CONGREGATION P’NAI TIKVAH
Kol Kiruv March 2015
Adar-Nisan
Happenings
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Rabbi's Message
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Cantor’s Notes
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President’s Message
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CPT Book Club
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Brunch with Brilliants
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Save the Date-May 30 Gala
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Community Seder
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Tikkun Olam
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Jewlicious
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Kidz Korner
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Yom HaShoah Poetry
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CPT Outreach
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Oneg Calendar
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Birthdays and Anniversaries
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Women’s Rosh Chodesh
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Yahrzeits
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Community Happenings
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Community Rewards Programs
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Nid’vei Leiv—From the Heart
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Contribution Form
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Calendar at a Glance
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Clergy and Staff Rabbi: Yocheved Mintz Cantor: Marla Goldberg Accompanist: Timothy Cooper Newsletter: Nancey Eason Educator: Rabbi Mintz , Cantor Marla Goldberg Bookkeeper: Lynn Pisetzner Office Administrator: Nancey Eason info@pnaitikvahlv.org www.facebook.com/pnaitikvahlv www.twitter.com/pnaitikvahlv
Vol. 21—No. 9
Grab your groggers and break out your finest “Come As You Aren’t” Friday night, March 6th 6: 30 PM We’ll have “LOTS” of laughs and fun with our Purim/Shabbat. Congregation P’nai Tikvah will worship on Shabbat, March 6th and 20th at Kraft-Sussman Chapel, in the Bank of Nevada Business Park at 3975 S. Durango, Suite 104, in Las Vegas. Purim/ Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv services will begin at 6:30 PM on March 6th. Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv services will begin at 7:30 PM on March 20th. Torah Study will take place at 10:00 AM on March 7h and 21st at Rabbi Mintz’s home. A bagels and lox brunch is served. Please RSVP by emailing info@pnaitikvahlv.org.
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Cantor’s Notes
A Note From the Cantor Possibly, one of the most prolific composers of liturgical music was the great “Anonymous”. Unknown until the period where most music was written down, Anonymous’ compositions were prevalent throughout the musical world. Renowned as a composer of religious music, he also had many secular compositions written with his cousin ‘Folk’. In the Middle Ages Anonymous also collaborated with his brother ‘Traditional’. Many songs have been attributed to these creative composers. It is not known when Anonymous was born. The first recognized compositions by this composer were not acknowledged until the time of Henry VIII. Up to that point in time, many scores of music were passed along with no name attached to them. King Henry, a great music aficionado, commissioned Shlomo Plomo to research in finding out where these songs came from and then attributed them to Anonymous. Anonymous is believed to have been born in the small village of Gobbledygook, located in the Northern region of what is now known as Poland. A born music lover, Anonymous began a career in writing and performing songs throughout Europe. The date of his death is still in question. I have sung many songs by Anonymous over the years, especially for the holiday of PURIM. Oh wait, this was all nonsense, and if you look in the first paragraph you’ll find what is known as an “Easter Egg” (which I should change to a “Purim Egg) by the acrostic I put in. So, Happy Purim to everyone, may your celebration be full of fun, silliness and tasty hamentaschen! L’Shalom, Cantor Marla 3
Message from the President: Can you believe it? We have passed the half-way mark for this fiscal year for our Congregation. Our annual meeting will be June. If you are interested in serving on the board of directors, or serving on a committee, please let me know. As a reminder, any member can attend a board meeting, so just let Nancey know if you would like to attend and she will provide you with the date, time and location. What a busy schedule we have with Purim and Passover around the block. Purim will be celebrated at our March 6 service. Remember to come in costume and remember that that evening services start at 6:30 (no Tot Shabbat). We will celebrate Passover on the second night, Saturday evening, April 4 (at UNLV Blasco Wing of the Foundation Building). If you have not attended one of our “Brunch with Brilliants” events, you have missed out on some of most interesting discussions. This month, our speaker will be Dr. Rachmiel Cherner, an amazing Jewish folk artist (and the father of our own Cindy Fox), speaking at Marie Callendar’s on Sahara and Cimarron, on Sunday morning, March 22. Come JOIN US and bring your friends! If YOU HAVE NOT HEARD… we have a GALA to end our year with a dual celebration: May 24, we celebrate Shavuot and bring Sabrina Linker to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah, and gather to begin celebrating the first 10 years as Rabbi Mintz as our spiritual leader. That service will be held at 10 a.m. on the Green of the Eagle Hills community in Summerlin. We top it off with the May 30th L’Chaim Gala at the M Resort, celebrating the Rabbi’s 10th anniversary as our spiritual leader (and her 75th birthday). You can plan now to attend. By now, you’ve probably received a letter telling you how you can actually earn up to two tickets to the Gala by selling advertisements for the Ad Book. We’d love to have everyone in attendance at the Gala; it’s going to be fabulous. As YOU CAN SEE, “our plate” is pretty full as we enter the next few months. Happy Adar!
