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Congregation Shalom is a Reform Jewish community committed to education, spiritual growth,
and Tikkun
Olam (healing the world).
We are proud to be an extended family of
equals - welcoming,
caring, and inclusive.
Together, we engage in religious observance,
enjoy social activities, and
pursue life-long learning.
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From our Rabbi
It is with gratitude that I write to thank all the members of the congregation as well as the members of the 50th Anniversary Committee for planning such a wonderful Gala and year of celebrations.
I was very touched to be honored at the Gala, along with Rabbi Bard, the founding families and past presidents.
For those who were not there I wanted to share my words of thanks with you as well.
It has been a privilege to serve Congregation Shalom since 1998 and I am deeply grateful to all the lay leaders and especially the presidents who I have worked with as we have pursued the mission of our congregation.
Many synagogue communities think of themselves as "special".
After having worked in many synagogues since 1986, I know that Congregation Shalom is special and I feel blessed to be a part of a community that is so caring of its members and the pursuit of Tikkun Olam.
I also want to send my deepest thanks to Hale and Channah who have walked this path with me.
Without their love, support and personal sacrifices, I would not have been able to be so present for the congregation.
May we as a community and as an extended family go from strength to strength.
Here is to our continued efforts to create a vibrant and purposeful Jewish community that will last another 50 years!
L'shalom,
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From our President
Our 50th Anniversary Gala celebration was a phenomenal success! It was the crowning point of this year's 50th anniversary year of celebrations. I'm writing this a few days later, and I'm still floating high on the sense of accomplishment, gratitude, nostalgia, and enthusiasm that filled the room Sunday evening.
The gala was framed as a tribute to the founding families, to the past presidents, and to our spiritual leaders. But, as master of ceremonies Stephen Rodman pointed out, everyone in the room that night has been a part of the vital community that we call Congregation Shalom.
The 50th Anniversary Committee, chaired by Liz Denly, pulled together a party to rival a wedding or bar mitzvah celebration. Every detail was attended to, from the food and flowers, to the photography, to the Tribute Books on every table. The committee worked together in a way that the best committees do to plan a party that will be remembered for years.
Over 200 members and friends of Congregation Shalom came together at Sky Meadow in Nashua. Before dinner we honored our founding members, a dozen of whom were in attendance. We paid tribute to Rabbi Bard and Rabbi Perry, who both spoke from the heart of their memories of Congregation Shalom. After dinner the program continued, with words about our new Chai Fund and Legacy Giving Program, and then greetings from the Merrimack Valley Jewish Federation. We then honored our past presidents, asking each to stand as we read memories that they had written. We had some joking around from the "Rodman boys", and a champagne toast. The DJ got nearly everyone on the floor to dance the hora, and there was music and dancing for the rest of the evening.
We held a silent auction for beautiful works of art, and ads had been sold for the Tribute Book. Between the two, nearly ten thousand dollars was raised for Congregation Shalom. My thanks to those who organized these efforts and who made the donations.
We had five framed certificates from a range of organizations, each touchingly personalized and testifying to our significance in the greater community, including:
- a congratulatory letter from the president of the URJ,
- a Resolution from the Massachusetts General Court,
- a Special Congressional Recognition from the US House of Representatives,
- a Governor's Citation, and
- a Proclamation from the town of Chelmsford.
What is harder to describe is what the evening meant to me. I believe we all shared a sense of pride. I cherish the chance I had to talk with people who travelled a distance to attend, for whom this was an opportunity to reconnect with a clearly important part of their lives. It made me proud to show them who we are today, and how vital we still are. Our enthusiasm and the sense of promise of things to come were tangible. The strength of our community lifted my spirits.
L'shalom,
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From our Education Director
Yes... we have combined Havdalah, food and games for a winning combination!!!
The beautiful and meaningful ritual of Havdalah allows us to pause and reflect on the quiet that Shabbat offers before we dive into another busy week. I personally have always loved the opportunity that Havdalah offers to use our different senses to mark the passage of time from the serenity of Shabbat into the pulse of our normal life. The ritual melody of drums creates a dynamic and moving backdrop and we are excited to welcome Mitch Gordon to our community. Mitch is a talented and well-known professional drummer, percussionist, teacher, conductor, producer and radio host who has been leading Jewish drumming services for several years in many congregations around the globe. Mitch is the founder of RHYTHM is LIFE, and Gesher: Building Bridges and we are excited to have him join us. Please plan to join us for Havdalah and drumming on this unique and fun evening.
