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The Voice - February 2025 - Sh'vat 5785

Services This Month

Shabbat Services
Friday  |  February 7  | 7:00 pm
 
 
Join us for Shabbat services led by Rabbi Reice!
Torah Study
Saturday  |  February 15  |  10:30 am
 
 
Join us for Torah study! The parsha is Yitro, Exodus 18:1-20:23, covering the moment when the people stood together at Sinai and the Law was given into Moses' hands. Some consider this the climactic event of the Torah. Click here to register!
Save the Date! Shabbat Morning Services and Bat Mitzvah
Saturday  |  March 1  |  10:00 am
 
 
We come together as the Stefanowicz family and Congregation Shir Ami celebrate the simcha of Skylar Stefanowicz being called to the Torah as Bat Mitzvah. Please join us on this special occasion as this Religious School student passes from childhood to adulthood in our Jewish tradition, and as our Shir Ami family honors this momentous event!
 
Rabbi Reice will lead this special ceremony, along with our regular Saturday morning Shabbat Torah Service. Please click here to register!
Save the Date! March Shabbat Services
Friday, March 7  |  Services 7:00pm
 
 
Join us for joyful services led by Rabbi Reice! Note: The annual Budget Meeting was scheduled for before services on this day but it has been postponed.

Upcoming Events

Rabbi Reice Office Hours
 
February & March Office Hours
5 Feb 2025 (7 Sh’vat) 8 – 9am (Zoom only) 💻
5 Feb 2025 (7 Sh’vat) 12 – 5pm 💻 & 👫
11 Feb 2025 (13 Sh’vat) 9am – 1pm (Zoom only) 💻
11 Feb 2025 (13 Sh’vat) 1:30 – 3:30pm 💻 & 👫
18 Feb 2025 (20 Sh’vat) 2 – 5pm 💻 & 👫
19 Feb 2025 (21 Sh’vat) 2 – 5pm 💻 & 👫
25 Feb 2025 (27 Sh’vat) 2:30 – 6pm 💻 & 👫
26 Feb 2025 (28 Sh’vat) 2 – 4:30pm 💻 & 👫
3 Mar 2025 (3 Adar) 1 – 4pm 💻 & 👫
5 Mar 2025 (5 Adar) 2 – 5pm 💻 & 👫
12 Mar 2025 (12 Adar) 11am – 5pm 💻 & 👫
18 Mar 2025 (18 Adar) 12 – 6pm 💻 & 👫
 
Upcoming Days Off
6 Feb 2025 (8 Sh’vat)
10 Feb 2025 (12 Sh’vat)
13 Feb 2025 (15 Sh’vat)
14 Feb 2025 (16 Sh’vat) - comp for 2/7
21 Feb 2025 (23 Sh’vat)
28 Feb 2025 (30 Sh’vat)
4 Mar 2025 (4 Adar) - comp for 2/18
6 Mar 2025 (6 Adar) - comp for 2/24
10 Mar 2025 (10 Adar) - comp for 3/3
14 Mar 2025 (14 Adar) - comp for 3/7
17 Mar 2025 (17 Adar) - comp for 3/11
21 Mar 2025 (21 Adar) - comp for 3/13
27 Mar 2025 (27 Adar)
28 Mar 2025 (28 Adar)
31 Mar 2025 (2 Nisan)
3 Apr 2025 (5 Nisan)
 
February & March Conference Days (limited availability by email and phone)
3 Feb 2025 (5 Shvat) SWARR
4 Feb 2025 (6 Shvat) SWARR
23 Mar 2025 (23 Adar) CCAR
24 Mar 2025 (24 Adar) CCAR
25 Mar 2025 (25 Adar) CCAR
26 Mar 2025 (26 Adar) CCAR
During Office hours, Rabbi Reice will be answering the phone, answering emails, and meeting with those folks who have scheduled an appointment (in person, over the phone or a video call). Please feel free to call or email Rabbi Reice during these times. (Of course, contact her, or our President, Alan Kook, immediately for more urgent matters.)
 
