Shabbat shalom! Purim is coming…

Here are links to the latest information from the state of Colorado about Covid and about vaccines. 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/Columns

• Column: Ossoff and Schumer Launch Us Into New Era (1/28/2021) - Three senators, two of them Jewish, can be credited with launching America into a new political era. Continue Reading
• ADL Disturbed by Holocaust, Nazi Analogies Leveled in Boulder City Council Conversation Over Prairie Dog Control (1/27/2021) - The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Mountain States Region is concerned about postcards sent to members of the Boulder City Council comparing them to Nazis and the “gassing” of prairie dogs to the extermination of Jews during the Holocaust, as well as a conversation reportedly among council members where one council member allegedly supported the analogies. Continue Reading
• Jewish Disabilities Advocates Synagogues Shine a Spotlight on Mental Illness Awareness (1/27/2021) - Recognizing a pressing need to reduce stigma regarding mental illness, the four synagogues that are part of Jewish Family Service’s Jewish Disabilities Advocates, will focus on mental illness awareness during Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance, & Inclusion Month in February. Continue Reading
• Put Your Values Into Action: Applications Now Open for Spring Service Corps (1/27/2021) - Part-time, paid Corps Members serve virtually or in person with local nonprofit partners in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins. The fellowship runs from March 15 - May 21, 2021. Continue Reading
• JFS Boulder and Local Partners Launch Wildfire Mental Health Program (1/25/2021) - In response to the October 2020 Cal-Wood and Lefthand Canyon wildfires, Boulder County Community Services, Community Foundation Boulder County, and Jewish Family Service are launching the Wildfire Mental Health Program (WMHP) to assist fire-impacted individuals and families seeking crisis support. Continue Reading

Jewish Life

• It’s a Purim Painting Party! (1/28/2021) - Painting is fun. Purim is fun. Painting (virtually) with friends while learning about Purim is fun squared. Continue Reading
• This Weekend at Nevei Kodesh January 29-Feb 1 (1/28/2021) - Nevei Kodesh, a warm and welcoming Jewish Renewal Community invites you to join us virtually for prayer, study and connection! Continue Reading
• From Ecstasy to Lunch – A New and Insightful Book on Kabbalah (1/25/2021) - Boulder-area kabbalist and author, Samuel Ben-Or Avital, has just released his newest book, "From Ecstasy to Lunch."  Continue Reading
• Tobias Goldman Bar Mitzvah (1/25/2021) - On Saturday, January 30th, 2021, Tobias Goldman will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Har HaShem. Continue Reading

Arts and Culture

• The 9th Boulder Jewish Film Festival Boasts a Bevy of International Guests (2/25/2021) - The focus will be on in-depth discussion with filmmakers and experts as we come together virtually for cinema and conversation. Continue Reading
• LitFest is Back at the Boulder JCC (2/22/2021) - LitFest presents six new author talks in the next month. Check them out! Continue Reading
• Judith Dack Returns to Curate Two Programs of Shorts Opening the Boulder Jewish Film Festival (2/17/2021) - Two programs of short films will be shown live, on March 10 and 11 at 2 and 7 pm, with breaks between shorts for audience discussion. Continue Reading
• Safta Offers “Dinner and a Movie” Meal for Denver Jewish Film Festival, Through February 17 (2/14/2021) - Safta is offering a "Dinner and a Movie" package for The Denver Jewish Film Festival through February 17 that includes tahini hummus, labneh, lutenitsa, falafel, harissa roasted half chicken and four pita for $65. Continue Reading
• Music and a Faustian Bargain with the Nazi Devil in “Winter Journey” (2/11/2021) - Author and radio host Martin Goldsmith joins the Boulder Jewish Film Festival to discuss the film he co-authored, based on his 2000 family memoir Continue Reading
• We Have the Stars (2/11/2021) - A new poem from Lisa Tremback. Continue Reading
• Coloradan’s Film Featured in Denver Jewish Film Festival (2/4/2021) - The 25th annual Denver Jewish Film Festival kicks off on Monday, February 8, and this year will feature "Upheaval: The Journey of Menachem Begin," a film executive produced by Coloradan, Rob Schwartz. Continue Reading
• Boulder Jewish Film Festival Offers National Audiences a Unique Retrospective Honoring Filmmaker Pierre Sauvage (2/2/2021) - Pierre Sauvage serves as artist in residence during his week-long virtual visit to the Boulder Jewish Film Festival. Continue Reading
• What We’ll Be Watching Together Alone at Home at the 2021 Boulder Jewish Film Festival (1/28/2021) - It's all about the films and the filmmakers at the ninth annual Boulder Jewish Film Festival. Tickets go on sale Monday, February 1, with an all-access pass available for $180 per household. Continue Reading

