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National Havurah Committee
(215) 248-1335 • www.havurah.org•
The National Havurah
Committee
The National Havurah Committee
(NHC) is a diverse network of
individuals and communities
dedicated to Jewish living and
learning, community building,
and tikkun olam (repairing the
world).
As individuals, we seek fellowship
(havurah) through study,
worship, music, social action, and
shared life-cycle rituals both at
home and as part of a national
havurah community.
At the Summer Institute we
study, pray, sing, dance, eat, talk,
play, work, and relax together,
forming a special community that
celebrates the participatory,
Havurah style of Judaism in
North America. We learn from
each other, formally and
informally, and often bring our
experiences at the NHC to enrich
our communities back home.
We hold egalitarianism as a
fundamental principle for
renewing Jewish values in our
Jewish communities and in the
world. We welcome Jews of all
backgrounds and those exploring
Judaism as a spiritual path.
The NHC publishes the Havurah!
newsletter, the www.havurah.org
web site, and hosts various
Internet e-mail lists, enabling
individuals to share or discuss
havurah issues with members of
other havurot and the Jewish
community at large.
At the core of the NHC is a group
of dedicated volunteers who plan
the annual Summer Institute and
regional weekend retreats
throughout the country during
the year. We welcome you to
become involved in the NHC.
The Summer Institute
The NHC Summer Institute is a week-
long celebration of Jewish living and
learning. During a typical day at the
Institute, you will
• study with others in small groups
• attend two classes
• attend optional workshops
• join together for communal meals
and communal prayer
• participate in a variety of informal
gatherings
• enjoy evening entertainment
Courses
The centerpieces of the Institute are the
two courses each participant elects to
take.
Choose to study about prayer or
musical tradition, friendship in Judaism,
the history of the Hebrew calendar or
the secrets of the Passover Hagaddah.
Courses are small, intense, and led by
teachers, Institute participants
themselves, who present material they
love in an inclusive style that encourages
everyone to participate. Your background
is not important; your desire to learn is.
Workshops
The Institute will also include informal
learning with workshops in Jewish
religious skills, art and dance, research
projects, creative liturgy, and extended
discussions on social concerns or special
interests within the havurah movement.
Workshops are led by Institute partici-
pants on topics of particular interest to
them in which they have special
expertise. All participants are invited to
contribute their knowledge and skills.
Please indicate on the registration form
if you would like to lead a workshop.
Minyanim (Prayer Services)
There will be a number of different
minyanim on both weekdays and
Shabbat. The NHC is fully committed to
egalitarianism. We welcome participants
from all backgrounds; however,
minyanim and services organized by the
planning committee are egalitarian, with
equal participation by men and women.
Participants who wish to organize single-
gender prayer services at the Institute
should contact the Institute office to
arrange for a meeting space.
Celebrating Shabbat
Shabbat culminates the Institute week.
The intense experience in Jewish living,
the creation of community, the intellec-
tual and spiritual excitement of the
courses and workshops, and the new and
renewed friendships all lead to a special
Shabbat. We join together as a
community for a Kabbalat Shabbat
service and a festive meal on Friday
evening. Various minyanim meet in the
morning. Later we gather for study and
celebration, song and dance, a Shabbat
afternoon Seudah Shlishit meal, and a
celebratory siyyum. Havdalah under the
stars ends Shabbat on a high note.
The NHC Children’s Camp
The NHC children’s camp is guided by a
staff of professional educators many of
whom have been returning to the
Institute for years. They create Jewish

