UHC religious school students greet the holiday by reviewing a new Hanukkah book

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UHC religious school students may be few in number, but they’re always game for a holiday challenge. When the call goes out, the class is on the scene to build a sukkah, set the Pesach table or, when a new Hanukkah book arrives over the transom, step in as literary reviewers.

Race Up Mount Ram: A Hanukkah Story (48 pages) from Eclectic Ivri Press, by Melissa Berg, tells the story of Chayim, a resolute underdog who calls upon all his resources to climb Mount Ramon in Israel’s Negev Desert and become Champion of the Maccabees.

Chayim’s opponent is the popular favorite Rimon, who, needless to say in this tortoise-vs.-hare story, learns to regret his lackadaisical approach to training.

Sunday school elementary school instructor Jennifer read Race Up Mount Ram to religious school students Sophie and Garrett on the morning of Hanukkah eve and patiently moderated the thoughtful discussion that followed.

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Bitter Cheshvan’s dearth of holidays allows return to comforting routine

By Student Rabbi Jonathan Falco
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We have just completed Cheshvan, the month between Tishrei and Kislev, also known as Mar Cheshvan.

There is a quaint tradition that holds Cheshvan as the “bitter” month, deriving from the Hebrew word mar, meaning “bitter”, because of the lack of holidays that fall within its span.

While not all Jewish holidays are joyous occasions (think Yom Kippur or Tisha B’av) the lack of any holiday during this time deprives us of a fixed opportunity for self-reflection and introspection, contributing to the aforementioned moniker.

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Sisterhood sets final meeting until March, opens Hanukkah gift shop

By Patty Lewis
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November is a changing of the time, a changing of the leaves and definitely a turn to cold weather. It’s also a time for turkeys, pumpkin pie and family gatherings. But everyone doesn’t have a big family that gathers for the holidays, as you see on the Hallmark Channel.

So, if you have a few empty chairs around your table for Thanksgiving and you know someone who will otherwise be alone for the holiday, now is a good time to think about them.

Speaking of holidays, Hanukkah will begin the evening of Sunday, Dec. 2, and Sisterhood has set up the gift shop in the Vestry Room. Contact me or Norma at the Temple and stop by any weekday to shop!

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Community gathers at UHC in response to Tree of Life attack: ‘We, too, will never yield to evil’

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Student Rabbi Jonathan Falco stood at the sanctuary bimah and read the names of the 11 Pittsburgh dead, then invited the congregation to rise for El Ma’alei Racham’im, the prayer for the souls of the departed.

“The victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue were robbed of their opportunity to fulfill the commandment to keep and remember and celebrate the Sabbath. Tonight, we move forward with doing just that — continuing our Shabbat service and celebrating in their memory,” Jonathan said.

Some 100 people attended Shabbat services Friday, Nov. 2, at United Hebrew Congregation’s historic Temple Israel, six days after the fatal attack on Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

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