March / April 2024 Newsletter

Congregation B'nai Harim

at the Nevada County

Jewish Community Center

March / April

2024-5784 Newsletter

Nevada County Jewish

Community Center Newsletter

Serving the members of our Diverse Community

as together we search, study, and learn the history, the culture,

the principles, the Values ..... explore and take on moments here and there

of just what does it mean & how does it feel to take on this Jewish experience?

What is this Jewish Identity .......

Upcoming Events!

Services via Zoom and In Person

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/9456699137

Meeting ID: 945 669 9137

One tap mobile +16699006833,,9456699137# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Shabbat Services

Join us Friday

March 15th and April 5th

for our Family Shabbat Dinner followed by our evening Shabbat Service

March 15th @ 7:00 PM

April 5th @ 7:00 PM

April 19th @ 7:00 PM

Torah Study

March 16th @ 10:00AM

April 6th @ 10:00AM

April 20th @ 10:00AM

Saturday Torah Study:

Studying the Torah,

the Hebrew Scriptures, from the

very beginning of the Bible.

via Zoom and In Person

Rabbi David Azen

Rabbi Office hours

by appointment only please.

You may contact Rabbi Directly or the NCJCC Office

Visit our website

Visit Facebook

Visit our Calendar

Please visit our Website

for more information and to find our links

to event RSVP's, payments, and donations!

A $5-10 donation for all Friday night dinner events unless otherwise noted for special events is appreciated. Thank you for your support.

Important Dates

Events will be held in Person and by Zoom when possible.

Any change will be noted in the weekly schmooze.

Daylight Savings Time Begins

March 10th @ 2:00AM

Israeli Circle Dancing

March 10th @ 2-4

Orders due for Purim in a Bag

March 13th @ 5:00PM

Pick up Purim in a Bag

March 17th 12:00-2:00

First Day of Spring

March 19th

Adult Purim

March 23rd @ 7:00

Movie Night

March 29th @ 7:00 PM

Passover -Community Sedar

April 23rd @ 5:30 PM

Monthly Programs by Department

NCJCC Board Meeting

First Thursday each month

March 7th @7:00 PM

April 4th @7:00 PM

Sisterhood Meeting

First Thursday each month

March 7th @12:30 PM

April 4th @ 12:30 PM

Sisterhood Book Club

Second Monday each month

March 11st @ 1:30 PM

April 8th @ 1:30 PM

Sunday School

March 3rd and 17th @ 9:30 AM

April 7th and 21st @ 9:30 AM

Rabbi Kids

Contact Rabbi David for details

rabbidavid1818@gmail.com

Youth Hebrew

Thursdays @ 3:30 PM

Adult Hebrew Classes

Contact Kinneret at ivintzky@gmail.com

Israeli Circle Dancing - Sunday March 10th

Place your Order Today for Purim-in-a-Bag

Orders Due March 13th and Pick up March 17

Purim March 23-24

Join us March 23rd for our Adult Purim Service

With celebrations including costumes, skits and songs, noisemakers, and gifts of food, Purim is definitely full of fun! Purim is a joyous holiday that affirms and celebrates Jewish survival and continuity throughout history. The main communal celebration involves a public reading—usually in the synagogue—of the Book of Esther (M'gillat Esther), which tells the story of the holiday: Under the rule of King Ahashverosh, Haman, the king's adviser, plots to exterminate all of the Jews of Persia. His plan is foiled by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai, who ultimately save the Jews of Persia from destruction. The reading of the m'gillah typically is a rowdy affair, punctuated by booing and noise-making when Haman's name is read aloud.

https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/purim

Passover April 22-29

Join us April 23rd for the Community Passover

Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is a major Jewish spring festival celebrating freedom and family as we remember the Exodus from Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. The main observances of this holiday center around a special home service called the seder, which includes a festive meal, the prohibition on eating chametz, and the eating of matzah.

On the 15th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, Jews gather with family and friends in the evening to read from a book called the Haggadah, meaning "telling," which contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings, and songs for the Passover seder. The Haggadah helps us retell the events of the Exodus, so that each generation may learn and remember this story that is so central to Jewish life and history.

Passover is celebrated for either seven or eight days, depending on family and communal custom. In Israel and for most Reform Jews around the world, Passover is seven days, but for many other Jews, it is eight days.

https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/passover

President's Message

While we are cleaning up from winter storms, spring is right around the corner and with it comes a season of renewal. Soon the crocus, daffodils, and tulips will pop up around town and Purim and Passover will be upon us. These important holidays hold deep meaning in our tradition and now, especially, so as our community fights antisemitism in all its forms.