President of the Board 4
WHO: WHEN:
WHERE:
WHAT:
P’nai Tikvah Book Group 5775 is any CPT member
March 26 @ 6:45 PM, The Paris Architect: A Novel by Charles Belfoure May 14 @ 6:45 PM, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult Home of Jane Kusel 702-407-5077 kuseld@yahoo.com An evening translated into a journeys of the senses through shared dissections of the readings below. *Limited to 12 voices-please RSVP in a timely fashion
Like most gentiles in Nazi-occupied Paris, architect Lucien Bernard has little empathy for the Jews. So when a wealthy industrialist offers him a large sum of money to devise secret hiding places for Jews, Lucien struggles with the choice of risking his life for a cause he doesn't really believe in. Ultimately he can't resist the challenge and begins designing expertly concealed hiding spaces— behind a painting, within a column, or inside a drainpipe—detecting possibilities invisible to the average eye. But when one of his clever hiding spaces fails horribly and the immense suffering of Jews becomes incredibly personal, he can no longer deny reality.
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May 30, 2015 10 year Celebration Honoring
Rabbi Yocheved Mintz Spiritual Leader of Congregation P’nai Tikvah Buy Your Tickets Today! 7
Menu Matzo Trail Mix
Saturday, April 4 at 6:30 pm
Charoset Gefilte Fish Moroccan Carrot Salad Mediterranean Fruit Salad Beet Salad Kale Salad Antipasti Veggieswith Curry Broccoli Potato Kugel Butternut Squash Kugel Stuffed Cabbage Brisket Passover Desserts Matzo And More! Kosher Options Available Beverages
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Social Action Committee Report Nevadans for the Common Good is a bi-partisan grassroots organization comprised of congregations and non profits. Each congregation is allowed 2 delegates at NCG meetings to vote on resolutions & participate etc. ,Congregation P’nai Tikvah is a member of Nevadans for the Common Good. NCG delegates met on February 12, 2015 in a response to the education crisis in Nevada. Background: Business requiring degreed employees are not coming into Nevada because the Clark County School System is lacking. This is a town with a lot of job positions requiring little education. In 2012 we had 10,000 students who did not graduate. We have a 62% graduation rate. We have 600 teachers shortage. In the fall, we will have 2,600 teachers shortage and we will have 3,000 new students. We are spending $3,000 less per student than other states. The largest achievement gap in US is in Nevada between ESL students and Anglo American students. Governor Sandoval is now talking about our education system needing more money. In order to be part of that discussion, we voted and adopted the following resolutions: 1 .Improving public education for our children is vital for their futures and the future of the state of Nevada. The Governor and State Legislature must take measures to improve the quality of public education in Nevada. 2. Our education system will not improve without more funding. The State of Nevada must spend more money in targeted ways to improve public education. This funding must be accompanied by oversight, evaluation and accountability. 3. Governor Sandoval and the State Legislature must enact a fair and balanced plan to raise revenue to improve public education. 4. We, the NCG Assembly, empower our Action Committees to devise and implement strategies based on the resolutions we have passed. (Any member can be on an Action Committee) continued on page 10
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The following is the proposed timeline for Nevadans for the Common Good: March 6 : Nevada Legislature has a planned Joint Committee Hearing for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services budget. This is when the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver slots will be discussed. The hearing is video conferenced from Carson City to Las Vegas at the Grant Sawyer Building on 555 E Washington Avenue (across the street from Cashman Center) lots. NCG supports this budget. If you are interested in attending please contact Meera Kamegai or Annie Wolff. We need a large constituency to be present at the Grant Sawyer Building to demonstrate support. Grant Sawyer Building, 555 E Washington Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 March 11 at 12pm: Holy Spirit Lutheran Church 6670 W Cheyenne Ave Las Vegas, NV 89108. Leaders Lunch with LV Global Economic Alliance (how they see education & revenue) Week of March 23: Leaders Lunch regarding Governor's proposal (around specific proposals) April 9 : NCG Clergy Caucus (discusses moral & theological implications to education resolutions) April 17 & 18 : Caregiver Training. Representative of P'nai Tikvah can attend, receive training, then give the training to others in P'nai Tikvah May 7 at 7pm: Delegate meeting Location TBD Respectfully Submitted, Annie Wolff
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Jewlicious Learning As we turn the corner to the Springtime holidays, we have been taking field trips to watch a tree come awake. Each week we observed its branches and slowly watched it bud and now blossom. With Purim this month and Pesach next month, we are also learning more about these holy days. We’ve made tube puppets in the characters of the Purim Megillah and we are learning songs. We’ve learned about Mishloach Manot (bringing food to our friends) and Matanot l’Evyonim (bringing gifts to the poor). Our older students are well into their study of the Friday evening liturgy and our younger students are reviewing their reading readiness, preparing for their first primer. We are also all working on our culminating play, “Dirah l’Haskir” (An Apartment to Rent), and this month we will start giving out parts. The play is in Hebrew, so our older group has been working very hard to translate the new vocabulary. We all understand that it’s a story about a bunch of animals who live in a five-story apartment tower and the topmost apartment needs a new tenant. Each prospective tenant comes and inspects the apartment and then the other tenants ask how he or she liked it.. One after another, each of the prospective tenants says that he or she really likes the apartment, but each one finds a problem with one of the other current tenants…until the last prospective tenant comes. We don’t want to spoil the ending, so be sure to mark Friday night, June 5th, when our youngsters will premiere “Dirah L’Haskir”.
