AARC member Lori Lichtman is launching a new baking company, Challah Rising Baking Company: “Blessing the World One Challah at a Time,” on March 20 (the Spring Equinox, Solar Eclipse, Super (New) Moon). Lori has been baking challah every Friday since October 25, 2008. She learned from Jen Cohen and continues a tradition that was passed on to her by her father and grandfather. Her grandfather, from Hungary, became a baker when he came to the U.S. Lori uses local ingredients that connect her challah to our very own Michigan farms. Lori’s challah stands alone as she infuses the dough with blessing chants of love (Ahava Raba), Peace (Oseh Shalom), Abundance (Peleg Elohim), and Connecting to G-d’s light (V’eristich li). She does a meditation before kneading each batch of dough, connecting G-d’s light through her crown, heart, hands and into the dough. You can also order special blessings for pre-ordered loaves. Lori has been in prayer circles and uses the challah baking as one of her spiritual practices. She has taught workshops and after her first workshop stood in her garden and the inspiration came to start the business. Lori will be selling her challah (gluten free too!) on Fridays at Argus Farm Stop on Liberty. Please come out to try the deliciousness and blessings! We will also have a Challah Rising loaf at our Fourth Friday Shabbat on March 27, the last Shabbat before Pesach. Challah-leuia!
Blog
Passover Planning Post
The first seder of Passover is Friday April 3
As in past years, AARC will help match up members with home seders. If you are having a first night seder and have an empty seat or two that could be filled by AARC member(s), email Clare. If you’d like to be invited to a home seder for the first night, email Clare. I’ll do my best to match everybody up.
AARC Second Night Community Seder
Join us for a musical, thoughtful, interactive and delicious celebration of our story of freedom! The theme for the evening will be “Becoming Slaves, Becoming Free” and include explorations of personal, communal and international experiences and issues.
Our younger guests will have age appropriate fun and an opportunity to create something to share with us as we ponder more adult issues.
The meal will be a coordinated pot-luck to assure we have an appropriate mix of items as well as all the ritual goodies.
Location: TBD based on size of gathering.
Please RSVP by March31st. For more information contact Rav Michal
Mimouna, a farewell to Passover (and Shabbat) Saturday April 11, 6:00-9:30pm
We’ll celebrate the end of Passover with a Sephardic tradition of Mimouna (a hametz-laden Spring feast) and the end of Shabbat with Havdalah. The meal will include pizza for the children and Spring vegetables. Please join us with a dish to share such as fresh bread, beer, and Sephardic inspired dishes. At the home of Carol Lessure, Jon Engelbert, Avi and Deron.
Beit Sefer Tzedakah Project
By Rebecca Ball
Photos by Sara Goldshlack
Being new to the AARC Beit Sefer, and to attending a Beit Sefer in general, my family and I weren’t necessarily sure what to expect this year. We have not been disappointed! The learning and camaraderie and overall fun that my sons have experienced has been so positive. I am extremely impressed by all the thought and work that has been put into the curriculum and activities the students are enjoying.
One activity in particular that has been quite rewarding has been the school-wide Tzedakah Project. For this project, the students decorated their own tzedakah boxes to bring home. They earned money at home by doing chores and other tasks for their parents. The students discussed in class the things they did to earn the money, such as making dinner for the family or shoveling snow or cleaning their rooms. After several weeks of earning money, the students brought in their boxes and voted on the agency to which they would donate. They chose the Humane Society of Huron Valley, and were proud to discover that they had raised over $125 for the animals! 
The school then had a volunteer from the Humane Society come to visit with an adoptable dog. She described to the students the programs and supplies towards which the students’ money would go. The children had the chance to pet the dog and learned about showing compassion towards animals. Many were even interested in learning how to volunteer at the facility. The authentic, real-world experience that this project provided helped our young people to live the experience of tzedakah rather than merely hearing about it. Giving tzedakah is a righteous act in Judaism, simple justice and possibly the most enlightened of all the commandments. Our Beit Sefer has beautifully illustrated this joyful obligation for our children.
B’shalach A New Morning Prayer
by Ellen Dannin
B’shalach A New Morning Prayer
Lord of the outstretched hand,
who brought our ancestors out of
confinement in Egypt,
release all those bodily confined
for the pursuit of justice.
Release us from the prisons
and the callouses we have constructed
around our hearts.
Release our hands from the shackles
we have placed on them,
and guide them to their avodah [worship / work].
Release our minds from the deceptions
in which they are imprisoned.
Remove exhaustion
from our eyelids and bodies.
Release our spirits from terror and fear.
Renew us that we may be renewed,
set us on our journey to the land
we are to enter.
We are and we are not our ancestors.
We will not turn aside.
