Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation

Upcoming Activities

A Full Schedule of Wonderful Events For the Month of March!

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Believe it or not March is around the corner with hints of Spring, Purim, and more! We hope that you will join us for some or all of this month’s events!

AARC Book Group, March 10. The next two AARC book group meetings will be on Sunday, March 10, and on Saturday, May 11. The meeting will start with a lunch at Greg Saltzman’s and Audrey Newell’s house (near the JCC) from 12 noon – 1 PM. Then, there will be a hybrid in-person/Zoom book discussion from 1-2 PM. Please RSVP to Greg at gsaltzman@albion.edu if you want to attend the lunch or get the Zoom link. On Sunday, March 10, AARC member Deborah Dash Moore will discuss her book, Jewish New York: The Remarkable Story of a City and a People 
Second Saturday Morning Shabbat Service, March 9th 10:30am-noon. Hybrid at the JCC of Ann Arbor and Zoom. Meditation, prayer, discussion, community. Everyone is welcome! Zoom link will be sent out the week before the event. 
Rosh Chodesh Adar II, Sunday March 10th at 9 am on Zoom. Join Rav Gabrielle for Rosh Chodesh prayers, zoom link will be sent out the week before the event. 
Pop in Study Session with Rav Gavrielle on Zoom, March 13th, 7 pm-8:30pm at the JCC of Ann Arbor. Join Rav Gabrielle and Idelle Hammond Sass for a Purim text study, journaling & art making and possibly mask making!
You are all invited to join us for Hamantaschen baking Saturday afternoon, March 16, 2024  from 4:00ish – 6:00ish.  We are happy to have you drop in for part or stay for a potluck dinner & socializing after cookie baking is done. Bring your rolling pin, and a side dish, snack or drink to share.  We’ll sample our baking efforts and have coffee and tea for the grown-ups as well. 
Invite a friend!  This event and our Purim celebration are great, family friendly events. Be sure to let the organizers know that you are coming by emailing Carol.
Typically, we rotate in bakers and makers with lots of playing for the children and socializing for the grown-ups in between. Can’t make it? Feel free to bake your own to share. If you can provide gluten free and dairy free options, let Gillian know.  We will provide lots of dough & nut free fillings (but if you have a fav filling please bring it in case I don’t have it). 
Saturday Evening Purim/Havdalah Service and Potluck, March 23rd 6pm-9pm, at the JCC of Ann Arbor and Zoom. Join us for merriment, a Purim shpiel, potluck meal (vegetarian, nut free). Come dressed up in your finest Purim costumes or grab one of our masks and greggors on your way in!
Community Purim Event, March 24th, details TBD. This will be a co-Sponsored event by HDS, the JCC, AARC and other local Jewish Orgs. Save the Date!!

Save the dates for the AARC Retreat!

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May 31 to June 2, 2024 

Lots of excitement is brewing about the rebirth of a tradition fondly remembered from years past: a congregational RETREAT!   

The retreat is a magical chance for members to celebrate Shabbat, relax, unwind, form new friendships, strengthen old ties, enjoy nature through hiking or boating, savor wonderful meals, dance, craft, and more.  

Please save these date for the 2024 AARC retreat

  • Friday May 31 (around 4:00 pm or arrive after that when you can)
  • Saturday, June 1
  • Sunday June 2 (ending around 3:00 pm)
    • (note: this is the weekend following Memorial Day weekend)

The lovely Chenango Lake Retreat Center in Howell has been reserved for the 2024 retreat.  Currently engaged in retreat planning is a terrific team led by Leora Druckman, Steve Merritt, and Adrianne Neff.

While the budget is not yet finalized, we are thinking about (subject to tweaking) a sliding scale of $150 to $250 per adult and $75 to $150 per child (with children under 3 free).   The goal is to have as many people as possible attend and participate without letting finances get in the way.  At the same time, we do need to at least cover our costs of a minimum of $10,000 (a recent increase in the cost of food is impacting this).   

The retreat will offer:

  • A chance to celebrate Shabbat as a community
  • Six wonderful meals
  • Lodging for 2 nights
  • Chenango lake (with canoes and kayaks) trails and beautiful surroundings. 
  • Dancing Saturday night with music from ‘Twas Brillig and the Mazel Toves plus dancing led by Drake Meadow
  • Camp fires with singing and s’mores
  • Art workshop by Idelle Hammond-Sass
  • And many more activities led by our talented members

Steve Merritt stevemerritt2@gmail.com would love to hear from anyone interested in offering a workshop or activity at the retreat or if you’d like to volunteer to help out in other ways. 

Registration for the retreat will likely open in March.   Stay tuned to the AARC emails for further updates and info.

