Shir Hayam » News

June 2009

Sivan/Tammuz 5769

Event Quick Reference:

June 3, 9, 16 – Kugelette Practice at Cay’s
June 7 – Annual Meeting
June 20 – Cowan Bar Mitzvah

SHIR HAYAM EVENTS

See member’s calendar
or call 206-855-7924 for event details.

BEN COWAN’S BAR MITZVAH

All Shir Hayamers are invited to join us at Harmony Hill in Union, WA
Sat June 20th at 10:30AM as Ben is called to the Torah. Please RSVP by June 6th to davidc01@aol.com.

ANNUAL MEETING

Fun and Games (really!)

Sunday, June 7
11:00 – 2:00
held outside at the Simons/Rosner house
7505 NE Coyote Farm Lane
780-4353

a short business meeting followed by a pot luck picnic and games
an event for parents & children
childcare provided during business meeting

Business agenda:
Approval of proposed budget for next year*
Brief committee reports
Approval of new coordinating committee members
Other??? Do you have items you’d like to see on the agenda? Let us know!

  • see the proposed budget for next year on the forum under General Announcements. Please review and get comments to a Coordinating Committee member before June 7. We’re attempting to keep the budget discussion pleasantly short!

This just in…! MERIT SCHOLAR PROGRAM “HIGH PERFORMERS” ANNOUNCED

Congratulations to our National Merit “high performer”: Talia Weiss. 


“High Performers” have shown outstanding academic potential and the Merit Scholarship Program is inviting them, through their schools, to be referred to two colleges or universities in the United States in which they are especially interested. Of the 50,000 “high performers” nationwide, about 16,000 will be named National Merit Program Semifinalists, representing the top scorers in each state. This information will be released next fall.

MITZVAH CORP

The Chavurat Shir Hayam Mitzvah Corp wishes to offer assistance of any kind to anyone in our community. If anyone is in need of help please contact one of the following members Denise Brown, Zann Jacobrown, Sharon Rutzick, Robyn Stahl or Sue Steindorf.

TIKKUN OLAM CORNER

POVERTY HERE AT HOME

When you go to the grocery store, try to buy some extras and deposit them at the Helpline collection bin near the parking lot doors. If you go to Costco, buy an extra flat or products that Helpline always needs and drop them directly at Helpline’s office.

Here are some items that are always needed: “Hearty” type soups, beef stew, peanut butter and jam, ravioli and spaghetti O’s, canned chicken and tuna, cooking oils, canned fruits and vegetables, kid snacks and crackers.

INSECURITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Tacoma Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center by Craig Jacobrown

Last February a friend of mine told me about Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Detention Center in Tacoma. According to my friend there were many immigrants detained there and many were being deported arbitrarily. Apparently two of the Immigration Judges, who must only comply with DHS regulations outside of US law, would regularly deport immigrants without regard for the due process.

A group of people from Agate Passage Friends meeting and I attended a training session to become part of a ‘court watch’ program. Our team was one of several that observed the court proceedings and, we believe helped to keep the judges accountable to serve better justice to the detainees. Each week, members of our team or program would attend one of the mass hearings where a judge would decide if a detainee could stay in the US or if they should be deported. My team has now stopped participating in the court watch program because the two judges who disregarded the rules have been transferred away from the Tacoma Detention Center. Still, when I was participating, I felt so sorry for so many of the immigrants who were having hearings. Some were deported because they had not filed the proper paper work in time, others because they were dependant on another being deported and one man was deported just because of a traffic violation. Unfortunately most were hard working and seemed like decent citizens but the judges were fully within their rights to deport them. Now, until we might have new judges in Tacoma who show disregard for the rights of detainees, the court watch program on hiatus. Meanwhile, the best we can do is educate ourselves, our community and our
representatives about the issue and our concerns.

For more info read more about the About The U.S. Detention and Deportation System at Detention Watch Network

SHIR HAYAM SPEAKER’S BUREAU

We would like to set up a Speakers Bureau. Would you be interested in being on a list to be called upon when a community event requests a speaker from Shir Hayam? Examples could be a community forum or vigil, Crop Walk blessing, IFC event, etc. Keep an eye on your email – I will post an item on the Community Forum and people can sign up there.

IFC NEWS

Saturday, June 6, 2009: Weed Warriors at the Day Road Park and Ride: Weed pull from 10 to noon at the Day Road Park and Ride. We’ve almost—but not quite—succeeded in beautifying this major crossroads. Park at the Day Road Park and Ride on the east side of 305 and Day. Help keep both Willowbrook Farm Landtrust Easement, southwest of 305, and Day Road Veterinary clear. This is a great success story. Let’s keep it that way.

