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What's Happening! For the most up to date information on events and activities happening at OZ and around the community, please visit the calendar page on the OZ website: http://www.ohavizedek.com/calendar/index.shtml.

Announcements:

Office Closed on the 4th of July! In observance of Independence Day, the OZ offices will be closed on Friday, July 4th. Shabbat services WILL take place, starting at 6pm. Have a great 4th everyone!!!

HOLD ON CHALLAH - Kathy Guevara will not have challah available to purchase the week of 7/11, as she will be recovering from surgery. She hopes to have challah available starting the week of 7/18, please check back for updates, or contact her by email.

The 2007-08 Ohavi Zedek Annual Report is NOW available. Click Here to read it! Copies are also be available to pick-up here at OZ. If you would like a copy mailed to your home, please contact Barbara in the office, 864-0218 ext. 21.

2008-09/5768-69 Hebrew School Registration OPEN, click here. For information about our Hebrew School Program, please click here.

Upcoming Events at OZ:

SAVE THE DATE! Shabbat Morning, July 26th Yeela Livnat will speak about her work in Israel: Bedouins in Israel: history, policies and consequences & her Israeli experience: Living in Sderot under the assault of rockets.

Dr. Yeela Livnat works for the Regional Council for the Unrecognized Villages (RCUV), serving as public affairs coordinator and sheep owners rights project coordinator. In addition, she teaches Public Policy and Administration at Sapir College Dr. Livnat received her Ph.D in anthropology from the University of Utah; her disseration is titled "Ensuring Their Future: The Use of Education by Young Palestinian Women in Israel." In addition, she earned Mediation Certification from The Israel Center for Negotiation and Mediation.

The combination of Yeela Livnat's presentation about the situation of Bedouins in Israel and of Israelis under rocket assault from Gaza promises to be informative and stimulating.

She is a cousin of Dr. Miriam Sturgis of our congregation.

Vermont Chai School Teachers Needed! Do you have an area of expertise and/or enjoy working with teens? Do you know of other candidates in the community who would be good teachers for our Chai School? If yes, Judy Alexander would like to speak with you! Some areas she is looking for, but not limited to: comparative religion; ethics; texts; courses in the arts; history; language. For more information, please contact: Judy Alexander, 862-5125; or Rabbi David, 864-0218 ext. 25.

Seeking Film Titles: The Interfaith & Social Action Committee is seeking the titles of films for possible screening at OZ this fall. If you know a good movie with themes relevant to the issues of Judaism, Interfaith Relations, Race Relations, Social Action, and/or Social Justice, please forward you recommendation to Barbara McGrew.

Upcoming Events in the Community:

Support UVM Hillel - UVM Hillel is running an on-line auction. Find it at http://hilleluvm.cmarket.com/. The auction will run now to August 24 but items will end over the course of the summer. We are still looking for auction items and auction sponsors. Your donations would be much appreciated. There are many wonderful items to buy, so please visit our auction site!

Tuesday, July 8, 7:30pm - Hadassah Book Club - July Meeting will be at the home of Barbara Rippa, 43 Pinnacle Drive, So Burlington. RSVP: 863-3826 or by email.
BOOK: The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer

Synopsis: In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, rare-gem dealer Isaac Amin is arrested and wrongly accused of being a spy. Terrified by his disappearance, his family must reconcile a new world of cruelty and chaos with the collapse of everything they have known. A page-turner, the book simmers with questions of identity, alienation and love. BUY THE BOOK, Click Here.

Share Your America With the World. Host a High School International Exchange Student to experience your culture and theirs like never before! ASSE International is a non-profit organization that has been working to build a world of understanding through cross-cultural and educational programs since 1976.

ASSE International is currently looking for Burlington area families to open their homes and hearts for excited, enthusiastic high school students from Germany who will be participating in a 4-week Culture and Current Events orientation program in Vermont this summer beginning July 24th.

Your Local Representative, Chandra Leenheer, is happy to help answer any questions you have about the program and help you find a student who will be a great addition to your family! (H) 863-6276, (C) 970-708-1316, email: chandra_ann@yahoo.com.

July 16 - DOESN'T ANYONE BLUSH ANYMORE? Lecture by Rabbi Manis Friedman. World-renowned author, counselor, lecturer and philosopher, he has appeared on CNN, A&E Reviews, PBS, and BBC Worldwide, and has been the subject of articles in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Seventeen, Guideposts, Insight, Publisher's Weekly and others.

The media and internet are flooded with images, language and behavior that have made people numbed to indecency and sexual promiscuity. Judaism's age-old secret to building strong relationships and lasting intimacy: modesty.

When: Wednesday, July 16 @ 7:00 p.m.
Where: Champlain College, 375 Maple Street, Hauke Hall (plenty of easy parking!)
Free. For more information please call Phyllis at 872-0544.

July 27 - What does it mean to be pro Israel? A conversation with UVM Professor Richard Sugarman. This is a new initiative by the Israel Center of Vermont intended to engage your whole family with diverse, interesting, and exciting programming for Ima (mom), Abba (dad), and Yeledim (kids). "Israel Conversations" are designed to be structured for both adult and children enjoyment. The adults will have a lecture style discussion while the children will be engaged in crafts, as well as other fun educational activities. Our goal is to spark a lively discussion about Israeli culture, society, and environment through these conversations.

