What's Happening This Week

Week of February 18, 2019

"The Brain, Neurons, and the Golden Calf: Neurology and Judaism talk to each other"
Friday, February 22 | 7:00 pm

Our Science and Judaism series continues on February 22. Join us for this special Friday night Shabbat service with Rabbi Cari, Beth, and Rabbi Rim.

Join us at Red Sox Jewish Heritage Night
Thursday, June 13, 2019 | RSVP Deadline February 27!

The 6th Annual Red Sox Jewish Heritage Night will be held on Thursday, June 13th 2019 at Fenway Park! Join us for a great night of fun as your World Series Champion Boston Red Sox take on the Texas Rangers at 7:10 pm. We will be buying a block of 50 tickets--Tickets are $34 for outfield grandstand seats (rows 1-10), and you will receive a limited-edition Red Sox Baseball Cap with 'Champions' in Hebrew! Space is limited -- Learn more and RSVP.

The Wedding Plan is delicately layered 2016 romantic comedy written and directed by the Ultra-Orthodox Israeli director Rama Burshtein. A 30-something, Ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman, Michal, is jilted by her fiancé just 22 days before they take their vows. But instead of canceling the reception venue booked for the eighth day of Hanukkah, she trusts that fate in the form of the Almighty will provide a willing replacement and that the ceremony will go on. Like Rama Burshtein herself, Michal is progressive and doesn’t fit the Ultra-Orthodox stereotype we expect!

Aging Well in Community Speaker Event: "To Move Not to Move: A Later Life Question"
Sunday, March 3, 2019 | 7:00 pm

Whether or not to stay in the home and neighborhood we have lived in for years (until health makes that no longer possible) is one of the questions that many people grapple with after retirement. Or if we are thinking of moving, how can we know when is the best time? And where we should move next? Come learn about the various housing options you might want to consider, and how to better plan for a smooth transition when you do decide it’s time to move. There will be an opportunity to talk with each other about what we have learned and how it might affect our choices after the presentation. Learn more.

Adult Board Game Night is Back
Saturday, March 9 | 7:00 pm

Back by popular demand! We’ll have “euro” games, deduction games, strategy games, cooperative games, and card games to share - and of course people to teach the rules! Bring a favorite game to teach if you'd like - we'll break into as many groups as needed. Snacks and sodas provided, BYOB wine and beer. Learn more.

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

• Steve McHugh is planning a financial literacy class for inmates at the medium security prison in Concord. He needs a co-teacher for eight Thursday evenings from 6:10 - 8:30, beginning March 14th and ending May 9th. There is no class on April 11th. If you are comfortable speaking about essential financial topics in front of a 12 - 25 people and want to help the men succeed when they are released, let Steve know by February 21.
• ​​​​​​​Habitat for Humanity Build in Lawrence, Saturday, February 23, 8:30 am. No particular skills are required to participate, but you must be 16 or older to be on the worksite. Learn more .
• 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. 
• The JF&CS Family Table is looking for donations of whole grain crackers and 15oz boxes of raisins for their kosher food pantry serving greater Boston. Please bring your donations to the temple.

Welcoming the Stranger & Shir Tzedek Social Justice

• Jericho Walk, Tuesday, February 19 at 1 pm -- ICE Enforcement and Removal Office, 1000 District Ave, Burlington (also comes up as 10 District Ave on maps). This is a peaceful, interfaith witnessing activity that expresses support for the rights of immigrants and the importance of keeping families together. It begins and ends with a short prayer/song. Bring signs with positive messages (nothing about specific politicians, please). Please park near the back of the lot, as far as possible from District Ave, to leave parking spaces for those coming to their ICE appointments and for other building tenants.
• Consultation on Conscience, May 19-21, 2019: Join the Temple Shir Tikvah delegation at the Religious Action Center's Consultation on Conscience in Washington D.C. Reignite your passion for social justice by joining the first ever TST delegation, joining 1,000 Reform social justice activists and leaders from across the country. We will sing, we will learn, we will reenergize and rededicate ourselves. Contact Robin Kutner​​​​​​​ for more information.