BEROL-SHINDELL SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship is available for Jewish undergraduates attending UW during the 2009-2010 year. These partial tuition, need-based scholarships have been established at the Hillel Foundation for Jewish Life at UW. Students have until May 1, 2009 to submit an application. If you have any questions, please call the Hillel office at 206.527.1997 or check their website www.hilleluw.org. Rabbi Will Berkovitz, Greenstein Family Executive Director

GET YOUR CAMP ON!

Do you know any incoming 6th, 7th and 8th graders who would like to receive up to $1800 for Jewish summer camp? The Foundation for Jewish Camp’s JWest Campership Program provides incentives to first-time campers, who are not enrolled at Jewish day schools, to attend URJ Camp Kalsman, Camp Solomon Schechter, Habonim D’ror Camp Miriam, Camp Young Judaea West or one of 16 other non-profit Jewish residential camps throughout Western North America. Camps range from religiously affiliated to non-denominational and Secular Zionist. The incentives are not need-based, so anyone can apply. To make the deal even sweeter, JWest will fund a return to camp the summer of 2010 (up to $1000)! To learn more or to apply, visit www.onehappycamper.org. If you have friends or relatives who meet the eligibility requirements, please help us spread the word! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Michele Yanow at 206-708-7518 or email her at myanow@jewishcamp.org.

HAPPENING IN SEATTLE

Seattle Jewish Chorale: Inaugural Spring Concert – June 14, 2009 7:30 PM

At Town Hall 1119 Eighth Ave. (at Seneca St.) $12.00 – $15.00 Contact: Michele Yanow 206.708.7518 jewishchorale@live.com

Founded in the fall of 2008, Seattle Jewish Chorale’s first season includes appearances at Bellevue Square Mall, the Seattle Jewish Film Festival, and the 2009 NW Folklife Festival. The 33-member group’s repertoire includes songs in Hebrew, English, Yiddish and Ladino, and incorporates a wide variety of styles and genres within the Jewish choral tradition: sacred and secular; a cappella and accompanied; classical, jazz, folk, and pop. The Inaugural Spring Concert will include works by Salamone Rossi, Jeff Klepper, Jose Bowen, Meir Finkelstein, Nurit Hirsch, Chava Alberstein and Marina Belenky, among others.

Cantor Marina Belenky, Artistic Director, has over 20 years of experience directing Jewish and interfaith choirs in the U.S. and the FSU. One of the first former Soviet emigre artists to study for the Jewish cantorate, she is a graduate of St. Petersburgs Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory of Music and the School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College. She served as Cantor and Music Director of Temple Sinai, Stamford, CT and Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle. In addition to directing SJC, composing, arranging and teaching, she is a guest soloist at concerts and synagogues around the country, and has performed with the Seattle Symphony.

Seattle Jewish Chorale is dedicated to:
Performing works that reflect the wide spectrum of Jewish experiences and choral traditions; playing an educational role in bringing the richness and diversity of Jewish song to its members and the public; promoting Jewish values and building bridges to understanding and respect through the universal language of music.

Seattle Jewish Chorale is a volunteer, not-for-profit, multi-generational choir, whose members come from all over the Greater Seattle area and diverse parts of the Jewish community. For more information about auditioning for SJC, joining the mailing list, or making a tax-deductible donation, email jewishchorale@live.com or call 206.708.7518

PENINSULA COMMUNITY CAMPOUT

Summer Shabbaton Campout for Peninsula Jewish Communities
When: July 17 & 18 – Friday afternoon through Sunday morning
Where: Camp Wilson dorms of Fort Flagler State Park
Facilities: Double beds, separate men & women’s bathrooms, kitchens
Amenities: Great beach, volley ball, fields, fire pit, woods and trails, boat launch with neat café, historical fort bunkers, museum, and lots of trails to explore
Activities: Coordinated by Diane & Rolland Pfaff of COBS – welcome programming contributions for all communities / attendees
Fees: $10 per person per night – 2 nights = $20 / person – includes bed and use of camp facilities and park amenities
What to bring: Linen & towels, food, beverage & what you like to have with you on a campout

Organizer: Congregation Olympic B’nai Shalom of Sequim – Port Angeles
Contact Person: Scott Gordon, gordonsc@olypen.com (mobile # 360-460-5636)
Pre-registration: ASAP – need to know how many are coming in the next few weeks how many are coming so appropriate dorm is confirmed.

Make checks payable to: “COBS” and mail to: “Scott Gordon, P.O. Box 271, Carlsborg, WA 98324”

Jun 1, 09:46 AM