December 18, 2006
AT
PARDES LEVAVOT
PARDES
CALENDAR
SPECIAL MEMBER NEEDS/OFFERINGS
- Medicare Part D and
Medicare Advantage Plan
AROUND TOWN AND BEYOND
- Boulder JCC Events,
January 2007
- At the Boulder JCC and
Around Town.week of 12/17/06 - 12/23/06
- Center for Judaic
Studies,
December 2006
- Walking the Path with
the Baal Shem Tov
- JFS Blood Drive
- JFS Para-Chaplain
Training
PRAYERS
AT PARDES LEVAVOT
Thank
You!
 Thank you to everyone who made our
first night of Chanukah party a huge success! We had over 150 happy
people at the Latke Palace. A big thanks to Vicki Penna and Shoshana
Nejman - our Queens of the Latke Palace! Their vision and inspiration
were essential to seeing this through, along with a lot of fun work.
Thanks to Rabbis Nadya and Victor for leading such an energetic crowd.
Thanks also to everyone who helped, including John Penna, David Kirsh
and Brad Klein who set up on Thursday, and all those who fired hundreds
of latkes, along with all the Pardes Levavot
members who helped clean up afterwards. Thanks to Jack Greene whose
photos appear in this week's email; be sure to scroll through the whole
message to see many more photos. And a big thank you to everyone
who came and made it such a special evening.
Don't miss the front page story on the Longmont Daily Times-Call local
section with a full page photo from our party of Rabbis Victor and
Nadya lighting the candles for the first night of Chanukah.
Events
This Week
Chanting and Meditation
Wednesday, December 20,
7-9pm.
www.pardeslevavot.org/announcements/chant.html
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Friday, December 22, 7-9pm
Miketz
2007 Community Council
Elections
Elections for our 2007
Community Council have begun. We held a community meeting this past
Sunday to introduce our candidates and begin the voting. Members will
receive an email explaining the process and providing a ballot. If you
are a member of Pardes Levavot and don't receive a ballot email by
Wednesday, December 20 - or if you'd like to become a member! - please
write to info@pardeslevavot.org.
Events
Coming Up
OHaLaH
OHaLaH the Jewish renewal
rabbis, cantors and rabbinic pastors annual conference returns to
Boulder in January. As is our custom, Pardes Levavot will attend the
Shabbat services, led by ALEPH Smicha students (rabbinic, cantorial and
rabbinic pastor students), at the Boulderado Hotel. Please join us for
the following services and events:
Kabbalat Shabbat Friday evening, January 5th at 7:30 pm
Shabbat morning Saturday, January 6th at 9:45 am
Evening of Chant with Rabbi Shefa Gold Saturday, January 6th at 8:00 pm
(donation: $10; $18/couple)
Bar/Bat
Mitzvah celebrations!
Anna Yulsman Bat Mitzvah - Saturday, January 13 (MLK weekend)
Ari Saponar Bar Mitzvah - Saturday, January 27
Getting
Involved
Helping Ari and Shirly
Your prayers are asked for
Ari Saponar (Shirly Pugatzky's son), who shattered his femur while
skiing. Ari is home, facing a 4-6 month recovery from the accident and
surgery that followed. There are many ways that we
can all help Shirly and Ari
during his recovery at home. Please contact info@pardeslevavot.org if you
can help. We especially need people to prepare meals and bring them
over, and to come and visit.
Host an Oneg
Dear Hearts,
Please honor the memory of a yarhzeit, a birthday or an anniversary by
hosting an Oneg Shabbat or Kiddush. Recently I hosted an Oneg in memory
of my mother. She has been dead for 16 years. By honoring my Mother
Etta in this way she feels more alive to me. It is as if I have asked
her to join the Congregation with me. Please sign up by contacting info@pardeslevavot.org or
calling Myra at 303-952-9652. If there are financial concerns contact
me. Also feel free to give a donation to our Oneg fund. We need one or
more volunteers every week!
Blessings,
Myra Tuckerman
303-952-9652
mtuckerman@gmail.com
From the Shepherd of the
Hills Bulletin
Office needs: white, yellow,
and lavender copy paper.
We are missing some white, plastic, light-weight tables from the
fellowship
hall. If you have them or know their whereabouts, please return them.
Thanks.
Tikkun Olam: Repairing The
World
Energy
efficient bulbs
through COEJL
Order Compact Flourescent
Bulbs on Line at a Discount
Now you can benefit from the discounts secured by COEJL (Coalition on
the Environment and Jewish Life) through their "Light among the
Nations" campaign on line at home, with no hassle.