Enjoy these photos from past AARC/Havurah retreats:

Shabbat Shira This Friday at AARC!

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Shabbat Shira is observed during the reading of Beshalach in reference to the Song at the Sea that was sung after the Israelites crossed the sea during exodus.

The Shirat Ha’Yam in the Torah is set up visually differently than most other text. Often readers chant in an alternate melody and perform Hagbah to show the congregation the poetic layout of the text in recognition of its uniqueness. Liturgically, Rabbis often incorporate the singing of Mi Chamocha as part of the service.

Interestingly, There is a Midrashic tradition to feed birds on the weekend of Shabbat Shirah. This tradition comes from the Midrashic interpretation that fruit trees spung from the earth and children fed birds with its fruit when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. After eating the food set out from the children or possibly the Manna left for the Israelites, the birds then joined in song.

Come learn more and celebrate Shabbat Shirah this Friday, January 26th at 6:30pm at the JCC of Ann Arbor and on Zoom. We will have a musical shabbat service in honor of this tradition including drumming, dancing, and singing. We hope that you will join us!

Join AARC and Community Partners for A Community Tu B’Shevat!

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For Tu B’Shevat this year Rabbi Gabrielle has been working together with partners from the Jewish Cultural Society, The Jewish Community Center, and The Jewish Federation to build a robust and invigorating Tu B’Shevat event. At 10:15 Rabbi Gabrielle will be leading a Kabbalistic Seder and will be joined by other community leaders for other workshops over the course of the morning. Make sure that you register for the super fun event!!

Register Here

Opportunities to Celebrate Chanukah In Community Abound, Please Join Us!!!

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We are so excited about these wonderful opportunities to spend time celebrating Chanukah together in community. We hope that you will join us! Make sure that you sign up to attend so that the hosts have adequate time to prepare for the proper number of guests. Chad Sameach everyone!!

Home Hosted Chanukkah Potluck at Idelle and Dale’s
Friday December 8th, 6:30-9:00
Latkes and Fish will be provided, please indicate what you will be bringing on the signup, instruments and music are welcome!! All ages are invited. Sign up to attend HERE. 

Home Hosted Chanukah Dinner for Families with Young Children
Saturday, 12/9 at 4 pm
Families – bring your young children ~6 and under – to a simple home based celebration with Chanukah candle lighting, a light dinner with latkes, and Havdalah for the end of Shabbat.  
At the home of Carol Lessure & Jon Engelbert from 4:00 – 6:00 pm to accommodate naps and early bed times.   Please sign up to attend HERE and make sure to let her know about any food allergies & that you are planning to come! 
Home Hosted Chanukkah Gelt Hunt with the Nelson Spindlers
Sunday December 10th, 1pm-3pm
Gelt Hunt at County Farm Park (Medford Entrance). After Gelt Hunt, hot beverages and treats at Casa Spindler Nelson. Sign up to attend HERE.
Home Hosted Chanukkah Bonfire and Theatrical Reading of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins with Etta
Tuesday December 12th, 6:30-8:00
Bonfire, Candles, Mozzarella Sticks, and Dramatic Reading of Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Dress warmly, bring your own hanukkiah and candles. Reading will be at 7pm. Indoor spaces will be available, requires going up one stair to get inside. Sign up to attend HERE. 
Wednesday Evening Chanukkah Pop In with Rav Gavrielle on Zoom
Wednesday December 13th, 6pm
Join Rav Gavrielle on zoom on Wednesday, December 13 at 6 pm for Hanukkah candle lighting. She will also offer a teaching and lead participants in a candle meditation technique from the Zohar. All you need to bring is your menorah (with enough candles for the 7th day of Hanukkah) and your beautiful neshamah.
Chanukkah Party!
Thursday, December 14th, 5:30-7:30pm at the JCC of Ann Arbor and on Zoom
Join us for our annual Chanukah party at the JCC. We will enjoy a brief service, light candles, play dreidel, and eat Chanukkah treats (potluck style of course!) Beit Sefer will have a special presentation and much merriment will be had! More details to come, save the Date!!

It Is Time To Sign Up To Host A Night Of ‘Home-Hosted Hanukkah’!!

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Its time to sign up to host a home-hosted Hanukkah gathering for our community! For those of you who are new to our congregation, the tradition includes visiting each other’s houses to celebrate in different ways over the 8 days of Hanukkah. Some events are hosted by families and are kid-friendly, some are events targeted towards adults, and everything in-between. It is a wonderful way to spend time together and get to know each other better. I hope that you will find time this year to participate in at least one night of Home-Hosted Hanukkah. 

Here are some examples of Hanukkah events that you could host, with helpful links: 

I hope that some of these ideas inspire you to sign up to host a night of Home-Hosted Hanukkah! Sign up to Host HERE!

