Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation

Gillian Jackson

The Interesting Intersection of Tu B’Shvat and Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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Often times the long list of social justice issues that need addressing seem like an insurmountable mountain to climb. But when social justice movements converge, it provides unique opportunities for us to collaborate and scale these high peaks of injustice together. Racial justice and environmental justice are not mutually exclusive; in truth, you can not have one without the other. The intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Tu B’Shvat are full of meaning and lessons to be learned if we study them together on this double holiday!

This Tu B’Shvat Seder written by Rabbi Arthur Waskow provides a wonderful opportunity to explore this relationship. This Seder explores climate change, our communal responsibilities to each other, the battles over fossil fuel pipelines running through native communities, and more. If you are planning a Tu B’Shvat seder this year, it is worth a look! Rabbi Waskow says, “But there is a life-giving way, a sacred way, a way of love: At the same moment when we honor the rebirth of trees, the rebirth of the Tree of Life, we honor the birthday of Martin Luther King and the rebirth of the energy he symbolized.”

Hazon has made a few Tu B’Shvat Haggadahs that provide interesting insight for us this year. Here is a family Tu B’Shvat Seder. This Seder asks meaningful questions that families can discuss together and provides a shopping list for ritual objects that you will need! This Hazon Seder from 2019 would be a good one to use this year because the holiday coincided with MLK Day that year as well; it focuses on the moral imperatives of our time as a segue into the double holiday.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is often used to beautify communal spaces. It is not uncommon to find people cleaning parks or rivers on MLK Day. Combining a social justice environmental project is a great opportunity to celebrate MLK’s legacy of taking action to make our world a better place and celebrating nature and trees for Tu B’Shvat. Here are some service opportunities in our area that speak to these double meanings:

I hope that your MLK Day and Tu B’Shvat is full of meaning and purpose this year. If you take part in any of the activities shared here, please take a picture and share with us!!

Learn About Clare Kinberg’s ‘Looking For Rose’ Series in the Washtenaw Jewish News

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A Photo of Clare Kinberg’s Aunt Rose

If you have not been following Clare Kinberg’s Looking For Rose series in the Washtenaw Jewish News you are missing out! Each month since December 2019 Clare has explored race, class, history, Judaism and more through the lens of her Aunt Rose’s life. It has been a joy to follow, to read the series, you can click on each issue of the Washtenaw Jewish News here. Learn more about the series in Clare’s own words below.

Clare Kinberg on the ‘Looking For Rose’ Series:

For forty years, beginning in 1975, I tried to find my father’s sister Rose, an aunt I’d
never met. I grew up in St. Louis, in an Ashkenazi Jewish family I had been raised to
believe was completely segregated from African American families. But the separation
was a lie.

I now know that sometime in the late 1930s my Aunt Rose moved to Chicago with her African American husband Zebedee Arnwine. Her young son from an earlier marriage, Joey, remained behind with her mother and siblings. On the day in 2016 when I found
Rose’s death certificate on the internet, I learned she had died at the age of 76 in a
hospital in South Bend, Indiana. Her last residential address was in Vandalia, Michigan,
about two hours directly west of my home in Ypsilanti where I live with my wife Patti and our two adopted African American daughters. Vandalia was founded by abolitionist
Quakers and several free Black families, some of whom had been manumitted prior to
the Civil War.

I found my Aunt Rose’s unmarked grave in a small church cemetery among some of
the oldest Black residents of Cass County. The first time I stood near Rose’s burial plot,
I resolved to write a book about her.

Now, after five years of research and prodding, I’ve met the descendants of her
friends and the people among whom she is buried. I’ve found the places in Texas and
Oklahoma where Mr. Arnwine lived when the area was still Indian Territory, learned how the Underground Railroad shaped southwest Michigan, and unearthed stories of Jewish communities in small town Michigan.

My wife Patti and I moved to Michigan looking for a decent place for an interracial
family to raise our daughters. Unbeknownst to me, my Aunt Rose had moved to
Michigan sixty years earlier. She settled on the shore of Paradise Lake in 1943 when
she was 35 years old. Looking at her decisions through the lens of my own life, I
suppose that Rose and Mr. Arnwine similarly were looking for a place where an
interracial couple could live safely. Patti and I spent so much time analyzing the
demographics of places where we might live, thinking about which Black and Jewish,
interracial and lesbian communities our family would come to call our own. This story is
shaped by the conversations I wish I could have had with Aunt Rose.

Some Delicious Recipe Ideas For Your Holiday Break From Our Congregation’s Fantastic Cooks!

