Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation

Gillian Jackson

High Holidays Workshops 2025

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Session 1, 1:45-3:30pm

Listening Circle

The Listening Circle will be back the afternoon of Yom Kippur with an intention to offer several throughout the year to match current events and community interest. Our purpose, as always, is to foster connection, community building, sustenance, and healing that can come from authentic expression met by open-hearted, empathetic listening.

Our first Listening Circle, “Listening through Grief”, emerged from the horror of October 7, 2023 and its tragic aftermath. The second Listening Circle was titled “Active Hope” in February, 2024, when participants chose the focus of their own sharing and we added a prompt to include the political/social actions participants were taking. The third Listening Circle was Yom Kippur 2024 and came after the Presidential election. We focused on the grief that comes with the loss of the assumptive world.

For this Yom Kippur afternoon Listening Circle gathering, our inquiry will be: “How have these difficult times affected your sense of self, home, and community?” We look forward to being with you.

From your facilitators Jeff Basch, Idelle Hammond-Sass, Julie Norris, Anita Rubin-Meiller, and Lisa Wexler

Session 2, 3:45-4:45

The Jewish Genesis of the Superhero, led by Dan Mishkin

Superheroes were invented by Jews—young men eager to be all-American, but leavening their stories with Jewishness whether they knew it or not. They brought to life characters with amazing powers…who served the cause of the powerless. Explore the history and the contradictions with comics writer Dan Mishkin.   

Judaism Beyond the Human, led by Rafe Neis

We don’t necessarily consult the rabbis of the Talmud for the history of science, zoology, and reproduction. But it turns out they had a lot to say about these topics. This workshop will introduce Jewish sources that may surprise you. It turns out that despite the much-celebrated idea of humans being “b’tselem elohim” (“in the image of God), the rabbis blurred the lines between humans and animals and conceived of reproduction beyond the two heterosexual parents. We will explore powerful historical alternatives to the paradigms associated with so-called traditional ideas. 

Niggun Circle, led by Deb Kraus

Join Deb Kraus and friends to sing niggun together. Group with gather outside if weather permits.

Children and Family Programming and Childcare for High Holidays 2025

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AARC offers an engaging and flexible series of High Holidays learning opportunities and services for children and families. To take part, please fill out the Childcare & Children’s Services Signup form below.

SIGN UP HERE

High Holidays Family/Children’s Services Schedule

  • Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025, 10:30am: Rosh Hashanah Children’s Service at the UU
  • Thursday, October 2nd, 2025, 10:30am: Yom Kippur Children’s Service at the UU

If you have any questions about this programming, please email us. We looking forward to sharing this sacred time together!

High Holidays Childcare Signup

  • Childcare is offered for children 2 years of age and older.
  • The childcare room is located in the hall behind the registration table. Vaccinated teens over 12 can be supervised in the teen room across the hall.
  • Both rooms will be staffed by qualified caregivers.
  • Members: Childcare for members who sign up by September 21 is free of charge. Members who do not sign up by the deadline will be asked to pay $10 per child per day. Without advance reservation, childcare will be offered on a space-available basis only. Sign up online below.
  • Non-members: The cost for non-members is $20 per child per day.
  • Payment is due by September 21. Payment can be made by mailing a check or using the Donate link to pay online.
  • Please note that children under 13 must remain in childcare or be supervised by an adult at all times; children are not permitted to roam on their own while on the Unitarian Universalist Congregation premises. Children may leave childcare only if an adult picks them up.

Creating a Culture of Holiness

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By: Anita Rubin-Meiller

I was blessed to attend Rav Gavrielle’s Rosh Chodesh service on Friday morning,
June 7 th and felt moved to write this short blog in case it might wake up the desire
for others to join the next month’s gathering.


In his book, “Me, Myself and God”, Rabbi Jeff Roth states that “creating a culture
of holiness is what will deliver us…it is within a culture of holiness that we all can
gain the wisdom and support to open our hearts”. With her wise and
compassionate presence, our Rabbi, is giving us yet another opportunity to
experience connection within the community in a way that accomplishes this.