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Jewlicious Purim Puppets
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KIDZ KORNER for March
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Kabbalat Shabbat
Jewlicious Learners
Torah Study
Brunch With Brilliants Series: Recently Featuring Joanne Goodwin 15
The Membership/Outreach Committee is embarking on an effort to let us get to know one another better. Each month they will be asking questions of a member and sharing their responses n the newsletter. This month they interviewed Barbara Holland, the President of Congregation P'nai Tikvah Q: What brought you to Congregation P'nai Tikvah? A: I did not have tickets for HHwaited too long to get them. I saw an ad in the LVRJ where Valley Outreach (now Congregation P'nai Tikvah) was having services at Neonopolis. Q: What keeps you involved in P'nai Tikvah? A: I am impressed with the Rabbi, the members and the actual services. Q: What has P'nai Tikvah brought/ added to your life? A: For years, I was not actively participating in the Jewish tradition. Congregation P'nai Tikvah has rekindled my Jewish soul. Q: What do you or would you like to bring to the congregation to help it grow and thrive? A: I hope as President I can restructure the business side of the shul so that it can continue to flourish. 16
Sign up for the 5775 On’gai Shabbat Season. Celebrate your simcha, honor your family, do it because it is fun. For you foodies who want to get your Bobby Flay or Gordon Ramsey on, there’s still time! Check the schedule below; an opening is your opportunity: Sponsored by Rozlyne Tessler in honor of Harriet’s March 6
Bernstein's Birthday Catered by Nancey Eason because it’s Adar!
March 20
Sponsored and Catered by Phyllistan’s in honor of Phyllis’s 65th Birthday Sponsored by Ken and Evelyn Clark in honor of
April 3
Carly’s Birthday Catered by
April 17
Sponsored by Catered by Sponsored by Roz Tessler and Harriet Bernstein in
May 1
memory of Jerry Bernstein Catered by
May 15 June 5 June 19
Sponsored and Catered by Sam Lieberman & also by Phyllistan’s in honor of Stan’s 68th Birthday Sponsored by Catered by Sponsored by Catered by
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Rich Neil Douglas Hansen Jerald Cohen Marge Lieberman Harriet Bernstein Jane Kusel Lesley Wagmeister Torrey Barrett John Wennstrom Laura Sussman Phyllis Zuckerman Zandra & Elliot Bender Susan & Rick Bindhamer
Jewlicious Learners Classes continue on Monday afternoons at the Rabbi’s home, from 4:15
3-Mar 3-Mar 6-Mar 10-Mar 14-Mar 18-Mar 19-Mar 20-Mar 21-Mar 26-Mar 30-Mar 9-Mar 24-Mar
To have a “Chai Contributions”…to life! sent out, please contact the office at 4364900, or so indicate on your Mitzvah envelope. Mitzvah Funds and Tribute Card funds are used to help maintain and grow the vital programs and services of Congregation P’nai Tikvah.
to 6:00, January– June. Registration continues to be open.
VOLUNTEERISM ABOUNDS AT CPT Homes are always needed for the various activities and meetings of our congregation.
Offer a Personal prayer – If you’d like to write your own, please do so. If you would like to see it published in the newsletter.
