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

Issue 6
September 19, 2019
20 Elul 5779
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Let's B'Yachad! Let's B'Together for the New Year!
The Days of Awe -- the High Holy Days are fast approaching. Beginning on Saturday night at 7:30, while sitting under the stars, join us for a beautiful S'lichot service led by our clergy, the Adat Shalom musicians and our own Noa Baum , world-renowned story teller. Cider and cookies included.

For Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, services will be here at Adat Shalom. If your family would like to join us on erev Rosh Hashana, Sunday, September 29 for services and dinner, you may RSVP here (this requires a reservation). On Monday, September 30 , Rabbi Rachel will lead our B'Yachad Rosh Hashana service at 10:30 am, weather permitting, on the porch. Rabbi Fred will follow on the B'Yachad bimah for Yom Kippur. This intergenerational service is designed for families (parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.) with children 3rd grade and above and will also include Pam Sommers and several Adat Shalom teens. Miss Ellie will be leading 2 services, one for Tots at 10 am, and one for our early elementary students at 11 am. When services are not in session, our youth team will be offering activities for our children of all ages. More details to come next week.

Please continue to watch this space for information about all-things Adat Shalom during this holiday season. We are striving to make these holidays inclusive and welcoming for all, with the understanding that often the liturgy of the season and the length of services, can be challenging for many of us. Given that, there are some wonderful and very approachable opportunities for children, tweens, teens, and their parents, to enter and embrace the wonder of this season.

As always, if you have any questions or just want to chat, please don't hesitate to reach out by phone (301.767.3333, ext 105) or by email .

להתראות, L'hitraot !

Rena

Rena Milchberg
Interim Education Coordinator
Join us for S'lichot! Usher in the Days of Awe!

Saturday, September 21 at 7:30 pm

On the patio, under the stars, at Adat Shalom

Story-telling with Noa Baum

Music

Cider and Cookies

This family-friendly (grade-school) program is a welcoming entry into this sacred season of renewal, reflection and growth. And it's not nearly as crowded as our Rosh Hashana services.
Noa will be welcoming our Torah School kids on Saturday morning outside the Beit Midrash. Come say hello and get a little taste of Noa's magic before returning for S'lichot.
Let's get Silly in the Sukkah!

We may not have these furry friends but we will have YOU ! Save the date -- Sunday, October 13 at 4 pm -- we are going wild in the Sukkah! Calling all children from the newborns to the Pre-Schoolers -- this special event is for our youngest children. Come visit the Sukkah, paint some pumpkins, climb on the hay and so much more! We'll play until 5:30, when all are invited to join the entire Adat Shalom Community for Songs and Prayers and dinner to welcome the festival holiday of Sukkot.
Calling Artistic Teens!

The Beit Midrash needs your help! Interested in a job to help beautify our classrooms and hallways? We need a teen with a good eye for design and splash to help us! We are looking for someone who has a few hours a week for a couple of weeks to bring some pizazz to our rooms!
Contact Rena if you are interested!









Calling Teens with Power Tools

Okay, maybe you don't have your own power tools but you love to drill! Come join us on Sunday, October 6 at 10 am to build the Adat Shalom Sukkah! Please let Ralph Nitkin know you are interested.






Calling Torah Reading Teens!

You did all that work preparing to become a b-mitzvah! You stood up there and read Torah beautifully. Everyone said you were awesome! Don't quit while you are ahead! Come back! Our bimah is a friendly place. Give it a try. Read more Torah. It's a great skill to have and to keep sharp. Curious about what's involved? Ask Philip Abrams and he'll tell you more!
You Asked for Adult Jewish Learning...We Give You Adult Jewish Learning

Resolutions for Rosh Hashana?

Most of us don't make resolutions for the Jewish New Year the way people do for the secular year, but if you are thinking about it, perhaps you can add: learn more Jewish stuff to your list.

Here are 2 opportunities for Jewish learning brought to you by the Jewish Studies Committee that might be of particular interest:


Great Jewish Books Initiative

This year we are studying the five Megillot -- the books that follow the Jewish calendar’s festivals.

Right in time for Sukkot, it's Megillat Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) with Rabbi Leila Gal Berner
 
Sunday, October 6 th - 10:00 to Noon-- Class participants will join the Sukkah raising for the traditional mitzvah of the first nail, class to begin immediately after. 
 
Saturday, October 12 th at 1:00-2:30 –Join us for services and then study Kohelet with Rabbi Leila in our communal Sukkah, weather permitting. 


What's Reconstructionism Anyway?

Join Rabbi Fred on Shabbat morning, November 16 from 9:45 - 10:15, for an introductory look at what Reconstructionist Judaism really means.

So many of our members came to Adat Shalom from other branches of Judaism and with varying degrees of background and education. This session will help you understand the basic underpinnings of what we do here at Adat Shalom.
I 'm Sara, and I just started high school a few weeks ago. It's pretty good so far — I like my classes and my teachers and friends. 

But this coming Friday, I'm going to leave school to join the DC Climate Strike downtown. Greta Thunberg, a teenager in Sweden, started striking last year, and this Friday, young people like me will be leading over 500 climate strikes to call for immediate climate action, as leaders gather for the United Nations Climate Action Summit.
Will you strike with me on Friday?  
Teens and grown-ups from my synagogue, Adat Shalom, are planning to come with me to the strike on Friday. We'll march with people from other congregations. Adat Shalom will also have a great band with them! We already have solar panels on our building and a vegetable garden, but we now need everyone to speak out, too! 

in the DC Climate Strike
This Friday, 9/20
at 11 am 

across the street from
John Marshall Park



Interfaith Power & Light of Metropolitan Washington and our own Sara Scherlinder on why she thinks of IPL's faith communities should come to the Climate Strike, it was hard to even explain. It feels obvious to me and to a lot of kids: If you care about kids, you should want the Earth to be healthy and whole for them. Going to school is important, but if we don't fix climate change, there won't be any point in going to school.
Greta Thunberg spoke for lots of us: "We children are doing this to wake the adults up. We children are doing this for you to put your differences aside and start acting as you would in a crisis. We children are doing this because we want our hopes and dreams back."

Please come #strikewithus!