Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation

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A Joyous Mimouna!

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The conclusion of Passover this year was marked with a joyous Mimouna celebration at the house of Jeff and Rena Basch. The Mimouna bonfire echoed a tradition that originates in Morocco as a cultural holiday and is celebrated in Israel with picnics and barbecues in the park. The weather was warm and everyone was so glad to be spending time together, releasing the constriction of the passover holiday by eating carbs and sweets! (pictures below!) The event was such a success we are hard at work planning more outdoor social gatherings for the summer, if you are interested in hosting something- let Gillian know!

The origins of the holiday vary depending on who you’re talking to. For some, Mimouna celebrates the yarzheit of Maimonides. For others, it began as an interfaith celebration of community and liberation in Morocco. The nation of Morocco is home to many Sephardic jews and Muslims; on the final night of Passover, these two communities would come together and share a meal filled with sweets and carbs. It was a time that Muslim neighbors could expect to be invited into the homes of their Jewish friends to celebrate the conclusion of the holiday. Many communities around the world have used this tradition to reconstruct opportunities to celebrate community and interfaith friendships.

At our Mimouna bonfire, Clare Kinberg shared a beautiful Mimouna family tradition. Clare blessed people with mint leaves dipped in buttermilk and dates and shared a blessing of fertility. This blessing was shared from her Moroccan relatives. The fertility blessing was not limited to childbirth, Clare encouraged everyone to think about what aspects of their life they would like to ‘fertilize’ or nourish. This could be something like a garden, a career, a relationship etc. It is a beautiful tradition that we were lucky to share on this beautiful evening. To learn more about the tradition, check out this article written by her niece, Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg.

photo credit: Emily Eisbruch

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/

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

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!

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.

Welcome New Members Jeremy Singer and Jenn Swanson

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Jenn and Jeremy moved to Ann Arbor in August. They live in the Old West Side neighborhood with their puppy Luna. They are engaged, and getting married in August 2022. Jeremy was raised in a Reform congregation, and Jenn is in the process of converting to Judaism. They previously lived in Detroit, where both of them worked as teachers. Jenn now attends law school at the University of Michigan, and is interested in labor law. Jeremy works as a research assistant at Wayne State University and is completing his Ph.D. in educational policy.

Heartfelt Connections Blossom within AARC’s Mishpocha Groups

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At the beginning of the pandemic, congregation members expressed a need to build connection while they were at home during quarantine. Thus ‘Mishpocha Groups’ were born! Mishpocha groups consist of 5-10 members each and represents AARC members of all stripes. Most groups meet weekly on zoom, though some meet every other week or monthly. The groups have been a profound source of support for most in this time of isolation. New friendships have blossomed and old friendships have grown stronger through the connections that have been built within the Mishpocha groups. As we enter into the darker and colder months of winter, let’s hear from members about how these groups have warmed their hearts.


“When the pandemic hit, I’d been attending services at AARC for just over a year, and had started seeing familiar faces and meeting people at Friday services, but hadn’t had time to form closer connections. Joining a mishpocha group seemed like a fun idea but I had no idea how it would go. I certainly didn’t expect that I would look forward to our calls every week, and miss them each time I couldn’t make it; I didn’t expect these people to go from vague acquaintances to some of the closest emotional connections in my life; I didn’t expect to have an hour every week to feel loved and supported and seen. It’s an aptly named group! They’re my family now.”


“As somebody who lives alone this mishpacha group means a lot.  The Wednesday night congregation gatherings at the start of the pandemic, with breakout rooms, were also fantastic, in the way they allowed personal interaction.  The process of getting to know one another and creating closeness can be profound and powerful.”
 


“We have made good friends. It’s a very interesting group of people. We have talked about a lot of things, including recipes, travel, misinformation, challenging issues happening at the University of Michigan, 9/11 memories and reflections.”


“The mishpacha group meeting every week was helpful in dealing with the isolation
at the start of the pandemic.  We got to know each other, and it’s been nice to check in every week.”


“The mishpacha group every Monday at 7:30pm became a point of stability during the week.”

There is a new Mishpocha group forming! If you would like to include this important ritual in your life this year, email us and we will connect you!

Capturing Learnings as the AARC enters the High Holiday Season

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Written by Rebecca Kanner and Emily Eisbruch for the Washtenaw Jewish News

Hybrid Shabbat, July 2021

Lots changed during the COVID 19 pandemic, including, for many of us, how we worshiped and how we socialized.  What a joy to experience the happy reconnections in the summer of 2021, as vaccines enabled the resumption of many in-person events.  Now, on the brink of the New Year 5782, the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) is taking stock of lessons learned during the pandemic and taking steps to capture and continue some of the positive innovations.

Aziza celebrating Tu B’Shvat

As one example, the pandemic inspired an increase in creative outdoor activities for the AARC Beit Sefer (religious school).  A Tu B’Shvat program centered on Ann Arbor’s champion trees and a bike/hike relay experience connecting Beit Sefer families are two examples.  “The healthy connection with the outdoors, and focus on Jewish environmental education is an emphasis we plan to continue,”  says Beit Sefer director Clare Kinberg. “For the upcoming school year we have plans for a monthly Beit Sefer program at The Farm on Jennings, a farm providing a diverse selection of certified naturally grown produce and flowers, owned and operated by AARC member Carole Caplan.”    

