Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation

Shavuot

Reconstructing the 10 Commandments

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by Deb Kraus

We gathered after services on Shavuot to reconstruct the 10 commandments.  I’ve been wanting to talk about this for awhile, and Carol let me add a group to the study sessions that Kathryn and Seth were doing.

WE had a multigenerational group: from Odile, celebrating her 76th birthday tonight, to Sidney and Elsie, our young sages.  It was hard to stay on track, but I think we treated everyone according to the commandments we reconstructed beow.

First we talked about the ones that either we had problems with or the ones that while good, probably wouldn’t make the cut of being one of the “ten.”  This included “do not commit adultery,” presumed to have meant something more at the time and presumably there to promote the patriarchy.  We ended up including it under “having ethical relationships.”  In fact, we ended up combining 6-9 into this commandment, after many conversations about when murder, stealing and lying might be understandable, but realizing that this was the underlying principle.

Similarly we had a long conversation about “honoring your mother and father, “both in terms of whether honoring was the right verb and whether mother and father were the right objects of that verb.  It turns out we wanted something that was more inclusive of the powerful mentors and teachers and other elders in our lives, and at one point we decided to include children in here as well.  And then we realized that welcoming the stranger, mentioned 36 times in the torah, might fit in here too, although when I got home and wrote this out, we only had 9 so I gave it its own number.

Sidney, our young sage, echoed (without knowing it!) what Caleb Shoup talked about in his bar mitzvah d’var on this topic several years ago.  How he asked, can you say it’s wrong to have a feeling?  He was referring to “do not be envious of others,” the coveting commandment  He suggested we should focus more on gratitude.  This is how “have gratitude for all you have” came to be part of our 10.

People had problems with the idea of using God’s name in vain.  It was one of those things where it felt too ubiquitous to condemn ourselves for it.  That didn’t convince me, but when Rena said “We should talk about not disrespecting or misusing God,” that resonated with everyone more than anything about language.  It’s Shulweis’ predicate theology once again.  Act Godly!

“Do not make or worship idols” provoked a lot of conversation about how what we pay attention is really what we worship, whether it be money, food, video games, power….so we changed #2 to “Don’t lose sight of what’s important.”

We didn’t mess with the first commandment, figuring that monotheism is too central to Judaism to reconstruct.

Then we turned our attention to what isn’t here and found that we wanted to pay more attention to the earth and all creatures.  And we wanted something about caring for ourselves, which eventually got combined in with Shabbat.

Lastly, “Make liberal use of apologies and work to right your wrongs.”

Here is our list:

1.      I am God.  Don’t’ have any others.

2.     Don’t lose sight of what’s important or worship other things or Gods

3.     Do not disrespect or misuse God.  Act Godly.

4.     Take care of your body, mind and soul.  Have a day of rest to replenish yourself and keep it holy.

5.     Honor your elders, whether they are teachers, parents, elders.  Honor your children.  In fact honor everyone.

6.     Love and welcome the stranger.  Humanize everyone.  Respect individuality and work to have empathy for everyone.

7.     Have ethical relationships.  Treat others how you would want to be treated and don’t treat others how you don’t want to be treated.

8.     Make liberal use of apologies and work to right your wrongs.

9.     Honor the earth by caring for all life’s creatures and the natural world.  Work to repair and tend and heal the world back to its original condition.  Remember there is no “away” and every place is someone’s back yard.

10.  Have gratitude for all you have.

Shavuot 2023!

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AARC will celebrate Shavuot this year in combination with our normal Fourth Friday Shabbat Service on May 26th, 6:30-8pm at the JCC of Ann Arbor. The shabbat service will by hybrid in person and on Zoom. If you would like to attend the service online and do not receive our mailers, please email us for the Zoom link.

The service will be followed by in-person potluck dinner and mini Torah study workshops at the JCC. Everyone is welcome!

We invite you to bring something from your yard or home such as flowers, greenery cuttings, asparagus, or spinach that are among our first harvests here.

Please also bring your vegetarian, nut-free dish to share at the potluck. For Shavuot,  Dairy (or dairy-like) desserts are always popular, or you might feature ancient “first fruits” that included wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates in your dish.  

This service will include Shavuot songs and readings and Torah-related drash with leadership by Carol Lessure, Seth Kopald and Kathryn Kopald.

If you are unable to make our Shavuot gathering or would like additional Shavuot opportunities, Unbound Judaism will have an online Shavuot offering. You can find out more about it here!

