National Havurah Committee

2 8 th S U M M E R I N S T I T U T E
August 7-13, 2006
Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH

National Havurah Committee

(215) 248-1335 • www.havurah.org
Welcome to the NHC!
The National Havurah Committee (NHC) is a
network of diverse individuals and communi-
ties dedicated to Jewish living and learning,
community building, and tikkun olam (repair-
ing the world). For nearly 30 years, the NHC
has helped Jews across North America envi-
sion a joyful grassroots Judaism, and has pro-
vided the tools to help people create empow-
ered Jewish lives and communities. The NHC
is nondenominational, multigenerational,
egalitarian, and volunteer-run.
The NHC’s flagship program, the week-long
Summer Institute, is a unique opportunity for
serious study, moving prayer, spirited conver-
sation, late-night jam sessions, singing, danc-
ing, swimming, meditation, and hiking – all in the company of more
than 300 people from a wide range of backgrounds. Each year par-
ticipants leave the Institute reinvigorated and excited to return to
their home communities to share new ideas and experiences.
One of the NHC’s greatest strengths is the diversity of its partici-
pants. We are musicians, doctors, students, furniture makers,
retirees, Jewish professionals, homemakers, teachers, activists, and
just about everything else. At the 2005 Summer Institute, our
youngest participant was 5 months old and our oldest was over 80,
with many participants from all age groups in between. We are
Jews from birth, Jews by choice, people committed to both tradi-
tional and non-traditional Jewish practice, non-Jews, and people
exploring Judaism; LGBT and straight; people of color, Sefardi,
Mizrachi and Ashkenazi; urban, rural, and suburban; Conservative,
Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Reform, Renewal, secular, and Jewish
without labels; and people with no formal Jewish education, peo-
ple with Ph.D.’s in Talmud, and people with all other types of Jewish
backgrounds. The dynamic process of exploring together what
Judaism and Jewishness means in our lives is a highlight of the
Institute.
At the Institute, every teacher is also a student and every student is
also a teacher. People who are usually called “rabbi” or “professor”
throughout the year go by their first names here. And people who
rarely take active leadership roles in their communities discover that
they, too, can teach and contribute to the community.
One participant summed it up best when she wrote after attending
her first Havurah Institute: “The Havurah Institute was slightly clos-
er to heaven on earth than other places I’ve been before. It was a
week of learning, singing, dancing, talking, thinking, and feel-
ing...You could make friends with anyone regardless of age or affil-
iation. It was a place full of individuals and families of all ages,
shapes, colors, orientations and interests, united by a love of learn-
ing and teaching and a desire to make Judaism a positive force in
their lives.”
We look forward to creating community with you at this summer’s
Institute!
The 2006 Summer
Institute Theme
The 2006 Summer Institute theme, select-
ed by the participants at the 2005 Summer
Institute, is “Vehayah im shamoa’ tishme’u / If
you really listen...” This theme comes from
Deuteronomy 11:13, in the Torah portion
that will be read during the Institute week.
Many of this year’s courses focus on differ-
ent ways that we can listen: listening to the
sound of the shofar, listening through sign
language, listening to poetry, listening to
the voices of various groups of people, lis-
tening to the voices of our classical texts, lis-
tening to the divine voice, and listening
when the divine voice is silent. We also lis-
ten to each other as we build a participato-
ry community together. In order to listen
in the languages we can communicate in,
there will be special tables in the dining hall
for conversation in Hebrew, Yiddish,
Arabic, American Sign Language, and oth-
ers.
A Day at the Institute
During a typical day at the Institute, you
will
• take two classes with dynamic teachers
• attend stimulating optional workshops
• choose from exciting prayer, text study,
and yoga options
• enjoy delicious kosher vegetarian food
• spend free time relaxing in a beautiful nat-
ural setting
• participate in evening programs and
entertainment
• make and renew friendships, have great
conversations, laugh, think, sing, dance,
and learn
Courses
The centerpieces of the Institute are the
courses offered each morning and after-
noon. Courses are small, intense, and led
by teachers, Institute participants them-
selves, who present material they love in an
inclusive style that encourages everyone to
participate. Choose from classes in tradi-
tional texts, Jewish war ethics, Torah com-
mentary through dance, the history of
Jewish Germans, prayer in Judaism and
Islam, and other intriguing subjects. Your
background is not important; your desire to
learn is.