New Member Profile: Sally George Wright
Sally George Wright recently moved permanently to Michigan from Montana, where she had lived on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, home to the Assiniboine, Sioux and other Native American tribes. In her profession as a clinical psychologist, she had been working there with traumatized children and their families for about ten years. While living on the Fort Peck Reservation, the closest synagogue was a five hour drive, making Jewish community difficult. The ability to be active in a Jewish community, to access the healthcare at the U. Mich hospital system, and, not least, to be near her daughter and 2-year-old granddaughter, who live in Saline, drew her to Ann Arbor.
Before living on the reservation, Sally George lived in Billings, MT where she was Vice President of Congregation Beth Aaron (Reform). Her leadership at Beth Aaron included the year 1993, when during Hanukkah a cement block was thrown through the window of another leader in the Jewish community. Even though the KKK and other white supremacist groups had been agitating in Montana and other Northwest states for many years, the Billings community stood up strongly against anti-Semitism and other expressions of religious, racial and ethnic hatred. The members of Sally George’s congregation had already formed a mutually supportive relationship with members of a nearby Black church, and together they formed the nucleus of the legendary response, recounted in more than one book and a movie, Not In Our Town. Billings residents of different religions organized vigils in solidarity and nearly 10,000 of them placed Hanukkiot in their windows so that anti-Semites wouldn’t know who was Jewish. Though the wider community’s actions in support of Jews was bold and forthright, opinions within the Jewish community about how to respond to violent anti-Semitism ranged from the “lay low” variety to the more confrontational. Sally George still vividly remembers chairing some of the meetings within her congregation where differences were aired. Suffice it to say, she comes to AARC as a tempered Jewish community leader.
After attending our warm and participatory high holiday services, Sally George knew that AARC was the congregation for her. She is an accomplished flutist and former children’s choir leader, and enjoys the singing and instrumental accompaniment in our services. Although she has yet to find and unpack the box with her instruments, she looks forward to playing again. She is also looking forward to studying Hebrew, getting to know other AARC families, and especially reaching out to other older members for Shabbat dinners and other socializing.
Let’s Make a Shpiel Recap
Photos and text by Sherri Buroker
Purim joy was evident among AARC members and guests this past Sunday, March 1.
The celebration kicked off with the kids creating groggers, crowns fit for the finest queens and kings, and mini candy Megillahs!
The Beit Sefer classes challenged the entire party with their inventive and original games “Hamantaschen to Hamantaschen” and “Purim Jeopardy,” and the adult “Purim Shpiel” lifted the room in laughter!
Our feast (by Exotic Syrian Bakery) was delicious, our homemade hamantaschen were delectable, and our costumes transformed the party into a colorful display!
As the Megillah was read amid the community, we did not disappoint with our hooting and hollering!
Along with all these elements, I believe our best Purim spirit was inspired by our energetic cheer”leader,” Rav Michal, and simply witnessing the kids celebrating together.
A Purim Vocabulary
“The whole megillah.” When my daughters come up with words I don’t recognize, my first resource is Urban Dictionary. Very informative. And yep, “whole megillah” is there, one of the many Yiddish or Hebrew inspired phrases that have become bonafide street English. The whole megillah means “something long, complex, and possibly tedious,” as in when Jews read the Megillah Esther (Scroll of Esther) from beginning to end, all ten chapters, with breaks for hooting and hollering, each Purim. And yes, AARC is going to read the whole megillah this year….well almost. Because of the age-old “tedium” problem, there are many abridged, English language, family-friendlier, megillot to choose from. But you can still expect all ten chapters.
“Shpiel.”I won’t even go into the Urban Dictionary definition; shpiel is simply a play or story. It’s traditional for congregations to stage and enjoy purimshpiels (Purim Plays) that riff on characters and themes from the Scroll of Esther. This year, we will intersperse our shpiel with our megillah reading. Just for fun….and to break up the tedium.
“Hamantaschen.” Those triangular pastries intended to remind us of the villain Haman’s hat. The whole community, especially the kids, is invited to Carol Lessure’s home to bake hamantaschen Saturday afternoon, February 28, 2015 from 3:00ish – 6:00ish. She is happy to have you drop in for part or stay for a potluck dinner (Havdalah too) after cookie baking is done. Bring your rolling pin, cookie sheet and a snack, drink or side dish to share.
And the feast or Seudah, in Hebrew. There are four feasts in the Megillah Esther, but we’ll be having only one. We need to know how much to order, so please RSVP using this link.
When’s it all happening? March 1, 11:30-2 at the JCC, of course.