Many people have asked me how this night came to be. As I reflect on our incredible Kehillah (community), I see a real commitment by the School Committee, the teachers and of course the parents to find meaningful and engaging ways for our community to come together to celebrate with a combination of spirituality and fun. Of course no Jewish celebration would be complete without the addition of food and this special evening is no exception. Please contribute to our potluck so we can share food together as a community. We are also looking for help setting up before dinner and cleaning up after dinner.
Last but not least ... playing games! We are thrilled to offer everyone the chance to come and learn about the different Gamewright games and of course play those games, guided by our very own game gurus. If you love the games, we ask that you purchase them for your family and friends. It is not too early to buy for the holidays and 50% of the proceeds will be given to the school.
So please join us and support our school on Saturday, November 4 from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. - we guarantee a fun filled night for ALL ages. Please RSVP and sign up by November 1st.
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From our Cantorial Soloist
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Social Justice Committee Welcomes You
During the High Holidays, many of you heard Susan McHugh speak from the bimah about our relatively new Social Justice committee. It began when 11 of us attended the URJ's 3-day Consultation on Conscience in Washington, DC this past May. In fact, our relatively small congregation sent the largest delegation of any temple there - boy, did that make us feel proud! We listened to speakers and attended workshops on a variety of topics related to Jewish social justice advocacy. We came home energized, and have been working since then to define how we can best make an impact. We have merged with our temple's Social Action committee and invite all members who are interested to join us. Please contact Laura at
[email protected]
for more information.
Susan gave an amazing speech on Yom Kippur, and you are invited to read it by clicking here
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Adult Education
It is a new and exciting year for us and the Adult Education committee has many things planned. I know some of you saw the large number of members of many different types of committee called to the Torah at Rosh Hashanah and were amazed. You , too, can be an even deeper part of this community - the community working together is fun! If you would like to find out more about the Adult Ed committee, please contact us at
See below for our upcoming events!
Torah Study
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. on
Nov 18, Feb 10, Apr 7
Mishnah Pe'ah 1: "These are the obligations without measure, whose reward, too, is without measure: To honor mother and father, to perform acts of loving-kindness, to attend the house of study daily, to welcome the stranger, to visit the sick, to rejoice with the bride and bridegroom, to comfort the bereaved, to pray with sincerity, to make peace when there is strife. And the study of Torah is equal to them all because the study of Torah leads to them all."
Come study Torah with us!
Adult Hebrew
Sundays - 9:00-10:15 a.m. on
Nov 5 & 19, Dec 3 & 10, Jan 7 & 21, Feb 4, Mar 11 & 18, Apr 1 & 8
Our new class is for those who already read Hebrew - if slowly. This class will focus on Shabbat prayers and vocabulary. In addition, it will offer the opportunity for those interested in becoming an adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah to learn how to read Torah and participate in a service in the spring. One does not have to participate in the adult B'nai Mitzvah ceremony to participate in the class.
Great Decisions
Sundays at 11 a.m. on
Nov 19, Jan 21, Mar 18
Great Decisions, the centerpiece of the longest-running civic education program in the United States devoted to foreign affairs, empowers readers to discuss global issues shaping U.S. foreign policy and the world. The briefing book provides historical background, current U.S. policy and alternative policy options, informative maps and detailed graphs, suggested readings and resources. The reading for each meeting is between 8 and 10 pages.
November 19, 2017: The Future of Europe; Coping with Crisis
January 21, 2018: Conflict in the South China Sea
March 18, 2018: Prospects for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Pre-registration is required for this program! For more information on the topics go to
http://www.fpa.org/great_decisions/?act=gd_topics.
The cost of the booklet will be $18.00, limited to the first 20 attendees. To sign up, please contact [email protected] by October 8, 2017.
Café Wisdom - 2nd Tuesday of every month from
1
0:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Café Wisdom is a monthly study group that meets the 2nd Tuesday every month from October. This year we will be reading and discussing the book
Wise Aging: Living with Joy, Resilience, & Spirit. We always welcome new people and if you are interested in learning more or on being added to the Café Wisdom mailing list, please contact Rabbi Perry at [email protected].
Kristallnacht: A Survivor's Reflections and Insights for the Present Day with Dr. Ornstein
Sunday November 5th at 4:00 p.m.