Happiness is a choice, a habit, a desire... You are as young and successful, as you think you are. Enjoy yourself. Have fun. Omit things you will regret. Imagine what you want to do next... For $40.00 a prayer book can either be purchased for personal use or be dedicated to the congregation “In Memory” or “In Honor of” and a card from CPT will be sent to the family. The prayer book plate will be placed on the inside cover of our new Kol HaNeshamah siddur. 18
Todah Rabah to Annie Wolff for opening up her beautiful home to the Women’s Rosh Chodesh Group for the month of Adar. The masks were wonderful and the hamantaschen delicious. Join us at the home of Laurie Lytel as we welcome the month of Nisan
Upcoming Rosh Chodesh Dates for 5775 Nisan
March 22nd
Host: Laurie Lytel
Iyar
April 19th
Host: Dale Gardner
Sivan
May 17th
Host: Jennifer Cohen
Tammuz
June 14th
Host: Rabbi Yocheved Mintz
Keep a lookout for our Women’s Rosh Chodesh Retreat In August 2015 Pictures from “The Real Women of the Bible”, 2014 Women's Rosh Chodesh Retreat
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Women’s Rosh Chodesh Group for the month of Adar The Masks We Wear
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Memorial plaques are available; to honor the departed, to inspire the living. to be remembered in the hearts of those we leave behind is, in a sense, to live forever.
Rudolph Berdy -Remembered by Barbara Finkelberg, Debbie Mindlin & Lynn Pisetzner Frank Brandt -Remembered by Ann Brandt Abraham Feldman -Remembered by Barbara & Andrew Holland Michael Kosso -Remembered by Kristen Jaeger & Tim Lockett
For further information, call the Synagogue office at 702-436-4900 Sorrow comes to all‌ Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You can not now realize that you will ever feel better...and yet‌ You are sure to be happy again Abraham Lincoln Submitted by Phyllis Zuckerman
Esther & Ben Marber -Remembered by Sam Marber Basha Piekarsky -Remembered by Jay & Ronald Piekarsky Louis Tessler -Remembered by Harriet Bernstein & Roz Tessler Henrietta Bloch Zuckerman -Remembered by Stan Zuckerman
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TRANSFORMING TOMORROW'S GENERATION TODAY Guest Speaker: Rabbi Leor Sinai, Co-Executive Director, Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI) Rabbi Leor Sinai, originally from New York, made Aliyah with his family in 2011. His resume includes Jewish National Fund, the Dan Hotels of Israel, The Jewish Lens, Hillel Israel, and The Jewish Agency for Israel. Leor was ordained in 2009 at The Jewish Theological Seminary and works passionately to build networks of Jews worldwide with Israel at their center. Leor began his tenure at AMHSI in October 2013. He lives in Tel Aviv with his wife and three children. AMHSI’s mission is to promote, build and strengthen life-long bonds between youth and Israel through study of the history and culture of Israel. For 42 years, AMHSI has led the field in providing transformative Israel study-abroad experiences for international high school students. As the only non-denominational, pluralistic, shortterm, English academic program in Israel for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, AMHSI instills in its students a lifelong sense of pride in their Jewish heritage by strengthening Jewish identity while developing deep-rooted connections to Jewish life, to the Jewish people, and to Israel. AMHSI has been an important contributor to the leadership and educational fabric of the North American Jewish community and boasts more than 22,000 alumni—many of whom are active leaders in their Jewish communities today. Complimentary event • Dietary laws observed For more information contact Jennifer Playstead at jplaystead@jnf.org or 702.434.6505 x958.
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There are two important programs designed to help individuals and families in need that are supported by the Jewish Federation and Jewish Family Service Agency. Jewish Free Loan Program The Jewish Free Loan Program (JFL) was established by the Jewish Federation and administered by the Jewish Family Service Agency to assist members of our Jewish community with short-term, no-interest loans of up to $2,500. For more information about the Jewish Free Loan Program please contact Renea Parr at the Jewish Family Service Agency (rparr@jfsalv.org) or 702-732-0304. United Way Fund for Families Our Jewish Federation has a close working partnership with United Way and the Marilyn & Tom Spiegel Fund for Families. The fund was established by the Spiegel's to specifically address financial needs for families with children who are struggling to make "ends meets" and who are committed to providing a wholesome family environment for their children in spite of short-term financial insecurity. To learn more about this program please contact Elliot Karp at Elliot@jewishlasvegas.com or 702-732-0556.