experiences based on the havurah model
— participatory, diverse, and age-
appropriate. The program also makes full
use of the adult teaching faculty, Artists-
in-Residence, and other members of the
Institute community. It operates during
scheduled program times, offering
children the opportunity to create their
own havurah community at the
Institute.
• Jewish-oriented playtime for babies
and toddlers
• Creative, developmentally appropriate
Jewish learning for preschool children
• Community building with fun and
Judaic content for children of
elementary school age
• Short, meaningful prayer services each
morning
• Field trips around campus
• Creative Shabbat services developed
and led by the children themselves
• The Great Outdoors — supervised
recreation in a safe environment
The Children’s Camp is designed for
children from six months to twelve years
old who can participate in an all-day
creative program. We do our best to
accommodate all children. Please
contact the office if your child receives
special assistance in school during the
year, so we can help you plan for your
child’s needs in the context of the
children’s community as a whole. Baby-
sitting will be available for a subsidized
fee of $45 for the first child and $30 for
each additional child (6 nights and
Shabbat morning). After June 15, the
price will be $60 for the first child and
$45 for each additional child.
The Teen Program
Every year teenagers at the Institute
build a teen community. Its purpose is to
complement the adult activities and
classes in which the teens participate.
The community provides a home base
and an inclusive and spirited group of
friends for all NHC teen participants,
some of whom attend with their families.
Adult advisors, themselves Institute
attendees, are available to teenagers for
checking in and trouble shooting.
Teens may work in the Children’s
Camp or the institute office for a
reduction in registration fees. Call the
NHC office for more information.
Special Program
Just For Teens (ages 13 to 15)
With the rocks and trees as our guides,
we will spend each morning together
wandering in the woods, asking and
answering questions, as well as forming a
strong sense of community. We will
integrate basic ecology with Jewish
ethics in order to understand the
connections within the forest ecosystem,
and the relationship between humans
and the natural world. Through brachot
(blessings), songs, group challenges, and
other engaging activities, we will explore
everything nature has to offer us. Finally,
we will develop a project that will teach
others how to act responsibly to
conserve our planet.
About Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce College is situated amid
forests, lakes, and mountains in southern
New Hampshire. The modern campus,
just 90 minutes from Boston and 4 hours
from New York City, has two small
theaters, large meeting areas, well-lit
classrooms and a dining room with
terraces and views.
Mt. Monadnock and the White
Mountains overlook a beautiful campus
with hiking trails and a lake with
canoeing, sailing, fishing and a
swimming beach with lifeguard.
Recreational facilities include tennis,
soccer, baseball, a fitness center, and an
indoor sports dome. Housing options
include apartments, dormitory suites and
townhouses.
The Everett Fellows
A generous grant from Edith and Henry
Everett Philanthropic Fund underwrites
the Everett Fellows Program for young
adults who have demonstrated their
potential to be advocates for Jewish
causes. The Everett Program recruits
from the population that is engaged in
defining their post-college relationship
to their Jewish communities, havurot, or
synagogues.
Fellows participate in the full Institute
program and in special activities
designed for them.
Everett Fellowships provide 90%
scholarships to first-time fellows. There
are a limited number of half-scholarships
for returning Fellows. Applications may
be obtained from the NHC office. Please
apply before May 1, 2005.
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Poretsky Artists-in-Residence
Sephardic Musical Traditions From
Italy, Spain, and Tangiers
Ramón Tasat
Listen and sing as this course explores
the origins and musical legacy created by
the Jews of Italy, Tangiers, and Spain.
We will learn about the influence of
Italian popular music dating back to the
16th century, as well as the operatic
styles of Verdi and Rossini in the
Sephardic music of Italy. We will survey
the diverse liturgical musical practices of
the Jews of Tangiers – a richly cosmopol-
itan city at the junction between Africa
and Europe. And we will taste the
extraordinary Ladino ballads and
synagogue music of the Jews of Spain.
Ramon is a musicologist, composer,
conductor, and the creator of numerous
choral arrangements. Born in Buenos Aires,
he sings in in Hebrew, Ladino, Spanish,
Italian, and English. Ramon was educated
at the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary;
the Manuel de Falla Conservatory of
Music; the University of Siena, Italy; and
the University of Texas at Austin, where he
received a doctorate in voice performance.
He has served as cantor of Agudas Achim
Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, and
Temple Shalom in Chevy Chase, Maryland,
and released two CDs of his original
compositions. Ramon is the president and
founder of Shalshelet: the Foundation for
New Jewish Liturgical Music.
2
Old Roots and New Branches:
Jewish Music from Russia
Natasha J. Hirschhorn
Take a musical journey from 19th
century shtetl life to the 1920s “Vitebsk
Renaissance” of Marc Chagall and his
fellow-artists; from the repressions of the
1930s and accusations in “dangerous
formalism” against Schostakovich and
his contemporaries to the blossoming of
Jewish cultural and academic institutions
in Russia and Ukraine today. This course
will explore the story of suppression and
unprecedented awakening of the Jewish
culture and identity in the former Soviet
Union through the personal experience
of a Kiev-born musicologist, composer
and performer. Come prepared to sing.
Natasha is a music director of Congregation
Ansche Chesed in NYC, conductor of the
Brooklyn Jewish Community Chorus and a
faculty member of the Academy for Jewish
Religion, where she was ordained in 1999.
A native of Ukraine, Natasha has been
exploring the music of Russian and
Ukrainian Jewry since her studies in
musicology, piano and composition at the
Gnesin Music College in Moscow and Kiev
State Conservatory. Her latest CD is called
“They Call Me, 9 Meditations on Hebrew
Prayers.” Natasha is the vice president of
Shalshelet: the Foundation for New Jewish
Liturgical Music.
Special Workshops
Jewish Liturgical Music for the New
Millennium
Norma Brooks, Natasha Hirschhorn
and Ramón Tasat
Congregational singing is one sign of the
vitality of a community. Singing new
melodies can be invigorating and in
composing new music for Jewish prayers,
we participate in the chain of tradition.
Sing and listen to new music with
Norma Brooks, Natasha Hirschhorn and
Ramón Tasat. This multi-part workshop
will introduce tunes by some of the
winners of the 2004 Shalshelet festival
in Washington, D.C. and compositions
by the workshop leaders whose roots
extend from the Ukraine to Argentina.
Translations, transliterations and sheet
music will be provided where
appropriate; feel free to bring your tape
recorder!
Norma is a composer and singer who grew
up in Borough Park, Brooklyn, in a Yiddish-
and English-speaking family. In 1984 she
composed her first melody for a Jewish
liturgical text. Fourteen of her songs have
been recorded on a CD, “Your Bountiful
Light” and collected in a companion book.
Norma is a member of Fabrangen, and a
vice president and co-founder of Shalshelet:
the Foundation for New Jewish Liturgical
Music.
The Artists-in-Residence will be giving a
concert on Saturday evening.
Peace is Greater than any
Commandment (Hezekiah)
Hanoch Guy
In four sessions we will explore the
wisdom, humor and surprising ways
Jewish stories and legends humanize
ethical precepts about the nature of
peace within oneself and with family,
strangers and within a community. Each
session will include reading, writing, and
enacting scenes to help participants
engage with the stories of Hayyim of
Zanz; the woman who spat in the face of
Rabbi Meir; Eleazar ben Simeon who
learned to “be soft as a reed”; and the

