Hearing the Shofar in Different Ways
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What do you feel when you hear the shofar? For each person, when, where, and how the shofar is heard is a unique experience. To begin with, each shofar has its own sound since it comes from the horn an animal, and each living being is unique. The shofar must also be hand-crafted, which means that a person needs to carve out the horn, which is what some community members recently did at an IJDC shofar-making event. Next, comes the individuality of the person who blows the shofar, which can be attested to by Patti Freeman Dorson, who has been blowing the shofar at IHC since 1981 and happens to also be the facilitator of Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah (see below for more info).
Last, but not least, is the way we hear the shofar, which is different for each of us since we each perceive sound in different ways. This idea is powerfully captured in Rabbi Daniel Reiser’s adapted translation for the prayer said before hearing the shofar, “Blessed is our Eternal God, Who causes the air to invisibly vibrate and the three tiny bones in our eardrums to quiver, causing us to hear and to feel the blast of the shofar.” Even for those who are hard of hearing there are ways to experience the unique sound of the shofar by touching the shofar or even holding a balloon to feel the vibrations when the shofar is sounded.
As the new year begins, it is the hope of the JFGI Jewish Education Department that each community member will be able to find Jewish learning experiences that are uniquely attuned to your interests and from which you will be enriched by the sounds and ideas that resonate from learning with others. You are invited to peruse some of the featured upcoming programs below to see what calls out to you and view a complete listing of upcoming Jewish learning opportunities by accessing the Community Learning Directory.
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Intergenerational Programs
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This month's featured intergenerational programs highlight how Jewish learning opportunities in our community address diverse learners at all stages of life and from a variety of different backgrounds.
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A Mezuzzah on Every Door
Sunday, September 22
Join friends and family of all ages for the Mezuzzah Dedication Ceremony and educational program for the newly renovated Hooverwood and opening of Kraft Commons. We will be affixing 200 mezuzzot to the doorposts of resident and public rooms at Hooverwood. The event is free and open to all! Along with affixing the mezuzzot there will be activities for children and an ice cream social. For those who would like to memorialize or honor a loved one, beautiful enameled “Tree of Life” mezuzzot are available for purchase ($72 each). For more information, please contact Marcia Goldstein at margold2@gotown.net>>
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Find Your Place in B'nai Mitzvah
Begins October 20th
Community members are invited to participate in Finding Your Place in B'nai Mitzvah: A Program for Interfaith Families with Kids in the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Pipeline. This 3-session program helps interfaith families find their place in bar/bat mitzvah through learning about the lifecycle event, meeting with families who will share their prior experiences, and developing strategies to make everyone feel welcome at their child's upcoming b'nai mitzvah celebration. All families are welcome to attend, regardless of prior involvement in the Jewish community. This program is supported by a generous grant from the National Center to Encourage Judaism and will be facilitated by Patti Freeman Dorson. To sign up or for more information, please contact Nina Price at nprice@jfgi.org or 317-715-6993.
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Fall Family Fun at Spencer Farms
Sunday, October 13th
Join PJ Library and NEXTGen at Spencer Farms for a non-fire, hayride, apple cider, and pumpkin painting! This is a great way to celebrate Sukkot with your family and community. Buy your tickets today. To Learn More and Sign Up>>
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Other Upcoming Education Opportunities
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There are many ways that Jewish youth in Indy can come together to celebrate the Jewish holidays this fall. For Rosh Hashanah, all 3rd-8th graders are invited to help bring sweetness into the new year by participating in our first YoPhI Service Learning program of the year THIS SUNDAY (9/15) from 1-3 pm, which is being held in conjunction with Super Sunday.
For Yom Kippur, teens are invited to help lead Yom Kippur family services as part of IFTY programming at IHC on Wednesday, Oct. 9th. To learn more about leading services, contact Matt Hastings at matth@ihcindy.org.
And to celebrate Sukkot, there many events around the community. Do some good during your fall break and help build the Simon Jewish Community Campus sukkah on Thursday, Oct. 10th from 11 am - 2pm.
The following weekend, all 10th-12th graders are invited to a special sukkah experience on Sunday, Oct. 13th from 1-3 pm where you can meet Rabbi Jenni Greenspan, the new Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth-El Zedeck. You can also engage in games, food, and discussion in anticipation of the holiday. For more info and to RSVP, contact George Kelley at Gkelley@bez613.org.
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As the new year begins, there are many wonderful adult learning opportunities that are open to you. On Sept. 19, you are invited to hear the compelling story of Inge Auerbacher and her experiences as a child in the Teresienstadt concentration camp at Marian University at 7 p.m.
For those interested in Jewish culture and camaraderie, join NEXTGen for Twist and Shout: Challah Baking on Sept. 25, where you can learn how to make a round challah for Rosh Hashanah while enjoying some wine and cheese.
We had out first Jewish Podcast Talks in Indy on the 10th and our second introductory session to prepare for the New Year is on Sep. 17th. It's not too late to join in for listening, learning, and making new connections. The podcast series continues with The Promised Podcast, which invites community members to join in compelling discussions about Israel facilitated by Irwin Levin on Oct. 10, 17, and 24.
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