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Hashkiveinu
by the Romemu Choir
"Spread over us your sukkah and shelter in place"
Comfort in song, together.
Listen to the voices of Romemu!
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Feel at home when you are at Romemu? Feel like you are at Romemu when you are at home???
Join us!
We rely on your membership to pay our clergy, our musicians, our teachers, our support staff, our online service hosts, our friends at Zoom, and everything we do to enable the
community we call Romemu.
If you rely on Romemu to help give meaning to your life, please renew your membership now. Wherever we are, we are home together.
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Join now!
Click here
and “Forgot Your Password?” to renew your membership via our
New Online Membership Portal and Directory
.
We will be hosting the second tutorial and Q&A session on
Friday, May 22 at 11am on
the New Online Membership Portal and Directory.
You can register for the tutorial
here
.
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This Shabbat at Romemu
All Services & Programming will be available via Zoom and/or Facebook Live
Please scroll down for access information or
click here
.
UJA Pre-Shabbat Gathering
Friday, May 22, 2:00 pm
Romemu teams up with UJA and other distinguished leaders for prayer, song and learning to usher in Shabbat.
UJA CommUnity Pre-Shabbat Gathering Featuring: Rabbi David Ingber and Hazzan Basya Schechter,
Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York, Dr. Erica Brown, Mayberg Center for Jewish Education and Leadership, The George Washington University,Rabbi Ethan Tucker, Hadar, and Rabbi Menachem Creditor, UJA-Federation of New York
Click here to register!
Friday, May 22
5:00 PM
Sha'Baby |
6:00 PM
Shabbat Blessings with Friends |
6:30 PM
Kabbalat Shabbat Services
Saturday, May 23
9:00 AM
Open Book
Torah Study |
10:00 AM
Shabbat Morning Services |
8:30 PM
Ravayah: Havdalah Ecstatic Dance
LAST ONE OF THE SEASON!
Couldn't make services last week?
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Here For You in this Uncertain Time
Do you need help with grocery/meal/errand help? Can you offer to help with that?
Are you or a family member sick and want to be listed on our public
refuah shleyma (healing) list at services? Are you or a family member sick and want private support/prayer from clergy?
Support Group for Romemu Health Care Providers and their Loved Ones
Next Session 5/24!
Sundays, 5:00 - 6:15 PM
We are living through an unprecedented time of medical and psychological crises as we battle the COVID-19 virus. At the front line of this effort are you, our health care professionals. You care for us all under conditions of enormous stress and risk. Join Romemu members licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Diane Burhenne and Rabbi Elyse Frishman for this private support group, designed to offer care for the caregivers and their loved ones during this challenging time.
To register and receive the Zoom link please send an email to either:
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ROMEMU EMERGENCY FUND
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While most of our services and programs are free of charge as we have moved online, the overall needs of the community have increased dramatically. We still need your help to sustain those who make our services, programs, pastoral care, and community outreach possible. If you can,
please consider making a tax-deductible contribution
to help support our clergy, staff, musicians, and contract workers during this difficult time.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE
!
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"
Shmitah and Yovel
" Last Week's Sermon from
Rabbi Jill Hammer
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Rabbi Jill Hammer explores the laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee detailed in the weekly portion and teaches us how these laws teach us to treat the land as sacred. The Torah explains the practice of the sabbatical year (
shmitah
) and the jubilee year
(yovel
), in which those who work the land are to refrain from farming activity in order to let the land rest. The land is seen as a living entity; it deserves and needs rest, and failure to allow this rest will have consequences. Accordingly, there is to be no organized planting or harvesting of produce. It’s easy to see a connection between the ancient practice of
shmitah
and
yovel
and the contemporary calls to care for the earth. Listen to Rabbi Hammer's sermon to hear her teachings on what these practices have to teach us about the sanctity of the earth, social class and obligations to the poor, and even the essential nature of God.
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Supporting our Immigrant Friends in the time of COVID-19:
A People of Faith Forum with New Sanctuary Coalition
Thursday, 5/21, 7:15pm
In this moment of COVID-19, our immigrant friends face unprecedented challenges. At the same time, in this moment of COVID-19, most of us have to change the way we engage in direct action and advocacy in order to comply with social distancing and support communal safety. As people of faith committed to prophets' vision of justice, what can we do to respond in this moment and what can we do to plan for the future when we can be together again? Join interfaith leaders and New Sanctuary Coalition Executive Director Ravi Ragbir and Multi-Faith Coordinator Micah Bucey to learn and to engage in collective action.
