The Etz family Shabbat experience

Saturday, October 25, 10:15am

Join us for a special Family Shabbat designed especially for families with a 4th-grade student! Celebrate Shabbat with song, spirit, and connection in a lively, participatory service co-led by Rabbi Chaim and our Etz students. Experience a creative Torah reading and a teen-led Dvar Torah with an interactive Q&A—just like an Etz Bar & Bat Mitzvah! Open to the entire community.

Library

Mitzvah related books are now in the Library!

Our library committee has set up a special monthly display for everyone to enjoy. You’re warmly invited to stop by, spend some quiet time with your child, read a story together, or check out a book to take home.

This month’s theme is Mitzvah, featuring wonderful books for all ages—perfect for sparking conversations and adding a little extra light to your week.

Aliza's recommendation

One book that my children loved when they were younger is Bagels for Benny by Aubrey Davis (Author) and Duýan Petricic (Illustrator). This is a story about Benny who loves to help out at his grandpa's bakery in the morning, and the customers love the crusty bagels with their soft insides. When Grandpa explains to Benny that God, not him, should be thanked for the wonderful bagels, Benny sets out to do just that. He decides to leave God a bagful of bagels in the synagogue at the end of each week. And each week God eats the bagels --- or so Benny thinks ... Lovingly told, Bagels from Benny explores the values of caring and sharing, building a strong sense of community and finding joy in giving thanks.

Tikun Ha'aretz

Jane Goodall was an extraordinary observer, thinker, and conservation activist for both chimpanzees, for wildlife and for humans. She inspired me as a young girl. I read about her in National Geographic magazine— going off to Africa with her mom to observe chimpanzees! I’ve particularly admired and appreciated how she was able to learn so much without being dominating or harmful to the subjects she was studying. And as a woman facing all sorts of backlash against her methods, remained steadfast in her approach and in her thinking. I also appreciate how she was always learning and thinking about how to conserve in ways that were mutually beneficial to humans and wildlife. When she learned of the devastating impacts to habitat that were impacting her chimpanzees. She became a tireless worldwide speaker on the topic of conservation, animal welfare and the importance of all life on the planet. She was speaking up to the end and died at 91 here in California on Oct. 1. Her memory will indeed be a blessing, and I hope an ongoing inspiration to all to care for and take care of our planet; she inspired so many generations of young people.

“Each one of us…everybody… every day that we live, we make an impact on the planet, and we can choose what sort of impact we make.”

      Jane Goodall, from her last interview, September 23, 2025, The Journal

Young people are on the front lines of the climate emergency. How can we stay listening to them and not let our own fears and worries, overwhelm us? We all need supportive communities and lots of opportunities to be listened to.

Here's an inspiring video of Jenny Sazama from Sustaining All Life. She talks about children deserving to know the truth about what is happening to them in a way they can hear. And, to help them define the things that they care about and help them to take actions. https://youtu.be/e0Q7THrnEJw

Resources for Supporting young people in the climate movement:

—“Parents and the Climate Crisis” pamphlet written by Marya Axner and Tresa Elguera (copies available in the Etz library)

—Sustaining All Life, https://sustainingalllife.org/

Organizations by/ for young people:

—Jewish Youth Climate Movement, https://adamah.org/for-teens-youth-adults/jewish-youth-climate-movement/ (no local chapter yet?)

—Roots and Shoots, https://rootsandshoots.org/

—The Sunrise Movement, https://www.sunrisemovement.org/

EPA

EPA WhatsApp Groups

Would you like to:

• Receive timely updates about your child’s cohort?
• Strengthen the social connections within your child’s cohort?

If so, join the WhatsApp group!

Here is a link:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/JrtycEEP3TB5CQvPxlYRdp?mode=ems_copy_h_t

Calendar

2025-26 calendar cheat sheets.

All the dates for the year in one place. Print in color and hang on your refrigerator!

Here is a link for a Pdf file for easier printing