lion, mouse and the snare, whose tale
suggests a framework for creating peace
in the land.
Hanoch Guy, associate professor emeritus
of Hebrew literature at Temple University,
has taught Hebrew literature and writing
for forty years. He combines Sam
Lauechli’s “Mimesis” myth reenacting
model with movement, drawing and
meditation. In 2003, he won an award for
his poetry.
Morning Courses
M1 Sephardic Musical Traditions
From Italy, Tangiers and Spain
Ramón Tasat,
Poretsky Artist-in-Residence
See page 2 for description.
M3 Bruchim Habaim – Welcome! A
Course of Introduction to Judaism
Alison Adler
This special course welcomes haverim
(friends) who may be unfamiliar with or
new to Jewish study and practice.
Incorporating hevruta (partner) study of
classical and modern texts, and the
experience of traditional and new rituals,
this course will explore the themes,
structure, and spiritual meanings of
tefillah (prayer), and the experience and
meanings of Shabbat. Participants’
experiences in this course will be supple-
mented by the complete range of
Institute activities: workshops, prayer
services, hikes, meals, and community-
wide evening activities.
First-time attendees of the Summer
Course Descriptions
Institute who register for this class are
eligible for a $100 credit on their
Institute registration, courtesy of the
Albin Family Foundation. [A]
Alison is a rabbinical student in the new
transdenominational program at Hebrew
College, Newton MA. She is an educator
at Temple Aliyah in Needham MA. Her
background includes an MA in Jewish
studies and an MA in Counseling
Psychology. This is her tenth NHC
Institute.
M5 Sefat Emet: A Spiritual Bridge
from the 19th to the 21st Century
Mitchell Chefitz
Profound positive expressions of love,
value, and partnership with the Creator
are at the core of Art Green’s Sefat Emet:
The Language of Truth, the Torah
commentary of Rabbi Yehudah Leib
Alter of Ger, written in 19th century
Poland. Can the spiritual values of
Europe before the Shoah bridge the gap
to 21st century America? Yes, with some
foundation work on our side of the pond.
Spirituality and Religious Life [I]
Mitch is a novelist (The Seventh Telling
and The Thirty-third Hour). He is also a
rabbi at Temple Israel in Miami. For over
20 years he was director of the Havurah of
South Florida and is a past chair of the
NHC.
M7 “The Soul of a Stranger”: A
Call for a Jewish Response to the
World AIDS Crisis
Sheila Coop
In the current world AIDS crisis,
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Catholic and evangelical Christian
organizations have established a visible
charitable presence on the front lines –
in Africa, the Caribbean, Central
America and elsewhere – while Jews and
Jewish organizations have been conspic-
uous by their absence. Why? What can
we do to address this global tragedy in a
meaningful and Jewish way? This course
explores the dimensions of the
pandemic, and invites participants to
visualize and define a spiritually
authentic Jewish response to the health
crisis of our lifetimes. [C]
Sheila retired in 2003 from her position as
senior vice president of human resources
and communications from a multi-national
pharmacy company. Since then, she has
been actively involved with the President’s
Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, with a
focus on Africa, South America and the
Caribbean.
M9 Midrashim on Creation
Richard Friedman
Midrashim are stories, speculations,
observations and arguments by the
Rabbis, which expound, expand, apply or
supplement something in the text of the
Bible. We will study sections in Midrash
Rabba about the creation story in
Genesis. These midrashim raise basic
issues of Jewish values and philosophy.
The class will be an opportunity for close
study of a text, but it will be appropriate
for total novices as well as for those who
have studied midrash before. We will use
a bilingual text; some knowledge of
Biblical Hebrew will be invaluable
though not necessary. [A]
Richard has taught text classes at several
Institutes. He also teaches Talmud and Rashi’s
3
Course Descriptions continued
Torah commentary at his shul (synagogue).
He is a lawyer with the federal government
M11 Zionism Reconsidered: Is a
Jewish State an Anachronism in the
21st Century?
Harold Gorvine
This course will provide the opportunity
for a reconsideration of classical Zionist
thinkers. These will include Herzl, Ahad
Ha-am, Ben Gurion, Jabotinsky, HaRav
Avraham HaCohen Kook, his son
HaRav Tzvi Yehudah HaCohen Kook,
Buber and Magnes. Can Israel be both a
democracy and a Jewish state? Can a
Jewish state fully welcome strangers? We
will consider the views of Boas Evron,
Amnon Rubinstein and Geoffrey
Wheatcroft as they bear on these two
questions. History and Culture [C]
Harold was honored in June 2001 by the
Alumni Association of Akiba Hebrew
Academy (suburban Philadelphia) for 35 years
of being an outstanding teacher of history and
Jewish studies. This is his 8th NHC Institute.
M13 Jewish Africana Midrash: a
Jewish Reading of African
American Texts on the Tanach
Carolivia Herron
This course highlights the use and
interpretations of Hebraic themes in
African American literature. From well-
known African American authors such
as Zora Neale Hurston, (Moses, Man of
the Mountain), to obscure poets such as
Adah Menken, the Tanach (bible) has
inspired literary and spiritual elabora-
tions that reveal a profound dialogue
between African Americans and Jews.
Our dialogue continues with a reading
and analysis of selected African
American texts that function as midrash
(commentary). Additional authors
4
include Phillis Wheatley, Paul Lawrence
Dunbar, Francis Ellen Watkins Harper,
Charles Chesnutt and Ishmael Reed.
Arts and Literature [A]
Carolivia is a novelist and retired English
professor who has taught comparative litera-
ture, creative writing and African American
Studies at Harvard University, Mt.
Holyoke College, and the College of
William and Mary. Her publications include
Thereafter Johnnie, Nappy Hair, and the
short story “Chamisa,” a midrash on the
Abraham-Sarah-Hagar story published in
Beginning Anew: A Woman’s
Companion to the High Holy Days.
Carolivia is an African American Jew
descended from Sephardic Jews who came to
the Georgia Sea Islands from North Africa
in the early 19th century.
M15 “The Soul of a Stranger” is
the Face of the Other: Jewish
Phenomenology and the
Philosophy of Emanuel Levinas
Diane Klein
Lithuanian-born French Jewish philoso-
pher Emanuel Levinas (1906-1995)
posits an ethics that originates mysteri-
ously but decisively in the “face” of “the
Other.” His philosophy is closely related
to his understanding of Judaism and
Jewish, especially Talmudic, ethical
themes and outlooks. In this course, we
will familiarize ourselves with Levinas’
life and work, taking a close look at both
his secular philosophical work and his
explicitly Jewish (what Levinas called
“confessional”) writings about “the
stranger.” History and Culture [AD]
Diane is a law professor, most recently at
Albany Law School in New York, and the
University of LaVerne College of Law in
Ontario, California, and a long-time
graduate student in philosophy at U.C.
Berkeley. She taught courses in Jewish Law
and Rebbe Nachman at two prior NHC
Summer Institutes.
M17 Revisiting the Second
Commandment: Jewish Arts from
the Bible to the Present
Eleni Litt
The second commandment states, “You
are not to make yourself a carved image
or any figure...” (EXODUS 20:4).
Interpretations of this commandment
range from a total prohibition on making
images and sculptures to permitted
creation of a wide variety of art forms.
Join me for an ambitious journey (using
texts and images) that considers the
responses to this commandment over
time (and space!) in the Jewish world.
From explorations of the floor plans and
interior design of the mishkan
(sanctuary) through the design of ritual
objects in the Middle Ages, the modern
work of Soutine, Modigliani, Mark
Rothko and Judy Chicago, and consider-
ations about creating Jewish art after
Auschwitz, we’ll ask the question: “What
is Jewish art?” Arts and Literature [C]
Eleni majored in Art and Art History as an
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undergraduate before switching to

Anthropology for her Ph.D. She has since
returned to her first intellectual love, making
and thinking about art, and has combined
these interests with perspectives from
anthropology and Jewish Studies. Eleni is a
long-time Havurah teacher, having most
recently taught about drawing as a Jewish
spiritual practice. She lives and davvens
(prays) in Princeton, NJ.

