National Havurah Committee Summer Institute 2007

National Havurah Committee

2 9 th S U M M E R I N S T I T U T E August 6-12, 2007 Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH

National Havurah Committee (215) 248-1335 • www.havurah.org

Welcome to the NHC! The National Havurah Committee (NHC) is a network of diverse individuals and communities dedicated to Jewish living and learning, community building, and tikkun olam (repairing the world). For nearly 30 years, the NHC has helped Jews across North America envision a joyful grassroots Judaism, and has provided the tools to help people create empowered Jewish lives and communities. The NHC is a nondenominational, multigenerational, egalitarian, and volunteer-run organization. The NHC’s flagship program, the week-long Summer Institute, is a unique opportunity for serious study, moving prayer, spirited conversation, late-night jam sessions, singing, dancing, swimming, meditation, and hiking – all in the company of more than 300 people from a wide range of backgrounds. Each year participants leave the Institute reinvigorated and excited to return to their home communities to share new ideas and experiences. One of the NHC’s greatest strengths is the diversity of its participants. We are musicians, doctors, students, furniture makers, retirees, Jewish professionals, homemakers, teachers, activists, and just about everything else. At the 2006 Summer Institute, the youngest participant was a newborn, and our oldest was over 80, with many participants from all age groups in between. The NHC includes Jews from birth, Jews by choice, people committed to both traditional and non-traditional Jewish practice, non-Jews, and people exploring Judaism. NHC participants have a variety of identities including: LGBT and straight; people of color, Sefardi, Mizrachi and Ashkenazi; urban, rural, and suburban; Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Reform, Renewal, secular, and Jewish without labels. NHC participants also have a variety of Jewish learning backrounds from people with no formal Jewish education to people with Ph.D.s in Talmud. The dynamic process of exploring together what Judaism and Jewishness means in our lives is a highlight of the Institute. At the Institute, every teacher is also a student and every student is a teacher. People who are usually called “rabbi” or “professor” throughout the year go by their first names here. And people who rarely take active leadership roles in their communities discover that they, too, can teach and contribute to the community. One participant summed it up best when she wrote after attending her first Havurah Institute: “The Havurah Institute was slightly closer to heaven on earth than other places I’ve been before. It was a week of learning, singing, dancing, talking, thinking, and feeling.... You could make friends with anyone regardless of age or affiliation. It was a place full of individuals and families of all ages, shapes, colors, orientations and interests, united by a love of learning and teaching and a desire to make Judaism a positive force in their lives.” We look forward to creating community with you at this summer’s Institute!

The 2007 Summer Institute Theme The 2007 Summer Institute theme, selected by the participants at last summer’s Institute, is “V’rav sh’lom banayich – Great shall be the peace of thy children.” The theme is from Isaiah 54:13 which is part of the haftarah that will be read during the Institute week. The full text of this verse is “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Thus during the week of Institute in our classes and programs, we will explore what it means to teach children and ourselves about God and about peace. We will examine what the verse might mean when it says that being taught about God brings peace. What is that peace? In what ways can we work for peace within ourselves, our families, and our world? During the week of Institute, we also seek to build a “great peace” among those gathered in this community.

A Day at the Institute During a typical day at the Institute, you will: • take two classes with dynamic teachers • attend stimulating optional workshops • choose from exciting prayer, text study, and yoga options • enjoy delicious kosher vegetarian food • spend free time relaxing in a beautiful natural setting • participate in evening programs and entertainment • make and renew friendships, have great conversations, laugh, think, sing, dance, and learn

Courses At the center of the Institute are 26 courses offered in morning and afternoon sessions. Each course has a maximum of 20 students and is led by a teacher who is also an Institute participant, presenting material he or she loves, in an inclusive style that encourages everyone to participate. Choose from classes in traditional texts, Jewish ethics, Torah commentary, poetry, dance and singing, Judaism and Islam, and contemporary topics. Your background is not important; your desire to learn is.

The NHC Board would like to increase the funds available to underwrite work-study and reduced-fee options. If you can’t come to the Institute this year, please consider making a contribution to help someone else come. Donations can be sent to the NHC office at 7135 Germantown Avenue, 2nd floor, Philadelphia, PA 19119 or contact us at [email protected], 215-248-1335.

NHC Kids Camp At the NHC Kids Camp, children from 6 months to 12 years old develop their own close-knit community. The camp program emphasizes developing friendships through shared experiences in art, music, sports, Jewish programming and other recreational activities. The Jewish components, especially important to the unique Kids Camp experience, relate to the Institute’s theme and are based on the havurah model – participatory, diverse, and age-appropriate.

Workshops The Institute also offers informal hour-long workshops led by Institute participants on topics of their choice. Last year’s workshop topics included Israeli folk dance, kippah crocheting, rabbinic texts, how to lift and wrap a torah, yoga, Yiddish curses, and Jewish bioethics. Participants will decide this year’s topics by volunteering to teach workshops! Please indicate on the registration form if you would like to lead a workshop – we encourage you to share your knowledge, passions, and skills.

Minyanim Every day will offer a different menu of spirited prayer options and alternatives to prayer. There will be praying in many different styles, including in Hebrew, in English, in silence and in song, indoors and outdoors, and with instruments and without instruments, as well as a traditional egalitarian service three times daily. Please indicate on the registration form if you would like to lead a service or service alternative in any style. All minyanim organized and sponsored by the NHC are fully egalitarian, with equal participation regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Individual participants who wish to organize minyanim where eligibility for leading or participation is based on gender may contact the NHC office to arrange a meeting space.

Celebrating Shabbat Shabbat is the culmination of the Institute. The intense experience of Jewish living, the creation of community, the intellectual, creative, and spiritual excitement of the courses, and our new and renewed friendships all lead to a special, joyful Shabbat. Before Shabbat starts, participants build an eruv (boundary) and make other Shabbat prepa-

rations. Shabbat then begins with a rousing kabbalat shabbat (welcoming Shabbat) service for the entire community, followed by a festive dinner and opportunities for text study, storytelling, poetry reading, and singing late into the night. A number of different minyanim meet on Saturday morning, including a special Family Shabbat Service, after which the community gathers for lunch, further study and recreational activities, and seudah shelishit (the third Shabbat meal). Shabbat ends on a high note with a beautiful havdalah (end-of-Shabbat ceremony) under the stars.

Families and Children For families with children, the Institute is a unique opportunity to vacation and learn together as part of the larger community. Parents and children enjoy enriching independent experiences throughout the week as well as opportunities to share special times together. Evening babysitting is available throughout the week for a small additional fee paid in advance. This year through a generous grant from the Albin Family Foundation we are able to offer a “2 for 1” deal on our children’s fees. Please see our registration form.

