Chadashot*
The latest news* of all things
youth and education
at Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation

Issue 16
January 23, 2020
26th of Tevet, 5780
Greetings,

We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back-to-shul this Shabbat. Babysitting, Tot Shabbat and Torah School are back up and running!

I want to call your attention to a great resource for Jewish learning. The website myjewishlearning.com is full of easy to read and access articles about creating a Jewish home and connection. If your in-box isn't already overflowing, you can subscribe to a daily article that covers facets of Jewish life -- food, prayer, family, rituals, etc. Today's was particularly interesting and I hope if you ever struggle in synagogue with the Hebrew prayers, you'll take a look at the article found here . It lists the 50 most common prayer words that appear in the siddur -- prayer book. And if you are really in the mood for heavier lifting you can sign up for the daily Daf Yomi -- the one page of Talmud each day -- a short summary of a section of the Talmud. The cycle started just a few weeks ago so if you want to start now you can easily get caught up. It takes 7.5 years to get through the whole Talmud so there's plenty of time. And if you do decide to join the Daf Yomi, you can participate in the Adat Shalom discussion group as well.

And just a note about some real estate changes. We've moved some furniture in recent days so for those folks who enjoy a "shmooze and a shmear" on Shabbat mornings, you'll find the couches in the main lobby area of Adat Shalom, across from the library. All are welcome.

Shabbat Shalom, and a hearty mazal tov to Julia Feldman as we celebrate her becoming a b-mitzvah in our community.

Rena
Rena Milchberg
Interim Education and Operations Director
For Families with Young Children
Tu B'Shevat with the Tots!
Sunday, February 9
4:00 - 5:30 PM

Come join with your favorite little people and celebrate Tu B'Shevat! We'll learn about this midwinter festival that marks the Birth Day of trees that begins this year on Sunday evening February 9 -- the Full Moon of the Jewish month of Shevat, eat some traditional foods, play games and have fun! Please spread the word!

Please RSVP .
For School-Age Kids and their Parents
Life, Animated
Film and Discussion
for all ages
Saturday, February 1 at 6:45 PM
Refreshments will be served

Please join us for a free movie screening of “LIFE , ANIMATED” the 2017 Academy Award® nominee for Best Documentary Feature film.

We encourage you to stay afterwards to enjoy either an art project or a lively discussion led by our own Dr. Matthew Biel, the head of Georgetown Hospital’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division. 
 
The film documents the remarkable journey of Owen Suskind, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2, and his family, as they learn to use Owen’s passion and primary connection to the world, Disney animated films, to communicate with him and help him navigate the ups and downs of childhood and young adulthood.  Before the Suskind family moved to Massachusetts, they were members of Adat Shalom; and Owen celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Adat Shalom having been tutored by Miriam Eisenstein who will be with us for the post-show discussion.
 
Please join the Youth, Adult Education, and Inclusion Advisory Committees as we present this intergenerational event. Please RSVP by January 30.
 

This event is free and open to the public.
Please spread the word to your friends and neighbors.

Helping those in Need
Manna Food Center’s mission is nothing short of ending hunger in Montgomery County, which it aims to achieve through food distribution, education and advocacy.

Adat Shalom has helped Manna's efforts over the years through donating food and volunteer time including specifically packing boxes of food for individual families at Manna's warehouse in Gaithersburg (9311 Gaither Rd. off of Shady Grove Rd.). After renovating its warehouse in 2019 to include refrigeration to permit the distribution of perishable food, Manna has changed its model of food distribution to give people more choice in the food they receive. As a result, Manna has less need for packing boxes at the Gaithersburg warehouse than before and would like us to come in quarterly rather than monthly.  


This is a great active way to volunteer to help our neighbors experiencing food insecurity. It is something school age children are welcome to participate in with their parents. SSL hours are available for middle and high schoolers. We need 8-10 families/groups (12 to 17 people). Filling, taping, and stacking the boxes of food takes an hour to an hour and a half.