Saturday morning worship and Torah service. The Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is known as the Sabbath of Returning, a time of meditative prayer, reflection, and recommitment to our best selves. Sermon from Yavneh friend Rev. Joe Ward. 10:30 am at St. Mark's.
The book Putting God Second: How to Save Religion from Itself by Rabbi Donniel Hartman tackles one of modernity's most urgent and vexing questions: why are the great monotheistic faiths chronically unable to fulfill their own self-professed goal of creating individuals infused with moral sensitivity and societies governed by the highest ethical standards? If faith in God and God’s instructions are such positive forces in the world, how is it that such a high percentage of suffering derives from what we inflict on one another? Hartman proposes we put God second, by following God's own revealed preference for holding our traditions and ourselves to the highest independent moral standards.
We will be meeting on three separate evenings from April thru June to discuss this book and the questions that it raises. You are welcome to attend even if you do not read the book. Each evening will be self-contained, so you can attend as many or as few as you choose. The final meeting is June 7th. Meetings start at 7:30 pm. We will meet at the Panera at 6201 Glenwood in Raleigh. This Panera (919-334-2726 ) is located south of Pleasant Valley Road on the west side of Glenwood. RSVP on Meetup here. (If you're not a member of Meetup it takes a minute to join and it's free!) Please join us on Tuesday, May 30th, 7:30 pm at Beth Meyer Synagogue, 504 Newton Rd, Raleigh. An evening of learning and celebration of the holiday of Shavuot, with our friends from Beth Meyer. Noshing, panel discussion on "choosing Judaism" with Yavneh member Carol Gabor and others, more noshing, study sessions led by Rabbi Jurovics and Rabbi Solomon, and more noshing!
Out!Raleigh, Saturday, May 6th., 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Fayetteville St, downtown Raleigh. Once again Yavneh will have a booth at Raleigh's annual LGBT festival. We encourage members and friends to come downtown for the festival, and sign up for a shift at our booth. Sign up here!
Starting in January, Yavneh book group will be reading and discussing Waking up White by Debby Irving, published in 2014 by Elephant Room Press, Cambridge MA. This book is about an adult woman coming to terms with how her childhood and education prepared her to perpetuate, rather than combat racism in her career and community. Hopefully readers will re-visit how their own background promotes or combats equal opportunities for all. The discussion is bound to be lively as readers recognize snap judgements, logos and stereotypes in accepting diversity.
Book discussions are scheduled on the fourth Wednesday of the months: January 25, February 22 and March 22, 2017. April 26 is a make-up date if the January, February or March dates are cancelled by bad weather. We meet at the Panera at 6201 Glenwood in Raleigh. This Panera (919-334-2726) is located south of Pleasant Valley Road on the west side of Glenwood. Please borrow from the library or purchase this book before January. We will discuss two chapters each month. Contact Janet S Isaacs at JIsaacsug@msn.com if you want more information. Join us online from the comfort of your own home, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. This month, in honor of Purim, we will be studying the Megillah. RSVP here for log-on information. Instructions will be provided - you can participate through video/audio or audio only.
On the second Thursday of each month, starting November 10th, 2016 and running through May 11th, 2017, representatives from multiple faith traditions will engage with one another and with participants to explore the richness of shared spiritual learning. As we have learned, divinity runs through our lives as a mighty river, into which every religious tradition dips into the One Source through its unique well.
In our March session, we will be exploring interfaith dialogue from a Womanist perspective, led by Dr. Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan, Professor of Religion at Shaw University Divinity School, and Yavnehmember and scholar Dr. Diedre Crumbley. The term Womanist, coined by Alice Walker, has been adapted by African Diasporan female scholars to create a way to think about, and a way to live, that deals with systemic and personal oppression, towards revolution, justice, and transformation of the oppressed and the oppressor. Our conversation takes seriously the theoretical, spiritual, and practical components of interfaith dialogue, including the challenges and the complexities. Thursday evening, March 9th, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm at Beth Meyer Synagogue, 504 Newton Road, Raleigh 27615. Please RSVP on Meetup. If you're not a member, it just takes a minute to join, and there's no charge.
Kabbalat Shabbat Service, Friday, November 11th, 7:30 pm at St. Mark's. (Note our new start time.) Join us for Friday night worship with special guest, Rabbi Barbara Shulamit Thiede. Lekh L’kha, the parsha reads, betake yourself: There are visions and promises ahead. This Kabbalat Shabbat we will journey through the service in search of both in our liturgy. Rabbi Shulamit will offer a drash on Abraham’s very first words to YHVH, we will celebrate Shabbat to joyous (and musical) accompaniment, and we will consider the travels ahead in our new year. Where are we headed?
BONUS: Join us at 6:00 pm for pizza dinner and an opportunity to schmooze with Rabbi Shulamit prior to the service. You must RSVP for dinner here by 11:00 am tomorrow morning (Friday, 11/11). (No RSVP needed to attend services.) |