Congregation Netivot Shalom

Community Events & Classifieds

Overnight hospitality is needed on Saturday night, February 11th for a couple coming from Sacramento for the Anat Hoffman program that evening. If you have space and are willing to provide hospitality please contact Robin Braverman at rivkah48@sbcglobal.net 925=979-1998 home office 925-286-8557 cell.

From Willa Mamet: This past year has found me wandering home with armfuls of sticks. Over and over I couldn't resist the beautiful bounty of woodpiles, sidewalks, trails. "What to do with these lovely tree crumbs," I asked. "Make mezuzot," they answered. "Ah, yes." So I did. And Deep Bright Judaica was born. So far the selection has included: apricot, plum, apple,
redwood, pinon, juniper, driftwood and rhododendron. Coming soon: olive, persimmon, and who even knows what else....
Having now had enough requests for special orders, I decided to set up an Etsy store. I wanted to let you know that you can now find my hand-carved wooden mezuzot at : www.etsy.com/shop/DeepBrightJudaica?ref=ss_profile. Take a look and see what's been taking up my time and heart...

LIVING QUARTERS IN BERKELEY NEEDED - Retired Registered Nurse establishing a Personal Health Information Assistance Project. Looking for living quarters in Berkeley for 5+ months starting February 5th. Open to doing some work exchange (maximum of 10 hrs per week) or maximum of $450 including utilities (except phone). Please call Jade at (831) 726-7175

The 27th Annual Jewish Music Festival is coming up - for a complete schedule, tickets and info go to our website at jewishmusicfestival.org, or call 866-558-4253. Discounts for groups of ten or more, please call: 510-848-0237 x118.

Telling Interfaith Stories: A Writing Workshop with Rebecca Spence - As the products of interfaith families, we have unique stories to tell. Join writer Rebecca Spence for a four-week workshop in which we'll give voice to our experience. Through weekly discussions and creative writing exercises, we'll explore the themes and narrative threads that arise when we allow ourselves the space. Born to an interfaith family herself, Rebecca is keenly aware of the particular sensitivities and conflicts that can arise within ourselves, as well as in our families and Jewish communities, when we negotiate identity. The story-telling process itself, regardless of experience level as a writer, can be healing, and sometimes cathartic. By the end of the workshop, you can expect to have completed a solid draft of your story. Date: Thursdays, February 2 - February 23; Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm @ Place: Lehrhaus, 2736 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. Cost: $40

KlezCalifornia Yiddish Culture Festival, February 18-20, 2012 (Presidents’ Day Weekend) at the Jewish Community Center San Francisco. Enjoy a holiday weekend packed with more than 50 participatory Yiddish culture and klezmer music workshops: singing, dancing, music, shmuesing (conversation), literature, Jewish history and more! Klezmer concert and dance party Saturday night. Free workshops Saturday afternoon and free Community Sing-Along Sunday afternoon. Youth Program for ages 6-12. More Festival information at www.klezcalifornia.org. Join with other Netivot Shalom members (Judy Kunofsky, Mitchell Shandling, Laura Sheppard, Rivka Greenberg, Naomi Seidman) for a great time at the Festival!

Afikomen Judaica Events & News, 3042 Claremont Ave Berkeley 510-655-1977 www.afikomen.com
Sun Jan 29th, 3:00pm Kennard Lipman New Release Book Talk "Kingdoms of Experience" Thank you for shopping local.

Merkavah Torah Institute Spring Programs - Focus on the Prophetess: Queen Esther: Her Leadership on Stage and in the Shadows on Wednesdays 10:00am-12:30pm on Jan 25, Feb 1, 15, 22, 29, Mar 7, 14 & 21 (no class on Feb 8th) All levels welcome. (Women only.) Tuition $160. Ruth on Wednesdays 10:00am-12:30 pm on March 2, 9, 16 & 23. All Levels welcome. (Women only.) Tuition $80. Classes taught by Maayan Rabinovich. For more information on either or both classes, please contact: merkavahberkeley@gmail.com or call 510-292-0175

Taglit-Birthright Israel with USCJ - Experience Israel through Conservative Judaism’s pluralistic lens. The USCJ Young Adult Outreach Department is excited to announce that we will be working with the Israel Experience LTD. to offer a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip in Summer 2012 for young adults between the ages of 22- 26. We are currently collecting names of potential applicants at: http://taglit.theisraelexperience.org/referral-uscj. If you refer somebody, you will be entered into a drawing to win an iPad courtesy of The Israel Experience LTD. Registration opens on February 14, 2012 for a very limited time. All referrals will receive email notification of registration procedures. To be eligible for the gift from Taglit-Birthright Israel one may not have participated on a peer trip to Israel of more than five days (such as USY Pilgrimage, Ramah Seminar, most day school trips, etc.) However, one is not excluded if they were on such a trip prior to age 12 or have traveled to Israel with their family or a multi-generational group trip. For more information, please contact Lisa Alter Krule via e-mail at krule@uscj.org

Midrasha Car Donation Program: Thinking of donating your old car or boat? Please consider donating your used vehicle to Midrasha and help support your local Jewish High School Program. Also, if you request it, the proceeds of the sale can be split with Congregation Netivot Shalom! Please contact David at (510) 849-0961 or email berkeleyduck@aol.com.

BJE's Jewish Teen Alliance presents a day of learning focused on Parenting Teens. It's what the community asked for, and we are delivering. Presented in partnership with the Jewish Community High School of the Bay, and sponsored by numerous other Jewish community organizations, Parenting Your Teen workshops include in depth conversations and parenting tools on Bullying, Sex and Sexuality, Boundaries and Communication, and more, all presented within Jewish framework. Presenters include Denise Pope, Ph.D. (our keynote speaker, of Stanford University and Challenge Success), Rachel Brodie, Rabbi Howard Ruben (Head of School at JCHS, a co-presenter of the conference), Naomi Tucker and many others.

Message from Jewish Youth Community Action(JYCA) from Netivot Shalom member Miriam Priven - This is my second year being a member in JYCA and am currently a leader on the JYCA Action committee as well as the Board. JYCA is a really unique and amazing organization. I have been especially inspired to explore myself as an activist in the safe, loving community that JYCA provides. This year JYCA has played an important role in the occupy movement, bringing both a youth empowerment presence as well as our Jewish values by setting up a Sukkah at Occupy Oakland. A highlight for me was when we held a youth empowerment workshop at Occupy Oakland and got to inspire activists to work for change and support young people. JYCA has been around for 17 years, but we need help to keep going. Please consider supporting me and local youth activism by donating to JYCA. http://www.jyca-justice.org/JYCA/Support_JYCA.html. Or send a check to JYCA 1300 Grand Ave, Piedmont CA 94610. Thank you very much, Miriam!