Netivot+Shalom-+Kick-off+invitation+letter

Dear Parents,

It is almost time for us to begin Rimmonim! This summer, Rabbi Kelman, Sonya Jassen, who will be teaching the children, and I have been planning our program. Now it is time to “kick off” Rimmonim with our opening event on Sunday, September 10, from 11:30 to 1:30 in the large classroom upstairs at Congregation Netivot Shalom. We will do a little learning, create some art related to the //middot// (values) we will focus on this year, enjoy lunch, and sing songs together. Jonathan Bayer, a New York based children’s song leader who is performing in the Bay Area next weekend, will lead us in a special program of songs. Please come and please come on time!

Rimmonim children (grades K-2) and parents will meet from 10:30 to 12:15 the first and third Shabbat of each month starting on September 16 and continuing until June 16. Our time will include: an opening circle, family learning (parents and children together), //tefillah// and a Torah story, separate but parallel parent learning and children’s learning, and a closing circle. The learning will be focused on //middot//, one per month, all related to this year’s focus on our bodies. We will be exploring //middot// which can enhance our self-awareness and help us in our daily lives including: taking care of our bodies, preventing accidents, being modest, honoring one another’s differences, being a good listener, being careful with our speech, being truthful, not embarrassing, and having a pleasant demeanor.

In addition to our Saturday morning meetings, we will gather from 10:00 to 12:00 the second Sunday of each month (October 8 through June 10) for a social action project related to the month’s //middah//, and from 7:30 to 9:00 the first Thursday evening of each month (October 5 through June 7) for more in depth adult learning, again related to the //middah//, led by various members of our larger Netivot community.

Please mark your calendars, share the enclosed brochures with friends who may be interested in the program (which is open to non-Netivot member families), and come on September 10!

RSVP by Thursday, September 7 to Rimmonim@netivotshalom.org. Let me know if you need childcare for younger siblings. I am looking forward to a great year as we begin the Rimmonim program together!

B’Shalom,

Cathy Shadd, Rimmonim Coordinator

Congregation Netivot Shalom 1316 University Avenue, Berkeley, California 94702 (510) 549-9447 [|www.netivotshalom.org] email: rimmonim@netivotshalom.org

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