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Spiritual Resources for Traveling through the Wilderness | Chant your way through the desert
Wed, 5/20, 7:30 - 8:45 PM
Rabbi Shoshana Mitrani Knapp will serve as our guide in the practice of chanting. In these immersive sessions, participants will use chanting as a grounding spiritual tool for finding their way through the current wilderness of confusion as we together travel from the freedom of Passover to the revelation of the upcoming holiday of Shavuot.
Spiritual Resources for Traveling through the Wilderness | Yoga through the Omer
Select Fridays (May 22 & 29), 2:00 -2:45 PM
Ahmed Soliman (
www.yogisoli.com
) will serve as our guide in the practice of yoga. In these immersive sessions, participants will explore embodied practice as a grounding spiritual tool for finding their way through the current wilderness of confusion as we together travel from the freedom of Passover to the revelation of the upcoming holiday of Shavuot. This yoga practice will be a gentle flow with an emphasis on exploring the kabbalistic significance of this period through our bodies. Bring a yoga mat if you have one. Props will be specified at the beginning of each session.
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Attention All!
Rich Orloff is looking for actors for a ten-minute comedic play that will be recorded on Zoom and shared at Romemu's Shavuot Pre-Tikkun gathering. Age and gender not important; talent and chutzpah essential. There will be two rehearsals.
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Pre-Tikkun Gathering
Thursday May 28, 2020 - 8:00 – 9:15PM
Romemu Pre-Tikkun Gathering with Rabbi Mira Rivera, Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses & Jerry Korman.
Join us for an intimate gathering of Romemu members featuring chanting, story-telling, Torah study and sephirotic wisdoms. Enjoy some soulful time in Romemu community before we spend the night with the larger Jewish community.
Romemu & the Jewish Emergent Network Present:
Thursday May 28, 2020 at 10:00 PM EST - Friday, May 29, 2020 at 8:00 PM EST
Join Romemu and our brother/sister communities including IKAR in LA, Lab Shul in NYC, the Kitchn in SF, and Sixth & I in Washington DC among others for a night of Shavuot learning with some of Judaism's most inspiring teachers including our very own Rabbi David, Rabbi Mira &
H
azzan Basya. Program and presenter details to follow. Facebook Event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/228771908572939/
Romemu & the JCC Manhattan
(The Paul Feig z"l Tikkun Leil Shavuot)
Thursday May 28, 2020 at 9:00pm - Friday, May 29, 2020 at 5:00am
It’s Shavuot, and it’s time to study all night! This year, Romemu is teaming up with the JCC Manhattan for a night of revelatory learning with teachers from across the spectrum of Jewish Life. Join us for Torah study, film, music, dance, yoga, virtual cheesecake and more in celebration of Shavuot. Zoom in for an hour, 3 hours or stay the night.
Bargaining with God with Rabbi Mira Rivera
Bargaining with parents, guardians, and teachers is something that we have done all our lives. If you do X, then I will do Y. And who has not bargained with G!d in Covid-19 times? If You keep my beloved alive, if You restore me in health, if I get to keep my job, then I will (fill in the blank). What does calling the Divine to task with chutzpah and compassion look like in our biblical, rabbinical, kabbalistic, and modern texts?
Click here
to register and for the latest schedule of teachings including our very own Rabbi Mira!
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Romemu Yeshiva Electives & Courses + Virtual Meditation Retreat
Our website is now updated with our
calendar
and list of courses:
- Twice a week courses are Kabbalah, Hasidut, and Rabbinics (Talmud) Registration deadline for twice a week courses: Monday, May 25
- Seven options for once-a-week classes, such as "Jewish Spiritual Practices" with Rav James Jacobson Maisels on Tuesdays, "Avodah Shebalev (Service of the Heart): Jewish Prayer and Liturgy" with Rabba Dorothy Richman" on Wednesdays, and "Devotional Song" with Rabbi Mira Rivera on Fridays. Registration deadline for electives: Monday, June 1
Click here
to read more about the Romemu Yeshiva curriculum and
click here
to read more about who the yeshiva is for. All yeshiva programs are available on a sliding scale, with tuition waivers for those who qualify.
To apply for need-based tuition discounts or waivers,
use
this form
.
Deadline for requesting financial aid: Wednesday, May 22
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Romemu Virtual Campus Schedule
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PRAYER
Morning Minyan
Mon. - Fri. 7:30-8:30 AM with Mourners Kaddish at 8:15
Sunday 8:30-9:30 AM with Mourners Kaddish 9:15 AM
Start the day in prayer with Rabbi Mira Rivera and community. Plug into the power of a morning practice to stay centered during uncertain times.