Please email our administrator, Rachel McEwen (administrator@shir-ami.com), to schedule an appointment in advance.

Celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries in February

Happy Anniversary:
2/06        Sharon & Andrew Cooper
2/14        Breanna & John Rigney
 
Happy Birthday:
2/02        Alan Kook
2/03        Lucas Ahmed
2/04        Melanie Williams
2/05        Francesca Sarah Stewart
2/07        Luka Eichenwald
2/07        Leo Eichenwald
2/11        Rob Rose
2/12        Rose Beatrice Ahmed
2/16        Ellen Blair
2/17        Dianne Schlanger
2/20        Tish Dashefsky
2/24        Leora Forstein
2/26        Maddie Teller-Kook
2/26        Hannah Weisbrod
Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting
Sunday  |  February 9  |  10:30 am
 

All members are invited to attend the Board of Trustees meetings.  If you would like to attend this meeting, or wish to speak at the meeting, please contact our President, Cindy Tarsi.
Women's Mah Jongg
If you are interested in learning or playing, contact Maxine or Leslie
 
 
The women in our group meet once or twice a month to play Mah Jongg, kibbitz, nosh and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Our members volunteer to host these afternoon games at their homes. Members who would like to make a donation at the end of each game may do so. At the end of the year the group makes a donation to Shir Ami and chooses another worthy Jewish charity.
Happy Bookers Book Club
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Book: The Little Liar by Mitch Albom
Hosts: Maxine and Allen Kaplan
 
 
 
About the Book
Mitch Albom, internationally best-selling author of Tuesdays with Morrie, The Stranger in the Lifeboat -- and much more! -- tackles the Holocaust. In his Afterward he tells us Why. And Why Now. Truth, who narrates the book, is despondent and cast out because nobody believes Truth any more. So Truth aligns with Parable as the best way to tell a story. Truth tells us, " believe me ... because I am telling it to you. ..."
 

About Happy Bookers

The Happy Bookers book club is open to Shir Ami members. Interested prospective members should contact the Shir Ami Membership Committee.
 
Shir Ami Hamantaschen Contest
March 7  |  After Services
 
 
 
 
Do you have a fantastic hamantaschen recipe? Do you have a new spin on an old favorite? Be classic be creative! After services in March we will have a contest to find the best hamantaschen in the land. Start thinking about what you want to bring, only homemade items are eligible for the contest! Bring a recipe or list of ingredients to share. More details to come.
 

Shir Ami News

Mi Shebeirach

Our Prayers for the Physical, Spiritual and Emotional Healing for those named and any others in need.
 
Please email Rabbi Reice at rreice@shir-ami.com to enter a name on the list or remove a name from the list.
 
Bill Bitner, Ralph Burdett, Rene Castiglione, Pamela Caulder-Fine, Ron Christopher, Asher Clift-Reaves, Glen Fine, Leora Forstein, Janet Friedman, Linda Friedman, Lynn Gelber, Carol Goldmark, Juliet Clare Grabish, Harry Green, Pearl Kopita, Ron Kopita, Gail Lary, Peter Lary, Rabbi Mark Levin, William Lenz, Eric Maginniss, Nikki Maza, Geri Meyers, Dorie Mickelson, Carol Moon, Kay Moore, Dominae Petrosini, Emory Plum Schlanger, Skylar Stefanowicz, Trystan Stefanowicz, Cindy Tarsi (Chasye Chana bat Laya Raizel v’Avraham Yitzchak HaLevi), Jim Tarsi, Esther Thomas, Laura Wildeman, Carole Wood, Dominic Wood, Bonnie Zimmer
Second Seder:  Volunteers needed for Planning Committee
April 13  |  6:00pm
 
 

Congregation Shir Ami will host Second Seder on Sunday, April 13 at 6pm.  I am forming a planning committee to manage the set up, provide the food, and manage cleanup.  Our initial committee meetings will be on Wednesdays at 7pm on the following days:
Feb 5, Feb 12, and Feb 19.
 
Additional meetings will be scheduled as needed.
 
If you would like to participate in the planning committee, please email Dottie at macdje@gmail.com. I will then share the Zoom link and the working documents. 
 