M19 Positioning Ourselves for

Prayer
Joe Rosenstein
In this course we will explore some of
the attitudes that are fundamental to
Jewish prayer – acknowledging our
blessings, living in God’s house, asking
God for assistance and bringing God
into our lives. These attitudes reflect
choices we make. Do we, for example,
choose to focus on our blessings
(adopting an attitude of gratitude) or on
our misfortunes? These attitudes are the
ways we position ourselves for prayer in
relation to what’s larger than ourselves.
The course will involve text study,
discussion, guided meditation and
prayers. Spirituality and Religious Life [A]
Joe is a founder and past chair of the NHC
and its Summer Institute, and of the
Highland Park (NJ) Minyan. He is the
author of the new Siddur Eit Ratzon
(www.newsiddur.org). In real life, he is a
professor of mathematics at Rutgers.
M21 The Emergence and
Development of Jewish Liturgy
David Shneyer
The class will explore the origins of
Jewish liturgy (prayer); the motivations
and the concepts that have shaped our
people’s prayer experience. We will
examine the impact of the Babylonian
Exile and the destruction of the 2nd
Temple on our liturgy and spirituality.
Participants will learn about the origins
of the siddur (prayerbook) and our
relationship to prayer throughout the
ages. The extraordinary innovations in
Oberlin student Aviva
Richman (center) first
came to the Summer
Institute as a ten-year-old.
More than a decade later
she feels that her NHC
peer group have found “a
way of struggling with and
celebrating Judaism in our
lives.” Between Institutes,
the group has planned its
own winter reunions and
keeps in touch over an
internet listserver. As a
child, Aviva and her sister
Naomi came to the
Institute in order to be
independent. “When we
were little we didn't want
to sit with our Dad during
meals,” she remembers
with a smile. Now as an
adult she relishes the
opportunity to study with
her father on an equal
footing.

5
Course Descriptions continued
Jewish prayer since the beginnings of the
Havurah movement 36 year ago will also
be considered. History and Culture,
Spirituality and Religious Life [A]
David is a singing guitar-playing activist
rabbi and cantor living in Rockville,
Maryland. A founder of the Fabrangen, he
is director of Am Kolel, a Judaic Resource
and Renewal Center, and the president of
Maalot, a local seminary devoted to Jewish
music, liturgy and ceremonial arts.
M23 Improvising Our Way to God
Tracey Erin Smith
Improvisation: the art of creating
something out of nothing. The
spontaneity of improvisation can open
you to extraordinary surprises, unknown
abilities, even to brilliance.
Improvisation permits you to draw from
mind, heart and body. In this fun and
highly interactive course you will partici-
pate in group and solo theatre games.
Together we will improvise new rituals,
prayers and blessings. Arts and Literature,
Spirituality and Religious Life
Tracey is a performer and instructor at
Ryerson University in Toronto. She designs
and leads Improvisation and Creativity
Playshops in Canada and America for
people of all ages in corporate, private and
spiritual settings (www.traceyerinsmith.com).
Tracey was an Artist in Residence at the
2003 NHC Institute.
Afternoon Courses
A2 Old Roots and New Branches:
Jewish Music from Russia
Natasha J. Hirschhorn,
Poretsky Artist-in-Residence
See page 2 for description.
A4 Illuminating the New Year
Sarah Beller and Laura Bellows
A rich liturgy washes over us each year
during services for the Yamim Nora’im
(High Holidays). But how often do we
really internalize these words and bring
them alive? In this course we will
explore the relationship between text,
ideas and images, and transform
selections from the holiday prayers and
readings into 2 – or 3-dimensional visual
art works. Each participant will create a
6
Shana Tova/New Year’s card or another
piece. While no artistic experience or
knowledge of High Holiday liturgy is
necessary, do bring a sense of playful
exploration. All texts will be provided in
Hebrew and English. (Limited enroll-
ment: 15) Arts and Literature [A,F]
Laura is a life-long havurahnik and multi-
media artist from Washington, D.C. Her
love of art, Judaism and meaning is expressed
in everything from kite-making to Kabbalistic
(mystical) color associations, and from poetry
to hands-on Jewish education. She regularly
uses art in her teaching to explore, challenge
and elucidate Jewish text and traditions.
Laura is completing her final year at Oberlin
College in environmental studies.
Sarah has been avidly creating calligraphic
artwork since she picked up her mother's
rusting calligraphy set in fourth grade. Her
designs have illuminated Hillel publications,
wedding and bar mitzvah invitations, and
commissioned pieces. With a degree in social
anthropology from Harvard University, she
is now a fifth-grade teacher at a public
charter school in Washington, DC.
A6 History and Mathematics of the
Hebrew Calendar
Ben Dreyfus
Why do some Hebrew years have 12
months and others have 13? Why did
some of the Jewish world observe the
holidays two days earlier than everyone
else in 922 CE? Why will Passover fall in
July in about 20,000 years? This class
tells the story of the complex Hebrew
calendar from the early days of
witnessing the crescent moon to our
current mathematical algorithms. By the
end, you will be able to calculate what
day of the week Purim will fall in 5800,
armed with only a pencil and paper.
History and Culture [A]
Prerequisites: Familiarity with addition,
subtraction, and multiplication required;
division recommended. Texts will be
provided in Hebrew and in English.
Ben teaches physics at Stuyvesant High
School in Manhattan. He is a founder of
the Kol Zimrah havurah, and has studied
Jewish texts while riding the New York City
subway and the Jerusalem bus system.
A8 Ruth: A Woman’s Reply to the
Book of Judges?
Bob Freedman
We’ll examine the stories, literary styles
and contexts of the biblical books of
Judges and Ruth. We’ll see how Judges,
using the metaphor of the gradual
degradation of the institutions that
regulate relationships between men and
women, recounts the unraveling of the
social fabric producing moral and civil
anarchy in tribal Israel. Ruth heralds the
return of order and the coming of
salvation, exemplified by Ruth’s
marriage to Boaz in the correct legal
manner. Was the book of Ruth a
woman’s answer to the mess made by
men in the time of the judges? History
and Culture [A]
After a career as a cantor, Bob received
ordination from the Academy for Jewish
Religion in 2000 and from the ALEPH
Jewish Renewal Rabbinic Program in
2001. He is fascinated by various spiritual
technologies. Currently Bob is the rabbi of
Israel Congregation in Manchester Center,
VT, and lives there with his wife, Sally,
among the beautiful mountains.
A10 “Give me Friendship or Give
me Death!”/”O Hevruta o
Mitutah!” Friendship in Judaism
Marisa Harford
Would you risk your life for a friend?
Have your friendships defined your
fundamental beliefs and values? Is a
friend the best teacher? We will explore

