Peterborough Havurah Newsletter

Issue No 10

18April 2007 / 30Nisan 5767

Newsletter:

Editor:John

Photographer:David Levene

Web Site:

Committees:

Spiritual:Allen Hollander, Nancy Harrowitz, John Halper

Tikkun Olam:David Levene, Grisel Levene, Jane Morrissey

Finance:Jane Morrissey, Jeffrey Crocker, Liz Halper

Seder:Karen Bell, Nancy Harrowitz

Antrim Liaison:Maude Salinger

Tues. Group Liaison:James Moon

Web Master:John Halper

Recent Events

  • Saturday, March 17, 2007 - Havurah at the Crocker’s in Peterborough

Thanks go to Jeff and Martha Crocker for hosting our gathering on Saturday, March 17th, at their home in Peterborough.

We had a good turnout and were pleased to welcome two guests: Anthony Woolf’s parents, Bernard and Geraldine. Jeff led a spirited discussion on the branches of Judaism…complete with a ‘pop quiz’that Jeff had prepared to make us really think about where we fit as individuals in the spectrum of Judaism. I’ll add a copy of the‘quiz’ to the web site. To complement the ‘quiz’, Jeff prepared a matrix relating the different approaches to Judaism:

  • Who are some exponents of the approach?
  • What are the methods of study?
  • What is their nature of revelation?
  • What is the authority of the approach’s bible laws and ideas?
  • What, if any, is man’s ability to change the bible’s laws and ideas?

We shared our answers and had a thought provoking discussion…thanks Jeff.

Here are some photos taken by David Levene at the Crocker’s.

Make sure you put your answers in the right place Pencils anyone?

I don’t like my answers, let’s trade Hmmmmmmmm

  • Friday, April6, 2007 - Havurah Seder

The Havurah held it’s first-ever Passover Sederon Friday, April 6th and what a success it was…almost 40 people attended! I can’t say enough about the planning, preparation and execution of the event by our Seder Committee: Karen Bell and Nancy Harrowitz. They deserve our heart-felt thanks. Passover is my favorite holiday and this one was tops.

What an exciting event it was. Allen Hollander led the Seder with his usual combination of spirituality, warmth and knowledge. Karen and Nancy had prepared mini-Seder plates for every participant as part of their place-setting, so we could easily enjoy all the special foods and condiments that make up the Seder ritual. Allen brought a play for us to perform and we took roles as Pharaoh, Moses, etc. - what fun! David, I thought you did an especially good job as the princess (we won’t tell Grisel).

Making matzoh-ball soup for 40 people was no small undertaking and was accomplished during a soup making extravaganza at Karen’s house the weekend before. I’m sure it was the liveliest kitchen in Jaffrey that afternoon. The Seder meal was a real treat. Matzoh-ball soup, gefilte fish and a wide variety of super dishes were provided by the Seder-goers. Again, this was carefully coordinated by Karen and Nancy, so we would have a variety of main dishes and desserts.

Of course, we couldn’t complete the Seder without the afikomen which had been deftly hidden by Liz Halper. Jacob Hollander found itbehind the bulletin board (with some hints from Michael Bell) and traded it for a gift from the leader so the Seder could resume. We sang songs and just had a great time.

Can’t wait for next year’s Havurah Seder!

Here are a few pictures from the Seder taken by David Levene and me. Because this newsletter is distributed mainly by Email, I have to limit the number of pictures. In the next week or so, I’ll put more pictures on the web site for you to enjoy.

Carole Allen, one of our members and a photographer on the staff of the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, took a picture that was printed on the front page of the paper. Thanks Carole…we certainly benefit from exposure to the community as a whole.

Upcoming Events

  • Saturday, May 19th, 2007 - Havurah at the Hollander’s in Peterborough

The Hollander's will host the Havurahon Saturday, May 19th, at 6:00 PM at their home in Peterborough. There will be a vegetarian pot luck dinner, a Havdalah service and Allen will lead the discussion topic for the evening: "The 10 and 603 other commandments. What meaning and role have they played in our lives? How have we used them? What roles do we have, as Jews, to be an example?" This is a timely subject as Shavuot begins on the evening of May 22nd…Shavuot celebrates the harvest and commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Allen has asked that we help him prepare by sending in your questions and areas of interest on the commandments…that will help steer the discussion. You may Email them directly to Allen at .