I know we are all looking forward to having a congregational second seder this year! Your help is greatly appreciated!
- Dottie Elliot
Call for Mazel Tovs
 
 

The Jewish Outlook is getting ready for their March issue and wants to include your happy news! If you have a happy occasion that you want to share, please email administrator@shir-ami.com by February 6, 2025 in the following format:
Mazel Tov Submission Format:
Name
Parents (if applicable)
Congregation/Organization
Occasion
Date
Photo Credit
 
For reference, click here for a link to the Mazel Tov section published in the December 2024 issue of The Jewish Outlook.
The Caring Circle - Care to Get Involved?
 
 

Lending a helping hand to members in times of stress is a vital part of any congregation. Kind and caring Shir Ami members volunteer in this group to help provide support to other Shir Ami congregants in times of life's challenges such as illness, death, divorce, and birth. Specific activities include helping to secure a minyan for a memorial or shiva service, sending notes to members on the loss of a loved one, arranging transportation for a member to attend services or other Shir Ami events, and providing meals, sending cards, visiting, or calling congregants during times of illness or post-hospitalization.
 
If you are experiencing any of these challenges and wish to be contacted by the Caring Circle, please contact Rabbi Reice. If you wish to be a more active Caring Circle volunteer, please contact Sara Goodman at CaringCircle@Shir-Ami.com. All are welcome!

Shir Ami and Drive a Senior Northwest – Partners in Supporting our Older Adults

Volunteer Drivers Needed
Please consider becoming a volunteer driver for the Drive a Senior Northwest program. By offering to drive someone just one or two short trips a month, you will be an unbelievable help to our many older adults still living at home in the northwest Austin/Cedar Park/Leander area. Driving an older adult is incredibly rewarding and very much appreciated. Please go online to driveaseniornorthwest.org to read about the program, then print a volunteer form, fill it out, and mail it in. Or ask Sara Goodman (sgoodman123@gmail.com) for more information about the program.
Services to Adults 60+
If you or a loved one is 60+ and needs help to stay in your/their home, Drive A Senior Northwest is here for you. Services include rides to doctor’s appointments, the grocery store, community activities, etc. as well as minor home repair, telephone reassurance, and a twice monthly senior day out. Contact Drive a Senior Northwest at driveaseniornorthwest.org or (512) 250-5021.

Community News

Austin Z3 Conference
February 22-24  |  Dell Jewish Community Campus
 
We are thrilled to formally announce that Shalom Austin will be hosting its second annual Z3 Conference. Z3 is a summit of deep immersion on the most pressing issues facing American and Israeli Jews. The sessions will offer us an opportunity to lean into the tension and hear many perspectives about Zionism. 
 
For more information about the conference, please see the attachment above. 
 
As good as last year's conference was, this year is promised to be even better! 
Some new and / or enhanced additions are:
 
•Saturday evening Havdalah and comedy show. 
•Inspiring keynote addresses by Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, Gil Troy, Adela Cojab and others. 
•Engaging breakout sessions. 
•Special guest speakers you won't want to miss.
•A powerful college student panel discussing antisemitism on campus.
•Robust teen track. 
•Sessions solely in Hebrew.  
 
Community registration is open now! You can find information here: https://shalomaustin.org/Austinz3/
 
Please reach out if you have any questions. 
 
We look forward to seeing you at Z3! 
 
Partner Programs and Seminars:
 
International K-12 Educators Seminar: The International Educators’ Seminar in June 2025 offers a unique opportunity for K-12 educators to learn, experience, and gain insights into the educational system in Israel. This highly subsidized seminar provides a platform to explore enriching, meaningful, and long-lasting global connections. To receive info, please email P2G WG Academia and Education Coordinator, Shiri Ehrlich.
 
 
My Jewish Kitchen: Closely following the celebration of TuBishvat, Idan Ishach Erez, Western Galilean dried fruit factory owner will be the featured presenter. Her business survived not only the pandemic but the factory itself was recently hit by rockets during the war. She will share her trials of the war and her love for the fruit of the region. Click here to register.
 
