TvS is extending an invitation to the public to join us for our Annual 2nd Night Community Passover Seder on Tuesday, April 19. This traditional Jewish celebration combines sharing of a multi-course meal with a retelling of the Jewish people’s exodus from slavery in Egypt under the guidance of Moses.
“On this special evening, we will openly explore what it means to be free, especially when so many other peoples are struggling for and wrestling with newfound freedoms today,” explains Rabbi Anna Boswell-Levy. “In the spirit of this special holiday, and in accordance with Jewish customs, we invite those seeking a place to celebrate Passover to join us. This promises to be a great evening with plenty of time to get to know one another and share a delicious, festive meal together.”
The 2nd Night Seder will be held at the Newtown Friends Meeting House on Court Street in Newtown, PA from 5:30-8:30pm. In addition, special guest Pastor Laura Ingersol of God’s Love Lutheran Church in Newtown will share her thoughts on the challenges of freedom and liberation. If you would like to attend, or for more information, please contact Elana Braz at elanabraz@verizon.net or 215-750-0836.
Does Judaism believe in the afterlife? Unequivocally, the answer is yes! Unfortunately, in the contemporary Jewish community, people are often unaware of traditional Jewish wisdom on the afterlife journey of the soul.
Come and join us with guest speaker Simcha Raphael for a fascinating program on this topic:
JEWISH VIEWS OF THE AFTERLIFE: IMPLICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS, Simcha Raphael, PhD
12:00pm, Saturday, April 2 – Newtown Friends Meeting House, 219 Court St., Newtown PA
Sponsored by Tzedek v’Shalom
Please RSVP to Diane Gold at agoldn1@aol.com, or call Joel Bacher at 215-860-3565.
In this presentation, we shall explore Judaism’s teachings on life after death, particularly in Kabbalistic Judaism.
The program will begin at 1pm following a light lunch at noon. Please feel free to join us for a morning meditation at 9:30am and a service at 10am as well.
Simcha Raphael, Ph.D. is Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Religion Department of Temple University, a Rabbinic Intern of the Jewish Hospice Network of JFCS, and in a private practice as a transpersonal psychotherapist and spiritual director, affiliated with Mt. Airy Counseling Center.
Join us for Purim Shpiel Night with Tzedek v’Shalom!
When: Saturday, March 19th at 7pm
Where: Newtown Friends Meeting House, 219 Court St., Newtown, PA.
Purim is coming soon, and Tzedek v’Shalom will be celebrating it in our own silly, marvelous way. We welcome the public to come as our guests and enjoy our always entertaining and lively festival of shpiels. We have a full program of skits and singing that your whole family is sure to enjoy.
If you have family and friends that would like Passover candies or chocolates, why not help them, and help us raise funds for our religious school at the same time!
It’s simple! Just make a note of our school code (702321). You’ll need to specify this when checking out or we won’t get credit for it. Just visit MissChocolate.com, select “buy now” for the items you want, and be sure to enter our school code!
TvS members can alternatively use our order form to collect orders. If you need a form, contact Becky Rice at 215-504-0223.
Have you been wondering what Reconstructionist Judaism is all about, and what makes Tzedek v’Shalom a Reconstructionist congregation?
Rabbi Anna will be giving a three-part class on the fundamentals of this uniquely American stream of Judaism – Sundays March 6, 13, and 27th at 3:30pm at the George School.
We will be exploring the historical context that gave rise to Reconstructionism in the early and mid-twentieth century, the vision of its founder Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan, and the core principles of the movement, all in a safe space where we can candidly share our thoughts and questions.
This class is open to the general public and everyone in the congregation. All participants are asked to sign-up in advance here and are encouraged to read the book (though it is not an absolute prerequisite), “Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach” by Rabbis Jacob Staub and Rebecca Alpert, which you can order here.
For the March 4th Friday Night at TvS, after a Pot Luck dinner at 6:00pm (set up is at 5:30), we will be focusing on one particular Jewish story, By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan. You’re invited to read the book at your leisure, and join us on March 4th to discuss! All are welcome to join and participate.
It was selected as the “One Book, One Jewish Community (Philadelphia)” reading for 2010-2011. Set in 15th c. Spain, during the Inquisition, it is the story of Luis de Santángel, chancellor to the king of Aragon and a converso, a Jewish convert to Christianity at a time when the Inquisition sought to repress Judaism. Santángel falls in love with Judith, a beautiful Jewish woman living in Granada, the last part of Spain under Muslim rule.
The book is available at amazon.com for $10.85 or from Mary George at the Bucks County Kehillah office, located at Shir Ami, for $10. She can be reached at 215-579-9300.
The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College recently introduced an online game that’s entertaining and positively addictive! MostJewish.com poses a series of four topical words, and then you pick which word is most Jewish. It’s as simple as that. Then you keep playing with new selections of words.
Just by playing, you’re contributing to an ongoing dialogue about Judaism in the 21st century, and what it means to be part of “Judaism as a civilization, or a people.”
Here’s the site’s current list of top 10 words that people have said they identify with as being Jewish (clicking on each item leads to a discussion about that topic):
1.doctors
2.chopped liver
3.pickles
4.Brooklyn
5.New York City
6.guilt
7.comedians
8.bargain hunting
9.tradition
10.pomegranates
We have lots of exciting events coming up this year! Here are just a few examples, with a few dates to save for special events we’re planning.
Beginning February 27th, over four Sundays, Rabbi Anna will be conducting a Reconstructionist Judaism 101 class. Curious about what Reconstructionist Judaism is all about? This will be a golden opportunity to learn more. This will be open to the public. More to follow on this.
On April 19th, we’ll be hosting out annual TvS Passover Seder on the second night of Passover. If you or anyone you know are looking for a Seder this Passover, please keep this in mind. Details will follow as we approach the holiday.
On Friday, May 6th, we’ll be having a special Friday Family Night, with a Pot Luck dinner, singing, and general Jewish merriment. Bring your friends and family. It’s a great way to get to know us, and to have a fun night out. We might even have a few surprises in store. Stay tuned for details later in the year.
Tzedek v’Shalom will be attending the 28th Annual Martin Luther King Celebration sponsored by theNeighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM) on Sunday, January 16, 2011 @ 3–5 p.m. at Arch Street Presbyterian Church, 1724 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA.
This year’s theme is “We’ll Walk Hand In Hand.” Keynote speaker will be Daisy Khan, founder and director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement, and co-founder of the proposed Park51 Muslim Community Center in lower Manhattan. The program will also feature music from local choirs, the words of Dr. King read by Philadelphia youth, and fellowship.
For more information, see the NIM website at www.nimphilly.org. Please contact Ruth Jampol at ruth.jampol@gmail.com or 215-860-8903 for carpool information.
We recently introduced a fun new format for our monthly Friday night events at Newtown Friends Meeting House, and so far it’s been a raving success!
One Friday a month (see our calendar), we have Friday Family Night at TvS. At 5:30pm we all help set up for a vegetarian pot luck. At 6:00pm, we have a short song-filled family service. Then at 6:30 we have Shabbat dinner together. Finally, from 7:30 to 8:30, those who can stay are invited to join in a discussion, meditative service, or whatever else we have scheduled that night.
Everyone who’s attended so far has raved about the new format. There’s something for everyone, adults and children alike. We also welcome visitors and potential members as a way to get to know us, so bring your friends!
