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This Week
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Monday, January 16
Office Closed
Tuesday, January 17
Wednesday, January 18
10:30am
Jewish Book Group
Thursday, January 19
Friday, January 20
9:15am
Ganeinu Jewish Playgroup
6:30pm
Shabbat Service w/Mizmor Band
Saturday, January 21
Join TI at Women's Walks
9:30amShabbat
Service at Women's Walk Walnut Creek
Bar Mitzvah: Ari Jacobs
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Next Week
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Sunday, January 22
JQuest and Adult Education
9am JFCS Caregiver Support Group
9am Special Needs Parent Support Group
10am Meditation
11:15am Clergy Course with Rabbi Greninger
4pm Epstein Reception
4:30pm Shalom Hartman Institute Lecture
6pm Neighbor to Neighbor Dinner
Monday, January 23
11:30am Midrash Monday
12:45pm Mahj Monday
7pm Anshei Isaiah Board Meeting
7pm Sacred Hebrew Chant and Healing Circle
7pm P'tach Libeynu
Tuesday, January 24
10am Neshamah Yoga
4pm JQuest
Wednesday, January 25
8:30am WOI Hike
4pm JQuest
6:45pm Noar Night
Thursday, January 26
8:45am Tefillah Thursday
10am Neshamah Yoga
1:15pm TEXTorah Study
Friday, January 27
9:15am Ganeinu Jewish Playgroup
5pm Tot Shabbat Snack
5:30pm Tot Shabbat service followed by dinner
8pm Shabbat Service with Noah Aronson followed by Battle Oneg
Saturday, January 28
9:15am Torah Study
10:30am Shabbat Minyan
6pm Anshei Isaiah Trivia Night
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Announcements
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Community Passover First Night Seder At Temple Isaiah
This year celebrate the first night of Passover at Temple Isaiah at
our congregational Seder on Monday, April 10. Everyone from our community is invited: singles, couples & families. Our Seder will feature a service led by fellow temple members and a
home-style potluck Passover dinner. Cantor Korn will support the volunteers in planning the service, and the temple will provide the haggadot. Guests will be asked to contribute food and other Seder items. We welcome your help in planning the event. If you're interested, please contact Julie Bell by Monday, January 30 at
familybell@gmail.com
Annual Kulanu Family Retreat Weekend
Friday, April 21 through Sunday, April 23 at Camp Newman
For families with children in Kindergarten through 12th Grade
On this weekend we'll leave the distractions at home and focus on community, family and friends. Throughout the weekend we will engage in both inter-generational and age-level programs on the theme "Four Corners: Jews Around the World." This weekend is a great way to spend time as a family and build friendships with other Temple Isaiah families. It's a highlight of the year. More details and Register at
www.temple-isaiah.org/familyretreat
Camp Kefli 2017 - Registration is now live!
Session 1: July 31- August 4
Session 2: August 7-11
Camp Kefli is for campers entering K-8th grade
At Temple Isaiah we strive to provide a vibrant Jewish experience for our youth. Kefli is a key component of our comprehensive approach to integrating formal and informal education. The Camp Kefli experience enhances a child's year-round Jewish learning and promotes a positive connection to Temple Isaiah. The days are spent on adventures to places like the Exploratorium, Creativity Museum, and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. We bowl, swim, and have fun competing in the annual Maccabi Games. Our Theme Days this year include Mighty Jewish Power Rangers, Kefli Cartoon Mania, and Kefli Takes Manhattan. Registration is now live! Go to
www.temple-isaiah.org/kefli to sign up! If you have any questions, contact
Rabbi Miller or
Ian Shore, the Camp Kefli Directors.
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Featured Events This Week @ Isaiah
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Jewish Book Group with Rabbi Shanks
Wednesday, January 18 at 10:30am in the Adult Lounge
All are welcome! This is not a 'club' but a dynamic group of people who love Jewish books, reading, discussions and expressing strong opinions. This month's book is
The Secret Chord, by Geraldine Brooks - Fiction (Book-in-a-Box).