When: Sunday, July 27th at 4 pm
Where: The Home of Rachel and Yisroel Jacobs, 88 North Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05401
Note: Child care and activities will be provided. Please bring the whole family!! For more information please call 802-923-1877 or email Byron at btm@icvt.org.

August 3 - Please join Hadassah for a Gala Birthday Brunch to celebrate a very special occasion, June Salander's 100th birthday (June is a Life Member of Burlington's chapter of Hadassah) on Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 at noon at the Rutland Jewish Center, 96 Grove St., Rutland. Guest speaker - Joan Nathan - America's most acclaimed Jewish cookbook author. To secure your reservation, please send $25 (check payable to Hadassah) to Linda Kopper, 3763 Rt. 109, Waterville, VT 05492. RSVP BY JULY 28TH. Further details from Linda (802) 644-6650 - email: snobunny@pshift.com.

CAJE is Coming! August 10-14: CAJE is the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education. Now in its 33rd year, this conference attracts thousands of Jews from around the world and we are fortunate to have CAJE here in our own backyard at UVM. Aside from the myriad of courses, there is nightly entertainment from every top name in Jewish entertainment--Debbie Friedman, Doug Cotler, Craig Taubman, Peri Smilow, Peter & Ellen Allard-- plus all night Israeli dancing, impromptu musicales; programs for children, fascinating speakers. You don't have to be a Jewish educator to attend, just have a thirst for Jewish knowledge and interaction with the Jewish community. For more information, visit online: www.caje.org.

And if you cannot attend but are able to rent out a room in your home for some out-of-state educators, exhibitors, entertainers, conact: Judy Alexander, 862-5125.

Now through August 31 - We Wish to See God: Places of Worship. Ohavi Zedek Synagogue was photographed and is featured in this exhibit.

Kristen Watson, photographer, invites you to stop by and see her photo exhibit, We Wish to See God: Places of Worship. She has been selected as the Summer Artist in Residence at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, which has a very active arts committee.

The show will run through August 31 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, located on Two Cherry St., Burlington (the corner of Battery and Cherry Streets) from 6-8 pm.

You can read more about the show on her website: http://kristenmwatson.com/Photo_Gallery.html, or on the Vermont Arts Calendar:
http://www.vermontartscouncil.org/tabid/63/Default.aspx.

Continuing Events & Programs:

Minyanim Needed for Rabbi Joshua and for those observing Yahrzeit!
The schedule for minyan is:

• Sunday - Thursday - 7:00pm
  
• Friday - 6:00pm
  
• Saturday & Sunday - 9:00am

We need people to sign up for all minyan's this week. Please click here to sign up online, or contact the office, 864-0218 ext. 21, if you can make it to any of the minyan's this week.

Introductory Hebrew
Letter and vowel recognition materials provided for learning at home with help as needed from Rabbi Joshua. For more information, email Rabbi Joshua Chasan or call him at 864-0218 ext. 23. Buy the book, click here.

Sisterhood Thrift Shop OPEN for Business! Come by and visit Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 10:00am - 3:00pm, and also by appointment. We're located in the Historic Barn behind the synagogue. Contact Kay Stambler, (802) 862-5220, for more information or to schedule an appointment.

We're also seeking donations. Donations accepted Mondays, Wednesday - Thursday from 1-5pm, and on Fridays from 1-3pm. No donations accepted on Tuesdays. If you have any questions, please contact Barbara in the office, 864-0218 ext. 21.

PJ Library of Vermont - The Yearning for Learning Center, with the help of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the PJ Library Steering Committee, and some very generous donors, has launched a new program called the PJ Library of Vermont.

Now, any family with at least one Jewish parent may sign up their child(ren) age 6 months through 7 years old, to receive FREE monthly Jewish books for one year. They may renew their FREE subscription after the first year. Every book comes with helpful and informative parenting guides. Parents also receive books on Jewish parenting, family life and other topics of interest. There is no obligation. Special PJ Library programs will be available to the families.

Click Here for more information on signing up for or to donate to this program.

The OZ Volunteer Network to the Rescue!
Do you need a ride? Could you use a meal delivered to your home? Need help with shopping or other errands? Would you like someone to accompany you to a doctor's appointment? Do you need a minyan to say Kaddish? We're your community! We're here for you! We'll do our very best to help. Please contact the Ohavi Zedek Volunteer Network Coordinator, Sharon Panitch, at 864-9774, or if you'd like to volunteer, download the Volunteer Network Sign-up Form, fill it out and mail it back to OZ.

Office Volunteers Needed:
To help with a multitude of tasks such as: help with mailings, folding The Voice, stuffing envelopes, bookplate insertions, and more. Please email Barbara or call her at 864-0218 ext. 21.

VRRP Need Volunteers: The Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program (VRRP) is alive and well and bustling with new arrivals! We are receiving refugees from Burundi, Bhutan, Iraq and soon from Burma! These are wonderful and fascinating people to get to know and to help adjust to American life! Would you like an opportunity to make a remarkable difference in someone's life? How about the opportunity to make yourself happy by giving of your time and talents? We are in need of volunteers right now and in the future. If you would like to join our dynamic volunteer group, please call Deirdre at 338-4632 or email for details and an application!

Go to Young Judaea Event Schedule