Category Archives: Planning
MONTANA JEWISH PROJECT: SAVE THE DATE
Hello everyone,
I hope you’re doing well. I’m emailing two save the dates: one for the MAOR and MJP Purim Across Montana on March 2nd, and one for the MJP Shabbaton on June 26th-28th. Graphics for both events are attached and you are now free to share them as you wish.
I have the registration for Purim Across Montana here: REGISTRATION FOR PURIM ACROSS MONTANA The registration email includes the zoom link. (Rabbi Laurie and I will be reaching out for participants in the program in a few weeks.)
The link for the Shabbaton registration will go live in March once we’ve finalized location, cost, and other details. You are free to share the image attached at any time.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best,
Kaelie
—
Kaelie Giffel, PhD
Administrative and Events Coordinator, Montana Jewish Project
I check email on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
https://www.montanajewishproject.com/
(406) 282-4706
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THIS UPCOMING EVENT (PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE)
This is a reminder of the Kabbalat Shabbat service led by Devorah Werner on the second Friday of the month, July 11, 2025, 15 Tammuz, 5785, at 6:00 P.M. at the Bethel.
The address for the Bethel is 1009 18th Avenue Southwest. click here for map and directions.
Hope to see you there.
MJP STATEWIDE SUMMER SHABBATON June 27-29, 2025
Attached are two versions of the better graphic for the statewide Shabbaton. (One is vertically aligned; the other, horizontally).
This is the link to our website with more information and FAQs. It also links to the registration page.
Shabbaton Information and Registration
Register now! Early-bird registration is extended to May 18.
Thank you!
Shabbat shalom,
Rebecca
—
Rebecca Stanfel
Executive Director, Montana Jewish Project
https://www.montanajewishproject.com/
(916) 216-1580 (mobile)
(406) 282-4706 (MJP)
AITZ CHAIM COMMUNITY PESACH SEDER INVITATION — APRIL 12, 2025; 14 NISAN, 5785
The 2025 Aitz Chaim/Great Falls Jewish Community’s Passover Seder will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 5:30pm; 14 Nissan, 5785. It’s time to get your reservations in!
In order to plan effectively, we ask that you make a reservation by Friday, April 4, 2025; 7 Nissan, 5785. You can do that easily by filling out this form at: https://bit.ly/GreatFallsSeder5785 or just contact me directly, if you prefer, at president@aitzchaim.com
We will provide additional details once we receive your reservation.
This year’s Seder will be self-catered by volunteers in the community. We will also need volunteers for setup and clean-up. Please let us know if you would like to help out!
We do not have a set fee to attend this year, but a free will donation will be accepted at the Seder to help off-set costs.
The meal will include all the traditional fixings and a multi course dinner, including:
- matzo ball soup
- brisket
- chicken
- vegetable
- dessert
We look forward to seeing you there!
-Laura
MONTANA SUMMER SHABBATON 2025 — PLANNING
MONTANA JEWISH PROJECT INVITES YOU TO JOIN OUR STATEWIDE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN:
Shabbaton :
An Intergenerational Family Weekend Retreat
WHEN? JUNE 27- 29, 2025
We are very excited for this! We are hiring a Shabbaton Coordinator to oversee all the logistics, but we are hoping for volunteers from all of Montana’s Jewish communities to help us with program ideas, expertise, and energy. Our vision is to collaboratively create this opportunity for Jewish folks from around Montana to get to know one another and to engage with Judaism in new ways.
INFO@MONTANAJEWISHPROJECT.COM
REMINDER: MONTHLY MISHPACHA MEETING ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024, ON ZOOM
Dear friends,
This is just a friendly reminder that our monthly Mishpacha meeting is on Thursday, November 14 at 6 PM.
The agenda is below.
This Monthly Mishpacha meetings– or online gathering of our “family” of Montana’s Jewish congregations and communities–are to learn about each other, identify areas where we can collaborate, and update you all on MJP’s current plans in process for statewide Jewish community gatherings in 2025.
As I mentioned in my last email, we would love to have a rabbi, board chair or board member, or active community member attend. Please forward this to relevant people in your community! If this time and date doesn’t work, that’s OK. We’ll keep these going regularly
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
I am looking forward to seeing you!
Rebecca
—
Rebecca Stanfel
Executive Director, Montana Jewish Project
https://www.montanajewishproject.com/
(916) 216-1580 (mobile)
(406) 282-4706 (MJP)
Monthly Mishpacha
Working Together to Bring More Jewish Community, Learning, and Support to Montana’s Jewish Congregations and Communities
Thursday, November 14, 6:00 PM
AGENDA
I. Brief Introductions:
II. Starting Vision for this Group
III. Family Shabbaton 2025
A. Confirming date: July 25-27
B. Confirming location: Cane Ridge West in Lincoln
C. Details of support MJP can provide
D. How MAOR congregations and communities can help make this a success.
E. Moving Shabbaton planners to a separate group that is interested in helping create the program for adults and children and collaborating with the Shabbaton Coordinator.
IV. Upcoming MAOR/MJP Events Online and why this is important for Montana.
A. Hanukkah Across Montana (Sunday, December 29 at 6 PM)
B. Purim (Rabbi Francine, Friday March 14 at 5 or 6 PM)
C. Let’s choose and set dates for additional collaborations. Possibilities include:
a. Tu B’Shvat
b. Passover
c. Yom HaShoah
d. Shavuot
V. MJP has volunteered to lead the Montana Security Task for the past two years. We have coordinated somewhat regular meetings to discuss different resources for keeping our communities and congregations safe and secure, such as coordinating SCN’s visits to Montana, connecting communities to federal, state, and local law enforcement, facilitating help with FEMA grants, and more.