what Jewish sources have to say about
friendship, including Biblical and
Rabbinic stories about friends, the
experience of learning with a study
partner (hevruta), and the moral obliga-
tions and limits of friendship. We will
be relating these texts to our own
experiences and dilemmas, and will use
art, drama, creative writing and
journaling in addition to text study (in
hevruta, of course!) to explore these
issues. [A,F,C]
Marisa spends her days analyzing literature
with high-school freshmen in the Bronx. She
has learned more than she ever thought
possible from her wonderful hevruta (study
partner) of three years, has a Master’s
degree in secondary English education, and
likes to sing whenever possible.
A12 Just One Page
Marga Hirsch
We are called “The People of the Book,”
but we are actually The People of Many
Books. We will look at just one page of
several of our key books – the Torah,
commentaries on the Torah, the
Mishnah, Midrash and the Talmud (law
codes). By learning how each is read,
and how they relate to each other, we
will discover what these texts have
meant in our tradition and what they say
to us today. Ability to follow a Hebrew
text with a translation will be a plus, but
is not required, as all materials will be
provided in English. [A]
Marga teaches Adult Education in
Philadelphia, both as Program Director at
A - text for ALL
I - INTERMEDIATE text
AD - ADVANCED text
C - CONTEMPORARY Issues
F - suitable for entire FAMILY
Every summer engineer
Martin Manley comes to
the NHC Institute from
his home in Connecticut
knowing he will stretch his
expectations and recharge
Har Zion Temple and in the Florence his batteries. Some years,
Melton Adult Mini-School Parent the excitement has come
Education Program. After attending
Summer Institutes for 25 years, and even from immersion in Jewish
co-chairing one, she is teaching a course for texts. Other years it has
the first time this summer.
flowed from meeting people
A14 Let’s Play Jewish Geography who are “caring and bright
Sherry Israel
and fun.” Sometimes the
Jews are one of the most mobile
subgroups in America today, with highlight of his week is the
serious, and often overlooked, spiritual energy of
consequences for Jewish life. This class
will examine data from the National
Shabbat. Martin attends
Jewish Population Study and related Orthodox religious services
sources to learn about some of the causes at home, but at the
and consequences of Jewish mobility.
Each session will combine exploration of institute he has tried out a
data, class members’ own relevant range of new experiences:
experiences, and discussions about the
meaning of it all for us as individuals and
traditional egalitarian
for our Jewish communities. [C] services, Four Worlds
“renewal” services,
services that focus on
chanting or on meditation
and the musical services
led by guitar-strumming
members of Kol Zimrah, a
group of young havurah-
niks from New York City.
“Once a person gets a
taste of it,” Martin says,
“it's an exciting mix.”
7
Course Descriptions continued
Sherry does Jewish demography, and teaches
and consults about Jewish institutions. She
is active in many professional groups and is
a founding and active member of the
Newton Center Minyan. Her four children
and their families live in four different cities,
on both coasts, so Sherry has a first-hand
acquaintance with Jewish mobility.
A16 Where is Talmud? Modern
Echoes of the Ancient Text
Neil Litt
The Talmud (law codes) is full of strange
and unbelievable situations that can
bewilder the modern reader.
Bewilderment can be transformed to
delight, however, when corresponding
scenarios are discovered in the creative
work of twentieth-century Jews who
have been unknowing conduits for this
oral tradition. While this course does not
set out to prove that Bud Abbott, the
Three Stooges, Jerry Seinfeld and others
are Talmud scholars, we will discover
Talmudic questions and discourse playing
unexpected roles in contemporary
popular culture. Arts and Literature
[A,C]
Neil has been reading Talmud every day for the
past five years, completing nineteen tractates
and still going strong. He is past-chair of the
National Havurah Committee and a member
of the Library Minyan at the Princeton Jewish
Center in NJ. His audio blog
(http://mywebpages.comcast.net/amidlifecrisis)
is a running audio journal that includes
interviews with authors and a broad selection of
music.
8
A18 Hane’emarim B’emet, Spoken
in Truth: Finding Meaning in
Haftarah
Larry Magarik
The Haftarah, a selection from the
Prophets, concludes each Torah reading
on Shabbat and festivals. Its pleasant
melody and use in bar/bat mitzvah
celebrations often obscure the
challenging meaning of its prose or
poetry. We will examine the historical
origin and selection of haftarot and their
blessings, learn about their musical
dimensions, and study four haftarot in
depth, including the haftarah for the
Shabbat at the Institute. All texts will be
studied with clear, easy-to-understand
English translations. Spirituality and
Religious Life [A]
Larry is a cantor and author of articles on
Bible and liturgy in Jewish Bible Quarterly
and Kerem. He has prepared “Haftarah
Notes” for his synagogue’s weekly
newsletter for four years and has taught
traditional texts at a number of NHC
regional retreats and at the Institute. Larry
is a labor and benefits attorney.
A20 B’otot Uvmoftim (With Signs
and Wonders): Secrets of the
Passover Haggadah
Elizabeth Richman
How and why does the haggadah go to
great lengths to exclude Moses from its
retelling of the Passover story, even
though he represents a central figure in
the Exodus tale? How may the rabbis
have used the Rasha (the wicked child)
to construct a subtle textual rebuke to
Jesus and the early Jewish-Christian
sects? How many questions were in the
original Mah Nishtanah (“four
questions”) and why? And what
theological messages can we find
embodied in all of this? After reviewing
the overarching structure of the
haggadah, we will use a close reading of
Tanach (bible), Mishnah and Talmud,
and other sources in Rabbinic literature
to explore these and other questions.
Text will be provided in English and
Hebrew. Spirituality and Religious Life [I]
Elizabeth is a graduate of the Beit Midrash
program at the Drisha Institute for Jewish