Book Club:  This Sunday: Book Club with a special guest! Join approximately 20 friends from across our Israel-Budapest-US communities this Sunday, Feb. 16, discuss the novel Journey by Moonlight by the Hungarian author Antal Szerb. To attend this session please register here. Exciting news: Dr. Marta Goldmann, associate professor of Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies in Budapest  will join the session and has prepared thought-provoking questions for the group.
 
Other Programs and Opportunities:
 
Information Session: College Students Seminar in Israel: “Cultural Diversity and Complexity of the Western Galilee” Info session: Sunday, March 9, 12 PM CST | 1 PM EST | 7 PM HU | 8 PM IL  Sign up to learn more about this seminar for students and professors from the US and Budapest scheduled for Winter 2025-26. Contact Academia and Education Coordinator, Shiri Ehrlich for more info.
   
Mishloach Manot for IDF Soldiers:  Send mishloach manot (gifts of food) to IDF soldiers through Western Galilee Now.  Deadline: March 1. Click here to purchase.
 
Routes2Roots: Hungarian Heritage Exploration - For those of Hungarian heritage in our P2G WG communities who are interested in pursuing this free-of-charge family research, contact Noemi Nemeth, P2G Budapest Coordinator.
 
Medical Students Externship at the Galilee Medical Center: The P2G Medical Committee announces an immersive month-long experience for medical students to get a close-up look at Israel’s health system, its rigorous medical standards and quality medical care, the diverse culture of northern Israel, and more. During the Externship, students will have the opportunity to take part in rounds, participate in ward activities, attend lectures and receive informal instruction at the Galilee Medical Center (GMC). The medical center will work with each student to tailor the dates of the externship to the  student’s availability as well as their learning objectives. For more information, contact P2G Assistant Director Avital Ben Dror.
 
 
Chesed Circle is returning in the Spring!
 
Chesed (kindness) Circle is a five-class learning series for preschoolers (ages 3-5) and their caregivers rooted in Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), a core tenet of Judaism. Each class offers participants meaningful learning and hands-on opportunities centered on acts of chesed (kindness) toward each other and our world. Classes take place on Sunday mornings at the Dell JCC. Only one registration is needed per family (siblings welcome). There is a discounted rate for returning families.
Register here!
New Programs from Jewish Family Services
Classes are ongoing, click fliers for more information
 
 
 
 
 
Jewish Family Services Caregiver Support Groups
Family Caregiver Support Group: This is an ongoing group and meets the first and third Thursday of each month. It is a safe place for family members caring for adult loved ones to discuss the stresses, challenges, and rewards of caregiving. To register, click here
Digital Mood & Mindfulness with Jewish Family Service
 
Do you feel distracted? Hurried? Preoccupied? This personal development workshop will teach mindfulness techniques that can help participants to be more present and aware in daily life. Mindfulness has the power to improve relationships, increase self-control, boost productivity and can lessen depression and anxiety.
Join Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service’s professionally-facilitated workshop to develop mindfulness skills and discuss common experiences together.
Second Tuesday of each month at 11AM hosted by Shir Ami via Zoom
Free to attend
For more information and to register to receive the link, please contact Emma Howitt, LPC-S, LCDC at emma.howitt@shalomaustin.org.

Volunteer for Shalom Austin JFS Food Pantry

The Client Choice Shalom Austin JFS Food Pantry is always looking to engage volunteers in food drives, packing food bags, and making deliveries. Anyone interested in getting involved in any capacity, can email Joan Eisenberg Maniere at joan.maniere@shalomaustin.org.
Also, if you know of any community members who are facing food insecurity, please have them contact Joan, and she can get them enrolled into the program.

Interest Free Loans

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin provides short-term financial support for members of the Austin Jewish community through interest-free loans that springboard you to your next step in life. Could you or someone you know use a hand-up with an interest free loan? Loans can be made available within a week or even same day in emergencies! Contact info@hfla.org or visit https://hebrewfreeloanofaustin.org.
Fri, May 9 2025 11 Iyar 5785