Peeling away the myth to bring the Old Testament's King David to life in Second Iron Age Israel, Brooks traces the arc of his journey from obscurity to fame, from shepherd to soldier, from hero to traitor, from beloved king to murderous despot and into his remorseful and diminished dotage. The Secret Chord provides new context for some of the best-known episodes of David's life while also focusing on others, even more remarkable and emotionally intense, that have been neglected.
Tefillah Thursdays with Rabbi Greninger 
Thursday, January 19
at 8:30am in the Sanctuary
Refresh your soul every Thursday morning with a healthy dose of prayer! Join Rabbi Greninger at 8:30am in the Sanctuary on Thursdays for a short, meaningful prayer service. The service will conclude by 9:00am, and it will be followed by a 30-minute study session related to Jewish prayer and liturgy. We will dive into the meaning, history, and structure of Jewish prayer, helping to enrich the prayer experience. Feel free to attend the service at 8:30, the study session at 9:00, or both. Open to all, whether you are new to Jewish prayer or have been praying regularly for years. Questions? Contact
Rabbi Greninger.
Neshamah Yoga 
No yoga on Tuesday
Resumes Thursday, January 19
at 10am
in the Adult Lounge
Neshamah Yoga™ is open to
every age, every body. This unique class weaves together self-care/massage, tai-chi, brain balancing, and traditional yoga poses, along with breathing techniques for stress reduction and optimal health. This ongoing, drop-in class draws from the deep wellspring of our tradition, including Mussar, Torah portions, liturgy, poetry, and Jewish holidays.
Bring: Yoga mat. All other props will be provided for new students. Adults only, drop-ins welcome. $5 for members, $10 for nonmembers.
Ganeinu Jewish Playgroup
Friday, January 20 at 9:30am in the Adult Lounge
 Temple Isaiah is proud to offer a free, Jewish, drop-in playgroup for parents and caregivers (we love grandparents at Ganeinu), and their infants and toddlers (0-30 months). Play, sing, and practice Shabbat and celebrate holidays with your child and others.
Shabbat Service at Women's Walk Walnut Creek
Saturday, January 21 at 9:30am at Civic Park, Walnut Creek
In Walnut Creek, Rabbis Shanks and Miller will lead a Shabbat service prior to the beginning of the march activities at Civic Park. Meet at 9:30am at the picnic tables near the playground and the senior center. You are welcome to invite your non-Jewish friends to join us; men, women and children welcome!
March with us!
Click here for march details for Walnut Creek, Oakland and San Francisco.
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Looking Ahead
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Family Caregiver
Support Group
Sundays, January 22, February 12, 26, March 19, 26
9am-10:30am at CCJDS
Are you caring for your aging parents? Are you taking care of an ill spouse? Being a caregiver can be overwhelming, stressful and isolating. This group provides a warm atmosphere. Offered by JFCS East Bay and co-sponsored by Temple Isaiah. Free with registration required.
Click here for details.
Support Group for Parents of Kids
with Special Needs
Starts Sunday, January 22 at 9am in TTC 103
 If you have a child with special needs, then this group is for you! We will come together approximately once a month on Sunday mornings to talk, support one another, and create a safe space to discuss our experiences and learn from each other. The group will be facilitated by Temple member Greta Frantz. The first meeting will take place on Sunday January 22 during JQuest during first session (9:00-10:30am). Please let
Rabbi Greninger know if you are interested in attending and/or have questions about this support group.
Mindfulness & Meditation 
Sundays at CCJDS
January 22 at 10am, and
February 5 and 26 at 11:15am
Led by Joani DeVries & Diana MaKieve. Whether you are new to meditation, or have a long standing practice, this group is a nplace to come and sit in quiet with optional discussion afterwards. We will have meditation instruction, sitting time, sharing, and discussion. These sessions are free of charge. Please RSVP with Joani DeVries at joanidv@att.net
Dance: Through a Jewish Lens
Clergy Course with Rabbi Greninger
Sundays, January 22, and 29 from 11:15am-12:30pm in CCJDS Makom
In three sessions, we will look at the role of dance in Jewish text and tradition. What do the Bible and Talmud say about dancing? What can we learn about the spirituality of dance in Judaism? In what ways can dance enhance our lives as Jews, and in what ways can dance serve as a hindrance? Come to this energetic and engaging class with Rabbi Greninger to answer these questions and more, as we take a journey through Jewish texts to explore the role of dance in Judaism. Free of charge. Please RSVP with daniella@temple-isaiah.org or call (925) 284-9191.