Counting the Omer between Passover and Shavuot

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One of the ways that my children were taught to calm down and take a break when they were processing their feelings was to count. Count 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can tough, 2 things you can smell, one thing you can taste. Or count your fingers and your toes while taking deep breaths. There are many ways that marking the passage of time, either by minutes or days, can make us feel calm, connect us to our bodies, and help us to feel a part of something larger than ourselves.

Counting the Omer began as an agricultural holiday that has its roots in the first barley offering and the first wheat offering in the Temple Era. The observance was a way of offering prayer for a good harvest. As Jewish civilization transitioned out of the temple period, counting Omer moved into an exercise to mark the passage of time between Passover and Shavuot. It is an existential exercise that asks us to reflect on the movement from enslavement, to liberation, to the giving of Torah both in the liturgical sense an also the change in perspective within our minds. The omer is counted every day for 7 weeks, ending with the holiday of Shavuot.

In Michigan, we’re far away from the wheat and barley harvests of Israel, as well as far from the experience of being enslaved. But as spring unfolds for us, counting the omer can help us shake off the stiffness of winter and recommit to the work of tikkun hanefesh (healing the soul) and tikkun olam (healing the world). 

Some resources for counting the omer:

How Do YOU Do Jewish? Teach Us on Shavuot!

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By Rabbi Ora Nitkin Kaner

You’ve probably heard the saying ‘two Jews, three opinions.’ It contains a kernel of truth: the idea that Jews thrive on arguing and sharing our opinions and beliefs with one another! But the phrase also reflects the diversity of perspectives, histories, cultures, and experiences present in Jewish communities; for as much as we might have in common (attending High Holiday services, or observing Shabbat in some fashion), we also have a lot of differences (what kashrut means to us, or what kind of God we believe in, or what our favorite Jewish food is).

This Shavuot, we have the opportunity to learn about and from our differences! The theme of this year’s Tikkun Leil Shavuot is ‘How Do YOU Do Jewish’? The evening’s learning will focus on the practical side of doing and being Jewish, and offer a window into how different community members express themselves Jewishly. 

Members have the opportunity to teach (for 5, 10, or 15 minute time slots) on “How I Do Jewish.” This can be interpreted very broadly, and could range from “How I Bake My Favorite Cheesecake” to “My Most Meaningful Prayer Experience” and anywhere in between. Rabbi Ora will offer an hour-long class focused on the ‘doing’ aspect of ‘Doing Jewish’: “How To Create and Lead a Meaningful Shabbat Service.”

Do you, does your family, or did your ancestors ‘Do Jewish’ in a particular way? We want to learn about it! If you’re willing to present, please email Rabbi Ora with your topic and how long you’d like to teach for. We look forward to learning from you!

Shavuot will be held at the JCC of Ann Arbor on June 4th, 7pm-10pm. We will participate in an evening of learning and then go outside for an al fresco dairy desert potluck. Please RSVP here.

Schedule of Events:

Shavuot 2022: How Do You Do Jewish?

7:00-8:15 pm: How To Create and Lead a Meaningful Shabbat Service with Rabbi Ora

Have you ever wanted to lead a Shabbat service for AARC but haven’t known where to start? Or are you looking to level up your skills? In this interactive, creative, and practical session, you’ll think about how to choose a theme, create flow, craft a dvar Torah, and make the most of your creative and musical skills!

8:20-8:35 pm: Seeing, Finding, Showing My Jewish Self in Games with Hannah Davis

It’s natural to want to see ourselves in the stories we consume. I play video and tabletop games a lot, and I look for Jewish content and themes in them. And if there isn’t much to find, I start making my own! Here are some Jewish stories I’ve found – or made – in games.

8:40-8:55 pm: Teaching Religion Responsibly with Lauren Zinn

9:00-9:25 pm: Edot of Ruth: On ‘Doing Jewish’ and Doing the Heavy Work of the Divine with Marcy Epstein

After a brief drash about mitzvot (Jewish doing; מִצְוֹתַי) in the Book of Ruth, we shall study a connection to edot (testament) to the chukim (divine decrees) at Sinai. We’ll then discuss the reconstruction of edot as “difficult witnessing” in the here and now. There’s a hands-on challenge to this session: while we talk, participants may explore sketching a small edot (by way of emblem or picturing the witness/witnessing) in charcoal on paper, something to bring home as a minhag mitzvah of decorating our Jewish homes for this holy day. Supplies provided!

9:30-10:00 pm: Outdoor Shmoozing, Cheesecake, and Havdallah!

Planning for Shavuot

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Learn about Shavuot AND Help Us Plan This Years Observation!

SURVEY LINK HERE!

