| Pardes Levavot |  |
Pardes Levavot, “Orchard of Hearts,” was formed in the spirit of creating conscious holy community. Our name expresses the spiritual blossoming of each individual heart within an inspiring and nurturing orchard.
For information on our congregation please call (303) 563-2110 and leave a message or send email to info@pardeslevavot.org. To join our congregation, please print a copy of our membership form, fill it out, and send it to our Synagogue.
Pardes Levavot gratefully acknowledges Allied
Jewish Federation of Colorado for their support of
our Circle of Family Education program. Thank you!
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Debra Kolodny, Executive Director, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal DATE: July 31, 2008 Phone: 301-565-0719 Email: DebraRuth@mac.com <mailto:DebraRuth@mac.com> Web site: www.aleph.org Below is the July 2008 ALEPH News Service. We hope you run one or more of the following articles and look forward to hearing from you if you do. This release contains: 1. Second ALEPH Taglit-Birthright Israel trip a great success 2. Second Ohel Hachidusch Congress in Lund hosted by ALEPH affiliate in cooperation with the Jewish Center in Lund (JCL), August 28 – August 31, 2008 3. Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal announces next conference and more Brachot, Deb Kolodny Executive Director ********************************************************************************** Second ALEPH Taglit-Birthright Israel trip a great success Thirty-seven engaged and vibrant souls participated in ALEPH’s second Jewish Renewal Taglit-Birthright trip. The impressive group included several professional musicians, an aspiring cantor, two actresses, a soon to be pediatric oncology nurse, an aspiring NYC police officer, two professional anti-racism workers and four children of Jewish Renewal rabbis and rabbinic students. >From July 16 until July 27, ALEPH Executive Director Debra Kolodny and former ALEPH Board member and current Kohenet, Holly Taya Shere facilitated an experience of Israel unlike any other Birthright venture. While most tours visit Tsfat, ALEPH’s trip included time with remarkable artists David Friedman and Avraham Lowenthal as well as a visit to the Center for Healthy Living, the city’s source for eco-conscious teaching and practices. ALEPH spent far more time in Yerushalyim than most, starting with a walk through Hezekiah’s tunnel in the City of David, a visit to David’s Tomb and a tour of the Jewish quarter. The group visited the Kotel that night, and after chanting and praying at the wall took a tour of the Kotel tunnel. Although Barak Obama was scheduled to arrive while the group was at the wall, he did not make an appearance until 3 that morning. The day’s highlight for many was a stop at the Mount of Olives to visit the gravesite of Hannah Rachel, better known as "The Maiden of Ludmir". Revered as one of the few woman rebbes in the history of the Hasidic movement, she led Sabbath "third meal" gatherings in her home, wore tallit and tefillin, and was an acclaimed scholar of Torah and mysticism. Israeli native and ALEPH ordained Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan, who secured a grave stone for the Maiden once her burial site was found, led the participants through a teaching and a ritual that powerfully touched and opened the hearts of all present, just two days before the Maiden’s yartzeit. Other Jewish Renewal highlights included Shabbos services led by group facilitators the first weekend, with beautiful leyning/Torah chanting and kavvanot/intention setting by trip participant Sarah Beck-Berman. Participants were also treated to a spectacular song and dance filled second Erev Shabbat led by Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan and her colleagues Daphna and Yoel; a shiviti and merkava meditation led by Deb Kolodny revealing the beauty and depth of Jewish sitting; and an afternoon of sharing with peace builders, including ALEPH’s own Rodef Shalom Eliyahu McLean and his partner Sufi Sheikh Wassan from Nazareth as well as Jerusalem Stories director Carol Grossman and one of her Palestinian partners, Sami. The group also enjoyed lectures throughout the trip by its learned, musical and delightful Israeli guide Assaf Schwartz, spectacular hikes (including one in Ein Gedi where Holly Shere led a mikva) a float in the Dead Sea, a visit to a Bedouin tent and an archeological dig. A magnificent capstone was placed on the event when hours before heading to the airport, group participant Jonathan Lehrer played Debbie Friedman’s melody for the havdalah blessings on Jerusalem’s tower bells as the group made havdalah in the plaza below. He then played ‘happy birthday’ for one of the three birthday men on the trip, and closed with ‘Yerushalyim Shel Zahav’. As they stood below the tower of the YMCA, the group imagined all of Yerushalyim listening to the bells and making havdalah with us. A moment precious beyond measure, it was a fitting close to a remarkable trip. ALEPH intends to lead Taglit-Birthright trips with its wonderful trip provider, Israel Outdoors, every year. Be on the look-out for information about the 2009 tour! Second Ohel Hachidusch Congress in Lund hosted by ALEPH affiliate in cooperation with the Jewish Center in Lund (JCL), August 28 – August 31, 2008 In May 2007 the first international Ohel Hachidusch conference invited Rabbi Marcia Prager, Hazzan Jack Kessler, Rabbi Elisa Klapheck and ALEPH rabbinical student Lynn Feinberg from Oslo to Berlin. Over 80 participants from all over Europe came to learn more about Jewish Renewal. Soon after the conference Ohel Hachidusch Berlin became an ALEPH Jewish Renewal affiliated community. ALEPH ordained Cantor Jalda Rebling has been leading the growing community where guest teachers from the US and Switzerland and participants from all over Europe have joined the inspiring and fast growing group. Last year Hazzan Jalda Rebling led the High Holidays in the Jewish Center of Lund, creating new relationships. This summer the Jewish Center of Lund will welcome participants from all over Europe to the Second Ohel Hachidusch Congress from August 28 to August 31. Amsterdam Rabbi Elisa Klapheck, Philadelphia Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Berlin Hazzan Jalda Rebling, Oslo ALEPH rabbinical student Lynn Feinberg and other spiritual leaders will teach and lead the Shabbat Services. We will discuss how to develop joyful and meaningful Jewish practice in Europe for those who are still not able to find their place in traditional Jewish communities, as well as for those who do. A public havdala concert, where all are welcome to celebrate the transition from Shabbos into the next week, will make this congress a joyful event for the entire city of Lund. You can find additional information at www.ohel-hachidusch.org ********************************************************************************* Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal announces next conference and more The 2009 OHALAH Conference will take place in Boulder, Colorado, at the Boulderado Hotel, Sunday afternoon through midday Wednesday, January 11 through 14, 2009. The conference theme is Karov L’chol Korav: Drawing Near and Reaching Out through Sacred Text and Living Practice. As in the past, a student-led Shabbaton will precede the conference. A special focus of this year's conference will be the “Ethical Boundaries of Sacred Trust: How Close Can We Really Come,” featuring Rabbi Shefa Gold and Rabbi Arthur Gross-Schafer, renowned rabbi, attorney and ethicist. The conference will also feature a Global Vigil for our Mother the Earth including prayer, music and other art forms. There will be small group sessions for partners and spouses of clergy, and a round-table for parents. The OHALAH conference is open to qualified rabbis, cantors and rabbinic pastors and students of these professions. All interested are invited to mark your calendars and participate. The conference flyer and application are on the website. www.ohalah.org In addition to plans for the conference, OHALAH’s social justice committee is actively researching resolutions on health care and the environment and member services are being upgraded in the areas of health insurance and pension plans. |