The camp is led by a dedicated and talented staff of professional educators, artists, musicians and athletes, many of whom are long-time Institute participants. In addition, the Kids Camp Specialist-inResidence leads exciting activities for each age group. Kids Camp features: • All-camp gatherings each morning with music, prayers, and stories • Creative activities in art, music, theater and dance • Supervised outdoor recreation in a safe environment • Water play or swimming each day (weather permitting) • Creative, developmentally appropriate Jewish learning for preschool children • Community building with fun and Judaic content for elementary school-age children. • Jewish-oriented playtime for babies and toddlers The NHC’s adult teaching faculty, Artistsin-Residence, and other members of the Institute community also participate in Kids Camp, sharing their expertise and talents with the children. Please note that Kids Camp operates during scheduled class times. The camp is designed

for kids from six months to twelve years old who can participate in an all-day program with a break for lunch. Children are grouped according to age and grade levels. We do our best to accommodate all children. Please contact the NHC office if your child receives special assistance at school during the year or in other ways so we can help you plan for your child’s needs.

The Teen Program Every year teenagers at the Institute build a teen community. This community provides a home base and an inclusive group of friends for the teen participants, most of whom also attend with their families. Designated adult advisors are available to teenagers at all times for checking in and trouble-shooting. Teens may work in the Children’s Camp or the Institute office for a reduction in registration fees. Please call the NHC office for more information.

The Everett Fellowship and Young Adult Programming Everett Fellows: A generous grant from the Edith and Henry Everett Philanthropic Fund underwrites the Everett Fellows Program for young adults who have demonstrated their potential to be advocates for Jewish causes and who are actively engaged in defining their post-college participation in the Jewish community. Fellows participate in the full Institute programming and in three workshops designed specifically for them. They also participate in special programming that is open to the entire young adult community at the Institute (described below). In addition, each Everett Fellow will be paired with a “mentor,” a returning Institute participant who shares similar interests and can support the Fellow in getting the most out of the Institute. Everett Fellows receive a scholarship for tuition, room, and board, and are expected to pay for registration and dues. To apply for an Everett fellowship, you must be a first-time adult attendee at the NHC Summer Institute, at least one year post-college age through 30, interested in exploring havurah Judaism, and willing to participate fully in the Institute. Application: Please email your application to [email protected] by May 1, 2007. To apply, please provide your name, com3

plete postal address, day and evening phone numbers, email address, age, year of graduation and occupation. Please provide brief answers to the following questions in 1-2 pages: 1. What are you looking for in a Jewish community? (List some characteristics. This need not be a definitive list.) 2. What kind of role have you played in Jewish communities thus far and what kind of role do you see yourself playing in the future? 3. What do you hope to gain from the Institute? What do you expect to bring? 4. Please list 1-3 leadership experiences that you consider significant (name of organization, title and short description of your role, and dates). A complete Everett Fellows application also includes: • Two letters of recommendation (may be sent by separate email or by postal mail to the NHC office). Please ask your recommenders to focus on your leadership and community-building skills. • A completed NHC Summer Institute registration form with a check for your fees ($120.00) made out to the NHC. Your check will be held until you accept the Fellowship. Young Adult Programming (New!): The 2007 Summer Institute will feature brand new programming geared especially for young adults (roughly post-college to 30). These programs will address questions particularly relevant to this age group, such as building and sustaining havurot for a new generation, our Jewish identity(ies), making Jewishly ethical life choices, and networking and leadership support opportunities. The young adult programming will combine the Everett Fellows with other young adults at the Institute.

Franklin Pierce College Franklin Pierce College is located among the beautiful forests, lakes, and mountains of southern New Hampshire, just 90 minutes from Boston and 4.5 hours from New York City. The campus features ample conference facilities with free internet access, a variety of comfortable housing choices, and a fitness center. Mt. Monadnock and the White Mountains overlook the campus, which also contains walking trails and a lake for swimming and boating. There are numerous campsites nearby if you would like to take advantage of our commuter rates.

Shabbat Guests Can’t join us for the whole week? Have friends or family members who would like to join you for Shabbat? All are welcome to join the Institute community for a beautiful, restful, meaningful Shabbat in the mountains. Weekday classes will be over, but there are a number of special programs planned just for the weekend. Programming on Shabbat afternoon will include a variety of Shabbat-friendly options including special extended workshops, text study, spirited singing, discussion groups, hikes, pick-up sports, a board game bonanza and more. Shabbat guests should plan to arrive on Friday, August 10 between 1:30 and 3:15 pm. Programs for the entire community begin around 3:00 pm. Please see the fee schedule for Shabbatonly registration.

Special Workshop Building a Virtual Beit Midrash Ellen Frankel Participants will be invited to critique and help shape a new website being launched by The Jewish Publication Society in Fall 2007. This site will feature a digital repository of JPS materials related to the Bible, hyperlinked to create a dynamic Mikra’ot Gedolot. It will also employ Web 2.0 features, including social networking, reputation software, and tagging capabilities that will allow users to interact with texts, each other, and with scholars and teachers. Participants will be asked to critique a website prototype, and to offer suggestions about how best to use Internet technology to enhance Jewish text study. Students should have some familiarity with traditional text study and be comfortable using a computer and the Internet. No Hebrew knowledge is required. Younger participants (13-30) are especially encouraged to attend. Ellen Frankel is the CEO and Editor-inChief of The Jewish Publication Society, and is the author of The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman’s Commentary on the Torah and The Classic Tales; The Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols, and contributes to the series, My People’s Prayerbook. She is currently directing the JPS web initiative. This will be her 18th NHC Institute.

Course Descriptions Every year the Institute features two Artistsin-Residence, funded by a grant from the Rita Poretsky Foundation. This year Leah Lax (M-1) and Jesse Phillips-Fein (A-2) are the Poretsky Artists-in-Residence. In addition to teaching their courses throughout the week, they will lead community-wide programs and bring arts activities to the children’s camp.