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Will you be spending holiday break at home with family this year? Why not try a delicious recipe from some of the fantastic cooks in our congregation!

If you have a recipe you would like to share, type it in the comments below!

Veggie Barley Bake Recipe by Rena Basch:

https://aarecon.org/dish-cold-winter-evening

Rena’s Basch’s Veggie Barley Bake

Dina’s Cranberry Relish Recipe:

https://aarecon.org/dinas-cranberry-relish/

Challah Recipes from Lori Lichtman, Nancy Meadow, Fred Feinberg

https://aarecon.org/food-feature-challah/

Clare Kinberg’s Sufganyot Recipe

https://aarecon.org/sufganiyot/

Marcy Epstein’s Pear Plum Kugel

https://aarecon.org/marcys-kugel/

Nittle Nacht: A Jewish Christmas Eve Tradition

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The Hav out for Chinese food in 2014

For many years, AARC members have joined Jews across America in the unofficial tradition of Chinese and a movie on Christmas Eve. This American cultural practice has roots that originate father than you might think in Eastern Europe and a tradition called Nittle Nacht.

According to Sefaria, Nittle Nacht has been observed on Christmas Eve since the 13th century. Nittle Nacht is commonly translated as ‘birth night’ in Yiddish, though some say the word ‘nittle’ refers to a Hebrew mention of Jesus as ‘the hanged one,’ or ‘nitleh.’

The practice has its origins in Eastern Europe in the late Middle Ages, when tensions between Christians and Jews ran high. On Christmas Eve when most Christians were headed to church, the visible reminder of the ‘otherness’ of the Jews who were not participating incited antisemitism. It was feared that Jews would be attacked when headed to study Torah on Christmas; therefore, rabbis banned Torah study on that day. There are other theories for the prohibition of Torah study on Nittle Nacht, such as the belief that studying Torah on this day would lend merit to Jesus. Whatever the origin of this holiday, for centuries Nittle Nacht observances usually involved Jews hunkering down and playing cards, chess, and dreidel as an alternative to study.

Over time, relations between Jews and Christians developed into a more peaceful coexistence, and the origins of Nittle Nacht became a distant yet formative memory. Still, traditions of spending time in community for Jews on Christmas Eve continued. In the early modern age in Germany, having a Christmas tree in the home was seen as a symbol of secular inclusion. Prominent Jews in Europe such as Theodor Herzl and Gershom Scholem were said to have Christmas trees in their homes. The origins of the modern ‘matzoh ball celebration,’ where Jews throw parties on Christmas Eve, was also born during this time.

Once in America in the 20th century, Jewish observations of Christmas Eve traditions began to blend into the birth of modern Hanukkah observance as a gift-giving holiday. Modern American Jewish homes can be seen decorated with Hanukkah lights and winter-themed decor. There are aspects of the winter holidays that are shared, such as the celebration of light amongst the darkness of winter. It is an interesting history that has led us to this place. What Christmas Eve traditions does your family practice every year?

Home Hosted Hanukkah 2021 Recap

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We had big plans this year for indoor in-person events at the JCC and in people’s homes, but unfortunately the tides of the pandemic shifted and we needed to make new plans! Thankfully most of our events were able to be moved outdoors or onto Zoom, and only a few had to be cancelled. I am truly grateful for our community’s willingness to be flexible and make the best of the difficult circumstances we find ourselves in. There were many moments of joy and community to be found in this year’s celebration of lights and miracles — L’Chaim! Enjoy some photos from the week’s events below:

Marcy made adorable little care packages of tea, cookies, and Jordan almonds for her Sing Along and Tea event.
Home Hosted Hanukkah at the Speyer House! Photo Credit Nancy Meadow
Otto setting the ground rules for the Hanukkah Gelt Hunt Hosted by the Nelson Family. The kids had a blast!
Etta in her fully embodied ‘Hershel’ form for her dramatic reading of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins.
Community Candle Lighting Menorah set up for Rabbi Ora’s Zoom Hanukkah Event

December Adult Ed Series: Jewish End-Of-Life Perspectives

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AARC and Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner are pleased to announce December’s two-part adult education series focused on Jewish perspectives on end-of-life care. Both sessions will be held over Zoom.

Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner

Curing, Caring, and End-Of-Life: The Jewish Perspective

Sunday December 12, 1-2:30 PM 

How does Judaism engage with the values of health, preserving life, minimizing pain, and a ‘good death’? When it comes to end-of-life, what values can guide us in making the hard decisions for our loved ones and ourselves? Join Rabbi Ora to explore the Jewish perspectives on these important issues.

