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,
Tomorrow is Juneteenth. A portmanteau of “June”+”nineteenth,” this holiday recognizes the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
School children learn that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862. They may even recite it on the day the president delivered it: September 22 (although, the proclamation did not go into effect until January 1, 1863). They also learn that the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery and indentured servitude (except as a punishment for a crime). But they may not learn that Congress didn’t pass the amendment until January 31, 1865; three-fourths of states didn’t ratify it until December 6, 1865.
The three years between the Emancipation Proclamation and the force of law may seem like a long time. But having rules and enforcing rules are not the same thing. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger announced General Order No.3 in Galveston, Texas, which transmitted the news of the Emancipation Proclamation. The order informed that distant Confederate state of slavery’s end; and so June 19 serves as the symbolic date to celebrate Freedom Day or Liberation Day.
Tomorrow Black Americans and allies across the nation will engage is celebratory activities. But the struggle for many communities of color and vulnerable populations is not over. And the three-year gap between the Emancipation Proclamation to enforcement should serve as a reminder that sometimes we may only ostensibly have values, policies, and programs in place for justice. The reality of many people may be far different. The social justice movements of 2020 highlight recent examples.
Hill Havurah has long held the values of Tikkun Olam (repair the world) and Tzedek (justice) as cornerstones of our community. Some celebrate Juneteenth, and you may, as well. But, may this holiday also serve as a reminder that, while progress has been made, there is still injustice in our world and we have a responsibility to do our part in repairing it.
--Chris Jaikaran
Editor's Note: Mr. Jaikaran drafted this letter earlier this week, before the passage of S.475, The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.
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All of the below events are virtual, except as noted. To learn more about these events (including how to register), you can find them on our website calendar HERE.
Friday, June 18th
Communal Kabbalat Shabbat Service
at 6:30 pm
Monday, June 21st
Summer Solstice Celebration
(an outdoor event for families with young children)
at 4:30 pm
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
Saturday, July 3rd
Tot Shabbat (in-person outdoors)
at 9:00 am
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
Shabbat Morning Service & Torah Discussion
at 10:00 am
Saturday, July 10th
Meditation & Torah Study
at 8:45 am
Tot Shabbat (in-person outdoors)
at 10:00 am
in front of Reformation (212 E. Capitol St., NE)
Friday, July 16th
Communal Kabbalat Shabbat Service
at 6:30 pm
Saturday, July 17th
Tisha B'Av Program
at 8:00 pm
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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If you missed this week's update from Board Chair Marlene Singer regarding the results of our reopening survey and new decisions that have been made,
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Honor Your Loved Ones with a Donation! |
We invite you to honor your loved ones with donations to Hill Havurah for yahrtzeits, weddings, births, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and other special events. If you'd like, you can choose where your funds will be directed by donating to one of our specialized funds. Any amount is welcome and will be acknowledged in Shmoozy Nuz.
You can find more information and make your donations here -- or, whenever you're on our website homepage, by clicking on "DONATE" on the upper navigation bar under the Hill Havurah logo. Thank you!
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Supporting Hill Havurah When You Shop on Amazon |
Support Hill Havurah every time you shop on Amazon by selecting us as your AmazonSmile charity!
Register Hill Havurah once and then forget about it; your purchases will automatically generate donations for us. You can see how much your account has generated when you log on.
You can find all the information you need here. Thank you!
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Is Your Child Attending Camp This Summer? |
New Hill Havurah Education Director Melissa Werbow would love to send mail to current, former, and potential Yavneh students at camp this summer. If you'd like your child to receive mail from Melissa, please complete this short information form.
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Hill Havurahdcast Podcast |
We encourage you to listen to any of the 40 episodes, most a listener-friendly 20-25 minutes long. They provide a unique opportunity to hear the stories of a diverse array of Havurah members and learn about many different topics.
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Happy 13th birthday,
Elliot Zwirn-Williams!
Happy birthday, Peter Mott!
Happy birthday, Mindy Stricke!
Happy birthday, Aron Szapiro!
Happy birthday, Shepard Zippin!
Happy birthday, Judith Hochhoasser!
Happy 14th birthday, Emerson Duvall!
Happy 11th birthday, Alex Kozolchyk!
Happy 11th birthday, Ethan Kozolchyk!
Happy 11th birthday, Jacob Kozolchyk!
Happy birthday, Joshua Chernikoff!
Happy 4th birthday, Dahlia Shyovitz!
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The following yahrzeit is coming up this week:
- Judith Ann Nevel, z"l, mother of Amy Nevel, nana of Cora
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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 Vitiello, Gan Shalom Director
Director.GanShalom@hillhavurah.org
Danny Tomares, Operations and Program Assistant
Danny.Tomares@hilllhavurah.org
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