Morning Courses M-1 Memories to Memoir: Recording Jewish Spiritual Memories Leah Lax This course will facilitate the writing of memoir. We will focus on those defining moments in our lives that, at the time or in retrospect, were pivotal in our spiritual development, whether they introduced clarity or confusion. We will weave into the class our current Jewish learning. Students are encouraged to bring in ideas and texts from other classes to discuss for integration into their writing. A very important part of developing this personal “voice” on paper will be learning to enable others to do so, and so we will also learn interviewing techniques, how to listen, and how to write in a voice other than our own. Poretsky Artist-in-Residence

Requirement: a desire to communicate our individual spiritual legacies to significant others and to future generations. Leah Lax is one of the co-creators of The Mikvah Project, a touring exhibit for which

Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.

she interviewed women about their mikvah (ritual bath) experiences. (For more information, see www.mikvahproject.com ) She is writing a libretto for the Houston Grand Opera based on her interviews of immigrants in Houston, and will soon publish Now We Speak, based on these interviews. At The Melton Institute, she teaches courses in Jewish Ethics, Haftarah (selections from the prophets), and Literature by Jewish writers around the world. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston. Extended Format (each session is 2.5 hours, instead of the standard 1.5 hours); Arts and Literature, Spirituality and Religious Life

M-3 The Voice of Torah and the Torah of Voice: Singing as a Physical and Spiritual Practice Minna Bromberg From the shore of the Sea of Reeds to the Psalms and beyond, in praise, lament, triumph and sorrow, singing connects us with ourselves, each other, and the Divine. Using our own voices and those which sing in Jewish texts we will explore these themes: voice as instrument, singing as “the quill of the heart,” song and story, and singing as opening to the Divine. Sources range from Torah itself to a variety of Hasidic teachings. Given the power of singing, it’s no surprise that many of us experience our voices as inhibited. This course welcomes all voices. Minna Bromberg is a singer-songwriter, rabbinical student, and teacher of Torah. She received her PhD in sociology from Northwestern University and completed Chochmat HaLev’s Jewish Meditation Teacher certification program. After her years of singing, sailing, and teaching environmental education aboard the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Pete Seeger, Clearwater’s founder, wrote, “Minna was the Clearwater’s best singer up and down the Hudson. Now she’s Clearwater’s loss but the world’s gain; sing on, Minna, bind this world together!” Extended Format (each session is 2.5 hours, instead of the standard 1.5 hours); Arts and Literature, Spirituality and Religious Life

M-5 Progressive Kabbalah Mitch Chefitz Kabbalah in its broadest sense means Jewish spiritual discipline. The Jewish people have experienced a quantum jump in Jewish spiritual discipline after every major trauma: the visionary experience of Ezekiel after the destruction of the first Temple, the vision-quest of the generation of Akiva after the destruction of the second Temple, the speculations of the Lurianic community after the expulsion from Spain, and now— after the Shoah (Holocaust)—a new expression of Kabbalah built upon the experience of the old. What do we keep from the old? What will we add that is new? Mitch is the author of two novels and a collection of stories, all with Jewish spiritual themes. He has been teaching Torah, Talmud, and Kabbalah and creating havurot for over 25 years. He was the director of the Havurah of South Florida, and has just completed five years as rabbi at Temple Israel of South Florida. Read more about his work at www.mitchellchefitz.com. Spirituality and Religious Life

M-7 Is All Fair in War? Richard Friedman May a country use a bomb to kill terrorist leaders if it knows that the bomb will likely cause “collateral damage” (deaths of other, innocent, individuals)? May a country use torture to find out necessary information from captured enemy soldiers? We will study traditional halachic (legal) sources 4

Course Descriptions continued courses, or simply following contemporary halachic debates within Judaism) will be helpful. Relevant course materials will be provided in English.

bearing on issues of war and peace. Most or all of the sources will be available in translation. Some experience with halachic sources would be helpful, though not essential. Richard Friedman has taught text classes at several Institutes. He also teaches Talmud and Rashi’s Torah commentary at his shul (synagogue) and at the Jewish Study Center in Washington. He is a lawyer with the federal government. He does not skydive, teach the tango, or play left wing on an over-50 hockey team, but he’s serious (if not always sober) about text study. Intermediate Text, Contemporary Issues

M-9 The Gospels as Midrash: A Jewish Reading of the New Testament Adam Gordon Many Christians see Jesus as a divine figure whose words and actions superseded the Torah. However, the Gospels at the start of the New Testament find Jesus in the thick of Torah—using familiar Jewish modes of interpretation to debate the role of halacha (religious law), class issues in society, and much else. This class will use text study of the Gospels and related texts from the Tanach (Bible) to bring to life the debates in Jewish society at the time Jesus lived, and link those debates to similar issues within Judaism today. Some prior exposure to debates over Torah interpretation (whether through Talmud study, other text-based 5

Adam Gordon is a civil rights attorney at Fair Share Housing Center, a public interest law firm in Cherry Hill, New Jersey focused on providing affordable housing in New Jersey’s most desirable communities. He also cofounded and is the editor-in-chief of The Next American City, a quarterly magazine about the future of cities and suburbs that the New York Times calls “a subtle plan to change the world.” He holds a BA and JD from Yale and lives outside of Philadelphia, where he is involved with two new minyanim (prayer communities). Spirituality and Religious Life, Intermediate Text

The course will follow a journey of three generations of soul-searching poets who grapple with their existence and the existence of the state through joy, hardships, and perseverance. Among the poets read will be Amichai, Ravikovitz, Alterman, Zelda, and Shemer. Creative writing will be part of the course. A special booklet is being prepared for the course. Hanoch Guy was born in Israel between citrus orchards and olive groves. After his army service he attended the Hebrew University in Jerusalem where he wrote Hebrew poetry. In the US since 1968, he completed a PhD in modern poetry. He is a seasoned NHC teacher and an emeritus professor of Hebrew Literature at Temple University. Arts and Literature, Contemporary Issues

M-11 Israeli Poetry between War and Peace Hanoch Guy Poetry reveals the deepest recesses of the Israeli psyche in the last sixty years. From the elation of the victory of 1948 and the founding of the state sprang hope for peace. Then came the realization that more wars will have to be fought and terrorism will have to be endured. Throughout the fifties, sixties, and seventies some poets retreated into alienation, and a few soared to fantasy.

M-13 Hitbodedut: Prayer in the Breslov Tradition Diane Klein Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810) said, “It’s very good to pour out your heart to God as you would to a true, good friend.” A daily practice of hour-long (!) personal vernacular prayer, out loud, often in a natural setting, is a foundational commitment of Breslov Hasidism. For those accustomed to communal, standardized

Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.

prayer in the synagogue or shul (in English or in Hebrew), or to private, silent prayer, this practice is unusual and a little strange. During the week of Institute, we will study the “theory” of hitbodedut, including Rebbe Nachman’s tale “The Master of Prayer,” its role in “Hasidic psychology,” and also, each class session, go out into the woods near Franklin Pierce, engage in a few minutes of hitbodedut, and come together as a group to discuss it. Diane Klein, a lawyer and law professor in Los Angeles, California, has been attending NHC Institutes since 2003. In 2004, she taught a course on Rebbe Nachman’s tale “The Seven Beggars.” She has been a student of Breslov Hasidism since around 2000, and a serious reader of Rebbe Nachman’s literary works particularly, but confesses to being a newcomer to the practice of hitbodedut, notwithstanding the constant urging of her Breslover friends! Spiritual and Religious Life, Advanced Text

