The Ritual Committee.

Shabbat Services online with Rabbi Bob Barr:

We would like to invite you to virtual Shabbat services every Friday evening from 6:00 PM-6:30 PM. conducted by Rabbi Bob Barr from Congregation Beth Adam in Cincinnati, Ohio. Many of you may remember Rabbi Barr as our scholar in residence 5 years ago. http://www.bethadam.org

Save the Date     

JSCA is planning on holding its annual meeting for membership on Sunday, June 14th at 11:00 AM. Most likely it will not be in person due to the virus and rules concerning group gatherings. We will provide greater detail as arrangements are made.
Stay safe and healthy.
   Stan Binder, President

Spotlight on Doris Potash

Doris grew up in Baltimore and moved to Weaverville with her husband eight years ago. Lou died in September 2018. Doris remains close to his four children and four grandchildren who are spread out all over the country. She spent more than 30 years with the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, first as an environmental engineer and then in various mid-management level positions in quality control management, community relations, customer service, employee relations, and organizational development. Finding that retirement wasnít a good fit, she went back to work for Loyola University for 10 years as Director of Employee Relations and Professional Development. She was a member of Kol Halev, a Reconstructionist congregation in Baltimore, prior to joining JSCA. Doris enjoys volunteering as a master docent for the Asheville Art Musem and also serves on her property owner's board of directors. She currently chairs JSCA's Social Justice Committee and has been enriched by what she has learned about social justice issues from her committee colleagues. She wants to learn more about Jewish Secular Humanism and enjoyed working with Madelon Clark and June Dreznick to organize the Scholar in Residence Weekend last May. Doris has been most impressed by the warmth and openness of JSCA members. She will always be grateful for the organization's support after the sudden death of her husband. As a committee chair, Doris tries to contribute her organizational and facilitation skills, follow-through, and strategic perspective. She is excited about what the coming year will hold for JSCA including the resources that will be available from the Society for Humanistic Judaism and all of the wonderful plans JSCA committees will be undertaking.

Holiday Catering Committee

The evening of May 28 is the beginning of Shavuot. It is traditionally celebrated with dairy dishes. Below is a recipe for a blintz souffle.

BLINTZ SOUFFLE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Package of 6 frozen blintzes (fruit or cheese). Place in pan greased with 1/8 lb. (4 TBSP) butter.

Mix or blend:
3 eggs
1/2-pint sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup orange juice

Pour over blintzes. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Education Committee

The current fiscal year will be over before you know it and work will soon begin on planning next year's programs. The Education Committee is seeking new members as well as a new Chairperson. Please consider the importance of volunteering your time and energy. If you donít step up, who will? If not now, when? If you are interested in either leading or joining the Education Committee, please notify Stan Binder (JSCA President) at PRESIDENT@jscasheville.org.

Social Justice Committee

May 1 through 10: Secular Week of Action: A Compassionate Response to COVID-19
The National Day of Prayer, a day set aside in federal law for people of faith to pray for the nation takes place on Thursday, May 7th.

Rather than observing a day of thoughts and prayers, the secular community focuses its efforts on a full week of action and inclusion. This yearís emphasis is a compassionate response to COVID-19.

Here are just a few things you can do to make a difference:

• Donate to your local food bank https://www.mannafoodbank.org/
• Donate to a non-profit serving those experiencing homelessness such as Homeward Bound
• Donate Blood if you are able: https://thebloodconnection.org/wnc-blood-drives/
• Deliver meals to vulnerable neighbors (Meals on Wheels of Buncombe County is using a no-contact protocol) http://www.mowabc.org/

Safe and Accessible Elections

Ron Katz of the Western North Carolina Interfaith Initiative shared this information related to the COVID-19 impact on upcoming elections:

The Wisconsin primary earlier this month put many of their citizens in the position of having to choose between a health risk and voting. On both the state and local level, it is important for elected officials to know the upcoming election should be safe and accessible for all concerned. Common Cause NC offers this letter from the state director to make needed changes, and the League of Women Voters offers talking points here to use when talking with people or contacting U.S. House members and senators.

Keep up with social justice news through these web sites:

Jews for a Secular Democracy Newsletter http://jfasd.org/

The Society for Humanistic Judaism invites JSCA members to sign up for the Jews for a Secular Democracy initiative email updates. (Go to http://eepurl.com/gJMGzH)

The Jews for a Secular Democracy initiative is focused on causes where there is near unanimity in our Humanistic Judaism movement and widespread support in the Jewish community at large: separation of church and state issues such as abortion rights, LGBTQ equality, and secular education in all schools.

Carolina Jews for Justice https://www.carolinajewsforjustice.org/CJJ is a grassroots network committed to creating a more just, fair, and compassionate North Carolina.

Interfaith Initiative for Social Justice: https://www.facebook.com/interfaithinitiativeforsocialjustice/

Membership

Remember, we have a new Members' Forum where you can catch up with other members and share what in the world you have been up to during all of this isolation business. Go ahead, give it a try, it won't bite! https://jscasheville.org/JSCA-Members-Forum