Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation
Here’s a Washtenaw Jewish News article on the collaboration between the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation and Congregation Agudas Achim (in Attleboro, MA), from the February 2021 Washtenaw Jewish News.
This article was also posted in the Reconstructionist Rabbincal College News.
Dear Chevra –
We moved temporarily to Ann Arbor for six months in 2008—and we showed up at the Hav (as this group was then known) pretty much right away. Our children, Harry and Leila, were 8 and we didn’t want a gap in their Jewish education, so getting them enrolled in the Beit Sefer was a priority for us.
Very quickly, the Hav became not just a source of Jewish acclimation/education for our kids but a crucial community for all of us. We didn’t move to Ann Arbor for permanent till 2011, but AARC meant it felt like coming home.
A decade on, we’re moving away, temporarily, to DC. Sam has started a new job in the Biden/Harris administration, and Margo is luckily able to work remotely for the UM Law School. The current pandemic has little by way of silver lining, but for us, it does have one: because AARC’s activities are still all virtual, we’re able to remain active members of the community from afar. Virtual services are obviously different from in-person gatherings—but we have already found them to be a really meaningful way to stay connected to our haverim at AARC, and we are thrilled we can continue to do so.
So we just wanted to tell everyone that we’ll be away but not gone, and we hope to see you and to stay in touch.
Le’shalom u’be’ahavah
Margo Schlanger and Sam Bagenstos
In the early months of the pandemic, it seemed a distant fantasy that the day would come when we would receive a vaccine against Covid-19. But thanks to the tireless work of an international team of scientists, public health entities, and pharmaceutical infrastructure etc., the day has indeed arrived. Some members of our congregation have already received their first doses, and though we know the future is uncertain, we are filled with hope.
After surviving so many months of adversity, there is so much to be grateful for. And, as we mark 400,000 lives lost in this country alone, we also struggle with how to mourn what and who we have lost. Certainly it will take many years to process this unique moment in history, but for now–we can open the doors to gratitude with prayer.
Such an immense gratitude and welling of emotion for this momentous time can be hard to express. Ritualwell, an online resource for Jewish ritual and prayer, has compiled a half-dozen new prayers and blessings, written in the last month, to help us express our gratitude on the occasion of receiving the vaccine. Please enjoy a sample of the blessings below, and feel free to share your own in the comments!
A Blessing of Gratitude for the COVID-19 Vaccine
by Trisha Arlin
Blessed Holy Wholeness:
As we roll up our sleeves
To receive this vaccine,
We take note
Of the inspiration and efficiency,
The hard work and creativity,
And the accumulation of knowledge and science
That brings us to this moment.
No miracles were wanted or needed
For this vaccine
And for that we are grateful.
Amen
Love Your Neighbor: A Blessing on Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine
by Rabbi Ahuvah (Amy) Loewenthal
To You who enliven all flesh, To You who guides all creatures: See me as I enact Your commandment “love your neighbor as yourself.”
Ruakh Kol Basar, Adon Kol haBriot: Hareni m’kabel/m’kabelet alai mitzvat asei shel “v’ahavta l’reakha kamokha.”
From Darkness to Light: A Meditation on Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine
by Rabbi Rebecca Kamil
As we move from darkness to light
May we take this vaccine as a sign of what is to come
A world reopened and renewed
Embracing family and friends
Gathering together in joy
May we also be mindful of what has been
The lives lost
The sorrow felt
And may the past and present intertwine
Giving us hope for the future
Written By: Clare Kinberg
For Tu b’Shvat this year (January 28, 2021), the AARC Beit Sefer invites the whole congregation to help us appreciate our amazing local trees.
Tu b’Shvat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees, is on the full moon in the Hebrew month of Shvat. We celebrate the trees exactly 7 weeks after the first night of Hanukkah, when the celestial lights are dimmest. Seven weeks later, on Tu b’Shvat, the days have lengthened just enough for the tips of the trees to begin to send messages to their roots, “Begin to awaken….” It is cold outside, but the longer daylight tells the trees — and us — Spring is on its way.
Ann Arbor’s Champion Tree Program identifies and catalogs the largest tree of each species within the city. The program was created in 1995 to highlight and recognize these amazing trees and increase awareness and appreciation for outstanding trees that help make Ann Arbor “Tree Town.” There are currently 60 trees in the Champion Tree Registry. You can find them all listed on an interactive map, with information about each tree here.
Our Tu b’Shvat plan is that during the week of January 23 through January 30, our member households will each pick one tree (or more if you are ambitious) from the registry, visit it, record in photos, drawings, or video what it looks like, and do the following:
1. Listen to the tree by putting your ear to the bark…can you hear the water beginning to rise?
2. Put your arms around the tree and give it a hug!
3. Bless the tree, as something beautiful, a natural wonder, and as something unique (3 blessings are below):
4. When you get home, write a few sentences describing your tree, and email them to Gillian, along with your photo or drawing, so we can share your experience in a future blog!
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam shekahcha lo ba’olamo.
Blessed are you, our God, Ruler of the World, who has such as this in the world.
God-as-masculine/traditional:
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, oseh ma’aseh v’reshit.
You are blessed, our God, Ruler of the world, Source of creation.
God-as-feminine:
B’rukha At Ya Eloheinu Ruah ha’olam, osah ma’aseh v’reshit.
You are blessed, our God, Spirit of the world, Source of creation.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, m’shaneh habriyot.
Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the Universe, who makes creatures different.
Recon Zoom meetings took many forms in 2020 – including creative art workshops. Our Yom Kippur workshop focused on Jonah and the Whale. For Hanukkah, we shared Rabbi Shefa Gold’s readings about rededication and resilience, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks on Gorbachev’s connection to Hanukkah, and third century sages, Rav and Shmuel, on lighting the lights. We reflected on art, parsed the Blessing for Creating, by Rabbi Adina Allen from the Jewish Studio Project and interpreted the ancient and contemporary midrash with our own visual and written commentary.