Shalom Hartman Institute 
"Jews and Muslims in America:
Debate and Dialogue in an Age of Fear"
Mimi Epstein Memorial Lecture
Sunday, January 22
4pm Reception
4:30pm Lecture
These events are free and open to the public, followed by:
6pm Neighbor to Neighbor Dinner to respond to the program and continue the work of Neighbor to Neighbor together.
Cost: $16/person. Catered by Yalla Mediterranean.
Keynotes: Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer, President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and Amanda Quraishi, accomplished speaker and trainer on the topics of American Muslim culture, Muslim women's issues, and more. This event is free and open to the public.
Midrash Monday with Rabbi LeVine
Monday, January 23
11:30am in the Beit Knesset
What does it mean to be in love with holy language? The Jewish genre of Midrash suggests that it means we commit to Torah through embracing profound play. If a word matters, we must interpret it, yet if it is holy, surely it contains more meaning than we could ever exhaust. And so we play with profound ideas, trusting that something of worth will be revealed to us. This year, I want to invite you to uncover the joy and meaning (and sometimes confusion) of reading one of the oldest collections of Midrash - Mekhilta. We will focus on how our spiritual ancestors of two millennia ago read the Song at the Sea (Exodus 15), the Torah's poetic ode to freedom from Egypt. In the process we will learn ways of relating to the text, to the world around us, and to each other. No registration required. Drop-ins welcome.
Shabbat with Noah Aronson 
Friday, January 27 at 8pm in the Sanctuary
Join us for an innovative, musical, Shabbat evening wtih musician and composer Noah Aronson, renowned for his unique and engaging style of prayer leadership. Learn more at
www.noaharonson.com
Tot Shabbat Evening
Friday, January 27
5pm Snack in the Foyer
5:30pm Service in the Sanctuary followed by dinner in the Oneg Room
Geared toward families with children up to 5 years old, Tot Shabbat is an interactive and friendly Shabbat experience. Enjoy food, activities and prayer with other young families. All are welcome. Dinner $25 per family or $10 per person. RSVP required so we have enough food at
Battle Oneg with Team Teen Advisory Group
Friday, January 27 following the Shabbat Service
At select Shabbat Onegs over the next three months, different teams will compete in our Battle Oneg competition. Each team can spend up to $500 and we get to judge them based on taste, presentation and creativity. The best Oneg wins!
Brought to you by the Engagement Committee. Questions? Contact Julie Bell at
familybell@gmail.com
Anshei Isaiah's 10th Annual Trivia Night
Saturday, January 28 at 6pm in the Social Hall
Question
: How can you show off your smarts, share a delicious meal, lap up fantastically frivolous facts, and support Temple Isaiah's teens?
Answer
: Attend Anshei Isaiah's 10th Annual Trivia Night! Scott Danish, our unrivaled emcee, returns with a new set of questions about movies & TV,
current events, history, sports, science, literature, and much more. Gather your families, havurahs, classmates, colleagues, and fast-thinking friends to form a team of 8 to 10 people. Together you'll puzzle out answers, cheer, cry out, and compete - for prizes, or just for fun. For just $36 you get
several rounds of first-rate Trivia, catered dinner and dessert, and
the knowledge that all proceeds go to the Anshei Isaiah Youth Fund, which supports the temple's teen programs.
ALL
ARE WELCOME - temple members and guests alike. Form a team in advance, or join one when you arrive.
