High Holidays 5784

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Spotify Playlist for the High Holy Days
Hazzan Glantz has created a Spotify playlist associated with these High Holy Days. You may be very surprised to hear the music that's on that list. It is called "Ready? Set? Return!" Give it a chance. Hazzan says it's been growing, perhaps it will grow on you. These songs speak to him, each differently. Some, obvious in their connection to Jewish High Holy Days; others, perhaps not.  Suggest others and inquire how a song made the cut by sending an email to Hazzan. Some may make you cry, others provoke thought, and one motivates Hazzan in ways he cannot put into words. Click here.

In addition, there is a Yizkor Spotify playlist here.

JFGP Mitzvah Grocery Gift Card Drive Begins
2023 has been a challenging year for families facing financial hardship, compounded by SNAP assistance ending this past February. Food insecurity is significantly higher among those at or below poverty thresholds, with 46% of Jewish households that are at or below 200% of the federal poverty index identified as food insecure. From September 11 through October 9. You can purchase grocery store gift cards to be distributed directly to clients of the Mitzvah Food Program so they can purchase items they need from their local grocery store. We recommend gift cards from ShopRite, Acme, and Giant, as these are the stores most easily accessible to our clients. Gift card values up to $50 are the most helpful. Give any purchased cards to Amy Devine-Stretch or, if the office is closed, put it into the lock box to the right of the security doors that lead to the office area (near the keypad). You can purchase food through the Mitzvah Food Program Amazon Wish List so that products are shipped directly to a pantry. You can find out more by going to tiny.cc/2023MFPOYR

There is one online form to RSVP for High Holiday events! Click here.

Selichot 
Saturday, September 9             Mincha: 7:05 PM      Program: 8:00 PM     Service: 9:30 PM
“Hotter, Wetter, Weirder: Philadelphia and Climate Change”

Our guest for this year’s Selihot program is naturalist Mike Weilbacher, an environmental educator with 40 years of experience teaching through lectures, walks, newspaper essays, theatrical performances, and radio.

As 2021’s Hurricane Ida showed us, climate change is already happening in Philadelphia as our climate gets hotter, wetter, and decidedly weirder. But what’s the evidence for climate change locally? What are the trends in temperature and rainfall? You’ll not only be surprised by the data, but motivated to find solutions. Mike will walk us through the science, carefully answering our questions while weaving in politics, pop culture, and even a pop quiz.

Meet Mike
A frequent lecturer, Mike has been traveling the Delaware Valley the last five years offering public lectures on environmental concerns. He’s also been a keynote speaker and workshop leader at state and national education conferences, speaking before groups like the National Science Teachers Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Environmental Educators, the National Association of Interpretation, and the Association of Nature Center Administrators.

As an environmental educator, he has designed a diverse array of programs across the region, including family festivals, Earth Day events, town meetings, lecture series, nature walks, and much more. Over a 30-year career, he served as the executive director of the Lower Merion Conservancy, the Briar Bush Nature Center in Abington, and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Roxborough.

As an emcee and radio personality, Mike hosted Earth Talk on WHYY-FM, an early ‘90s newsmagazine on regional environmental concerns. Mike is also well-known as “Mike the All-Natural Science Guy” on the Peabody award-winning live children’s radio show “Kid’s Corner” on WXPN-FM in Philadelphia and worldwide at XPN.org, where he has been talking to children about nature and the environment for more than 30 years.

As a writer, his first book, Wild Philly, has just been released with Timber Press. He has authored weekly columns on preservation and environmental issues for two different local newspapers since 1997, where in 2006 the Suburban Newspapers of America honored him for outstanding writing. He has published articles in Green Teacher, E: The Environmental Magazine and Learning, placed numerous book reviews and op-ed pieces in The Philadelphia Inquirer, and wrote an acclaimed regular column in his state’s environmental education journal.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.

Sunrise Hike on Rosh Hashanah, Day II 
Sunday, September 17 at 6:45 AM
Join us for a sunrise hike in Bucks County to High Rocks Vista! Just one-and-a-half miles. The terrain is rugged but not steep. More details to come.

Break the Fast 
Monday, September 25       
Break your fast with us on Yom Kippur at approximately 7:30 PM. We'll have all of your favorite Break the Fast fare including lox, whitefish, herring, kippered salmon, bagels and cream cheese. kugel, cheese, lettuce and tomato, fruit, assorted cakes, and beverages. The cost is $36 for adults, $20 for children 6 to 12, and free for children under 6. Family maximum is $100. RSVP and payment MUST be received by noon on Tuesday, September 5. Call Beryl Rosoff-Verbit in the synagogue office at 215.635.6611, send her an email at brosoff-verbit@adathjeshurun.info (include number of adults and children 6 to 10), return the registration form that was included in the High Holiday mailing, or use this online form. You must be pre-registered to attend.

Sukkah Decorating and Pizza Party (Sponsored by AJWA Sisterhood)
Wednesday, September 27 at 6:00 PM
Everyone is invited! We’ll eat, shmooze, and hang decorations. Bring the kids and any decorations that you’d like to contribute (original artwork encouraged)! Preschool families welcome! (All children must be accompanied by a parent.)

Dinners in the Sukkah
Throughout the Week of Sukkot: Friday, September 29 through Thursday, October 5 at 6:00 PM
Once again, we’ll be celebrating Sukkot by gathering inside AJ’s sukkah and having dinner! See the offerings for each night below. All dinners will be followed by the evening service, except where noted. Registration for each night is required, except where noted. Click here to register. Please RSVP no later than September 20.

Friday, September 29: Shabbat Dinner in the Sukkah. Howard Levin will be grilling chicken and serving sides! ($18 per adult; $50 per family.) The evening service will be at 6:00 PM, followed by Shabbat dinner.

Saturday, September 30: Bring Your Own Dairy Dinner to the Sukkah. (No charge.)

Sunday, October 1: Sustainable Dinner in the Sukkah. Enjoy a plant-based dinner focused  on local and organic ingredients. Prepared by L’olam. ($5 per person.)

Monday, October 2: Sandwiches in the Sukkah. We’ll have chicken and veggie sandwiches in the sukkah. ($5 per person.)

Tuesday, October 3: Pizza in the Hut. We’ll have pizza and salad in the sukkah. ($5 per person.) (AJ Early Learning Center will enjoy pizza and salad from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM.)

Wednesday, October 4: Sukkat Shalom. (No charge.)
We’ll be hosting Israelis and American-Israelis for a frank discussion about the judicial coup against the Israeli Supreme Court and how the Israeli and Jewish-American communities can collaborate. Bring your own dairy dinner to enjoy in the sukkah. No registration necessary.

Thursday, October 5: Baked Ziti in the Sukkah. Enjoy baked ziti and dessert in the sukkah. A gluten-free baked ziti will be available. Prepared by the AJWA Sisterhood. ($5 per person.)

Family Hakafot
Friday, October 6 at 6:00 PM
Bring your family and friends to help celebrate Simchat Torah. Candy apples, music, dancing! Services will begin at 6:00, followed by the Family Hakafot (procession and dancing with the Torah) at 6:45 PM.

Family Service
There is a Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Family Service with Rav Shai and Hazzan Glantz from past years) available on the CongregationAJ YouTube channel. You can view both below.

For Young Kids
Rav Shai and Hazzan Glantz have recorded readings of children's books appropriate for the High Holidays:
Apple Days
In God's Name
Bit by Bit