At the congregational worship level, we recently invested in state-of-the-art equipment to deliver hybrid worship experiences that are meaningful both for in-person and online participants.  According to Seth Kopald, who is a Board member and part of the AARC’s Tech Committee, “We bought quality equipment so everyone will hear and see things clearly, and hopefully it will help those on Zoom engage on a deeper level. We really want people to feel a part of the services and other events. We are together even when we are apart.”  In July, the AARC was pleased to convene an outdoor Kabbalat Shabbat service and to kick off using the new sound system, with the event streamed live on Facebook.  

In another innovation, color-coded name tags (using green, yellow or red circle stickers) were offered for those in-person at the July Kabbalat Shabbat. The colorful stickers were applied on name tags to indicate an individual’s comfort with hugs versus handshakes versus socially distanced smiles.  The stickers provide an easy mechanism for people to signal their level of readiness (or not) for friendly physical connection.   The congregation will decide whether to continue offering the stickers moving forward. 

Mishpocha groups, formed during COVID to facilitate AARC members keeping in touch, have proved highly successful.   AARC members serve as hosts for small groups that meet weekly or biweekly on Zoom, providing a cohort for check-in, support, and even sometimes for sharing music, poetry and short stories.  The friendships and new bonds continue as we emerge from the pandemic, and the Zoom check-ins may also continue.

Here’s a friendly reminder that High Holiday services are a great time to check out the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation. Our live-streamed services are open to all.   For more details, we invite you to visit the AARC website at https://aarecon.org/ or reach out to Gillian Jackson at aarcgillian@gmail.com. 

To see this article in the September 2021 Washtenaw Jewish News, scroll to Page 8 here.
https://washtenawjewishnews.org/PDFs/WJN-09-21-web.pdf

LGBTQ Jewish History Workshop THIS WEEKEND!!!

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This Sunday, June 20th at 2pm, AARC will be hosting a workshop that will take a deep dive into formative moments in LGBTQ Jewish history. The workshop will be hosted by Hannah Forman, a trainer with Keshet. Keshet is an organization that works for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and our families in Jewish life. Keshet strengthens Jewish communities, equips Jewish organizations with the skills and knowledge to build LGBTQ-affirming communities, creates spaces in which all queer Jewish youth feel seen and valued, and advances LGBTQ rights nationwide.

This workshop assumes some basic familiarity with LGBTQ identities and will not provide an introduction to gender identity and sexual orientation. Participants may familiarize themselves with these terms and concepts through Keshet’s LGBTQ Terminology sheet, available in the Keshet online Resource Library.

Keshet has a lot of workshops coming up including some teen pride events. They are a powerful workhouse that tirelessly organizes for the LGBTQ community. Learn more about them and check out their calendar of events here.

LGBTQ Jewish History Workshop with Keshet: Sunday June 20, 2-3:15 PM. This interactive workshop explores key moments in LGBTQ Jewish history in the United States and the implications of this history for our work on LGBTQ equality and belonging in Jewish life today. If you would like to attend, please email aarcgillian@gmail.com for the zoom link. We look forward to seeing you there!!

Beit Sefer: Sharing Love Not Virus

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How do I “recap” this year of Beit Sefer?

Ahava means Love

Thirty Sunday mornings filled with love says it for me. Our Beit Sefer teachers Marcy Epstein, Aaron Jackson, Shani Samuels and myself showed up every week filled with love for Judaism, for the students, and for each other.

We started off the year in the first week of Elul with love of animals and we ended on Shavuot with love of Torah and blintzes, and in between we learned about and celebrated every Jewish holiday.

Rabbi Ora met with the students every month to introduce some of our most precious Hebrew blessings and prayers. Our virtual Family Shabbat in April was a lovely culmination of our tefilah (prayer) learning for the year.

With Shani, we learned to write Hebrew alef-bet on the Zoom whiteboard. Marcy invited her students’ families into the Zoom room, and Aaron showed up every week with both his kids, Noah and Ava, brightening up every Zoom.

I thought to recap this year, I’d share images of the love we shared.

Jack and Brenna shared the love but not the virus by going apple picking for Rosh Hashanah in their family pod.
Shani Samuel shared her love of Hebrew and of animals.
Kitanim teacher Marcy Epstein found all sorts of ways to share the love but not the virus including leaving notes on her door!
Aziza shows us loving the natural environment is a Jewish kind of love, too.
The Ullmann McLanes came early and stayed late with some family love to our final day of Beit Sefer.
For our final Beit Sefer session we saw each other in person!
A new family to share the love! Lisa Wexler and her son Dylan Schnorr met Beit Sefer families for the first time on our last day.
Our teens obviously know how to hold a physically distanced conversation! Sharing the love but not the virus.