M-15 Shiviti: Praying with Our Eyes Eleni Litt While the second commandment prohibits the making of “a carved image or any figure,” Jewish practice (supported by Talmudic texts) acknowledges the reality that Jews make art. In fact, a particular form of Jewish visual art, the Shiviti (or Mizrach) emerged in the Middle Ages as a vehicle not only of spiritual contemplation, but of serious Jewish creative practice. In this class we will consider the Shiviti as

another kind of Jewish text—one that uses images, numbers, and the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, as well as traditional texts, to express a heartfelt desire to be close to God. Reading these texts (as well as Talmudic and midrashic texts about image making) we will ask the question: what does it mean to contemplate or gaze prayerfully at an image? Along the way we will consider visual images used for spiritual contemplation in other cultures, such as Christian icons, Buddhist Mandalas, and Muslim calligraphy and arabesque. Finally, we will consider the danger of the image as idol, kitsch, and cliché. Eleni is a visual artist and independent scholar, combining her interests in art history, anthropology and Jewish studies with painting, drawing and collage. She is a long-time Havurah teacher having taught on a variety of Jewish cultural practices and texts. She lives and davens (prays) in Princeton, NJ, and commutes daily to The New School in New York City where she works. Arts and Literature, Spirituality and Religious Life

M-17 Us and Them: Four Texts, Multiple Interpretations Alicia Ostriker In this course we will read and discuss Genesis 16-21 (the Sarah-Hagar rivalry), Judges 13-16 (the Samson story), the Book of Ruth, and Jonah. What is the us-them

relation in each story? What values and issues are involved? What are the personalities? Is it possible to imagine different outcomes? What is the significance of these stories in our private and public lives today? After discussing the texts and previous interpretations of them, participants will have the opportunity to write their own midrashim (rabbinic stories), using a combination of meditation and free-writing techniques. Alicia Ostriker is a prize-winning poet, critic and midrashist, professor emerita of English at Rutgers University, currently teaching in the low-residency MFA program of New England College. She is the author of The Nakedness of the Fathers: Biblical Visions and Revisions (1994) and For the Love of God: The Bible as an Open Book (2006). Contemporary Issues, Arts and Literature

M-19 Founding Families Shared by Judaism and Islam: A Respectful Exploration Dawn Rose The stories of Abraham and his descendants comprise nearly all of Genesis and are central to our understanding of the Torah as a whole. These stories are likewise fundamental to our histories, religion, and identities. Much of this same family and lineage also appears in the Koran, and is similarly central to Islamic religion and self-understanding. The juxtaposition of these stories is both startling and revelatory. Seeing our patriarchs and matriarchs through the lens of Islam not only enables us to understand our Muslim neighbors a little better, but also to reflect back on our own tradition from an entirely new angle. This class will respectfully and critically explore these similarities and differences. Dawn Rose has a doctorate in Jewish Philosophy, has taught at two rabbinical seminaries, has published many articles, and is now Rabbi of the Norwich Jewish Center in New York. Currently, she is researching and writing on the interfaces between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Contemporary Issues; Suited for Families

6

Course Descriptions continued follow a trail of Jewish questing for knowledge of God from ancient times to our very own. The sessions are designed to satisfy advanced learners while supporting beginners as well. Since discussions will focus on the words of the text, an elementary ability to read Hebrew is strongly recommended.

M-21 Incorporating Yiddish Language, Music, and Folkways into our Havurot Ron Schnur This course will provide a taste of Yiddish language, idioms, folkways, music, and dance, with the focus being to find ways to preserve some of our Yiddish heritage within the havurah. Each 90-minute class will be a mosaic of 4 or 5 components, consisting of Yiddish language, film, stories, poetry, music, dance, folkways, and customs, designed to create a rich pattern of the Yiddish experience. Ron Schnur is a long-time participant and former teacher at the NHC Summer Institute. Ron studied Yiddish at the Columbia University/YIVO program and is a regular at Klezkamp Yiddish Folk Arts institutes, as well as being a hanger-on in good standing at a number of obscure but worthy Yiddish organizations. Arts and Literature, History and Culture

M-23 Learned of Adonai Jonah Steinberg What can human beings know of God? How is such knowledge acquired, and what difference should the learning of it make? Jewish sources from the Tanach to the 21st century affirm, in various ways, that God is beyond human knowing, but that has rarely dampened the Jewish quest to know every secret of God’s mystery. In this Beit Midrash style course, combining introductions, firsthand encounter with the sources in hevruta (study pairs), and group discussion, we will 7

Jonah Steinberg is Associate Dean and Director of Talmudic Studies at the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. He has taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism, and Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Jonah is co-founder of Hebrew College’s Open Bet Midrash Initiative and has facilitated firsthand encounters with traditional sources in community settings throughout North American and beyond. He received the New Scholar Award from the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion. Extended Format (each session is 2.5 hours, instead of the standard 1.5 hours); Intermediate Text

M-25 A Wheel in Spin: Tzedakah by the Numbers Regina Sandler-Phillips Biblical and Talmudic sources recommend tzedakah (righteous giving) to safeguard the peace and well-being of our own children. Yet contemporary American giving falls painfully short of rabbinic standards for ma’aser kesafim (monetary tithing). Through a Jewish spiritual approach to personal finance, we will seek to balance responsibilities to our families with broader concerns for justice. We’ll explore Mar Ukba’s 50/50 approach to estate planning, practical applications of Maimonides’ eight levels of giving, and the teaching of Rabbi Yishmael’s academy—based on the Torah portion for the week of this Institute—that “poverty is a wheel that revolves in the world.” Regina Sandler-Phillips serves as rabbi of the Free Synagogue of Flushing, NY, and also works through Ways of Peace Consulting and Educational Services. She holds master’s degrees in social work and public health, and

has served as a chaplain, educator, and “singer provocateur” in Israel as well as the U.S. Regina tithes 20% of her income to tzedakah, and has taught at five previous NHC Summer Institutes. Spirituality and Religious Life, Intermediate Text; Suited for Families

Afternoon Courses A-2 This I Believe: The Movement of Conviction Jesse Phillips-Fein Using writing as an entry point, we will explore the relationship between our morality and our physicality. Grounded in contemporary modern dance exploration and improvisation, we will build dances where we “try on” each other’s beliefs, and investigate our connection to our own. In each session, we will warm up our bodies to dance together, explore movement themes based on our writing, and collaboratively create and rehearse a piece of choreography to perform. This course offers a unique platform for investigating different viewpoints and feelings about culture and identity, and offers new experiences in dance and movement as self-expression. No prior dance or performance experience is necessary! Poretsky Artist-in-Residence

Jesse Phillips-Fein, a Brooklyn, NY native, studied modern dance, African & AfroCaribbean dance, ballet, and improvisation at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange/BAX, Smith College (BA in Dance & Anthropology), and

Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.

the Laban Centre, London. Her choreography focuses on how large social/natural forces affect the fabric of an individual life. Her work has been presented throughout New York City, in Maine, Colorado, and New Jersey. She has received grants from the Brooklyn Arts Council, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and the Puffin Foundation. She teaches dance at Brooklyn Friends School. Jesse’s teaching is grounded in Laban’s principles of movement analysis, and the community dance philosophy of the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, which supports the accessibility of dance to all people. Extended Format (each session is 2.5 hours, instead of the standard 1.5 hours); Arts and Literature; Suited for Families

A-4 “God looked into the Torah and created the world” — Bereishit (Genesis) Rabbah Sarah Chandler It has been said that when the Jewish people became a people of the book, we ceased to be the people of the land. In this course, we will reconnect to the land through text study, daily chanting and meditation, hands-on earth science lessons, tree identifications, learning wild edible and medicinal local species (such as plants, trees and mushrooms), and more. Each day will be spent wandering the forest of Franklin Pierce college, discovering new paths of connection with nature, each other, and ourselves. This will be a physically active course. Each class period will be outside and in the woods rain or shine; the only exception being severe thunderstorms. Participants must bring shoes suitable for hiking, rain gear, and an adventurous attitude. Minimal good physical health recommended. Sarah is certified in emergency/wilderness first aid. Sarah is a founder of Kol Zimrah NYC and a contributing editor to Jewschool.com, RadicalTorah.org, and Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture. A former educator and curriculum writer for Teva Learning Center, Sarah currently serves as Education Director of West End Synagogue in Manhattan.

Extended Format (each session is 2.5 hours, instead of the standard 1.5 hours); Contemporary Issues, Spirituality and Religious Life

A-6 Methodologies in Reading the Chumash: A Text Lab James Diamond There are many ways to read the Chumash (Torah). The course explores how some of the major approaches such as source criticism, literary analysis, and feminist reading work. We will collectively place some key episodes under the textual microscope and see how the parts and the whole interrelate. The hope is that participants will emerge with a heightened ability to see the Chumash text with new eyes. Participants should bring to class a Hebrew Chumash and, if possible, Richard E. Friedman’s English translation The Bible with Sources Revealed. James S. Diamond, whose teaching style is dialogical and collaborative, teaches in the Program in Judaic Studies and the Near Eastern Studies Department at Princeton University. He was ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary and holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Indiana University. Advanced Text

A-8 Tikkun Kelalit — 10 Psalms for Healing Susan Gulack Rebbe Nachman of Bratzlav prescribed the recitation of 10 specific psalms as a general cure for all sorts of problems. In this course we will explore these psalms in ways that will make them our own. We will read them closely and creatively, meditate and

write about them, and make an artistic interpretation of them for ourselves. We will explore three psalms each day, using a different technique each time, and creating an art piece reflecting on favorite verse(s). Susan Gulack has been exploring prayer for 40 years. She is working on a poetic interpretation of psalms, written after meditating on psalms while working out. She is a chaplain at three prisons, a psychiatric hospital, and a VA hospital. Spirituality and Religious Life

A-10 Secrets of the Matriarchs Marisa Harford Using critical Biblical analysis, archeological evidence, and a close reading of the Tanach (Bible), we will explore theories which suggest that the matriarchs belonged to a distinct culture in which women, tracing their succession through the maternal line, were the custodians of the family’s religious life. These theories assert that the matriarchs were priestesses and that the story of Genesis is partially the story of their attempt to maintain their own spiritual heritage. We will delve into the implications these questions have for our reading of the Torah, and create our own midrashic readings of Genesis informed by these theories. No prerequisites, although familiarity with the stories of the book of Bereishit (Genesis) will be helpful. Texts will be provided in Hebrew and English. Marisa Harford spends her days analyzing literature with high school students in New York City. She has studied Jewish texts at Drisha and with her hevruta of 5 years, and has taught at Kehilat Hadar and the NHC. She sings whenever possible. History and Culture

A-12 A Textual Ethics for a New Era: Constructing a Practical Sexual Ethic from Traditional Wisdom Spencer Merolla Some three decades after the sexual revolution, negotiating the terrain of dating and sex remains a challenge. And traditional 8

Course Descriptions continued

Jewish sources have very little to say about sex outside of the context of marriage. This silence leaves single sexually active people without a system of sexual ethics grounded in Jewish principles. This class examines several rabbinic texts on non-sexual matters, determining the ethical principles in operation. We will then apply those principles to some of the questions that arise in the context of sexual negotiation, attempting to create a workable ethics of sexuality informed by the wisdom of Jewish tradition. Spencer Merolla is a graduate student in Hebrew and Judaic Studies at NYU and a former Everett Fellow. Having learned at the NHC, Svara (a queer yeshiva), the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, and Drisha in New York, she believes all things are possible if one is willing to think far enough outside of the box. In relation to her work at the Pro-Choice Public Education Project (PEP), she has presented research findings on reproductive rights and youth to many audiences. Spencer is sensitive to people with different textual literacy levels. She makes people feel comfortable while respecting their boundaries and allowing them to participate on their own terms. Contemporary Issues, Intermediate Text

A-14 The Mystical Practice of Zohar Study Jay Michaelson If you have a basic understanding of Kabbalah, studying the Zohar directly is the logical next step, and it’s not beyond your 9

reach. This class will give you a taste of the practice of Zohar study, and provide some tools so you can make it part of your life. We will engage directly with the Zohar text (in English but with the original handy). We will read slowly and deeply, exploring some of the deepest questions of the Kabbalah including unity and multiplicity, eroticism, the flow of Divine energies, the sefirot (aspects of God), and the nature of God. Familiarity with Kabbalistic concepts is a useful prerequisite. Jay Michaelson (www.metatronics.net) has taught Kabbalah and spirituality for fifteen years, from Yale University to Burning Man, National Public Radio to Elat Chayyim. He is a PhD candidate at Hebrew University and a graduate of Elat Chayyim’s Jewish Meditation Advanced Training program. Jay is also the author of the book God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Embodied Spiritual Practice, a columnist for the Forward newspaper, and the creator of learnkabbalah.com. Spirituality and Religious Practice, Intermediate Text

A-16 Hands-On Torah Linda Motzkin This course will provide a whole new way to experience Torah: through the hands-on process of creating the physical materials used in making a Torah scroll. Participants will take a cleaned animal hide through the stages of wringing, stretching on a frame, scraping, and sanding to make a single panel of parchment, sanctifying the process as we go. We will also cut writing quills from feathers and/or reeds, and try our hands at writing Hebrew letters in scribal script. We will study some texts on making Torah, and explore connections between physical materials and spiritual experience. Linda Motzkin is co-rabbi, together with her

husband Jonathan Rubenstein, at Temple Sinai of Saratoga Springs, NY, in addition to being the Jewish Chaplain at Skidmore College. She is a soferet (scribe) who makes her own parchment and ink, teaches about scribal arts, and has just finished writing a scroll of Esther for her synagogue. Arts and Literature, Spirituality and Religious Life; Suited for Families

