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!
Mazel Tov!
Mazel tov to the Semple and Mathison families on the birth of Yosef ben Elisheva, aka, Joseph Kenneth Mathison, born 4/15/12 at 6:20 p.m. in Old Hickory, TN! Yosef was born at 9 lbs. 8 oz., 22″ long.
The Mathison family held a brit milan for Joseph on 4/22/2012. Aitz Chaim wishes the Semple and Mathison families many nachas and nothing but simchas!
GFIA MEETING
The GFIA meeting this month was centered around raising awareness of the plight of homeless students in Great Falls schools, as well as inmates transitioning back into society from prison.
There are 186 homeless students in the Great Falls public school system. In Shelby, the prison system busses all inmates they release to Great Falls and drops them off with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Rents are doubling and tripling in Great Falls due to the influx of oil workers. Cascade County Inmates are not getting the education they need in order to transition back into society successfully.
St. Vincent DePaul, the Salvation Army, and other groups are trying to help them. Some of the bigger churches can do more than others, since they have food pantries and access to affordable housing.
-Stephen Boyd
DIAPER SUNDAY
Please bring packages of diapers to services Friday evening or to adult discussion Saturday evening for Diaper Sunday. Helen will make sure they are distributede to those who need them.
MAY 4-6 WEEK END SCHEDULE
Here is the week end schedule for May 4-6.
- Friday evening, May 4, 7:30 P.M.: Shabbat services led by Student Rabbi Rebecca Reice at The Bethel. Oneg to follow.
- Saturday morning, May 5, 10:00 A.M.: Adult Education led by Student Rabbi Rebecca Reice at The Bethel.
- Saturday evening, May 5, 5:30 P.M.: Adult discussion and milchig potluck at the Bethel.
- Sunday morning, May 6, 10:00 A.M.: Hebrew School at the YWCA
Don’t forget to bring diapers for Diaper Sunday.
Hope to see you at one or more of these events.
“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
VIOLINS OF HOPE
Meriam Nagel brought this to my attention.
In 1996, Israeli master violinmaker Amnon Weinstein began to collect and carefully restore violins that had extraordinary histories of suffering, courage, and resiliency. These violins are precious artifacts from one of the greatest human tragedies. Some were played by Jewish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps; others belonged to the Klezmer musical culture, which was all but destroyed in the Holocaust.
Today, Amnon receives visitors bearing priceless instruments in shambles. The restoration process is complex, sometimes taking years to revive a single instrument. But when a violinist moves his bow across one of these instruments, the message resounds.
A project of national significance comes to Charlotte in April 2012
The Violins of Hope have never before been exhibited or played together in North or South America. With the support of the Charlotte community and our partners in the arts and education, the College of Arts + Architecture at UNC Charlotte presents a project that promises to inspire, illuminate, and educate.
In April 2012, UNC Charlotte’s College of Arts + Architecture will bring Violins of Hope to Charlotte for a series of exhibitions and performances focused on 18 instruments recovered from the Holocaust. Acclaimed musicians from across the country and around the world will play alongside Charlotte musicians, giving voice to the violins’ former owners and expressing the hope that comes with restoring to these instruments the power to play again.
For more information, please visit these web sites:
http://www.violinsofhopecharlotte.com
http://www.violinsofhope.org
http://www.shlomo-mintz.com/violinsofhope
Also search for violins of hope on YouTube.
The Aitz Chaim Ram's Horn 