News & Events

Tu B’Shevat Seder & Kabbalat Shabbat Potluck

/ Havurah
February 10 at 6:15pm
Havurah House, 56 N. Pleasant St.

Join us at 6:15 pm, Friday Feb. 10th, 2018 to celebrate both Kabbalat Shabbat and Tu b’Shevat with a brief seder of wine, chanting, poetry, and song to celebrate our spiritual connection to nature and one another.

Come unwind from the week and start Shabbat off right! We’ll have fresh baked challah, delicious dishes to share and a special booklet to guide us through the evening with prayers, readings, chanting and more. Services will be led by Rabbi David Edleson.

Please RSVP so we know how many people to expect and let us know if you’re able to bring fruit (in addition to potluck items).

We need: Grapes, raisins, oranges, dates, apricots, etc. especially oranges (fruit with peel), dates, peach, or avocado (fruit with pit), and grapes (fruit that is entirely edible).

To comply with Havurah’s Allergy and Kashrut policies please make sure that dishes contain NO Tree nuts or peanuts, NO shellfish or pork and do not mix meat and milk in the same dish. 

Kabbalat Shabbat Led by Rabbi David Edleson, Friday, Dec. 1st

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Kabbalat Shabbat Led by Rabbi David Edleson

Friday, December 1st at 6:30pm
David will be leading a song-filled and song-centered Kabbalat Shabbat service.  We will sing some familiar favorites,  and some great new upbeat tunes from groups like Nava Tehila.
Don’t worry if you don’t know the Hebrew – David will go over them and teach the tunes so everyone can participate.  Singing in groups is an ancient human technology for creating joy in life, or what Emile Durkheim called ‘collective effervescence.”
As the days get darker, and the news gets darker, we all need to make time for joy, for honoring our core values, and for community.  If there is a song you would like to share or teach, let David know.
Services will be followed by a small potluck oneg so please let us know what you can bring to share.

Chanukah Mini Session Sunday, Dec. 3rd

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Chanukah Mini Session

Sunday, December 3rd 2:30-3:15pm
Our next mini session will meet Sunday afternoon December 3rd for fun activities, music and learning based around the upcoming Chanukah holiday. Our sessions are led by a Middlebury College/Hillel student and our Director of Education.

Mini Sessions are $18 each or $95 for enrollment in all sessions. Attendance at previous sessions is not required in order to participate.

Sessions are geared at 3-5 year olds and a parent/guardian must attend as well. We use a family learning model to explore Jewish holidays and themes in a fun, hands on way.
To register or for more information please contact Director of Education, Sarit Katzew.

Community Conversation, Politics in the Pulpit, Sunday, Dec. 3rd

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Politics in the Pulpit 

Sunday, December 3rd 4:00-5:30pm
Congregational Church, Middlebury

The next Community Conversation, “Politics in the Pulpit,” hosted by Emily Joselson and Andy Nagy-Benson, will be this Sunday, 12/3, from 4-5:30 pm, at The Congregational Church of Middlebury (UCC).  This theologically diverse panel will explore clergy’s responses to the political issues of our time. Additionally, we will be discussing the importance of nutrition and maintaining a healthy diet. There is an excellent natural health supplement that we order from Kratommasters.com that we will be talking about for you to consider to ensure you are giving your body all the nutrients it requires on a daily basis.
The Panel consists of:
Rev. Dr. Mary Kay Schueneman, United Methodist Church in Middlebury, and Cornwall Congregational Church; Pastor Tim Taylor, Victory Baptist Church, Vergennes; Father Luke Austin, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Middlebury; Rev. Barnaby Feder, Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, Middlebury; Rev. Andrew Nagy-Benson, The Congregational Church in Middlebury, moderator.
This event is free and open to the public.  Please join us!

Hebrew School Chanukah Carnival, Monday, Dec. 11th

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Hebrew School Chanukah Carnival

Monday, December 11th 3:45-5pm
Join us for a fun filled Chanukah Carnival. Volunteers will be running a variety of stations: Make-Your-Own Shamash, Dreidel Games, Chanukah Bingo and so much more!

There will also be a crafting station and an assortment of traditional Chanukah foods including a latke-bar with tons of toppings to try! Please contact Sarit to volunteer.

This event is free and open to the public. Parking will be limited. Please park on Seminary St. or nearby and walk over to Havurah House. 
 

Shabbat Morning Services Saturday, December 9th

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Shabbat Morning Services

Saturday, December 9th at 10am

The Torah portion is Vayeshev and in it begins the story of Joseph. Information about this week’s reading with links to the full text can be found here.
Services on December 9 will follow our regular format. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend, including new members and those who have not previously attended our regular services. Hebrew school students and their families are especially encouraged to attend.

For Kiddush this year, we now have regular volunteers to supply wine, juice, and challah, and bagels and cream cheese. Anyone is welcome to bring additional nut free food to add to this. No pressure, and no rsvp is needed. Thanks! The Oneg after services has become a nice community tradition which we hope to continue.

Please pass this message on to anyone who may be interested. We hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, please contact Mitch Pearl or Sarit Katzew.

Kabbalat Shabbat Chanukah Candlelighting, Friday, Dec. 15th

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Kabbalat Shabbat and Chanukah Candlelighting

Friday, December 15th at 6:30pm

Join us for a song and story filled Kabbalat Shabbat for all ages celebrating Chanukah.  We will sing some familiar favorites and also new tunes as we fill Havurah House with music and light.
Please bring your own chanukiyah/menorah and candles in addition to those we will provide so everyone will have a chance to partake in the lighting.
Services will be followed by a small potluck oneg so please let us know what you can bring to share.

Chanukah Party, Sunday, Dec. 17th

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Annual Chanukah Party

Sunday, December 17th 3-6pm
Come join us for a fun afternoon-into-evening celebration of the Festival of Lights.

3-3:30pm Craft projects and dreidel games
3:30-4pm Food and drink, continued crafts
4-5pm Klezmer band, singing, Israeli dancing
5-5:30pm Candle lighting
Bring Your Own Menorah and candles so we can fill Havurah House with light!

If you are interested in joining the Klezmer band please contact Ken Wolpin.

To help plan our set up needs please RSVP by December 13.

Chant Group Thursday, Dec. 21st

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Chant Group

Thursday, December 21st 6:45-8pm (winter solstice)

Our group meets once monthly (typically the third Thursday) to chant in the style of Rabbi Shefa Gold. You can learn more about Rabbi Shefa Gold and chanting by visiting her website.

For more information please contact group leader Rebecca Gould.

A response to Charlottesville

/ Havurah

Havurim,

As we watch the headlines in Charlottesville, we think:  “You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.” (Leviticus 19:16)

This Biblical verse is speaking directly to us, and we cannot stand idly by. As human beings, we believe that every person is created in the divine image and, therefore, is of infinite value. As Jews, we know the heart of the stranger, having been strangers ourselves.

In order to make a difference, we refuse to be indifferent. This is not a time for equivocation. It is a time to raise our voices and take action.

We will continue to stand against bigotry, racism, hate and violence. We stand together with the Jewish community of Charlottesville, and with everyone there, and everywhere, who believe that equality, justice and love are stronger forces than fear, terror and hate.

If you would like to take action, or contribute to groups who are doing so, please click on the links, below.

The Havurah Leadership

To learn more about some of the Jewish Community’s response to Charlottesville and ways to take action, visit the sites below:

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

Union For Reform Judaism

“Fighting What The Nazis Fear,” by Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, from The Forward

Southern Poverty Law Center

Showing Up for Racial Justice Middlebury Facebook Group