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2011-2012
Calendar
We welcome you to
Kahal B'raira!
Visitors
are welcome to attend most programs and services. For
information
about our adult programs, click here;
for Sunday School info, click here.
A very few events are for KB members only, and are noted below.
If you
would like your
children to visit the Sunday School, please send email at least
three days ahead of time to our Sunday School Principal, Sandra Mayo.
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Key
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Sunday
School and
Adult Programs
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Holiday Services
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Congregation
Activities
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Committee
Meetings
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Special Events
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September
2011
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Saturday
September 17
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5:30 pm
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the home of David Ossam and Karen Marans in Wellesley
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Family Pot Luck
Start the KB year off with a family potluck! RSVP, for what to bring and directions, to either Karen or David.
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Sunday
September 18
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult
Program #1/Sunday School
We
will begin with Sunday School opening ceremonies, and will take time to
welcome new members and welcome back returning members.
Visitors
welcome
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| Wednesday
September 28 |
7:30 pm |
First
Parish UU Church
630
Mass Ave, Arlington |
Rosh
Hashana Evening
Adult/Teen Service
Member reflection: "Curry in the Matzah Balls: The Value of Multi-Cultural Education"
Visitors welcome
Donations requested
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Thursday
September 29 |
10:00 am |
First
Parish UU Church
630
Mass Ave, Arlington |
Rosh
Hashana Morning
Family Service
Member Reflection: "Honoring Your Own Identity in the New Year"
Visitors welcome
Donations requested
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October
2011
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Sunday
October 2
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult Program #2/Sunday School
KB Young Adults Taking on Their World
Hear from our KB graduates who were able to live the principles of
tikkun olam. A panel of young adults, graduates of our Sunday school,
will speak about service projects they have completed around the globe,
sharing their thoughts, impressions and lessons they learned.
This summer, Emma Craig worked with the Children’s Preventative Health
Program teaching basic health classes in Guatamala. Julia Rubin
spent a semester in the Dominican Republic, where she interned for an
organization that does in-home rehabilitation for children with
disabilities, as well as investigated how the stigma of disability
affects these children and their families. Nina Eichner helped
run a leadership development program and an anti-bullying project for
vulnerable inner city students in London schools. Jessye Moss
served with Ameri Corp working in an AIDS clinic in Washington, D.C.
This will be an exciting presentation that is sure to engender lots of
questions and discussion. Please join us for this kvell-worthy program.
Visitors
welcome
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Sunday
October 2
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noon
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Gaining Ground organic farm in Concord
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Family Farm Day
Following our Sunday service, we'll go to Gaining Ground, an organic
farm in Concord that donates all of its produce to local food
pantries. Children are welcome. For information, please
contact Lauren Kopans.
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Friday
October 7
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7:30 pm
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First
Parish
UU Church
630
Mass Ave,
Arlington
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Yom
Kippur Evening Adult/Teen
Service
Member reflections: "Generational Forgiveness"
Visitors welcome
Donations requested
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Saturday October 8 |
10:00
am
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First
Parish
UU Church
630
Mass Ave, Arlington
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Yom
Kippur Morning Family Service
Member reflection: "Disconnected: A
Yom Kippur call to listen up and appreciate the moments of human
connection within our lives."
Visitors
welcome
Donations requested
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Saturday October 8 |
noon
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First
Parish
UU Church
630
Mass Ave, Arlington
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Yom
Kippur Day Adult/Teen Service Member
Reflection: "What Happened to Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and
Isaac? A High Holiday Re-Examination of Genesis Chapter 2ø1 and
the Questions It Raises About the Roles We Play in Our Modern Lives"
Childcare is available by advance reservation, call 617-628-3986.
Visitors
welcome
Donations requested
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Saturday October 8 | 3:30
pm | the home of Carol Higgins, Lunenburg | Yom Kippur
Adult/Teen Break-Fast
The event is open
only to
members of KB. Due to the limited parking space, it is recommended that
car pools be utilized as much as possible. We look forward to seeing
adults and your teenage children. A pot-luck dinner will
follow the service. Please RSVP to Linda
Brion-Meisels (or sign up at KB), and indicate how many are
coming
and what food you are bringing.
Members only
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Saturday October 8 | 2:30
pm | the home of Ellen Richstone, 67 Bullard Rd, Weston
| Yom Kippur
Family Break-Fast
There
will be a short family service followed by a pot-luck dinner.
All are invited, including non-members. This
is a great way for guests of all ages to meet other KB members in an
informal setting. It is especially nice for families with
children too
young to sit through a more structured service. Please
RSVP to Sharon Salwen and indicate how many people are attending and what
food you are bringing.