Studies and is currently a rabbinical
student. She is also a seder (festive
Passover meal) leader who grew up not
only with the traditional haggadah, but
also, depending on the year, with her
family’s homemade haggadah, a vegetarian
haggadah, and a feminist haggadah.
A22 Reading the Divine Body: the
Relationship of Text and Body in
Classical Jewish Mysticism
Bill Shackman
This course is designed as an introduc-
tion to the canonical texts of medieval
Spanish Kabbalah (mystical writings):
the Sefer Yetsirah, the Sefer Bahir and
the Zohar. We will explore how each of
these texts describes the divine in terms
of the human body, or anthropos,
including the Bahir’s theory of divine
organs and the Zohar’s doctrine of
divine faces. What is implied about the
relation between the heavenly body and
our own physical bodies? How does the
notion of a language of creation mediate
the bold anthropomorphism of these
texts? Texts will be in Hebrew and
Aramaic with translations into English
provided. Familiarity with the basic
ideas of the Kabbalah will be helpful,
but not necessary. Spirituality and
Religious Life [I]
Bill is currently a Ph.D. candidate in
Hebrew and Judaic Studies at NYU
specializing in medieval Jewish mysticism.
Besides meditating on the mysteries of the
Zohar, he enjoys playing bluegrass guitar
with his wife, Emily, and practicing the
Taoist martial art of Ba Gua Zhang.
A24 Elisha ben Avuyah, the
Outsider
Max Weinryb
Elisha ben Avuyah was a leading rabbi
of the 2nd century, a colleague of R.
Akivah, teacher of R. Meir, and one of
the “four that entered Pardes (engaged
in esoteric practices).” He became an
unbeliever and probably an adherent of
the outside (Hellenistic) civilization.
We’ll read the original midrashim
(stories) about him and consider him in
his historical context and as a precursor
of modern Jews struggling with unbelief
versus tradition. History and Culture [I]
A - text for ALL
I - INTERMEDIATE text
AD - ADVANCED text
C - CONTEMPORARY Issues
F - suitable for entire FAMILY
Max has been a participant, leader and
teacher in SF Bay Area havurot for many
years. He has taught Hebrew, Talmud, and
Rabbinic texts in havurot, congregations,
and at the NHC Summer Institute and
regional retreats. Max is a software
consultant and urban homesteader in
Berkeley.
Thank You
The Institute 2004 Planning and Course
Committee members are grateful to all
those whose time and energy make the
NHC Summer Institute possible. We
always receive more wonderful proposals
for courses, workshops, and programs
than we can accommodate. The partici-
pation and generosity of so many Sandy Sussman first
different individuals demonstrates the
attended the NHC
breadth and vitality of havurah Judaism
in North America. Institute in 1991, hoping
A special thank you to: to re-experience “the
• The Albin Family Foundation for
underwriting outreach and program-
warmth and intensity” she
ming to enrich Jewish Practice. associated with Jewish
• The Edith and Henry Everett
youth group and camp
Philanthropic Fund that underwrites
the Everett Fellows program and has experiences. She found it.
been supporting the NHC for a Six years later her
number of years.
• The Rita Poretsky Foundation for husband, Ron Schnur,
supporting the Artist-in-Residence joined her at the Institute
Program and the NHC.
• Fran Zeitler, who innovated the Teen
for the first time, and has
Environmental Program, and has been been a regular ever since:
a long-time NHC volunteer and “The Institute is an active,
supporter of the Children’s Program.
participatory, multigenera-
tional Jewish ‘Brigadoon,’”
Ron says. “It exists for one
week a year. I really enjoy
being with both the kids
and the older people.”
Over the years, Ron and
Sandy say they have
learned that “people you
see only once a year can
become dear friends.”
Adds Sandy: “The
Havurah Institute is too
good not to share.”
9
Housing
Three housing options are available on
the Franklin Pierce campus.
The suites building is air-conditioned,
handicapped accessible and in the center
of campus. Each suite has 6 bedrooms
with 2 twin beds per room, one bathroom
with 3 showers, sinks and stalls; and a
living room and a kitchenette with
refrigerator and microwave oven. Suites
will be used for families with children
under the age of 10 (to facilitate babysit-
ting) and people with mobility issues.
The apartments are located next to
the suites. Each has 2 bedrooms, with 2
twin beds per room, 1 1/2 baths and a
living room with a kitchen with refriger-
ator, stove, and dining area. The
apartments do not have air-conditioning.
This summer we are also offering
housing in townhouses next to the lake.
These are a 7 – 10 minute walk to the
dining hall which is located near the
classroom buildings. There is a
Shabbat Guests Transportation
handicapped accessible studio apartment
on the first floor. The second and third Friends and family members of Institute Franklin Pierce College is located off
floors are a townhouse with 3 bedrooms, participants and other NHC members Route 119 in Rindge, NH, just north of
with 2 twin beds each, 3 full bathrooms are welcome to join us for Shabbat. the Massachusetts border. Approximate
and a kitchen and living room area. The Although classes will be over, special driving time is 4.5 hours from New York
townhouses are air-conditioned. programs are planned for the weekend. City and 90 minutes from Boston. There
All accommodations have parking Shabbat guests should plan to arrive on are airports in Manchester, NH, and
and washers and dryers nearby. Friday, August 6 between 1:30 and 3:20 Boston, MA. Information about ride
Please indicate your housing prefer- pm. Programs for the entire community share arrangements will appear in the
ence on the registration form. will be starting at 3:15 pm. Our Artists- confirmation e-mail.
in-Residence will be giving a special
Commuters Saturday evening concert.
Anyone who lives near the campus can
participate at a reduced cost by
registering as a commuter. Commuter
registration includes all meals and full
participation in the program. Commuters
who wish to stay on campus for Shabbat
should contact the NHC office.

