Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

For the second year in a row, communities in the New York-New Jersey region welcome newcomers to our High Holiday services. Called “Open Seats,” this effort is part of a two-year regional outreach initiative funded by the UJA-Federation of New York.  Last year, over 300 newcomers attended High Holiday services in our regional congregations.

Open Seats 2009 includes a centralized website: www.highholidayopenseats.com, where each community describes their services and outreach efforts. We are proud that these efforts include holding services in public venues so all can attend, providing captioning for the hearing impaired, and asking for a voluntary donation, rather than selling tickets at a set price.  The updated website will be ready by the end of August.

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Are you a Jewish educator invested in the future of our earth?
Registration is now open!
www.tevacenter.org/seminar
June 1-4, 2009
Surprise Lake Camp in Cold Spring, NY

Come meet, learn, pray and share with others also passionate about Jewish environmentalism. Join Torah scholars, farmers, educators, students and scientists to engage in contemporary topics of Jewish environmentalism. Participants will leave with curriculum, connections and skills to run Jewish environmental programming at their summer camp.

We offer four curricular tracks:
• Camp and Wilderness: Teach Jewish values through camping, hiking, backpacking, drama and storytelling.
• Ethics and Texts: Debate different approaches to reading texts with a diverse array of Torah scholars. This track includes educators from Hebrew College.
• Congregational Education: Bring Lively and effective Jewish environmental programming to your classroom, congregation or community.
• Organic Agriculture and Educational Gardening: Learn to design and maintain a thriving educational garden. This track facilitated by the Jewish Farm School

New for 2009:
• Teva/JNF educator certification- choose to join a cohort of certified Jewish environmental educators
• Lessons for connecting to Israel though the natural world
• Opportunities for interfaith dialogue

Participants in 2008 had this to say:
• “A program that puts you in the mind-set of thinking proactively and positively about changing environmental consciousness and places the values of sustainability and healthy ecology at the forefront.”
• “An outstanding Jewish environmental education seminar that I wish all religious school instructors could attend.”
• “An interesting source of learning for how the environment connects with Judaism and how Judaism connects with me.”

For more information please contact Leora Mallach at seminar@tevacenter.org

For more information about the Seminar, or to register, please go to: www.tevacenter.org/seminar

The Teva Learning Center is proud to offset the costs of the Teva Seminar though Good Energy Initiative and JNF GoNeutral.
Participants will have the opportunity to offset their travel carbon.

North American Solar and Renewable Energy Campaign in the Jewish Community

The year 5769 (2008-2009) will be the little known Jewish year of “Birkhat HaHammah” the “blessing of the sun.” Every 28 years, the ancient rabbis demarked a time in the Jewish calendar that celebrates the ceremonial return of the sun to its original place in the cosmos during creation.

JRF, as part of a national coalition participated in this rare event to focus on solar power and energy stewardship. Our commitment to a dynamic Judiasm on a Sustainable Planet will continue!  read more »

Cantor Susan Wehle, zl.With the deepest sadness, we want to let you know of the tragic death of Cantor Susan Wehle, who was among those who died in the plane crash of Continental Flight 3407 on Thursday evening, February 12. Susan was a dearly beloved cantor in the Buffalo area, where she previously served JRF congregation Temple Sinai in Amherst, NY for nine years, working alongside Rabbi Jamie Arnold. She was currently serving as cantor at Temple Beth Am, where she had worked for the last seven years.

Calling all teens! Come to the NYC Mini Kallah, January 24-25 at West End Synagogue, New York, NY. This event, co-sponsored by West End Synagogue, The Society for the Advancement of Judaism, and Bet Am Shalom, is a sleepover for teens in grades 8-12 from Reconstructionist congregations all over the east coast and beyond, featuring:

• Havdallah and ‘camp fire’ style song session
  Concert and dance party for all ages, followed by an exclusive teen-only set
• Late night movies and games
• A special NYC outing, including the top-notch NYC pizza
• Catching up with old friends and making new ones
• Our team of dedicated Reconstructionist youth advisors including Education directors and teachers from JRF congregations, local youth workers, and Camp JRF Counselors

For more information please contact Sarah Chandler, West End Synagogue Education Director, 212-579-0777, ext. 222, schandler@westendsynagogue.org. Download and complete the attached registration forms and mail them to West End Synagogue, 190 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023.

Our Evening of Celebration in support of Reconstructionist Judaism, our congregations and the JRF is SOLD OUT!.  read more »

More Jews attend services during the High Holiday season than any other time during the year, but in many instances, only synagogue members can purchase High Holiday tickets. In response to this perceived need, 13 congregations in the New York/New Jersey region are setting aside seats for non-members who wish to attend High Holiday services at those synagogues.

Called Open Seats, the campaign is aimed at opening doors to Jewish participation and inclusion, a strong theme in Reconstructionist synagogues.  read more »

This article is reprinted with permission from The Jewish Week, Westchester edition. To learn about the JRF NY/NJ “Open Seats” program, visit www.highholidayopenseats.com.

Reconstructionist synagogues, like Bet Am Shalom Synagogue in White Plains, above, hope to fill empty seats with the unaffiliated who are curious about and open to their brand of Judaism.by Merri Rosenberg
Special To The Jewish Week

For many Jews, synagogue membership translates simply to knowing they have somewhere to go for the High Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

Yet the steep price of congregational membership — and the often-prohibitive cost of individual tickets for High Holy Day services — may have meant in the past that the unaffiliated stayed home.  read more »

But this year, unaffiliated Jews in the New York area, including here in Westchester, will have a new option for free High Holy Day services.

Congregation Beth Hatikvah's Adult B'nai Mitzvah ClassCongregation Beth Hatikvah of Summit, NJ, celebrated its first Adult B’nai Mitzvah on Saturday, March 8, 2008 in a joyous service with Rabbi Amy Joy Small.

Guests, family and members celebrated at a festive luncheon given by the congregation. The class studied for two years in preparation for this important day.

In the photo, standing from left, are Carol Sussman-Skalka, Leslie Weber, Arleen Soldati and Connie Seligman. Seated from the left, are Katia Segre Cohen, Rabbi Amy Joy Small, and Gary DeBode.