SHMOOZY NUZ
Events, News, and Shmooz
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Letter from Guest Writer (in lieu of Rabbi Hannah)
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Dear Friends,
Did you know that today (July 30) is International Day of Friendship? It is!
Proclaimed by the United Nations during their 65th session in 2011 (A/65/L.72), the day is to recognize the importance of friendship to human beings and “…that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and presents an opportunity to build bridges between communities, [honoring] cultural diversity…”
However, some people may find celebrating this day harder than in years past. The May 2021 American Perspectives Survey found that Americans have fewer friends, talk to them less, and rely on them less for support.
The results can certainly be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and responses. But people have been growing isolated for years. Robert Putman’s 2000 book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community discussed the themes from the survey over two decades ago. A decade later his book American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us highlighted the growing divide between religious conservatives and secular liberals.
As bleak as the trend may seem, there are remedies for our societal woes. Institutions like Hill Havurah convene people for a common purpose. Successful ones do so for a variety of purposes and offer many ways to engage (e.g., programs for people of a specific age group or a combination of virtual and in-person events).
Indeed, despite his general findings about religion in American Grace, Putman also highlighted how interfaith friendships and marriages rose, and people were more likely to be friendly with someone from a different faith.
I think Hill Havurah’s embrace of interfaith families (like my own) and outreach to other faiths (like Rabbi Hannah’s work with Pastor Lucius Dalton of Mount Moriah Baptist Church) serve as great examples of friendships between peoples and cultures.
I have made great friends by being a member of the Hill Havurah community, and I am proud of our work. I think that’s cause for celebration on this International Day of Friendship.
Shabbat Shalom,
Chris Jaikaran
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To learn more about these events (including how to register), you can find them on our website calendar HERE.
Saturday, August 7th
Tot Shabbat (in-person outdoors)
at 9:00 am
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
Shabbat Morning Service & Torah Discussion (on Zoom)
at 10:00 am
Saturday, August 14th
Meditation & Torah Study (in-person outdoors)
at 8:45 am
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
Tot Shabbat (in-person outdoors)
at 10:00 am
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
Wednesday, August 18th
Katya Hoppe Memorial Service (on Zoom)
at 8:00 pm
Friday, August 20th
Communal Kabbalat Shabbat Service (in-person outdoors)
at 6:30 pm
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
Saturday, August 28th
Havdalah & Selichot Program (in-person outdoors)
at 8:00 pm
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
For information about upcoming events not run by Hill Havurah that might be of interest to our community, you can click HERE.
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Welcoming our New Operations & Program Assistant |
Hill Havurah is happy to welcome Vera Abankwa, our new Operations & Program Assistant. Vera graduated from West Virginia University with a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies in May. Originally from Alexandria, she will begin a Master's program at American University in linguistics/TESOL in the fall. She is multi-lingual, fluent in Twi and Spanish (and English, too). She emigrated from Ghana with her family in 2008. Welcome, Vera! |
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Support EHDC's Back to School Initiative! |
Join Hill Havurah and the Tikkun Olam Committee in supporting Everyone Home DC’s 2021/22 Back to School Initiative. Everyone Home DC (EHDC) is an organization dedicated to supporting the needs of families in our community at risk of or transitioning out of homelessness.
Last year, EHDC shifted its back-to-school approach by providing gift cards that rising scholars in the families they work with could use to purchase school supplies. This year’s Back to School Initiative will once again focus on collecting $50 gift cards, as well as monetary donations to purchase the cards.
If you are able to contribute to Everyone Home’s Back to School Drive, please visit our donation page. The page also includes more information about the drive and other ways to help. If you have any questions, please email Sarah Erdreich, co-chair, Tikkun Olam Committee.
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Registration for Yavneh is Open! |
Yavneh will be back beginning September 12 from 9:30-12:30 on Sunday mornings, IN-PERSON in our new re-designed space at Kingsman Academy (at 1375 E Street, NE).
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Happy 7th birthday, Liev Shyovitz!
Happy birthday,
Maureece Davidowitz!
Happy birthday,
Roman Goldstein!
Happy 10th birthday,
Ethan Furman!
Happy 10th birthday, Joey Hiller!
Happy 8th birthday,
Evan Schwartz!
Happy 6th birthday, Ethan Arons!
Happy birthday, Justin Sosne!
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The following yahrzeit is coming up this week:
- John Buntman, z"l, father of Fran Buntman, grandfather of Gabriela and Sarah
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ABOUT HILL HAVURAH
Hill Havurah is an independent, Jewish community based on Capitol Hill and serving people from across the Washington metropolitan area. We have a mission to meet and anticipate the spiritual, educational, religious, cultural, and life cycle needs of a growing and evolving Jewish community. Hill Havurah's many activities support our members' interests in advancing Jewish culture, identity, education, and a commitment to community service. A warm, inclusive, and informal spirit is part of what has made Hill Havurah so special for more than two decades.
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Contact Information:
Email: info@hillhavurah.org
Address: 212 East Capitol Street, NE
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202-729-3515
Rabbi Hannah Spiro, Rabbi
RabbiHannah@HillHavurah.org
Alan Shusterman, Executive Director
Alan.Shusterman@HillHavurah.org
Melissa Werbow, Education Director
Melissa.Werbow@hillhavurah.org
Laura Schiazza, Gan Shalom Director
Director.GanShalom@hillhavurah.org
Vera Abankwa, Operations & Program Assistant
Vera.Abankwa@hillhavurah.org
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