Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation

Upcoming Activities

RSVP to “Lesson of the Homeland” and the Stories We Tell: A Conversation with Anat Zeltser

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Anat Zeltser is the Ken Burns of Israel. Over the past 25 years, she has made deeply researched and thought- provoking films about Israel’s  identity,  history, culture and politics. 

On Sunday, April 26, the AARC and wider Jewish community will have the opportunity for a conversation with her about her work. Gilad Halpern, a journalist and media historian will lead a conversation with Anat, and there will be time for questions from the audience. 

Both Anat and Gilad have been Fellows at the University of Michigan’s Frankel Center this year and will soon be leaving town. This event is a rare opportunity to meet and learn from “the best documentary creator in Israel,” (according to one of her reviews); another Israeli critic describes her work as  “mesmerizing, informative, and profound.” 

We ask that participants come having watched the first part of her series “Lesson of the Homeland.” A link is here. It’s about 30 minutes and has subtitles.

Please RSVP below for the conversation.

Event Address: Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor, 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.

Time: 12:00 – 2:00 pm, bagels, fruit and coffee/tea available.

Gilad Halpern, Moderator
Anat Zeltser, Documentarian

A very fortunate three times Purim celebration!

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by Shlomit Cohen, AARC Beit Sefer Director

Judaism acknowledges the importance of our feelings: the Oy’s and the Ah! moments in our daily life, for example, by giving space and yearly practice to grief, in the month of Av, and to happiness and joy in the month of Adar. 

About the month of Adar – the month of Purim – the rabbis- (חז״ל) wrote:

״משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה״
When Adar enters, we increase in joy.

But Jewish writings have also asked the question regarding Adar: how can we order someone to be happy, and to rejoice? Especially in difficult times? 

The answer might be, specifically in challenging times like these, that we need to remind ourselves to rejoice and to be happy, as the Purim holiday teaches us:

  1. To congregate and gather as a community  – the importance of being together! (In contrast to what we all learned during pandemic about the pain of loneliness.)
  2. To make some noise when we hear the name of the wicked man – Haman.
  3. To play music as an expression of joy.
  4. To move and shake our bodies with dancing. 
  5. To be silly – by putting on costumes!
  6. To each delicious food – the sweet Hamentashen and sending the mishloach manot to friends and relatives, and the poor. Caring for the other is a joy!
  7. And even to drink – עד דלא ידע (until one does not know)

Our Purim costumes teach us the importance of being uplifted from the sorrow and pain of life, not by withdrawing from it, but with a sense of humor. And we have a whole month to practice it yearly!

And we cannot forget the importance of Jewish humor – our shared way of dealing with reality with a laughing eye. By practicing rituals and observing the holidays, we acknowledge and turn the difficult times in our shared history into a great gathering culminating in a festive meal.

Purim specifically and the month of Adar are great reminders for us to be happy! To have faith in God’s willing, good connections and a brilliant scheme, as Mordechai and Queen Esther teach us. That’s how bad luck can turn into good fortune. “Pur” – luck – can be changed. 

This year the AARC had bad luck or the misfortune of not reserving a space for our Purim celebration in advance. So instead of canceling the holiday all together, we decided to celebrate it twice, even three times!

  • First with the AARC Purim Kabbalat Shabbat – Friday night service on February 27, 6:30pm to 9:00pm
  • Second with a gathering for a Hamentashen baking party on Saturday, February 28 with a potluck at Carol Lessure and Jon Engleburt’s house, a long tradition for over ten years.
  • Third, on Sunday March 1 at Beit Sefer, the AARC religious school. 
    The kids read the megillah – in English! – make noise when the name Haman is said, and act out a purim shpiel (that took them 3 weeks of writing and preparation!). There will be song, dance, a costume parade, a questionnaire/quiz with prizes, Hamentashen… and more

The month of Adar is a truly happy, joyfully time of year! Happy Purim! 

Above: the AARC celebrating Purim in 2024

Above: the AARC celebrating Purim in 2016

Join the AARC book group with Rav Gavrielle on Sunday, March 15

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The Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) book group got off to a great start in 2026, reading and discussing The World We Knew, by Alice Hoffman, in January, and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, in February.

The AARC book group’s Sunday, March 15th meeting is eagerly anticipated as Rabbi Gavrielle Pescador will lead the discussion. The book chosen for March 15th is God Is Here: Reimagining the Divine, by Toba Spitzer. “This book was recommended by our AARC executive director Elizabeth Brindley,” explains Rav Gavrielle.

