Sign In Forgot Password

Cheerio! Join JCM in London Tonight...no passport required

06/25/2020 05:01:54 AM

Jun25

 

Does your COVID passport look like this?

 We're chuffed to bits (pleased) to invite you to escape to London...tonight...for a jolly good time! 

 

 

London on Location "Walking Tour" online!

 

Tonight...Thursday, June 25 @ 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM.

Zoom Link will be emailed to all paid reservations before the tour

Tour: 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Q&A: 9:00pm- 9:30-ish

 

Please join London Tour Guide, Rachel Kolsky*, live on Zoom as she gives JCM one of her world-famous tours - no passport needed!

$18.00 per person (if you need affording this ticket, please contact Ellyn at admin@mauijews.org before 12:00noon)

Purchase Tickets Here
 

JEWISH LONDON ON LOCATION: From the East End and Hackney through Soho and the ‘Mittel Europe’ of NW2 and NW6 trace how London’s Jewish journey has been portrayed on the page and the big screen. Among the literature and films profiled discover The Lowlife, Sammy Lee, A Kid for Two Farthings, A Barber in Stamford Hill, A Rainy Sunday, Chicken Soup and The Ghetto.

 

      

 

About Our Tour Guide!

 *Rachel is a prize winning Blue Badge Guide who worked for over 25 years in the financial services industry as a professional researcher.

Her inquisitive nature soon led her to explore London both east and west, always on the look-out for those buildings and stories that would otherwise remain undiscovered.

Subject to availability Rachel lectures on cruises and for many organisations. Rachel has also appeared several times on the Radio and has been spotted on TV too.

She is also now a first-time author, with her first book, ‘Jewish London’ being published in 2012.

Starting July 1... exciting news!!!

06/24/2020 04:04:51 PM

Jun24

A special invitation and weekend news

05/15/2020 12:50:47 PM

May15

My First Shabbat

09/16/2019 05:06:57 PM

Sep16

Helen Krizler

The following piece originally appeared in Mauivision magazine. Shared here with permission from the author.

 

We're Challenged!

08/26/2019 06:56:06 PM

Aug26

Sheri

We have been given an incredibly exciting opportunity! An anonymous donor has generously offered to donate $30,000 to JCM if we raise $60,000 by December 15.  

If we raise $60,000 by December 15, we get an additional $30,000.  If we raise $59,999 by December 15 that would be wonderful, but we don't get the anonymous donor's $30,000.

We have great momentum building in our community.  Our future is so bright and full of possibilities!   It's up to each of us to secure the future of JCM.  Every dollar counts.  How much can we count on from you?

Donate now

 

 

All We Need Is Love

07/29/2019 10:38:12 PM

Jul29

Sheri

I invite you to come help us create the future of the Jewish Congregation of Maui. 

On August 15-18 we are hosting a visiting Rabbi for a series of events centered around Tu B’Av: the Jewish holiday of Love.  Rabbi Shalom Bochner will be visiting us from Congregation Beit Shalom of Modesto, CA.  Read more about Rabbi Shalom here.

This is the first of a series of visiting Rabbi events organized by the Rabbi Search Committee. Visiting Rabbi events are an opportunity to experience different leadership styles in our “home”, to see what inspires us and engages us in different ways.  The goal is to create a discussion about who will ultimately be a good fit to lead our diverse community into the future.

Join us for one or all of these Tu B’Av Shabbaton events:

Thursday August 15:  An informal vegetarian potluck at the home of Janine Holstein.  Meet Rabbi Shalom, sing soulful songs together, learn about Tu B’Av - the Jewish Holiday of Love.  

Friday August 16: An Evening of Nourishment for the Body and Soul .  Musical Kabbalat Shabbat followed by Shabbat Dinner and Tisch. (“tisch” is a traditional Hasidic festive Friday evening gathering to share song, words of wisdom, stories, and food)

Saturday August 17: 9:30 Shabbat Morning services.  Come experience a Shabbat morning service that will touch your soul.  Followed by Kiddush light lunch and Torah study that will engage your mind and your heart.

6:00 Family-friendly Shabbat Third Meal and Havdalah.  Stories and songs, food and fun for all ages.

