Category Archives: Planning
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Please mark your calendars to remind you of these upcoming events.
- * Friday, 03/28/14: Week end with Student Rabbi Bess Wohlner
- Monday, 04/14/2014–Tuesday, 04/22/2014: Pesach
- * Tuesday, 04/15/2014, 5:30 P.M.: Aitz Chaim Community Pesach Seder, at the O’Haire Motor Inn
- Monday, 04/28/2014: Yom HaShoah
- * Friday, 05/09/2014 — Saturday, 05/10/2014: Montana Jewish Retreat, Chabad Lubavitch of Montana, at the El Western Cabins and Lodges in Ennis
- Sunday, 05/18/2014: Lag B’omer (bonfire)
- Tuesday, 06/03/2014: Erev Shavuot
- Wednesday, 06/04/2014–Thursday, 06/05/2014: Shavuot (reading the book of Ruth
- * Saturday, 06/21/2014, 9:00 A.M.: Scout Shabbat, at the Montana Council Camporee in Townsend, in the 4-H building
- * Tuesday, 07/01/2014 — Thursday, 07/10/2014: Israeli Leadership Seminar in Israel
- Friday, 08/01/2014 — Sunday, 08/03/2014: Annual Statewide Hadassah Shabbaton, Billings
* See article in Ram’s Horn.
JEWISH SERVICES THIS WEEK END
Here is the schedule for services this week end.
- Friday Evening, March 28, 2014, 7:30 P.M.: Shabbat Services, led by Student Rabbi Bess Wohlner, at The Bethel. Oneg to follow.
- Saturday morning, March 29, 2014, 10:00 A.M.: Torah study at The Bethel.
- Saturday evening, March 29, 2014, 5:30 P.M.: Milchig (Dairy) Potluck and Adult Discussion at The bethel. Please bring a dairy dish to share.
The address of the Bethel is 1009 18th Avenue Southwest. click here for map and directions.
We look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible after this long winter. Come thaw out your Jewish spirit.
SCOUT SHABBAT 2014
The Montana Council 2014 Scout Shabbat will be held at 9am on June 21, 2014 at the Montana Council Camporee in Townsend, MT in the 4-H building. Service will be led by Aaron Weissman and Stephen Boyd, and is open to all attendees at the Camporee.
Aaron Weissman
Scoutmaster, Troop 1026, Great Falls, MT
Vice President for Program, Montana Council
Boy Scouts of America
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE AITZ CHAIM ANNUAL COMMUNITY SEDER 04/15/2014
EDITOR’S NOTE: The story is told of a Jew who is traveling on a ship with some merchants. They show off their merchandise and ask the Jew, “What do you have?” He taps his head and says, “Everything I own is in here.” They laugh and call him a fool.
Then a storm hits. The ship sinks and everyone is forced to swim to shore with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They reach a city, but the merchants have nothing to sell. They are forced to beg in the streets.
A few days later they see the Jew, well dressed and well fed. He drops some money in their begging cups. They say to him, “We had so much merchandise, but now we have nothing. You had nothing, but now you have so much. How can that be?”
He taps his head and says, “I told you that everything I own is in here. I have studied all my life and I have knowledge. I am working as a teacher.”
The merchants nod their heads and all agree that knowledge is the best merchandise.
Jews know what it is like to have lost everything and to have nothing, not even a home or a homeland. We have survived by holding on to our knowledge. Each time we have moved, we have brought with us our best merchandise: knowledge of our Torah, our history, our beliefs, our skills and our stories. These stories cannot be lost, stolen, or destroyed, not as long as we keep remembering them and retelling them to each new generation.
As we celebrate the second day of Pesach as a community this April 15, we will once again share our stories and beliefs as a people, and pass them on to our children. Please join us. Next year in Jerusallem! — END OF EDITOR’S NOTE
A long-standing congregation tradition, the Aitz Chaim Community Pesach Seder will be held on the second evening of Passover, on Tuesday, April 15, at the O’Haire Motor Inn meeting room at 7th Street and 1st Avenue South. We will gather at 5:15pm, the Seder service will start at 5:30pm.
The cost of this year’s meal, which will include
- matzo ball soup
- brisket with pearl onions and apricots
- honey lemon chicken
- salad
- roasted potatoes
- vegetable
- dessert
will be $27 for Adult Congregation Members and $36 for non-Members.
If there ARE any participants under 12yo let me know, and we will inquire about a child’s rate. This fee covers all of our costs for a traditional Passover Seder, including matzo, the traditional symbolic foods, kosher wine and grape juice.
