Reminder: Havdalah Gathering tomorrow night!

Please click back to see the post announcing Rabbi Weiss’s visit to Whidbey. Join us for the community potluck at 6 PM, and Havdalah service at 7 PM with a discussion to follow. At the Greenbank Hall. Many folks already planning to attend! Hope to see you there, too!
Call Stefan at 321-5206 with any questions. Shabbat Shalom!

Hazon Food Conference Scholarship opportunity for teens

Please pass this post along to any teen that might be interested.

The fourth annual Hazon Food Conference is the only place in the world where farmers and rabbis, nutritionists and chefs, vegans and omnivores, come together to explore the dynamic interplay of food, Jewish traditions, and contemporary life.

Four days of do-it-yourself food workshops focused on sustainability, community building and food justice, cooking demonstrations, lectures, discussions, kids and family activities, joyful Shabbat celebrations, and delicious and consciously-prepared food.

 Thursday, December 24th – Sunday, December 27th, 2009 Asilomar Conference & Retreat Center, Monterey Coast, California To learn more, visit www.hazon.org/foodconference

Hazon’s Food Conference offering teen scholarship opportunity:

The Lisa Anne Botnick Teen Scholarship: Special Opportunity for Teenagers (ages 13 – 17) 

 Hazon is pleased to offer two full scholarships for teens who are involved in food and/or Jewish life. The scholarship covers program fees and housing expenses. A travel stipend of up to $150 will be available to each of the scholarship recipients, if necessary. Click here to learn more and download an application. If you have any questions, please contact Avigail@hazon.org. Applications are due November 1, 2009.

Havdalah Service Saturday, October 17 at Greenbank Progressive Hall

WIJC is pleased that Rabbi Zari Weiss will be a guest of WIJC and will be leading a Havdalah service on Saturday, October 17th at Greenbank Progressive Hall.

Havdalah marks the end of Shabbat and signifies the separation between the holy and the ordinary. Havdalah begins on Saturday once there are three stars visible in the night sky. Services for havdalah include a blessing over wine, a blessing over a multiwicked cande (which is later extinguished into the wine causing it to become twice blessed), and a blessing over spices (which are used to bring us back to focus after the rest of Shabbat).

Rabbi Zari Weiss received her rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and currently serves in a variety of capacities, including teacher, spiritual companion, and through Rodef Tezedek: The Center for the Pursuit of Justice. Rabbi Weiss is an instructor with Lev Shomea, a national program aimed at assisting Jews in the art of Spiritual Direction.

Rabbi Weiss has served as the Community Rabbi of the Greater East Bay, and as rabbi of Kehilla Community Synagogue in Berkeley, a Jewish Renewal congregation. She is past Co-President of the Board of the Women’s Rabbinic Network and is Chair of the Committee on Rabbinic Spirituality. Rabbi Weiss is married to David Levy, a professor at the University of Washington Information School.

Between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. there will be a community potluck dinner. Please bring a place setting and a dish to share.

Havdalah service should begin at 7:00.

Following dinner and service,  Rabbi Weiss will be leading a discussion on “A Jewish Primer to Building Community.” Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The Greenbank Hall is located at the corner of Bakken and Firehouse Roads, just west of the Greenbank Store. Questions may be directed to Stefan at schlesinger.stefan@gmail.com

Tashlich, September 20th at 2:00 p.m.

The Whidbey Island Jewish Community invites everyone to take part in Tashlich on Sunday, September 20th at Posession Beach Park at 2:00 p.m.

Tashlich, which originated in the Middle Ages, comes from the Hebrew phrase for casting off. This Rosh Hashana custom is referenced in a verse spoken from the prophet Micah which includes the phrase “ You shall cast all your sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). The first known mention of this custom is located in Nehemiah 8:1 where it states that “all the Jews gathered as one in the street that is in front of the gate of water”. According to Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) since “the deeps of the sea saw the genesis of Creation: to throw bread into the sea on New Year’s Day, the anniversary of creation, is an appropriate tribute to the Creator (Torat ha’ Olah 3:56).

There will be a short presentation on the meaning of tashlich and the associated prayer, time for private reflection, and the opportunity for community members to sound the shofar.

While this event is being held on the South End, WIJC would like to make the community shofar available to any member who wishes to use it during the holiday season. WIJC has been gifted a lovely shofar as a token of outreach and those that wish to use it sometime other than at tashlich should contact stefans@whidbey.com

Shana Tova!

INTERFAITH VIGIL OF PEACE AND HOPE

Blessed are the Peacemakers

 On Sunday afternoon of October 18 at 4:00,  St. Augustine’s-in-the-Woods will host the sixth annual Community Interfaith  Vigil of Peace and Hope, which is being sponsored by St. Augustine’s Episcopal Peace Fellowship.