Questions? Contact Seth Moldoff at
smoldoff@comcast.net
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Philosophy Circle Mini Course
with Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan:
Readings from HaLevi, Maimonides, Buber, and Heschel
Thursdays, February 2, 9, 16, 23 from 7 - 8:30pm
 On four very different nights we will dip into the wellspring of the Jewish philosophical library in this mini survey course for Lehrhaus Philosophy Circle. We will read and discuss excerpts from HaLevi's Kuzari, Maimonides' The Guide for the Perplexed, Buber's Hasidism and Modern Man and Heschel's The Insecurity of Freedom and more. This class will meet at Congregation B'nai Shalom for the first two sessions, and at Congregation B'nai Tikvah for the last two sessions. Cosponsored by Congregation B'nai Shalom, Congregation B'nai Tikvah, & Temple Isaiah. $50 for members, $85 for the public. Register through Lehrhaus at
http://catalog.lehrhaus.org/course/2017/winter/PC500-CBS/
Cantor's Concert: 
A Broadway Sing-Along
Saturday, February 4
7:30pm Doors Open
8pm Program
in the Social Hall
Join Cantor Korn and Cantor Sharon Bernstein of Sha'ar Zahav for a casual, fun-filled evening of hot drinks and sweet treats, while singing along to popular Broadway tunes. Seating is general admission at tables of ten. Bring a bottle of wine to share! Cost: $18/person or be a mensch and increase to $36. Desserts sponsored by Women of Isaiah. Bring your family and friends!
Tu BiSh'vat the "New Year of the Trees"
Saturday, February 11 at 10:30am in the Beit Knesset
 Join the Israel and World Jewry Committee to celebrate and honor the sacred connection between Judaism and nature. We remember the teaching from the Torah that "the tree of the fields is humankind's life" (Deuteronomy 20:19). While the holiday has changed over the centuries, today in the U.S., many congregations mark the holiday as a call to action. While we celebrate our relationship with nature, it is also time to earn and think about our impact on the world around us and change how we treat the planet and everyone on it, to make a better world. However you celebrate Tu B'shvat, this holiday is an opportunity to savor and appreciate the bounty of this world, and to give thanks for all the ways that trees provide us with food, shelter, beauty, air, and valuable life lessons. In doing this Seder, we want to include everyone's ideas and therefore throughout the Seder we will stop for reflective questions and meditations. We want you to comment so that each of you feels the relevance of Tu B'Shvat to his/her life. If you have any questions about the Tu B'Shvat Seder and to RSVP, please contact Iris Sorokin at
ibigiladi@hotmail.com
J
ewish Independent Film Group
Saturday, February 11 at 7:30pm in the Adult Lounge
Temple Isaiah is excited to announce the formation of a JewishIndependent Film Group. The group will meet one Saturday evening each quarter in the Adult Lounge to view Jewish themed comedies, dramas and other entertaining independent films. Popcorn and sodas will be served - and there will be an opportunity to socialize and discuss the film after each showing.
Free and open to the public. Future choices of films will be based on audience recommendations and preferences. Questions?
Contact
steven_mehlman@sbcglobal.net
Wise Aging
with Rabbi Graetz and Mary Anne Winig
Wednesday, March 1 at 7pm in the Adult Lounge
 "Teach us to use all of our days, that we may attain a heart of wisdom," wrote a psalmist centuries ago. Many of us cherish zakeinim (wise ones), whom we've had the privilege of knowing over our lifetimes. But how do we get to that stage ourselves? The Institute for Jewish Spirituality has developed a curriculum called Wise Aging as one avenue to help us. Rabbi Emeritus Roberto Graetz and Mary Anne Winig attended the Wise Aging training and are eager to bring this meaningful initiative to Temple Isaiah. In a supportive, small group setting, we will discuss a variety of issues we face in our later years, study what our Jewish sources can teach us about them, and help each other explore strategies for staying vibrant and involved. Join us to learn more about this program and how you can be part of it. For more information and to reserve your space that night, please contact
ninaj@temple-isaiah.org
Worship Think Tank
March 1, 7 or 28 from 7-9pm in the library
Please join us the conversation about the future of worship at Temple Isaiah at a worship think tank with Cantor Korn and board chair Debbie Frank. If interested and available, please
click here to sign-up for the time slot that you can attend. Space is limited. Thank you for your time and support with this important effort.
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Your Jewish Neighborhood
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Temple Isaiah is more than a synagogue - it's a Jewish Neighborhood! Experience the joy of our caring community.