If you want a voice in the future of JCM, please plan on joining us for at least one of these events.  If you want to experience what the future of JCM could look like, plan on joining us for all of them

State of the Shul Address

06/28/2019 04:05:41 PM

Jun28

Ellyn Mortimer

In hindsight, we should have recorded this address live. But we didn't, so this is an after-the-fact recording... Thank you for watching, thank youfor caring, thank you for taking action.

Congratulations to our 2019-2020 Board of Directors

06/23/2019 03:08:25 PM

Jun23

Ellyn Mortimer

After a lovely and spiritual prayer and blessing by  Sam Shnider and Alulani Hill and a State of the Shul address, our new board was announced...

Please join me in congratulating and thanking this next Board:

President: Sheri Levin McNerthney

Vice- President: Boris Gladshtein

Treasurer: Simon Vojdani

Secretary: Sarah Shaines

Directors:

Eve Bermna, DO

Janine Holstein

Happy Lefton

Marc Levine

Jessica Pearl Kwon

 

Mahalo for your service JCM... and many thanks to everyone who ran for office. Your dedication to our congreagation is truly inspirational!

A Bright Future For JCM

06/21/2019 08:58:54 AM

Jun21

Ellyn Mortimer

The Rabbi search team has finalized the job description for our next leader...

Click here for the job description and feel free to share it far and wide

This job description will be posted globally this morning, and we already have been receiving interest and resumes from candidates who have heard about job opening through the grapevine. We have been listening and reading what our community and congregation is looking for, and it has been incorporated into this job posting.

We plan to hire a full time rabbi who is looking forward to leading and bringing together our pluralistic and egalitarian shul. If we have the funds, this will happen right away, if we don't have the funds, it will need to be a staggered process until we have enough to fund a robust salary package. If you want a full time Rabbi on Maui, it's time to give. Today. We can have a bright future...it's up to us!

In other Rabbinical News, we are confirming a Rabbi here to work with Sam for the High Holidays. There are plans for classes, discussions, celebrations, talk-story, and other gatherings during ten days of awe. We will release a schedule as soon as we have it set, and if you'd like to be part of the planning, please let us know...we welcome you!

Mahalo to Rabbi David Glickman

05/01/2019 12:24:17 PM

May1

Ellyn Mortimer

Mahalo Rabbi, for all of your gifts of dedication, time, scholarship, leadership, dedication, fundraising, sacrifice, friendship, community, dedication, and too many other nouns ...did I mention dedication? Rabbi, look what you created, and nurtured, and grew! Mahalo.. 

Today is our first day without a Rabbi at Beit Shalom. It takes me back to when I first moved here, and we had lay-leaders conduct our holiest services, our lifecycle events, and everything in between. Is this an ideal situation for us? No, and yet, this is where we are- for now.

We are so fortunate to have Sam Shnider agree to be our Spiritual Director while we conduct a search for our next Rabbi. He has been working with Rabbi Glickman to make this transition as smooth as possible for the congregation and the greater Jewish community. We will continue to have services and celebrate holidays and have classes and anything else our community and congregation wants. 

Rabbi Glickman started this amazing synagogue (with lots of help) and he has tirelessly fought for its survival. Making sure that we never charged for services, anyone who wants to be a member should be a member, no matter your level of Judaism- you will be accepted... all these gifts will be maintained. We will take his legacy and nurture it and grow it... and he's not going away- he has a lifetime membership! 

The current board will continue to fight for the survival of Beit Shalom, and we invite you all to join us in a way that is meaningful to you. We wish Rabbi Glickman good health as he recovers on Maui, some time to enjoy all the wonders of Maui that he gave up when he became our leader, and great success in whatever he chooses to do next. 

Elections...who are you nominating?

04/23/2019 09:59:51 PM

Apr23

Ellyn Mortimer

It feels like we just had elections... oh wait, we did! And this board has been happy to serve. We need to get back to a regular election cycle that coincides with our fiscal calendar... July - June. 

I think most of us will agree that we want a vibrant, strong, and healthy Synagogue on Maui. There has been so much change in the past 6 months or so, and I know that it has not been easy on many of us for different reasons. It is now time for all of us to come together and remember that we need our synagogue for prayer, for holidays, for our youth, and for our community. We may not agree on everything, and that is ok. What is important is that we have a synagogue to serve our community; Your synagogue. And we need all of us to make it a success. Be part of the election process to make sure we have a synagogue of which we are all proud to belong. It's up to us.