In a 2025 blog for the AARC, Elizabeth wrote:

“Mah nora hamakom hazeh! – “How awesome is this place!, Jacob exclaims this after realizing he has had a divine encounter while sleeping on the side of the road, using a rock for a pillow. He didn’t realize he was roughing it in the house of G-d, but lo! The phrase from the Torah portion, Vayetzei, first popped out at me a few years ago in Toba Spitzer’s God is Here: Reimagining the Divine. At the time I was new to working in the prison system, struggling to adjust to the environment, and trying to fill the ample amount of downtime I had as a government employee with some Jewish thought. The context Spitzer used it in, at the time, didn’t particularly speak to me, as reading the phrase a dozen times in the Torah portion apparently hadn’t, but this time the phrase stuck. What did it mean to really be here, in this place? Is any place holy if you’re present with it, or are there other conditions to this awesomeness?”

“As I’ve been reading God is Here, I find myself both personally and professionally intrigued,“ says Rav Gavrielle. “The “God-word” can be challenging for so many of us (myself included)—whether because of theology, upbringing, philosophical leanings, or simply the limits of language—and I appreciate the way Spitzer opens things up through metaphor, imagination, and lived experience. I’m excited to see where this will take our conversations.”

If you would like to read the book God is Here: Reimagining the Divine and participate in the AARC book group’s March 15th lunch and discussion, please contact Greg Saltzman at gsaltzman@albion.edu.

photo of Rav Gavrielle leading the AARC book group in January 2025

Meditations with Anita Return to 2nd Saturdays

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Second Saturday meditation resumes this coming Shabbat, November 8th, from 10-10:20.

In his book, “Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life”, Rabbi Jeff Roth describes a practice derived from Reb Zalman’s teaching on the chant “It is perfect. All is clear. You are loved. and I am holy.”

Each line of the chant is related to one of the 4 worlds, i.e. Assiyah, Yetsirah, Beriyah, and Atzilut. Each world is related to a Divine attribute, i.e. acting, feeling, knowing and being. This creates a worthwhile framework for meditation.

Each month we will take some time with the chant, meditate on one of the worlds/attributes, and hopefully have a brief time for sharing. Come join us.

Join AARC Creatives: Exploring Ourselves through Intuitive Art Making, Thursday, October 23, 2025

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All are invited to join the AARC Creatives on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 7pm. Seth Kopald will lead the group, which will be hosted at the home of Debbie Zivan. Contact Debbie djzivan@gmail.com to RSVP and receive directions to her home.

Seth will lead an activity about exploring ourselves through intuitive art making. Please bring some of your favorite art materials like markers or pencils, etc. If not, we will have some extra. 

More info from Seth:

Hello everyone.
I’m looking forward to our experience together!
In addition to your favorite pens, markers, pencils, etc, please bring an art pad if you have one.  They have quality ones at the 5 and Below ($5 or less) store near Plum Market on Maple. They also have really nice art supplies, surprisingly. Below is a picture of the mixed media pad I like.
But if you don’t have time, don’t worry because I’ll bring a pad (and art supplies) and we can tear a piece out for you. 
Regarding the topic of Exploring Ourselves through Intuitive Art Making, and if you like having processing time, you can begin to think about areas of your life where you want a shift or more clarity. This could be in relationship to others or a topic you wrestle with internally. But pick something that does not create a strong activation and lots of emotion. We can keep this light. Perhaps you simply want to get to know yourself better, like: “Why do I do this or that?” 
Also, you do not have to disclose anything personal to the group to do this activity. You may want to, if you feel called. To be witnessed can be very healing. And you will be witnessed, just by showing your work (also optional). 
Please let me know if you have any questions
Warmly,
Seth

Mixed Media Pad

For more on the AARC Creatives, please check out THIS BLOG from July 2025.
We hope to see you on Thursday, October 23!

AARC Creatives in August 2025

AARC Creatives in April 2025

High Holidays Workshops 2025

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Session 1, 1:45-3:30pm

Listening Circle

The Listening Circle will be back the afternoon of Yom Kippur with an intention to offer several throughout the year to match current events and community interest. Our purpose, as always, is to foster connection, community building, sustenance, and healing that can come from authentic expression met by open-hearted, empathetic listening.

Our first Listening Circle, “Listening through Grief”, emerged from the horror of October 7, 2023 and its tragic aftermath. The second Listening Circle was titled “Active Hope” in February, 2024, when participants chose the focus of their own sharing and we added a prompt to include the political/social actions participants were taking. The third Listening Circle was Yom Kippur 2024 and came after the Presidential election. We focused on the grief that comes with the loss of the assumptive world.

For this Yom Kippur afternoon Listening Circle gathering, our inquiry will be: “How have these difficult times affected your sense of self, home, and community?” We look forward to being with you.

From your facilitators Jeff Basch, Idelle Hammond-Sass, Julie Norris, Anita Rubin-Meiller, and Lisa Wexler

Session 2, 3:45-4:45

The Jewish Genesis of the Superhero, led by Dan Mishkin

Superheroes were invented by Jews—young men eager to be all-American, but leavening their stories with Jewishness whether they knew it or not. They brought to life characters with amazing powers…who served the cause of the powerless. Explore the history and the contradictions with comics writer Dan Mishkin.   