Be a member mensch
Want to help make Your Jewish Neighborhood even better? Be a member mensch! Invite your non-member family and friends to your next service or event so they too can experience all that Temple Isaiah has to offer. Mention your love for Temple Isaiah when you're out in the community. Have a prospective member lead? Please introduce them to our new membership coordinator
Jeni Markowitz Clancy and take pride in helping to connect others with our caring community.
Havurot
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Jewish Community Events
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An International Tribute to Elie Wiesel: An International Reading of Night
Produced by the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust and National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene via live stream online on Sunday, January 29.
Featuring Elisha Wiesel, Andre Aciman, Ambassador Dani Dayan - Consul General of Israel in New York, French Ambassador François Delattre, Tovah Feldshuh, Joel Grey, Sheldon Harnick, Jessica Hecht, Fanya Gottesfeld Heller, David Hyde Pierce, Bill T. Jones, Daniel and Nina Libeskind, Sheila Nevins, Itzhak Perlman, Ron Rifkin, Geraldo Rivera, Daryl Roth, Consul General of Germany Brita Wagener, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and many others. Luminaries, friends, and community leaders pay tribute to Elie Wiesel in a community reading of Wiesel's seminal work, Night. Be part of this special event from anywhere in the world - live streaming of the Tribute at http://mjhnyc.org/night/
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Cal State University, East Bay
Announcing the 2017 program of monthly lectures, courses, & field excursions. Of special interest to temple members, includes "A Medley of Jewish Historical Experiences" with Ken Blady, Wednesdays, February 22, March 1,8,15 & 22, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & "Music in the Shadow of the Holocaust" with Cantor Leigh Korn, Thursday, March 23rd, 2:00-3:30 p.m., as well as courses on Memoir Writing, Mary Oliver's Poetry, the Short Story, the Art of Diebenkorn & Matisse, Issues in Bioethics, American Musical Theatre, Blue Jean Buddhism & others. The Winter 2017 OLLI Program is available in the Temple Office & upstairs on the carousel in the sanctuary/social hall entrance. Monthly lectures & courses are offered on the Concord Campus of Cal State University, East Bay at 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord, CA. For more information or to register for lectures, courses or field excursions, go to our website
www.scholarolli.com or call the OLLI office at (925) 602-6776.
"Learning for the Love of Learning: No Grades, No Tests, Master Teachers!"
UNDER ONE TENT
Temple Isaiah is proud to present UNDER ONE TENT, Contra Costa's Jewish Book & ARTS Festival. UNDER ONE TENT has a user-friendly website where you can see all of our cultural and educational offerings. You can check out the schedule by genre (musical performances, multi-week courses, movies, lectures, comedy, foodie events, etc.) or by calendar date. Detailed information about all of our festival programs can be found at:
www.underonetent.org
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Angel Network
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Our caring community of volunteers
dedicated to offering comfort and support to members and their families in times of need. The Angel Network can assist with a range of tasks from meals and transportation to making visits and phone calls. When a need arises, tell us.
Contact: Clergy Assistant Nina at
ninaj@temple-isaiah.org or call (925) 283-8575.
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Need Clergy? Please call for immediate assistance
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If you need to reach a member of our clergy team immediately, for a hospital visit, to report a death, for crisis counseling, or to change a same-day appointment, please call the Temple office at
(925) 283-8575. We have a wonderful Clergy Assistant, Nina Jones, and support staff who will all make sure your message gets to the right person in a timely fashion.
Thank you,
Your Clergy Team
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Connect with Your Jewish Neighborhood Online
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Support Temple Isaiah
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Optional Credit Card Fees
You can help Temple Isaiah by agreeing to add 3% to any credit card transaction to offset our costs. This is an optional opportunity to support Your Jewish Neighborhood and not a requirement. Please tell your family and friends!
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Matching Gifts
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Special Gifts
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Our Mission
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Temple Isaiah's mission is to embody, enhance and perpetuate our Jewish tradition by providing a welcoming spiritual home where the membership gathers to worship God, study Torah, engage in acts of Tikkun Olam, participate in Jewish rituals and life cycle events, and experience the joy of being part of a caring community.
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Stay Informed
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