December was an exciting month for Havurah. Our Chanukah Gala had a magnificent turnout. The food was terrific, the décor lovely, and the evening was a truly magical “Night of Light.” Thank you to the entire Chanukah Gala committee, led by Jan Grinel and Helene Laefer, for putting together a spectacular evening with incredible prizes and basket giveaways.
Our Menorah Lighting was a blast. Relocating to Independence Center worked out quite well. There were multiple reasons for changing our format, including newly instituted charges for refreshments at Anthem Center and the concerns expressed by Havurah members about security following the events of October 7th. After sharing those concerns with our Leadership Team, we agreed to forgo our usual ceremony in the parking lot and move the Lighting to the Independence Center courtyard. We also pulled back on the public advertising we usually do for the event. We enjoyed donuts, warm beverages, and the music of our newly formed Havurah ensemble with a room that was filled to near capacity.
I was delighted to hear how many members stepped forward to make calls for Chanukah. Thank you to Marilyn Lerner for coordinating these calls. Marilyn continually demonstrates the true meaning of Havurah.
Looking ahead, we have a Shabbat Dinner on January 26th (invitation linked HERE), a quarterly Membership meeting on February 7th, a Purim Party on March 23rd, and our first Passover Seder on April 22. Stay tuned for some more new offerings, perhaps in the form of small group learning opportunities (a Hebrew class, challah baking, and Jewish cooking have been suggested). We would love to hear from the gentlemen in the club with suggestions about what kinds of activities they would like us to offer.
We are looking forward to hosting several new member get-togethers soon. When we have dates, we will let you know.
Finally, if you haven’t paid your 2024 dues yet, please do so at your earliest convenience. Dues are $15 per person. You can make your check payable to Sun City Anthem Community Association, Inc. and place it in the Havurah mailbox across from the fitness desk at Anthem Center.
Am Yisrael Chai,
Debbie
P.S. Thank you to my wonderful Vice-Presidents, Wendy Linow and Ricki Weintraub, who edited this newsletter for me. They are both much better writers than I am.