JEWISH LIFE IN WASHTENAW COUNTY A 2018-2019 Permit No. 85 No. Permit Ann Arbor, MI 48108 MI Arbor, Ann Ann Arbor, MI Arbor, Ann 2935 Birch Hollow Dr. Hollow Birch 2935 PAID of Greater Ann Arbor Ann Greater of U.S. Postage Postage U.S. Jewish Federation Jewish Presort Standard Presort EXPERIENCE ISRAEL A TRIP FOR ALL AGES LED BY RABBI JOSH WHINSTON JULY 13-23, 2019 FOR MORE INFORMATION : Temple Beth Emeth 734.665.4744 www.templebethemeth.org www.arzaworld.com Contents Health and Wellness @ the J 31 Jewish Cultural School 25 Interfaith Hospitality Network 31 Jewish Educators Council Israeli Dancing of Ann Arbor 33 of Ann Arbor 49 Limmud Michigan 33 Jewish Federation Partnership Raoul Wallenberg Committee 33 2Gether Student Exchange 46 Yiddish Readers’ Circle @ the J 33 Jewish Learning Institute 49 Yidish Tish 33 Keshet Ann Arbor 49 MEN’S ORGANIZATIONS T.E.A.C.H. 51 Temple Beth Emeth Temple Beth Emeth Brotherhood 33 The Jewish Holidays 3 Religious School 49 Wastenaw Jewish News Aims WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS Hadassah 35 YOUTH ACTIVITIES and Principles 5 Bat Mitzvah Club 51 Jewish Women’s Circle 35 Guide 2018 Advertisers 55 Camp Gan Israel 51 Mikvah Israel 35 Organization Contacts 56 Gan Yeladim Enrichment 51 ORT America 35 Habonim Dror Camp Tavor 53 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Temple Beth Emeth Sisterhood 36 Jewish Community Center JCC Early Childhood Center 12 of Greater Ann Arbor 11 CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS JCC Camp Raanana 13 Chabad House at Jewish Community Foundation JCC Youth Programs 13 University of Michigan 36 of Greater Ann Arbor 9 Temple Beth Emeth Youth Groups 53 Eastern Michigan University Jewish Family Services Young Judaea 53 of Washtenaw County 9 Jewish Studies 37 Jewish Federation Hillel Foundation, EMU 36 DETROIT AGENCIES of Greater Ann Arbor 7 Hillel Foundation, U-M 39 Jewish Community Center and Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit CONGREGATIONS AND Judiac Collection, U-M 43 Adult Jewish Learning Program 54 RELIGIOUS LIFE U-M Jean and Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies 43 Hebrew Free Loan Detroit 54 Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan 17 U-M Jewish Communal Leadership Holocaust Memorial Center 54 Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Program 45 Congregation 17 Jewish Community Centers Beth Israel Congregation 19 EDUCATION of Metropolitan Detroit 54 Congregation Beth Chabad 22 Adult Hebrew Classes co-sponsored Jewish Community Relations Council by Beth Israel Congregation and of Metro Detroit 55 Jewish Cultural Society 23 Temple Beth Emeth 47 Jewish Family Services 55 Pardes Hannah 27 Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Jewish Federation Temple Beth Emeth 27 Congregation Religious School 18 of Metropolitan Detroit 54 Beth Israel Religious School 21 ADULT ACTIVITIES Jewish Vocational Service 55 Adult Programing @ the J 30 Hebrew School at Chabad 47 Chaverim B’Shirim 30 Hebrew Day School 48 Jewish Life in Washtenaw County is published annually by the Washtenaw Jewish News, 2939 Birch Hollow Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48108. The WJN is a free and independent monthly newspaper. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of its editors or staff. The Washtenaw Jewish News is supported by the donations of the businesses appearing within these pages. ©2018 by the Washtenaw Jewish News. All rights reserved. No portion of the Washtenaw Jewish News may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. Editor and Publisher: Susan Kravitz Ayer Design and Layout: Dennis Platte Advertising Manager: Gordon White 1 2 The Jewish Holidays Shabbat Chanukah (Festival of Lights) (Sabbath) Eight-day holiday marks the miracle of when the Jewish Mac- Celebrated Fridays at sundown to com- cabees vanquished their Hellenist oppressors and rededicated memorate God’s day of rest after six days of the Temple in Jerusalem. Celebrated by lighting candles in a creation. Traditions include lighting candles, chanukiyah (a nine-branched candelabrum), eating latkes (po- drinking wine and eating challah (a braided tato pancakes), playing with dreidels (spinning tops) and giving bread). Havdalah, the farewell ceremony to gelt (money or gifts). Shabbat, takes place after three stars shine in the Saturday night sky and is celebrated by lighting a braided candle, drinking wine Tu B’Shevat (New Year of Trees) and smelling sweet spices. Biblical in origin, a holiday with environmentalist and Zionistic themes that celebrates springtime renewal and growth. Tradi- tions include eating fruit and planting trees. Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) Festive celebration during which individuals contemplate their Purim (Feast of Lots) past, present and future actions. Traditional foods include round Purim recalls how the evil Haman’s plans to kill all the Jews in challah and apples with honey, symbolizing anticipated whole- Persia were thwarted by wise Queen Esther and her cousin, ness and sweetness for the new year. Commences the Ten Days Mordechai. When Haman is mentioned in the Megillah (scroll) of Awe, which culminate on Yom Kippur. of Esther, people shout and turn graggers (noisemak- ers) to drown out his name. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Traditions include parties, mishloach manot (gift-giving) Holiest day of the Jewish year. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atone- and eating hamentashen ment between God and the individual and between God (three-cornered fruit-filled and the community. It is the day when everyone may receive pastries). Some also fast on the day before Purim to remember forgiveness. Before the fast starts, a filling meal is eaten. Candles the three-day fast by the Jews of Persia at Esther’s request. are lit in memory of loved ones, generations past. Through fast- ing and prayer, Jews reflect upon their relationships with God and other people and atone for their wrongdoings. Ends with a (Passover) shofar’s blast at sundown. Pesach Celebrates the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt. At the seder (traditional service and meal), the Haggadah (collection Sukkot (Festival of Booths) of texts and commentaries on the Exodus) is read and symbolic th foods are eaten. Jews refrain from eating leavened products and The 15 of Tishrei, night of the full moon, marks the start of Suk- eat matzah (unleavened bread) for eight days to remember how kot, recalling the Jews wandering in the desert. Sukkot is also a the hurried Israelites could not let their bread rise before fleeing. festival of thanksgiving — to be grateful for the year’s harvest and to remember to never take land or crops for granted. Many build a sukkah (plural: sukkot), a temporary structure with a roof made of Sefirat HaOmer (Counting of the Omer) branches, modeled after the huts constructed in the desert. Also The omer are counted from celebrated with the shaking of the lulav (assemblage of palm, wil- the second night of Pass- low and myrtle branches) and etrog (a lemon-like fruit). over for 49 days, the time that elapsed from the day the Israelites left Egypt to Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly) the giving of the Torah on Celebrated the day after Sukkot and thus sometimes considered Mount Sinai. In the time of an extension of the holiday. Marks the first time tefillat geshem the Temple in Jerusalem, an (prayer for rain) is recited during services, a practice that contin- omer (measure) of barley ues until Pesach. was brought as an offering 49 days, in a row. The Count- ing of the Omer is a time Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in Torah) of preparation for Shavuot, The Torah is honored on the 9th day after the start of Sukkot, (in celebration of the gift of Israel on the 8th day). The sacred scrolls are taken from the Ark Torah. But, it is also a time of and carried seven times around the sanctuary. The last chapter mourning. of Deuteronomy and first chapter of Genesis are read. The Torah scroll winds back to its beginning. The reading of its wisdom starts anew. continues on page 5 3 THE ASSURANCE OF BUYING OR SELLING WITH THE BEST Ann Arbor OUTCOME Reconstructionist Congregation www.aarecon.org • 734.445.1910 [email protected] A welcoming Jewish community with egalitarian, participatory, musical services Beautiful and ticketless High Holiday services. Non-members welcome. LET US TAKE THE HASSLE Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner OUT OF REAL ESTATE Religious school (for children K – 7) uses an innovative project- and Our vast knowledge and up to the minute informa- inquiry-based approach. tion will provide you with a seamless moving expe- rience. You can count on our expertise to guide you Non-member children welcome. through every detail. We are proud to be the most High Holiday services at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, trusted resource in the Ann Arbor area for almost 4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Ann Arbor MI 48103. 2 decades. Call for unbeatable confidence in the Religious school and most other events at the JCC of Ann Arbor, success of your next move. 2935 Birch Hollow Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108. ALEX MILSHTEYN, CRS, GRI, ABR Associate Broker (734) 417-3560 Evolving, active [email protected] Judaism www.alexmi.com 2723 S. State St., Suite 130 Ann Arbor, MI 48104 An exclusive affiliate of Coldwell Banker Previews International 4 The Jewish Holidays Yom HaShoah Shavuot (Holocaust Remembrance Day) (Festival of Weeks) Day chosen by the Israeli Knesset, in 1951, to mourn the millions Celebrated the day after killed in the Holocaust. Often commemorated with the reading Sefirat HaOmer ends to of names and speeches by survivors. In Israel, a siren’s morning commemorate the giving blast allows collective remembrance in a moment of silence. of the Torah at Sinai and the spring harvest. Tradi- tionally, Jews read the Ten Yom HaZikaron Commandments and the (Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Memorial Day) Book of Ruth, and eat dairy products. Religious school Day of remembrance for all who sacrificed themselves for the confirmation often takes state of Israel.