Please send your reservation and payment for the meal to the congregation at 1015 1st Ave N., or via email to Laura Weiss, president@aitzchaim.com. You can also pay for your reservation through the “PayPal” link on this page. All reservations are expected to be paid before the Seder begins. We need to have a final count to the caterer by April 7. The final date when we can accept cancellations is April 10, and we will be unable to accommodate refunds if you are unable to attend and do not inform us by that date.
Submitted by Aitz Chaim Congregation President Laura Weiss
THE BAR MITZVAH IS ALMOST HERE
Friends and Family;
I would like to first apologize for sending a group email, but there is a lot to do before the Bar Mitzvah this coming Saturday! We are looking so very forward to seeing all of you. Wendy and I wanted to send out a brief note summarizing all the activities we are planning between now and Sunday. I know that all of you won’t be coming to all of the events, but we did want to get something out confirming times and logistics!
• Max’s Bar Mitzvah service will be on the morning of Saturday, December 28 at 10am in the Panorama Room upstairs at the Great Falls International Airport. Please park in the short-term parking lot, you will receive a parking validation token that will allow you to leave the lot free of charge. Lunch will follow in the same room.
• Max’s Bar Mitzvah project is a food drive for the Food Bank/East Middle School Food Pantry. If you like, please bring items of canned or boxed food to donate to the lunch.
In addition to the Bar Mitzvah itself, we are organizing and hosting several other get-togethers:
• There will be a short kabbalat shabbat service in the meeting room at the La Quinta Inn on Friday, December 27 at 4:30pm. There will be very limited seating in that room, but please feel free to come if you like.
• At 6pm on Friday, December 27 we will be hosting a dinner at Maple Garden Restaurant, 5401 9th Ave S. The dinner will be a chinese buffet, with plenty of vegetarian options.
• On the evening of December 28, there will be a dinner in honor of Max’s accomplishment at the Hilton Garden Inn, 2520 14th Street SW at 6pm.
• Sunday, December 29 will a fun day of skiing and other activities in the Little Belt Mountains! There are a number of recreational activities in the Little Belt Mountains. In addition to downhill skiing at Showdown, there are snowshoeing and cross country skiing opportunities. There is also a wonderful hot springs in the town of White Sulphur Springs.
After the Showdown lifts close at 4pm, we will be hosting a pizza party in the T-bar at Showdown. We hope you will join us then!
For those of you who want to ski, I have arranged for group rates at Showdown. You can let me know if you want to ski as late as Saturday evening, but I will need your payment by then. The options are as follows:
Group Lift Tickets
Adult All Area (13-69) $34
Jr All Area (6-12) $20
Sr All Area (70+) $25
Beginner Lift Only $20
5 & under Free
Magic Carpet Only Free
Group Rental
Skis, Boots and Poles, Full Day $18
Snowboard and Boots, Full Day $30
Group Lessons
Learn to Ski $30 or Learn to Snowboard $40
2 Hour Group Lesson $10
Daily at 10:30 or 1:30 (Skiers 7+, and Snowboarders 11+)
The “Learn to Ski or Snowboard” package includes a lesson, beginner chair lift ticket and your rentals. It is designed for first-timers.
We are so thrilled that you will be joining us to help mark and celebrate Max’s simcha!
B”Shalom,
Aaron and Wendy
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Please mark your calendars to remind you of these upcoming events.
- Wednesday, 11/27/2013—Thursday, 12/05/2013: Chanukkah.
- Wednesday evening, 11/27/2013, 5:30 P.M.: Erev Chanukah. Lighting the first candle of the Diane Kaplan Memorial Chanukkiah at the Civic Center. If you come at 5:30.30, you’ll probably miss it, especially if it is cold. We will light each successive candle on each successive night of Chanukah at precisely 5:30 P.M.
- Thursday, 11/28/2013: Thanksgiving, and the first day of Chanukah. We will light the second candle at precisely 5:30 P.M.
- Sunday, 12/01/2013, 2:30 P.M.: Thanksgivukkah party at the home of Stuart and Hilary Lewin, concluding with the 5:30 lighting of the fifth candle of the Diane Kaplan Memorial Channukiah at the Civic Center.
- Monday, 12/02/2013, 12:00 noon: MAJCO Candle lighting at the State Capitol in Helena.
MAX’S BAR MITZVAH IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
Can you believe it has been over 2 years since Sarah’s bat mitzvah? Max’s bar mitzvah is just around the corner – December 28th, 2013. You should have received your invitation in the mail by now. If not, please call or e-mail Wendy (wendy@weissman.com or 727-4098). We will need to know what events you are coming to so that we can give counts to the caterers.
As his community service project, Max will be collecting canned food and making baskets out of them to use as table decorations at the luncheon for his bar mitzvah. After the lunch, the baskets will be donated to the East Middle School food pantry.
