GOOD SHABBOS!
If you like Simon & Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence, you’ll love this 2-minute music video.
Exciting adult learning announcement from the URJ
Shalom!
We are excited to announce that the URJ is honored to be a recipient of a Covenant Foundation Grant for the continuation and expansion of the Adult Jewish Living and Learning Journeys Project.
This grant of more than $100,000 over the next two years will allow us to provide additional free short courses, or modules, designed for volunteer and professional teachers of adults to teach.
In addition, we will hold four more retreats for adult learning teachers and facilitators. Our next module on “Four Questions of Reform Judaism” with an accompanying DVD should be posted in the spring. We will send out more information as it becomes available, or you may check back to the project page for updates.
L’Shalom,
Vicky
Vicky Farhi
Lead Outreach Specialist, Congregational Consulting
Co-Leader, Small Congregations Networking Group
Union for Reform Judaism
212-650-4247
urj.org
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BlogAitz Chaim Spring Schedule
Happy Secular New Year! As we turn 2011 to 2012, Aitz Chaim is preparing for an active Spring!
Student Rabbi Rebecca Reice will be coming to Great Falls two times this Spring:
- During the weekend of March 2-4, we will be marking Purim!
- During the weekend of May 4-6 we will hold services for parasha Acharei-Kedoshim and hold a Lag B’Omer Bonfire/BBQ!
In addition, we will again mark Pesach with a community seder on the first evening of Passover, Friday, April 6 at Clark and Lewies in downtown Great Falls!
We look forward to seeing you at these events!
A Chanukah Message
Image via Wikipedia
A CHANUKAH MESSAGE
from Rebecca Reice
Student Rabbi
Happy Chanukah to the Aitz Chaim Community!
As Asher and I lit the candles these first few nights, we reflected on how beautiful the light is on these, the darkest days of the year. I count it as a blessing that in this cold and dark time, we are asked to light up our homes with the chanukiah (Chanukah menorah), reminding us of the miracles wrought by and for our ancestors.
Chanukah is a holiday celebrating the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. At that time, the Temple in Jerusalem was the place of God’s Presence on earth. The Temple was only able to be rededicated after the people cleaned it and prepared a place for God to dwell among them. Today, we understand that God’s Presence can fill our world. What part of your life would you like to rededicate for God’s Presence to dwell with you?
I wish you all a Chag Urim Sameach – A Happy Holiday of Lights! May the light of your chanukiah pierce the dark and cold of these days and bring warmth and blessing into your homes and the whole community.
Aitz Chaim Gathers for the First night of Chanukah
Chanukah has begun! Join us (promptly) at 5:30 each evening of Chanukah in front of the Civic Center for the lighting of the Diane Kaplan Memorial Civic Center Chanukiah.
Happy Chanukah!
Chanukah is tonight!
The festival of lights is upon us! Join us for a public lighting of the Diane Kaplan Memorial Civic Center Menorah at 5:30pm.
MAJCO Communities to Light Menorot Together at Capitol, 2 p.m. Thurs, Dec 22
Dear Montana Jews,
- Congregation Beth Aaron, Billings
- Chabad Lubavitch of Montana
- Congregation Beth Shalom, Bozeman
- Congregation Aitz Chaim, Great Falls
- The Jewish Community of Helena
- Congregation B’nei Israel, Butte
- Congregation Har Shalom, Missoula
- Congregation Bet Harim, Kalispell
- Synagogue of the Northern Rockies, Whitefish
Related articles
- Chanukah in Chelena (aitzchaim.com)
- Majco Candle Lighting at the Capitol Thursday, December 22, 2011 (aitzchaim.com)
- Chanukah Schedule (aitzchaim.com)
LATKES
You’re Doing It All Wrong — How to Make Latkes
Make latkes the right way. Leslie Jonath of Chronicle Books is an avid latke maker. Here she shows you the right way to make your favorite Hannukah food. Video by CHOW.com.
CHEESE LATKES
recipe from “Spice & Spirit, The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook of the Lubavitch Women:
Contributed by Helen Cherry
3 eggs 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk 5 Tbl sugar
1 cup drained cottage cheese 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup oil
1 tsp baking powder
Place eggs, milk, cottage cheese, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar & vanilla in bowl & mix til smooth.
Heat oil in frying pan (if using nonstick pan, use less oil). Drop batter by spoonfuls into hot oil.
Fry til brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels & continue til all batter is used. Keep warm until serving.
Serve with sour cream or applesauce.
From Joy Breslauer: One of my favorite places to look for recipes is about.com.
SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND CHANUKAH
1. Christmas is one day, same day every year: December 25. Jews also love December 25th. It’s another paid day off work. We go to movies and out for Chinese food. Chanukah is 8 days. It starts the evening of the 24th of Kislev, whenever that falls. No one is ever sure. Jews never know until a non-Jewish friend asks when Chanukah starts, forcing us to consult a calendar so we don’t look like idiots. We all have the same calendar, provided free with a donation from either the World Jewish Congress, the kosher butcher, or the local Sinai Memorial Chapel (especially in Florida) or other Jewish funeral home.
2. Christmas is a major holiday. Chanukah is a minor holiday with the same theme as most Jewish holidays: They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.
3. Christians get wonderful presents such as jewelry, perfume, stereos… Jews get practical presents such as underwear, socks, or the collected works of the Rambam, which looks impressive on the bookshelf.
4. There is only one way to spell Christmas. No one can decide how to spell Chanukah, Chanukah, Chanukka, Channukah, Hanukah, Hannukah.
5. Christmas is a time of great pressure for husbands and boyfriends. Their partners expect special gifts. Jewish men are relieved of that burden. No one expects a diamond ring on Chanukah.
6. Christmas brings enormous electric bills. Candles are used for Chanukah. Not only are we spared enormous electric bills, but we get to feel good about not contributing to the energy crisis.
7. Christian women have fun baking Christmas cookies. Jewish women burn their eyes and cut their hands grating potatoes and onions for latkas on Chanukah. Another reminder of our suffering through the ages.
8. The players in the Christmas story have easy to pronounce names such as Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. The players in the Chanukah story are Antiochus, Judah Maccabee, and Matta whatever. No one can spell it or pronounce it. On the plus side, we can tell our friends anything and they believe we are wonderfully versed in our history.
9. In recent years, Christmas has become more and more commercialized. The same holds true for Chanukah, even though it is a minor holiday. It makes sense. How could we market a major holiday such as Yom Kippur? Forget about celebrating. Think observing. Come to synagogue, starve yourself for 27 hours, become one with your dehydrated soul, beat your chest, confess your sins, a guaranteed good time for you and your family.
Better stick with Chanukah!
The Aitz Chaim Ram's Horn 