A-18 Advanced Talmud: White Sheets and Groomsmen, or: The Wedding Night Michael Rosenberg and Miriam-Simma Walfish The purpose of this course is to develop skills in reading parallel texts and classical commentators in order to understand better the values behind Talmudic texts. Our text for the week will be sugyot (discussions) from Massechtot Ketubot and Niddah, dealing with questions relating to the wedding night: what might partners expect of the wedding night and/or their first sexual experiences? How is the wedding night understood by the Rabbis? This course is intended for students who already have facility in decoding and understanding the Hebrew/Aramaic text of the Talmud (with a dictionary). All texts will be studied in the original Hebrew/Aramaic. We will ask participants to prepare one chapter of Mishnah in advance of the Institute. Michael Rosenberg and Miriam-Simma Walfish will be moving to the United States shortly before this year’s Institute, after living and studying in Israel for the last three years. Miriam-Simma has studied Talmud and Jewish law at Drisha, the Hebrew University,

Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.

the Northwoods Kollel, Midreshet Ein haNatziv, and Pardes. In the fall, she will begin teaching in a Jewish day school. Michael has studied at the Northwoods Kollel and Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa, and he is currently working on a PhD in Talmud and Rabbinic Literature at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Extended Format (each session is 2.5 hours, instead of the standard 1.5 hours); Advanced Text, Contemporary Issues

A-20 A Taste of Talmud Joseph G. Rosenstein Is the Talmud a mystery to you? Here’s your chance to get a taste of how the Talmud works. In this course, we will study a few pages of the Talmud, but we will focus on the flavor of the discussion as much as on its content, so that participants will get an appreciation for how each page records debates involving people with different perspectives and conversations reaching across many generations. Translations and transliterations will be used to convey the meaning and sound of the text. Joe Rosenstein is a founder and former chair of the NHC and of the NHC Institute. He is the author of Siddur Eit Ratzon (www.newsiddur.org) and a member of the Highland Park (NJ) Minyan. In real life, he is a professor of mathematics at Rutgers University whose focus is K-12 mathematics education. He and his wife Judy are blessed with five daughters, two sons-in-law, and three grandchildren.

A-22 Here and Hearing: A Poetry Workshop Carly Sachs We are in constant motion. How then do we settle in to our own writing—to really listen to ourselves and the world around us? The Shema invites us to listen as a people (Hear O Israel) and this workshop will lead participants through various writing exercises that will enable us to slow down and really hear what is it the world is telling us and what we are telling ourselves. Through the exploration of Jewish texts, politics,

nature, meditation, and art, we will listen to the different spheres that influence us and examine how they slip into our conscious and subconscious minds. Drawing in, we will listen and write together, hearing the way the world around us shapes us here, in the present. Carly Sachs teaches Creative Writing at The George Washington University in Washington DC where she also curates The Burlesque Poetry Hour at Bar Rouge. Her first book of poems, the steam sequence, won the Washington Writers’ Publishing House first book prize in 2006. She has taught poetry workshops for high school students in Virginia and New York City. Recently she was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and was a finalist for the Ekphrasis Prize for Poetry. More information about Carly can be found at http://fallencitywriters.com/Sachs.htm. Arts and Literature

A-24 Continuity and Change in Second Temple Judaism: Readings from the Dead Sea Scrolls Joseph Sievers The Dead Sea Scrolls are witnesses to people who were grappling with a developing canon of sacred scriptures. In part, they faithfully transmitted these texts; in part they tried to apply them to their own situation and to the near future. In part they reached new and surprising conclusions. In this course we will read texts from Qumran, in the original and/or in translation, proceeding from copies of biblical texts (including Isaiah 54:13) to various forms of biblical interpretation. We will ask what these people were trying to achieve and how this may relate to our own search for meaning. Knowledge of Hebrew is advantageous but not required. Joseph Sievers has participated in six previous Summer Institutes. A member of a Catholic community, he finds that he shares many values and concerns of members of the Havurah movement. He teaches history of the Second

Temple period at the Pontifical Biblical Institute and directs the Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Intermediate Text

A-26 Making Great Your Personal Peace: Tikkun Middot (Improving Your Soul-Traits) Pamela Wax Increasing the peace of our children begins with honest self-reflection, seeing how our tendencies and habits might obstruct our own holiness from shining more brightly, and implementing a plan for change. This course will be both an introduction to the history and practice of Tikkun Middot (alternatively called Mussar or Cheshbon haNefesh practice) and an opportunity to begin the practice through a variety of modalities such as prayer, writing exercises, meditation, text study, music/chant, hevruta sharing, story-telling, and concrete actions to be taken while at the Institute. Journaling and hevruta check-ins outside of class time are recommended, but not required. Pamela Wax is the staff rabbi and spiritual care coordinator at Westchester Jewish Community Services in Hartsdale, NY, where she provides pastoral counseling and spiritual direction, trains the clinical staff on spiritual issues, and administers the WJCS Jewish Healing Center. She uses the practice of Tikkun Middot extensively in her work with clients. Spirituality and Religious Life

10

The closing program on Sunday, August 12 ends around 10:30 am and the Institute concludes at 11:30 am.

Food Each day features three delicious kosher vegetarian meals and plenty of evening snacks. There are always pareve/vegan options and an abundance of healthy, tasty choices. The kitchen and dining hall are under the strict supervision of a mashgiach (supervisor), who also participates in the Institute. If you have special food needs or food allergies/sensitivities, please help us meet your needs by letting us know on the registration form and providing a detailed explanation by June 15. Please feel free to call the NHC office for more information.

Transportation Housing

Commuters or Camping

Three comfortable, modern housing options are available. The suites building in the center of campus is air-conditioned and accessible to those with special mobility needs. Each suite has six bedrooms with two twin beds per room, one bathroom with three showers and sinks, a living room, and a kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave oven. Suites are generally designated for families with children under the age of 10 (to facilitate babysitting) and people with special mobility needs. The apartments are located near the suites. Each apartment has two bedrooms with two twin beds per room, 1.5 baths, a living room, and a kitchen with refrigerator, stove, and dining area. The apartments do not have air-conditioning; however, the mountain climate usually makes air-conditioning unnecessary at night. The townhouses are next to the lake, a 7 to 10 minute walk to the dining hall and classrooms. There is a wheelchair accessible studio apartment on the first floor, while the second and third floors contain three bedrooms with two twin beds each, three full bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room area. The townhouses are air-conditioned. All accommodations have parking, washing machines, and dryers nearby. Please indicate your housing preference on the registration form.

