May 18, 2012   26 Iyyar 5772

Saturday, May 26 - 7:30 pm - "Tikkun Leyl Shavuot", the study session that traditionally is held on the night of Shavuot.

Sunday, May 27 - 9:30 am - Shavuot Service - including Yizkor, the reading of the Ten Commandments from the Torah, and reading of the Book of Ruth.



Upcoming Events  
May 2012
05/18 -  Shabbat Service (5:30 PM)
05/19 -  Torah Service (9:30 AM)
A panel discussion preceded by bagels and brunch
05/23 -  Panel Discussion (7:00 PM)
School Superintendent Dr. James Weiss and others to discuss minority communities within the school system
05/25 -  Shabbat Service (5:30 PM)
05/26 -  Torah Service (9:30 AM)
05/26 -  Tikkun Leyl Shavuot (7:30 PM)
The study session that is traditionally held on the night of Shavuot
05/27 -  Shavuot Service (9:30 AM)
June 2012
06/10 -  Hebrew School Visioning Session for Parents (1:00 PM to 3:00 PM)
This a time of transition for our Hebrew School and we want parents to play an active role in shaping the vision of our school. Please be a part of the conversation, facilitated by Wendy Chabot, and help shape our future
From the Rabbi's Desk  

May 2012

The challenges to our children of being one of a handful of Jews in their school often comes to the fore at Christmastime, when small Jewish children are sometimes asked to participate in Christmas rituals as if they were their own.  Dilemmas of the minority Jewish student, however, are not limited to Christmas or to elementary school.
...read entire article

A Message From the President  

 May 2012 Letter

Dear Chevre (friends):

I've been listening Nancy Lamott, a phenomenal vocalist,
who specialized in American standards.
She hasd a wonderful alto voice that was clear and rich
and brought a marvelous emotional intensity to her craft
that I find captivating.One of her songs,
“Help is on the Way” has been stuck in my head for weeks.

read entire article here 

Help Wanted  

EDUCATION DIRECTOR

Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center is looking for a dynamic, organized Jewish educator/director for programming and teaching of tots through teens. Love of children and knowledge of Judaism is essential. Teaching experience and proficiency in Hebrew required. Part –time position, salary commensurate with experience. Please respond by June 1st to office@mvhc.us
MVHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

More Programs  

Sunday, May 20th @ 10:30am
Panel Discussion: Bagels & Brunch
Democratic Rights in Israel, Western Europe and the United States: What Are They? Who Enjoys Them?
Moderated by Kay Lehman Schlozman, Professor of Political Science at Boston College 
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Wednesday, May 23rd 7:00pm  
Panel and Public Forum
on the challenges facing minority communities
within the Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools

How have the patterns of discrimination originating in the wider society manifested themselves within our public schools?  What challenges do minority students, parents and teachers face daily?  How can those who are not targeted by these biases learn to recognize them and help to eliminate them?

On our own Island of Martha’s Vineyard, African-Americans, Native Americans, Brazilian immigrants, and Jews (to name a few minority communities) have faced prejudice, discrimination and ignorance.  A panel of students, parents, and teachers from these communities will be sharing their experiences, successes and  frustrations, specifically within the MVPS system.  MV School District Superintendent Dr. James Weiss will join us on the panel for a frank discussion of the current situation and of efforts and programs to improve it.
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Sunday, June 3rd @ 7:30pM
Slide Show and Talk by Elizabeth Langer and Richard Chused:
Splendor and Turmoil: Daily Life in Israel During the Intifada

Live Webcam  
We hope that this website will help you feel like you are here on island. To give you a taste (t'aam) of the island we have a live webcam feed of Vineyard Haven harbor courtesy of Sherman and Susan Goldstein of the "Mansion House Inn, Health Club and Spa" as seen from the roof top cupola.
JUST CLICK HERE TO SEE VINEYARD HAVEN HARBOR LIVE!

When you arrive on island, the Hebrew Center is just a short walk up the hill. Please stop in and let us give you a tour. Shalom!

