow and then curling up on the sofa with tea and a good book.
All are welcome to join the AARC Book Group for its upcoming winter 2026 meetings. Participating in the AARC book group is a great way to get to know terrific people while discussing interesting topics and sharing delicious food.
Here are the dates and books:
All three meetings will begin with in-person lunches at Audrey’s and Greg’s house, with lunch prepared by Audrey, from 12:20-1 PM. Lunch will be followed by a hybrid in-person/Zoom book discussion from 1-2 PM. Many thanks to Audrey and Greg for their coordination, cooking and generous hosting! To learn more or RSVP, please contact Greg Saltzman, gsaltzman@albion.edu.
Sunday, January 11 we will discuss
The World That We Knew, by Alice Hoffman, (fiction, 2019, 398 pages).
Sunday, February 8 we will discuss
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford (fiction, 2009, 306 pages).
Sunday, March 15 we will discuss
God Is Here: Reimagining the Divine, by Toba Spitzer (nonfiction, 2022, 287 pages). Rav Gavrielle will join us and lead the discussion of this book. Thanks to the AARC’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Brindley, who recommended this book in her blog HERE.
The AARC book group is friendly and welcoming, and we look forward to seeing you! For more on the AARC book group, see this article from October 2025 and this blog from 2021.
The photo shows the December 2025 AARC book group enjoying an excellent lunch and a stimulating discussion on By the Waters of Paradise, by Clare Kinberg. We were delighted that Clare joined the discussion by Zoom from her home in St. Louis.
This interview/article appeared in the January 2026 Washtenaw Jewish News. See page 1 and page 6 at this link: https://washtenawjewishnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Jan-2026.pdf
The Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) is fortunate to have a special collection of ritual objects created by its talented congregants. At the high holidays last fall, Idelle Hammond-Sass, an artist, jewelry designer and metalsmith, presented the congregation with yet another sacred object: a beautiful yartzeit candle holder. A yahrzeit candle is a long-burning candle lit to remember a loved one on the anniversary of their death.
Emily E (EE): Idelle, tell us about how the idea came about for you to create a yahrzeit candle holder for the AARC.
Idelle: The idea really originated with Rav Gabrielle. She invited me to create it for the ritual of lighting a community yahrzeit candle on Erev Yom Kippur. She saw this an opportunity for an artisan in the community to contribute to hiddur mitzvah – the elevating and beautifying of a mitzvah or cherished ritual – and to embody the DIY and collaborative spirit that defines our Reconstructionist community.
_______
EE: Tell us about your research and creative process.
Idelle: I use a metalsmithing technique called Foldforming. It is a process that can transform metal with hammering, folding and unfolding, repeating the process to create amazing complex forms. I also used this technique to create the Ner Tamid (eternal light) I made for the AARC Torah Ark.
Part of experimenting with fold forms means you can fold paper to plan a fold or create variations. Some of these can be very interesting in their own right.
I was doing a little research on paper folds and found a folded seven-point star in a book which I knew could be modified to be a six-pointed star. Using a piece of bristol board I measured it out, adapting it from the original seven-pointed form. It looked like two triangles attached at the long edge. I then measured one-inch segments and folded them back and forth, like an accordion. I added an additional inch to overlap in the front. This determined how much metal I would use.
_______
EE: What were the materials and did you have any challenges in creating the candle holder?
Idelle: I first made a copper model to see how the glass candle holder would fit. It needed to be longer to accommodate the thickness of the metal and the glass insert. First, I priced it in sterling silver which turned out to be fairly expensive, so I began to look for other alternatives. I ultimately decided to use NuGold, a brass alloy often called Jewelers Brass. I wanted the interior to have a golden glow and reflect the candle.
_______
EE: At Kol Nidre Services in October 2025, you dedicated this yahrzeit candle holder to an AARC founder and longtime friend Evelyn Neuhaus, z”l, who passed away in February 2025. Tell us about the connection you felt between this special object and Evelyn.
Idelle: Evelyn and I met in a Hebrew class and she was an important friend over many years. I was unable to attend her funeral and honor her so this was something I wanted to do. She had many close friends in the AARC congregation and in the community and made spirituality and Jewish learning a priority in her life. The Yahrzeit candle radiates the inner light of the person we are remembering; this is what the golden glow represents within the object.
Evelyn Neuhaus, z”l
_______
EE: How do you see the yahrzeit candle holder being used by the congregation?
Idelle: I imagine it will be available to use especially at times of remembrance such as Yizkor, but will be used at other services as the congregation and Rabbi decide.
_______
EE: What else would you like to share about this gift to the congregation?
Idelle: I’ve made other ritual objects for our AARC congregation including our Yad (Torah Pointer), a Crown for a Megillah holder made by Allen Haber and the Ner Tamid (eternal light) called “Forest Dawn” which sits atop the Torah Ark. All of these are specific to our congregation as they were intentionally made for AARC. I don’t use the Star of David often, although I did use it on the end of the Yad which was a triangle and offered that very naturally. In this Yahrzeit holder, the Star of David becomes the space to hold the memorial candle. I see it as the whole community holding the space for the person(s) we are remembering, embracing them with love and respect for who they were to us as a community.
_______
To learn more about Idelle’s artwork, see her website.
To see photos of the AARC’s beautiful ritual objects visit https://aarecon.org/sacred-objects/.
All are invited to join the AARC Creatives on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 7pm. Seth Kopald will lead the group, which will be hosted at the home of Debbie Zivan. Contact Debbie djzivan@gmail.com to RSVP and receive directions to her home.