Are there parallels with what happened in the 1938 with what we are experiencing today? Come learn about Kristallnacht, literally, the "Night of Crystal," which is often referred to as the "Night of Broken Glass." The name refers to the wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms which took place on November 9th and 10th in 1938. This wave of violence took place throughout Germany, annexed Austria, and in areas of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia just occupied by German troops.
Anna Ornstein
, M.D. is a Professor Emerita of Child Psychology at the U of Cincinnati and a Lecturer on Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She is a Holocaust survivor, and has written a memoir titled, "My Mother's Eyes," along with a collection of psychoanalytic articles.
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Save the Date
Kristalnacht Commemoration - November 5th
Torah Study - November 18th
Great Decisions - November 19th
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Groups
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Quick Links
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Links to Our Website
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November Oneg Schedule
Nov 3 - 7 pm Family Shabbat - Grade 3 Shpiel Schwartz*, Cole & Evans, DiGiovanni, Shuldiner, Traverse, Wolman
Nov 10 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat/Shalomite Creative Service w/ music by Sue Horowitz Landress*, Berkovitz, Boroshok, Riddick, Rosenstein, Segal J&W
Nov 17 - 6 pm Tot Shabbat - music with Jodi and Adam - Ginsberg & Kawashima-Ginsberg, Skolnick
Nov 17 - 7:15 pm Adult Sweet and Soulful Shabbat - music with Jodi and /Adam -Kempner*, Galvin & Blume, Levine, Sevigny, Sohn, Thomas
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Good and Welfare
Our condolences to Jonathan Waxman and family on the passing of his father, Bud Waxman.
Our condolences to Margie Lotto and family on the passing of her aunt, Rose Snyder.
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Thank You
Thank you all for your thoughts and wishes to gain health again.
Paul Rodman
Thank you for the kind words, cards and donations in memory of my very dear Aunt Rose (Snyder).
She felt so embraced and loved by this congregation and for that I will always be grateful.
Margie and Jerry Lotto
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November Yahrzeits
November 10th
Gordon Bronson
Jerold Gilmore
Helen Ginsburg
Julian Greenfield
Muriel Hyatt
Leonore Rambach
Rose Ried
Hyman Rodman
Evelyn Rosenstein
Samuel Spiegler
Bernie Tack
November 17th
Bernice Bresnick
Howard Cravis
Michael Glott
Martin A. Gruber
Ray Niedergang
Rae Rosen
Morris Rosenberg
Pearl Shapiro
Celia Singer
Florence Snyder
Barbara Weinberg
Gilbert Wolpe
November 24th
Lisa Rothstein
Irene Segal
Sigmund Weitzman
December 1st
Jonathan Baron
Frances Becker
Blanche Brown
Joshua Friedman
Selma Raichek
Mildred Rainen
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| Our Caring Committee Can Help
The Caring Committee is always available to provide meals or transportation to those members and families who need a little help. Please don't hesitate to email Katie Wolman at
[email protected]
or Rabbi Perry at
[email protected]
, or feel free to call Katie at home.
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Social Action Committee
Social Justice and Social Action at Congregation Shalom
We are excited to announce that the Social Action Committee is expanding to include Social Justice initiatives. Our committee will be collaborating with Reform congregations and other faith groups across the country. By combining social action and justice, we acknowledge that inequities in society require direct help to people in need as well as advocacy toward long term solutions. Over the course of this year we'll be focusing on issues of criminal justice and immigration. Right now there are criminal justice bills pending in the Massachusetts State House, and they are of immediate concern. Please watch for updates from us.
If you want to be part of a large, energized, national Jewish and multi-faith organization right here at Congregation Shalom, send us an email for more information at [email protected]
High Holiday Food Drive
Once again, our members showed their generosity to those who are less fortunate. On Yom Kippur members of the Social Action Committee delivered multiple carloads of donated groceries to food pantries in Chelmsford, Westford, Nashua, and Lowell, and purchased over $2,200 in grocery store cards to donate to these organizations as well. Thank you to all who participated!
Grocery cards continue to be available for purchase by
e-mailing
[email protected]
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Blood Drive to be held on Monday December 11 2017, 2 p.m.-7 p.m.
Congregation Shalom will host a blood drive on Monday December 11, from 2-7p.m. Volunteers are needed to help set up, staff, and clean up the drive. If you are interested in volunteering, please email
[email protected]
. If you would like to donate blood, please sign up at www.redcrossblood.org and enter in Congregation Shalom's zipcode (01863) to be directed to our location to sign up.