Beyond Shir Tikvah

• Refuah Shleima - Healing Ourselves in a Time of Climate Disruption is an online conversation series for those struggling with despair and seeking resiliency and a way forward into an unknown future. Join together with others who are concerned about the future for inspiration and deep conversation. Each session will begin with a resource from Jewish tradition that suggests a pathway toward resiliency at difficult times and will be followed by a facilitated conversation. Upcoming sessions will be hosted by Rabbi Katy Allen, co-founder and President pro-tem of the Jewish Climate Action Network and spiritual leader of Ma'yan Tikvah - A Wellspring of Hope. Thursday, February 21, 7:30-8:30 PM. Sign-up by emailing Janet at jcan.intern@gmail.com.
• Keeping Faith: Sisters of Story: With the recent uptick of hateful and vitriolic language in this country, Rohina Malik (Unveiled), a Muslim storyteller, wanted to create a project to demonstrate peace and commonalities between us all. She approached Susan Stone, a Jewish storyteller, and Kim Schultz, who identifies as a Christian storyteller, with an idea: what if they all told stories from their faiths with the goal of bringing people together and showing peace, curiosity, and similarities among the faiths. Each storyteller tells three stories inspired by their respective faith journeys. They are accompanied by Lucia Thomas on violin, oud, and guitar. February 22-24 at Greater Boston Stage Company. Learn more.
• College Freedom Forum in Boston, February 22. A joint initiative of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) and Harvard University's International Relations Council, CFF is an event that brings dissidents and human rights advocates from dictatorships and authoritarian societies to college campuses to share their stories. Doors open at 5:00 pm. Learn more.
• Lidarti's Oratorio Esther, East Coast Premiere. Commissioned by the Jewish Community of Amsterdam and composed in 1774, Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti's oratorio tells the biblical story of how Queen Esther rescued the Jews of Persia from King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) and his scheming advisor, Haman. Scored for orchestra, soloists, and chamber choir, and sung entirely in Hebrew, Lidarti's captivating writing brings the story of Esther alive. Mar. 2 Emmanuel Church, Boston) & Mar. 3 (Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley). Produced by Miryam/TST member Alicia DePaolo. Learn More.
• Harvest of Empire: Do you wonder: why is there a migrant caravan from Central America? Join us for the award-winning documentaryand a discussion with Patricia Montes, Executive Director of the immigrant rights organization Centro Presente. Saturday, March 2, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Robbins Library, 700 Mass Ave., Arlington. Learn more.
• Benefit concert for the Beyond Bond and Legal Defense Fund in Newton,  on March 17th, which helps our immigrant neighbors in ICE detention obtain and pay bond so they can reunite with their families. Composer/Performer Noah Aronson and his band will perform at Temple Emanuel Newton (Ward St) at 4pm. The concert is presented by the Immigration Justice Group at Temple Beth Elohim-Wellesley, with support from area congregations working for immigrant justice. All concert proceeds will benefit the Bond Fund. Funds for bond and legal assistance are of central importance to fighting deportation.Click here for more information and ticket purchase.
• Jewish Climate Change Conference: This half-day conference brings the Jewish community together to explore surmounting challenges and mobilizing communities to act. Learn actions for individuals and congregations to take on the path forward in the coming years. Learn more.
• Honeymoon Israel provides trips to Israel for couples with at least one Jewish partner. Spend nine exhilarating, romantic and memorable days exploring Israel in luxury with the one you love, and 19 other couples from the greater Boston area. You will return home with a new community and friends who feel like family. Learn more.
• Introduction to Judaism is designed for couples (interfaith or not), congregants who might like a basic Judaism course, and anyone exploring conversion to Judaism. Registrations are being accepted for April 29 (Beth El Temple Center, Belmont). Learn more.