We’re planning more Zoom Art Workshops for 2021 –
Idelle & Carol
Art by Rita Gelman
Art work by Marcy Epstein
Art work by Carol Levin
Art work by Gillian Jackson
This interview with AARC member Carole Caplan, founder and owner of the The Farm on Jennings, appeared in the January 2021 Washtenaw Jewish News.
Article starts on front page (above) and continues on page 23 (below).
I can’t be alone in feeling that our small community is getting pretty good at finding ways to celebrate the Jewish year online. Hanukkah 2020 was a triumph of spirit, fostering a depth of connection over the web that many might have thought impossible a year ago. I am inspired by our community’s commitment to stick together and create meaningful experiences for one another during this difficult time.
AARC Hanukkah celebrations kicked off with a lively evening hosted by members Sharon Haar and Robin Wagner. Following candle-lighting, we learned the online party game Psych! (“trivia meets cards against humanity”) under Sharon and Robin’s instruction. The hallmark of this very well-attended event was FUN!
Our congregation collaborated for socially-distanced Hanukkah celebrations twice: once with the Jewish Federation, and again with Temple Beth Israel. It was a joy to share in the celebrations with the larger Jewish community of Ann Arbor.
On Sunday, members Carol Levin and Idelle Hammond-Sass hosted an “Art and Midrash” workshop centered on the Hanukkah story. This well-loved duo will be continuing their Art and Midrash series throughout the winter and spring–more details to come!
Marcy Epstein led a candle lighting and lively yet challenging night of Hanukkah based trivia. Attendees were also delighted with Marcy’s musical gifts of Hanukkah song and prayer.
On the fourth night of Hanukkah, member Etta Heisler followed her candle-lighting with a dramatic reading of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman. Children and adults alike were charmed by Etta’s narrative prowess and varied character voices!
The seventh night found us at the “Latke vs. Hamentaschen” debate hosted by Rabbi Ora. It was a heated debate with a real humdinger at the end. We will have to see if the outcome changes during Hanukkah next year – new AARC tradition? – or perhaps also on Purim!
We wrapped up the week with a family candle-lighting hosted by Beit Sefer director Clare Kinberg. The students recited prayers and sang classic Hanukkah songs with the community. The Beit Sefer night was a sweet way to wrap up a busy week of community events.
Thank you to everyone who hosted a Hanukkah event and to everyone who attended! This great season of celebration is one we can recall with great fondness next Hanukkah, when we hope to be together in person again.
For the first two weeks in December, our Beit Sefer families collected warm blankets, socks, hats, food, and toiletry items for distribution to people experiencing homelessness in our community. Our youngest class, the Kitanim, and their dedicated and inspiring teacher, Marcy Epstein, initiated this project. Besides gathering the items listed above, the class packaged them in waterproof plastic bags and made sure the packages got to the people in need.
Marcy reported that we gathered over 75 items for the homeless and displaced. Her friend Heidi Alward, the Vice Chair of the Board of the Women’s Center of Ann Arbor (which made sure everything was given out), sent the Beit Sefer a message:
“Wow, thank you, Marcy (and the AARC Beit Sefer)! I am so moved by you and your students and their families’ generosity of spirit. Please tell them that their actions will move people they may never meet and have ripple effects they may never feel, but they have created a positive impact. Beyond the food and materials goods, we have given them a sign that people care, that there is compassion, kindness and love in an often unjust world.”
Marcy taught that giving to people in need can be drawn from the phrase in the fourth book of the Torah, Vayikra/Now God Called (also known as Leviticus) 25:1, “Now when your brother sinks down (in poverty), and his hand falters beside you, then you shall strengthen him (as though) a sojourner and a resident-settler, and he is to live beside you.”
Paula, Bori, and Adiv have been attending services since this summer and are now excited to become official AARC members! Paula and Bori moved from Boston in July and feel lucky to have found such a welcoming community here.
Bori is a medical student at the University of Michigan and Paula is a medical assistant currently working towards a nursing degree and staying home with Adiv, who was born in September. In their free time, they enjoy hiking and camping, playing music, and taking family walks with their dogs, Henry and Arthur.
A warm welcome to our newest member household!
Hello everyone,
We’re Aura and Aaron Ahuvia, and we are happily returning to our home, Ann Arbor, after a few years of being away. We are super-excited to meet you all, and to get re-acquainted! We’ve had some excellent adventures, first in Woodstock, NY, then in the Detroit burbs where Aura was working as a congregational Rabbi. We were so happy that things finally worked for us to return home, even though we never anticipated the move taking place during a pandemic!
When we’re not painting the walls of our new house, or playing with our new dog, Nikki, Aaron is a professor of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at U-M Dearborn, and Aura is a rabbi ordained through the Jewish renewal movement, known as ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Aura plans on teaching online for the time being, while Aaron is enjoying his year of sabbatical to work on his book (working title: The Things We Love). When participating in AARC events, Aura looks forward to being a “Jew in the pew,” i.e., she will not be performing rabbinical roles under the auspices of the AARC. You can call her “Aura.”
Kid update: Some of you will remember our sons, Isaac and Jonah. Isaac just entered a PhD program this fall in clinical psych at SUNY Stonybrook, on Long Island. He’s really enjoying his coursework and peers, albeit mostly remotely for now. Jonah put his undergraduate work on pause when the pandemic hit and is working and living with us for the time being.
We have a long history with AARC (or “The Hav” as we will probably never stop calling it) and are very pleased to see it thriving. We can’t wait to get back into the swing of things.
Aura & Aaron
