Upcoming Events

Please make note of  these rabbinic candidate demo services:

Friday, April 20th, 6:30-8pm. Demonstration (Interview) Family Service.  Rabbi Michael Ramberg will be coming to Mishkan Ha'am to lead a family service.  In order to see our candidate interaction with our children, the first half-hour of the service will be geared towards the children and will then be followed by a general service for the entire community.  As an added incentive, please join us for pizza before the service at 5:45pm.  We will have evaluation forms for you to fill out afterwards, or you can submit your reactions online by going to the following link:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDdmQnM1SmhoTXUzS3cxWFJKa0hrMlE6MQ

Saturday, April 28th, Demo (Interview) Service with Rabbi Mike Rothbaum. Rabbinic candidate, Mike Rothbaum (yes, we are only interested in interviewing rabbis named Michael) will lead our congregation in a Demonstration (interview) Shabbat Family Service.  Come and see one of our potential new rabbis in action and let us know what you think of him and how he fits with our community.   If you have children, we urge you to bring them as well, as we have asked Mike to focus the first part of the service on engaging with our children.  The second part of the service will be a more general Saturday morning service and childcare will be provided.  Stay for the kiddish following the service and schmooze with Rabbi Mike to get a more personal view of him as a candidate.  We encourage your feedback, so after the service, please fill out an evaluation form online by going to:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDdmQnM1SmhoTXUzS3cxWFJKa0hrMlE6MQ  For those of you who prefer the old-fashioned paper and pen method, there will be evaluation forms available after the service as well.  See Lynn Schmeidler for those.

 
Saturday, May 5th, 9:30am- Noon, This Year's Final She'arim Shabbat
Join us for She'arim Shabbat where we incorporate our She'arim students into the wider community, share some age-appropriate learning and experience a multi-generational service. We will start our morning together with...food! What better reason to show up on time, than the threat of missing out on mini bagels or, worse, coffee!  After a short time of noshing and schmoozing, the kids will go directly into their classrooms for 45 minutes of learning with their teachers, while the adults have 45 minutes of related learning and discussion with Reb Ezra.  Then, we'll come together as a community for prayers and a short Torah service, followed by a meaningful conversation incorporating our youngest - and oldest - members.  Note:  we will be going straight from the She'arim Shabbat into our Lag B'Omer celebration.  See below.

Saturday, May 5th, Noon, Lag B'Omer Celebration
Please join us directly following this year's final She'arim Shabbat as we celebrate Lag B'Omer on the lawn outside.   Songs, games and of course our traditional s'mores for dessert will all be in abundance.  Kosher hot dogs and buns will be provided as will a vegetarian option. Please bring along a salad, fruit or drink to round out our potluck. One final note:  please let Mark Rubin know (mbrmetro@aol.com)  if you have a fire pit or other portable grill that could be used for either the kosher or vegetarian bbq.

Sunday, May 6th, 5:30pm--7:30pm, Israel Book Group.  
Join us for a lively discussion of "The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East" by Sandy Tolan.  We will be meeting at Lois and Howard Heitner's home for lively discussion and a potluck dinner.  Please bring your always interesting and provocative thoughts and a dish to share. Email Lois at loyoga49@gmail.com for directions.

Monday, May 7th, 7:45-9:30pm, Steering Committee MeetingEveryone is welcome, whether you come regularly, or would like to come once to see what it is. We discuss upcoming programs and any current issues or inspirations at MH. Location: Rosa's house, in Yonkers. If you need directions, email her at rleadersmi@aol.com

Saturday, May 12th 10am, Bat Mitzvah of Anna Heubert-Aubry
All members and friends from Mishkan Ha'am are invited to celebrate with the Heubert-Aubry family the joyous occasion of Anna becoming a bat mitzvah.  The service will take place at the chapel at the First Reformed Church.  Kiddush will follow.

Sunday, May 13th, 11:30am-2pm, Serving at the Sharing Community
Make this Mother's Day meaningful:  We are continuing our monthly commitment to serve lunch at the Yonkers Sharing Community, a homeless shelter and soup kitchen. On the second Sunday of each month, 4 MH volunteers (any combination of teens and adults as long as one adult is present) serve lunch to up to 200 hungry people. If you are an individual, or group of 2, 3 or 4 and are interested in participating, contact Joyce Bluestone at joyceblue@optonline.net.
 Mishkan Ha'am Fundraiser Theater Party on May 13, 2012. Make this Mother’s day special with a theater day!  Thanks to Joey Parnes, we have a block of great orchestra seats reserved for us for the 3 pm show of “Over the Rainbow”, a new play about Judy Garland, appropriate for mature teens and adults: It's December 1968 and Judy Garland is poised to make a triumphant comeback… again. In a London hotel room with her young new fiancé (Tom Pelphrey) and trusted pianist (Michael Cumpsty) at her side, Garland prepares to undertake a series of concerts at London's famed Talk of the Town with her signature cocktail of talent, tenacity and razor-sharp wit, revealing the most brilliant star in her most demanding role: her life. Time Magazine raves, "as much as you will hear about Tracie Bennett's extraordinary performance, she surpasses it." "Judy Garland is very much alive" (AP) in Peter Quilter's emotional powerhouse of a show, directed by Tony Award® winner Terry Johnson (La Cage aux Folles).  Tickets are $110 each, a discount rate. Please email Lois Heitner at Lois.heitner@gmail.com if you plan to attend, and make checks out to Mishkan Ha’am, as part of the proceeds will be donated to our fund. We can plan carpooling and dinner together if interested. Deadline is May 6th, as Joey must release these great seats to the public if unsold.

Saturday, May 19th, 9:30am, Bar Mitzvah of Noah Parnes
All members and friends from Mishkan Ha'am are invited to celebrate with the Parnes family the joyous occasion of Noah becoming a bar mitzvah.  The service will take place under the tent at The Park Hill Racquet Club.  Kiddish will follow.


LOOKING AHEAD:

Saturday, June 2nd, 10am, Bat Mitzvah of Stephanie AdesAll members and friends from Mishkan Ha'am are invited to celebrate with the Ades family the joyous occasion of Stephanie becoming a bat mitzvah. The service will be held at Half Moon in Dobbs Ferry. 
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, May 12th, 6:00pm--7:30pm, AJWS's Reverse Hunger Campaign Presents: Fighting for Food Security, The Story of a Leading Haitian Activist. Join American Jewish World Service and co-sponsors  for a dialogue and refreshments featuring Camille Chalmers, Internationally recognized Haitian activist and executive director of AJWS grantee Haitian Advocacy Platform for an Alternative Development (PADPA).  Join us for a reception and riveting dialogue exploring the detrimental impact of US and other countries' food policies.  We will learn how Camille and PADPA are responding with a Haitian food revolution and we will find out what role we can play in fighting food insecurity in Haiti.  Program takes place at the Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, 475 West 250th Street, Bronx. For more info contact Illana Shushanski at ishushanski@ajws.org or            212-792-2886      .

A Yiddish Bouquet starring Mendy Cahan.  Saturday, May 19th, 9pm and Sunday, May 20th, 2pm and 6pm. Direct from Israel, Mendy Cahan's energetic concert celebrates the richness and continuity of the Yiddish language and culture.  Includes Hassidic nigunim, and declamations of avant-garde poetry; folksongs and ballads of Gebirtig and Manger; and renderings of Jacques Brel and Peggy Lee.  In Yiddish with English supertitles. Baruch College, 55 Lexington Avenue.  Box office:             (646) 312-5073      .  For more information call,             212-213-2120      .

Also:

Is it Really as Bad as it Looks?:
A Non-Sensationalist Look at Israel's Current State of Affairs
Featuring Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Correspondent Herb Keinon at this event sponsored by AJC Westchester and the 5 Synagogues of White Plains Israel Action Committees.  This town-hall-style event is free and open to the public but RSVP is required online.
Tuesday, May 8th, 8:00 p.m.
Hebrew Institute of White Plains

From Osirak to Tehran - Decisive Decision
The 5 Synagogues of White Plains Israel Action Committee and Israel Bonds present Ambassador Yehuda Avner, adviser to five Israeli Prime Ministers and best selling author of "The Prime Ministers."  Free and open to the public.  For more information, download the flyer.
Thursday, May 10th, 8:15 p.m.
Temple Israel Center of White Plains

Also of Interest:
GOT OLD CELLPHONES?  USED PRINTER CARTRIDGES?
Save your used cell phones and printer cartridges for the Mishkan recycling program that will give us a few extra dollars for programming!  Collect from your friends and relatives too!  There is a box set up at the church, or you can contact Lois Heitner at loyoga49@gmail.com

HIWP Backdoor Thrift Shop
The Hebrew Institute of White Plains seeks donations of gently used clothing, bedding, coats, hats, shoes, handbags, housewares, and costume jewelry for its thrift shop, which serves lower income patrons from White Plains and the surrounding areas.  Donations, which are tax-deductible, may be dropped off during store hours, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays.  Access to the shop is from the back parking lot at 20 Greenridge Avenue in White Plains.  The shop phone number is (914) 358-5575.
Do You Have a Laptop That is No Longer Used?  Hebrew School Needs It!
Mishkan Ha'am's She'arim/Gateways Hebrew School is looking for donations of laptops with working wifi capabilities.  Our classrooms now have wireless access and we would like to develop 21st century lessons and activities.  Mishkan Ha'am will provide a thank-you letter for your donation for tax purposes.Please note the following requirements:
~ laptop (mac or pc)
~ wirelesscapability
~ power cord
~ all documents removed/erased from hard-drive
Please email mishkanhaam.shearim@gmail.com if you think you have a potential laptop to donate.
Leslie Lieman or Reb Ezra will contact you about the specifications and when/where to drop-off.
Thanks in advance for your generous contribution to Hebrew School.


Other Upcoming Events

Serve at the Sharing Community (map) Sundays, 11:30-2pm.  This is part of our congregation's monthly commitment to serve lunch at the Yonkers Sharing Community, a homeless shelter and soup kitchen.  On the second Sunday of each month, 4 MH volunteers (any combination of teens and adults as long as one adult is present) serve lunch to up to 200 hungry people.  This is a gratifying opportunity for all.  If you are an individual, or group of 2, 3, or 4 and are interested in participating, contact Joyce Bluestone at joyceblue@optonline.net

EXTENDED COMMUNITY EVENTS

Tuesdays 7:30-9pm, Israeli Folk Dancing.  Israeli Dancing Lessons with Gabi Gabay, featuring the Manhattan Ballroom Dancers at the Riverdale Temple.  No experience required.  $10 per session, pay at the door.  All are welcome. Riverdale Temple, 4545 Independence Avenue, Riverdale, NY 10471.  718-548-3800 ext. 1 or call Gabi Gabay 917-559-7779

She'arim/ Gateways is MH's innovative approach to Jewish education and community.  
Supporting our families' desires to raise children with a deep appreciation,
 understanding and excitement for Jewish life and culture, we believe each person
 approaches Judaism from his or her own she'arim or gateway.  
For more information, contact Education Director, Reb Ezra at rebezramh@gmail.com.