Workshops
The Institute also offers informal hour-long
workshops led by Institute participants on
topics of their choice. Last year’s workshop
topics included the Friday night liturgy,
kippah crocheting, rabbinic texts, the Jews
of Africa, yoga, and Judaism through comic
books. Participants will decide this year’s
topics by volunteering to teach workshops!
Please indicate on the registration form if
you would like to lead a workshop – we
encourage you to share your knowledge and
skills.
Minyanim (Prayer Services)
Every day will offer a different menu of spir-
ited prayer (and prayer alternative) options,
in a range of styles: praying in Hebrew, in
English, in silence, in song, indoors, out-
doors, with instruments, without instru-
ments, and in any other style that partici-
pants bring to the Institute. There is also a
traditional egalitarian service three times
daily. Please indicate on the registration
form if you would like to lead a service in any
style. All minyanim organized and spon-
sored by the NHC are fully egalitarian,
with equal participation by men and
women. Individual participants who wish
to organize minyanim where eligibility for
leading or participation is based on gen-
der may contact the NHC office to
arrange a meeting space.
Celebrating Shabbat
Shabbat is the culmination of the Institute.
The intense experience of Jewish living, the
creation of community, the intellectual and
spiritual excitement of the courses, and our
new and renewed friendships all lead to a
special, joyful Shabbat. Before Shabbat
starts, participants build an eruv (boundary)
and make other Shabbat preparations.
Shabbat then begins with a rousing kabbal-
at shabbat (welcoming Shabbat) service for
the entire community, followed by a festive
dinner and opportunities for text study, sto-
rytelling, poetry reading, and singing late
into the night. A number of different
minyanim meet on Saturday morning, after
which the community gathers for lunch,
further study and recreational activities, and
seudah shelishit (the third Shabbat meal).
Shabbat ends on a high note with a beauti-
ful havdalah (end of Shabbat ceremony)
under the stars.
Families and Children
The Institute gives families with children a
unique opportunity to vacation and learn
together as part of the larger community.
Parents and children also enjoy enriching
independent experiences throughout the
week.
Evening babysitting is available throughout
the week for a small additional fee paid in
advance.
The NHC Children’s Camp
At the NHC Children’s Camp, kids enjoy
developing their own close-knit communi-
ty. The camp is led by a staff of profession-
al educators, artists, and musicians, many of
whom are long-time Institute participants.
The program emphasizes Jewish experi-
ences related to the Institute’s theme and
based on the havurah model – participato-
ry, diverse, and age-appropriate.
Children’s Camp includes:
• All-camp gatherings each morning with
songs, prayers, and stories
• Supervised outdoor recreation in a safe
environment with water play or swim-
ming each day (weather permitting)
• Jewish-oriented playtime for babies and
toddlers
• Creative, developmentally appropriate
Jewish learning for preschool children
• Community building with fun and Judaic
content for elementary school-age chil-
dren.
The NHC’s adult teaching faculty, Artists-
in-Residence, and other members of the
Institute community also participate in the
Children’s Camp, bringing their areas of
expertise to the kids. And, new for Institute
2006, we will also have a Children’s Camp
Specialist-in-Residence who will develop
and lead exciting activities for each age
group.
Please note that Children’s Camp is
designed for kids six months to twelve years
old who can participate in an all day pro-
gram with a break for lunch. (Camp oper-
ates during scheduled class times.)
Children are grouped according to age and
grade levels. We do our best to accommo-
date all children. Please contact the office if
your child receives special assistance at
school during the year so we can help you
plan for your child’s needs.
for registration and dues. Returning
Fellows can apply for half-scholarships.
To apply for an Everett fellowship, you
must be a first-time adult attendee at the
NHC Summer Institute, at least one year
post-college age through mid-30s, interest-
ed in exploring havurah Judaism, and will-
ing to participate fully in the Institute.
planned just for the weekend. Shabbat
guests should plan to arrive on Friday,
August 11 between 1:30 and 3:15 pm.
Programs for the entire community begin
around 3:00 pm. Please see the fee sched-
ule for Shabbat-only registration.
Special Workshop

The Teen Program Application:

Every year teenagers at the Institute build a
teen community. This community provides
a home base and an inclusive group of
friends for the teen participants, most of
whom also attend with their families.
Designated adult advisors are available to
teenagers at all times for checking in and
trouble-shooting. Teens may work in the
Children’s Camp or the Institute office for a
reduction in registration fees. Please call
the NHC office for more information.
Franklin Pierce College
Franklin Pierce College is located among
the beautiful forests, lakes, and mountains
of southern New Hampshire, just 90 min-
utes from Boston and 4.5 hours from New
York City. The campus features ample con-
ference facilities with free internet access, a
variety of comfortable housing choices, and
a fitness center. Mt. Monadnock and the
White Mountains overlook the campus,
which also contains walking trails and a lake
for swimming and boating. Optional side
trips during the Institute include a sunrise
hike up Mt. Monadnock (the second most-
climbed-mountain in the world) and an
outdoor morning service at the interfaith
Cathedral of the Pines.
The Everett Fellows
A generous grant from The Edith and
Henry Everett Philanthropic Fund under-
writes the Everett Fellows Program for
young adults who have demonstrated their
potential to be advocates for Jewish causes
and who are actively engaged in defining
their post-college participation in the
Jewish community. Fellows participate in
the full Institute programming and in daily
workshops designed specifically for them.
They receive a scholarship for tuition,
room, and board, and are expected to pay
Please email your application to
everettfellows@havurah.org by May 1, 2006.
To apply, please provide your name, com-
plete postal address, day and evening phone
numbers, email address, age, and occupa-
tion.
Please prepare a 1-2 page personal state-
ment that addresses the following ques-
tions:
1. What activities and interests reflect and
enhance your Judaism?
2. What do you hope to gain from attend-
ing the Institute?
Photo credit Chrystie Sherman
3. How would you incorporate your own
personal characteristics into this com-
munity? (The NHC community thrives Special Shabbat Program
through everyone’s contribution, in an with Ruth Messinger
unlimited number of ways. Examples
Ruth Messinger will be joining us for
include setup for Shabbat, leading work-
Shabbat and leading two Special
shops, services, impromptu singing
Workshops. Ruth’s activism has been a vital
groups, class discussion, and more.)
example of Jewish listening to the needs of
the rest of the world. She is former
A complete Everett Fellows application also
Manhattan borough president (New York)
includes:
and currently the president of American
• Two letters of recommendation (may be
Jewish World Service (www.ajws.org), a
sent by separate email or by postal mail to
nonprofit organization that helps alleviate
the NHC office). We prefer at least one
poverty, hunger, and disease among the
letter from someone who knows you in a
people of the world regardless of race, reli-
Jewish context.
gion, or nationality. Her workshops will
• A completed NHC Summer Institute reg-
include a firsthand account of the ongoing
istration form with a check for your fees
genocidal campaign in Darfur, Sudan that
($123.00) made out to the NHC. Your
has claimed over 400,000 lives. We will
check will be held until you accept the
learn about techniques for becoming more
Fellowship.
effective social justice activists and how we
can help motivate our home communities
Shabbat Guests to take on this Jewish responsibility.
Throughout both sessions Ruth will share
Can’t join us for the whole week? Have her personal story as a global and local
friends or family members who would like
activist.
to join you for Shabbat? All are welcome to
join the Institute community for a beauti-
ful, restful, meaningful Shabbat in the
mountains. Weekday classes will be over,
but there are a number of special programs

3
Course Descriptions Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.

Morning Courses Angeles, where she is currently the Artist in

Every year, the Institute features two Artists-
in-Residence, funded by a grant from the
Rita Poretsky Foundation. In addition to
teaching their courses throughout the week,
the Artists-in-Residence will lead a commu-
nity-wide program and will bring arts activ-
ities to the children’s camp. This year
Andrea Hodos (M-1) and Kathy Hart (A-2)
are our Poretsky Artists-in-Residence.
Residence. She studied techniques of commu-
nity-based dance with Liz Lerman Dance
Exchange in Washington DC, and performed
and taught with African-American/Jewish
Ensemble Joshua’s Wall Performance
Company in Philadelphia. She has created a
solo show called “Cutting My Hair in
Jerusalem” about her reengagement as an
American feminist with traditional Judaism
and its texts.

Arts and Literature

M-1 Moving Torah:
Seeing the Voices
Andrea Hodos
Each of us will create our own dance/the-
ater commentary on the Israelites’ experi-
ence of receiving Torah. We’ll begin with a
close reading of the Torah text on the reve-
lation at Sinai and, using writing exercises
that draw on our learning, we’ll create the
text for our commentary. We’ll also move
through easy-to-follow methods for creat-
ing interesting and engaging movement.
Working with a partner, we’ll put our words
and movement together to create Moving
Torah – commentary that is heard and seen
at the same time. It’s a revelatory experi-
ence for everyone, both performers and
viewers!
Poretsky Artist-in-Residence
Andrea, a former Everett Fellow and Institute
teacher, is the creator of Moving Torah work-
shops, a method for creating Biblical com-
mentary using writing, movement, and the-
ater exercises. For eight years she taught Bible
and acted as the Jewish Arts Coordinator at
the Milken Community High School in Los
M-3 Ein Torah b’li Havurah:
Introduction to Havurah Judaism
Bob Freedman
Torah and fellowship go hand in hand.
Since its beginnings, the Havurah move-
ment has been learning and teaching about
how to acquire Torah in community. We’ll
smooth the path into this tradition for new-
comers to the Institute by learning some
Jewish history and texts, niggunim (songs
without words), davenology (the how, what
and why of prayer), an introduction to
Kabbalah (mystical tradition), and a lot
from each other. The only prerequisite is an
inquiring mind.
This course is underwritten by a generous con-
tribution from the Albin Family Foundation.
Bob has been involved with the Havurah and
Jewish Renewal movements for many years,
teaching and developing programs for NHC
Summer Institutes and ALEPH Kallot. He is
the rabbi of Israel Congregation in
Manchester, VT.
M-5 Palestine 1948:
Independence and Catastrophe
Harold Gorvine
Explore the 1948 war through first-hand
accounts, documents, fiction, and the writ-
ings of historians. Look at the war as seen
by Israeli military and political leaders, and
as viewed from the bottom by those who
fought and suffered through it. We’ll focus
as well on the Palestinian refugee problem.
Group discussion and hevruta (one-on-one)
study will be the methods of instruction.
Harold was honored in June 2001 by the
Alumni Association of Akiba Hebrew
Academy (in suburban Philadelphia) for 35
years of outstanding teaching of history and
Jewish studies. This is his 9th NHC Institute.
History and Culture
M-7 Ramban’s Wisdom
Jeremy Kalmanofsky
By any measure, Moses ben Nachman
(Ramban, or Nachmanides, 1194-1270,
Spain and Israel) was one of the greatest
rabbis of all time. He led his community in
times of trouble, taught Torah to help peo-
ple both live deeply and understand pro-
foundly, raised many students, and helped
people discover God. Together we will
study his life and writings to encounter this
tremendous figure as Bible commentator,
Kabbalist (mystic), synagogue preacher,
community leader, and poet. Hebrew is
helpful for text study, but all texts will be
given in English translation as well as in the
original Hebrew.
Jeremy has been the rabbi of Congregation
Ansche Chesed in Manhattan since 2001. He
finds this pulpit rewarding for the opportuni-
ty it affords to help people build religious lives
that are holy in both traditional and contem-
porary ways. His own religious interests focus
on mysticism and unorthodox halacha (reli-
gious law). He lives in New York with his
wife, Rabbi Amy Kalmanofsky, and their
children Yedidya, Hadas, Isaiah, and Odelya.
Spirituality and Religious Life,
Intermediate Text