Please call Allen at 924-8705 to RSVP. Here are the directions to his house:

  • From the traffic light at the intersection of Routes 202 and 101 in Peterborough, go south on Route 202 (toward Jaffrey) approximately 1.5 miles to Long Hill Rd.Long Hill Rd is just past New Hampshire Ball Bearings. Turn right onto Long Hill Rd.
  • Go up the hill and make the first left turn. Allen's house is on the right at #13. Please park only on the right side of the street (the side that Allen's house is on).
  • Erev Shabbat-Friday, May25th, 2007

Nancy Harrowitz and August Watterswill host an Erev Shabbat service onFriday, May 25th, at 7:00 PM at their home in Peterborough. For directions and to RSVP, please Email them at (preferred) or call(603) 924-1075.

  • Havurah Gathering- Saturday, June 23rd, 2007

John and Liz Halper will host a joint gathering of the Peterborough Havurah and the Shabbat North group (the ‘Antrim Havurah’), on Saturday, June 23rd, at 6:00 PM at their home in Greenfield. This will be an opportunity to meet or become reacquainted with other members of the Jewish community in our area, to share a meal, and to make music together.

This is primarily a social gathering and potluck dinner, although we will have our traditional Havdalah service. Bring your instruments, voices, and music for an evening of folk songs, klezmer music, and Jewish song. Piano provided! All ages are welcome. Please call 547-8777 for directions and to RSVP.

Other News

  • Dues

As I outlined in my recent Email, the finances of the Havurah are now taking more time to manage and therefore we have formed a finance committee to discuss the issue and suggest some specific action. Initially the committee is comprised of Jane Morrissey, Jeff Crocker, Liz Halper and me.

For now, the main issues are setting up a bank account and collecting / disbursing funds for expenses such as the web domain, web site hosting, Bar/Bat Mitzvah gifts, graduation gifts, etc. A bank account is being setup for the Havurah with Liz Halper and Jane Morrissey as co-signers.

In order to streamline the collection and disbursement of funds, we agreed that the process needs to be formalized and the best way to do it is to collect dues once a year. We estimate that the Havurah’s expenses would total about $400 per year, not including extra activities (such as the Seder) which would be charged for separately. This comes to about $20 per person annually. This amount would be re-evaluated every year and adjusted as necessary. No dues would be collected for anyone under the age of 21.

In the near future, we will send out an annual dues statement. However, dues are strictly voluntary. The Havurah should never put anyone in a position of having to drop out or not become a member if the dues present a burden. Many of you have already sent in your $5.25 ($10.50 for a couple) to cover the web hosting fees [thank you]. The monies already sent in will be credited to the $20 per person ($40 per couple) dues for 2007.

Supporting the Havurah is important; especially for regular attendees. For those of you who are seasonal or who attend only occasionally, your dues are certainly welcomed and appreciated. The cultural, spiritual and social aspects of our group are taking on more and more importance, not to mention our Tikkun Olam activities and the sense of community we gain.

  • Membership List

Last week you received an Emailrequesting that a Member Information form be filled out and returned to me…that form will help us get our files up to date. Many of you have already replied, but I would like to get responses from those who have notin the next week if possible. I have included another copy of the form as the last page of this newsletter for your convenience. You may complete it and Email it back to me or snail-mail it to me at:

John Halper

35 Old Bennington Rd.

Greenfield, NH03047

  • Tikkun Olam ("Repairing the World.")

Our Tikkun Olam activities have gotten off to a good start led by our Tikkun Olam committee (David and Grisel Levene). The Havurah gathering at the Weiser’s in February was the site of the Havurah’s first collection of canned goods for the Peterborough Food Bank and many of you brought items to be donated.

Grisel has compiled an updated list of items requested by the Peterborough Food Bank:

Pasta Meals Spaghetti Sauce Tomato Sauce Tomato Paste

Canned Tomatoes Hash Chili Gravy Stew

Canned Vegetables:Corn Peas Green Beans

Potatoes:Canned Mashed

Soup:Chicken Tomato Lentil Bean Pea

Creamed Soup:Cr. Mushroom Cr. Celery

Cereal: Hot and Cold

Milk:Dry Condensed Evaporated

Tuna

Bread: White Wheat

Macaroni and Cheese

Dry Pasta

Bath Soap

Toilet Tissue

Rice

Juice

Peanut Butter Jelly

Jell-O Pudding Jell-O

1/2 Chicken

Muffin Mix Cake Mix

Tea

Helpers: Tuna Chicken Hamburg

Canned Fruit: Pineapple Applesauce Pears Mandarins

Please bring items from the above list to our Havurah gatherings for donation to the food bank in the Havurah’s name.