NETCAM

 
  Welcome to the
Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center


  The MVHC invites all Islanders, year-round and seasonal residents and vacationers, to participate in its activities. Although we were founded in 1940, our rapid growth to 350 family units has taken place since we moved into our new building in 1996. We have year-round religious, educational, cultural, and social programming. Our services are designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of liberal practices. The congregation considers itself Reform, but uses Reconstructionist Shabbat and High Holiday Prayer Books.

Religious school meets on Wednesday and Friday afternoons and services are held on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. During the winter months we host monthly soup suppers with live klezmer music. In addition, we have adult education classes and year round cultural programming. This year we have instituted the MVHC Arts Festival which features music, theatre, dance and films. During the summer months, the MVHC Summer Institute presents films of Jewish interest on Sunday evenings, and a lecture series by prominent visitors on Thursday evenings. All of our programs and events take place in the Harriet B. Freedberg Learning Center unless otherwise noted.

Read all about the 2012 Summer Institute Films and Speakers

click here

Monthly Newsletter  
 
HaGefen
to read our monthly bulletin - click here
For Members Only  
for members onlyMembers in good standing of the Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center may access the membership roster for personal use only. This list may not be used for solicitations or business purposes.

Please call the office for your access codes.
Summer Fundraising Event  

We are pleased to announce that Joshua Nelson will be returning this summer with his Kosher Gospel Singers and two additional band members along with Klezmatics singer, songwriter and fiddler, Lisa Gutkin in a fabulous new performance with a special tribute to Woody Guthrie.

Tickets are on sale now and going fast ...Call us at 508 693 0745 or order on line from ticketsmv.com.

donate now

Click here to shop our new online Judaica store!!
Save The Date - Special Announcements  

Martha's Vineyard Arts Festival:  

*Sunday, June 10th at 4 pm
A Conversation With Island Artists
Host: Alan Ganapol

*Thursday, June 21st at 7 pm
Phoenix Boys Choir in Concert

MVHC Arts Festival Events:
suggested donation at the door $5

The MVHC Arts Festival is funded in part by a grant
from the Massachusetts Cultural Council

 

 

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*Tuesday, August 21st, Joshua Nelson returns to MVHC in concert...click here 

* These events will take place in the
Harriet B. Freedberg Learning Center

 
What's New in Reform Judaism  
10 Minutes of Torah  
RJ.org - The Reform Blog  

Shavuot, Sinai and Ruth: A Renewal of Reform Jewish Outreach

May 18, 2012 12:00 AM
In several days time, we will celebrate Shavuot which, commemorates God’s revelation of Torah at Mount Sinai. As part of our commemoration, we will join together as one community, stand again at Mount Sinai and receive the Torah all over again. In her groundbreaking book, Standing Again at Sinai, published more than 30 years ago, Judith Plaskow calls upon Jewish women to reclaim scripture rather than discard it because of its patriarchal nature. Her inspiring words challenge each and every one of us to stand again at Sinai and reclaim Torah for ourselves—regardless of our gender, sexual orientation, or life experiences that [...]

Who Needs Shavuot?

May 17, 2012 12:00 AM
by Rabbi Rick Schechter It’s the black sheep of the Jewish calendar—unfortunately. Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, is a holy day often overshadowed and overlooked in the contemporary Jewish world. How could this have happened? It had such an auspicious start. The Torah considers Shavuot a major Jewish festival—right up there with Passover and Sukkot. In ancient times, it was thus distinguished as one of the three pilgrimage festivals in which all of Israel would travel to Jerusalem to celebrate. Even more so, after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 C.E., the ancient rabbis renewed and deepened Shavuot’s [...]

What’s in a Name? Preparing to Reignite Synagogue Youth Engagement

May 17, 2012 12:00 AM
by Rabbi Neil Hirsch While at this past year’s URJ Biennial, I attended the launch of the movement’s Campaign for Youth Engagement. As I heard the different stories, as colleagues and friends stood up and spoke of what’s going on with teens in their congregations, it resonated with my own experiences, and I realized that we all share in our struggles together. We have students and families dedicated to Jewish education that leads up to the bar and bat mitzvah experience. What about the day after the students become b’nai mitzvah? Our movement is facing an 80% drop-off rate after [...]
 


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