COEJL has created a universal portal where anyone can log-in and tap
into the discounts secured by the campaign and make their CFL purchase
count as part of the national Jewish effort.
A wide assortment of long-lasting, environmentally sound CFLs is
available at fantastic prices…on top of all the money you will save on
your utility bills.
Here’s how:
- Go to www.bulbs.com
- Click on "your account"
- Type in info@coejl.org
for the email and COEJL for the password.
- Shop away, knowing that
each cent goes to a better environment.
Have your credit card ready
and consider CFLs as wonderful Chanukah
gifts for friends and relatives.
 First
Freedom First
We are involved in a new
project that embraces America’s First Freedom, the freedom for and the
freedom from religion. The First Amendment to the United States
Constitution guarantees freedom for religion and freedom from
religion—a twinned liberty often called “America’s First Freedom.” This
unique provision, considered by many historians to be “our nation’s
greatest contribution to the rest of the world,” has proven to be the
best possible friend of both religious and non-religious people. The
corollary of religious freedom, institutional separation of church and
state, has spared our nation the kind of religion-based conflicts that
have ravaged so many other governments around the world.
Now, in the most religiously pluralistic nation in the world, our First
Freedom is under siege. While some religious people seek to advance
their sectarian agendas through government, some government officials
seek to advance their political ideologies through institutions of
religion.
www.pardeslevavot.org/announcements/church-and-state.html
Selling Violence
What's Wal-Mart promoting
this holiday season? The religious right's extreme ideology.
Just in time for Christmas, the religious right has released a violent
video game in which born-again Christians aim to convert or kill those
who don't adhere to their extreme ideology - including Muslims, Jews,
and Catholics. The video game, "Left Behind: Eternal Forces," is based
on the apocalyptic "Left Behind" novels - written and promoted by
religious right leader Tim LaHaye. Despite the violent, intolerant
message being marketed to children, Wal-Mart, the nation's #1 video
game seller, is selling the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game -
just in time for the holidays!
Take action now and urge Wal-Mart to stop selling religious violence
this
holiday season. Click here: http://ga3.org/campaign/tell_wal_mart/
 "Left Behind: Eternal Forces"
takes place in New York City, shortly
after the rapture. Gamers are charged with creating Christian militias
who roam the streets of New York City, looking to convert non-believers
and killing those who they are unable to draw to their side. In fact,
after particularly bloody battles, players must use prayer to recharge
their "soul points" that have been diminished by the killing.
Most disturbing is
the game's apparent attempt at religious
indoctrination - aimed at children and focused on violent, divisive,
and hateful scenarios.
The game has outraged progressive and conservative Christians alike,
and despite the religious right's typical opposition to violent video
games, "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" has not generated any criticism
from this group and in fact gained a gleaming review from a Focus on
the Family affiliated website
this week.
While the religious right apparently has no problem pushing the product
this holiday season, America's #1 video game seller should know better.
Click here and urge Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott to stop selling our kids
religious violence: http://ga3.org/campaign/tell_wal_mart/
Also, be sure to head to the DefCon Blog to learn more about the game:
http://ga3.org/ct/k1Mby8n1-zEV/
Sincerely,
Clark, Jessica, and the rest of the DefCon team.
P.S. Click here to read DefCon's feature on Tim LaHaye and the end
times theology: http://ga3.org/ct/k7Mby8n1-zU1/
Flatirons Habitat for
Humanity
With the Holidays
approaching, Flatirons Habitat for Humanity is looking for some of the
holiday spirit with donations of tools and volunteer time.
Groundbreaking of our new homes is fast approaching and we are in need
of some new tools. Our Wish List includes Ryobi Cordless Drill toolkit,
utility knives, Stanley 20 oz anti-vibe hammer, wheelbarrows, 18 volt
battery packs and chargers,
chainsaws, and much more.
All items can be
purchased at your local Lowe's or Home Depot. If you are interested in
giving a gift that keeps giving, please call our office today for more
details at 303-447-3787 ext. 30.
PARDES
CALENDAR
December 2006
20, Wednesday - Chant and
Meditation, 7-9pm
22, Friday - Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 7-9pm
27, Wednesday - Chant and
Meditation, 7-9pm
30, Saturday - Celebrate Shabbat with Family and Friends!