Events

• A YEAR OF COVID-19: Blessings and Loss (3/2/2021) - In response to seeing so many people suffer on so many levels, the rabbis of Haver have decided to mark the one-year anniversary of Covid-19 in Boulder with a special program on Sunday March 14th that acknowledges those losses but also offers hope and a path toward healing. Continue Reading
• Colorado Hebrew Chorale and Kol Nashim Announce Schedule for March (3/2/2021) - Colorado Hebrew Chorale is announcing three events during March, all available virtually. Continue Reading
• CU Boulder Hillel Hosts An Evening with Idan Raichel (3/1/2021) - Tonight, Tuesday, March 2nd, CU Boulder Hillel is planning an in-person drive-in concert by Idan Raichel, an international musician, with a live DJ and food trucks – all of which will be following COVID protocols. Viewers can also watch along at home via Zoom. Continue Reading
• Judaism and the Black Experience — 2021 Sondra and Howard Bender Visiting Scholar – March 18th (3/1/2021) - In this webinar, Professor Bruce Haynes (University of California, Davis) will speak about his award winning book "The Soul of Judaism: Jews of African Descent in America" (NYU Press 2018), the first comprehensive study of African-American Jewry. Continue Reading
• Five Community Choirs Will Sing Out for SafeHouse! (3/1/2021) - On Sunday, March 14, 2021, in commemoration of International Women’s Month, five community choirs will join together to present a benefit concert on behalf of SafeHouse Denver. Continue Reading
• Community Service Events at the Boulder JCC (2/25/2021) - Food drive through 2/28, and a Blood Drive next week. Find our more... Continue Reading
• Get A Taste of Israel with Chefs Alon Shaya and Liliana Myers of Safta (2/22/2021) - Hear James Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya discuss his culinary journey, from Israel to America and back again, while his partner in dine, Safta chef Liliana Myers demonstrates how to make authentic Israeli stuffed grape leaves. Continue Reading
• Boulder JCC Panel Discussion: Physical, Mental Health and Working From Home  (2/21/2021) - How are you doing with the challenges associated with working from home? On Wednesday, February 24, the Boulder JCC’s Nosh & Network group will host a panel discussion on how these challenges may be affecting us and what we can do about them. Continue Reading
• Jewish Acappella Group Leads Havdallah for Adventure Judaism (2/18/2021) - On March 6, 2021, Pizmon, a New York based Acappella group, will be leading a Havdallah service and concert for the Adventure Judaism Community. Continue Reading
• Hadassah to Hold Star-Studded Global Gala (2/14/2021) - will present “Coming Together to Heal Our World,” a virtual global benefit for Hadassah Hospitals, to be broadcast on Sunday, February 21. Continue Reading
• Ignite is Back for Purim! (2/9/2021) - After an outstanding Ignite Chanukah 2019, we have taken the event virtual and Ignite is back for Purim! Continue Reading
• The Most Important Archaeological Finds in Israel, Ever! (2/9/2021) - In this talk, Dr. David Ilan – one of the Boulder JCC’s most popular speakers – will present ten of the most significant archaeological finds from Israel, from Prehistory through late Antiquity. Continue Reading
• Learn to Bake Amazingly Delicious Hamantaschen (2/4/2021) - Please join us, Sunday, Feb 21, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, to celebrate Purim and learn to make the world's best hamantaschen! Storyteller and life long baker Renée Brachfeld will guide us in making  world’s best Hamantaschen (In your own kitchen! From scratch!), with the added treat of music and merriment provided by the inimitable Rabbi… Continue Reading
• Becoming a Soulful Parent – Even In Challenging Times (1/28/2021) - Dasee Berkowitz, author of “Becoming A Soulful Parent: A Path to the Wisdom Within,” joins the Boulder JCC live from Israel on Sunday, February 7. She will discuss her new book and parenthood during these challenging times. Continue Reading
• Tree Fabulous! Upcoming Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest Has Boulder Connections (1/25/2021) - The Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest is coming up this week, January 27 (Tu B'Shevat) through January 31, with 165 panels of climate-related goodness! Find out about (at least) two Boulder-connected panels Continue Reading