The Boulder community is invited to gather with us at 9 PM at the Boulder Integral Center, at 2805 Broadway (Broadway and Balsam), for an event that will commence with a spirited evening prayer and havdallah led by Rabbi Debra Rappaport. Then a panel with Rabbis Rose, Goldfeder, Soloway, Korngold, and Rappaport on the theme: Heart or Mind: Where does the Torah Journey Begin?

Here is the rest of the schedule:

• 11:30 PM – Community Kavannah
• 11:45 PM – 12:30 AM -  Shavuot and the art of wakefulness – with Rabbi Debra Rappaport of B’nai Veil Congregation
• 12:30 – Community Kavannah
• 12:45 AM – 1:30 AM Yoga with Shifra Blumenthal OR Directing the Heart, Focusing the mind – The Art of kavanah With Rabbi Marc Soloway
• 1:30 – Community Kavannah
• 1:45 AM – 2:30 AM – The Whole Way: Heart, Mind and Body in Prayer With Rabbi Josh Rose
• 2:30 – Community Kavannah
• 2:45 AM -3:30 AM – The Mishkan: Heart, Mind, and the Holy of Holies with Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder
• 3:30 – Community Kavannah
• 3:45 AM -4:45 AM – Live Chavruta – Rabbis Josh Rose and Gavriel Goldfeder lead an interactive encounter with the Torah of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
• 5 AM – Shacharit at Aish Kodesh 1805 Balsam Ave

RSVPs are not required.

A fresh look at who were the real ‘machers’ and shakers at Mount Sinai?  Was it the men or the women?

Saturday, May 26, 5:30 pm.   Join us for a unique women’s gathering of scholarly, social and soulful delight.  Enjoy a light dairy meal while gaining insight into the spiritual meaning of the “Ten Commandments”.  This class will be facilitated by Chany Scheiner and is open to women in the Boulder Jewish Community.  The event is free but requires rsvping by simply emailing chabadofboulder@gmail.com or calling 303 494 1638.

Here is a full schedule of events:

All Night Long!

Rembrandt Yard, 1301 Spruce St

Tuesday June 7th – 8:30 pm – 5:00 am

8:30 pm – The prayer of the evening with Rabbi Aviva Bass and Rabbi Marc Soloway followed by an intro to the Spirit of Shavuot.

9:30 pm – What Happened at Sinai? Different Perspectives with Rabbis Josh Rose + Marc Soloway:

Every year on Shavuot, the Jewish community reenacts the moment of revelation at Sinai. Well, what do we think happened at Sinai? What do we mean when we say that Moses received the Torah?  How we relate to this event defines, in a deep way, what kind of Jew we are. So what did happen? A Reform and a Conservative Rabbi will discuss traditional and modern perspectives about Sinai and then share and challenge one another on their own views.

10:30 pm – 1st Your Choice:

a) Torah Yoga with Raj Seymour

b) Soul Speaking in Metaphor: The Poetry of Andalusia with Rabbi Debra Rappaport from Vail

ICE CREAM BAR! Dairy and non-dairy, toppings, the works.   But don’t fill up… there’s more snacks to come.

11:15 pm – G-d Upgrade? A lively debate with Rabbi Jamie Korngold, Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder, and others around R’ Jamie’s new book “The G-d Upgrade“. Do we need an upgrade? Are some of us outdated? What are the implications of the Upgrade?

12:30 am -2nd Your Choice:

a) “Ayekah? Bringing G-d into everyday life” with Yoni Ashar and Hannah

b) A Capella singing with Mark Megibow of “Face”

CHEESE CAKE! A Shavuot tradition. While you eat, find out why.

1:30 am - Learning with Rabbi Marc Soloway: “A Journey to the Tree of Life – Stories, Teachings and Melodies of the Baal Shem Tov and his Disciples” – Rabbi Marc has recently returned from a remarkable journey to Ukraine where he visited the grave of Reb Yisrael, the holy Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hassidic Judaism, and many of his most important followers in Meziboz and some of the neighboring communities.. Weaving in some stories of this adventure, Rabbi Marc will share some tales, teachings and niggunim that relate to Shavuot, receiving Torah and spiritual quest.

2:30 am - Learning with Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder – “Wait for it…” In Kaballah, the key moment of Shavuot comes when we shout “Keter!” during the kedusha of mussaf. (All these terms will be explained.) The word Keter means crown. But Rebbe Nachman of Breslov finds another meaning entirely for the word, for the concept, and for Shavuot.

CEREAL BAR! Early breakfast! Yum! I’m coocoo for cocoa puffs!