4
Course Descriptions continued
M-9 Prayer in Judaism and Islam
Benj Kamm
In both Judaism and Islam, prayer plays a
prominent role in systems of practice and
law that frame how members of the com-
munity relate to God and one another.
Within these frameworks, fixed prayer facil-
itates an individual’s relationship with God
and also reinforces communal norms and
ideology. We will look at the origins and
practice of prayer in Judaism and Islam, in
both individual and communal settings.
Our study will also introduce the source
texts for these traditions and the text-based
process each religion uses for determining
practice. All texts will be studied in English
translation with Hebrew, Aramaic, and
Arabic copies available.
Benj is a senior at Brown University concen-
trating in Middle East Studies. A longtime
member of the NHC community and co-chair
of the 2002 Summer Institute, he is excited to
be teaching a full-length Institute course for
the first time.
Spirituality and
Religious Life
5
M-11 Men, Women, and Sex
in the Talmud
Ronnie Levin
Using both halachic (legal) and midrashic
(story) materials, we will study Talmudic
(rabbinic) texts that relate to men, women,
marriage, and sex. We’ll start with some of
the biblical underpinnings and go from
there. This is an introductory course; texts
will be read in translation.
Ronnie is a longtime member of and teacher
within the Havurah community, with a grad-
uate degree in Bible and tefillah (prayer). In
real life, she does risk assessment and cost-ben-
efit analysis for the US Environmental
Protection Agency.
M-13 Re-examining Our Roots:
A Contemporary Look at the
Development of Monotheism,
1500-500 BCE
Stuart Mangel
When God gave the Torah at Mt. Sinai,
according to tradition, monotheism was
introduced to the world. Contemporary
biblical scholarship, however, asserts that
the Torah was written and compiled by peo-
ple over the course of hundreds of years,
and that the monotheistic religion of the
Israelites arose from the Canaanite people
and their polytheistic religion. Using
archaeological and textual sources, we will
discuss the evidence for the human author-
ship of the Torah, whether the Exodus
occurred as described in the Torah, and how
a monotheistic Israelite religion developed
from its polytheistic beginnings. English
translations of all Hebrew and Ugaritic
materials will be provided.
Stuart is a professor at Ohio State University,
where he teaches and does brain research.
Before moving there in the summer of 2005,
he and his family lived in Alabama, where he
was a co-founder of the Birmingham
Havdalah Havurah. Stuart is a veteran of
many NHC Summer Institutes.
History and Culture, Contemporary
Issues
M-15 Jewish Germans:
A Glorious History
Bernice Potvin
It’s hard not to view the history of Jewish
Germans through the lens of the Shoah
(Holocaust), but we’ll try. We’ll strive to
cast light on the complexities of this society
by examining 19th- and 20th-century reli-
gious traditions, institutions, scholarship,
and participation in the secular community.
By understanding the evolution of the
German Jewish community, we may find
parallels and lessons for 21st-century
American Jewry.