Anyone who lives near the campus can participate at a reduced cost by registering as a commuter. Commuter registration includes all meals and full participation in all programs. There are numerous campsites nearby if you would like to take advantage of our commuter rate (search the web using “Campsites, Rindge, NH” to find some options).

11

Arrival and departure times Check-in starts at 1:30 pm on Monday August 6. There will be snacks for those who arrive early, but not lunch; the first Institute meal is dinner. There will be a welcoming program for first timers at 3:45; followed by the opening program at 4:30 pm. Classes begin on Tuesday morning.

Franklin Pierce College is located off Route 119 in Rindge, NH, just north of the Massachusetts border. Approximate driving time is 4.5 hours from New York City and 90 minutes from Boston. The closest airports are in Manchester, NH and Boston, MA. Ride-share arrangements will be provided in the confirmation website.

REGISTRATION FORM At $800 for adults, the Summer Institute is priced well below other week-long Jewish retreats across the country. (It’s also a great value when you consider what seven days away plus all meals and activities would cost on a summer vacation!) We know this still puts the Institute out of reach for some, so we make sure there are options for scholarship assistance, work-study, and deeply subsidized rates for children. All of these options are made possible through the generosity of our donors. If you would like to enable others to experience the Institute by making an additional tax-deductible contribution with your registration, it would be greatly appreciated. See the line at the end of the registration form.

Who will be attending? (please print)

before June 15

Adult #1

*NHC membership dues

Name

Fee Schedule

after June 15

How Many

$ DUE

($40 per adult or $80 per household)

Age

Gender

Occupation

Adult Resident

$800

$825

Eve Phone

^Adult Commuter

$600

$625

E-mail*

Full-time Student Resident

$577

$602

Address

^Full-time Student Commuter $433

$458

Children (6 months to 12 years) Child #1 $255 Child #2 Free

$280

Day Phone

City

State

Zip

Adult #2

2-for-1 registration for children 12 and under has been made possible through a generous grant from the Albin Family Foundation

Name Age

Gender

Day Phone

Occupation

Child #3 $255 Child #4 Free Prepaid Babysitting, per child (age 10 & under, 6 nights) $60

Eve Phone

E-mail* Address City

State

Zip

*Registration confirmation will be sent by e-mail. If you would like postal confirmation, check here. ❏

Children/Teens Attending Institute* #1 Name

Age

Grade

Gender

$280

$80

Limited-Income Resident

$577

$602

^Limited-Income Commuter

$433

$458

+Shabbat-Only Adult

$267

$292

+Shabbat-Only Child (6 months to 12 years)

$117

$142

+Shabbat-Limited Income

$192

$217

Single-room supplement

$125

Shared bath

#2 Name

Age

Grade

Gender

#3 Name

Age

Grade

Gender

#4 Name

Age

Grade

Gender

*Indicate age as of August 2006 and the grade the child will be entering in September 2007.

Single-room supplement Private apartment

$250

2 bedroooms

Private townhouse

$300

3 bedrooms, air conditioning

Private-use golf cart

Class Preferences List three class choices per session, in order of preference. List each course by its number (e.g.,M-3,A-2).Classes are filled in order of postmark; you are assigned to your highest preference course that is open. If there are additional adults or teens taking courses, please enclose an additional sheet with their choices.

Adult #1 Classes

Adult #2 Classes

Morning

Morning

Afternoon

Afternoon

$150

Private bath, air conditioining

$250

Subtotal Fees Above Optional cancellation insurance (Multiply subtotal above by .05)

If you would like to enable others to experience the Institute by making an additional tax-deductible contribution, please indicate the amount here

Total Amount Due Amount Enclosed

1st choice

(Through 6/15,minimum of 50%of total. After 6/15,enclose total due.)

2nd choice

PLEASE REGISTER EARLY

3rd choice

Your registration implies that you have read and agreed to the financial terms stated in this brochure. If you live outside the U.S., please pay in U.S. DOLLARS. Mail this form with your credit card information or check payable to “National Havurah Committee” to:

Financial Assistance ❏ Applying for Everett Fellowship (See page 3 for application information.)

❏ Please contact the NHC office before applying for work-study (See www.havurah.org for work-study job descriptions.)

National Havurah Committee 7135 Germantown Avenue,2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19119-1842 Questions? Call (215)248-1335 or e-mail [email protected] BALANCE DUE BY JUNE 15

*Required and tax deductible. ^Includes full program and all meals, including Shabbat. +Friday-Sunday room and meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast.

PLEASE COMPLETE QUESTIONNAIRE ON REVERSE BEFORE MAILING

REGISTRATION FORM cont’d Volunteer

Housing Preference

The NHC operates on the principle that everyone has something to contribute. All adult and teen participants are asked to volunteer a few hours during the Institute. Please indicate where each person would like to serve.

All of our housing is double occupancy (unless you pay for a single). If you register with another person, we will house you together, unless you indicate otherwise. If you have mobility concerns that impact the distance you can walk, please give us a call so we can best accommodate your needs.

Adult #1 Adult #2 Teen #1 Teen #2

Registration/Checkout Sales table/Fundraising/Shuk Errands Shabbat preparation Mentor a first-timer Set up and cleanup for programs Assist someone with special needs Anywhere needed

Lead Services (July 5 Deadline) Please volunteer to lead a service, either during the week or on Shabbat! Tell us which service or part of a service (e.g., weekday morning) and in what style (e.g.,musical, havurah, traditional egalitarian, meditative, feminist, movement, four worlds, or something else). Also let us know if you’d like to read Torah or Haftarah or give a d’var Torah.

If you are attending with young children we will house you in the suites to facilitate evening babysitting. Those not needing this service should indicate their housing preference: ❏ townhouses near lake (air-conditioned), or ❏ main campus apartments (not air-conditioned) We will make our best effort to accommodate you. Do you or your children have a roommate or suitemate request? _____________________________________________________________ Would you like your teen roomed with your family ❏ or roomed with the teens ❏? Do you use electricity on Shabbat? Y / N If yes, are you willing to accommodate roommates who don’t? Y / N

Permission to be Photographed In submitting this registration form, I hereby grant permission for my image and/or the images of my child(ren),captured at the Institute through video, photo, and digital camera, to be used in official NHC promotional material, including but not limited to news releases, publications, videos, and the NHC website. I further waive rights of compensation or ownership.