Visitors welcome
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Sunday
October 16
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult Program #3/Sunday School
Ernestine Rose – Humanistic Jewish Role Model of the Year
Ernestine Rose, chosen as this year’s Humanistic Jewish Role Model of the Year by the
Society of Humanistic Judaism, was unique among the founders of the
women’s rights movement. As a Polish immigrant of Jewish
background, her compelling oratory linked three reform movements:
women’s rights, abolition of slavery, and religious freethought. Rose
served as a significant mentor for both Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth
Cady Stanton.
Our speaker, Professor Paula Doress-Worters, who founded the Ernestine
Rose Society at Brandeis University, has authored Mistress of Herself,
a collection of the speeches and letters of Ernestine L. Rose, along
with a perspective on the life of an inspiring, courageous, and
controversial founding leader of the first wave of feminism. Professor
Doress-Worters will share her expertise and insights on Rose with us.
Visitors
welcome
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Sunday
October 16
| 9-noon
| 765
Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions] | Sunday
School Open House
Children from pre-school to 7th grade and their parents are invited to
an open house. Visit children's classes and the adult
program. Meet
the principal and teachers. Learn about our bar/bat mitzvah
program
and teen activities. For more information and to RSVP, please
call
617-969-4596.
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Sunday
October 16
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12:30pm, following the Sunday morning
activities
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The
back yard of our meeting place, 765 Concord Ave
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Sukkot Celebration
Bring your lunch and picnic in a Sukkah that you help to construct and
decorate. KB will provide beverages and dessert so that we
will
all have the opportunity to follow the holiday tradition of eating in a
Sukkah. There will be crafts, music, story telling and a
short
service explaining the Sukkot tradition.
Visitors welcome
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Friday
October 21
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7:30 pm
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
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Shabbat Service
Join us for a short service, reflection, and refreshments. A great way to begin the weekend!
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Saturday
October 29
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the home of Paula Wolk and PAM Spierings in Newton
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Adult/Teen Pot Luck
Enjoy lively conversation with other KB members in a friendly, informal
setting. For directions and to RSVP, please contact Paula.
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November
2011
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Sunday
November 6 |
9:15 am
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765
Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult Program #4/Sunday School
View from the Desk of the Letters Editor
Ever wonder just what does it take to get your letter to the editor
published in The Boston Globe? It helps to be enraged, but not
unhinged; articulate, but not long-winded. A good letter can say more
in 200 words than a week's worth of coverage. Sometimes a letter can
even make front-page news. KB’s very own Matt Bernstein, the Globe's
letters editor since 2006, talks about the process of selecting letters
for publication, looks back at a sample of "greatest hits," and
discusses the importance of showcasing readers' opinions in an
increasingly crowded online sphere.
Visitors
welcome
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Sunday
November 6
| 12-2 pm | The
music room of
765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions] | Bar/Bat
Mitzvah Class
This
class is the second part of our 2-session bnai mitzvah classes. While
the first class is an introduction to the bnai mitzvah process and
helps families think about what is most important to them and what they
might want in a bar-bat mitzvah, this second class is more about the
nuts and bolts of preparing for and planning this life cycle event. It
includes handouts, tips, and includes time to exchange thoughts, ideas,
suggestions, and resources. Typically people who are about a year away
from a bar-bat mitzvah attend this class, although it is open to any KB
member regardless of their child's age or where they are in the process.
There is no charge for the class, but pre-registration
is
required; email Renee Lubowich.
Lunch will be provided. We will arrange childcare for
younger children upon request. Registration deadline is November 1.
Members only
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Sunday
November 6
| 7:30 pm
| 765
Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions] | Meet
Kahal B'raira
Humanistic
Judaism is a philosophy that combines rational thinking with a
celebration of Jewish culture and identity. Please join us for this
evening of presentation and discussion to learn more about Humanistic
Judaism and Congregation Kahal B'raira. Please
RSVP to Shari Gelber.
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Friday
November 18
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7:30 pm
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
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Shabbat Service
Rabbi Miriam Jerris from the Society for Humanistic Judaism will be with us.
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Saturday
November 19
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6:30 pm
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the home of Shari and Richard Gelber in Newton
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Adult/Teen Potluck
Enjoy lively conversation with other KB members in a friendly, informal
setting. There will be an opportunity to speak informally with
Rabbi Miriam Jerris. RSVPs required. Contact Shari at
shari@jimmy.harvard.edu or 617-969-459 to organize meal
contributions and get directions.
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Sunday
November 20 |
9:15 am
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765
Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult Program #5/Sunday School
Rabbi
Miriam Jerris from the Society for Humanistic Judaism will speak to us
on issues and growth in humanistic Jewish groups throughout North
America.
