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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!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Debra Kolodny, Executive Director, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
DATE: January 27, 2008
Phone: 301-565-0719
Email: DebraRuth@mac.com <mailto:DebraRuth@mac.com>
Web site: www.aleph.org

Below is the January 2009 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. ALEPH Ordains Ten Spiritual Leaders
2. Jewish Renewal Community Nahalat Shalom hosts “KLEZMERQUERQUE” Albuquerque New
Mexico’s seventh annual Klezmer music and dance festival, February 12-15, 2009
3. Rabbi Itzchak Marmorstein releases new Rav Kook CD and goes on Tour
4. Estelle Frankel and Rabbi Elliot Ginsburg teach in Richmond, February & March
5. Am Kolel in Maryland hosts Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, March 20-22
6. Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, Madison, WI. Welcomes Rabbis Arthur Waskow and Phyllis
Berman, April 24-26, 2009
7. MIDRASH AND MEDICINE CONFERENCE IN MONTEREY - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN: Join Jewish
Renewal Community KEHILLA Rosh Yeshiva, Elizheva Hurvich, Conference Artist-in-Residence

If you want to get an item into February’s News Service, please be sure to get it to me by Monday, February 23.

Debra Kolodny
Executive Director
ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal


ALEPH Ordains Ten Spiritual Leaders
On January 11, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal’s Rabbinic, Cantorial and Rabbinic Pastor Programs ordained a diverse graduating class from its remarkable seminary without walls. The ceremony opened the eleventh annual conference of OHALAH, the Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal in Boulder, Colorado. Six rabbis and four rabbinic pastors joined over 110 spiritual professionals who have been ordained through ALEPH’s formal ordination programs or the private ordination of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi that preceded it.

Over 250 OHALAH members, fellow students, family, friends and ALEPH board members honored Rabbi Adalah Caplowe, Rabbi Miri Fleming, Rabbi Ori Har DiGennaro, Rabbi Leana Moritt, Rabbi Sue Morningstar, Rabbi Ed Stafman, Rabbinic Pastor Aliza Erber, Rabbinic Pastor Sherril Gilbert, Rabbinic Pastor De Fischler Herman, and Rabbinic Pastor Miryam Levy.

Each of these gifted spiritual leaders gave moving d’vrei Torah about Parshat Shemot, in which the Israelites begin moving from slavery to freedom. They spoke about hearing a call to spiritual growth from an unseen God, celebrating the women who resisted Pharaoh, noting our own post-holocaust generation’s movement to freedom, and wrestling with violence in Israel today.

ALEPH’s leadership in a spiritually awakened, Hassidically informed and experientially engaged Judaism was highlighted in this year’s ceremony. Two of the ordinees, Rabbi Caplowe, invested as Hazzan by the Jewish Theological Seminary, and Rabbi Moritt, ordained as Rabbi at the Academy for Jewish Religion, came to ALEPH because as Rabbi Morritt says, “I sensed an essential perspective and chevre in Renewal that my rabbinate needed.”

This ordination also reflected ALEPH’s international reach. Rabbi Fleming, born in Argentina, citizen of Israel and the USA and current resident of Tucson reflected that she felt called to ALEPH because a, “Judaism of joy, reflection, deep knowledge and inner spiritual growth were the cornerstones of the program.” Rabbi Har DiGennaro, born in Israel, is a decades long meditation practitioner and founder of the non-profit organization: Conscious Learning Community. Canadian Rabbinic Pastor Gilbert co-founded a congregation in her home in Newfoundland as part of, “being on the growing edge…in courage, humility and determination…” Rabbinic Pastor Levy, born in South Africa, was a leader at the Elat Chayyim and Lama retreat centers for years and is a healer and meditation practitioner. Rabbinic Pastor Erber, also born in Israel, is a surgeon, actress and life long educator.