History of Shavuot

Shavuot, or the ‘Feast of Weeks,’ is celebrated 50 days after Passover. The holiday coincides with both the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai and an ancient Jewish grain festival. In ancient Israel, Jews participated in three agricultural festivals per year where they would bring the fruits of their labor to the temple as offerings. The three holidays are Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. These agricultural based holidays allowed Ancient Jews the opportunity to gather in community to engage in ritual and celebration together. There is archeological evidence that Jews came from as far as the Mediterranean during the Greek era to reaffirm their faith and practice. When the Temple was destroyed in the first century CE, the harvest festivals transitioned from a central festival of offerings to a synagogue based practice. In diaspora, we have come to reconstruct and make relevant these holidays to provide meaning and connection in modern times. As an observance of the giving of the Torah, many Jews spend Shavuot engaged in the practice of learning.

Past AARC Observances of Shavuot

Shavuot 2021 we celebrated the end of Beit Sefer and Shavuot together by having blintzes at Aaron Jackson’s house! The congregation also attended a community wide lecture about Jewish approaches to Justice.

In 2020, we attended a nationwide (covid shutdown) Shavuot with Reconstructing Judaism.

2019 was our last in person Shavuot. We celebrated the holiday with Kehillat Israel and hosted lectures by scholars from both of our congregations. And of course ate cheesecake!

Shavuot This Year

Rabbi Ora has invited the congregation to submit their interest in a slate of potential programming choices. Please make sure that you take a few minutes to complete this survey! As always, let us know if you have any input, questions, or concerns!

FILL OUT THE SURVEY HERE!!!

Shavuot 5781: A Vibrant, Joyful, and Educational Holiday!

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Photo Credit: Clare Kinberg. Clare produced over 100 Blitzes for the Beit Sefer Blintz Picnic!!!

70 Faces of Justice: A Community Shavuot Celebration

Members from Washtenaw and Ingham county Jewish congregations gathered Sunday evening for a stimulating evening of learning on Jewish approaches to justice.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Eli Savit, Washtenaw County Prosecutor. Mr. Savit offered a fascinating perspective, redefining how we pursue justice work within the legal system. Savit compared re-writing existing unjust laws to the early rabbis’ re-interpretation of the biblical commandment to kill one’s own ‘rebellious son’ (ben sorer u’moreh). The early rabbis made the discernment process for execution so long and convoluted that no one could possibly meet the standards to carry out the law. Savit likened this process to such contemporary issues as choosing not to prosecute young offenders for smaller crimes and implementing a restorative justice program for larger crimes.

Savit’s lecture led to the conclusion that the criminal justice system is influenced by larger systems of injustice in our society. Not only do we need to re-think how we prosecute crimes, but must also increase funding for education and health care–the lack of which can contribute to violence within our society. The thought-provoking lecture led to a vibrant Q and A with Mr. Savit.

Following the keynote address, attendees were sent into breakout rooms for ‘Speed Cheesecaking’ to discuss issues important to them and get to know members of other congregations. Many attendees commented that they appreciated the opportunity to get to know more people within the larger Jewish community.

The evening carried on with three consecutive study sessions where attendees could choose from discussions led by area rabbis on topics as diverse as LBGTQIA advocacy, kabbalah, gender, and social justice. Rabbi Ora led two sessions; ‘When a Pauper Takes the Bimah: The Revolutionary Message of Lecha Dodi,’ and ‘Nothing But Niggunim!’

The event was a success and everyone agreed we will carry on the tradition for years to come!

Beit Sefer Shavuot Picnic

Photo Credit: Clare Kinberg. Getting ready to make Blintzes on her special heirloom Blintz pan!

For Shavuot this year, Beit Sefer director Clare Kinberg organized a COVID-safe outdoor picnic for the end of the year Beit Sefer gathering. The event was hosted at the home of Beit Sefer teacher Aaron Jackson. Families were treated to freshly made blintzes, lovingly prepared by Clare Kinberg.

This was the first time since the pandemic began that most of the Beit Sefer students had been together as a group! They had so much fun catching up and playing on the playground together. Yasher koach to the Beit Sefer teachers and especially Clare for organizing this event and providing such a stimulating year of learning for our Beit Sefer students.

May is Open House Month at AARC!

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Although our doors are always open, we make a special effort once a year to reach out to the community and share what makes our congregation special. If you would like to participate in any of this month’s events and do not subscribe to our mailer, please email our event coordinator.