Bernice shares her passionate interest in the
history and culture of the Jews of Germany
from the perspective of an aspiring historian,
practicing attorney, and sometime law school
adjunct professor. She chairs Adult Education
at Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston
and the Horvitz Scholar-in-Residence
Program at Houston’s Jewish Community
Center. Bernice has attended a previous
Summer Institute and Cape Cod retreats.
History and Culture, Especially Suited
for Families
M-17 Who Knows Four? I Know
Six! Listening to Our Silent
Matriarchs
Regina Sandler-Phillips
Bilhah and Zilpah, the mothers of one-
third of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, are usu-
ally misrepresented and dismissed as Jacob’s
“concubines,” even in egalitarian communi-
ties. Yet a closer study of the biblical narra-
tive, traditional commentaries, mystical lit-
erature, and folklore reveals a very different
story. To hear the silences speak in the lives
of these two women, we will combine clas-
sical forms of interpretation with contem-
porary understandings of gender and social
class. We will recover what has been lost in
translation, and discover a hidden legacy of
women’s peacemaking handed down by
these forgotten matriarchs. While previous
Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.
Hebrew text study and knowledge of tradi-
tional forms of biblical interpretation are
strongly recommended, translations will be
provided for all texts.
Regina is a transdenominational rabbi who
has served as a chaplain, educator, and “singer
provocateur” in Israel and the US. She works
primarily through Ways of Peace Consulting
and Educational Services, and is writing a
book about reclaiming the traditions of the
hevra kadisha (sacred Jewish burial fellow-
ship). Regina has taught at four previous
NHC Summer Institutes.
Spirituality and Religious Life,
Intermediate/Advanced Text
M-19 The Divine Voice in Human
Hearing (and Doing)
Jonah Steinberg
How did we get from the Torah in the ark
to the Torah of the rabbinic beit midrash
(house of study), and the Torah of lived
Judaism? Is it a matter of revelation, human
interpretation, evolving folk custom, or the
influences of history and experience? What
are the spiritual consequences of acknowl-
edging each of those factors in the Torah of
our lives? In this beit midrash style course,
combining introductions, first-hand
encounter with the sources in hevruta
(study pairs), and group discussion, we will
explore a variety of rabbinic grapplings with
the question, ranging from the second
through the twentieth centuries. The ses-
sions are designed to satisfy advanced learn-
ers while supporting beginners as well.
Since discussions will focus on the words of
the texts, an elementary ability to read
Hebrew is strongly recommended.
Jonah holds a Ph.D. in Talmud, is director of
Talmudic Studies at the Rabbinical School of
Hebrew College, and is a co-founder of
Hebrew College’s Summer Beit Midrash. He
has also taught at the Jewish Theological
Seminary, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic
Studies at the University of Judaism, and the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Jonah
received the “New Scholar Award” from the
Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion.
Extended Format (each session is 2.5
hours, instead of the standard 1.5
hours); Text for Everyone/Advanced
Text
M-21 Exploring, Renewing, and
Keeping Shabbat
Ilana Streit
Shabbat is a way to let go in our lives. How
do we do this today, both one day a week
and in smaller moments during the work
week? We will explore some classical texts
but focus on new guidelines and new liturgy
for the day of rest, and also look at new
applications of the practice of Shabbat in
our lives. Prerequisites: familiarity with
basic customs and ideas about Shabbat, and
some experience of or thinking about
Shabbat. This can happen between registra-
tion and the Institute, with recommended
books and websites provided.
Ilana has been creating meaningful Shabbats
for herself and her communities for ten years.
She facilitates opportunities for creativity,
engagement and learning, and helped develop
TorahQuest, a method of interactive text study
that will be used in this class. A longtime par-
ticipant in Havurah Institutes, Ilana is a
graduate student in the Heller/Hornstein
Program in Jewish Communal Service and
Mission-Driven Management at Brandeis
University. One of her favorite Shabbat prac-
tices is unplugging and covering clocks, and
then not knowing what time it is.
Spirituality and Religious Life
6
Course Descriptions continued
M-23 Writing and Listening to
Jewish Poetry
Philip Terman
Students will write poems inspired by their
Jewish experience (in the broad sense).
Sessions will consist of “workshopping”
each other’s poems, reading poems by estab-
lished Jewish poets (ranging from the Bible
to contemporary authors) for inspiration
and modeling, and experimenting with
poetic techniques, forms, and subjects.
Some in-class writing will get the juices
flowing, followed by assignments for class
critique. By the end of the course, students
will not only discover a deeper appreciation
of Jewish poetry, but be more comfortable
in developing their own poetic “Jewish”
voice. Prerequisites: an interest in writing
poetry. (A love for the written word will
help; no previous writing experience need-
ed.)
Philip is the author of four books of poetry:
What Survives, The House of Sages, Book
of the Unbroken Days, and Greatest Hits.
His poems and essays have appeared in
numerous journals, such as Poetry Magazine,
Tikkun, the Kenyon Review, The Georgia
Review, and The Forward. He is a professor
of English and creative writing at Clarion
University of Pennsylvania, and co-director of
the Chautauqua Writers’ Festival at the
Chautauqua Institute.
Arts and Literature
7
Afternoon Courses
A-2 We are the People of the
Book: Creating a One-of-a-Kind
Book
Kathy Hart
Listening comes in many forms: literal – to
stories from our families, or from the Torah
and other books; metaphorical – to our-
selves and our thoughts, concerns, likes,
and dislikes; and listening to God or nature,
what we hear when we really pay attention.
In preparation for creating one-of-a-kind
books, we’ll discuss the kinds of listening
we’ve experienced in our lives and how the
“stories” in Judaism – especially in the
Torah, the oldest book – have formed and
informed our lives. After exploring the
ways in which we are all storytellers, we will
use various techniques (collage, printing,
paints, and writing) to construct pages and
covers for our books, which we will also
bind. This is not scrapbooking and no art
experience is required.
There will be a $20 materials fee payable
directly to the instructor.
Poretsky Artist-in-Residence
Kathy (www.kathyhart.com), a longtime
Havurahnik, is a metalsmith, painter, and
bookmaker who works in many media to tell
stories and make Jewish ritual art. Her
recent one-person show, “Inheriting Memory,
A Testimony of Survival,” told the stories of
her family’s experiences during the Holocaust.
Arts and Literature
A-4 Listening to Palestinian Voices:
Hearing Palestinian Narratives
Joseph Berman
While the Israel-Palestine “debate” often
leaves us hungering for genuine dialogue,
attempts at peaceful discussions often fall
short of really allowing us to understand the
core narratives that motivate those with
whom we dialogue. This course is designed
to be an exercise in the first steps necessary
for peacemaking. We’ll look at Jewish texts
that deal with the hows and whys of listen-
ing to others to ground our learning in
Jewish values, find a medium through
which to engage with each other, and open
up the possibility of truly hearing the narra-
tive of the “other.” The Palestinian voices
will come through story and poetry, film
and photograph, as well as graphic novel
and testimony. We will explore voices on
al-Nakba (The Catastrophe) and the
refugee experience, stories of Palestinian cit-
izens of Israel and those living under occu-
pation, as well as contemporary perspec-
tives. Borrowing from various models of
dialogue, we will work to create a safe, sup-
portive, and respectful learning and listen-
ing environment.
Joseph, a former Everett Fellow, has studied
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict extensively and
has been involved with numerous peace and
coexistence organizations over the past five
years. After graduating from Wesleyan
University in 2004, Joseph spent a year in
Jerusalem on the New Israel Fund’s Richard J.
Israel Memorial Social Justice Fellowship
working with the Israeli peace movement. He
is a rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College.
Contemporary Issues
A-6 A Neighborhood to Pray In:
Where American Jews Live and
Why
Adam Gordon
Does it really matter if Jews drive on
Shabbat? Why do some Hasidim live inter-
mixed with Caribbean immigrants in
Crown Heights, New York and others in
isolated communities upstate? Why have
an eruv (boundary), anyway? You will learn
and debate Jewish and American law and
history in order to understand the answers

to these questions. In the process, you will
grapple with how where you live helps
define who you are as a Jew and shapes your
community’s values and spirituality.
Adam, a former Everett Fellow, is co-founder
and editor-in-chief of The Next American
City, a quarterly magazine about the future
of cities and suburbs that the New York
Times calls “a subtle plan to change the
world.” He has worked, written, and spoken
on racial discrimination and urban policy,
Jewish communities’ interactions with sur-
rounding neighborhoods, and domestic and
international housing. He is finishing Yale
Law School, where he is a member of
Congregation Beth El Keser Israel.
Spirituality and Religious Life
A-8 Listening with Our Eyes,
Praying with our Hands: Sign
Language Prayer
Susan Gulack
Sign language is a real form of communica-
tion for the deaf, and has much to teach the
hearing as well. Sign is a way to help us
understand the Hebrew, bring our bodies
into prayer, and increase our kavanah
(intention). Praying with sign is a way to
add a movement meditation to prayer, as
well as a visual component for those who
daven (pray) with you. We will learn key
sign concepts and vocabulary, look at the
choices made when one translates/inter-
prets, and learn to pray with our bodies.
Our learning will enhance our Shabbat
davening, both at the Institute and at home.
Knowledge of sign is not required, but a
familiarity with Hebrew and prayer will be
helpful.
Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.
Sue has been signing prayers for more than 25
years. She is the child of a deaf mother and
served as a rabbi in Henrietta, NY, home of
the National Technical Institute of the Deaf.
She prays in sign to enhance her own kavanah,
and also to help involve others in the meaning
of the words.
Spirituality and Religious Life
A-10 Lishmoa Kol Shofar:
Hearing the Shofar
Marga Hirsch
Learn about listening to the voice of the
shofar, as well as how to blow it so that oth-
ers can hear it properly. While concentrat-
ing on the Rosh Hashanah shofar service,
we’ll also consider other occasions when the
shofar is sounded in modern times. Our
study will include biblical texts that men-
tion shofar, halachic (legal) texts that
describe how to blow and listen to it, and
contemporary texts that interpret the sho-
far. Ability to follow a Hebrew text with
translation will be a plus but is not required,
as all materials will be provided in English.
Participants do not need to own their own
shofar.
Marga has been a ba’alat teki’ah (shofar
blower) since she became a bat mitzvah and
has blown for congregations in the US and
Israel. When it is not shofar blowing season,
Marga serves as Library/Media Center
Specialist at the Perelman Jewish Day School
outside Philadelphia and teaches in the
Florence Melton Adult Mini-School Parent
Education Program.
Spirituality and Religious Life
A-12 Mystics, Mavericks, and
Merrymakers: An Intimate Journey
among Hasidic Girls
Stephanie Levine
Drawing from the teacher’s recently pub-
lished book of the same title, the class will
discuss her research and share an intimate
sojourn with teenage girls in the
Lubavitcher Hasidic community. The pri-
mary goal of the project was to listen to oth-
ers with depth and empathy. We will do the
same in the course, focusing on these
Hasidic teenagers, each other, and the larg-
er Institute community.
Stephanie’s first book has attracted consider-
able attention; it won the 2004 Moment
Book Award for nonfiction, selection for the
Hadassah Book Club reading list, and enthu-
siastic reviews from a wide range of publica-
tions in the United States, Israel, and the UK.
With an A.B. from Brown University and a
Ph.D. from Harvard, Stephanie teaches at
Tufts University and has enjoyed speaking
about her work in a broad mix of venues.
Stephanie is putting the finishing touches on
her second book, a novel set in a fictional
Hasidic community.
Contemporary Issues, Spirituality and
Religious Life
A-14 Not In Heaven: When God is
Silent, To Whom Do We Listen?
Neil Litt
When Rabbi Eliezer summoned a Heavenly
Voice to the study hall and it proclaimed
that he was correct, Rabbi Yehoshua stood
up and declared, “The Torah is not in
Heaven!” (Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia
59b). Rabbi Yirmiyah explained that once
the Torah had already been given at Mount
Sinai, we should no longer pay attention to
Heavenly Voices. Is this a declaration of
independence from the revelations of new
prophets or a declaration of dependence on
human reason? We will look at rabbinic
and modern texts to seek clarity on who we
listen to and what we listen for.
Neil is a past chair of the National Havurah
Committee, and taught on modern echoes of
the Talmud (rabbinic commentary) at last
summer’s Institute. He is a member of the
8
Course Descriptions continued
Library Minyan at the Princeton Jewish
Center in NJ. He has been reading Talmud
every day for the past six years, and continues
to find it brilliant and challenging as a his-
toric and literary achievement. His Talmud
blog, “Daf Am Haaretz” (http://amidlifecri-
sis.blogspot.com/), wrestles with Talmud and
insists on applying it to this time and place.
A-16 A Taste of Zohar:
Teachings on the Days of Awe
Louis Rieser
When the Zohar, the central text of Jewish
mysticism, explores the key themes of the
Days of Awe, new understandings emerge.
We’ll explore three selections from the
Zohar focusing on the themes of creation,
tzedakah (righteousness), and hospitality.
As we decode the Zohar’s symbolic lan-
guage and follow the dynamic interplay of
the sefirot (divine emanations), we will
open new possibilities for an enriched
9
experience of the High Holy Days. All
material will be available in English.
Louis is the rabbi at Etz Hayim Synagogue in
Derry, NH. He has taught at NHC Summer
Institutes and Winter Retreats, serves on the
national board of the Central Conference of
American Rabbis, and sits on the board of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Manchester.
Louis has also published articles on the
Talmud (rabbinic commentary) and related
topics.
Intermediate Text
A-18 Jewish Ethics in an Age of
Global Commerce and Conflict
Brent Chaim Spodek
The Jewish textual tradition, from the
Torah to the Talmud (rabbinic commen-
tary) and onward, has attempted to provide
guidance as to what is “right and good in
the eyes of God.” Through an exploration
of biblical concepts, Talmudic sugiyot (dis-
cussions), and contemporary philosophy,
we will try to work out what might be
“right and good” when considering issues
such as human trafficking, the manufacture
of off-label AIDS drugs, and infrastructure
development.
Brent is a fourth-year student at the Jewish
Theological Seminary, where is he pursuing
rabbinical ordination and a master’s degree
in Philosophy. He is also a Jewish education-
al consultant for the American Jewish World
Service.
Contemporary Issues
A-20 Western (Portuguese)
Sefardi Judaism: a Model for
Contemporary Post-
denominational Jews?
Michael (Plotnik) Tayvah
In 1497, Sefardi refugees and the smaller
native Portuguese Jewish communities
were forcibly converted to Roman
Catholicism. Surviving as overt Catholics
and covert Jews for at least 100 years, their
community re-embraced Jewish practice in
Amsterdam beginning in 1598. Within a
generation they developed premier pub-
lishing houses for Jewish books, trained
scholars, and worked to bring more of their
Jewish sisters and brothers out of what they
called “lands of idolatry” to “lands of
Judaism,” while creating a Judaism of beau-
ty, quality craftsmanship, and intellectual
openness that (largely) embraced the best
of both traditional Jewish and European
cultures. Can we learn from their way of
being Jewish and apply it to our time? We
will examine the history, unique institu-
tions, liturgy, and music of this small
branch of the Jewish tree.
Michael, a longtime Havurahnik, earns his
living by serving as the rabbi at a
Reconstructionist congregation in New Jersey.
Between 1998 and 2001 he was the rabbi of
the oldest synagogue in continual use in the
Americas, Congregation Mikve Israel-
Emanuel, on the island of Curaçao, where he
became enchanted with Western Sefardi
Judaism.
History and Culture

