Category Archives: Events
SCHEDULE CHANGE: Adult Discussion and Milchig Potluck Dinner Saturday, 5/5, 5:30 P.M. at the Bethel
The best laid plans …
Ah well. We had planned for a Lag B’Omer bonfire and celebration this weekend. However, if you take a look at the weather forecast, it just wasn’t to be. Saturday’s weather is supposed to be a high of about 50 with lots and lots of rain.
Therefore, we are going to go back to our original plans for Adult Discussion on Saturday evening. We will have a milchig potluck dinner, 5:30 p.m. at the Bethel. Hope to see you there!
Reminder: Scout Shabbat commemorated at Aitz Chaim Services this Friday!
Question: What is the only Jewish celebration that involves lighting campfires (bonfires) and shooting bows and arrows? Answer: Lag B’Omer! The holiday, a “break” in the solemnity involved in the counting of the Omer, is celebrated with bonfires, torches, song, shooting bows and arrows and feasting.
Fires may commemorate the revelation of the Zohar and bows and arrows may signify the rainbow (the sign given by Hashem to signify G-d’s promise to never again destroy the Earth with flood).
On a holiday marked by campfires and shooting arrows, we thought that it would be appropriate to also associate a more recent occassion with our Lag B’Omer celebration weekend. At services this coming Friday night (7:30 p.m. at the Bethel, 1009 18th Ave SW), we will mark the occasion of Scout Shabbat. Any Scout or Scouter attending in uniform will be able to wear the Scout Shabbat patch on their uniform. Patches will be available at services.
The 12th point of the Scout Law confirms that a Scout is Reverent. Part of the way that Scouts show their Reverence is to annually attend a Scout Sunday or Scout Shabbat observance.
The Scout Shabbat program is organized by the National Jewish Committee on Scouting. Aitz Chaim congregant Diane Sherick is our local Montana chapter chair of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting. More information can be found at jewishscouting.org.
Related articles
- Scout Sunday and Scout Shabbat (lcdistrictcommittee.wordpress.com)
- Lag B’Omer: A Jewish Holiday with No Food (aitzchaim.com)
- Scout Sunday and Scout Shabbat (aitzchaim.com)
- Israeli Lag Ba’Omer Bar-B-Que (ronit18.wordpress.com)
- May 4-6 Week End Schedule (aitzchaim.com)
REMINDER: Ofer Goren performance on May 3 at 7 p.m.
The hilarious Israeli mime Ofer Goren is returning to Great Falls for a return performance on May 3 at 7 p.m. at the Bethel, 1009 18th Ave SW! Many thanks to the Israeli Outreach group Soultrain for making this performance possible.
You do not want to miss this hilarious and free program! We hope to see you there!
“UNLESS YOU REMEMBER” — PLEASE WATCH AND SHARE THIS YOM HASHOAH VIDEO
Adam Farberman has produced a memorial video for the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal for this year’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah. It is important for all of us to watch it.
Submitted by Don and Helen Cherry
HELENA JEWISH COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS
Shalom!
This is the last week to catch the impressive Marc Chagall and Ben-Zion display that is currently at Carrol College’s Art Gallery, in St. Charles Hall. The exhibit runs through April 20th, 9a.m. to 9p.m. Definitely worth seeing and contemplating.
In conjunction with the weeks long multi-cultural and multi-ethnic program that Barry Ferst has been directing at Carroll, this Thursday night, April 19th, at 7:30pm in the Carroll College Student Center, main floor lounge, there will be a Holocaust Remembrance event. In addition to speakers, a student panel and candle lighting ceremony, the MAJCO (Montana Association of Jewish Communities) Holocaust poster exhibit will be on display.
Ofer Goren, Israeli mime, will be in Helena on Wednesday, May 2nd. He will perform a program both poignant and entertaining, starting at 7pm in The Forum at Touchmark, on Saddle Dr. Public invited. Ask a friend to attend with you!
On Sunday, April 29th, Rabbi Chaim Bruk will be in town to offer a one hour talk entitled, “Who Knows Ten”, a teaching about the Ten Commandments. This program will start at 1pm. Venue to be determined.
It is time to start planning for the Hazon Environmental bike riders who will be coming to and through Helena on the weekend of June 22nd-24th. They will be staying at Carroll College where we will share potluck meals with the group, enjoy Shabbat services led by Rabbi Ed Stafman, have the opportunity to take a walking tour of “Jewish Helena” and more. Do plan to attend what promises to be a wonderful and very special Shabbat weekend right here in Helena. Also, if you are up to it, consider making the 90 mile bike ride to Bozeman, with the group on that Sunday morning. Rabbi Ed and several congregants from Beth Shalom have already signed up for the challenge.
Lots going on! Hope you can join in. Janet Tatz
Who Knows 10? An in depth look at the 10 Commandments with Rabbi Chaim Bruk
With the beginning of Spring, Aitz Chaim is beginning to sponsor many activities and classes!
In addition to the performance by Ofer Goren on Thursday, May 3 and the full schedule of services on the weekend of May 4-6, Chabad Lubavitch Rabbi Chaim Bruk will come to Great Falls on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. to teach a class on the 10 Commandments!
