Contents
This Week's Highlight
New Hope Alliance Congregational Pot-Luck Picnic, Saturday, August 2, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Longview Baptist Church, 2308 N. New Hope Road, 27604, rain or shine. Yavneh members are encouraged to wear something green (a tribute to our ecological concerns, no doubt) – a piece of clothing, scarf, hat, ribbon, etc., and members of the other congregations will attire themselves in their assigned color so we can more easily mix and mingle. Longview will provide beverages and paper products, and other attendees are asked to bring a dish to share and a lawn chair. If you have a large sun umbrella or tent, please bring it along. Looking forward to sharing this event with Yavneh’s partner congregations. For questions or to rsvp, email rabbi@yavneh-raleigh.org.
Worship
Please remember to bring donations for the Food Basket or school supplies for Wilburn Elementary when you attend.
Looking Toward the High Holy Days
Do you like to sing? Play an instrument? Clap along? Dance? Add your kol (voice), musicianship, and ruach (spirit) to our High Holy Day observances this fall. Jewish tradition holds that our prayers as a community uplift those of a lone worshipper, and we know that since the days of the Temple, singing, dancing, and instrumental music have been integral to Jewish worship.
Together, let’s carry on that tradition as "Kol Yavneh," the "Voice of Yavneh," and lift our spirits and prayers through music. No experience necessary. Some rehearsal time over the summer, depending on how involved you would like to be. We will also schedule one or two informal community "sing-alongs" (TBD) to familiarize ourselves with the congregational High Holy Day music, so we can be ready to inspire all of those worshipping with us. For more details, please contact Cantor Karen (cantor@yavneh-raleigh.org).
Renew Yourself: Become a 2014 - 2015 Member of the Yavneh Community
Please affirm your affiliation with Yavneh by initiating or renewing your membership in our sacred community for the congregational fiscal year beginning July 1. Whether you attend frequently or occasionally, whether you join in for study only or for social gatherings, please know how welcome and how vital your membership commitment is to fulfilling Yavneh’s mission. Click here to download a membership form, and please contact either Reb Raachel or Peter Gabor if you have questions about how you can best support Yavneh. If you choose not to set up a monthly payment plan, we would appreciate your establishing or renewing your commitment by the High Holy Days.
Important Information for Families with Children:
Yavneh partners with the Chabad Center to provide basic Hebrew education for our children. The Sunday morning program includes participation by instructors from Yavneh along with the Chabad Center’s excellent teaching staff. We plan to supplement the Hebrew program with Yavneh family learn-shops throughout the school year, and we will continue offering our own b’nai mitzvah instruction as our students reach that important milestone in their Jewish learning. Contact Reb Raachel for further information or clickhere to download the student registration form for 2014 – 15.
Words of Torah from Reb Raachel
Words of Torah from Reb Raachel
Sabbath/Sabbatical
For the past four weeks, I have enjoyed something close to a continual Shabbat, with deep appreciation for the Yavneh community that made this island in time a reality for me. This break allowed me to cultivate spaciousness of spirit and a relaxed mind (at first, it was hard for the interior gerbils to settle down, but eventually they figured it out). In the truest sense of the word, the past month has been a m’chayeh, life-giving.
The world, of course, continued to turn without my tending to it, and the past weeks have also brought grief and anxiety: for his many students, grief at the death of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (z”tl, may the memory of the righteous be for blessing), the founder of Jewish Renewal, and for all of us praying for peace, anxiety at the renewed warfare in Israel and Palestine. In hopes of carrying the blessings of an extended Shabbat into our weekly practice, I offer this clear-eyed poem by the Israeli poet Zelda, recognizing the powerful effect of welcoming Shabbat into our imperfect reality:
Light a candle.
Drink wine.
Softly the Shabbat has plucked
the sinking sun.
Slowly the Shabbat descends,
the rose of heaven in her hand.
How can the Shabbat
plant a huge and shining flower
in a blind and narrow heart?
How can the Shabbat plant the bud of angels
in a heart of raving flesh?
Can the rose of immortality grow
in an age enslaved to destruction,
an age enslaved
to death?
Light a candle!
Drink wine!
Slowly the Shabbat descends
and in her hand
the flower, and in her hand the sinking sun.
L’shalom, peace and blessings to all, Reb Raachel
Upcoming Yavneh Events
Social Action
Request Pastoral Support Online
We offer a Prayers and Remembrances page on our website. Go to this page if you wish to have a name included in the Shabbat worship Prayers for Healing, if you wish to request a pastoral visit from the Rabbi, or if you wish to have the passing of a loved one remembered during the recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish. The page links to a form which captures information for Sh’loshim (first 30 days of mourning) and Yahrzeit remembrances, as well as directions for contacting the rabbi in the event of a pastoral need.