3:30 am - Learning with Rabbis Rose and Soloway: “Brewing a Cup of Spiritual Java: A Jewish Guide to Waking Up – The early morning can be more than a time of lazy stirring and bleary-eyed disorientation. It is an opportunity for a deeper awakening. The Jewish tradition provides a roadmap for a more powerful spiritual path to wakefulness in the fullest sense of the term. Rabbis Marc Soloway and Josh Rose have been studying together Hanhagat Ha-Boker, “Guide to the Morning,” in the Mishnah Berura, a key commentary on Jewish laws and customs. Together they will teach from this commentary and others about Jewish insights for arriving at true wakefulness in the morning. “Come take a sip of the nourishing spiritual java that is the Jewish morning routine.”

4:45 am – Morning prayers at Aish Kodesh – we’ll walk to Aish Kodesh, about 20 minutes away, for the morning prayers. We time the beginning of the silent prayer with sun rise. We read the Ten Commandments. We read the first chapter of Ezekiel – one of Judaism’s original mystical texts. We try not to fall asleep. Then we eat cheesecake and drink Scotch. And then we go to sleep.

A group of tweeters are “tweeting” Shavuot – follow the tweets on our twitter gadget (on the home page).

For information about local observances, click here.

V’Chai B’hem: Torah to Live By

Shavuot 5770 May 18-20, 2010

Tuesday May 18^th 8pm – Dawn

Haver, Boulder’s Rabbinic Fellowship, presents Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, all night study to commemorate receiving of Torah on Mount Sinai.  This program, made possible by a generous grant from 18 Pomegranates, will be held at Rembrandt Yard, 1301 Spruce Street, Boulder.

Schedule of the Evening:

8:00 pm – Opening Intentions and Candle lighting — Rabbis Ori Har, Nadya & Victor Gross

9:00 pm – Ma’ariv (evening service) — Rabbis Nadya & Victor Gross

9:30 pm – Kiddush and snacks

10:00 pm – 11:00 pm – Haver Panel

Difficult Torah/Life-Giving Torah: How Boulder’s Rabbis Handle Challenging Texts and Choose Texts to Live By

11:15 pm – 12:30 am — Study Session 1 – Rabbi Tirzah Firestone (leading into midnight meditation)

God’s Favorite Texts: We speak about our favorite (or most challenging) texts, but what about Hashem? Study three pieces of Torah that will change your life (if you dare to take them personally)

12:30 am – 12:40 am — Break

12:40 am — 1:30 am — Study Session 2 – Morah Yehudis Fishman:

A Torah of Truth: Peace-ing Together Talmudic Disputes

1:30 am — 1:40 am — Break

1:40 am — 2:30 am — Study Session 3 – Rabbi Josh Rose

By Vision or Reason? How Do We Open the Gates of Heaven?

When we hear our rabbi, or when we ourselves, imaginatively and creatively interpret a verse of Torah, are we encountering inspiration or nonsense? It turns out that this is a question that Jews have been asking for thousands of years. So, tonight we receive Torah…now what? We will examine ancient teachings that can help answer this and guide us in our own approach to our tradition.

2:30 am — 2:40 am — Break

2:40 am – 3:30 am — Study Session 4 – Meira Chmiel

The Three Watches of the Night in Zohar mysticism. We shall explore our traditional Jewish mystical orientation to diurnal time (both day and night) from a Qumran and Zoharic Gan Eden perspective, and where we and G-d are in that actual night as we transition from the 2nd watch into the 3rd watch.  This presentation will include a glance at two early sources for this practice (Qumran and Talmud Brachot.)

3:30 am — 3:40 am — Break

3:40 am — 4:30 am Study Session 5 – Rabbis Gavriel Goldfeder and Marc Soloway

“I am asleep but my heart is awake” – reflections on sleeping and waking in the Jewish tradition.  Caffeine will be available.

5:00 am Shacharit (dawn service) led by Meira Chmiel.

There will also be a mechitzah minyan at Aish Kodesh, 1805 Balsam

6:15 am Torah reading (Revelation at Sinai) at Aish Kodesh, followed by Mussaf

Shavuot Services Around the Community

Kehillat Aish Kodesh

Tuesday May 18: All Night Learning with Haver at Rembrandt Yard

8:00 pm Minchah at Aish Kodesh

10:00 pm Walking together from Aish to Rembrandt Yard, followed by All Night Learning

Wednesday May 19

5:00 am Sunrise Services at Aish

8:00 am Cheesecake Kiddush

Thursday May 20

9:30 am Shacharit

11:30 am Yizkor Services

2:00 pm Ice Cream Party and Playdate

Congregation Bonai Shalom

Tuesday May 18

8:00 pm — All Night Learning with Haver at Rembrandt Yard

Wednesday May 19

10:00 am — Services at Bonai Shalom (Please note the usual earlier start time and we will begin directly with Shacharit)

Thursday May 20

9:00 am — Services at Bonai Shalom

~11:00 am —  Yizkor

Congregation Nevei Kodesh

Nevei Kodesh is at 3269 28th St.  (above the Dairy Queen).

