What's Happening This Week

Week of July 8, 2019

Havdalah in the Park
Saturday, July 13 | 4:00 pm | Spy Pond Park, Arlington

Bring a picnic dinner and join us at Spy Pond Park playground in Arlington to say goodbye to Shabbat and hello to friends. This park has charming waterfront green space featuring a playground, baseball field & boat ramp, plus bike paths.

Summer Services -- Join Us

In the summer, we take a break from our usual routine with a mix of lay-led prayer services, community dinners, and low-key special events (some of which involve cupcakes!). Learn what's planned for this summer here.

Don't forget to RSVP for Camping!
Friday, July 26 - Sunday, July 28 | White Lake State Park, Tamworth, NH
RSVP by July 17

We'll have fun, make new friends, and celebrate Shabbat and Havdalah in the woods at New Hampshire's White Lake State Park. This event continues to be a ton of fun and this year will continue the tradition. Planned events include: Shabbat and Havdalah services by the campfire; Delicious Dinner with your neighbors on Saturday; Happy Hikes for all ages; Sunny Swimming in White Lake; and Fantastic French Toast Sunday morning.

RSVP deadline July 17, or when slots are full. Registration is $100 per family site. Financial assistance available if needed. Sign up here.

Mini Pan Mass Bike Challenge
Saturday, August 3, 2019 | Meet at Lincoln Town Hall, 16 Lincoln Road

The Mini-Pan Mass Challenge honors and coincides with the official PMC fundraiser ride for the Dana Farber Jimmy Fund. Optional donations to the Jimmy Fund are encouraged whether you’re riding or just supporting a great cause (see www.pmc.org for info on donating). We’ll be repeating last year’s route (which was rained out), starting from Lincoln Town Hall (at 10 am) to Concord, with a lunch stop at Verrill Farms. This is a moderately easy on road route of approximately 17 miles. Learn more and sign up.

It's Renewal Time
Renewing your membership online is fast and easy

Get ready for another year's journey together in Jewish community! Renew your membership today: www.shir-tikvah.org/renew

(If you pay in full by July 22, you'll get a 2% discount.)

Remember that financial assistance is always available to those who need it, and we never allow money to be a barrier to membership. Contact Director of Administration Linda Singer-Berk or Treasurer Dan Levin for more information.

Register for Learning Corps
Get your registration in before you head out for the summer

It's time to sign up for 2019-20 Learning Corps! Online registration is now available for all ages, EJL through High School. (If you prefer, you can also download a paper application.) We can't wait to see you in the fall for another year of joyful Jewish learning.

Security Progress

Temple Shir Tikvah's staff and layleaders have been considering ways to thoughtfully increase secrutiy in our building. A new community safety committee had its first meeting on Wednesday, May 22. The committee will be reaching out to the community on many issues, including the installation of outdoor cameras, which is strongly advised by the Winchester police chief and desired by many in our community. To learn more about this initiative and new committee, click here.

Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World)
HELP US REPAIR THE WORLD -- If you are interested in getting involved, contact us.

• We are accepting donations of raisins and whole grain crackers​​​​​​ for JF&CS Family Table.
  Help us meet our monthly commitment of 35 boxes of crackers and 45 boxes of raisins! You can leave them in the box by the front door of the Temple. Read guidelines here.
  
  
• Volunteers Needed at The Dwelling Place soup kitchen over the summer. Volunteers of any age are needed to help prepare and serve a meal on the first Wednesday evening in July, August, and September. Please click here if you're able to help out!
  
  
• New Habitat for Humanity build dates announced! Next build is on Saturday, July 20. Learn how to get involved.
  
  

• We're recruiting new volunteers for our ongoing projects. Interested in tutoring a child in an underserved elementary school in Somerville, cooking monthly meals for homeless adults, taking part in a Habitat for Humanity work crew, or learning to head up our Winchester Hospital X-mas Day volunteer effort? Contact us to learn more.​​​​​​​

Welcoming the Stranger & Shir Tzedek Social Justice

• Next Jericho Walk is Tuesday, July 16 at 1:00 pm at the Burlington ICE Center, 10 District Ave., Burlington. This is a peaceful, interfaith witnessing activity that expresses support for the rights of immigrants and the importance of keeping families together.

Beyond Shir Tikvah

• Fund for Detained Children: Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) is committed to taking care of the stranger, because we know from our own experience what it is like to be immigrants, what it is like to flee, and what it is like to be vulnerable. Showing compassion to those who are suffering is core to our story and our value system. One hundred percent of your donation to the Fund for Detained Children will support two organizations — the Interfaith Welcome Coalition and the Young Center, our partners in last year’s FACES campaign. Donate here.
  
  
• TeenSafe: Are you (or do you know) a 10th, 11th, or 12th grade Jewish teen interested in learning how to recognize signs of unhealthy dating behavior and preventing teen dating abuse? Would you like to be part of a social change issue that focuses on standing up and taking action to impact teen safety in the Jewish community and beyond? Would you like to improve your leadership skills? TeenSafe, a program of Journey to Safety, is the JF&CS response to dating abuse in our community. The program is designed to give teens the language and tools they need to recognize abuse in a dating relationship and know how to respond if they see, hear about, or experience it. Meets two Sundays a month, October through June. Learn more.