Aleph Canada Newsletter - May 2010

RABBINIC DIRECTOR'S REPORT: MAY 2010

I have the privilege of living on a beautiful little island which serves as home for about a thousand people and a place of sanctuary and sanctity the other ten to fifteen thousand people who spend all or part of their summers here. Yet, in this age of high speed internet and inexpensive phone calling, we are far less isolated than we once were. Our community is blessed with many people who practice thinking globally while acting locally. We are painfully aware of the suffering of others and the environmental degradation which our human societies seem unable or unwilling to fully recognize.

In this world, our spirituality, both as personal practice and as reinforcement for our ideals, is crucial to our ability to make the transitions necessary for our survival and growth as a species on this fragile planet we call home.

As I’ve written you before ALEPH, like so many other organizations dedicated to human spiritual and social growth, is having its difficulties in the material world. It seems that all of us who are committed to inner development, mitigation of human suffering, and the cultural arts which nourish us in such crucial ways, are those who are considered the easiest to limit in times of economic constraint.

It has been gratifying, then, that many of you rose to the occasion during the most extreme moment of our financial worries. It is especially gratifying that the number of our chai per month donors has now grown to nineteen! Small and predictable giving is what gives us relief from having to badger you with fund-raising appeals and, more important, allows us to focus on delivering program and creating the resources which help us to practice our Judaism in a way which enhances our lives and the lives of others with whom we share this planet. So, please, consider becoming a chai/month donor if you possibly can.

And, on the subject of program, please see the announcement of our first High Holyday retreat below and through the related links, as well as a progress report on ongoing projects.

This summer I am planning to make some changes in the way my life is balanced and I look forward to sharing them with you in my next note.

In the meantime, I hope that you all are enjoying the emerging Spring as we count our way toward our annual  reunion at the base of Sinai.

Rabbi Daniel Siegel

Aleph Canada Newsletter - May 2010

CANADIANS ATTENDING KALLAH

If you are going, or thinking of going, to the ALEPH Kallah, July 1-7 in Rindge NH, here is some information for Canadians that you might find useful.

On the registration form there is a space to enter an amount for ALEPH membership which says “ALEPH tax deductible membership: $54 single…”. You should know that this amount is only tax deductible if you are registering from the US.

Here is how you can get a Canadian tax receipt for your ALEPH membership if you are registering from Canada:

1. Go to www.canadahelps.org or click on the donate now button at www.alephcanada.ca
2. Enter ALEPH: ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH RENEWAL INCORPORATED

3. Select one-time amount (enter $54 or more), or monthly donation (of $5 or more).
4. Enter all your contact information and also mention that this is for Kallah 2013 registration.

Once you have done this, you will not need to enter an amount for ALEPH membership on the Kallah registration form.  Also remember to take advantage of any discounts on the registration form (first-timers, minyanim, etc.) that may apply to you.

Enjoy Kallah, it looks to be a great year!

For more on Kallah, visit www.aleph.org

 

Aleph Canada Newsletter - December 28, 2009

RABINNIC DIRECTOR'S 2009 YEAR-END REPORT

Dear Friends of Jewish Renewal,

Reb Zalman teaches that we are passing through a Paradigm Shift as humanity learns to absorb the implications of space travel, instantaneous world-wide communication, and the strain on the planet’s resources created by the technologies and consumption patterns of growing material abundance and population. This past year has witnessed the difficulties in shifting paradigm, as we search for the humane and ethical ways to exit the economic downturn.

These difficulties have also affected ALEPH and ALEPH Canada. As most of you know by now, attendance at Kallah was significantly lower than it has been in over a decade due to the economic situation. In addition, some of our larger donors have had to reduce their gifts. It has been, and still is, a challenge to make ends meet and keep our program healthy. It is a tribute to ALEPH Executive Director Deb Kolodny and our Kallah director Sally Plone that the Kallah actually managed to contribute to our operating expenses and so far our program continues to grow.

We Canadians are playing an important role in keeping ALEPH healthy and a creative influence in our paradigm shifting. We more than doubled our giving this past year. The ALEPH Bet Midrash added two new educational programs which have met with wonderful responses. We’ve added the first stage in the development of a new kind of machzor / High Holyday prayerbook, and we have begun helping new programs develop in three parts of our country.

As we light our Hanukkah candles, take a moment to review this letter and the extended descriptions on our website. Take pride in the role we are playing in strengthening and growing Jewish Renewal. And please, if you are not already, please consider becoming a chai/month donor.

With prayers that our new year be one of hope, of progress in redirecting our world toward peace and environmental responsibility, and one of joy and fulfillment for each of you.

Rabbi Daniel Siegel

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