Shabbat Blessings with Friends (with Romemu Community Members)!
Fridays, 6:00-6:20 PM
With much love, we invite us all to welcome Shabbat together with kindling of lights, Kiddush, sweet song and breath of light. Have your candles and kiddish cup ready — or share ours virtually. Looking forward to celebrating together! Led by and for Romemu members.
Kabbalat Shabbat Services
Fridays, 6:30-8:30 PM
These inclusive Friday night Shabbat services unite the traditional and the eclectic, and integrate music, chanting, meditation, and movement to nourish the body, mind, and soul.
Click here
t
o access the siddur.
Shabbat Morning Services
Saturdays, 10:00-12:30 PM
Our Saturday morning services, combine soulful, dynamic prayer and a rich, imaginative Torah service that brings the weekly wisdom to life
.
Click here
to access the siddur.
Ravayah: Havdalah Ecstatic Dance
Don't miss our last Ravayah until summer! Stay tuned for more details about our next Havdalah Ecstatic Dance.
Saturdays through 5/23, 8:30-10:00 PM
Join us weekly for Havdalah, the Jewish ritual marking the end of Shabbat and the beginning of a new week. Led by Hazzan Basya Schechter and Kohenet Rachel Leah, followed by a dance of liberation led by Kohenet Aliza Rivka aka DJ Shechina! No dance/movement experience is necessary.
Click here to register
Zoom link provided upon registration.
Suggested Donation is $18 to help keep Romemu events sustainable, but no one will be turned away for opting out of this. All are welcome.
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LEARNING
Please note that Daily Mishna Study will no longer be in session. Be sure to take advantage of all the other learning opportunities below!
Hasidic Masters Series: R’ Tzadok Ha’Kohen from Lublin
M-F Weekdays 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Join Rabbi Ingber as he teaches from the writings of the great Hasidic teachers. We will explore the writings of each master for a month at a time. This month we learn directly from the writings of one of the greatest and most prolific teachers, Rabbi Zadok Rabinowitz, known as the greatest student of the Ishbitzer Rebbe.
Aleph Bet I
Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 PM
This Hebrew class is good for those who already have some familiarity with the Hebrew letters and basic reading but would like to improve their reading skills, better understand the meaning of words and delve into some basic principles of the Hebrew language. To make your reading come alive, we uncover hidden secrets behind the words, make connections to other Hebrew word roots, and connect more deeply to Hebrew text. We will apply what we learn to familiar and new texts, modern Hebrew, everyday life, the holidays, conversation, and more.
With Wendy Miles.
Registration is limited and open by personal inquiry. If you are interested in learning Hebrew, please contact Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses (
[email protected]
) to discuss possible options.
Beit Midrash
Tuesdays, 8:00 - 9:30 PM
Every Tuesday night Romemu clergy will unpack an essential
Hasidic
idea including elevating sparks, mystical union, joy, ecstatic prayer, equanimity, the power of chant and
niggun
, serving G-d with our bodies and in all we do, and more.
Talmudic Stories
Last session 5/27!
Wednesdays, 2:00 - 3:00 PM
This class will explore one Aggadic (story) from the Talmud each week. No hebrew or Talmudic knowledge required.
With Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses
The Sky Within
Next Session 5/21!
Thursdays, Select Dates, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
This class brings together the teachings of Rosh Chodesh, Astrology and Mussar. Participants work directly with their own astrological charts and are encouraged to set intentions to maximize the potent new moon period. Text study, journal writing, and work in groups and chevruta (partnerships) are also encouraged. Each class begins with a sharing of our Mussar practice with the prior month’s middah (trait). This is a drop in class.
With Alina Bloomgarden and Caren Fried
Please email
[email protected]
to register. Include your birthdate, time and location to have your chart prepared for class.
Open Book Torah Study
Saturdays, 9:00-10:00 AM
Prepare for a deeper, more resonant Torah service by dipping into sacred text study before services begin. Participants will study the parsha (Torah portion) of the week, with commentary, poetry, Hasidic wisdom and more.
With Rabbi Mira Rivera.
Click here
to access Open Book Source Sheets.