Visitors
welcome
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December
2011
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Sunday
December 4
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult
Program #6/Sunday School
Being proactive and not reactive—thinking about end of life issues
Please join us for a facilitated, informative session, led by Marjie
Sokoll, to hear about the current societal and religious trends in end
of life and mourning practices. Learn about how and why religious
rituals are changing, and explore which customs and rituals feel most
relevant and meaningful to you.
Our speaker, Marjorie Sokoll. M.Ed. is the Director of Jewish Life and
Healing at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Boston
(JF&CS) and the founder and director of JF&CS Jewish Healing
Connections. The mission of Jewish Healing Connections is to help
ensure that people feel a sense of connection when facing the
challenges of illness, loss, or isolation by offering spiritual and
communal supports to provide hope, comfort, and wholeness guided by
Jewish tradition.
Visitors
welcome
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Saturday
December 10
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6 pm
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the home of Ellen Forman and Phil Katz in Newton
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Family Potluck
Enjoy lively conversation with other KB members in a friendly, informal
setting. For directions and to RSVP, please contact Phil. |
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Sunday
December 18
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult
Program #7/Sunday School
Jewish Cabaret
We
certainly know the word ‘cabaret’ and associate it mainly with the
musical and movie “Cabaret”. Kander and Ebb, who wrote the music
and lyrics for that production, gave us a taste of cabaret music in
pre-WWII Europe. The reality of Cabaret in Weimar Germany and beyond
was much more layered and diverse than what was portrayed in the movie.
But what was “Jewish Cabaret”? What makes it Jewish and how was
it different from the larger genre of Cabaret? Was it the performers
and composers? The audiences? The themes?
Mezzo Sopranto Lynn Torgove will give a presentation on the development
of Jewish Cabaret Music, and address these questions and others. The
presentation will be enhanced by live musical examples. Lynn will
sing, accompanied by Osnat Netzer on the keyboard. In this musical
discussion, we will examine the larger genre of cabaret and discover
with our ears, some of the important components of Jewish Cabaret.
Visitors
welcome
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Sunday
December 18
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12:30 pm
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765
Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions] |
Hanukkah
Celebration
A
family-oriented celebration for children and adults, including a
service, holiday nosh with plenty of latkes, great games, music, and
lots of fun! Please bring a potluck dessert and a menorah. $5/person,
$10 max per family. Please RSVP to Cheryl Meadow so we know how much food to get.
Visitors welcome
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January
2012
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Friday
- Sunday
January 6-8
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Purity
Spring Resort/Ski Area
East Madison, NH
[get resort info
or ski info]
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KB
Weekend Getaway
An informal, fun, and popular weekend for both adults and
families. Only a limited number of slots are available, so
please
reserve a space as early as possible.
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Sunday
January 15
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult
Program #8/Sunday School
Israel as an Inclusive Society:
Reasons for Hope and Causes for Concern
A discussion led by New England NIF Regional Director Stephane Acel-Green
Israel’s 1.37 million Arab citizens vote, pay taxes and speak Hebrew,
yet suffer pervasive discrimination, unequal allocation of resources
and violation of their legal rights. Housing, education, and income all
substantially lag that of the Jewish majority. Many are concerned
about prospects for integrating Arab-Israelis into mainstream society
after sixty-three years of inequality. And yet, there is much
cause for hope. Arabs joined Jews in this past summer’s tent city
protests. Recent opinion surveys show that 74% of Israeli Jews
acknowledge the fact that Arab citizens suffer discrimination and
almost 40% of these Jews are ready for a program to reduce gaps, even
if this requires paying a personal price. Another survey of
Arab-Israelis indicated pride over their Israeli citizenship.
Stephane will lead a discussion about the data and conflicting trends
with an emphasis on NIF’s work to promote the values enshrined in
Israel’s Declaration of Independence of “complete equality of social
and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion,
race or sex.”
Stephane Acel-Green is New England Regional Director for the New Israel
Fund. Before joining NIF, Stephane was the executive director or
Ameinu: Liberal Values, Progressive Israel, where he advocated for the
Middle-East peace process in conjunction with Israeli, Palestinian, and
American officials.
The New Israel Fund, a partnership of Israelis and supporters of Israel
worldwide, is the leading organization committed to equality and
democracy for all Israelis.
Visitors
welcome
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Sunday
January 29
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9:15
am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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All Congregation Day
Adults and children will spend the morning together. The day will
begin with a poetry service, followed by a pot-luck brunch. There
will then be a variety of activities for all to engage in.
Visitors
welcome
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February
2012
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Saturday
February 11
| 6:30 pm
| the home of Phyllis and Barry Jaffee in Westborough
| Adult/Teen Pot Luck
Enjoy lively conversation with other KB members in a friendly, informal
setting. For directions and to RSVP, please contact Phyllis.