Nominations are now open! Send in your nominations here. You must be a member and signed into your account to make a nomination. 

The new board will be announced at the Annual Member Meeting on June 23

JCM is Kosher for Passover

04/12/2019 01:02:31 PM

Apr12

Ellyn

As of Tuesday, April 9, 2019, the JCM kitchen has gone through a strict koshering process and has been converted for cooking meat in the kitchen for Passover. The kitchen doors will be locked, and there is no access. We have a few things upcoming prior to Passover, and our kosher kitchen will be strictly enforced. 

We have a variety of attendees in our shul over these next few weeks, and we are committed to our Kosher for Passover kitchen at this time. 

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter, and we will report back when it has been turned back into a Dairy Kosher kitchen.

 

Words  of Wisdom for March 30, 2019

03/28/2019 05:38:42 PM

Mar28

Sam Shnider

This week we read the portion of Shemini, the third portion of Vayikra, Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47, and the portion of the red heifer (Parah) Numbers 19:1 - 22, commemorating the purification before Passover.
 
The portion of Shemini completes the story of the dedication of the sanctuary. Beginning after the giving of the torah at Mt. Sinai, this story has spanned many months, numerous chapters, and countless details - from the contributions of each member of the congregation to the creation of the vessels, to the anointing of the priests, and the first gifts and sacrifices. The mishkan, the sanctuary, is finally complete, and the fire is poised to descend from heaven to the altar, to signify to the Israelites that the moment of union has come. Their gifts are acceptable; their work is complete; their love is reciprocated; and the presence of the Shekhina now dwells among Israel.
 
But at that very moment, two of the holiest members of the congregation, two of Aaron's sons, most perfect in all of their qualities, come forward with "a foreign fire, which was not commanded." Leviticus 10:1. Suddenly, the fire which was meant to the beacon of faith, the beginning of a new perspective, is transformed into a destructive force and the priests are consumed (see powerful artistic depiction here). And Aaron is left in a state of shock, between life and death, between the deepest mourning and the needs of the nation and congregation who have appointed him, the requirements of his role as high priest.
 
This story has always been one of the greatest paradoxes in the Torah. Were these priests guilty of a sin? Of entering the sanctuary drunk (Rabbi Ishmael, Second Century Sage), or of disrespecting Moses (the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer), or of inventing a new sacrifice that took them into the holy of holies (Vayikkra Rabbah)? Or were they simply overstepping their bounds, reaching the peak of ecstasy that a human body can no longer contain?
 
Can any of these explanations satisfy us? Can we simply explain away this type of tragedy? In the face of this loss, Aaron is silent. (10:3). He offers neither explanation, nor outburst. As a truly religious person he simply allows himself to feel, but does not question, does not seek to undermine, nor does he disintegrate: he simply continues with the acts necessary to heal and to live.
 
Several months later, on the day of atonement, Aaron is asked to officiate in the holy of holies. The ritual of the day of atonement is prefaced with the words "after the death of the two sons of Aaron." 16:1. Why? An immediate parallel is drawn between the day of atonement, Yom Kippur, and the day of the dedication of the temple, when the two sons of Aaron died. The meaning behind this parallel eludes us: Because there is always something that cannot be explained, even many months later. There is something about Nadav and Avihu's death that cannot be healed, but it must be healed in some fashion nonetheless, just as we cannot truly change the past, but we can transform ourselves on the day of Atonement. And something about the death of these two young men, who died at the peak of their lives, in the holy of holies, for no apparent reason, resounds with the same mystery as the mystery of Atonement itself, which is a celebration of life, and transformation, and continuity.
 
This week we had the privilege of having the visiting scholar Holly Hawkins, whose insights on death and mourning at the heart of Jewish tradition inspired us, and I encourage each person who is interested in further learning on the Jewish perspectives on dying, burial and mourning to reach out to her. I also encourage readers to read the powerful derasha here ("the deepest response of love").