Oh, that picture at the top was just to get your attention. I used it for a cover of Bridges Journal in 1993, with this description: This image is of Queen Esther giving birth to Kurush (Cyrus the Great), her son by Shah Ardashir (Ahasuerus). The painting, by an unknown artist, is an illustration from a late seventeenth century edition of an epic poem, Ardashir Ndma (The Ahasuerus Book), written in 1332 by Jewish-Persian poet Maulana Shahin. Iranian Jews often used the Hebrew alphabet even while writing in the Persian language as a way of preserving their religious and national heritage. They shared the cultural tastes of their Muslim neighbors, using Persian literary and artistic styles in setting to verse and illustrating some well-known Jewish themes, including even the Torah. Ardashir Ndma is the story of the Book of Esther and continues with Esther and Ahasueras’ life together, with embellishments from Jewish and Muslim legends, Talmudic and Midrashic references, and Persian fairy tales. The whole megillah plus more!
Vote Now for Food, Land and Justice!
AARC members Idelle Hammond-Sass, Rena Basch and Carole Caplan are leading lights of our community’s Jewish Alliance for Food, Land and Justice. The Alliance’s program for 2015, Preserving Shmita, is in competition for support in the Ann Arbor Federation’s Jewish Community Impact Fund vote. The proposal is a request for $8,000 to continue programming for the entire community on sustainable, healthy, fair food and food systems and earth stewardship. You can read about last year’s Shmita programming here and here.
This year’s proposal includes many creative ideas for deepening existing connections to Jewish ethics and values such as a Farm-to-Shabbat Table initiative, envisioned as a community-wide event occurring every season with Shabbat dinners sourced from locally sustainably grown food with farmers present; training and networking for Jewish event planners in support of sustainable food initiatives between farms and food service providers; and creation and dissemination of farm-based Jewish curriculum for religious school within each congregation, supported by a Food Festival day of education/experiences at a local farm.
Voting on the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor’s Impact Fund proposals is open until February 27th. You are welcome to vote if you have donated a minimum of $18 to the Federation in 2014 or 2015. As part of AARC’s efforts at Tikkun Olan, we offer our members a Flexible Giving Option, in which you can make choices about how your donation to the Federation will be used. You can read more about Flexible Giving and find a donation form on our website’s Tikkun Olam page.
Our local involvement with Food, Land and Justice connects us to a dynamic worldwide movement of Jews. Soul Fire Farm, a CSA family farm in New York, is honoring Shmita– giving the land a Sabbath–and also publicizing their restorative justice program. Another good connection to Shmita and sustainability is the Hazon Shmita Project.
Don’t forget to vote!
Caleb’s drash
Mazel tov to Caleb on his becoming Bar Mitzvah! Here is his d’var torah, on Parashat Yitro
Welcome, Shabbat shalom.
This week’s Torah portion is called Yitro, Exodus 18 through 20. The Israelites have just left Egypt, and crossed the Red Sea, and they are in the wilderness. In the first part of the portion, Moses meets up with his father-in-law Jethro (His Hebrew name is Yitro, thus the name of the portion). Jethro notices that Moses is carrying too much responsibility by solving everyone’s little arguments and disputes. Jethro suggests that Moses should have other people solve the Israelites’ minor disputes and bring only the big problems to Moses. Moses follows Jethro’s advice.
Meanwhile, God tells Moses to tell the Israelites to prepare for God to come down to Mount Sinai to talk to the people. The people follow God’s wishes and wait for God to come down. When God comes down in a theatrical show of thunder, lighting and the trembling of the mountain, God makes a set of rules that are now known as the ten commandments.
I will read the ten commandments in my Torah portion today. [Read more…] about Caleb’s drash
Hand in Hand Jewish-Arab Education in Israel
AARC is a co-sponsor of the visit to Ann Arbor of Lee Gordon, co-founder of Hand In Hand, Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel. He will be here March 20-22 for a series of open community events highlighting the work of these bilingual and multicultural Jewish-Arab schools. The weekend’s events will give you the opportunity to be a part of this diverse intercultural Ann Arbor gathering in support of a shared society in Israel.
Community members are invited to all events:
Friday, March 20, 7:30 PM: “Continuing Together, without Hate and without Fear” Guest sermon, Social Action Shabbat service. Temple Beth Emeth, 2309 Packard Street
Saturday, March 21, 8:00 PM: “Building a Shared Society Together: Multicultural Education and Peacemaking in Israel,” an interfaith, multicultural gathering. St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church/Temple Beth Emeth, 2309 Packard Street
Sunday, March 22, 4:00 PM: “Overcoming the Jewish-Arab Divide in Israel: Building a Model of Integrated Schools and Leadership,” hosted by Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor. Jewish Community Center, 2939 Birch Hollow Drive
Please RSVP to handinhanda2@gmail.com indicating which event(s) you plan to attend.
Co-sponsors: Temple Beth Emeth, St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, Jewish Cultural Society, Beth Israel Congregation, Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Chelsea First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, First Unitarian Universalist Association of Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Hillel.