Connecting with Yavneh
- This Week's Highlight
- Worship services
- Looking Toward the High Holy Days
- Renew Yourself: Become a 2014-2015 Member of the Yavneh Community
- Important Information for Families With Children
- Words of Torah from Reb Raachel
- Upcoming Yavneh Events
- Social Action
- Request Pastoral Support
- Connecting with Yavneh
This Week's Highlight
New Hope Alliance Congregational Pot-Luck Picnic, Saturday, August 2, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Longview Baptist Church, 2308 N. New Hope Road, 27604, rain or shine. Yavneh members are encouraged to wear something green (a tribute to our ecological concerns, no doubt) – a piece of clothing, scarf, hat, ribbon, etc., and members of the other congregations will attire themselves in their assigned color so we can more easily mix and mingle. Longview will provide beverages and paper products, and other attendees are asked to bring a dish to share and a lawn chair. If you have a large sun umbrella or tent, please bring it along. Looking forward to sharing this event with Yavneh’s partner congregations. For questions or to rsvp, email rabbi@yavneh-raleigh.org.
Worship
Please remember to bring donations for the Food Basket or school supplies for Wilburn Elementary when you attend.
- Shabbat morning services, Saturday, July 26, 10:30 am - worship and Torah study in memory of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, may his memory be for blessing.
- Kabbalat Shabbat Worship, Friday, August 8, 6:00 pm refreshments, 6:30services. NOTE SUMMER SCHEDULE
- Shabbat morning worship, Saturday, August 23, 10:30 am
Looking Toward the High Holy Days
Do you like to sing? Play an instrument? Clap along? Dance? Add your kol (voice), musicianship, and ruach (spirit) to our High Holy Day observances this fall. Jewish tradition holds that our prayers as a community uplift those of a lone worshipper, and we know that since the days of the Temple, singing, dancing, and instrumental music have been integral to Jewish worship.
Together, let’s carry on that tradition as "Kol Yavneh," the "Voice of Yavneh," and lift our spirits and prayers through music. No experience necessary. Some rehearsal time over the summer, depending on how involved you would like to be. We will also schedule one or two informal community "sing-alongs" (TBD) to familiarize ourselves with the congregational High Holy Day music, so we can be ready to inspire all of those worshipping with us. For more details, please contact Cantor Karen (cantor@yavneh-raleigh.org).
Renew Yourself: Become a 2014 - 2015 Member of the Yavneh Community
Please affirm your affiliation with Yavneh by initiating or renewing your membership in our sacred community for the congregational fiscal year beginning July 1. Whether you attend frequently or occasionally, whether you join in for study only or for social gatherings, please know how welcome and how vital your membership commitment is to fulfilling Yavneh’s mission. Click here to download a membership form, and please contact either Reb Raachel or Peter Gabor if you have questions about how you can best support Yavneh. If you choose not to set up a monthly payment plan, we would appreciate your establishing or renewing your commitment by the High Holy Days.
Important Information for Families with Children:
Yavneh partners with the Chabad Center to provide basic Hebrew education for our children. The Sunday morning program includes participation by instructors from Yavneh along with the Chabad Center’s excellent teaching staff. We plan to supplement the Hebrew program with Yavneh family learn-shops throughout the school year, and we will continue offering our own b’nai mitzvah instruction as our students reach that important milestone in their Jewish learning. Contact Reb Raachel for further information or clickhere to download the student registration form for 2014 – 15.
Words of Torah from Reb Raachel
Words of Torah from Reb Raachel
Sabbath/Sabbatical
For the past four weeks, I have enjoyed something close to a continual Shabbat, with deep appreciation for the Yavneh community that made this island in time a reality for me. This break allowed me to cultivate spaciousness of spirit and a relaxed mind (at first, it was hard for the interior gerbils to settle down, but eventually they figured it out). In the truest sense of the word, the past month has been a m’chayeh, life-giving.
The world, of course, continued to turn without my tending to it, and the past weeks have also brought grief and anxiety: for his many students, grief at the death of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (z”tl, may the memory of the righteous be for blessing), the founder of Jewish Renewal, and for all of us praying for peace, anxiety at the renewed warfare in Israel and Palestine. In hopes of carrying the blessings of an extended Shabbat into our weekly practice, I offer this clear-eyed poem by the Israeli poet Zelda, recognizing the powerful effect of welcoming Shabbat into our imperfect reality:
Light a candle.
Drink wine.
Softly the Shabbat has plucked
the sinking sun.
Slowly the Shabbat descends,
the rose of heaven in her hand.
How can the Shabbat
plant a huge and shining flower
in a blind and narrow heart?
How can the Shabbat plant the bud of angels
in a heart of raving flesh?
Can the rose of immortality grow
in an age enslaved to destruction,
an age enslaved
to death?
Light a candle!
Drink wine!
Slowly the Shabbat descends
and in her hand
the flower, and in her hand the sinking sun.