As it does every year, the ordination reflected the breadth and scope of profound mastery that its largely middle aged student body brings to their spiritual leadership. Rabbi Stafman is an attorney and doctoral student in Religion and Western Antiquity. Rabbinic Pastor Fischler Herman is an artist, teacher and environmental activist. Rabbi Morningstar has worked as a nurse, midwife, herbalist, b’nei mitzvah and Hebrew school teacher and shul president.

Four of the ordinees, along with seven other Jewish professionals, were recognized the previous evening as the first graduates of ALEPH’s three year-training program in Hashpa’ah, Jewish Spiritual Direction/Guidance. The Hashpa’ah program integrates studies in spiritual and pastoral counseling, prayer and ritual, hassidic storytelling, ethical development, and the Jewish mystical tradition. It is open to graduates and students of all seminaries who feel a kinship with Jewish Renewal.

The ALEPH Seminary is a trans-denominational program of learning offering structured guidance for rigorous studies and practica in addition to an extensive academic curriculum, culminating in ordination as a rabbi, rabbinic pastor, cantor, and mashpia (spiritual director). Along with the program’s supervisory committee, approximately 75 rabbis and scholars from across the denominational spectrum participate in diverse aspects of training over 60 students.


Jewish Renewal Community Nahalat Shalom hosts “KLEZMERQUERQUE” Albuquerque New Mexico’s seventh annual Klezmer music and dance festival, February 12-15, 2009

The Southwest’s 7th Celebration of Klezmer Music and Dance presents 4 days of concerts, dance parties, classes and workshops featuring the world-renowned Strauss/Warschauer Klezmer Duo; the acclaimed dancer, choreographer, dance scholar and historian Judith Brin Ingber and many local artists. Congregation Nahalat Shalom will host the event at 3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW.
The 20-piece intergenerational Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer band will celebrate the release of its first full length CD, playing on Friday and Saturday evening for Klezmer dances led by Nahalat Shalom’s Yiddish dance troupe “Rikud.” The Rebbe’s Orkestra, the popular Albuquerque-based klezmer and Judaic ensemble will also perform on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The festival begins Thursday with a “hands-on” workshop taught by the Strauss/ Warschauer Duo to prepare participants, singers & musicians to lead a joyous and creative musical Shabbat service in an old Eastern European style the following evening. The Friday evening event begins at 6:30 and features a service, performances, dance party, vegetarian potluck dinner, and Sephardic wedding dances taught and led by Judith Brin Ingber.

On Saturday from 9:30am-11:00am the Strauss/ Warschauer Duo will lead “SHABBOS, MUSIC AND YIDDISH”, a hands-on workshop of Hassidic niggunim and Yiddish Sabbath songs for singers and instrumentalists. Brin Ingber will teach dances from the Eastern European Jewish wedding repertoire. After lunch Brin Ingber will present "Why Jews Aren't Just People of the Book" with rare and historic dance illustrations and music for Jewish dance through the ages. From 2:15-3:45pm the Duo will lead “MAKING YOUR INSTRUMENT SING IN YIDDISH”, a hands-on workshop. On Saturday at 7pm Brin Ingber and the Strauss/Warschauer Duo will perform, followed by a dance party. Brin Ingber will lead dances she taught in her morning class.
Sunday from 11am-12:30 pm Brin Ingber will teach dances from an East European Jewish wedding, Strauss will lead a klezmer instrumental workshop, and Warschauer will lead a song workshop.

Advanced registration for ALL events is $90.00-general and $75-seniors, students and fixed income and registration. Payment MUST be received BEFORE Thursday, February 12th for this discount. For detailed information about individual class times, prices, tickets & registration contact Beth Cohen, Klezmerquerque coordinator (505) 243-6276, cohenedmunds@netzero.net, and/or Congregation Nahalat Shalom: www.nahalatshalom.org, (505) 343-8227


Rabbi Itzchak Marmorstein releases CD: HA'OROT-The Lights Of Rav Kook and starts CD Tour

Rabbi Itzchak Marmorstein released a new CD, "HA'OROT-The Lights Of Rav Kook" with Greg Wall's Later Prophets on John Zorn's Tzaddik Records.

