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WEEKLY NEWS
Aug. 23, 2022
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AN EARLY HIGH HOLIDAY PREVIEW | |
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Friday Night Services
In-Person and on YouTube
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✦ Aug. 26, 7PM
CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM ASCENDANT
Recent court decisions and federal and state legislation are upending many of our illusions about a neutral America. Rabbi Falick will discuss where we've been and where we are headed.
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Aug. 26 service is in person and online at YouTube.
Click HERE or on the graphic to watch.
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✦ September 2: No service
Labor Day Break
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✦ Sept. 9, 7PM
WHO ARE TODAY'S ORTHODOX JEWS?
Humanistic Jews and Orthodox Jews may seem worlds apart, but what we have in common is a strong commitment to our belief systems. Some of us - our own rabbi included - even have beloved Orthodox family members. Rabbi Falick will explain the various groups that come under the umbrella of Jewish Orthodoxy.
✦ Sept. 16, 7PM
ISRAEL UPDATE
By request, Rabbi Falick will take us inside recent events in Israel, including the upcoming general election.
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👉 Please note that Friday night services are on hiatus during the High Holiday period, Sept. 23 - Oct. 7. Following that, the next Friday night gathering will be our Sukkot Program, sponsored by the Social Justice Committee, on Friday, Oct. 14, 7pm. | |
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COVID SAFETY UPDATE:
Please note that the current CDC transmission level for Oakland County is ORANGE so masks are now REQUIRED in all public spaces. Weather permitting, the Oneg Shabbats will be held outside so that those eating may more comfortably remove them. For more information, including the current CDC transmission by county, please visit THIS LINK at our website. This guidance is subject to change after each Thursday's CDC update.
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ATTEND OUR PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING!
Wednesday, Aug. 31, 7PM
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89331251405
Requires the regular CHJ password. Contact [email protected] if you need it.
All CHJ members are invited to our next committee meeting when we will review CHJ program plans for the coming year.
Our committee's goal is to present programs that meet the needs of our members for learning, fun, personal self-care, and interpersonal engagement.
For more information please contact committee co-chair Bruce Hillenberg: [email protected]
PLEASE CONSIDER ATTENDING ...
AND BRING YOUR IDEAS!
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UPCOMING PROGRAMS:
LUNCH BUNCH GATHERINGS
4th Wednesday of each month,
Next session:
Wed., Aug. 24, 12:30PM
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GETTING GOOD AT GETTING OLDER
Next session:
Wed., Aug. 24, 1:15PM
Dr. Bruce Hillenberg, a Clinical Psychologist, will facilitate our group. The topic will be "The Importance of Self Care."
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR WED., SEPT. 28, WHEN BOTH PROGRAMS MEET AGAIN!
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AUGUST OUTING
THIS Friday, Aug. 26, 10:15AM
Visit to the Detroit Historical Museum
Lunch at Nearby Babo Restaurant
| For more information contact CHJ Board Member / Daytimers Coordinator Suzanne Paul: [email protected]. | |
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No experience necessary. We weed, pick up trash, rake, and more.
People with power tools are needed to cut scrub around parking circle and parking lots.
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NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING:
Saturday, Sept. 10, 11:30AM
On Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83724601038
AGENDA WILL INCLUDE:
- Sukkot / Social Justice Shabbat to take place on Oct. 14
- Support for CARES of Farmington Hills
- First Day Kits for people transitioning from houselessness to new homes
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THANK YOU!
... to all who helped with our congregation's table at the Hazon Jewish Food Festival and the Jewish Earth Alliance table ... Sarah Markowitz, Suzie Friedman, Cindy and Bruce Hillenberg, Melanie Goldberg, Audrey Pleasant, and Jermaine. We were well represented and greeted many visitors to our prominent display with information about our congregation and a cool environmental activity.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Sukkot Social Justice Celebration
Friday, Oct. 14, 7PM
Planning is underway for our annual Sukkot program featuring a visit by W. Bloomfield Township Clerk Debbie Binder. Good will donations will support the Social Justice Committee's work. If you would like to contribute a menu item (homemade or purchased) healthy for people and the planet, please contact Audrey: [email protected].
