Shabbat shalom and happy Chanukah! (Yes, as of this writing, there is still almost 24 hours of the holiday left). If you haven’t yet, there’s one more gift opportunity to consider: Family Chanukah Gift: Would you/ your children come together and plant 18 trees in honor of grandparents for Chanukah this year? An $18.00 donation to JTree would provide 18 tree saplings. Many 18s will create a forest. In your donation message please mention “Boulder loves our grandparents…. (add names).” Thank you for considering an end-of-year donation to Boulder JTree and our collective climate change efforts.

Boulder County (along with all Metro Denver counties) moved to Level Red on Friday November 20th; this is the most restrictive level before we get to a full blown Stay at Home order. Please be sure to follow all the recommendations/ requirements of Boulder County Public Health to combat COVID-19, including wearing masks in public and avoiding gatherings outside your family group.

You can find all of our local community virtual services at the “Jewish Community Virtual Offerings” link below under “Events”. There is also a link to the list of online programs being offered by the Boulder JCC.

Meanwhile, here are sources that will have the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 in Boulder and Colorado:

• Boulder JCC for the Jewish community
• Congregation Har HaShem for the Jewish community
• City of Boulder
• Boulder County
• Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
• Centers for Disease Control

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay warm.

News

• Registration Opens for Kabbalah Experience’s Winter Semester (12/17/2020) - After this trying year, Kabbalah Experience’s Winter Semester is officially open for registration, offering a path to deeper spiritual connection and understanding in 2021. Continue Reading
• Looming: The GOP’s Anti-Squad (12/17/2020) - A Republican “Squad” has much potential to counter Democratic representatives who have been operating a four-woman faction known as the Squad for the last two years, but the Republicans’ comments already suggest that they will overreach, threatening to transform extremists among Democrats into political martyrs. Continue Reading
• JFest: The Boulder JCC Reimagines Reflections (12/15/2020) - This year, in order to ensure the health and safety of the community, and in response to current state and county restrictions, the Boulder JCC has redesigned their annual gala fundraiser, Reflections, to celebrate the power of the community in a time when we can’t gather in person. Continue Reading
• Hackathon in Bnei Brak: Jewish Orthodox World’s Best Minds Unite in Battle Against Covid-19 (12/14/2020) - Wednesday, December 2nd, hundreds of Orthodox developers and programmers gathered in person and virtually for the Kama-Tech Covid-19 Hackathon, a 24-hour initiative dedicated to developing innovative solutions in the worldwide battle against coronavirus. Continue Reading

Jewish Life

• Gavriela Schultheiss Bat Mitzvah (12/17/2020) - On Saturday, December 12th, 2020, Gavriela Schultheiss was called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Har HaShem. Continue Reading
• The Enduring Value of Our Chanukah Lights (12/15/2020) - During Chanukah, we often talk about the value of spreading light, both literally, with our chanukiyot, and metaphorically, with our actions. Yet we rarely explore the actual economics of that value. Continue Reading
• A Declaration of Interdependence: Chanukah is Unity in Diversity (12/14/2020) - 2020 is coming to a close—a year of staggering political debacles further catalyzing human and ecological catastrophes. Convenience-culture has kick-started a new geologic age. Transnational corporations and consumer-driven societies have launched this Anthropocene Era. Our kakistocracy (a system of government which is run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens) is the script… Continue Reading

Events

• Special Shabbat This Week at Nevei Kodesh (12/17/2020) - Nevei Kodesh, a warm and welcoming Jewish Renewal Community invites you to join us virtually for prayer, study and connection! Continue Reading
• Judaism Your Way Hosts Virtual Jewish Comfort Food Cooking Classes (12/17/2020) - Judaism Your Way opens registration for its holiday comfort food cooking classes. Offering a modern and socially distanced method for family-friendly fun, the classes will run weekly from December 22nd to January 12th. Continue Reading
• Children and Family Programs over Winter Break (12/15/2020) - Milk and Honey Farm at the Boulder JCC will be offering two virtual programs over winter break for families. It’s cold outside, but we can still warm each other’s hearts and get together virtually!  Continue Reading
• Spend Christmas with an Exclusive Presentation of “Crossing Delancey” (12/14/2020) - Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust Goes to the Movies on Christmas Day -- With a Talk with Star Peter Riegert, and a Pickle-Making Demonstration with Chef David Teyf Continue Reading