Jewish and world jazz virtuosos Rabbi Greg Wall (sax) and Israel's Shai Bachar (keyboards) collaborate with other NYC jazzsters and Itzchak in recording 11 poems plus two instrumental nigunim originally composed by Rav Kook.

Rav Kook (1865 -1935) is considered by many to be the most significant sage of our epoch. In Israel, he was recently voted the individual who had the most influence on the shaping of modern Israel.

Itzchak has been learning and teaching his Torah for some time. "When I discovered his extraordinary universal and mystical poems, I was moved to begin to share them. That journey led to this CD. The response has been very positive and I am looking forward to introducing many more people to these spiritual treasures."

The CD will be primarily available on line. You can receive this unique new work by sending $18 +2 shipping through: <https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&amp;hosted_button_id=1881725> Don't forget to include your mailing address.

The group will perform live on Saturday night February 7 at Congregation Bnai Jeshurun (257 West 88th St). Co-sponsored by Romemu and BJ, this TuB'Shvat celebration and concert will begin at 7:00 p.m. On Wednesday night February 11 they will be performing in Philadelphia at Upstairs Cafe Live. (3025 Walnut St)

Please help them share the light by letting your friends who live in those areas know about these debut concerts. For more information go to: http://www.myspace.com/ orotharav



Estelle Frankel and Rabbi Elliot Ginsburg teach in Richmond in February and March

The Chrysalis Group and Congregation Or Ami in Richmond, Virginia are co-sponsoring a series on Jewish Mysticism as part of an interfaith educational program called The Mystical Journey: An Experience of the Sacred in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

On Thursday, February 26th at 7:30 pm, Rabbi Elliot Ginsburg, an associate professor of Jewish Thought and Mysticism at the University of Michigan and the author of two books, including The Sabbath in the Classical Kabbalah, will present a lecture on how the practitioners of the Jewish Mystical tradition developed new ways to encounter and unravel the mysteries of the cosmos: the purpose of human existence, the perplexities of good and evil, and the interrelation of heart, body, and mind. The most famous of these mystics, the Kabbalists, developed an astonishingly rich symbolic language for speaking of God and Person, one that sought to unfreeze the imagination and open the heart. The kabbalists spoke of multiple worlds of awareness; of masculine and feminine "faces" of the one God, of a dynamic unity that undergirded the rich diversity of being.

On Friday, March 6th at 7:30 pm, Estelle Frankel, a spiritual director, psychotherapist and author of Sacred Therapy, will lead a Kabbalat Shabbat service at Congregation Or Ami. On Saturday, March 7th from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm, Ms. Frankel will then lead an experiential workshop: Unifying Heaven and Earth: Spiritual Teachings & Practices from the Kabbalah and Jewish Mystical Tradition. Long before Einstein contemplated a unified field theory, medieval Kabbalists portrayed the cosmos as a manifestation of a single substance, the Or Ein Sof, the endless light of the infinite. On the Sabbath, as we cease from doing and practice the art of being, we rest in this divine ground of Being. The Sabbath, according to the Kabbalah, is a time to celebrate the union of all opposites, of heaven and earth, spirit and matter. It is a time when we taste inner peace, healing, wholeness and freedom. Participants will engage in a day of contemplative study, prayer, guided meditation, chant, and storytelling.

For additional information and to register for this program go to www.thechrysalisgroup.com

The Chrysalis Group, with an interspiritual membership of over 200 members, was established as an educational non-profit in 1994 to support people in living lives of meaning, creativity and compassion. Congregation Or Ami is a synagogue in the Reform tradition that has earned a reputation for creativity, social action, and experimental liturgy since its establishment over 30 years ago.