We are asking, if you are able and willing, to donate food and/or baskets, bows, ribbon and wrapping. We also will need help assembling the baskets. Assembly will be at the Washington School at 4 PM on Monday, December 23rd. Please call or e-mail Wendy (wendy@weissman.com or 727-4098) to donate items or to help. We will be serving pizza during the assembly of the baskets so please let me know if you are coming so that we have enough food.
We look forward to seeing you all at the bar mitzvah!
In the meantime, Happy Hanukkah!
Wendy
CHRISTMAS AT THE MERCY HOME
There is snow on the ground, Thanksgiving (and Hanukkah) are next week, and that means Christmas is right around the corner! The Mercy Home (Women’s Domestic Violence Shelter) has already contacted me about covering the Mercy Home during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We have done this for many years as it allows the staff at this 24 hour facility the day to spend with their families.
Note that men can volunteer as long as there is a female volunteer also. No experience is necessary. If you are new, please e-mail or call Wendy (info below) for the location and details on how to volunteer.
If you can help out, please e-mail Wendy (wendy@weissman.com) or call 727-4098. The shifts available are:
12/24 2-5 PM Nadyne & Jerry Weissman
12/24 5-8 PM Meriam Nagel
12/24 8-11 PM
overnight from 11 PM to 8 AM (Wendy will cover this one unless someone else wants to)
12/25 8-11 AM
12/25 11 AM to 2 PM
12/25 2-5 PM
We thank you in advance for helping!
CAMP KALSMAN REGISTRATION
Shalom Chaverim,
First, let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Sarah Moody; I am the new Assistant Director at URJ Camp Kalsman. I’ve spent several summers working on the summer staff at camp and am thrilled to join the team full time.
Kalsman opened registration this week.
Thank you for your help and please feel free to be in touch with any questions or concerns.
Looking forward to working with you,
Sarah
Sarah Moody
Assistant Director, URJ Camp Kalsman
425-284-4484
3805 108th Ave Ne #100
Bellevue, WA 98004
smoody@urj.org
URJ Camp Kalsman Summer 2014 Registration is Open!
With the school year in full swing and the High Holy Days already past, summer is fading into memory – but another summer is fast approaching! URJ Camp Kalsman registration is now open! Kalsman offers overnight Jewish summer camp programs for entering 2nd through 12th graders. Start your year off right by registering your child for the summer of a lifetime at URJ Camp Kalsman! Sessions are beginning to fill so register today! To learn more or register online, visit kalsman.urjcamps.org, or give us a call at 425-284-4484.
Are you a graduating high school senior or above? It’s not too late for have an amazing Jewish summer experience! Join the Kalsman staff for a summer of friendship, learning, and changing lives. Apply online today at kalsman.urjcamps.org/staff.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Please mark your calendars to remind you of these upcoming events.
- Sunday, 11/03/2013: Daylight Savings Time ends.
- Wednesday, 11/27/2013—Thursday, 12/05/2013: Chanukkah.
- Wednesday evening, 11/27/2013, 5:30 P.M.: Erev Channukkah. Lighting the first candle of the Diane Kaplan Memorial Chanukkiah at the Civic Center. If you come at 5:30.30, you’ll probably miss it, especially if it is cold. We will light each successive candle on each successive night of Chanukkah at precisely 5:30 P.M.
- Thursday, 11/28/2013: Thanksgiving.
- Sunday, 12/01/2013, 2:30 P.M.: Thanksgivukkah party at the home of Stuart and Hilary Lewin, concluding with the 5:30 lighting of the fifth candle of the Diane Kaplan Memorial Channukiah at the Civic Center.
- Friday, 12/27/2013–Sunday, 12/29/2013: The week end of the Bar Mitzvah of Max Weissman, to be celebrated on 12/28/2013.
- Sunday, 03/09/2014: Daylight Savings Time Begins.
- Sunday, 03/16/2014: Purim.
- Friday, 03/28/2014: Week end with Student Rabbi Bess Wohlner.
- Monday, 04/14/2013—Tuesday, 04/22/2013: Passover.
- Tuesday, 04/15/2014: Aitz Chaim Community Passover Seder, Second Night of Passover, place and time TBA.
- Sunday, 05/18/2014: Lag B/omer (bonfire)
- Tuesday, 06/03/2014: Erev Shavuot.
- Wednesday, 06/03/2014—Thursday, 06/05/2014: Shavuot (reading the book of Ruth)
- Early or late Summer, 2014: MAJCO Shabbaton, hosted by Aitz Chaim, place and time TBA.
The Aitz Chaim Ram's Horn 