As the spring bulbs emerge in all their beauty, my hope for all of us is that the beauty of our natural world inspires those that would otherwise choose ugliness and hatred to choose beauty and love instead.

I invite you all to sign up and read our weekly email blast to see all the happenings and check out the calendar of events on our webpage to stay informed of all that we offer.

Shalom,

Mya Russell

Facilities Update

If anyone is interested in helping out with any facilities projects, please contact our Facilities chairperson by emailing Mya Russell at ncjcc@outlook.com We do have several smaller projects that require very short time commitments so if you only have a couple hours to help, we have something for you and if you have a student needing volunteer hours, this is a great opportunity for them to work with other community members.

Our CalOES security grant project is underway with finalizing design plans, obtaining permits and collecting bids from contractors. In the coming months you can expect to see activity outside the building. Please do not disturb any landscape flags, paint or other markings you see outside the building as the various utilities have been surveyed.

Friday Night Movies

Fifth Friday

Movie Nights

At the NCJCC

March 29th

Watch for details in the Schmooze!

Social Action

For March and April we are looking for donations to the Nevada County Diaper Project.

Our donations last year were SO appreciated and we hope to be even more generous this year.

They are currently looking for

Diapers -all sized and Wipes.

Donations may be dropped off at the NCJCC at services and events or you may call the office at 530-477-0922 to make arrangements.

https://nevadacountydiaperproject.org/

Quick Diaper Facts

Infants require approximately 12 diapers per day, and toddlers need 8.
Government programs, including food stamps and WIC, do not cover any portion of the cost of diapers.
A baby crying non-stop from being in a soiled diaper for a prolonged period of time, is more likely to be a victim of abuse.
Low income parents cannot take advantage of free or subsidized childcare, if they cannot afford to leave a day’s supply of disposable diapers at the childcare center. If parents cannot access childcare, then they are less likely to attend work or school on a consistent basis, leading to increased economic instability and a continuation of the cycle of poverty.

Fresher Sacramento

"Fresher Sacramento seeks to enable everyone to go to bed well-fed and build wealth from health for generations to come. With nearly a quarter of a million folks in Sacramento County lacking regular access to affordable, nutritious food, our team of Fresher Chefs are cooking up a brand new model for making sure everyone goes to bed well fed, by preparing affordable, convenient, delicious, and nutritious meals for folks who lack the time, knowledge, and resources to prepare their own."

Youth and Adult Education

Kinneret Vinitzky, Principal Religious, Hebrew School

for Children, Youth and Adult Education.

Hi Everyone,

We will celebrate our family Shabbat dinner

Friday, March 15th, at 5:30pm.

Sunday school meets on:

March 10th and 17th at 9:30 am - 12:00pm,

March 17th, we will celebrate Purim with the kids at 9:30 am - 12:00pm, at noon the kids can help deliver the Purim-in-a-Bag in the Hamantaschen drive!

We will meet for Hebrew classes Thursdays.

I am looking forward to seeing you!

Yours,

Kinneret

Men's Club

Gordon Mann, President

Men's Club is looking forward to the 4th Annual Golf Tournament in September.

This is a great way to meet other members! They will be looking for sponsors, auction donations, volunteers and of course participants, very soon. Watch the weekly Schmooze/ Weekly Events for more details as they become available.

Men's Club is also working on additional upcoming programs and looking ahead at some Facility Spring Cleaning around the property. Please contact the office at ncjcc@outlook.com if you can help with handy work.

Sisterhood

B'Nai Harim Sisterhood

of the NCJCC

Officers and Committee Members

Sisterhood meets the first Thursday of each month at the NCJCC.

March 7th @12:30

April 4th @ 12:30

President: Carol Brown

VP Programs: Cheryl Kelly

VP Membership: Jackie Levy

VP Fundraising: Judy Silberman

Recording Secretary: Antia DuPratt

Treasurer: Gail Atlas

Judaica Shop Chair: Jackie Levy

Corresponding Secretary: Cheryl Klein

Bereavement/Caring Hands Chair: Arline Mehr

Charitable Giving Chair: Susan Halperin

Oneg Shabbat Chair: Debbie Lamont

Book Club Chair: Ruth Goodin

Past President: Ruth Goodin

Sisterhood Book Club

The Sisterhood Book Club meets on the second Monday of each month at the NCJCC. Gather and Greet at 1:30 with lively Book Discussions beginning at 2:00.

Hope you all will join us. If you haven't read the book, that’s ok, you can join in on the stimulating conversation.

March 11th The Librarian of Burned Books, by Brianna Labuskes

April 8th The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride