The OZ Monthly Book Club meets monthly and welcomes adult readers. Book selections are determined by the group, with topics that are related to Jewish themes and concepts. Join these casual discussions about the book.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic, created to be the wife of a man who dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899.

Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free.

Ahmad and Chava become unlikely friends and soul mates with a mystical connection. Marvelous and compulsively readable, Helene Wecker’s debut novel The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction and magical fable, into a wondrously inventive and unforgettable tale.

Israeli folkdance is a joyous folk art form that is easy to start and difficult to stop. It draws from many cultures and expresses itself in dances that range in complexity and speed. See this article for more information.

Join hosts Adele, Lani and Mitch and a friendly group of people that gathers periodically on Zoom or in person to enjoy the folkdances of Israel!

Are you interested in plays? Come together in person from 2-4:00 on a Sunday afternoon to read and discuss a Jewish play. Each play is from a different period in Jewish history. Drop in to as many sessions as you can. Never read a script before – we’ll help you!

Elie Weisel: The Trial of God takes place in 1649, in a small village in Ukraine after a pogram; Purim revelers arrive and meet the last Jewish person – the bar tender/owner. Where is God when innocent people suffer? The Purim spiel is the trial of God. (written 1979)

Come Sing with Us! We’re a group of people who want to join together in a circle and connect by singing Niggunim (wordless melodies), chants and prayers. No concerts, no auditions, no judgement. We will smile and sing together.

Contact Gigi / Judy if you’d like to chat.

10:30am – 11am: Megila reading and costume parade
11am -12:30pm: Party, music, lunch, games, bouncy castle, raffle

Suggested donation (for party and not Megila reading): $18/family, $5/adult, $3/child

Click To Register

Purim Celebration and Shpiel at Shir Shalom Everyone Welcome Potluck- bring a dish to share

MCL is honored to kick off our partnership with the Yiddish Book Center’s Between Two Worlds Reading Group by hosting a ROWDY viewing of Fiddler on the Roof! Come dance and sing along to this classic movie inspired by Sholem Aleichem’s Tevye the Dairyman. Please come in costume and bring an instrument or a snack if you feel so inclined! 

And don’t miss our first book discussion of Sholem Aleichem’s Tevye the Dairyman on Thursday, March 26th at 5:30 pm!

This film screening is presented as part of the Yiddish Book Center’s Public Libraries Program, Between Two Worlds, a partnership with the American Library Association. Made possible by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. 

Purim is Coming!

Registration

Burlington Clergy are working together to offer an interfaith book group to build community and reflect on ways to respond to crisis with moral and faith-full clarity.

The Book: Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea by Mark Kurlansky

Join Beth Jacob Synagogue for our annual Purim Party! Come to enjoy Hebrew, Yiddish, and klezmer music, make crafts with the kids, and enjoy an English/Hebrew hybrid reading of the megillah!

This year will be a potluck-style dinner. Bring your favorite veggie or dairy dish to share!

Beverages and hamantaschen will be served. Registration is encouraged

In partnership with PJ Library in Vermont

Purim at the Circus – Community Celebration!

🎭 3:30 PM – Megillah Reading
🎪 4:00 PM – Carnival Fair for all ages!
🍽 4:30 PM – Dinner Opens
✨ 5:00 PM – Marko the Magician

Purim Celebration!

Join Ohavi Zedek for a joyous Purim celebration!

We’ll begin with the weekday Maariv evening service, followed by the reading of the Megillah. Afterward, we’ll transition into a lively celebration with food, schmoozing, and dancing for those who feel like it.

🎭Costumes encouraged; we will have an informal competition!

Come ready to enjoy a hearty lentil stew at 6:30pm and we’ll celebrate the mitzvah of eating together and, of course, indulge in some delicious hamantaschen

Purim is coming soon! Join us Monday, March 2nd at 6:00 PM for Chabad of Stowe's Purim party!

There will be an aminated reading of the megillah led by Rabbi Simon and punctuated by our loudest Haman booing. Then we'll partake in a Purim feast fit for royalty. On Purim the goal is to be as joyful as possible and with games, crafts, drinks, costumes, and music, our party will be rocking. There will be delicious Hamantaschen that bring you back to childhood and a Mishloach Manot station so you can make a Purim gift for a friend. Let's turn our worlds upside down for an evening- in the best way possible!

This event is free to attend. Please RSVP at sara@chabadofstowe.com

Join with R’ Ariel in a weekly class and discussion on Jewish belief– topics will include G-d, revelation, the covenant, interfaith relations, social justice, and living a life of Torah. We welcome all to join and delve into these topics (and more), all sources in English and no background needed!

Join Rabbi David Edleson for an evening exploring how Israel is processing the events of the last two years through the lens of popular music and music videos. 

On Zoom Only.

Register Here

In this session, co-hosted with ADL, we will explore age-appropriate and practical ways to engage tween and teen grandchildren in meaningful conversations about the realities of antisemitism today. 

We will include: 

• How grandparents can be their adult children’s partners in supporting grandchildren who experience or witness antisemitism. 

• Scenarios and perspective-taking to practice talking to grandchildren about antisemitism. 

• Shared personal experiences of confronting antisemitism. 

Please fill out the this form and you will receive the Zoom Join link in the Confirmation page and email after you register.

Join JCOGS for a meaningful discussion of "Just Mercy," by Bryan Stevenson, led by Rabbi David alongside community members who took part in an interfaith civil rights trip

Info

A fundraiser for humanitarian aid in Israel and Palestine. A partnership between communities, volunteers bake and sell bread in the community kitchens to benefit these medical relief organizations:

United Hatzalah: first responders in Israel
Palestine Children’s Relief Fund: medical care for children in Gaza and West Bank

Our goal is to partner with a diverse groups of interfaith congregations on this project. This date will include Ohavi Zedek and Burlington Friends Meeting, as well as other invited local congregations. If your house of worship church, synagogue or mosque is interested in participating, please contact us.

Bread (challah, pita, gluten-free oat) will be baked in the OZ kitchen from 12pm – 6pm and available for pick-up in the evening or the following day in Burlington or Richmond. Volunteers are also needed during the following time slots: Noon – 1:30pm, 1:30pm – 3pm, and 3pm – 5pm.

Purchase Bread / Sign Up to Volunteer Here

Come learn about the Druze and what they experienced last August in Syria when pogrom-like massacres of Druze villages occurred in the area know as Sweida.    

The Druze are heirs to a fascinating religious and cultural tradition.  They trace their close connection to the Jewish people all the way back to Jethro, Moses' father-in-law and mentor.  In modern times, the Druze have been an integral part of Israeli society, standing with Jews during Arab violence in pre-state Palestine and then as leaders in the Israeli Defense Forces. Most recently, Israeli has stood as a strong ally with the Druze of Syria, intervening to reduce the violence against them. 

Ashraf Alamantouri is a Syrian Druze from Sweida who relocated to Vermont and now works in Higher Education.  His extended family experienced the recent attacks in Sweida and Mr. Alamantouri will be sharing those experiences with us.  He will also answer some of our questions about the Druze tradition.  

This is rare opportunity to hear directly from a local Druze about recent events in Syria and Israel's role in defending this religious minority against Islamist militias.  

In Person Only.

Join with R’ Ariel in a weekly class and discussion on Jewish belief– topics will include G-d, revelation, the covenant, interfaith relations, social justice, and living a life of Torah. We welcome all to join and delve into these topics (and more), all sources in English and no background needed!

The Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network (CASAN) is a volunteer group that welcomes people seeking asylum who are in our local communities.

Lunch and learn about the challenges these new neighbors of ours face, and how you can help.