Second Saturday Shabbat, Saturday May 8, 10 AM. The Second Saturday Shabbat morning includes ‘Ta’Shma Come and Learn’ at 10 am. Ta’Shma is a monthly learning opportunity that is participatory and based on Jewish texts. For more information about Ta’Shma, check out Clare Kinberg’s blog. Our Shabbat services (beginning at 10:30 am) are inclusive and participatory. We spend an hour and a half singing, praying, learning with Rabbi Ora, and participating in community discussion. Please join us!

What IS Reconstructionist Judaism? Wednesday May 12, 7:30 PM. Join Rabbi Ora for a conversation about the history and values of Reconstructionist Judaism. If you have a friend that has been curious about our congregation, please invite them to this event! Sign up here to participate. To learn more about the Reconstructionist movement, visit the website, or watch the video below:

70 Faces of Justice: A Community Shavuot Celebration. Sunday May 16, 7:30 PM. Join area rabbis and lay leaders for a Zoom Tikkun Leil Shavuot. Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney Eli Savit will kick off the evening with a keynote address, then choose from multiple learning sessions, including text study, embodied movement, and creative cooking. BYOC (Bring Your Own Cheesecake) and prepare for a night of learning and connecting to our Jewish community. Co-sponsored by the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Beth Israel Congregation, Congregation Kehillat Israel, Pardes Hannah, Temple Beth Emeth, and the University of Michigan Hillel.

Fourth Friday Kabbalat Shabbat: Friday, May 28, 6:30 PM. Our 1.5 hour Fourth Friday services are joyful, participatory, and filled with music! Following services, breakout rooms are opened for new and old friends to shmooze. For this Open House Shabbat, we will pair visitors with existing members so everyone can get a chance to get to know one another. We hope that you will join us.

PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT POST ZOOM LINKS ON OUR WEBSITE FOR SECURITY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND ANY OF THIS MONTH’S EVENTS AND ARE NOT ON OUR MAILING LIST, PLEASE EMAIL AARCGILLIAN@GMAIL.COM.

AARC to Join Virtual Shavuot with Reconstructing Judaism’s Recon Connect

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Thursday, May 28th, and Friday, May 29th. AARC will join Celebrating Shavuot @ Sinai, a virtual Shavuot celebration for the Reconstructionist movement. 

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, Reconstructing Judaism, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association will host a Shavuot evening program, beginning with Kabbalat Hag Song Fest and Candlelighting.

The celebration begins on Thursday, May 28, 7:30 pm Eastern Time, and continues with a Tikkun Leyl (translation: “nighttime study session”) Shavuot of teaching, learning, movement, and musical offerings through Friday morning, May 29, 7:30 am Pacific Time.

Reconstructionist communities and individuals are welcome to join the Zoom webinar or view the Facebook live stream for as much or as little as they wish. You can register here or watch on Facebook here. 

Want to get a jump on the learning? Take a look at Shavuot offerings from Reconstructing Judaism in previous years at the bottom of this page. You will find articles and, in some cases, audio presentations. Go ahead – revel in edification!

An Informative and Engaging Shavuot!

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by Emily Eisbruch and Gillian Jackson

Our delicious Shavuot Desert Potluck provided by AARC! Photo Credits: Emily Eisbruch

In honor of the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai, AARC celebrated Shavuot this year by engaging in learning and discussion. We were joined by Kehillat Israel from Lansing. The evening was structured around discussion groups on interesting and relevant topics.

The first two discussion groups were led by congregation members Clare Kinberg from AARC and Ken Harrow from KI.

Clare Kinberg leading a discussion on ‘Jewish Time’ on Shavuot.

Clare Kinberg led a discussion about the Jewish concept of time and how it relates to the story of Ezra. A lively discussion followed regarding the different ways that Jews interpret history and time as it is written in our sacred texts.

Ken Harrow leading a discussion on ‘The Events at Sinai’ on Shavuot.

Ken Harrow led a discussion about the events at Sinai. In his session he focused on how to contextualize the exodus from Egypt and the giving of the commandments. Ken emphasized relationships to works of art, demonstrating our connections with facial expressions.  Ken shared slides with examples from famous artworks, including self-portraits from Rembrandt and Van Gogh.

After enjoying a potluck of delicious deserts provided by members of AARC, we embarked on even more engaging opportunities for learning with Rabbi Ora and Rabbi Zimmerman.

Rabbi Ora leads a discussion on ‘Jewish Perspectives on Abortion’

Rabbi Ora led a discussion on Jewish Perspectives on Abortion. The discussion was a fascinating exploration of various texts that reference abortion. Looking at the issue from the perspective of various Jewish Sects, Rabbi Ora showed how the Jewish people have struggled to codify when and how a woman should be allowed to terminate her pregnancy.