Friday, March 22...Reform-Style Service 

03/21/2019 08:03:53 PM

Mar21

Ellyn Mortimer

Mahalo to Cynthia Lebowitz for leading a reform-style service on Friday night this week. Services will begin at 6pm, and we look forward to a different service this week. Cynthia has been co-leading services recently, and we are grateful she will be able to lead this week. It has been fun to have some variety in our services these past months, and we are sorry for the short notice...if you have been waiting for a more reform service, don't miss this week. 

Family Friday Shabbat

03/13/2019 09:54:16 AM

Mar13

Sheri

Family Friday Shabbat is now the third Friday of every month.  And this week - March 15 - is Family Friday Shabbat for March!

Everyone is welcome for an evening of community and fun. Come with kids or if you love the energy of a kids service. All are welcome. It is our goal to have a service everyone can attend, eat dairy-Vegan potluck with the community, and go home for a normal bedtime. 

Josh Kalkstein and Cynthia Lebowitz are putting together an incredible service for our keiki and families with songs, prayers and fun learning! 

Our service will start at 5pm, then candle lighting with our Dairy - Vegan Potluck. All Food will be kept outside. We would love your participation to make a dish. Keep Kosher guidelines, no shrimp, no pork, no meat. 

Schedule · Friday, March 15, 2019

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Service - with singing great for all ages - especially kids!

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Candle Lighting then Outside Dairy-Vegan Potluck

7:00 PM - 7:30 PM

End of Meal Prayers

6:00pm - Regular Kabbalat Shabbat in the sanctuary led by Shayna Nechama Naveh.

Shabbat Vayikra

03/13/2019 09:34:17 AM

Mar13

Sam

This week we begin Vayikra, the third book of the Torah, the book of Leviticus. Vayikra begins with a call, as Rashi explains:

AND HE CALLED UNTO MOSES — This implies that the Voice went on and reached his (Moses’s) ears only but all the other Israelites did not hear it).

The call is the moment of beckoning. There is a need for explanation here, because we have completed one book, and begun another. There is a pause, of indeterminate time, between the end of the book of Shemot (Exodus), when the pillar of cloud descends upon the sanctuary, and the revelations of this book, Vayikra(Leviticus). Moses could not enter the sanctuary because of the cloud (Exodus 40:35), so a call must precede his entry.

But the call is also the expression of affection, the sweet intimate call of love. It is the call of the Angel to Abraham to prevent the sacrifice of his child, "Abraham, Abraham" (Genesis 22:11), or the call to the sleeping child Samuel in Shiloh, "Samuel, Samuel" - the whispering voice to this young boy who has not yet discovered he is a prophet (I Samuel 3:1-10). It is a voice that is only heard to its intended one.

The Voice, however, is also the powerful booming voice: 

What does it mean by the Voice? It was the Voice that is so minutely described in Psalms, (29:4, 5) “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars. But if this be so (that it was a very powerful voice), why does Scripture state, “[and the Lord spoke to him] from the appointed tent” (מאהל מועד and does not state באהל מועד)? Because it intends to tell us that the Voice broke off and that it was heard only in the tent).

Thus, the voice has a double nature: inside the tent, it is omnipotent, thunderous; outside of the tent, it is not heard to anyone. It drops off. It reaches only Moses alone, as a still silent whisper, to awaken him and call him inwards. Once he enters the tent, it is the Voice of majesty, the Voice of the all powerful one. 

Is it only Moses who hears the Voice? The entire people look to Moses; but Moses's wish, his message, to Joshua his most prized student is "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all God's people were prophets, and that the God would place his spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:29). Moses wishes for everyone to hear the Voice. 

Because it is so. Some have a moment of experiencing the booming voice of the creator of the World, the Voice that breaketh cedars. But each one of us has a moment of the still small voice, the voice heard only from within, that utters our name to us, and calls to come forth, to act in the service of the most high. May we always be guided by that voice, and seek it out. 

FOR SALE

03/08/2019 10:28:16 AM

Mar8

Sheri

 

Celebrate Purim with delicious hamentashen, baked by your Beit Shalom Sisterhood from pastry chef Elinor David's family recipe.  Now available for purchase in boxed sets of six hamentashen in assorted flavors:  poppy seed, fig, blueberry, strawberry, apricot, and nutella.  

Order now here, or call Beit Shalom 873-5397.  Pick up your order at Beit Shalom.