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MICHIGAN COALITION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (MCHR) | |
Thursday, Aug. 25, 5 - 8PM
Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish
13500 Oak Park Blvd, Oak Park, MI 48237
A time to gather, connect, and dialogue with renowned local activists. Grow in knowledge! Support human rights! Empower yourself and others!
This is the first annual event to raise awareness, educate, and mobilize the community. Join us for a powerful talk with activists sharing lived experiences of the civil rights movement and beyond.
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Speakers
** Gloria Aneb House, Ph.D. Author, Scholar, Artist, Civil Rights Activist
** John W. Hardy, Actor, Narrator, Educator, Civil Rights Activist
** Tyrone Green, Activist, Son of Sarah Evans (civil rights mother in the movement)
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND PURCHASE TICKETS!
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AN EARLY HIGH HOLIDAY PREVIEW | |
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You’ve probably heard the old Jewish joke about our holidays always being early or late but never on time. That joke does not apply to rabbis staring down Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For us, those holidays are on time when they come at the latest possible moment on the Jewish calendar, something that generally occurs the year after they came at their earliest.
Like last year. When they began on Labor Day.
This weekend the Jewish world will turn the Hebrew calendar page from Av to Elul, the month preceding the high holidays. Jewish tradition views Elul as a time of introspection and self-reflection. Some Jewish communities begin saying penitential prayers. Many who attend weekday worship will hear the Shofar at the conclusion of these services.
These and other traditions are intended to set the stage for the Big Ten Days, also known as the Days of Awe, the time of forgiving and forgiveness. Even before the founding of our movement of Secular Humanistic Judaism, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur saw massive attendance spikes by secular Jews at religious services. That’s why they started selling pricey tickets.
Our congregation does not sell tickets to those holidays. We know that we are providing the only communal holiday experience for those who don’t believe in the God of tradition and we want our fellow secular Jews to see why attending a celebration that fits their outlook on life is a positive thing. Also, it’s shorter. A lot shorter.
What is not shorter are my presentations. Even with the holidays still almost five weeks away I’m immersed in them.
My “theme” this year is a look at our “Very Human Superpowers.” Two of these come from the negative side of the human experiential ledger and two of them are generally considered positive. On Erev (the eve of) Rosh Hashanah, I’ll talk about “Turning Fear into Strength.” The next morning I’ll discuss “Cultivating Our Curiosity.” Yom Kippur will kick off with our Kol Nidre service and an examination of “Turning Anger Into Positive Action.” The next day’s topic will be about “Uncovering Our Capacity for Awe,” something that’s not always easy for us Humanists.
Next week we’ll activate the link to all of our holiday programming at our website. But if you’d like a sneak peak of the dates and times and other events, you can visit https://www.chj-detroit.org/high-holidays right now (though please keep in mind that there may be updates).
That secular Jews have been drawn so strongly to these holidays is a reminder that even in their longest and most traditional (and, frankly, boring) modes there is something powerful about the combination of celebrating a new year against the background of self-reflection. One of the reasons I became a Humanistic rabbi was to create ways to make Jewish “religious” traditions more meaningful and accessible to those who – like me – do not connect to traditional Judaism.
It has been three long years since we were able to gather in person for these holidays. In 2020 the holidays came before there was a vaccine so there was no hope of in-person celebrations. In 2021, when we were hit by the delta strain, we canceled in-person services at the last minute and put the whole thing online. This year we fully expect to gather in person. We will, however, broadcast our four primary services live on YouTube where recordings of them will remain posted for later viewing.
Three years is a very long time and we are so anxious to welcome back those who feel comfortable attending in person. As a bonus, our new music director Joseph Palazzolo will have some new arrangements of our beautiful music as we are also joined by several of our beloved musicians!
Please invite your family and friends!
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* METRO DETROIT JEWISH COMMUNITY NEWS | |
From the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) ... | |
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We're on the move to fight hate in our community! Join us on September 18 at the Southfield City Centre.