A-22 Reading the Talmud as
Shakespeare: Literary Approaches
to Talmudic Stories
Miriam-Simma Walfish
Although more commonly studied for its
legal content, the Talmud (rabbinic com-
mentary) is also a compendium of much
aggadah, narrative passages that reveal the
theological and ethical views of the
authors. We’ll read about rabbis with the
power to burn fields with their eyes and
iconoclasts who force God to give rain.
Through literary analysis of well-known as
well as more obscure Talmudic stories, and
study of parallel Jewish texts (rabbinic and
modern), we will come to view these pas-
sages as carefully crafted literary master-
pieces. All texts will be studied in the orig-
inal Hebrew/Aramaic, with word lists pro-
vided.
Miriam-Simma, a student in the Pardes
Educators’ Program, is studying for a master’s
degree in Jewish Education at Hebrew
University. A lifelong Havurahnik, she has
studied at the Drisha Institute for Jewish
Education, McGill University, and
Midreshet Ein Hanatziv, and has taught at
the Northwoods Kollel/Beit Midrash Program
of Ramah in Wisconsin.
Arts and Literature, Advanced Text
A-24 Milhamot Hashem? Jewish
Conceptions of War Ethics
Melissa Weintraub
Given Judaism’s abiding emphasis on the
sanctity of life, how are we to make sense of
the concomitant injunction to participate
in limited warfare? What does our tradi-
tion consider legitimate grounds for war?
Unless specified as intermediate or advanced, all text study courses will be accessible to everyone.
How humanely must we treat our enemies
during wartime? We’ll explore a variety of
sources – from midrashim (rabbinic stories)
to medieval legal texts to contemporary
scholarship – to shed light upon pressing
ethical issues for both America and Israel,
focusing on the issue of interrogational tor-
ture of terror suspects.
As of the Summer Institute, Melissa
will be ordained as a rabbi by the
Jewish Theological Seminary. She is the
author of four articles treating the subjects
of torture, human dignity, and self-defense
in Jewish sources, published at
http://rhrna.org/torture/tortureresources.html.
A former Everett and Wexner Fellow, and
graduate of Harvard, she has served as facul-
ty in a variety of adult education settings.
Melissa has presented on the issue of torture in
Jewish law to Senator John McCain, as well
as at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College, Jewish Theological Seminary,
Hebrew Union College, and several syna-
gogues. She has also served as a prison chap-
lain, and is the co-founder of the Jewish-
Palestinian Encounter program in Jerusalem.
Contemporary Issues
Thanks
The 2006 Planning and Course
Committees are tremendously grateful to
all those whose time and energy make the
NHC Summer Institute possible. The
active participation and generosity of so
many different people demonstrates the
breadth and vitality of grassroots Judaism
in North America. We always receive more
wonderful proposals for courses, work-
shops, and programs than we can accom-
modate, and this year was no exception.
Special thanks are due to some of our
extraordinary donors who support the
NHC and make many of our special pro-
grams possible:
The Albin Family Foundation for helping
children and families attend the Institute
and for underwriting the Introduction to
Havurah Judaism class.
The Edith and Henry Everett
Philanthropic Fund for underwriting the
Everett Fellows program since its inception.
The Rita Poretsky Foundation and The
Rita Poretsky Memorial Fund establishing
and for supporting the Artist-in-Residence
program.
Fran Zeitler, for being a long-time sup-
porter of the Children's Camp.
10
 pareve/vegan options and an abundance of
healthy, tasty choices. The kitchen and
dining hall are under the strict supervision
of a mashgiach (supervisor), who also par-
ticipates in the Institute. If you have special
food needs or food allergies/sensitivities,
please help us meet your needs by letting us
know of them on the registration form and
providing a detailed explanation by June
15. Please feel free to call the NHC office
for more information.

