Maui Monday Minyan Moment: A Weekly Communal Kaddish Opportunity Zoom led by Rabbi Shalom Click Here As we are physically distancing, staying connected to each other and our spiritual community has never been more important. Through this new very short weekly gathering, we'll have an opportunity to see each other, hear verses from the weekly Torah reading chanted from a scroll, pray for healing, and recite Mourner's Kaddish.
Please join us to ensure a minyan of 10 Jewish adults.
We'll be experimenting with this very abridged prayer and meditation moment and alternating meeting on Zoom in the morning and afternoon. Rabbi Shalom, our "Zoom Rabbi", will facilitate and lead the prayers, meditations, songs and rituals.
Tuesday, August 4
6:30pm
Class led by Sam Shnider Click here for the link Mystical insights on the Torah from a Hassidic perspective, by the renowned rebbe, storyteller and kabbalist of Uman, Rabbi Nachman of Bretzlav.
If you have ever wondered about Hassidic thought, or heard about the ecstatic intense spiritual worlds of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggids, come participate in a discussion and reading of selections from the grandson of the founder of the Hassidic movement.
A Tish (Yiddish for "table") is a spiritual gathering in the Chasidic tradition. It usually involves teachings on the Torah and other holy texts, singing wordless melodies known as niggunim, and usually l'chaims and refreshments. Everyone is welcome - it's an informal event, bring your own drink and nosh!
For the next few weeks, this will be a shortened Tish and will be followed by our new High Holiday Prep Series...see below
7:00pm
Holiday Prep Series with Rabbi Shalom Click here for link It's less than 7 weeks to Rosh HaShana, and we have entered into an important sacred time of spiritual preparation and personal transformation. This new weekly event will touch on some of the main themes, melodies, and rituals of this season of renewal. The Yamim Nora'im (Days of Awe) are an annual opportunity for reconnecting with our souls and community; this series will support our personal and communal journeying. Rabbi Shalom, our "Zoom Rabbi", will facilitate and lead this series. It will start right after the Tish - feel free to participate in either or both!
See Friday Q&A to go with the series.
Friday, August 7
8:30am
Weekly Parasha - Torah Reading with Sam Shnider Click Here via Zoom, posted for later viewing on FaceBook For generations upon generations, Jews have completed the cycle of Torah reading each generation and connected one section each week to their world, their lives, and their ethical perspective on life. Come join for a 20-30 modern look at the messages and realities these sacred Hebrew words can have on our life this week.
9:00am
10 Weeks of Spiritual Return Led by Rabbi Shalom Zoom Link Click Here Join with members of Congregation Beth Shalom in Modesto, CA to discuss, dialogue and do some Q&A around the 10-week High Holiday prep series.
Welcoming our Second Soul with Sam Shnider Click here for link 20 minutes before candlelighting - a spiritual way to welcome the Shabbat with Shalom Aleychem, Lecha Dodi, a word of Torah, and lighting the candles. Ends at Candlelighting.
6:45pm
Musical Shabbat w/ Sam S. and Cynthia Lebowitz Click here for link A blend of traditional and recent songs to welcome the shabbat led by Cynthia Lebowitz on Guitar, with a follow-along booklet. Find the PDF on Jews on Maui or JCM Maui Virtual Jewish Life Center. Come get familiar with new melodies to ancient liturgy!
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That is a busy week... and check our mauijews.org for the full August calendar of events. The live links will also be on the wesbite if you have a problem getting in from these links.
Please also note that we are offering classes and services throughout the month to coordinate with our new identity statement. There is something for everyone... and if you're missing mahj, Click Here and find MauiEllyn to play! ___________________
What Pluralistic Judaism Means to Me by Sheri Levin McNerthney President, Jewish Congregation of Maui
I have heard questions in the community about JCM’s new Identity Statement, which describes us as “An Independent Egalitarian Pluralistic Community for Jewish Life”. (you can read the complete Identity Statement at https://www.mauijews.org/about) What does this description mean? The confusion seems to be with the concept of pluralism. I want to try to offer some clarity here.
First of all, let me clarify what Jewish Pluralism is NOT: 1. Jewish Pluralism is NOT equivalent to the more general social/political concept of pluralism. 2. Jewish Pluralism is NOT Unitarianism. 3. Jewish Pluralism is NOT “anything goes”.
Jewish Pluralism is the recognition that Jewish life comes in many forms, and that we can respect and learn from all of them. There are deep philosophical discussions available online of what Jewish Pluralism means. (for example, https://pluralism.org/jewish-pluralism) One can make a compelling historical argument that Judaism has always been pluralistic, that it is only since the 18th century, with Enlightenment ideas sweeping Europe, that European Judaism split into ever-hardening denominations. But I don’t want to debate philosophy or history here.
I want to give you my personal experience of what Jewish Pluralism is. To me, Jewish Pluralism means we all just get along. We respect each other’s ways of “doing Jewish”, and as a community we strive to capitalize on the commonalities. My model for Jewish Pluralism is my own family, and how we all came together for my daughter Terra’s Bat Mitzvah.
MMy family ranges from Orthodox to Communist, Ayn Rand libertarian to liberal Democrat, founders of a Hashomer Hatzair (Jewish socialist youth movement) kibbutz, to founders of one of the first settlements in the West Bank. Yet there we all were, on the summit of Masada in Israel, a poignant symbol of Jewish identity everyone could relate to, on a Thursday, when everyone could travel and gather without restriction. Everyone participated, everyone contributed to the celebration. Pat, my non-Jewish husband, shlepped the Torah up to the top of the mountain. My Orthodox brother Zvi had an aliyah from that Torah, as did my Aunt Roberta, and of course the Bat Mitzvah girl herself. It was a deeply meaningful day for my daughter, and for everyone present. This is Jewish Pluralism in action.
What does Jewish Pluralism look like at JCM? Ideally, it means celebrating our diversity AND our commonality. Multiple simultaneous minyanim (prayer services) where we all get together for lunch. Recognizing that fundamental common denominators like Kashrut must be respected and maintained. Recognizing that certain practices like musical instruments in a Kabbalat Shabbat services may be unfamiliar to some, but have value to others. Let’s work together to eschew our own personal entrenched ideas of what Judaism “should” look like, and discover a common preference that may actually be better, deeper, more meaningful to each of us.
1. Go to smile.amazon.com 2. Login as normal 3. Select Jewish Congreagation of Maui
Same amazon, same prices, same everytthing... and JCM will get a donation from Amazon. Thank you for your support!!! ____________________________________________
The mission of the Jewish Congregation of Maui is to support and inspire Jewish religious and cultural practices for Maui residents and visitors, provide and encourage Jewish education and life cycle services, and engage the Jewish community with religious services, classes, and events.