It's not just a walk - it's an opportunity to move as an individual, family or community toward a future without antisemitism, racism and all forms of bigotry.
However you move, register for ADL's Walk Against Hate today! Engage friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and set a fundraising goal to make a difference in your community.
Let's get moving, Michigan!
Click HERE to Register
Click HERE to Support a Walker or Team
Click HERE for Detailed Information
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* CONGREGATIONAL NEWS
HELP A YOUNG CHJ MEMBER FUND A GAP YEAR IN ISRAEL!
Hello! My name is Sasha Wade and I grew up at our congregation.
My dream is to make it to Israel through the Habonim Dror Gap Year Program known as Workshop. It is a program filled with fun - a joy for Israel and Judaism. It is a year spent exploring - what it means to be Jewish and how we connect to the land. And it is a year full of learning and growth - confronting the responsibilities we hold as Jews.
I reach out to you as a living part of the Jewish people. Any help towards reaching this goal would be greatly appreciated. I am a young Zionist with a vision of what I want to see in the world, and a hope for what I want Israel to be.
Thank you!
Please, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].
The best way to help me with my dream of reaching Israel is BY spreading the word and donating to my GoFundMe campaign, which can be found here at https://gofund.me/d3414857 and is called Workshop Habonim Dror Year in Israel
For even more information about the Workshop program and Habonim Dror as a movement, resources are linked here: https://www.hdnaisrael.org/workshop
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*REFUAH SHLEMA (SPEEDY RECOVERY) | |
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Best Wishes for a Speedy Recovery to:
Joe Gadon, RuthE. Goldman, Max Lark, Debra Luria, Rabbi Peter Schweitzer
Please inform us if you know that someone is ill or in need.
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CURRENT COVID-19 SAFETY POLICY
VACCINATION & MASK REQUIREMENTS
All visitors to our building who are eligible for inoculation must be fully vaccinated. Members may provide verbal confirmation of this. Guests who are not members may be asked to show proof of vaccination. When CDC transmission levels are GREEN, masks are recommended but not required for everyone in public areas. When CDC transmission levels are at YELLOW or ORANGE, masks are required in public areas. (At congregational events where a meal is served, when seated at a table participants may eat and drink without masks.) For current Oakland Co., Michigan transmission levels, go to THIS LINK.
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For more details on safety and mitigation efforts, please click here.
(Those who are unable to be vaccinated - due solely to medical reasons - may contact the office to make advance arrangements for socially distanced participation at certain public gatherings; email [email protected] or call 248.477.1410.)
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ONLINE, IN-PERSON & BOTH!
In-person classes require full vaccination; see above
RABBI FALICK'S SATURDAY CLASS ("REBBE'S TISCH")
Join him for a historical look at Jewish texts throughout the ages.
Saturdays, 10AM, Zoom Only / No Class on Sept. 3
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/759671597
UNROLLING JUDAISM WITH RABBI FALICK
A deeper look at Jewish customs, traditions, and historical events ... from ancient times to today!
Mondays, 1PM, Zoom Only
Class on hiatus until autumn.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/214102965
JEWISH HISTORY (& CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION)
WITH NATAN FUCHS
On hiatus until after Yom Kippur.
Sundays, 11AM, In-Person Only
SOCRATES CAFE
Every Tuesday, 10:30AM, Zoom Only
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/182488428
MAH-JONGG
Tuesdays, 1-2:30PM, In-Person
For more information, contact Denise Parker, 248.321.9428
YOGA
Wednesdays, 9:30AM, In-Person
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ZOOM REQUIRES A PASSWORD!
The password was sent under separate cover. Please contact [email protected] if you need it.
ONLINE VIDEOS OF PROGRAMS & CLASSES
Visit LibrarySHJ.com and our YouTube page for videos of past services, classes, lectures, and more!
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CONGREGATION FOR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM
OF METRO DETROIT
248.477.1410 / [email protected]
STAY CONNECTED:
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