Need for volunteers at Table of Plenty in Chelmsford
Monthly Food Donations for Middlesex Transitional Living Center
Congregation Shalom is collecting food for the Lowell Transitional Living Center. It is easy to help out with this mitzvah. Donations of meatloaf, and/or brownies and/or salad are accepted each month. There will be a cooler chest located by doors of Congregation Shalom. Simply place your donation in the cooler and know that you have done a good deed! The food will be collected and brought to the Lowell Transitional Living Center in Lowell, where our donations are greatly appreciated each month. You can leave your donations in the cooler beginning on Wednesday, November 15 through Thursday, November 16 (until 5 p.m.) December dates will be December 20-21 - mark your calendar now!
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| Newsletter Ads and You!
We are always looking for advertisers for the Temple newsletter. Ads can be placed at any time with special pricing for members. Ads need not be for a year so if you want to try us, we take ads for 3 months as well as six months. If you decide to continue your ad for a full year, we do pro-rate the price. As the saying goes, "Try us, you'll like us!"
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Youth Scholarships
Throughout the year, there are many enriching Jewish experiences available to our youth through our synagogue or the community. These include, but aren't limited to, summer camps and trips to Washington, New York, and Israel. Fortunately, there is some scholarship money available through the temple to those families in need of financial assistance for these opportunities. Please contact Margie Berenson at
[email protected] with any questions and/or for an application form.
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Changed Your Address?
Notify us at: [email protected]
and we'll make sure all the right organizations at the Temple are informed. Please include your full name in your request.
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Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving!
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Fundraising 
Before you know it, Congregation Shalom's Annual On-line Auction will begin. November 1st at midnight, the auction goes 'live'. If you have registered in the past, there is no need to register again. If you need to register, do it now, while you are thinking of it. Simply go to: shalom-auction.org and follow the instructions. From restaurants to theatre to exercise classes, we have it. No where can you get a better bargain than here.
Just to whet your appetite: Gene's Flatbread
Magic with Fabric potholders/trivets
Burton's Grill
Martial Arts Classes
Catering
Red Sox, John Kelly
Join the fun and bid away. Any questions or have something to give to the auction, please contact
[email protected]
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Sisterhood Snippets
Do you like to eat delicious food, yet want to stay up to date on current trends in health and nutrition? On Sunday, November 5 join Sisterhood members for a potluck brunch along with nutrition tips from guest speaker Cindy Sacco. This event will be held at the Temple from 11-1:00.
What are you doing on Wednesday, November 29th and Sunday, December 3rd? Save these two dates for the annual Chanukkah Fair! This year, we are encouraging you to do some holiday shopping, and are also looking for some helpers to assist Patti Green. She does a fantastic job organizing this event and selecting fun, new items each year, but counts on additional volunteers for set up, sales and clean up.
Plan ahead and save the date for our annual Chanukkah party on Wednesday, December 6th at 6:30. Patti Green has graciously offered to host again this year. We will also be collecting items to donate to House of Hope in Lowell.
Don't forget that we always have a variety of gifts and Judaica items available in our gift shop. Many beautiful options are on display. Contact us if you would like to make a purchase.
Watch for evites with more details for all of our upcoming events.
Our next board meeting is on Tuesday, November 7th at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend to share input and ideas.
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Brotherhood News
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Shalomite News
The Shalomites started off the year with our annual eighth grade kidnap. We went to Boda Borg, an escape room in Malden, MA. We had a great time meeting the new members! Also, on Yom Kippur, we led a program on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We had engaging conversations and heard different outlooks on the conflict.
All members are invited to our creative service on Friday, November 10. This will include a dinner, a service, and a program led by Shalomites members. We hope to see you there!
Sam Segal
The Shalomites President
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Grocery Cards
Now is a Great Time to Join the Grocery Card Program
Are you planning to host a crowd for Thanksgiving dinner? Maybe you have a college student who will be home for break and craving a favorite home cooked meal. Are your teens always hungry, but open the refrigerator and say "there's nothing to eat" every afternoon? Get on board this month to receive grocery store cards and you'll see how easy it is to fundraise for the Temple and fill your fridge without spending any extra money or time.
Contact me to get started with one of our best fundraisers. Each month you will receive the desired amount of gift cards for Hannaford, Donelan's, Whole Foods or Stop &Shop. Your payment to Congregation Shalom results in 7% cash back for the Temple.