Transportation
Franklin Pierce College is located off Route
119 in Rindge, NH, just north of the
Massachusetts border. Approximate driving
time is 4.5 hours from New York City and
90 minutes from Boston. The closest air-
ports are in Manchester, NH and Boston,
MA. Information about ride-share arrange-
ments will be provided in the confirmation
e-mail.

Housing Commuters
Three comfortable, modern housing Anyone who lives near the campus
options are available. can participate at a reduced cost by
The suites building in the center of cam- registering as a commuter.
pus is air-conditioned and accessible to Commuter registration includes all
those with special mobility needs. Each meals and full participation in all
suite has six bedrooms with two twin beds programs. Commuters who wish to
per room, one bathroom with three showers stay on campus for Shabbat should
and sinks, a living room, and a kitchenette contact the NHC office.
with refrigerator and microwave oven.
Suites are generally designated for families Food
with children under the age of 10 (to facili-
Each day features three delicious
tate babysitting) and people with special
kosher vegetarian meals and plenty of
mobility needs.
evening snacks. There are always
The apartments are located near the
suites. Each apartment has two bedrooms
with two twin beds per room, 1.5 baths, a
living room, and a kitchen with refrigerator,
stove, and dining area. The apartments do
not have air-conditioning; however, the
mountain climate usually makes air-
conditioning unnecessary at night.
The townhouses are next to the lake, a 7
to 10 minute walk to the dining hall and
classrooms. There is a wheelchair accessible
studio apartment on the first floor, while
the second and third floors contain three
bedrooms with two twin beds each, three
full bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room
area. The townhouses are air-conditioned.
All accommodations have parking,
washing machines, and dryers nearby.
Please indicate your housing preference
on the registration form.

11