Judaism Beyond the Human, led by Rafe Neis

We don’t necessarily consult the rabbis of the Talmud for the history of science, zoology, and reproduction. But it turns out they had a lot to say about these topics. This workshop will introduce Jewish sources that may surprise you. It turns out that despite the much-celebrated idea of humans being “b’tselem elohim” (“in the image of God), the rabbis blurred the lines between humans and animals and conceived of reproduction beyond the two heterosexual parents. We will explore powerful historical alternatives to the paradigms associated with so-called traditional ideas. 

Niggun Circle, led by Deb Kraus

Join Deb Kraus and friends to sing niggun together. Group with gather outside if weather permits.

Volunteering for High Holy Days

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As the month of Elul arrives, we’re invited into a sacred time of reflection, renewal, and return. It’s a season of preparation. Not only spiritual, but communal. At the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, the High Holy days are celebrated by all of us. This is what makes our community so special. Everyone has a role in making these days meaningful.

Volunteering during Elul and the High Holy days is a way to embody the spirit of teshuvah, returning to our best selves. Whether it’s helping to set up chairs, greeting people with warmth at the door, assisting with the tech for our hybrid services, or offering your voice in readings and music, each contribution helps shape the experience for our entire community.

No act is too small. In fact, it’s often in these quiet acts of service that we find the deepest connection to one another and to the spirit of the season.

We invite you to step forward this Elul and volunteer your time, your energy, your presence. Let’s prepare together, not just for the holy days, but for the kind of community we want to build all year long.

If you would like to volunteer, please check the link below. For any high holy day volunteering that is not yet listed, please email me at aarctiara@gmail.com.

Erev Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah Day Service

High Holy Day Volunteering

Children and Family Programming and Childcare for High Holidays 2025

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AARC offers an engaging and flexible series of High Holidays learning opportunities and services for children and families. To take part, please fill out the Childcare & Children’s Services Signup form below.

SIGN UP HERE

High Holidays Family/Children’s Services Schedule

  • Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025, 10:30am: Rosh Hashanah Children’s Service at the UU
  • Thursday, October 2nd, 2025, 10:30am: Yom Kippur Children’s Service at the UU

If you have any questions about this programming, please email us. We looking forward to sharing this sacred time together!

High Holidays Childcare Signup

  • Childcare is offered for children 2 years of age and older.
  • The childcare room is located in the hall behind the registration table. Vaccinated teens over 12 can be supervised in the teen room across the hall.
  • Both rooms will be staffed by qualified caregivers.
  • Members: Childcare for members who sign up by September 21 is free of charge. Members who do not sign up by the deadline will be asked to pay $10 per child per day. Without advance reservation, childcare will be offered on a space-available basis only. Sign up online below.
  • Non-members: The cost for non-members is $20 per child per day.
  • Payment is due by September 21. Payment can be made by mailing a check or using the Donate link to pay online.
  • Please note that children under 13 must remain in childcare or be supervised by an adult at all times; children are not permitted to roam on their own while on the Unitarian Universalist Congregation premises. Children may leave childcare only if an adult picks them up.

AARC Creatives to meet August 28th

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All are welcome to join the “AARC Creatives” group on Thursday, August 28 at 7pm at the Eisbruchs’ house in NE Ann Arbor. This recently formed group provides a framework for folks in the AARC community to share and encourage each other on creative endeavors, very broadly defined. In our first two meetings, the group discussed projects including collage, print-making, pottery, painting, jewelry, ritutal objects, gem cutting, crafting, crochet, writing, and even developing special family events.

We are delighted that Carla Grayson will lead the group in a creative activity or discussion on August 28th. Please email Emily Eisbruch eisbruchs@gmail.com if you would like to join.

The AARC Creatives group began as the AARC Artists’ Collective in April 2025, when Rav Gavrielle invited congregants to discuss creative projects at a meeting that was hosted at the home of Idelle Hammond-Sass.

At the April 2025 gathering, Rav Gavrielle shared beautiful ritual objects, including Jewish amulets and a decorative and devotional document known as a Shiviti. 

Participants told about their creative journeys and expressed enthusiasm for collaborating together or in parallel on creative projects moving forward.

Idelle again hosted the group on June 25, for a session led by Leora Druckman. At that meeting, participants shared creative items and projects they’ve been working on.

AARC Creatives meetings will be approximately every other month and will feature rotating facilitators. We hope to see many of you at the next meeting on Thursday, August 28th.

A pit-fired pottery piece shared by Leora Druckman at the June 2025 meeting.

A cut Yooperlite gem shared by Dan Peisach in June 2025. Cutting gems – what a fascinating creative hobby!

Crochet fidget ball shared by Emily E in June 2025.