Yom Kippur Workshops 2023

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On (non)chosenness

Why did Mordecai M. Kaplan decide to eliminate the chosen people concept from Judaism when he reconstructed Judaism as an evolving religious civilization, what was the response at the time (1945), and what are the implications for us today if we accept Kaplan’s rejection of chosenness? Deborah Dash-Moore will lead a discussion of this historical and timely topic.

September 25, 2:15-3:30pm

Safe space

We will once again offer a room for people who want to share what is coming up for them on Yom Kippur this year. Done 12-step style (an uninterrupted time to share with minimal feedback offered), we ask only that you plan to arrive on time, stay for the whole time, and respect confidentiality. Deb K. has led this event in the past, but is open to someone else leading instead or co-leading with her.

September 25, 2:15-3:30pm

A modern telling of the book of Jonah:

Rav Gabrielle will introduce us to a short play, Jonah: A Dramatic Midrash, by Mark Nazimova, that can be performed as a “table reading” – i.e., no props, unless someone has a giant whale belly to contribute! We will use the reading as a point of departure for discussion. WE WOULD STILL LIKE SOMEONE TO FACILITATE THIS WORKSHOP; no directorial experience is required.

September 25, 3:45-5:15pm

Singing Together

Members of the Davening Team will be at hand to sing us through the afternoon. Join when you are able to sing together. This group will meet outside if weather permits.

September 25, 3:45-5:15pm

High Holidays 2023 at the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation!

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High Holidays Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation Shofar

Looking for a place to celebrate the High Holidays? Join the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation for services that honor tradition while exploring new and meaningful Jewish paths. Our musical and participatory services will be led by Rabbi Gabrielle Pescador, accompanied by a musical collective of AARC musicians and vocalists. 

High Holiday services at the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation are well known for providing a warm and inviting environment that welcomes everyone from all walks of life.

This year, we are offering 2 points of access for our services: In person, and online.

Our High Holiday services are open, ticketless, and available to all. All Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services can be accessed online on our YouTube Page. Both in person and online services will be available to members and non-members.

All attendees, whether members or non-members, attending in person or online, must register in advance. Please visit our website to register.

Unless otherwise noted, all in-person services are held at the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, 4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Road.

We are committed to providing a heartfelt and meaningful prayer experience that is accessible to everyone. If an accommodation would make our services more accessible to you, please email us. We look forward to spending this sacred time with you; if you have any questions or concerns, please email us! 

Plans for our highly anticipated Yom Kippur workshops are in the works. If you have an idea for a workshop that you would like to lead or an idea for a workshop that you would like someone else to lead, let us know!

High Holidays Schedule

WhenWhatTime and Details
Fri, Sept. 15Erev Rosh Hashanah7:00 – 8:30 pm
Sat,  Sept. 16Rosh Hashanah Day 1 services10 am – 12:45 pm
Children’s Service10:30 – 11:30 am
Sat., Sept. 16Tashlich (In Person Only)4:30 pm. Gather at JCC and walk to Mallet’s Creek
Sun., Sept. 24Kol Nidrei7:00 pm gathering and candle-lighting. At 7:00 sharp, Kol Nidrei begins
Mon., Sept. 25Yom Kippur Morning 10 am – 12:30 pm
Children’s Service10:30 – 11:30 am
Workshop #12:15- 3:30 
Workshop #23:45-5:15 
Yizkor 5:45 – 7:15 pm A non-traditional service offering a guided meditation for connecting with departed loved ones as well as offering mourners the opportunity to share some reflections.
Ne’ilah and Final Shofar7:30-8:30 pm
Break FastAfter Final Shofar Please RSVP  by Sept. 5th using the Sign up for Break Fast button on the right. More info

Looking ahead to new opportunities at AARC

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As we welcomed Gabrielle Pescador as our new Rabbi this past month, AARC leadership is looking to support her and our congregation administratively.  Our beloved member and current Events and Communications Coordinator, Gillian Jackson, has let leadership know that she wishes to continue to work with us part-time over the next 9 – 10 months as she pursues a Master in Social Work and suggests that we bring on support to train with her during the high holidays and the following months. 

For this reason, we are now looking to hire a part-time support person to work alongside her this fall and take on some administrative support on behalf of our Beit Sefer. 

We invite you to spread the word about this part-time job opportunity to your networks in the greater Jewish Ann Arbor area. With an initial estimated 4 hours a week and the potential for much more as Gillian moves into her new career, this position could be ideal for someone looking to get back into the workforce or supplement their income during evenings and weekends. 

The job posting is listed on Indeed HERE.  

As always, please let us know if you have any questions.

Here are a few photos of past AARC events.