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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:            September 30, 2009   
Phone:          301-565-0719
Email:            DebraRuth@mac.com
Web site:      www.aleph.org

Below is the September 2009 ALEPH News Service. We hope you run the following articles and look forward to hearing from you if you do. This release contains:

1.    Joan Borysenko to Lead Ashland Shabbaton at ALEPH Affiliate, Havurah Shir Hadash
2.    ALEPH Attends Women, Faith and Economic Development Briefing
3.    ALEPH Allies Sponsor Jewish Gathering at National GLBT March
4.    ALEPH Partner, the Kalsman Institute, holds course on Judaism, Health and Healing for Clinicians in January in Phoenix

Deb


Joan Borysenko to Lead Ashland Shabbaton at ALEPH Affiliate, Havurah Shir Hadash
When mind-body healer Joan Borysenko <http://www.joanborysenko.com/>  leads a Shabbaton Dec. 4-6 at the Havurah Shir Hadash, she expects it to “feel like a spiritual homecoming.” Like so many mystically-minded Jews of her day, Borysenko’s “dry as dust” Hebrew school education sent her on a spiritual journey to Eastern religions and elsewhere.

Grieving a seeming lack of a deep spiritual connection within her faith, she wondered, “Where is the juice in Judaism?” Borysenko, 63, discovered that “juice” in Jewish Renewal after moving from Massachusetts to Boulder, Colo. in 1992 and meeting Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.

“I walked in and I saw everyone dancing and singing,” she said. “I recognized that everything I had been seeking was there in my own tradition. I felt an extraordinary gratitude for belonging, a connectedness.”

For Borysenko, the Shabbaton at the Havurah is particularly meaningful. “This is soul-stuff for me. I consider myself an intra-spiritual being, but Judaism is my home.”

Borysenko, author of the New York Times bestseller Minding the Body, Mending the Mind, promotes an understanding that spirituality is integral part of health and healing. “Spirituality heals the rift between human beings and Life by restoring a sense of deep connection to a larger, meaningful whole,” said Borysenko.

The topic of her Saturday night talk, which is open to the public, is based on her latest book, It’s not the End of the World: Developing Resilience in Times of Change. The antidote to succumbing to depression and anxiety in these turbulent times is to tap into the human capacity for resilience, she said.

“Everyone knows resilient people. They make the best of life even after it has seemingly fallen apart, people like Sen. John McCain who rebounded after being a prisoner of war, people who have overcome serious illnesses and suffered every kind of trauma.

“These are people who not only survive, but thrive in adversity, transforming themselves and finding more meaning and joy and happiness. In fact the very failure of the old paradigms is creating a sacred space for new possibilities.”

Tickets are available at the Havurah web site (www.havurahshirhadash <http://www.havurahshirhadash/> ), or call (541) 488-7716. Register before Oct. 20 for the special rate of $195. After Oct. 20, the price increases to $235.

Please visit our blog to learn more about the event and to leave your comments. http://joanborysenkoinashland.wordpress.com/


ALEPH Attends Women, Faith and Economic Development Briefing
 
On September 30, ALEPH Executive Director Debra Kolodny joined about 100 representatives of the Women, Faith and Economic Development Alliance (WFDA) for a briefing on project progress to date. The Alliance formed a year and a half ago, bringing $1.4 billion in new investments in women and girls in developing countries to combat poverty and end violence against women. Funding is coming from governments, multilateral institutions, non-governmental organizations, corporations, and individuals.

This venture represents the first time women's organizations, faith communities and the international development community have come together to tackle the issue of women in poverty, creating one of the most powerful and far-reaching anti-poverty coalitions in history. It has seen great success since its inception, with the role of women coming into the forefront of recent discussions on foreign assistance.

Hosted by the co-managers of WFDA, Women Thrive Worldwide, InterAction, Religions for Peace and the Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty, the event highlighted leaders from Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, American Jewish World Service, Islamic Relief, Women’s Learning Partnership, National Council of Churches and United Methodist Women. Keynoting the event were Members of Congress and leaders of the House Foreign Operations Sub Committee Nita Lowey (D-NY, Committee Chair) and Kay Granger, (R-TX, ranking member)

Ms. Kolodny said, “It is heartening to see such a broad based and powerful coalition addressing what is one of the most pressing issues of our day: empowering, enfranchising and creating safety and respect for women around the world. The studies are clear: Investing in women is the key to ending global poverty. Educating men reduces violence. Stopping violence against women can interrupt cycles of war. We have a supportive administration and the Congressional will to make this a priority. People of faith have an obligation to support this effort and ALEPH is honored to be amongst them. Many thanks to the visionary leaders of this alliance!”


ALEPH Allies Sponsor Jewish Gathering at National GLBT March

Keshet, a grassroots organization dedicated to creating a fully inclusive Jewish community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) Jews is coordinating a Jewish contingent at the upcoming National Equality March. http://equalityacrossamerica.org/ The group will gather on Sunday, October 11 at 10:30 am at the Washington DC JCC at 16th and Q streets, NW.

Organizers of the contingent say, “We can no longer wait for Washington to move forward on civil rights legislation to protect us and our families. We are routinely fired, denied housing, jobs, and health care because of our sexual orientation and gender identities. We are denied legitimacy and legal protections guaranteed to all under our Constitution. The time to act is now.”

Keshet invites you to join them at the National Equality March for an historic demonstration of support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender equality. They ask who feel that is in the spirit of their Simchat Torah observance to march with them behind the banner: “If Not Now, When? The Jewish Community Stands for Full Equality and Justice”

To RSVP or for more information about the march contact:  Joanna Ware, Keshet Community Organizer, at 617.524.9227 or Joanna@keshetonline.org

In addition, a queer Simchat Torah celebration is scheduled for Saturday, October 10th from 6:30–9:30 pm at the 16th Street JCC. Tickets are FREE, but an RSVP is required. Visit washingtondcjcc.org/gloe to reserve tickets.

For more information, call (202) 777-3253 or email justinl@washingtondcjcc.org


ALEPH Partner, the Kalsman Institute, holds course on Judaism, Health and Healing for Clinicians in January in Phoenix

The Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health and the Shalom Center of Temple Chai, Phoenix, are proud to launch interactive online learning: ASSAF: Judaism, Health and Healing for Clinicians. This program is designed to help Jewish healthcare professionals integrate clinical and spiritual life.

The course of study brings together the clinical experience and theory of leading practitioners with the rich resources of the Jewish tradition. The online education course is bookended by retreats, and provides a realistic program for professionals who often have cramped schedules and competing demands on time.

The program includes:

*    Opening Shabbaton retreat, January 8-10, 2010
*    Ten weeks of interactive online learning*, January 11-March 13, 2010
*    Closing retreat, March 14-15, 2010

Faculty include Mari Chernow, Senior Rabbi at Temple Chai; Michele Prince, LCSW, MAJCS, Director of the Kalsman Institute of Judaism and Health;

Howard Silverman, MD, MS, Associate Dean for Information Resources and Educational Technology at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix; and Sharona Silverman, MPH, Director of the Deutsch Family Shalom Center at Temple Chai.

CEUs are available through the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health for registered nurses, licensed clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists. A total of 34 units are available for the program in its entirety. No additional fees are required for CEUs.

Please go to www.kalsman.org for more details from previous ASSAF programs, or contact Sharona Silverman to register or if you have any questions (602) 971-1234, extension 280 ssilverman@templechai.com