This year’s interfaith vigil will emphasize the themes of justice and peace; “Know  Justice, Know Peace.”
 
As has been the case with previous vigils the service will feature prayer and scripture contributions from Buddhist, Christian, Quaker, Catholic, Unitarian, Methodist, Jewish and Sufi Muslim faith traditions. Rabbi Weiss will take part in the service.

 The service is still evolving with the current draft calling for a First Nations smudging/cleansing ceremony, short stories, scripture readings, prayers, poems and music from different faith traditions.  There will be silent time for reflection and a personal peace commitment ceremony.

Musical offerings will include Karl Olsen and Dances of Universal Peace.

Yom Kippur Services cancelled

Unfortunately we have had to cancel our planned Yom Kippur services this year. We wish everyone a blessed High Holy Days. L’Shanah Tovah from the WIJC board!

High Holidays on Whidbey Island

Once again this year we welcome Rabbi Harry Zeitlin for Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur services on Sunday evening and Monday September 27 and 28. Services will be held at the Au Sable Institute in Coupeville. Rabbi Zeitlin is an insightful and inspiring facilitator who is pleased to respond to our invitation to join us this year. Please stay tuned for more details to follow, and/or send an e-mail to stefans@whidbey.com for more information.

Shabbat Gathering! August 21

A Kabalat Shabbat service will be held August 21 at the home of Susan and Steve Bennett from 7:30-9:00 PM. The service will be in the Conservative tradition, beginning with candle lighting and ending with Kiddush. Please respond to slb@whidbey.com by August 16 to ensure enough copies of the service.

WIJC Member achieves Jewish Environmental Education Certification

Miriam Coates, co-secretary for the Whidbey Island Jewish Community, has recently earned a Certificate in Jewish Environmental Education from the Teva Institute (www.tevalearningcenter.org). The educator training session was held in Cold Spring, New York and was sponsored by the Teva Learning Center and the Jewish National Fund.

Her certification was completed through the Organic Agriculture and Educational Gardening track, facilitated by the Jewish Farm School.

Miriam is continuing her studies in Jewish education and is currently enrolled in the Jewish Teacher Certification program offered by the Jewish Federation of Seattle and is a participant in Hazon’s (www.hazon.org) Jewish Food Education Network training program.

Eager to share her experiences and knowledge with the community, Miriam is currently working on developing curriculum and courses for adults and children  that explore Jewish agricultural practices, food justice, bal taschshit, and eco kashrut concepts.

Questions or comments can be directed to Miriam at coates@whidbey.com

July 17-18 Shabbat Campout @ Fort Flagler w/ Peninsula Jewish Communities

Congregation Olympic B’nai Shalom and friends –

This weekend is the retreat at Fort Flagler and there is still plenty of room for those of you who are still thinking about coming. Or you can come just for an evening one night, a day or whatever works for you. Below is a loose schedule of events, what to bring, and directions are below. Please let Scott Gordon know if you plan to come – scottinsequim@olypen.com. Hope that many of you will find time to sneak away from your busy lives and join us.

Schedule

Friday, July 17

2pm: Check-in (Scott will do this for us)
6pm: Kabbalat Shabbat Songs/Blessings (Perry, Rabbi Stan, Suzanne)
6:30pm: Dinner (bring your own)
7:30-10pm: More Shabbat songs with Perry
“Stump the Rabbi”….ask Rabbi Stan any question you’d like about Judaism
Campfire, s’mores, relax and chat, walk the beach, play board games

Saturday, July 18
7am: Meditation with Perry for early risers
8:30 am: Breakfast (Scott is providing and cooking :0) )
10am: Shabbat celebration with an interactive/creative service involving everyone (children too).
D’var Torah with Rabbi Stan

Lunch – bring your own

Afternoon free for relaxation. Craft projects will be available for kids of all ages.

6:30pm Dinner – potluck
7:30-9 pm : Israeli Dancing with Carol Tice
9pm: Havdalah with Perry and Rabbi Stan
9:30- Until???: Campfire, s’mores, board games, relax, walk, etc.

Sunday, July 19:
8:30 am: Breakfast provided by Scott…again !
After breakfast pack up and check out of rooms followed by a Circle Gathering to close…Songs/Rabbi Stan

What to bring:

Volley ball, Badminton, Bocce, Croquet

Sand toys

Beach Chairs

Cards, Board games

Linens for single beds or sleeping bags, pillows, towels

Night Lights

Flashlight

Meals – Breakfasts are covered – plan to bring

Friday night dinner

Saturday Lunch

A potluck dish for Saturday evening