Southern Arizona Jewish Renewal Network

From BluWiki

Welcome to the Southern Arizona Jewish Renewal Network (SAJRN).

The mission of SAJRN is to share information and build community among people and organizations involved in Jewish Renewal in Southern Arizona.

We follow ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal?s definitions of Renewal. For more information, see: www.aleph.org

We build community by creating events and by educating ourselves and offering educational resources about community process, and about honoring the great diversity of people of all ages, races, cultural backgrounds (Sephardic, Mizrachi, Ashkenazi), genders, sexual orientations, abilities, socioeconomic classes, and affiliations with denominations of Judaism.

This is an interactive page. Anyone may add resources once you create a free log-in account for yourself (see buttons at upper right of page). Please also remember to update ongoing event listings as needed, and remove past ones.

In order to build community, we honor the impact of our words; in the Jewish tradition the world is spoken into being. Our words online and in person are gentle and kind.

We remember the words of the Shema, and see the oneness of all Being.

Shiviti Adonai l'negdi tamid--I place G!d before me always (Ps. 16:8) reminds us to see G!d in whatever is unfolding in our lives.

Thus we honor community as a wonderful container for bringing issues to the surface to be healed as well as supporting our growth in myriad ways. We take responsibility for becoming aware of our own needs and finding resources to further our healing and growth. When we feel hurt, we process our feelings to become aware of what issues have been stirred in order to be more deeply healed.

If we then think it would be beneficial to approach a person or group involved, we do so out of an understanding our own feelings and the needs that are driving them. If we need further help, we seek out the skills of a counselor, rabbinic counselor, therapist, healing practitioner, facilitator, or mediator.

We also have an interactive email list to facilitate event-planning. To join, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SAJRN/

[edit] Community Resources

Articles on our local community

Formation of SAJRN, Arizona Jewish Post, Aug. 17, 2007, Our Town http://www.jewishtucson.org/page.html?ArticleID=156709

Lobb, Rabbi Shafir,"Renewal kallah is mosaic of Jewish choices," Arizona Jewish Post, July 13, 2007. http://www.jewishtucson.org/page.html?ArticleID=152228

Mayaan, Deborah, "Jewish renewal flavors Tucson worship," Arizona Jewish Post, Nov. 4, 2005, cover story. [event listings outdated; for current listings see section on this page below] http://www.jewishtucson.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=166681 http://www.jewishtucson.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=166682

Resources for starting from a heart space:

Dosick, Rabbi Wayne and Ellen Kaufman Dosick. 20 Minute Kabbalah. Cardiff-By-The-Sea, Calif.: Waterside Publishing, 2007. [CD accompanies book; to learn more see: www.20minutekabbalah.com This journey through the sephirot begins at Tiferet, the place of harmony located in the heart area, and then spirals through the rest of the sephirot. The chant for Tiferet is Shiviti Adonai l?negdi tamid ?I place G!d before me always (Ps. 16:8).

Resources for learning more about feelings and needs:

Kohanov, Linda. Riding Between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential Through the Way of the Horse. Novato, Calif.: New World Library, 2003. Includes stories of transformation achieved by learning the message behind emotions, and provides resource for developing emotional agility?the ability to be aware of an emotion, find the message behind it, use that information to make changes in our lives, and then to let go of the emotion.

Rosenberg, Marshall B. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Compassion. Del Mar, Calif.: PuddleDancer Press, 1999. Teaches how to identifying people?s feelings and the needs that they are attempting to get met. When the focus is on needs, people find that they can find solutions that meet everyone?s needs, rather than engaging in conflicts over strategies.

[edit] Event listings

Please contact the organizations leading events to confirm current schedules or get other information. If you have questions about listing events here, contact Deborah Mayaan at deborah@deborahmayaan.com.

Ongoing events:

Monday

4th Monday
Tucson Tikkun Community
community discussions on peace topics
7-9 pm
Contact Zahra Zaccaria mlzaccaria@comcast.net

Thursday

Rabbi Michael Shapiro
approximately every six weeks
contact Marilyn Devore azmd18@aol.com

Friday

2nd Friday
Renewal service--Congregation Ner Tamid
Rabbi Shafir Lobb
7:30 pm
http://www.nertamidtucson.org/

Saturday

1st Saturday
Tal Torah (Dew of the Torah) study and meal
Steve Joseph and Corey Hansen-Joseph
1:00-3:30 pm
taltorah@sbcglobal.net

2nd Saturday
Midbar Minyan
davening from the Reconstructionist Siddur, child-friendly, rotating leaders
10 am-noon, followed by potluck
contact Craig Sumberg, csumberg@comcast.net

3rd Saturday
Contemplative Service
chanting service
Rabbi Stephanie Aaron
10--11:30 am on most 3rd Saturdays--see current calendar at:
http://www.chaverim.net

Every Saturday
Ner Tamid Shabbat Mornings
davening from the Mishkan Ner Tamid Siddur
Rabbi Shafir Lobb
10 am-noon, followed by dairy / vege lunch
http://www.nertamidtucson.org/

Short-term series and special events:

2010 Jan 29 Friday - New Year of the Trees (Tu B'Shevat) at TerraSante

Beginning at 5:30 pm with candlelighting for Shabbat, Deborah Mayaan will lead an outdoor Tu B'Shevat seder at TerraSante. We'll take part in a Jewish mystical practice of eating nuts and tree fruits that represent different spiritual qualities, and also do energy work practices to enhance these qualities. Everyone is welcome to this outdoor gathering.

Afterwards, we can join the full moon potluck and drumming (see below). Overnight camping is available, and people are welcome to spend Saturday in self-guided meditation, conversation, reading, taking walks, making art, or whatever else renews them, with Havdalah under the stars Saturday evening.

www.deborah@deborahmayaan.com 881-2534 www.terrasante.org

2010 Sun Spet 26, 3-6 pm 3rd Annual Sukkot Water Drawing Celebration Tucson Jewish Community Center Cosponsored by the Southern Arizona Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, Tucson Jewish Community Center, Israel Center, Coalition for Jewish Education, PJ Library, Jewish Arts Alliance, and the Deborah Mayaan Israel Festival Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona For more information, contact Deborah Mayaan at deborah@deborahmayaan.com

[edit] Other events/calendars to consider in scheduling

The following are board meetings, rehearsals, and ongoing events in the larger world that are schedule conflicts for some people active in SAJRN. While no single event may be accessible to every person, an awareness of other events may help in scheduling.

Other calendars to consider consulting are:

Jewish Tucson calendar http://jewishtucson.org/calendar/index.aspx

Jewish Tucson planning calendar http://jewishtucson.org/page.aspx?ID=113308

Tucson Events http://www.visittucson.org/visitor/Events/?gclid=CJDx4ZnY55QCFQJtFQodRlvJRQ

Monday
2nd--Chaverim board meeting

Tuesday
2nd--Southern Arizona Coalistion on the Environment and Jewish Life (SAZ COEJL) board meeting

Thursday
Chaverim choir practice (Shirim)

November
2nd weekend--Open Studio Tour (Tucson Pima Arts Council)