SPECIAL MEMBER NEEDS/OFFERINGS
 Medicare
Part D and
Medicare Advantage Plan
Dear Friends,
Wednesday November 15th marks the beginning of Medicare Part D and
Medicare Advantage Plan open enrollment. The Medicare Part D open
enrollment period is only six weeks long, ending December 31st.
If you, your friends, or relatives living in Colorado desire to enroll
or change plans, then the time to act is now, before the last minute.
Last year the vast
majority of headaches happened when plan members
tried to fill prescriptions at the pharmacy before the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid could process their paperwork. Again, if you are
thinking of enrolling in Part D please don’t wait until the end of
December to act.
Medicare products are one of the lines of insurance that I specialize
in. I would be happy to help you discover which plan makes the most
sense for you. If you would like my help please send me an e-mail at joelrosenblum@comcast.net
or give me a call at 720-298-3516.
Sincerely,
Joel Rosenblum
AROUND TOWN AND BEYOND
Boulder JCC Events,
January 2007
www.pardeslevavot.org/announcements/JCC-2006_12_09.html
At the Boulder JCC and
Around Town.week of 12/17/06 - 12/23/06
www.pardeslevavot.org/announcements/BJCC-2006_12_16.html
Center for Judaic
Studies, December
2006
www.pardeslevavot.org/announcements/cjs-2006_12_15.html
 Walking
the Path with the
Baal Shem Tov
Winter Shabbaton with Rabbi
Ruth Gan Kagan
Over the past few years I have developed a deep connection to the Baal
Shem Tov and his
teachings. I found in them
profound guidance to the
spiritual quest of the modern seeker. These oral teachings, brought to
us through the lenses of different students, are gems of wisdom and
surprises. I would like to invite you to this Shabbaton to share with
me this adventure of walking the path with a timeless Master.
You may sign up for the full experience (highly recommended) or join us
for an individual session. The Shabbaton will be led in a way that each
segment is both freestanding while being part of a whole experience. It
is suited for all levels of learning. The Shabbaton includes a light
third meal of 'herring and shnapps'.
When: Shabbat Vayechi
(Chazak), Friday-Saturday 5-6 January, 2007
Session I: Friday 9-10:30 PM
Session II: Saturday 3:45-5:30 PM (5:30 Havdalah)
Session III: Saturday 6-8 PM
Where: Congregation Bonai Shalom, 1527 Cherryvale Road, Boulder, 80303.
 Sliding Scale Tuition:
Full Shabbaton – $54 -
$90
Each Session - $18 -$36
Scholarships are also available.
For more information
or to register call:
Congregation Bonai Shalom (303) 442-6605
For questions you may also e-mail reb Ruth at ruthgan@netvision.net.il
Send checks to Congregation Bonai Shalom, 1527 Cherryvale Road,
Boulder, 80303. Please mark your checks “Besht Shabbaton”.
Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan is from Jerusalem. She teaches classes and
workshops on prayer, on creating an intimate relationship with the
Divine, and
on connecting to God through
joy. Reb Ruth, who spent two
years in Boulder in 2001-2003, is happy to be back to share these
teachings.
JFS Blood Drive
Thursday, December 28 at
10:00-10:40 AM & 12:00-3:30 PM
www.pardeslevavot.org/announcements/jfs-blood-drive.html
JFS Para-Chaplain Training
Jewish Family Service (JFS)
will hold its 2007 Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick) para-chaplain
training on January 7, 17 and 23 in Denver.
www.pardeslevavot.org/announcements/JFS-para-chaplain.html
PRAYERS
 Each newsletter contains
names of people in our community, or friends of our community, who need
prayers for healing, support, et cetera. Please send names in Hebrew
and/or English, with other details as desired, to info@pardesleavavot.org.
Ari Saponar
Dr. Howard Goldstein
Will Kohler
Shirley Elaine Garfinkle
Alter Shoresh ben Zion v'Shoshana
HaRav Devorah Rut bat Tamar (Rabbi Deborah Ruth Bronstein)
Rut bat Miriam
Lior
bat Esther Masha
Dov Baer Ben Yehuda ha Kohen v'Devorah
David Sapper
Jackie Lewis
John Silverman
Leslie Weidner
Mimi Ito
For information about Pardes Levavot or our events please visit our
website at www.pardeslevavot.org
or write info@pardeslevavot.org.
To contact Rabbis Nadya and Victor Gross write rabbis@pardeslevavot.org.
If you would like to post something on our Pardes Levavot mailing
lists, or if you have questions about our mailings, lists,
communications, etc., contact info@pardeslevavot.org.
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