Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation

Emily Eisbruch

2025 AARC Retreat – Gratitude

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We had gorgeous weather, and participants expressed joy and gratitude for the opportunity to deepen bonds and make new connections.

Thanks to Leora Druckman, our amazing coordinator for the 2024 and 2025 AARC retreats. Kudos to everyone who contributed to a fantastic AARC retreat at Camp Tamarack’s Butzel Center the weekend of May 9-11, 2025.

Outdoors



Friday and Saturday Services and Havdalah


Saturday Evening Music and Dancing


Programs


More Fun Times


Delightful Dining


We look forward to seeing you at the next AARC retreat, either in 2026 or 2027.

It’s about the people, the place & the experience

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Join for the AARC Retreat, May 9-11, 2025

When
Friday evening, May 9, 2025
through
Sunday afternoon, May 11, 2025
(this is Mother’s Day Weekend)

Where
 The Butzel Retreat Center at Camp Tamarack (about a one hour drive Northeast of Ann Arbor in Ortonville, Michigan)

Registration

Registration must be completed by midnight, Friday, May 2, 2025.  Pricing is flexible to make sure everyone can attend regardless of financial situation.

To register click on the button below:   

Register Here

More information about the Butzel Retreat Center can be found HERE
Great photos from last year’s retreat are HERE

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS YEAR
Like last year, the retreat will offer an opportunity to reconnect with our community, the Earth and yourself in beautiful, natural surroundings. It’s about the people, the place, and the experience. We hope you will join!

The retreat will also offer

  • A chance to celebrate Shabbat as a community
  • Meaningful, musical services
  • Various workshops, discussion groups and other activities led by our talented community members
  • Fun activities offered by Tamarack Adventure Center, including swimming, kayaking and canoeing
  • Hikes exploring around the beautiful lakes on the 1,100 wooded acres of Tamarack/Camp Maas
  • A Saturday night party with music and dancing
  • Campfires with S’mores and singing* Childcare and Children’s Programming
  • …and other surprises as well!

A motel-like room at the Butzel Retreat Center (instead of shared cabins with bunks at the Specialty Camper Village like last year).
This means we will have…

  • Private rooms with their own bathrooms, instead of cabins (Rooms at Butzel can sleep up to four people with one queen size bed, one twin size bed and upon request, two fold out cots. )
  • Convenient parking next to our accommodations, instead of a parking lot that is a long walk away
  • ADA conforming facilities, instead of potentially difficult to traverse stairs and grounds
  • Meals cooked by Butzel staff and served in our own dining room, instead of eating children’s camp food at the main dining hall

We look forward to seeing you at the retreat!



Erica Ackerman, Climate Activist

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This Q&A with Erica Ackerman was written for the April 2025 Washtenaw Jewish News, as part of climate outreach coordinated by A2J Climate Circle initiative.

A member of the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Erica is a climate activist who serves on the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group.

Erica, tell us about the origins of your climate activism

I became a climate activist leading up to the 2008 election. Working with the groups “Obama for America” and then “Organizing for Action,” I developed presentations to raise climate change awareness. We coordinated climate change symposiums in Dexter, Jackson, Canton, and Ypsilanti. 

How did you become a leader with the Sierra Club?

In 2018, longtime Washtenaw County activist Dan Ezekiel asked me to run for the Sierra Club of Huron Valley executive committee, and I was honored to step up.  At the time, funding for climate initiatives in the city of Ann Arbor was in doubt. The Sierra Club mobilized our community to attend city council meetings and to make their voices heard.  These efforts were impactful, and in 2019 the Ann Arbor city council passed the A2ZERO plan.  A key goal of A2ZERO is to realize community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030.

Have Jewish values played a part in your climate activism work?

Yes, for me it all seems integral; Jewish values lead to wanting to protect our environment, and advocating for the earth leads to appreciation of Jewish values, especially around Tikkun Olam (repairing the world).

Regarding activism in the Jewish community, prompted by our rabbi, I recently participated in lobbying through Jewish Earth Alliance, where we pushed our US Senators to defend our progress on climate action. 

Advice for others who want to get involved?

The Sierra Club could definitely use more people who are active and interested in taking action.  Start by attending the monthly Sierra Club program meetings, held on the third Tuesday of the month, 6pm to 7:30pm, in-person at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. The programs offer a mix of nature talks and environmental activism.

In addition, Sierra Club Executive Committee meetings are open to the public.  They are held on Zoom, the first Thursday of every month at 7pm. If you are interested in the Sierra Club Executive Committee Zoom link, text me (Erica) at 734-330-0163.