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A Holiday for JCOGS: The 7th of Adar

03/15/2024 10:24:28 AM

Mar15

Concerts, Parties, and Birthdays!-Weekly Email

03/13/2024 02:57:11 PM

Mar13

What's new at JCOGS-Weekly Email

03/06/2024 02:38:01 PM

Mar6

More Joy, Less Oy-Weekly Email

02/28/2024 02:53:03 PM

Feb28

Tetzaveh With An Interfaith Heart -Weekly Email

02/21/2024 10:21:32 AM

Feb21

building a sculpture of love 

02/20/2024 12:01:24 PM

Feb20

On Feb 14th a heart-y crew of Olam Chesed Club kids and parents braved the cold to create a giant heart sculpture in front of JCOGS.  Faced with the challenges of not-so-frozen ice blocks (it takes days of deep freeze to make good ice), it was decided to create a horizontal sculpture rather than a vertical one. Working together the kids chose a location that would be seen from the road and engineered a sloping base to elevate the heart as much as possible. 

After a raucus session of sledding down giant snow hills, we gathered for soup and hot chocolate to warm our bones and some activities and discussions about love.  We had a love song sing-off and compared two different Jewish concepts of love: chesed חסד/lovingkindness and ahavah אהבה/love, and learned the phrase:

Love the other as you love yourself  וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ

Moni told the midrash of R. Shamai and R. Hillel being challenged to tell the whole of Torah on one foot which inspired the kids to launch into a deep discussion of how love is at the heart of our relationship with G!d.

Love of Learning at JCOGS-Weekly Email

02/14/2024 02:43:15 PM

Feb14

So Much Happening-Weekly Email

02/07/2024 04:12:11 PM

Feb7

The Ten Commandments in Montpelier-Weekly Email

01/31/2024 01:55:12 PM

Jan31

Thursday 1/25 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day-Weekly Email

01/24/2024 02:28:55 PM

Jan24

A Personal Update: The Hope of Tu BiShvat

01/19/2024 10:04:09 AM

Jan19

Let's talk about Israel -Weekly Email

01/17/2024 02:06:55 PM

Jan17

Tu BiShvat and Martin Luther King-Weekly Email

01/10/2024 02:33:31 PM

Jan10

Post Card from Rabbi David- Weekly Email

01/03/2024 02:47:01 PM

Jan3

Happy 2024!-Weekly Email

12/20/2023 02:00:45 PM

Dec20

The Seventh Night of Light -Weekly Email

12/13/2023 01:03:44 PM

Dec13

Hanukkah 2023

12/12/2023 06:12:24 PM

Dec12

The Increase the Light family Glow Dance Party brought nearly 70 folks from the Mad River Valley and Waterbury area to celebrate the 7th candle with us.  The kids had a great time playing rousing games of "Flip the Latkes" and "Pin the Candle on the Menorah", thanks to the masterful MC, Moni Liberman.  Libby and David Babbott-Klein led everyone in an exciting interactive retelling of the Hanukkah story. Many thanks to ZenBarn for delicious latkes and a wonderful space, to Cold Hollow and Shaw's for discounts on cider and donuts.

The annual Iron Chef and Hanukkah party was such a colorful, joyful, light-filled celebration! Everyone created such wonderful delectables using this year's secret ingredient: RAINBOW which was inspired by the colorful Hanukkah candles.
Special thanks to Shelly Citron for coordinating the Iron Chef, to Art Dorfman for tallying the votes, and to Emmanuel Cantor for being such a mensch of a guest judge.

Mazel tov to the winners:

Lyla and Barb S. - braided rainbow challah - overall

Amy Rosenthal and Jonah W - Noah's ark cake and rice crispie sculpture - best Talmudic reference

 B. and Fiona B. - rainbow skittles cake - presentation 

Amy Hoskins - vegan, gluten free rainbow pizza - taste 

Emi M. - rainbow cupcakes with fluffy clouds - best use of rainbow  

Much gratitude to our generous neighbors for the gift certificates awarded as prizes:

Sushi Yossi   Pizza on Main   Aladdin       Black Diamond  Black Diamond Barbecue Logo

Chanukah Spinning Large Wood Dreidels (pack of 2)Mazel tov to Siena S. for guessing the closest number of dreidels in the bowl!Chanukah Spinning Large Wood Dreidels (pack of 2)

Here comes Hanukkah! -Weekly Email

12/06/2023 02:59:31 PM

Dec6

The Iron Chef Secret ingredient is....-Weekly Email

11/29/2023 01:56:11 PM

Nov29

"Paths of Peace": Statement on the Burlington Shooting

11/27/2023 07:18:55 PM

Nov27

What We Share: An Invitation for Israel Learning and Conversation

11/24/2023 08:54:24 AM

Nov24

Hannukah Happenings and Israel Learning-Weekly Email

11/22/2023 01:25:40 PM

Nov22

Rabbi Stories- Weekly Email

11/15/2023 01:34:21 PM

Nov15

Challah for Israel - Weekly Email

11/08/2023 01:16:10 PM

Nov8

A Shabbat full of Love - Weekly Email

11/01/2023 06:01:16 AM

Nov1

Gratitude for JCOGS & Terach: An Invitation for Learning and Conversation

10/27/2023 08:07:11 AM

Oct27

Care for Israel and emotional Well-Being Weekly Email

10/25/2023 01:21:22 PM

Oct25

In Solidarity with the People of Israel - Weekly Email

10/18/2023 02:47:46 PM

Oct18

Jewish Vermont and our allies gathered to rally in solidarity with the people of Israel

10/17/2023 12:27:41 PM

Oct17

Mayor Miro Weinberger, Rabbi Eliyahu Junik, Beth Liberman, Rabbi Jan Salzman  Beth Liberman, Rabbi David Edelson, Governor Phil Scott, Councilwoman Karen Paul, Rabbi Eliyahu Junik, Rabbi Raskin

Nearly 600 Jewish Vermonters and allies gathered beneath the steps of Burlington City Hall to show their solidarity with the people of Israel. The event was all about unity, from its inception and organization by rabbis and leadership from across the spectrum of local Jewish organizations, to the crowd that represented people from all walks of Jewish life and supporters of the Jewish people, from politicians to leaders of other faith communities to friends.

Speakers included Rabbis David Edelson of Temple Sinai, Eliyahu Junik of Chabad, Aaron Philmus of Ohavi Tzedek, Jan Salzman of Ruach haMaqom, and Beth Liberman, our director of education, represented JCOGS as Rabbi David made his way towards New Zealand.

Governor Phil Scott spoke of the clear line between good and evil and expressed his support and we also heard from Mayor Miro Weinberger and Councilperson Karen Paul who spoke out as politicians and members of the Burlington Jewish community. Senators Sanders and Welch and Representative Balint sent strong statements which were read by members of their teams.  See Beth's speech here.

It was comforting to cry together, powerful to sing together, and ultmately, uplifting to dance together as the last notes of Hatikvah blended into Am Yisrael Chai. 

Two Things at Once: A Message and Personal Update

10/16/2023 02:04:52 PM

Oct16

Mon, March 18 2024 8 Adar II 5784