Cancellation Policy and Cancellation Insurance Propose A Workshop (July 5 Deadline) Everyone is encouraged to lead a workshop! List your topic here and, by July 5, email [email protected] with a brief description of your workshop and a short bio. For examples of last year’s workshops see our website. Topic:

Tell Us About Yourself Is this your first Institute? Y / N If No, what year did you last join us? ________________

Purchasing cancellation insurance at the rate of 5% of your total Institute fees (resident or commuter fees) will enable you to receive a partial refund in the event that you must cancel due to unforeseen circumstances. Please read our cancellation policy on the next page. ❏ I want cancellation insurance and am including 5% of my fees (include payment) ❏ I am declining cancellation insurance and have read the policy

Payment Information ❏ Check payable to “National Havurah Committee” ❏ Please charge my credit card:

❏ Visa

❏ MasterCard

How did you hear about the Summer Institute? Credit card # Name (as it appears on card)

Do you participate in a havurah, minyan, congregation or Jewish school? Please provide its name and location.

We serve kosher vegetarian meals with vegan options; we hope to serve Fair Trade Certified TM coffee and tea. If you need any special food or other arrangements, please attach a note with specific information.

Expiration date Please fill out both sides of this form completely and return it with your payment to: National Havurah Committee 7135 Germantown Avenue, 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19119-1842 Questions? Call (215) 248-1335 or e-mail [email protected]

BALANCE DUE BY JUNE 15

PLEASE COMPLETE ENROLLMENT INFORMATION ON REVERSE SIDE BEFORE MAILING

Need extra financial assistance for the Insititute? It may be possible to secure financial help to attend the Institute from other sources. Some attendees who belong to a synagogue have secured help from their rabbi’s discretionary fund, some Jewish educators have received help to attend as a form of professional development, and some college students have obtained financial help from Hillel or chaplain conference funds. Residents of Western Massachusetts should check out the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (www.hgf.org) for scholarship funds. Some other Jewish federations may have similar funds for children’s participation in Institute Kids Camp. Before concluding that you can’t afford to join us, research your resources — and ask!

Work-Study Assistance A limited number of work-study positions are available in one of three areas: the Institute office, the children’s camp, or kashrut supervision. In exchange for at least 14 hours of work over the course of the week, participants can attend the Institute for $485 plus NHC dues and participate fully in the rest of the program. To apply for a work-study position, check www.havurah.org to see the open positions and call the Institute office (215-248-1335) to apply. All requests are confidential and must be submitted by June 15, 2007.

NHC Online Check out the NHC’s website at www.havurah.org for late-breaking Institute information and updates on courses and programs. All Institute registrants are automatically subscribed to nhc-announce, a low volume email list for announcements from the NHC related to its programs. The NHC also offers two online discussion groups: nhc-havurah, for NHC and havurah-related issues, and nhc-discuss, an open discussion forum on topics of interest to members of the NHC community.

Cancellation Policy and Cancellation Insurance Purchasing cancellation insurance at the rate of 5% of your total Institute fees (resident or commuter fees) will enable you to receive a partial refund in the event that you must cancel due to unforeseen circumstances. If you have cancellation insurance and must cancel before August 2nd, you will receive a refund of your Institute fees minus a $25 administrative fee per person. If you cancel after August 2nd, you will receive a refund of your Institute fees minus a $300 administrative fee per person. If you do not purchase cancellation insurance at the time that you register, and need to cancel, refunds will be allocated as follows: • Cancel on or before May 31: Institute fees refunded minus a $75 administrative fee per person.

• Cancel between June 1 and July 13: Institute fees refunded minus a $150 administrative fee per person. • Cancel between July 14 and July 31: Institute fees refunded minus a $225 administrative fee per person. • Cancel on or after August 1, “no show” on site, or leave early — No fees refunded. Supplemental fees for services arranged by the NHC (housing, golf-cart, and babysitting) will be refunded in full only if the NHC can cancel them without incurring a penalty. Membership dues are non-refundable and tax deductible. Administrative fees retained by the NHC may be considered a tax deductible contribution.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Bensalem, PA Permit No. 182

National Havurah Committee 7135 Germantown Avenue 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19119-1842

Forwarding Service Requested

Dates to Remember: Register by April 15 for FREE Cancellation Insurance Register by June 15 and Save!

Want to receive our brochure and newsletter online instead of in hard copy? Send us an e-mail with your postal address and the subject line “brochure online please” and we will send them by email from now on.

Sunday May 6/Lag B’Omer: Save the date for a “Taste of Summer” NHC potluck in your area: Havurah-niks around the country will host potluck gatherings at which 2007 Institute teachers will offer a preview of their courses, and you can connect or re-connect with Institute attendees in your neighborhood. For details, or to volunteer your home for a potluck, email [email protected]. NHC Board of Directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair: Sherry Israel Vice Chair: Sandy Sussman Treasurer: Howard Wial Secretary: Jane Rothstein Immediate Past Chair: Mark Frydenberg MEMBERS AT LARGE Russ Agdern Adrienne Asch Annie Bass Ceidlen Beller Sarah Brodbar-Nemzer Ben Dreyfus

Linda Emanuel Marisa Harford Steve Lewis Bettyrose Nelson Mike Rappeport Dan Richman Elizabeth Richman David Rogoff Dawn Rose Jody Seltzer PAST CHAIRS Elaine Cohen (1980) Michael Strassfeld (1981-1983) Joe Rosenstein (1983-1985) Robert Goldenberg (1985-1987) Mitch Chefitz (1987-1989) Ruth Goldston (1989-1991) Herb Levine (1991-1993) Steve Lewis (1993-1995)

Janet Hollander (1995-1997) Leonard Gordon (1997-1999) Solomon Mowshowitz (1999-2001) Neil Zatz Litt (2001-2003) Mark Frydenberg (2003-2006) Sherry Israel (2006 - ) NHC Advisory Board Samuel Barth Judith Baumann Debra Cash Marcia Falk Merle Feld Susan Fendrick Ellen Frankel Robert Goldenberg Robert Goldston Arthur Green Barry Holtz Frank Loeffler

Michael Masch Miriam May Victor Miller Anne Mintz Vanessa Ochs Drorah O’Donnell Setel Michael Paley Neil Reisner Louis Rieser Harry Rosenbluh Carl Sheingold David Shneyer Harold Schulweis Matthew Thomases Max Ticktin Moshe Waldoks Shoshana Waskow Deborah Waxman Fran Zeitler

Managing Director Christine Oliger Planning Committee Chairs Suzanne Feinspan Course Committee Chairs Janet Hollander Neil Litt Photos Uel Bergey Jay Brodbar Chris Ezri Ben Fleischer Mark Frydenberg Susan Klein Cover Art Sarah Beller

National Havurah Committee

2 9 th S U M M E R I N S T I T U T E August 6-12, 2007 • Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH Phone: (215) 248-1335 • Fax: (215) 248-9760 • E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.havurah.org