This is Part 1 of a 2-part AARC Adult Ed series over Zoom. Register to attend and receive the Zoom link here.

Dr. Alan Molk

Saving Lives, Saving Dignity: An ER Doctor Shares His Insights On End-Of-Life Care

Sunday December 19, 1-2:30 PM

Join us in welcoming Dr. Alan Molk, an ER physician based in Phoenix, AZ. Naturally wired to “save lives no matter what,” Dr. Molk’s decades of experience in the ER, as well as his late mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s, convinced him that there are times when comfort care is more appropriate than aggressive care. Join us for a presentation by Dr. Molk based on his book, “Saving Lives, Saving Dignity: A Unique End-of-Life Perspective from Two Emergency Physicians,” followed by a discussion and opportunities for personal reflection.

This is Part 2 of a 2-part AARC Adult Ed series over Zoom. Register to attend and receive the Zoom link here.

We hope that you will join us for this important educational experience. Please email Gillian with any questions or concerns.

Sign Up To Attend A Night of Home Hosted Hanukkah

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Hanukkah 2020, via Zoom

We have had to pivot a little this month due to increase in COVID-19 cases in the Ann Arbor area, but have no fear: we have a super fun slate of Hanukkah events lined up! Read about the upcoming events below and sign up to participate. You will not regret spending time together with our beloved community celebrating the holiday!

  • Zoom Sing-Along and Tea with Marcy Epstein: Monday November 29th, Pick up Tea and Honey 5-7pm, Singing from 7-8pm. Marcy will provide tea and honey for all participants to be picked up at 1610 Cherokee from 5-7pm. At 7pm we will light candles over Zoom, then sing songs of the season and niggunim as we sip honey tea by candlelight. Sign up to participate here. If you would like to come but will not be picking up tea, please email Marcy (dr_marcy@hotmail.com) and let her know so she knows how much to prepare. 
  • Family Latke Party at the Speyer’s: Wednesday, December 1st 5-7pm. 1465 Harpst Street. If weather permits, the Speyer family will provide latkes outdoors, while gathering around a fire pit. This party is particularly for families with kids. Latkes and standard toppings will be provided. Feel free to bring other latkes or toppings. Sign up required to attend, please Sign Up Here!
  • Candle Lighting, Hershel and The Hanukkah Goblins Reading, and Music hosted on Zoom by Etta Heisler: Thursday, December 2nd, 6:45pm.  Sign Up Here to Attend! Zoom link will be sent out next week. 
  • Candle Lighting with Rabbi Ora: Friday, December 3rd, 5-5:30pm. Join Rabbi Ora to light Chanukah and Shabbat candles, and stay for a little “light” learning about how we light, when, where, and why! Zoom link will be sent out next week. 
  • Gelt Hunt at County Farm Park, followed by Campfire and Cocoa with the Nelson Family: Saturday December 4th, 2:00pm. Bring warm clothing and boots and join the Nelson family for a family gelt hunt at County Farm Park, followed by a campfire with cocoa in their yard (2439 Buckingham Rd.). Sign up required to participate, Sign Up Here! 
  • If you are up for more Hanukkah fun after the Gelt Hunt, head over to the Jewish Federation and Beth Israel’s Illuminate Hanukkah event from 5:45-7:30. More details here.
  • Last Night of Hanukkah Congregation-Wide Celebration at the Basch’s, Sunday December 5th, 5-7pm. Join us for the last night of Hanukkah! Rena and Jeff Basch will host a campfire gathering for the last night of Hanukkah that will include pizza, donuts, and hot cider. 4260 Shetland Dr. Sign up required to attend, Sign Up Here!

AARC Mitzvah Corps – an Essential Ingredient of a Caring Community

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By Anita Rubin-Meiller written for the Washtenaw Jewish News

“Mitzvah comes from the root word tzavta, which means connection. There are 613 mitzvot, and therefore, 613 ways to connect to G-d.”
– Rabbi Zushe Greenberg

I appreciate this definition of mitzvah, which goes beyond doing a good deed or following a commandment, and adds connection as an essential ingredient. When I became chair of the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) Mitzvah Corps several years ago, I knew that what we could offer to the larger community would best be generated by what we offered each other to build connection, support, and a sense of being known. Towards that end, we began having quarterly meetings, which moved to Zoom during shutdown and have been in person since the availability of the vaccine. The meetings begin with a personal sharing of a blessing and a challenge since we last met. In this way we have supported each other through health challenges, losses, changes in career or living situations, family stresses.  Through that feeling of being connected it is easy to feel moved to connect to others when they are in need. Connection is the heart and soul of our mission – “to mobilize support when needed” and our vision – “to create a non-judgmental community in which it is natural to ask for and receive help.”

