Happy 2012 to Everyone And This Week At The Roth UVJC

We want to wish everyone a continuing Hag Sameach - happy and joyous holidays to everyone.

What a week it has been here at the UVJC!  Over 100 people came to our Hanukah lighting and party this past Tuesday! Thank you again Antoinette, Scott, Brett, Susan and her army of volunteers who prepared over 350 latkes.  Thank you Maggie our wonderful Educational Director for organizing this celebration, replete with art projects and games for children and at the end of a long evening, for taking our left over food to The Haven. 

But we did not stop there.  A special minyan (service) both on Thursday evening and Friday drew over 41 people in response to a congregant's need; there was of course the ongoing Torah study, now in its fifth years that has six dedicated members who are now on Chapter 24 of Samuel I (we began at "The Beginning" - Genesis 1:1).  This past Shabbat, including both evening and morning services, more than 40 people attended services.  For our small community it was wonderful to see so many people and so many participants.  Our Shabbat morning services were led by Sam, Jeff, Joan, and Rusty.  Rabbi gave a sermon that one person called "erudite" (not even sure I know what that means, but I felt better after asking the Rabbi, and he said he wasn't sure either, but as in all things in the spirit of Rabbi Akivah, he responded , "This too is for the good").  The sermon has been modified and is now a new posting and having looked up what the word means, perhaps it is.  See for yourself.  You can just click on "From the Rabbi" tab to your left to read. 

My goodness this posting is long, but then so was the Shabbat morning service with two Torahs, Hallel because of Hanukah, the Blessing for the New Month and the Rabbi's Sermon.  If people aren't coming to Shabbat morning services because the services are too long, you sure could have fooled me.

The Kiddush was sponsored by Rusty and it included a special treat from Zabar's of New York.  So --- again many thanks you everyone for making this such a special week. Judaism never sleeps at the Roth Center.

Here are the upcoming events for this week - the UVJC Never Closes!!!

1.  Tuesday:  December 27th at 4:30 LIGHT UP THE ROTH.  It will be the last day of Hanukah.  Again, you Menorahs did not turn out in full force as we had hoped.  So all you Hanukiyot out there, bring your owners and light up the night when all eight candles are to be lit and adorn our Alperin sanctuary.  Our resident Hazan Bonnie will lead everyone in blessing, prayer and song, followed by "finger-foods" and anyone who wishes to bring anything. 

2.  Friday Evening: December 30th Candle lighting at 4:00 p.m (At The Roth, we light candles at the traditional time with a short service.  Everyone is welcomed to join us at that time or of course stay home and light them).  6:00 p.m. Shabbat Services:  This week we will use Mishkan T'phillah, the Reform Prayer Book.  Please come and join us in heartfelt t'phillah, prayer.

3.  Shabbat Morning:  December 31st - The Last Shabbat of 2011.  The portion is Vayigash and is the final chapter in the reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers.  If you'd like to lead any portion of our service - the Rabbi is now calling upon people who attend and this creates a beautiful sense of diversity in voice and in feel - please do not hesitate to contact him in the course of the week.

 Shavua Tov

Your Menahel Hahetar

(Webmaster in Hebrew)

Shabbat Shalom and Hanukah Is Fast Approaching - Join Us

There are wonderful events planned for this weekend through Tuesday as we celebrate Hanukah with a fantastic party filled with fun for the entire family!

1.  Tonight:  December 16th (21st of Kislev (4 days till Hanukah- the Countdown has begun).  Begin at home by lighting Shabbat Candles. The "official candlelighting time is actually 3:53 p.m. (hard to believe isn't it).  The blessing is Barukh atah adonai eloheinu melech haolam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu l'hadlikh Ne Shel Shabbat.

6:00 p.m:  Shabbat Services featuring our 7th Graders and 8th Graders who will help lead our service followed by a pot-luck dinner.  Uncle Shmulik (Hebrew for Uncle Sam) wants YOU!

2. Shabbat Morning (21st of Kislev):  9:30 a.m. at the Roth Center, followed by a lovely Kiddush.  Come any time - Prayer and community are good for the soul.  The Torah Reading is Vayshev.  Perhaps it should be renamed to "Sibling Rivalry Gets Out of Control and Goes Viral" for with it begins the story of Joseph and his brothers.

3. No Sunday School (Don't cry):  However on Monday (24th of Kislev) from 3:00 - 5:00 join our new Director of Education Meira (Maggie) to help create just the right Hanukah decorations for our Chanukanza celebration the following day.  Please rsvp to her at 646-3887  -  THEN  ......

4.  HANUKAH (finally) First Day of Hanukah (25TH OF  KISLEV 5772):  All MENORAHS AND THEIR OWNERS ARE WELCOMED - We want this BIG!!! We are calling it CHANUKANZA!  WE START AT 5:30 P.M. BEST LATKES IN HANOVER -  THE RABBI PROMISES

COME AND HELP US LIGHT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MENORAH IN THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IF NOT THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED BY OUR OWN ANTOINETTE JACOBSON, A WORLD ACCLAIMED SCULPTOR AND THEN COME INDOORS FOR A FUN-FILLED PARTY FOR ALL AGES!!!