Rabbi Zimmerman leads a discussion on the Green New Deal.

Rabbi Michael Zimmerman’s session on “The Torah of the Green New Deal” looked at  Judaism’s approach to caring for the planet.  He shared a handout with biblical and other references urging stewardship of the land, including text from House Resolution 109 on the Green New Deal.  The group discussed the relationship between Jewish teachings on charity and preservation of the earth.

All and all much knowledge was passed and given. It was truly an enriching evening during which the two congregations were able to get to know each other and enjoy lively discussion!

What is Tikkun Leil Shavuot?

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By Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner

The evening of Shavuot finds Jews around the world gathering in synagogues and learning through the night, often fueled by coffee and cheesecake.

This practice of all-night Torah study is known as ‘tikkun leil Shavuot.’ The tradition dates back to 16th century Tzfat; it’s said that the famous kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria (more commonly known as the Ari) instituted the practice as a ‘tikkun’ – correction or repair – for an ancient error.

‘Tikkun’ is a familiar first half of the modern phrase ‘tikkun olam’ – that is, healing or repairing the world through acts of social, political, and climate justice. But what breach are we repairing on the night (‘leil’) of Shavuot?

Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Israelites following 49 days of rigorous spiritual preparation (the Omer). According to one midrash, the night before the giving of the Torah, the Israelites did what anyone tries to do before an important event – they turned in early for a good night’s sleep. This seemingly innocent decision, however, led to embarrassing consequences. The next morning, when it came time for the Torah to be given, the base of Mount Sinai was empty. The entire Jewish people had slept in. The midrash even recounts that Moses had to wake the Israelites with a shofar, causing G-d to lament, “Why have I come and no one is here to receive me?” (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:12b)

In order to rectify this ancient mistake, the Ari instituted a custom of all-night learning: we remain awake to show that, unlike our heavy-lidded ancestors at Sinai, we are ready to receive Torah and God.

This midrash may not sit comfortably with all of us. Maybe we don’t like the idea of being burdened by our ancestor’s errors, or maybe we simply want to be motivated to learn by something other than correction.

It’s customary to learn from the Oral Torah (Mishnah and Talmud) on Shavuot, rather than from the Torah itself. I think there’s a lesson here: in coming together to learn on Shavuot, we’re doing more than simply correcting an ancient mistake; we are adding our voices to a millenia-old tradition of oral learning, interpretation, and argumentation. On Shavuot, we add to our tradition by offering each other new pathways to accessing wisdom. In this sense, every Shavuot we who learn are contributing to ‘tikkun olam’ – to repairing the frayed threads of our world.

What is AARC up to for Shavuot?

Tikkun Leil Shavuot Special: Kehillat Israel Comes to Ann Arbor!

Saturday, June 8

This year we will enjoy a special celebration for Shavuot in collaboration with members of Kehillat Israel, the Reconstructionist congregation in Lansing.

Kehillat Israel members will spend the afternoon exploring Ann Arbor, and have invited us to join them! If you’d like to participate in an ecological study walk in the Arb led by Rabbi Michael Zimmerman (4-5 pm) and an early dinner at Zingermans (5:15-6:15 pm), sign up here.

Tikkun Leil Shavuot (6:30-9:30 pm at the JCC) will have multiple learning opportunities for adults and teens-and-tweens (Grade 5 and up).

The schedule for adults is:     

 6:15 pm – Gather at the JCC

6:30-7:30 pm – Choose 1 of 2 study sessions    

7:30-8:00 pm – Cheesecake and schmoozing    

8:00-9:00 pm – Choose 1 of 2 study sessions    

9:00-9:30 pm – Jewish summer camp-style Havdalah (led by our teens)

Tentative list of adult ed sessions:    

Ken Harrow – The Events at Sinai    

Rabbi Michael Zimmerman – The Torah of the Green New Deal    

Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner – Abortion and Judaism   

Clare Kinberg – Jewish Time

The schedule for teens:

Games, food, fun and a play! Concurrent to the adult study session on Shavuot, we will have two sessions for young people, ages ~ 9- 16. Our Beit Sefer G’dolim class created two pin ball games that are ready to roll! There is a puzzle board game special for Shavuot, a skit and planning for an end of the evening Havdalah. Beit Sefer G’dolim teacher Aaron Jackson will be leading the youth along with teachers from KI in Lansing. Bring the kids for a fun evening, with some learning, too!

If you plan on attending the Shavuot program, please sign up here. If your tween/teen plans on attending, please sign them up here.