Seth will lead an activity about exploring ourselves through intuitive art making. Please bring some of your favorite art materials like markers or pencils, etc. If not, we will have some extra.
More info from Seth:
| Hello everyone. I’m looking forward to our experience together! In addition to your favorite pens, markers, pencils, etc, please bring an art pad if you have one. They have quality ones at the 5 and Below ($5 or less) store near Plum Market on Maple. They also have really nice art supplies, surprisingly. Below is a picture of the mixed media pad I like. But if you don’t have time, don’t worry because I’ll bring a pad (and art supplies) and we can tear a piece out for you. Regarding the topic of Exploring Ourselves through Intuitive Art Making, and if you like having processing time, you can begin to think about areas of your life where you want a shift or more clarity. This could be in relationship to others or a topic you wrestle with internally. But pick something that does not create a strong activation and lots of emotion. We can keep this light. Perhaps you simply want to get to know yourself better, like: “Why do I do this or that?” Also, you do not have to disclose anything personal to the group to do this activity. You may want to, if you feel called. To be witnessed can be very healing. And you will be witnessed, just by showing your work (also optional). Please let me know if you have any questions Warmly, Seth |
Mixed Media Pad
For more on the AARC Creatives, please check out THIS BLOG from July 2025.
We hope to see you on Thursday, October 23!
AARC Creatives in August 2025
AARC Creatives in April 2025
This article on the AARC Book Group appeared in the October 2025 Washtenaw Jewish News. See page 14 here.
The AARC is delighted to welcome Shlomit Cohen as our Beit Sefer (religious school) director. Shlomit shares her background and her plans for the coming year in her own words (below).
My name is Shlomit. I am thrilled to be the director of the Ann Arbor Reconstuctionist Congregation (AARC) Beit Sefer (religious school). After teaching at the AARC Beit Sefer for five years, directing the program will be as natural as going back home. My son, Eli, had his bar mitzvah at the AARC. I am delighted to step into this position and give back to my community in the best way I can.
My vision for the Beit-Sefer is for the AARC to have a religious education program focused on supporting children in forging their unique lifelong Jewish identity. I believe that hands-on, student-centered education is the best way to shape identity while having fun.
There are so many different ways that a person can access their Judaism. As a native Israeli, archaeologist, and educator, I’m always eager to help people find opportunities to open many doors and explore the different ways of being Jewish. I grew up on a kibbutz, living Judaism as a hands-on (as well as brain- and hearts-on) daily experience. During my mandatory national service, I was in the education unit, teaching outdoor education to civilian children and adults.
I trained as an archeologist, and held positions at both the Ein Yael Living Museum and the Bible Lands Museum (in Jerusalem) as an archaeologist and the head of the education department. In these roles, I coordinated with both our professional development teams and other educational institutions to develop, plan, and implement educational programming.
Since coming to the United States twenty years ago, I’ve taught in a variety of settings, primarily focusing on Jewish religious education and Hebrew. I always seek to create cooperative education experiences that engage individuals and families both artistically and intellectually.
In 2019 I earned my masters in Jewish education from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). I also completed a year-long program in Israel education at The iCenter in Chicago.
I have two children Eli (19), and Gabi (16), a dog (golden) and a white cat (retriever). I love the outdoors, gardening, cooking and entertaining. Yoga is big in my world – I have taught yoga for more than 30 years. I love arts and crafts, a good book or a movie.
This year the AARC Beit Sefer program will be based on four pillars:
My goal is to lead a supportive team with the Beit Sefer madrichim (teachers) to ensure that the kids will be happy and excited to go to school. I look forward to getting to know you and your children and having a great year together.
– Shlomit
This article on the AARC Year of Water appeared in the August 2025 Washtenaw Jewish News. You can read the article on page 9 in this PDF.
All are welcome to join the “AARC Creatives” group on Thursday, August 28 at 7pm at the Eisbruchs’ house in NE Ann Arbor. This recently formed group provides a framework for folks in the AARC community to share and encourage each other on creative endeavors, very broadly defined. In our first two meetings, the group discussed projects including collage, print-making, pottery, painting, jewelry, ritutal objects, gem cutting, crafting, crochet, writing, and even developing special family events.
We are delighted that Carla Grayson will lead the group in a creative activity or discussion on August 28th. Please email Emily Eisbruch eisbruchs@gmail.com if you would like to join.
The AARC Creatives group began as the AARC Artists’ Collective in April 2025, when Rav Gavrielle invited congregants to discuss creative projects at a meeting that was hosted at the home of Idelle Hammond-Sass.
At the April 2025 gathering, Rav Gavrielle shared beautiful ritual objects, including Jewish amulets and a decorative and devotional document known as a Shiviti.
Participants told about their creative journeys and expressed enthusiasm for collaborating together or in parallel on creative projects moving forward.
Idelle again hosted the group on June 25, for a session led by Leora Druckman. At that meeting, participants shared creative items and projects they’ve been working on.
AARC Creatives meetings will be approximately every other month and will feature rotating facilitators. We hope to see many of you at the next meeting on Thursday, August 28th.
A pit-fired pottery piece shared by Leora Druckman at the June 2025 meeting.
A cut Yooperlite gem shared by Dan Peisach in June 2025. Cutting gems – what a fascinating creative hobby!
Crochet fidget ball shared by Emily E in June 2025.
Thanks to Eva Kubacki for this article in the July 2025 Washtenaw Jewish News.
Save the date for a Cantorial Concert on Sunday, July 20, 2025 at 2pm.
The concert is organized by Rav Gavrielle, who will be one of the performers.