Connection is the heart and soul of our mission – “to mobilize support when needed” and our vision – “to create a non-judgmental community in which it is natural to ask for and receive help.”

Early on the Pandemic showed us that support might have to arrive in ways that we were unaccustomed to. We were placed in lockdown in March, 2020 and a month later, a former beloved member of our congregation notified me that she had just lost her mother and was seeking support for one night of Shiva. She and her family had other resources for Shiva as well, but it was especially important to her during this time of “virtual only” contact to be with people who knew her, her family and may even have known her mother. She had been an active member of the congregation for many years and had celebrated the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs of her children with us. It was a certain joy to be able to connect her with Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner and know that her needs in the midst of grief would be well tended to. The Mitzvah Corps notified  the congregation of the chance to offer support, and our first Zoom Shiva was manifested. While a Zoom Shiva could never substitute for the in-person hugs, warm personal exchanges, and provision of food that happen in person, for this woman, seeing familiar faces, in a religious context that meant a lot to her, “felt like home”.

Another request prompted by the societal circumstances we found ourselves in was from a long time AARC member with chronic health issues that impacted her mobility and sense of safety. At the start of the pandemic, she was experiencing greater physical difficulty, and had had a couple of falls. It was also just barely a year since she had lost her beloved husband, and her loneliness and isolation was acutely felt. At the suggestion of a good friend, she contacted the Mitzvah Corps and explored what support could be offered. We created a chain of daily phone calls with a combination of AARC members and personal friends, that continues to this day. She says she is “so thankful” and that through these calls she has come to trust that “someone cares about me”.

Some needs met by the Mitzvah Corps, such as helping families host services for B’nei Mitzvah have been unnecessary during these past 2 years. Other needs have remained the same. We have organized meal chains for families bringing home a newborn and for individuals moving through significant illness or injury. We have provided rides to medical appointments and assisted with grocery shopping. We have been grateful that when a need is made known, many members of our congregation rise to the occasion to pitch in.

As it is designed now, the five Mitzvah Corps members carry the responsibility to mobilize support when and where it is called for. All requests come through the chair person and are either met by her, or assigned accordingly. We have been glad to be available during these difficult times, but at times have also felt the strain of higher demand, as when two of our members were significantly injured and another’s family was ill with Covid. 

The pandemic also thwarted initial efforts from some Corps members to start new offerings, a support group for families caring for their elders and a support group for parents of teens. Hopefully these will happen in the future.

“You don’t always think of yourself as someone who will need something, but we are all vulnerable and there are times we will need help.”

At our most recent quarterly meeting we began to address the issues of increasing membership in the Mitzvah Corps and being better able to know, and meet, what the needs of the congregation’s members truly are. As we puzzled over what we’d want others to know about our efforts, one member, Caroline Richardson, observed: “You don’t always think of yourself as someone who will need something, but we are all vulnerable and there are times we will need help.” Our board liason, Debra Gombert, observed:” the act of bringing a meal to congregation members in need was about connection, not cooking; about being in community and creating community.”

It seems that the Covid pandemic and other factors in the past few years have highlighted great need in many areas for many people. It can be overwhelming to know where you can have an impact that matters, if that is your desire. But, as it says in the Mishnah, “Anyone who saves a life, it is as if they saved an entire world.” The AARC Mitzvah Corps offers an opportunity to lighten the burden of one individual, or family, and by doing so increase your own sense of well -being and joy. 

If you would like to learn more about the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation please visit aarecon.org, or contact Gillian Jackson at aarcgillian@gmail.com or Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner at rabbi@aarecon.org.

To see this article in the December 2021 Washtenaw Jewish News, scroll to Page 19 here. https://washtenawjewishnews.org/PDFs/WJN-12-21-web.pdf

Member Spotlight: Janet Kelman and Dave Rein

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Janet Kelman, her husband Dave Rein, and their cat Fred!

Janet Kelman joined AARC in 2019.  She and her husband, Dave Rein, live 
in Ann Arbor.  Janet is an artist who has lovingly created art and 
architectural glass for over fifty years (www.janetkelman.com). Janet 
will be showing her work at Art Sale at the Valley over Thanksgiving 
weekend (www.artsaleatthevalley.com). Dave is an episodically retired 
software engineer and terrific in house tech help.

Janet, Emily E., and Leora are the AARC Publicity Committee! They 
diligently work to showcase the amazing events happening in AARC to the 
wider Washtenaw Jewish Community.