Meals
The NHC and Franklin Pierce College
have selected a vegetarian and fish menu
with a wide variety of options. All food
will be either dairy or pareve. Each meal
will also have vegan options. Kashrut is
observed under the supervision of a
mashgiach who also participates in the
Institute. If you require a special diet or
have food allergies or sensitivities, please
indicate this on the registration form
and provide a detailed explanation of
your needs by June 15. Call the NHC
office for more information.

10
 REGISTRATION FORM
Who will be attending? (please print) Class Preferences
List three class choices per sessions, in order of preference. List
Adult # 1 each course by its number (e.g., M3, A2). Classes are filled in
Name order of postmark; you are assigned to your highest preference
course that is open. If there are additional adults or teens taking
Age Gender M / F Occupation courses, please enclose an additional sheet with their choices.
Day Phone Eve Phone
Adult # 1 Classes Adult # 2 Classes
E-mail* Morning Afternoon Morning Afternoon

Address 1st choice

City State Zip 2nd choice

3rd choice
Adult # 2
Name
Fee Schedule
Age Gender M / F Occupation before after How
June 15 June 15 Many $ DUE
Day Phone Eve Phone *NHC Membership dues
($36 per adult or $72 per household)
E-mail*
Adult Resident $795 $820
Address
^Adult Commuter $675 $700
City State Zip
*Registration confirmation will be sent by e-mail. If you would like Full-time Student Resident $595 $620
additional postal confirmation, check here. ■ ^Full-time Student Commuter $495 $520

Children/Teens Attending Institute* Children (6 months to 12 years)

#1 Name Age Grade M / F #1 Child $350 $375

#2 Name Age Grade M / F #2 Child $250 $275

Additional children $150 $175
#3 Name Age Grade M / F
Pre-paid babysitting (6 nights) $45 $60
#4 Name Age Grade M / F ($45 first child; $30 additional child – subsidized rate)
*Indicate age as of August 2005 and the grade the child will be Limited-Income Resident $595 $620
entering in September 2005. Make additional copies of this form to
add class preferences and address information for teens and full-time ^Limited-Income Commuter $495 $520
students as needed.
+Shabbat only Adult $275 $300
■ Check here to sign up for Teen Environmental Program
(see pg. 3). +Shabbat only Child $125 $150
(6 mos to 12 year)

PLEASE REGISTER EARLY Single-room supplement $125

Your registration implies that you have read and agree to the Additional per person. Shared bath.
financial terms stated in this brochure. If you live in another Private apartment/townhouse $250
country, please obtain payment in U.S. dollars. Additional per apartment.
Mail this form with your credit card information or
check payable to “National Havurah Committee” to: Private use Golf Cart $250
National Havurah Committee
SUBTOTAL FEES ABOVE
7135 Germantown Avenue, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19119-1842
Optional cancellation insurance
(Multiply subtotal above by .05.)
Questions? Tax-deductible scholarship fund contribution
Call (215) 248-1335 or e-mail Institute@Havurah.org
Registering for M3 deduct $100.
BALANCE DUE BY JUNE 15
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AMOUNT ENCLOSED
■ Applying for Everett Fellowship. (Minimum 50% of total, after June 15, balance in total.)
(See pg. 3 regarding this program.) *Required and tax deductible.
■ Applying for work study. ^Includes full program and all meals, including Shabbat.
+ Friday-Sunday room and meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast.
(See www.havurah.org for work-study job descriptions.)
PLEASE COMPLETE QUESTIONNAIRE ON REVERSE BEFORE MAILING
 REGISTRATION FORM cont’d
Volunteer
All adult and teen participants are asked to volunteer a few
hours during the Institute. Please indicate where each family
member would like to serve.
Adult #1 Adult #2 Teen #1
Registration/Check-out
Sales table/Fundraising
Errands
Shabbat preparation
Mentor first-timer
Clean-up
Anywhere needed
YEAR ROUND
Outreach
Lead Services (July 5 Deadline)
Please indicate if you would like to lead services (specify
which services/parts, and in what style, e.g., havurah,
traditional-egalitarian, feminist, hasidic, four-worlds, medita-
tion, movement, etc.) or if you would like to read Torah,
chant haftarah, or give a D’var Torah at the Institute.
Propose A Workshop (July 5 Deadline)
If you would like to lead a workshop, please let us know by
July 5. Send an e-mail to institute@Havurah.org with
“Workshop” in the subject line, along with a brief descrip-
tion of the workshop and a short bio of yourself.
Topic:
Tell Us About Yourself
Is this your first Institute? Y / N
How did you hear about the Summer Institute?
Do you or your children have a roommate or suitemate request?
Do you use electricity on Shabbat? Y / N
If yes, are you willing to accommodate roommates? Y / N
Are you a member of a havurah? Y / N
If yes, please provide name of havurah and contact information:
If your health requires any special food, housing, or other
arrangements, please attach a note with specific information.
PLEASE COMPLETE ENROLLMENT INFORMATION ON REVERSE SIDE BEFORE MAILING
Housing Preference
If you have mobility issues that impact the distance you can
walk, please call the office to discuss your housing options.
If you are attending with children we will try to house you in the
Teen #2 suites to facilitate evening babysitting. If you are not attending
with children, please indicate your housing preference.
■ townhouses near lake, (air-conditioned) or
■ main campus apartments (not air-conditioned)
Permission to be Photographed
In submitting this registration form, I hereby grant permis-
sion for my images and/or the images of my child[ren],
captured at the Institute through video, photo, and digital
camera, to be used in official NHC promotional material,
including but not limited to news releases, publications,
videos, and the NHC web site. I further waive rights of
compensation or ownership thereto.
Cancellation Policy and Cancellation Insurance
Purchasing Cancellation Insurance at the rate of 5% of your
institute total fee will enable you to receive a refund of all of
your fees minus your membership dues and a $25 administra-
tive fee per person, in the event that you must cancel due to
unforeseen circumstances.
If you do not purchase cancellation insurance at the time
that you register, refunds will be allocated as follows:
• Cancel by May 31: All fees refunded minus membership
dues and $75 administrative fee per person.
• Cancel between June 1 and July 15: All fees refunded minus
membership dues and $150 administrative fee per person.
• Cancel between July 16 and July 27, 2005: All fees
refunded minus membership dues and $225 administrative
fee per person.
No refund will be given for those who do not attend, or
cancel after July 28, 2005. You must call the office and let us
know that you are cancelling in order to receive a refund.
Payment Information
■ Check payable to “National Havurah Committee”
■ Please charge my credit card: ■ Visa ■ MasterCard
Credit card #
Name (as it appears on card)
Expiration date
Please fill out both sides of this form completely and return it
with your payment to:
National Havurah Committee
7135 Germantown Avenue, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19119-1842
Questions? Call (215) 248-1335 or e-mail Institute@Havurah.org
BALANCE DUE BY JUNE 15
Work Study Assistance
A limited number of work-study positions
are available. In exchange for a week-long
commitment to work at the Institute,
participants can attend the Institute for
$500 plus NHC membership and partici-
pate fully in the rest of the program.
Most work-study positions are in one
of three areas: the Institute office, the
childrens program or kashrut supervision.
To apply for a work-study position,
check www.havurah.org to see the open
positions and call the Institute office
(215-248-1335) to apply. All requests are
confidential and must be submitted by
June 15, 2005.