A. Should the Security Task Force remain separate from this group? Or should we fold it into these meetings?
VI. What is next?
A. Meeting times
B. What would your congregation or community like to prioritize working on with the support of MJP and in collaboration with other congregations and communities?
PLEASE COME TO OUR PASSOVER SEDER
Hello everyone-
The Aitz Chaim Community Passover Seder will be held at the O’Haire Motor Inn,
17 7th St. S.,
Saturday evening, April 8, at 5:30 pm.
The menu will include traditional Passover fixings such as charoset, gefilte fish, matzo ball soup and matzo and a buffet dinner of:
1. Honey garlic glazed salmon
2. Lemon Greek potatoes with oregano and garlic
3. Beef brisket with pearl onions and carrots
4. Sweet potato quinoa salad with dried cranberries
5. Meringues with fruit compote
Price will be $32 for adults, $16 for children ages 3- 12yo, under 3yo no charge.
Dietary specifications for this event will be Kosher for Passover style and sober friendly.
Food will be prepared without alcohol. Kosher for Passover wine will be available on request.
Deadline for reservations is Sunday April 2. Payment in advance is preferred.
Due to our obligation to our caterer, cancellations received after April 4 will still be responsible for payment in full.
Please e-mail reservations to:
Laura Weiss at: president@aitzchaim.com
Mail payment to:
GFHA
525 Central Avenue, suite L8
Great Falls, MT 59401
Stephen Boyd and Colleen Lemon will be our Seder leaders, and they are working hard to create a multi-media extravaganza. We will be using a modified version of the Maxwell House Haggadah. The places highlighted in purple will be omitted.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
PLEASE JOIN AITZ CHAIM FOR A COMMUNITY SUKKAH PARTY!
- WHAT? Aitz Chaim Community sukkot party
- WHEN? Sunday October 9th, 2022, Tishrei 14, 5783, 4:00PM
- Where? At Colleen Lemon’s house, 285 North Main St., Simms, 59477.
If anyone would like to carpool there, please let Wendy know at (406) 868-5712, or wendy@weissman.com and we can arrange a carpool. Driving time is about 30-40 minutes.
If you would like to build a sukkah or similar structure (there are talks about building a teepee) please show up about 4 PM to build your sukkah. Bring materials that you will need to build it.
Colleen and her family are building a sukkah. If you are not building a sukkah and don’t want to watch or help others build one, show up about 5 PM. At that time, we will finish decorating the sukkah, recite prayers and have a light dinner.
Please bring the following if you can, (but nothing is required to bring, just yourself):
1. Sukkah decorations. We will all be decorating the sukkah!
2. Food to share. We will have a traditional Israeli menu so bring items such as figs, dates, nuts, grapes, pomegranates, pineapple, challah (wendy will make this), pita chips, tabouleh, hummus, apples and honey and salat (which I found out is basically tabouleh without the wheat). Other food is also welcome. Or if you just want to show up and eat that is great too!
Please call or text Colleen at (412) 584-1973 with any questions you may have. The more the merrier, so please join us!!!
Submitted by Wendy Weissman
READY FOR ANOTHER JEW CREW HIKE? Devil’s Glen, Augusta
Our next north-central Montana hiking adventure will be Devil’s Glen. We will be caravanning from the Smith’s parking lot on September 10, meeting there at 8:00 AM and leaving there no later than 8:30 A.M. For anyone who wants to meet us at the trailhead, please make a point to be there by 10:00 A.M.
The Dearborn 206 trail, also called Devil’s Glen, is a spectacular hike at the headwaters of the Dearborn River and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The hike, which will total about six miles there and back, is considered to be easy, but features incredible views of limestone cliffs and waterfalls.
- Please make a point to bring your own lunch, sunscreen, water, and bear spray.
- dogs are welcome, but must be kept under the owner’s control at all times.
- There are latrine facilities at the trailhead.
- Aaron will prepare an appropriate adult discussion for Elul during lunch.
- Those interested may also decide to gather for a beer after the hike in Augusta.
Please get in touch with Aaron at aaron@weissman.com or phone: (406) 868:8982, with any questions, or for directions to the trailhead.
AITZ CHAIM COMMUNITY PESACH SEDER UPDATE
- WHAT: Aitz Chaim Community Pessach Seder
- WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2022, at 5:30 PM
- WHERE: Clark and Lewie’s, the O�Haire Motor Inn, 17 7th. St. S.
According to Aitz Chaim Treasurer Aaron Weissman, we should be able to break even for the seder if we charge $40 per person. That should allow us to buy the gefilte fish, matzah, etc. that we will supply.
If you know of anyone coming that isn’t on the list, please let Aaron Weissman know ASAP by phone, 406-868:8982, or by email, aaron@weissman.com
or use our handy registration form REGISTER HERE FOR OUR AITZ CHAIM COMMUNITY SEDER
Please send your payment to Congregation Aitz Chaim,
C/O Wendy Weissman, CPA
525 Central Avenue, Suite L8
Great Falls, MT 59401-3271. , .
For more information, please see the article “Please Join Us for our Annual Aitz Chaim Pesach Seder” published on March 10, 2022, in the Ram’s Horn.
It will be so nice to have a face-to-face community Seder after a two-year hiatus. Looking forward to seeing you there!
The Aitz Chaim Ram's Horn 