Successful High Holiday Food Drive
Thank you to all the members and guests who supported the High Holy Days food drive. So far, we have delivered hundreds of pounds of food and over $2000 in Hannaford and Stop & Shop gift cards to appreciative local food pantries. If you planned to write a check, but forgot, it's not too late! We are still collecting donations through November 3. If you haven't sent in your pledge yet, please send checks to the temple office, with Food Drive in the memo line.
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iGive for Congregation Shalom
Have you ever thought how great it would be to be able to shop online at 783 different well-known stores and still donate money to Congregation Shalom? Well, you can do that! It's free and easy so join those of us who have been sending donations to the synagogue for years simply by shopping by first going to the iGive website once you have established the link.
Click here
to register for Congregation Shalom to automatically be the recipient cause.
If you make a purchase through iGive within 45 days of signing up, an extra $5.00 will go to Congregation Shalom. If you have any questions, please contact Laura at
[email protected].
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Extended Community
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If interested in attending or to get more info contact Rabbi Perry at [email protected]
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You are Cordially Invited to Attend our
ANNUAL MEETING
Sunday, November 19, 2017
6:45 o'clock in the evening
At
Congregation Shalom
87 Richardson Road , North Chelmsford, MA
The program will include:
A Brief business meeting - The year in review and future plans
Miriam's Leadership Award presented to Laura Rodman
Election and Installation of the Board of Directors**
Followed By:
"Sharing Hopes and Visions of Israel Across the Divide"
Join us for an interactive and inspirational conversation
about challenge, change and connection
With
Jeremy Burton
Executive Director, Jewish Community Relations Council - Boston
Jeremy Burton began his career as a political strategist and communications specialist working for NYC Mayor David N. Dinkins and the 1996 Clinton/Gore Re-Election Campaign, among others. He writes and speaks about challenges and opportunities facing the Jewish community, and has been published widely, including in the New York Jewish Week, the Jewish Forward, Zeek, Sh'ma, and the Washington Post: On Faith. To learn more, visit Jeremy's Blog
Wine Reception
Please RSVP by November 13, 2017
[email protected] or 978-688-0466
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Reform Jewish Outreach Boston (RJOB)
offers classes and workshops supporting interfaith couples and individuals exploring Judaism:
Yours, Mine & Ours for Interfaith Couples
Interfaith couples who are seriously dating, engaged, or newly married strengthen their communication around faith, family, and culture, in a short-term, small group setting. Held October and March.
Introduction to Judaism
Explore a modern take on Jewish life. Engage with Jewish values, celebrations, and spirituality. Introduction to Judaism is an engaging 16-session course for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of Jewish life through a Reform lens. Courses starting in Brookline, Boston, and Sharon/Westwood.
Planning a Jewish Wedding
For Interfaith and Jewish couples. Explore the symbols of the Jewish wedding ceremony, ways to honor family traditions, and how to personalize your ceremony. Workshops in Boston and Cambridge.
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Table of Plenty in Chelmsford
Free Dinner Served
Every Tuesday from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Chelmsford Center
All are welcome. No questions asked.
Also, if you know of someone who cannot get out,
but would benefit from a dinner being delivered to them, please contact us.
For more information contact:
[email protected]
www.tableofplentyinchelmsford.org
978-710-8328
Return to Quick Links
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From the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston & Affiliates...
VNA Hospice Care needs volunteers! Hospice volunteers play a key role in helping to provide caring and compassion to patients and families facing life-limiting illness and loss. A volunteer may provide patients with company and emotional support, give the spouse, partner or other caregiver a needed break from care giving, and/or help caregivers run errands or get to and from appointments. A strong need exists for volunteers who can visit on weekdays. We also seek: musicians who would like to sing or play music quietly at the bedside of nursing home residents; Reiki practitioners who would like to offer Reiki to patients and/or caregivers; and people interested in visiting with their therapy dog. Volunteers who speak both English and a second language are also helpful. We provide volunteer training and ongoing support. Call 781-569-2888 and ask to speak to a Volunteer Coordinator for more information. Or email [email protected].
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Spiritual Poetry Journal
"Soul-Lit" is a new on-line spiritual poetry journal. A number of entries have been from Jews and have
Jewish content. Writers are encouraged to submit their own poems which have a level of spiritual content to them. Two volumes have already been published.
To check out the website, please click here.
Please spread the word to members of the community who are writers / poets, and who may wish to submit their own writings.
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