Our Goal: To light as many Menorahs in One Room as Possible!!!!

THE WEBMASTER WONDERS - Can anyone find whether there is a guiness record for most chanukiyot lit in one place? 

SHAVUA TOV - AND ISAAC MARRIED REBECCA AND LOVED HER (Genesis 24:67)

Welcome to the UVJC Home Page.  We seek  to inspire your Jewish thoughtfulness and learning.  The passage is from this week's Torah Portion Chayei Sarah, the Life of Sarah.  The themes are so beautiful, as they are about love, marriage, and finding comfort and peace.

This week's events"Jewish Life at the UVJC and the Roth Center for Jewish Life"

Tuesday: November 15th: 

12:00 p.m. Torah Study:  We are now in I Samuel 19 and a profound question has been raised. What is the true nature of God's ominopotence in our moral narrative?  So we will study a selection from Maimonides's Mishmneh Torah for guidance.

3:30 p.m: Our remarkable students arrive for Jewish Learning: We begin with snacks, friendship and then move into sacred gathering in the Alperin Sanctuary (4:00 p.m.).  Our focus is on prayer, and this week we will study and talk abot the Shema and maybe the V'shamru, followed by classrooom instruction in Hebrew. 

6:30 p.m: Enhancing Our Understanding of Judaism.  Jewish and non-Jewish adults engage in a study of Torah and Jewish Values using the curriculum being developed all of our young people.

Wednesday: November 16th: Mah Jong at 12:00.  This great group gathers for a few hours to play one of the most culturally Jewish games  ever.  I remember growing up and watching my mother play this Chinese game with her friends.  Reservations for this week's Friday Night dinner are due.

Friday: November 18th:  Candlelighting Time 4:01 p.m.:  Services at 6:00 p.m.: A beatiful Hillel service followed by dinner prepared by the New England Culintary Institute.  Our Dartmouth students are bringing their favorite College Professors.  If you want to attend, because we are expecting a very large gathering, you must do two things.  One is attend services before dinner.  Second, you must rsvp to Claudia Palmer (1-603-646-0410) no later than Wednesday the 16h.

Shabbat November 19th:  (9:30 a.m.) The Torah portion is Chayeh Sarah (the Life of Sarah).  The D'var (sermon): "Love, Marriage, Companiionship, Reconciliation."  We'd love for you to join us and if you wish to do any part of our service, such as to lead us in a prayer, do a favorite reading, receive an aliyah (being called to the Torah), simply let us know.  If you wish a special prayer to recited for someone in need of spiritual, physical, or emotional healing, but are unable to attend, please write our Rabbi at rabbi@dartmouth.edu

Sunday November 20th (10:00 a.m.):  Our religious school begins with assemnbly filled with song and ruach (spirit).  10:30:  Parents are invited stay afterewards and discuss"How are We Doing" - The First Six Weeks of Religious School"  and "What Do We Need to Do Improve" - 11:30 a.m. Bnai Mitzvah parent gathering.

Shavua Tov

And You Shall Dwell In Your Sukkahs

Hag Sameach (Happy Holidays) It is now just five days since the conclusion of the Yamim Hanoraim  (the Days of Awe) which was marked by  hundreds of people of all ages gathered in Rollins Chapel at Dartmouth for Neilah and Havdallah.  The Rabbi's concluding words to everyone was a simple one,  "Our tradition teaches that tomorrow we are to build Sukkot (plural for Sukkah).  And so we did in two places - one in our own backyard at the Roth Center and the other at the Organic Farm at Dartmouth which is on Route 10 north of the Dartmouth campus, overlooking the Connecticut River.  Please visit either one throughout these 8 days of celebration.

Why Sukkot?   The Torah teaches that many of the Jewish Holidays fall in this time of year with this beautiful Festival occurring five days after Yom Kippur. Last night, we began this time of Thanksgiving with lighting the candles, a lovely family service, followed by a pot-luck supper that began with Kiddush and Motzi (the blessings over the wine and bread), and acknowledging all the good that we have been blessed with.

The Festival of Sukkot is one rich in symbolism from the lulav (a palm branch, with willow and myrtle) and etrog (a very special fruit) that we recite blessings over to having our meals in the fresh air with the changing fall season.  

Both this morning and tomorrow we will have services at 8:00 a.m., so if you are in the neighborhood, please feel free to join us.  Services tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m., led by Dartmouth students, followed by a delicious Friday night dinner cooked by our friends at Hillel.  Shabbat services at 9:30 a.m. with a wonderful Bat Mitzvah celebration.  And to fulfill many mitzvot, including the mitzvah of teaching our children and our own adult study, our religious school, where there is something for everyone, begins at 9:30 a.m on Yom Rishon (Sunday morning). All of these will be at the Roth Center.

And so we turn our thoughts from seeking to be inscribed in the Book of Life to One of V'samachtah B'hagechah"  -  rejoicing in our festivals.  

Rabbi

Click here for the Schedule of Services for Sukkot