Tuesday May 18

8:00 pm — All Night Learning with Haver at Rembrandt Yard

Thursday, May 20

9:30 am  – Shavuot Services and Yizkor Memorial Service

Noon —  Dairy Potluck Lunch.  Weather permitting, we will lunch outdoors.  Please bring a dairy/vegetarian dish to share for lunch afterwards.

We have a key-operated elevator in the rear of the building.  Please let us know if you will be needing it so that someone can arrange to meet you.

Congregation Har HaShem

Tuesday May 18

8:00 pm — All Night Learning with Haver at Rembrandt Yard

Thursday, May 20

8:00 am — Yizkor Service

Shavuot is directly related to Passover in that it marks the ending of the Counting of the Omer, which starts on the second day of Passover. The period of counting, 50 days, signifies when the Children of Israel were walking through the desert, and arriving at Mt. Sinai. Since Shavuot is a celebration of when God gave Moses the Torah on Mt. Sinai, the counting of the days and weeks is a sign of the desire and anticipation by the Jews to receive the Torah from God. Shavuot is also associated with the end of the grain harvest in Israel.

Shavuot is mandated biblically in Leviticus 23:15-21. There are three common traditions associated with Shavuot. The first tradition is to study from the Torah all night long. The second one is to decorate the home or Temple with grass and flowers. This signifies the miraculous flowering at Mt. Sinai according to the Midrash.

Lastly, and one of my favorites, is the eating of dairy products. (It is always about the food!) There are many reasons for this. Most of them refer to the laws that were given to the Israelites on Mt. Sinai in the Torah that were different than what they had been doing before.  It is thought that Shavuot was the first time the Jews ate dairy products because before that they were only eating meat.

But all this talk about dairy leads me to one comment I have about dairy: Lactose Intolerance. Lactose intolerance plagues 30 to 50 million Americans. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and milk products. However, lactose intolerance can be caused by other diseases of the intestinal tract, such as Celiac disease. If you feel like you have a hard time digesting milk products, try them again six months after going Gluten Free. You might find that NEXT Shavuot, you too can have your CHEESE-cake and eat it too!

Randi’s Favorite Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup finely ground GF graham crackers from Outside the Breadbox
1/3 cup organic sugar
1/3 cup butter
2- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
½ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Directions:
In a food processor, mix graham cracker crust with butter and sugar. If too dry, add more butter.
Press into a 9 inch pie crust pan.
Mix softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and continue mixing for 3 minutes.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Cool and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Top with your favorite fruit. Makes 8 servings

Shavuot is the Jewish holiday that commemorates the Revelation on Mount Sinai. According to the story in the Book of Exodus, the Israelites fell asleep while waiting to receive the Torah. The 16th century Kabbalists (Jewish mystics) in Sfat began a practice of studying through the night, on the anniversary of the original event, as a way to repair the story. This year’s study session will once again be sponsored by Haver, Boulder’s Rabbinical Fellowship.

The evening will begin with candle lighting and a Ma’ariv (evening) service led by Rabbis Nadya and Victor Gross of Pardes Levavot, one of Boulder’s two Jewish Renewal congregations. At 10:00 p.m., Boulder’s Rabbis will participate in a panel discussion on “Hard Texts; How a panel of rabbis handle difficult and challenging texts”. The panel is always a community favorite.

Rabbi Tirzah Firestone of Congregation Nevei Kodesh (Jewish Renewal) will lead the study session that brings us to Hatzot (midnight), that special point halfway between sunset and sunrise when the heavens are believed to be open to the prayers of those who have stayed awake in study on this anniversary of the Revelation of Torah.

Throughout the night other teachers will be leading sessions, including Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom (Conservative) and Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder of Kehillat Aish Kodesh (Orthodox) who, together, will be teaching “I am asleep, but my heart is awake”. Rabbi Josh Rose of Congregation Har HaShem (Reform) and Meira Chmiel, a rabbinical student, will also be teaching.

There will be two morning prayer services. Meira Chmiel will lead a service at Rembrandt Yard. Aish Kodesh will also host a mechitza minyan (traditional prayer service) just a short walk away, with a Torah reading around 6:15 am.

Haver wishes to thank 18 Pomegranates for their generous support to make this event possible.

Shavuot Services in the Boulder Community:

Congregation Bonai Shalom

Wednesday May 19th – Services at Bonai Shalom at 10:00 am (Please note the usual earlier start time and we will begin directly with Shacharit)

Thursday May 20th – Services at Bonai Shalom at 9:00 am  (including Yizkor at approximately 11:00 am)