Cancellation Policy and Cancellation Insurance

Purchasing Cancellation Insurance at
the rate of 5% of your institute total fee
will enable you to receive a refund of all
of your fees minus your membership dues
and a $25 administrative fee per person,
in the event that you must cancel due to
unforeseen circumstances.
If you do not purchase cancellation
insurance at the time that you register,
refunds will be allocated as follows:
• Cancel by May 31: All fees refunded
minus membership dues and $75
administrative fee per person.
• Cancel between June 1 and July 15:
All fees refunded minus membership
dues and $150 administrative fee per
person.
• Cancel between July 16 and July 27,
2005: All fees refunded minus
membership dues and $225 adminis-
trative fee per person.
No refund will be given for those who
do not attend, or cancel after July 28,
2005. You must call the office and let us
know that you are cancelling in order to
receive a refund.

NHC Online
Check out the NHCs web site at
www.havurah.org for late-breaking
Institute information and updates on
courses and programs.
All Institute registrants are automati-
cally subscribed to nhc-announce, an
email list for announcements from the
NHC related to its upcoming programs.
The NHC offers two online discussion
groups, nhc-havurah, limited to NHC and
havurah related issues, and nhc-discuss,
an open discussion forum on topics of
interest to members of the NHC
community. To subscribe to these lists,
go to www.havurah.org and click on
NHC Online for complete instructions.
 Non-Profit Org.
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National Havurah Committee

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Dates to Remember:
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Register by June 15 and Save!

National Havurah Committee

2 7 th S U M M E R I N S T I T U T E
August 1-7, 2005 • Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH

“. . . for you should know the soul of a stranger . . .”

NHC Board of Directors Mike Rappeport Margrit Bernstein Drorah O’Donnell Setel Managing Director
Dan Richman Dana Bogatz Michael Paley Christine Oliger
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Elizabeth Richman Debra Cash Judith Plaskow
Chair: Jane Rothstein Rachel B. Cowan Bernard Reisman Committee Chairs
Mark Frydenberg David Rogoff Sue Levi Elwell Neil Reisner Debra Cash
Vice-Chair: Joe Rosenstein Marcia Falk Louis Reiser Sandy Sussman
Sherry Israel Howard Wial Merle Feld Harry Rosenbluh
Secretary: Frances Zeitler Susan Fendrick Saul Rubin Planning Committee
Sylvia Woodman Ellen Frankel Carl Sheingold Chairs
Treasurer: PAST CHAIRS Larry Garber David Shneyer Mordecai Jackson
Richard Heiberger Mitch Chefitz Robert Goldenberg Harold Schulweis David Podell
Immediate Past Chair: Bob Goldenberg Robert Goldston Marlene Schwartz
Neil Zatz Litt Ruth Goldston Arthur Green Mel Silberman Brochure
Leonard Gordon Kathy Hart Sandy Sussman Institute Photos:
MEMBERS AT LARGE Janet Hollander Patricia Cippi Harte David Teutsch Mark Frydenberg
Alison Adler Herb Levine Julie Hirsch Matthew Thomases Joel Deitz
Adrienne Asch Steve Lewis Barry Holtz Max Ticktin Neil Zatz Litt
Susan Barocas Solomon Mowshowitz Judith Kass Moshe Waldoks Josh Rosenberg
Sarah Brodbar-Nemzer Joe Rosenstein Ronnie Levin Arthur Waskow Sharon Rozines
Ben Dreyfus Michael Strassfeld Mordechai Liebling Shoshana Waskow
Janet Hollander Frank Loeffler Deborah Waxman
Steve Lewis NHC Advisory Board Michael Masch David Zerner
Eleni Zatz Litt Martha Ackelsberg Miriam May Lillian Zerner
Larry Magarik Samuel Barth Victor Miller
Anne Mintz Judith Baumann Vanessa Ochs

Phone: (215) 248-1335 • Fax: (215) 248-9760 • E-mail: Institute@havurah.org • Web site: www.havurah.org