Falling in Love with the Beloved
Sundays (Select Dates) | Cohort 1, 3:00-6:00 PM | Cohort 2, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Come join the great legacy of mystics as we open to loving the Beloved! We are called to love God with all our heart, soul and strength. How do we open to this deep command and begin to taste the Divine Nectar of this transformational relationship? In this experiential class we hold sacred space for intimate sharing, deep listening, journaling, artmaking, meditation and reflection. Each participant will receive their own pasuk (verse of Torah) to live with as intimate friend and teacher for the year. This class meets once a month for the whole year. All are welcome.
With Nili Weissman
Aleph Bet II
Sundays, 10:30 -12:00 PM
This Hebrew class is good for those who already have some familiarity with the Hebrew letters and basic reading but would like to improve their reading skills, better understand the meaning of words and delve into some basic principles of the Hebrew language. To make your reading come alive, we uncover hidden secrets behind the words, make connections to other Hebrew word roots, and connect more deeply to Hebrew text. We will apply what we learn to familiar and new texts, modern Hebrew, everyday life, the holidays, conversation, and more.
With Jeremy Rosenshine
Registration is limited and open by personal inquiry. If you are interested in learning Hebrew, please contact Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses (
[email protected]
)
to discuss possible options.
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YOUTH & FAMILY
For a complete listing of Romemu's Youth & Family online programs
click here.
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Sha’Baby: Children’s Service with Tkiya
Fridays, 5:00-5:45 PM
Infants, toddlers, parents and grandparents are all welcome to join us for this wonderful way to introduce your little ones to Shabbat. Sha'Baby engages your child’s special energy through song, prayer, dance, and laughter. Facilitated by Carla Friend of Tkiya.
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Interested in Booking a B Mitzvah with Romemu?
At Romemu, we offer a program of study and exploration that creates a meaningful journey for the student and family. We are now booking for 2021 & 2022.
To learn more about our program or to choose your date,
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Strangers No More Monthly Discussion
Monthly on Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 PM
Are you an interfaith couple wrestling with how you will get married, raise children and celebrate holidays? Interested in Judaism or Romemu but grew up in another tradition? Identify as Jewish but still feel “a stranger” at times in Jewish settings? If you answered “yes” any of these questions, come and join a wonderfully diverse part of the Romemu community for our monthly discussion series – a safe, non-judgmental setting to explore together. Newcomers expected and welcomed. This session is part of a series that meets the first Wednesday of each month. While attendance at every session is not a requirement, we hope you will attend as many as you can!
Email Rev. Eleanor Harrison Bregman to register at
[email protected]
. Zoom link shared upon registration.
Care for the Soul with Rev. Eleanor Harrison Bregman
Fridays, 2:00-3:00 PM
How are you doing in these times? Framed by spiritual readings, poetry, reflections and meditations. Join this virtual sharing circle designed to nurture the soul and help us stay connected during uncertain times.
Community Check-In, with Romemu Staff & Clergy
M-Th Weekdays, 5-5:40 PM
Now more than ever, we need a spiritual connection and community. Even with physical separation, we can gather and check-in with one another. Bring a candle, bring your presence, bring your voice and your listening. We will start promptly at 5:00 pm and go until 5:40. Come early to shmooze and hangout, and receive support with your technology. Led by Romemu Staff & Clergy.
"
Romemu's 5 o'clock check-ins have become an oasis for my soul. It's a place where I can bring all of me, and where I feel not only supported but nourished. I highly recommend these half-hours to anyone who wants to take a break from the stresses of the day and feel the comfort of our loving, spiritual community." - Romemu Member
12-Step Inspired Group at Romemu
If you are a member of any 12-step program and part of the Romemu community, we invite you to a Jewish,12-step inspired recovery meeting. For more information and for meeting dates and locations, please contact
[email protected]
.
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WHAT MATTERS IS THERE FOR YOU….
What Matters: Caring Conversations About End of Life
is an initiative in the Jewish community of New York that highlights the importance of advance care planning. The COVID-19 crisis has brought this process to our doorsteps. If you would like help in developing an advance care plan, Romemu has trained and certified facilitators to help you with this.
Please email us at
[email protected]
and one of our team members will be in touch with you.
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Thank you to our Holy Callers!
Volunteer to Reach Out & (Virtually) Touch Someone
We want to check in with each one of you, one-on-one, to see how you are doing, listen to how you are feeling, ask for what you need, and accept what you can offer to others.
A huge “Thank You” to all our amazing, holy callers, and to our Yad B’Yad membership and
H
esed committee leaders for organizing. We need more volunteers. To help call those in need, or to offer assistance in other ways, sign up by
CLICKING HERE or email
[email protected]
.
Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care is a model of spiritual and emotional support in which clergy members support people in their pain, loss, and anxiety, as well as in their joys and blessings. It’s a holistic approach that focuses on guiding, supporting, healing and empowering people to draw upon spiritual resources. It is not psychotherapy and clergy may refer individuals to therapists. Sessions last for 45-50 minutes, are usually limited to three consecutive sessions, and are intended for Romemu members only. Since our clergy acts as a team, any one of our pastoral clergy may meet with you. Please note, the clergy meets weekly as a team to confidentially discuss pastoral cases. Although you will only be meeting with one member of the team, you will have the benefit of the expertise of the whole pastoral team to support you.
For pastoral emergencies, such as a death in the family, please email
[email protected]
or call (212) 580-4294, press 1, and leave a message.
H
esed Care
During this time we know that there are many needs in our community - spiritual, emotional and physical. We also know that we have many resources amongst us and that while we might not be physically able to gather, we are still “stronger together.”
With that as our principle, the Romemu clergy team partners with community volunteers on the Hesed Committee to provide essential services to community members in need. Such support may include assistance ordering food online or by phone, picking up and delivering medications, and helping obtain any other essential items that cannot be ordered online or delivered by the vendor.
The Hesed Committee relies on community members offering their time and attention to help. During this intense time, we lots of people to volunteer… in fact, everyone who can.
Please sign up as a volunteer (no specific commitment or skills required) by emailing
[email protected]
.
A huge “Thank You” to all our amazing, holy callers, and to our Yad B’Yad membership and Hesed committee leaders!
Resources
COVID-19: The Risks- Know Them - Avoid Them
https://erinbromage.wixsite.com/covid19/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them
PAUSE (Shelter in Place): What does it mean?
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-main.page
Food Resources:
Individuals who experience food insecurity may need to prepare for quarantine or shutdowns. They should consider going to a digital pantry or ordering food to be delivered. Education is also important – you do not need to be a citizen to receive services at a food bank.
HFLS Interest-Free Bridge Loans:
Hebrew Free Loan Society is offering interest-free bridge loans for anyone affected by the coronavirus who lives in the five boroughs of New York City, in Westchester County, or on Long Island. Interest-free loans of $2,000-$5,000 are available for purposes including (but not limited to) lost wages due to being unable to go to work, childcare costs due to school closures, small business losses, canceled study abroad programs, related medical costs. Find more information
here
and please share with anyone in your communities who may be affected.
Your Money: A Hub for Help During the Coronavirus Crisis
If your income has fallen or been cut off completely, we’re here to help. This guide will connect you to the basic information you’ll need to get through this, including on government benefits, free services and financial strategies.
Virtual Resources for Families:
In an effort to support families with young children who are quarantined or selecting to do less socializing through playdates or community classes, UJA-Federation of NY, PJ Library, the Foundation for Jewish Camp and The Jewish Education Project have come together to aggregate a collection of high-quality Jewish activities and content that families can engage in together at home:
https://pjlibrary.org/familyactivities
Remote Learning Device from NYC The Department of Education |
Click here
Stress Reduction:
The Institute for Jewish Spirituality is offering opportunities for anyone who is looking for some moments of calm, centeredness, and clarity. In addition to the free resources available, individuals can access online courses at a discounted rate with code UJA-NY. You can find more information here:
https://www.jewishspirituality.org/get-started/resources-for-challenging-times/
Information and Links to Other Resources
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How to Access Romemu Online
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FACEBOOK LIVE:
You DO NOT need a Facebook account to view our
Facebook page
. Each video will go live at the noted time on the schedule below and will save once it has finished streaming, so you can watch it as many times as you want after it has finished.
ZOOM CONFERENCING:
Click on the link listed under each program under each program to join. You do not need a Zoom account to participate through phone, however, if you would like to participate via computer you must first
download
the Zoom app. For more information on getting Zoom started,
CLICK HERE
.
LIVESTREAM: Please note that because of technical limitations now that we have moved to Facebook and Zoom conferencing we are no longer using LiveStream.
Please make sure that you’re set up on these platforms so you can take advantage of everything possible. If you need help accessing, installing or understanding any of these technologies and would a Romemu volunteer to guide you, please contact
[email protected]
.
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Support our clergy, staff and contract workers during this difficult time by making a donation. Please
click here
to make your gift today.
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Romemu | (212) 580-4294 | romemu.org
The Romemu Campus
| Corner of 105 St. & Amsterdam Ave.
Romemu Center
| 176 West 105 Street
Romemu @ West End Presbyterian Church
| 165 West 105 Street
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