Although we were on zoom, and not in person, the intimacy of our connection
could be felt as we were invited to pray the Shacharit service together and
welcome the New Moon of Sivan. The service had all the elements of meaning
and beauty that Rav Gavrielle creates in our monthly Shabbat services. We
chanted, we shared gratitudes, we offered healing prayer and observed Kaddish.
We also learned about the significance of the new month we had just entered and
how it aligned with this week’s torah portion, BaMidbar, as the Israelites created
camp at the base of Mount Sinai, preparing to receive the torah on the sixth day
of Sivan, now celebrated as Shavout.


Daily prayer- morning, afternoon, and evening- is a central aspect of traditional
Jewish practice, but my guess is that few of us engage with our Judaism in this
way. The root of the Hebrew word for prayer, tefillah, has multiple meanings
including, to judge, clarify, and decide. A definition of prayer that follows from
this is “the soul’s yearning to define what truly matters…”(Siddur Avodas HaLev) I
found the opportunity to have this space of communal prayer and ritual
observance beneficial for aligning my heart and mind in calm and gratitude before
stepping into the tasks and activities of the day. I look forward to gathering again
in this way.

AARC To Participate in a Community Wide Tikkun Leil Shavuot

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Join AARC and the Wider Jewish Community For A Night of Learning at Temple Beth Emeth

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 • 5 Sivan 5784, 8:30 PM – 4:00AM

AARC is very excited to announce that our congregation will be participating in a community wide Tikkun Leil Shavuot gathering. Rabbis from the Ann Arbor and surrounding area will be sharing teachings including our own Rabbi Gabrielle Pescador. There will also be teachings from community members, if you would like to offer a teaching you can sign up by following the QR code on the flier below. The night will be split up into one-hour sessions on a variety of Jewish topics. Kosher refreshments will be served. You can stay as long or as little as you like.

Rav Gavrielle will be offering a teaching during Session 1: Spiritual Mapping in Tanakh. In this session we will explore parallels between the spiritual mapping of Ezekiel’s vision of the Divine Chariot (Ezekiel 1:1-28, 3:12) and the mapping of the encampment of the tribes of Israel in the desert (Numbers 2:1-34). Participants will be invited to imagine and reflect on how such parallels can inspire and deepen spiritual practice.

Registration is requested below.

Lecture Happening This Sunday with Rabbi Julia Watts Belser!

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Moses:  Provocations from a Disabled Prophet”

May 5, 2024 – Join us on Zoom for a Presentation and Torah Study which will be led by Rabbi Julia Watts Belser –  “Moses:  Provocations from a Disabled Prophet”

Register Here

When God sends Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery, the prophet famously says no.  Why?  Moses describes himself as “slow of speech and slow of tongue”—in other words, as a man with a speech disability.  While some commentators treat Moses’ disability as a spiritual impediment, this talk and text study brings Moses’ story into conversation with the life experiences and activism of contemporary disability communities.  We’ll grapple with spiritual and political questions about access and equity, invisibility and silence, as well as practices for transforming social inequality and shame to illuminate the provocative power of spiritual leadership that centers disability wisdom.

Rabbi Julia Watts Belser (she/her) is a scholar, spiritual teacher, and longtime activist for disability, LGBTQ, and gender justice. She is a professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Georgetown University and core faculty in Georgetown’s Disability Studies Program. She’s also an avid wheelchair hiker, a devoted gardener, and a lover of wild places.  Her latest book is Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole.

Big News! AARC Will Now Offer A Children’s Service During Fourth Friday Shabbat!

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We are so excited to announce that AARC will now be offering an interactive children’s Shabbat Service during our normal Fourth Friday Shabbat Service. Families are invited to arrive at 6:30 and join the congregation for candle lighting and MaTovu. After the opening prayers, children will join Shani Samuels and Josephine Speyer in the childcare area to attend a special abbreviated children’s Shabbat service. Following the service, children can enjoy free play until it is time to re-join the congregation for the priestly blessing and potluck.

During the children’s service Shani and Josephine will lead the children in traditional shabbat prayers such as Shalom Aleichem, Lecha Dodi, Maariv Aravim, Ahavat Olam, Shema, V’ahavta, MiChamocha, V’shamru, Oseh Shalom. This new addition to the AARC service offerings is the outcome of Josephine’s B’nei Mitzvah project. We are very proud of Josephine and can not wait to welcome her to the bima in June!

If you have any questions about this month’s Shabbat service, please email Gillian at aarcgillian@gmail.com, we can’t wait to see you there!