Nancy Harrowitz is also compiling a list of clothes that can be donated to CrotchedMountainRehabilitationCenter. As soon as that’s ready, I’ll send an Email to you with the list.

We also have a Tzedakah box which will be at the Havurah gatherings from now on. Be sure to put a donation in it if you can. The Tikkun Olam committee will give us some suggestions as to possible recipient organizations for our donations.

Here are some of the other ideas that have been suggested for Tikkun Olam:

  • Have a yard sale in the summer and donate the proceeds to a worthy local cause.
  • Have the Havurah sign up as a group to provide food and time for a community dinner at a local church.
  • Cooking for a local shelter.
  • Hat and mitten drive.
  • Volunteering to help out at a shelter, the hospital, etc. on Easter and/or Christmas when Christians celebrate their holidays.
  • Environmental theme:recycle for those unable to do it themselves (pickup bottles, papers; good for teens with vehicle), conservation ideas.
  • Elderly are always in need of assistance - spend time playing a board game with them or doing a chore for them that they may be unable to perform.
  • Do a cemetery cleanup in Keene at the Synagogue's reserved areaeach spring.
  • If we discuss the possibility of a trip to Israel, include a day set aside in Israel to do volunteer work.
  • Suggested Future Havurah Topics

Here are some of the topics that have been suggested for future Havurah gatherings. If you think of others, please let me know.

  • Another discussion of anti-Semitism in Monadnock and in the ConvalSchools and how to counter it.
  • Interfaith relationships - how we deal with our own or how others close to us have dealt with theirs.
  • The Holocaust. (Invite a guest speaker).
  • Show and discuss the film “Paper Clips”.
  • Upcoming Jewish Holidays and Celebrations

The following holiday begins at sundown on the day before the day shown.

  • ShavuotWednesday, May 23, 2007
  • James Moon’s Brother Serving in Iraq

At a recent Havurah gathering, James told us about his brother who is currently serving his second tour of duty in Iraq and this tour is a long one…18 months. James said that his brother, among others serving oversees, has difficulty adjusting to the conditions over there and then re-adjusting to life back here when they return.
To ease the transition in both directions and help with the day-to-day difficulties of life over there, James has asked us to send letters and/or packages to his brother. Anything that brings encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Letters or packages must be sent to the following address:
SPC Hesselton, Donald
D Co 1-504 PIR 2 BCT 82 ABN
Unit #41556, FOB Loyalty
APO AE 09390-1556
The return address must be the following. Do NOT use your own return address.
1-504 PIR
Ft. Bragg, NC 28310
The postage you use is for domestic mail / packages (not international). If the cost of sending a package is prohibitive, contact James and he will send it.
Here is a list of the items James suggested.
Drink mixes, i.e. Crystal Light, Kool-Aid, etc.
Batteries of all types, i.e. AA / AAA / C / D / 9-volt
Bargain DVDs, i.e. Wal-Mart, Movie Gallery and used
Magazines: sports / hunting / outdoor
Junk food: pretzel mixes, packaged foods
Reading material, i.e. history, biographies, etc.
Clothing: socks (size 10-12), XL tees, underwear (XL)
Small toys to be given away to Arab children

  • Lending Library

David Levene has started a Havurah lending library. At each Havurah, please bring a book or two in some way related to Judaism and add them to the box set aside as a Havurah lending library. At the end of the evening, members can remove a book from the library to take home and read. When you’re finished reading it, please bring it to the next Havurah gathering and return it to the library box. If you would like your book back at some point, just put your name inside the cover.

  • Our Web Site

Maude has suggested that we add a potluck recipe page to the web site. The recipes should be suitable for a Havurah gathering…i.e. vegetarian…main dishes and desserts. Please send them to me and I’ll post them on our web site.

The address of the Peterborough Havurah’s web site is The site is password-protected: the User Name is “havurah” (lower-case letters) and the Password is “livefree” (one word, lower case).

To keep the web site interesting, we’ll need articles and other tidbits of information fromyou! Please get in touch with me at if you’d like to contribute something to the web site.

Shalom,

John

Peterborough Havurah - Member Information

Please Print

Today’s Date
First and Last Name(s) of Adults
First and Last Names and Birthdates of Children
Street Address
City
State
Zip Code
Home Phone (include area code)
Cell Phone (include area code)
Email Address(es) (very important)

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