Am Kolel Sanctuary & Renewal Center Welcomes Rabbi Tirzah Firestone March 20-22, 2009: THE KABBALAH OF SPRING: WAKING UP ALL OVER

Join Am Kolel during the spring equinox, March 20-22, 2009, at its beautiful Sanctuary & Renewal Center near Washington DC, for an intimate weekend of sacred study and joyous practices with Rabbi Tirzah Firestone. Shake off winter’s slumber, and ready our interior images and intuitions for planting in the world!

The weekend begins with Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday, March 20 at 7 pm and continues till noon on Sunday, March 22.

Residents: $295. Commuters: $180. Member discounts available.

For a flyer go to: <http://www.sanctuaryretreatcenter.com/firestone.pdf>. For a registration form go to: <http://www.sanctuaryretreatcenter.com/tirzahreg.pdf>

Both can be downloaded from the Am Kolel calendar page: <http://www.sanctuaryretreatcenter.com>

Contact Gilah Rosner to register or for more information. 301.349.2799 or gilah@am-kolel.org


Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, Madison, WI. Welcomes Rabbis Arthur Waskow and Phyllis Berman, April 24-26, 2009

Congregation Shaarei Shamayim (CSS) is pleased to announce a Shabbaton with Rabbis Phyllis Berman and Arthur Waskow April 24-26 in Madison, WI. The Shabbaton will be held in CSS's new home, our shared location with First Unitarian Society, in the historic Frank Lloyd Wright sanctuary.

This weekend promises to be deeply inspiring, engaging, and fun. We will begin with Shabbat services and dinner on Friday. On Saturday we will have services, lunch, an afternoon discussion, Havdolah and a full evening program. The weekend will conclude with a discussion on Sunday morning. This event is open to the community; all are invited.

Rabbis Berman and Waskow are multi-dimensional, nationally recognized leaders in the Jewish Renewal Movement. This is a special opportunity to experience their inspiring leadership and presence in the midwest. To learn more about Rabbis Berman and Waskow and this event, go to <http://www.shamayim.org/>

To attend the Shabbaton, please register by April 1st. For more information and to register for this event, contact Celeste, shabbaton@shamayim.org



MIDRASH AND MEDICINE CONFERENCE IN MONTEREY - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Join Jewish Renewal Community KEHILLA Rosh Yeshiva, Elizheva Hurvich, Conference Artist-in-Residence

The Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health and the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center announce that registration is now open for their interdisciplinary conference, "Midrash and Medicine: Imagining Wholeness." Elizheva Hurvich, San Francisco area KEHILLA Rosh Yeshiva, has been selected conference visual artist-in-residence. Hurvich’s artistic background is eclectic and her unique perspective on Judaism and Midrash draws on a Pan-Trans-Denominational Clal-Ha'Olam-Judaism.

Hurvich will play a central role at the conference, which will be held at the beach-front Asilomar Conference Center on the Monterey Bay peninsula from Monday, May 11 - Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Hurvich is a multi-media artist who is creatively engaged in the landscapes of illness, wholeness and spirit, making her an excellent fit with the conference’s goals. The conference features a diverse and engaging schedule combining intense text learning with inspirational opportunities to engage in the expressive arts. Hurvich will guide and facilitate the visual arts at the conference, hosting daily space for participants to engage in artistic and creative expression in an interactive gallery. She will lead an educational breakout session following Dr. Lewis Barth's plenary, "Making Peace in the High Places: Where Art and Midrash Collide." She will also lead daily morning arts activities open to all -- experienced and non-experienced artists as a part of the prayer experience throughout the conference.

The Midrash and Medicine conference will highlight leadership and innovation in the healthcare and Jewish healing fields and marks an important milestone in the growing field of Judaism, health, and healing. Especially in these uncertain times, the conference represents an extraordinary opportunity to relax, connect with colleagues, and enjoy three days of stimulating and interdisciplinary learning.

TO CONTACT US:
Midrash and Medicine: Imagining Wholeness
Yael Green, Conference Coordinator
(213) 765.2666 or midrashandmedicine@huc.edu

Go to http://www.midrashandmedicine.com for conference details, including co-sponsors, schedule, faculty, registration and more.