Celebration of Rabbi Gabrielle’s Ordination and Installation

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The community is invited to join the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) in welcoming, installing and celebrating Rabbi Gabrielle Pescador at our Second Saturday Shabbat Morning services on Saturday, April 13 at 10 am. The morning torah service and Installation will be followed by a catered Mediterranean kiddush meal at 12 noon.  Please RSVP here to attend.

Rabbi Gabrielle trained at the ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal as both a rabbi and cantor, completing the double track last year. She was ordained in January 2024. Rabbi Gabrielle started as AARC’s rabbi in July 2023, seamlessly integrating into leading the congregation. Her spirituality, musicality and commitment to helping people find meaning in Jewish life are a perfect fit for AARC. 

Music has always been an integral part of our community, and Rabbi Gabrielle brings something new to that tradition – her harp!  Around the time she began her rabbinic training she also started playing the harp and gradually included the instrument while leading services. She considers the harp an instrument of healing because of its soothing sound quality and biblical resonance, and uses it as a tool for heart opening and easing the pathway to religious experience. Learn more about Gabrielle and her path to becoming a rabbi and cantor here. 

Please be sure to RSVP to join AARC as we celebrate the ordination and installation of our musical Rabbi Gabrielle Pescador on Saturday, April 13th at 10 am.  Donations in honor of Rabbi Gabrielle are welcome. 

Passover 2024!

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Passover Seder Sign Up

One of the things that I love about our congregation is the way that opportunities are built in to be a part of a tight-knit community and make personal connections with people. One of the really special ways that we do this is to make sure that every member has a Seder table to join for the Passover holiday. Being invited to someone’s Seder table is a really meaningful opportunity to experience the Passover Seder through the perspective of another family. The way that everyone approaches the Seder is always different, getting to experience this can provide new insights and ways of looking at the Passover story. 

How the process works is that two sign ups are created for people to offer seats at their Seder table and request seats at a seder table. Once that we have all of the information about available and needed seats, we will match families to each other and exchange contact information. If you are interested in participating, sign up here!

Fourth Friday During Passover

Fourth Friday Shabbat will be held during Passover this year. This will be a wonderful opportunity to share our favorite Passover foods potluck style and celebrate the holiday together in community. More details to come!

The Purim Fun Continues!

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This week Rabbi Gabrielle and Idelle Hammond-Sass led a wonderful Purim Torah study and Jewish Studio Art Process. Participants learned about creative Rabbinic commentary on the Purim story and discussed their own understandings of Purim. Afterwards, participants set intentions then created art together. After creating, participants wrote about their art then shared their creations!

Hamantaschen Making with Carol and Jon

Saturday , March 16, 4:00ish – 6:00ish. Carol and Jon will be hosting a Hamantaschen Baking Party at their home. If you plan to attend please email Carol.

AARC Purim Schpiel and Purim Party

Join us Saturday Evening for a Purim/Havdalah Service and Potluck, March 23rd 6pm-9pm, at the JCC of Ann Arbor and Zoom. Join us for merriment, a Purim shpiel, potluck meal (vegetarian, nut free). Come dressed up in your finest Purim costumes or grab one of our masks and greggors on your way in!

Community Purim Party

Community Purim Event, March 24th, 10:30am-12:30pm. This will be a co-Sponsored event by HDS, the JCC, AARC and other local Jewish Orgs. Details on the flier below.

The Jewish Leap Year And The Coming of Spring

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This year is a special event in the Jewish calendar, it is a leap year in the Hebrew calendar as well as the Gregorian calendar. The Jewish leap year occurs in 7 of the 19 years in the calendar cycle, or about once every 3 years. In the Jewish leap years we add in an extra month called Adar II. In non-leap years we only have one month of Adar. The leap years ensure that the Jewish holidays fall in their appropriate or respective seasons.

Adar II has been known to be a month of joy, primarily because the month always includes Purim but also because it brings in Spring for the northern hemisphere. According to the Talmud, ‘When Adar enters, joy increases.’

Another way the leap year has been conceptualized is to consider that we have the ability to alter our world and our experience when regularity challenges us. If the norm creates a disruption, we have the ability to make changes for the better. This can be related to the Purim story, to a leap year, or life in general.

What are you going to do with your extra day (or extra month!) this leap year? We look forward to celebrating Purim together in a few weeks and bringing in the Spring season together in community.