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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) 530-4422 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!

January 21, 2008

AT PARDES LEVAVOT

Of Note

Thank you to Meira and Andy Chmiel for providing a very homemade Kiddush, including home baked Challah and homemade wine, even growing the concord grapes at home! Plus a peach pie from home grown peaches. This was in honor of Meira leaving for a year of study in Israel as part of her rabbinic program. Good luck and safe journeys to Meira, and best wishes to Andy and their son Izzy while Meira is away. Thanks to Jim Wright for some extra goodies.

Congratulations to all the members of Shepherd of the Hills and to their new pastor, Marty Lettow and his family. They had a wonderful installation ceremony on Sunday with clergy from many area churches - and perhaps the first Lutheran pastor installation which featured blessing from Rabbis!

Please take a few extra minutes at the end of our services and help make sure everything is cleaned up and put back in both the oneg and kitchen area and in the sanctuary. If we all pitch in it is done in a snap. If only one person works it takes 1½ to 2 hours. Thanks for your help!

Events This Week

Hebrew YAY!

Wednesday, January 23, 4:30-5:30pm

Chant and Meditation

Wednesday, January 23, 7-9pm

Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Friday, January 25, 7-9pm

Parashat Yitro
Yitro Torah Journey

Events Coming Up

Personal Confessions: Writing Your Own Vidui

(Sponsored by Menorah - JCC)

With Rabbi Nadya Gross

Mondays: January 28, February 4, February 11, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Location: North Boulder - call 303-434-5583 for directions

Cost: $72 for three sessions

Rabbi Eliezer declared: "Repent one day before your death." Whereupon his disciples asked: How does one know which day that is? "Exactly," answered the sage. "For that reason, we ought to live our lives each day as though it were our last." (Babylonian Talmud)

What is the sum of your life's experience? What is your greatest regret? What hurts need to be addressed? From whom do you most crave forgiveness? The Jewish practice of deathbed confession, the vidui, is finding a new expression, as many are choosing to create a personal document that is an accurate and personal atONEment. Join Rabbi Nadya Gross for a three-session workshop and learn how to write, and regularly update, your vidui as life continues to unfold.

Tachat Kanfei HaShechina – Beneath The Wings of The Divine

A Panel on Death & Dying in the Jewish Tradition with Boulder’s Rabbis   Thursday, January 24th 2008, 7:30-9:00 PM at Boulder JCC, 3800 Kalmia Avenue   A panel discussion with Haver: Boulder's Rabbinic Fellowship on practices on death, dying, mourning and beyond.  Each rabbi/teacher will present a different aspect of our customs, practices and beliefs, followed by an opportunity to engage with our diverse community leaders and ask your own questions.

Getting Involved

From the Shepherd of the Hills Bulletin

The Our Center Clothing Bank (50 E. Rogers Road) has an immediate need for volunteers. Volunteers help receive small kitchen items and donated clothing, sort clothing and restock clothing racks. 3 volunteers needed daily, Monday through Friday. The Shift is 8:00 am to Noon.
 
The Our Center Intake Office has an immediate need for 5 volunteers for the following shifts: Tuesday 12:30-4:00pm, Wednesday 9:00am to 12:30pm and 12:30pm to 4:00pm, Thursday 9:00am to 12:30pm, and Friday 9:00am to 12:30pm.   Volunteers work one on one with clients issuing grocery vouchers and updating client files.  Mandatory background check!
For more information please call E. Linda Ulibarri, Volunteer Program Coordinator 303-772-5529 ext. 235


PARDES LEVAVOT CALENDAR

January 2008

23, Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm
Hebrew YAY!

23, Wednesday, 7-9pm
Chant and Meditation

25, Friday, 7-9pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service

28, Monday, 7-9pm
Personal Confessions: Writing Your Own Vidui

30, Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm
Hebrew Class

30, Wednesday
NO Chant and Meditation

AROUND TOWN AND BEYOND

JCC Calendar

Summer 2008 Taglit-birthright Israel Trip with ALEPH

Three Messiahs: Messianism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Supporting Kids Under Fire

Online courses from Reb Zalman's teachings

Galeet Dardashti in Denver

New CD from Rabbi Shefa Gold

Rabbi Shefa Gold has just released a new CD, called The Majesty of Nurture, which will be celebrated at a concert on January 27th at the Woodstock Jewish Center at 7PM. You can purchase it through her website: www.RabbiShefaGold.com

In speaking about this new music, Shefa says,

"The Majesty of Nurture takes us on a journey of prayer. We begin by invoking the Divine presence in order to unify the places of duality in us. We turn then to the practice of gratefulness for our lives. We acknowledge the purity and infinite potential of our souls and then do the work of balancing the forces of will and surrender. We invite in a vision of our future self in order to see who we are becoming and then we celebrate, first with the practice of complete satisfaction and then exuberant praise. We turn then to the inspiration of Torah and to the wisdom of the Prophets. Our prayer concludes an affirmation of our participation in the process of the evolution of consciousness, a hymn to the mystery of God, and a celebration of Joy."

Sacred Speaking / Deeper Davenning

Jonathan Bender, who just performed In the Belly of the Whale, is holding his workshop on Sacred Speaking. Previously taught at Kallah, this embodied approach to prayer focuses not on what to say, but how to express yourself deeply, and connect more fully with text and the Divine. A 3-hour workshop with practical exercises to take home with you. 
Date: Thurs 1/24, 6-9pm. Boulder. 
Cost: $40. Sliding scale available.
To register: Email info@wholespeak.com or call Jonathan at (303) 775-5883.

Reb Zalman in Hawaii

Come join Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Eve Ilsen for a magical Shabbaton on the Big Island of Hawaii over the weekend of February 15-17, 2008. The Outrigger hotel is giving participants in the Shabbaton a great rate of $135 per night for ocean view rooms and these rates are good 5 days before the Shabbaton to five days after. Leading prayer and teaching in Hawaii has been a dream of Reb Zalman's for a long time. For more information or to download the flyer and registration form go to www.konabethshalom.org.


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. And remember to let us know when our prayers have been effective!
  • Chana Feygeleh bat Timka
  • HaRav Shohama bat Yehudit
  • Sarah Yehudis Krissel bat Chaya Fayge
  • Bob Snyder
  • David Sapper
  • Magdalena Merovingia
  • Gershom ben Leah v Avraham
  • Yehoshua Mishulim ben Sarah Leah
  • Shoshana Nejman
  • 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
  • John Silverman
  • 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.


Two men were down on their luck and decided to paint houses to earn some extra money. To start their business they asked the Rabbi of a local synagogue if he would be interested in their service. He agreed and the men went out to buy the paint. As they drove to the paint store they decided that they would mix half paint and half water to try to increase their profits. When they finished the job they called the Rabbi outside to look at their work. "It looks wonderful," the Rabbi said and as he started to hand them the check a small rain cloud appeared. All at once there was lightning and thunder and the temple area was drenched with rain. As the rain hit the synagogue the paint started running. Suddenly, as the three of them stood there in disbelief, a voice from heaven said ... "Repaint and thin no more."