Thank you, Jenni

02/26/2019 06:28:22 AM

Feb26

Sheri

Please join us for a special Shabbat luncheon on March 16 to honor Jenni Ezekiel as an Eishet Chayil/ Woman of Valor, and to say goodbye to her.  Jenni is moving to Oahu and this is our last Shabbat with her...for now.

This event is being sponsored by Gail Schell, but an RSVP would be appreciated so she knows how much food to prepare.  Please RSVP here.

Be Happy, It's Adar

02/24/2019 05:43:04 PM

Feb24

Sheri

Can a team of Maui Jews bake a thousand hamentashen in three hours?  That's the goal for the Hamentashen Baking Party on March 3: produce 1000(!) of these yummy traditional Purim filled cookies for our community Purim party.  Can we do it?  If YOU show up, we can!  Click for more information

Leych B'shalom, Beresheet!

02/22/2019 02:47:15 PM

Feb22

Sheri

Israel's first lunar landing mission is on its way to the moon!  The mission codename is "Beresheet", the first word of the Torah. This word is commonly translated into English as "In the Beginning" but kabbalistically has many deeper layers of meaning.

For more information on the mission, see Space Israel's website.

Leych b'shalom (go in peace), Beresheet! 

Family Friday Shabbat

02/18/2019 05:28:33 PM

Feb18

Sheri

Come to our first Family Friday Service with Dairy-Vegan Potluck! 

Everyone is welcome for an evening of community and fun. Come with kids or if you love the energy of a kids service. All are welcome. It is our goal to have a service everyone can attend, eat dairy-Vegan potluck with the community, and go home for a normal bedtime. 

Sam Schnider and Cynthia Lebowitz are putting together an incredible service for our keiki and families with songs, prayers and fun learning! 

Our service will start at 5pm, then candle lighting with our Dairy - Vegan Potluck. All Food will be kept outside. We would love your participation to make a dish. Keep Kosher guidelines, no shrimp, no pork, no meat. We will have a labeled Kosher section. 

Please RSVP in the comments or to jessicapearl@mac.com and include the ages of the kids that will be coming.

We need to have an idea of what is needed in terms of challah, grape juice and candles so please, please RSVP!

Schedule · Friday, February 22, 2019

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Service - with singing great for all ages - especially kids!

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Candle Lighting then Outside Dairy-Vegan Potluck

7:00 PM - 7:30 PM

End of Meal Prayers

Greta Rosenberg Funeral

02/13/2019 05:28:51 PM

Feb13

 We are sad to announce the passing of 

Greta Rosenberg

    

The community is invited to her funeral service

 Sunday, February 17, 2019

1:00 PM Sharp

Valley Isle Memorial Park Cemetery in Haiku

The Jewish section is in the top left corner of the Cemetary

 

 

 

 

 

Maui Jews News

02/05/2019 11:19:56 AM

Feb5

Ellyn Mortimer

Welcome to the new JCM blog!

This will be a space for us to communicate what is happening in our shul and in our community. The new Board committees and I are working on updating our website- adding content, updating our calendar, and creating this blog among lots of other things.

To kick off this new section of our website, below is my letter from the newsletter from last week.

Our new Board of Directors is off to a busy start. We are setting up committees and having initial meetings to create some structure! Look for information soon on how you can sign up to be part of the exciting future at JCM.

I went just a few days ago to the Zionismus exhibit at the Nisei Veterans Memorial. It was such a moving exhibit, and Judith Elam did an incredible job, and it was wonderful to share our history with our Maui community.  I met a non-Jewish family there with whom I had a great conversation , and I don't know why I was surprised that they attended the exhibit and had such interest, but I was surprised.  It was a reminder to me that our community has so much to offer and share, not just among ourselves, but with all of Maui. Our celebrations and our sorrows, our history and our future... Our Jewish place on Maui matters. It matters not only for the Jewish people on Maui- it matters that we show our Maui community that we are vibrant, united, and we have much to offer.

Our congregation represents to everyone around us what it means to be Jewish. Let's show a spirit of inclusion, joy, commitment, family, peace, and all the wonderful attributes that we as Jews bring to Maui. Let's all come together to create the shul that will make us proud and will be an example for Jewish communities around the globe. With that, I wish you all a Shabbat Shalom.

Aloha, Ellyn Mortimer

Fri, January 10 2025 10 Tevet 5785