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Sunday
February 12
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9:15
am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult
Program #10/Sunday School
Tu B'Shvat celebration
Visitors
welcome
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March 2012
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Saturday
March 3
| TBD
| the home of Roberta and Dick Bauer in Somerville
| Adult/Teen Pot Luck
Enjoy lively conversation with other KB members in a friendly, informal
setting. For directions and to RSVP, please contact Roberta.
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Sunday
March 11
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9:30 - noon
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult
Program #11/Sunday School
KB
has its annual "Book Club" when the Congregation all reads the same
book and discusses it in small groups. This year our book is The Zookeeper's Wife
by Diane Ackerman, a fascinating non-fiction account of how, during
WWII , Warsaw zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski used their zoo as a
place to hide Jews from the occupying Nazis. Jan, who was active in the
Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and
stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her
unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and animal
inhabitants.
With her exuberant prose and exquisite sensitivity to the natural
world, Diane Ackerman engages us viscerally in the lives of the zoo
animals, their keepers, and their hidden visitors.
Visitors welcome
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Sunday
March 11
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Noon -
1pm
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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!! Annual KB Purim
Carnival !!
Plan to stick around after
Sunday
School for the annual KB Purim
festivities. This
event is always lots of fun
for everybody. Food, games, and prizes. Hope you
can make
it!!
Visitors welcome
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Sunday
March 25
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
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Adult
Program #12/Sunday School
Today's program is sponsored by the Social Action Committee. Several
panelists representing organizations for whom KB congregants have
volunteered over the past few years will present their group's mission,
the constituents they serve, their role as directors, how their
organizations have come to depend on volunteer effort, how their
constituents have reacted and viewed the volunteers, and finally how
these opportunities have affected the volunteers themselves. The
program is intended to help us comprehend on a deeper level the effects
of service beyond the obvious, enlighten our congregation to what
social action at KB has recently been about, and to inspire us to
action to help others.
Panelists will include Michelle De Lima, farmer and volunteer
coordinator from Gaining Ground (a Concord farm that donates all of its
produce to local pantries and meal programs), Lisa Jackson,
Superintendent of South Middlesex Correctional Center, Bernice
Behar, program manager of Jewish Family & Children's Services'
Family Table program (food pantry) and Jim Stewart, director of First
Church Shelter in Cambridge, MA.
Visitors welcome
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Sunday
March 25
| 9-noon
| 765
Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions] | Sunday
School Open House
Children from pre-school to 7th grade and their parents are invited to
an open house. Visit children's classes and the adult
program. Meet
the principal and teachers. Learn about our bar/bat mitzvah
program
and teen activities. For more information and to RSVP, please
call
617-969-4596.
|
April 2012
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Saturday
April 7
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5:30 pm
(sharp!) |
765 Concord
Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions] |
KB
Seder
Our
traditional congregation
seder. We'll have our Humanistic haggadah, a catered meal,
good
conversation, and fun for all. Guests are welcome. Please
go to this page to sign up.
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Sunday
April 29
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
| Adult
Program #13/Sunday School
Yom HaShoah Holocaust
memorial service.
This
beautiful and moving
ceremony honors the victims of the Holocaust and rekindles our
commitment to Never Again.
Visitors
welcome
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May 2012
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Program Information
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Sunday
May 13
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9:15 am
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765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
|
Adult
Program #14/Sunday School
Making a Difference Through Art
The KB Middle East Working Group has chosen Artsbridge, Inc for our
year long support. ArtsBridge Institute brings together Israeli and
Palestinian youth for leadership training in Boston, Israel, and
Palestine, using art for reflecting dialogues and conflict
resolution. Our program begins with an excerpt from CBS Presents Faith in Action: Young People Making a difference, on Artsbridge.
Debbie Nathan, director, will explain the program and how, through the
universal language of Art, participants move through difficult
conversations with multiple narratives. We’ll hear through the stories
of these youth, how, in the process, they develop a sense of safety,
empathy and empowerment, which they, in term, bring home to their
communities. Finally, KB members using the language of art in
reflecting teams themselves will experience the power of this process,
which can be used in similar situations in our own lives.
Visitors
welcome
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Sunday
May 20
|
9:15 am
|
765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
|
Snow Makeup Day (if necessary)
Visitors welcome
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June 2012
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Date
|
Time
|
Location
|
Program Information
|
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Sunday
June 3
|
9:15 am
|
765 Concord Ave
Cambridge
[get map
or directions]
|
Adult
Program #15/Sunday School
Last adult service of the year is followed by Sunday school graduation, a
beautiful ceremony created by parents and students. The seventh grade
graduates will present the projects they have worked on
this year. There will be end of the year festivities followed by
a potluck lunch. All are invited to celebrate the graduates and a great
year at KB
Visitors welcome
|
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