L’shalom, peace and blessings to all, Reb Raachel
Upcoming Yavneh Events
- Sunday evening, July 27, gather for “Dinner with the Rabbi,” 6:30 – 8:30 pm. We have been meeting at NeoAsia, 6602 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh 27612, but are open to other venues. Please contact Reb Raachel (rabbi@yavneh-raleigh.org) by Wednesday, July 23, to suggest an alternative or to let her know you plan to attend.
- Yavneh’s Men’s Spirituality Group will meet next on Wednesday evening,August 6, at 7:30 . This group provides an opportunity to explore how we can understand Torah/Jewish-based spirituality from our perspectives as men, fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, and friends and to explore how Torah/Jewish-based spirituality can inform how we live our lives. For information or to RSVP, contact Lewis Copulsky at lewiscopulsky@gmail.com or 919-606-4276; directions provided when you RSVP.
- Doreen Clark facilitates a Spirit-Wisdom-Intuition Yavneh SoulCollage® workshop every month on the second Sunday, 2:00 – 5:00 pm. These gatherings are now FREE (except for a small materials and refreshments fee of $5 collected anonymously). The next gathering is scheduled for August 10. Although geared to Yavneh members, the sessions are open to all. Attendees are invited to arrive at1:00 to enjoy an hour schmoozing and snacking beforehand. Email Doreen atdoreen@lewisclarkinc.com to reserve your spot. Enrollment at each workshop is limited to eight participants. For more information about SoulCollage® in general, see www.soulcollage.com.
- Yavneh’s Mitzvot Study Group next meets on Wednesday, August 20, 7:30 - 9:00 pm. at Lewis Copulsky's home. RSVP to Lewis. The purpose of this group is to introduce or increase intentionality (kavannah) into our individual spiritual practices by studying a different one (or a group of several) of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) that are in the Torah, as well as those introduced by the rabbis during the Talmudic period and those that evolved in the intervening centuries. After taking a very brief look at the surface meaning of the mitzvot, the bulk of the session will explore how it might (or might not) be relevant to each of us in our own lives, and, if we choose to, how we might incorporate it into our daily activities. This group is open to participants of all religions (as well as genders, ages, etc.). While clergy are welcome to participate, the group will be lay-led and directed by the interests of all those taking part.
Social Action
- The Jewish Family Services B’Yachad Program is recruiting volunteers for a friendly visitor outreach to Jewish patients in area hospitals. Click here for detailed information or contact Tracey Bennett, the JFS B’Yachad volunteer coordinator (Tracy.Bennett@ShalomRaleigh.org, 919-676-2200).
- The Tutoring Team at Wilburn can always use some more players: each member of the team helps one student at Wilburn Elementary twice weekly with reading. Next school year, we hope to welcome more Yavneh and St. Mark’s members to the team, as the need for reading assistance at Wilburn is far greater than we can meet with our small but dedicated group. Please contact Terry Wall(919-832-3055) to discuss becoming a volunteer tutor. An option for volunteers is to become an Augustine-method trained tutor. Augustine training costs approximately $300, with significant financial aid available; the training is helpful, though not required, for Wilburn tutors. If you wish to plan to participate in the training, available dates include September 8-12 (8:30 am -1:00 pm), Crossroads Fellowship, Raleigh and Oct. 6-17 (9:00 am – 3:00 pm.), Watts Street Church, Durham. Terry can also give you more information about the Augustine method.
Request Pastoral Support Online
We offer a Prayers and Remembrances page on our website. Go to this page if you wish to have a name included in the Shabbat worship Prayers for Healing, if you wish to request a pastoral visit from the Rabbi, or if you wish to have the passing of a loved one remembered during the recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish. The page links to a form which captures information for Sh’loshim (first 30 days of mourning) and Yahrzeit remembrances, as well as directions for contacting the rabbi in the event of a pastoral need.
Connecting with Yavneh
- Help Us Build - If you enjoy attending Yavneh, reach out to your unaffiliated friends and invite them to accompany you to a Yavneh service or event – help build Jewish Renewal in the Triangle by encouraging others to be part of our synagogue without walls.
- Be our friend! Keep up with all things Yavneh – visit us on Facebook and take a moment to “like” what we’re up to, yet another way to spread the word about our exciting and growing spiritual community.
- Please consider making it your minhag (custom) to offer some tzedakah to Yavneh on a regular basis. In addition to your participation in our growing community, a gift that is beyond price, we would be most grateful to receive contributions through PayPal whenever you celebrate a simcha, remember a loved one, enter into Shabbat or holiday time, complete a project, recover from an illness (though we pray for your continued robust health), . . . you get the picture! Any and all donations make a significant impact on our efforts to build Yavneh’s Jewish Renewal synagogue-without-walls.
- Another way to help Yavneh: if you shop at Amazon.com, please apply the AmazonSmile feature to your purchases, and our community will receive .5% of each order.
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