What: Who Knows 10, an in depth look at the 10 Commandments with Rabbi Bruk
When: 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 26
Where: Conference Room on the first floor of 1015 1st Ave N in Great Falls
Mark Your Calendar for Ofer Goren’s Performance in Great Falls on May 3 at the Bethel!
By Stephen Boyd
On May 3rd Ofer Goren is coming to great falls to put a free program on for us!
Ofer Goren is a professional Israeli Mime. He does single person mime shows. They involve situation comedies based on stories from the Bible and on everyday life.
The last time we had him in great falls was in 2010. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but he was hilarious!
He doesn’t speak very much English, basically none at all, but he understands it fairly well and he has no problem communicating back by pantomiming! His program is largely audience participation, and calls on the audience to help him with his acts. The really fun thing is, you get exactly what he is doing and then “mime” along!
I really hope to see many, many people there this performance. He is always a lot of fun. He will be performing at the Bethel at 7PM. Hope to see you there!
P.S. Due to an unexpected house guest, I will be unable to house him for the night and need another host. Does anyone else have a room available that night? He is an extremely gracious guest.
Related articles
- Aitz Chaim TO HOST MIME ARTIST OFER GOREN … DATE AND TIME TBA (aitzchaim.com)
SOME PASSOVER SONGS
(Sung to the tune of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music)
Cleaning and cooking and so many dishes
Out with the hametz, no pasta, no knishes
Fish that’s gefillted, horseradish that stings
These are a few of our Passover things.
Matzah and karpas and chopped up haroset
Shankbones and kiddish and yiddish neuroses
Tante who kvetches and uncle who sings
These are a few of our Passover things.
Motzi and maror and trouble with Pharoahs
Famines and locusts and slaves with wheelbarrows
Matzah balls floating and eggshell that clings
These are a few of our Passover things.
When the plagues strike
When the lice bite
When we’re feeling sad
We simply remember our Passover things
And then we don’t feel so bad.
Elijah
(Sung to the tune of “Maria”)
Elijah!
I just saw the prophet Elijah.
And suddenly that name
Will never sound the same to me.
Elijah!
He came to our seder
Elijah!
He had his cup of wine,
But could not stay to dine
This year–
Elijah!
For your message all Jews are waiting:
That the time’s come for peace and not hating–
Elijah–
Next year we’ll be waiting.
Elijah!
The Seder Plate Song
(Sung to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)
(By Dan Ochman)
Shank bone on my Seder plate
Helps to make the Seder great
Charoset and some wine to sip
Don’t forget the greens to dip
Bitter herbs and an egg complete
our Seder plate so now let’s eat!
Pharoh, Pharoh
(Sung to the tune of “Louie, Louie”)
CHORUS:
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
Oy oy oy oy oy oy!
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
A burnin’ bush told me just the other day
That I should come over here and stay.
Gotta get my people outta Pharaoh’s hands
Gotta lead my people to the Promised Land.
CHORUS
The Nile turned to blood! There were darkened black skies!
Gnats and frogs! There were locusts and flies!
The first born died, causing Egypt to grieve,
Finally Pharaoh said, “Y’all can leave!”
CHORUS
Me and my people goin’ to the Red Sea
Pharaoh’s army’s comin’ after me.
I raised my rod, stuck it in the sand
All of G-d’s people walked across the dry land.
CHORUS
Pharaoh’s army was a comin’ too.
So what you think that I should do?
Well, I raised my rod and I cleared my throat
And all of Pharaoh’s army did the dead man’s float.
CHORUS
Coda:
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
Oy oy oy oy oy oy!
Pharaoh, Pharaoh
Oh baby! Let my people go! HUH!
I said, we gotta go.
I said, we gotta go now.
Let’s go!
Reminder: Pesach Community Seder Reservations due by March 30
Pesach is just around the corner! You are invited to our community Pesach seder. If you are coming, please get in your reservation by Friday, March 30.
You can fill in an online reservation here. You can also just send an email to Laura Weiss, president@aitzchaim.com. Make your reservation today!
Aitz Chaim TO HOST MIME ARTIST OFER GOREN MAY 3
The Aitz Chaim board has received the following e-mail message.
From: Motti & Chaviva Isaak
Date: March 10, 2012 3:48:14 AM MST
Dear friends
Shalom,
I hope you are well and enjoying a very happy Purim!
Ofer Goren, our wonderful mime artist, will be in the USA between April 29 and May 13. He will perform with his new program.
Please let me know ASAP if you are interested in his visiting your community.
As soon as I hear from you, I will send you a proposed schedule for his visit.
Thank you and all the best,
Motti
Ofer Goren’s program has been a good one, but our audience participation in the past has been rather minimal. If we are interested in having him come, then we need volunteers to organize it, and to help set it up and take it down.
An event organizer would be responsible for the following:
* Secure Location for the event
* Secure Lodging for Ofer
* Arrange Advertising for the event
Stephen Boyd has volunteered again to organize this event. Please watch your Ram’s Horn for further information as it becomes available.
The Aitz Chaim Ram's Horn 