SHIRAT SHABBAT IS HERE!
Introducing our new initiative, Shirat Shabbat! We hope it will inspire a broad swath of members to take part. Our Shabbat morning services will feature diverse intellectual, social, spiritual and tikkun olam programs.
Shirat Shabbat will feature all key parts of the Shabbat service and, starting at 11:15 a.m., a different Shirat Shares segment every week. Come at 10:00 a.m. for the full service, or just come for Shirat Shares at 11:15 – we won’t judge!
Joining by Zoom? Contact us at info@shirathanefesh.org for the link.
Masks must be worn inside the church. If you can, please come at 9:30 am to help with setup.
Shirat Shabbat MAY Schedule:
Rabbi Leila Gal Berner and Samantha Mandales will tell us about the Abuyudaya Jews of Uganda, specifically the several hundred Jews of Namutumba, a village supported by the non-profit, Ezra Uganda Assistance. It is a wonderful community of devout Jews who joyfully celebrate every Jewish holiday, educate their children Jewishly and cherish Judaism. It is also a subsistence community, struggling with hunger, disease and deep poverty. Ezra Uganda Assistance strives to bring this amazing community to the attention of world Jewry to help in its struggle. Lots of photographs and slides will be shown. Please join us in this fascinating exploration!
APRIL LINEUP
Saturday, April 8 • 10 a.m. In Person and on Zoom
Shabbat Morning Services in person with Rabbi Rachel
At 11:15 a.m. – Author Marc Nemiroff on Un-Othering the Other: Nine Years of Social Justice Work in India
Clinical psychologist and author Marc Nemiroff will speak about his nine years (a month a year) of cross-cultural work on the streets and in the slums of Bombay with an emphasis on building bridges between people of two different cultures, different skin colors, different languages, and different social/economic backgrounds. He will discuss his work with young adult men recently released from the sex slave trade; with parents of very young children in hospital and dying of cancer; and of developing social consciousness in slum schools re: the education of women and girls.
Saturday, April 15, 10 a.m. on Zoom
No Shabbat morning service today.
Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m. in person and on Zoom
Shabbat Morning Services in person with Rabbi Rachel and Musician Michael Raitzy
At 11:15 a.m. – Hot Topic: EARTH DAY - Judaism and the Environment
Saturday, April 29, 10 a.m. on Zoom
Guest Cantorial Student Kevin McIntyre and Shirat Schmooze at 11:15 a.m.
MARCH LINEUP
Saturday, March 4 • 10:00 a.m. on Zoom
Shabbat Morning with Guest Cantorial Student Kevin Mcintyre
Featuring Shirat Shmooze
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Saturday, March 11 • 10:00 a.m in person and on Zoom
Shabbat Morning with Rabbi Rachel Gartner
Shirat Salon: Rabbi Rachel, Drash by Nancy Wallace, and Tallit Making with Helene Ross (In Person/Zoom)
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Saturday, March 18 • 10:00 a.m. on Zoom 
Shabbat Morning Member-Led Service
Guest Speaker Robert Jacobs of Stand With Us on Anti-Semitism (Zoom)
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Saturday, March 25 • 10:00 a.m in person and on Zoom
Shabbat Morning with Rabbi Rachel Gartner
Rabbi Rachel with Guest Singer and Hand Drummer Ben Eneman and Hot Topic Kindness (Hesed) or Obligation (Hiuv)? Jewish Approaches to Organ Donation (In Person/Zoom)
FEBRUARY LINEUP
Shabbat Morning with Guest Cantorial Student Kevin Mcintyre
Saturday, Feb. 4 • 10:00 a.m. on Zoom
Featuring Shirat Shmooze
Bring your singing voices to this week’s Shabbat – Shabbat Shirah! This week's Torah reading contains the "song at the sea" sung by the Children of Israel upon their deliverance from the Egyptians, when the Red Sea split to allow them to pass and then drowned their pursuers. Hence this Shabbat is designated as Shabbat Shirah, "Shabbat of song."
And join us for our Shirat Shabbat offerings, Shirat Shmooze! Come for the service and stay for the Shmooze at 11:15 a.m., or just come for the Shmooze to catch up with your Shirat friends.
Shabbat Morning with Rabbi Rachel Gartner
Saturday, Feb. 11 • 10:00 a.m in person and on Zoom
Shirat Salon: David Ebenbach and Poetry for a Beautiful, Broken World
Rabbi Rachel will discuss prayer services and their meanings. At 11:15 a.m., our Shirat Salon will feature writer (and rebbetzin) David Ebenbach, who will share poems from his new collection, What's Left to Us by Evening, talk about the process that led to the development of this collection, and open a conversation about the power of poetry to hold a world that is simultaneously wounded and gorgeous.
Shabbat Morning Member-Led Service
Saturday, Feb. 18 • 10:00 a.m. on Zoom
Tikkun Talks: Special Guest Speaker from HIAS
Our February member-led service will feature Rabbi Megan Doherty, the Senior Educator at HIAS, in the 11:15 a.m. slot. Originally established to assist Jewish immigrants, HIAS is now a multi-continent, multi-pronged humanitarian aid and advocacy organization dedicated to helping forcibly displaced persons around the world.
Rabbi Doherty will discuss the work of HIAS, the Refugee Shabbat program, the current immigration debate, and how our members could help support their work.
Shabbat Morning with Rabbi Rachel Gartner
Saturday, Feb. 25 • 10:00 a.m in person and on Zoom
Musician Michael Raitzyk and Hot Topic “Jews and Tattoos”
Michael Raitzyk will accompany Rabbi Rachel on acoustic guitar. At 11:15, join us for our Hot Topics session, "Jews and Tattoos." An exploration of ancient Jewish sources and contemporary Jewish debates on the issue of tattoos is compelling in and of itself. It also serves as excellent grounding in Jewish approaches to the human body which in turn lays the foundation for subsequent Hot Topics sessions on things like organ donation, death penalty and sacred eating. Hope to see you on the 25th!