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You’ll start earning rewards for Congregation P’Nai Tikvah right away on qualifying purchases made using your Smith’s and Vons rewards Card! Smith's and Von's are committed to helping our communities grow and prosper. Year after year, local schools, churches and other nonprofit organizations will earn millions of dollars through these kinds of programs. There is no cost to enroll, and enrollment will not affect your fuel points or coupon discounts. Here are the instructions for getting started. We will also have a place for your to sign up at the Community Passover Seder at the Blasco Event Wing of UNLV Foundation Bldg. Bring your Smith's and Von's card numbers and we will do the signing up for you. OUR SMITH"S NPO NUMBER IS 61229.
TO USE THE SMITH’S COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM: Register online at www.smithscommunityrewards.com · Customers must have a registered Smith’s rewards card account to link to your organization. · If you does not yet have a Smith’s rewards card, they are available at the customer service desk at any Smith’s. · Click on 'Create and Account' box · Sign up for a Smith’s Rewards Account entering your email address and creating a password, by entering zip code, clicking on favorite store, agreeing to the terms and conditions. · A message will show up for you to check your email inbox and then click on the link within the body of the email. · Click on “My Account” and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step. · Click on Edit Smith’s Community Rewards information and input your Smith’s rewards card number. · Update or confirm your information. · Enter NPO number or name of organization, select organization from list and click on confirm. · To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see your organization’s name on the right side of your information page. · Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377, select option 4 to get your Smith’s rewards card number. · Members must swipe their registered Smith’s rewards card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Smith’s rewards card when shopping for each purchase to count.
TO USE THE VON'S ESCRIP PROGRAM Click on this link: https://secure.escrip.com/supporter/ registration/index.jsp Fill out the questionnaire. If you do not know your Von's Reward Card Number call: 1.877.723.3929 and they can assist you in retrieving that information.
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Nid’vei Leiv - Donations from the Heart Rabbi Discretionary Fund David Aris In blessed memory In memory of Marjory Burnstein from David Aris In memory of Steve Gerber from David Aris In memory of Karen Magid from David Aris In memory of Lesley Sue Goldstein from David Aris In memory of Bertha Platt from Eliot and Zandra Bender In honor of Torah Study David Aris Ann Castro Annie Wolff Kol Nidre Pledge David Aris Nid’vei Lev Harriet Bernstein Susan Bindhamer Gloria Granat Wm and Shoshana Simon Carolyn Stewart Rozlyne Tessler Refuah Shleimah Rav Yisrael Yitzhak ben Chanah from Naftalah Chavah Ariel
We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it's going to get on by itself. You've got to keep watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it. John Lennon
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March 2 March 2 March 3 March 6 March 7 March 8 March 9 March 9 March 11 March 12 March 15 March 16 March 16 March 18 March 20 March 21 March 21 March 22 March 22 March 22 March 23 March 24 March 25 March 26 March 29 March 23 March 24 March 25 April 3 April 4 April 6
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE: 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 6:30 PM Next Steps-Talmud with Training Wheels 6:30 PM Jewish, Alive and American 6:30 PM “Come As You Aren’t!” Purim/Shabbat Service at Kraft Sussman Chapel (No Tot Shabbat) Torah Study: Par'shat Ki Tissa at the Rabbi's home Chai Mitzvah at Annie Wolff's house 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 6:30 PM Next Steps-Talmud with Training Wheels 6:30 PM Biblical Hebrew 7:00 PM CPT Board Meeting JFSA Tzedakah Brunch - Three Square 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 6:30 PM Next Steps-Talmud with Training Wheels 6:30 PM Biblical Hebrew 6:30 PM Tot Shabbat; 7:30 PM- Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv service at Kraft-Sussman Chapel Torah Study: Par'shat VaYikra at the Rabbi's home 8:00 PM "Mikvah Monologues" - Anita Diamont at Temple Beth Sholom 9:00 AM 3:00 PM JCC "Women's Spirituality Symposium" at Three Square. 1:30 PM 4:00 PM "Death with Dignity" Panel at Temple Beth Sholom. 7:00 PM "Women's Rosh Chodesh" at home of Laurie Lytel. 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 6:30 PM Jewish, Alive and American 6:30 PM Biblical Hebrew 7:00 PM CPT Book Club: The Paris Architect, at home of Jane Kusel 11:30 AM "Brunch with Brilliants" featuring Dr. Rachmiel Cherner 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 6:30 PM Jewish, Alive and American 6:30 PM Biblical Hebrew Pesach - No Tot Shabbat or service. Enjoy your 1st Night Seder Congregation P'nai Tikvah Community 2nd Night Seder at UNLV Blasco Wing of the Foundation Building LBGTQI Seder at The Center
Blessing for the Month of Adar: May we be blessed with the ability to embrace the materiality, mundaneness, and physicality of the world and experience their inner divinity. Be joyful, it’s Adar!
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