May 2013 Shofar - Israel Congregation of Manchester

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 3 May/June 2013 Student CantorVera Broekhuysen ICM is delighted to welcome StudentCantor Vera Broekhuysen to our bimahfor the High Holy Days of 5774. StudentCantor Broekhuysen is a second-yearcantorial student at Hebrew College inNewton, Mass. She and her husband, agraduate student at University ofMassachusetts, Amherst, make theirhome in Sunderland, Mass. She willalso be joining us to co-lead Fridaynight services on May 17.Student Cantor Broekhuysen, asoprano, received her bachelor’s degreein Music History and Theory with aspecialty in history from the Universityof Toronto Faculty of Music, conferredwith honors, in June 2007. She brings awealth of experience to ICM includingleading High Holy Day services andserving as Torah reader (leyner) bothinternally and professionally at theJewish Community of Amherst, aReconstructionist synagogue; serving asa minyan leader at Temple Hillel B’neiTorah in West Roxbury, Mass.; andleading Shabbat morning services at aConservative congregation inSpringfield, Mass.She has also performed with manygroups including the Zamir Chorale ofBoston; the Kol Arev choir of HebrewCollege; the Jewish community choir ofWestern Massachusetts, Mak’hela; andthe Bach Festival Singers of theInternational Festival in Toronto. She isthe leader and founder of CIRCLEChoir Interfaith, a group of singerscomprised of students from bothHebrew College and the AndoverNewton Theological Seminary, which islocated adjacent to Hebrew College’sNewton campus.The May 17 Shabbat is underwrittenby ICM’s new Music Fund, designed tobring creative individuals to ourcongregation who will introduce us toboth new and familiar music. We are allexcited to welcome Student CantorBroekhuysen warmly.Celebrating ShavuotWe will observe Shavuot on Tuesday, May 14 andWednesday, May 15. On Tuesday at 7:30 pm, we willjoin together for our annual Tikkun Leil Shavuot, thestudy session held to honor our commemoration ofreceiving Torah at Mount Sinai. This year we will bereading the Book of Ruth (in English!), which istraditionally read during Shavuot. Yummy dessertswill be served.We will also have a worship service at onWednesday at 9:30 am, including a Yizkor (memorial)service at approximately 11:00 am. All are welcomeand encouraged to attend both Tuesday evening andWednesday morning. Let us once again receiveTorah into our lives!Lifelong Learning needs youOver the winter and spring, ICM’s LifelongLearning Committee, chaired by Carol Goldsmith,has been working to put together a slate ofprogramming for this summer that is sure tostimulate your mind on many levels.The first program is Dr. Michael Grodin (readmore about Dr. Grodin’s ICM residency on thefront page). We also will host the Israel FriendshipCaravan on July 4, performing in the Rec Park andin our sanctuary.On July 17, Dr. Jack Mayer will speak on hisbook Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project, the truestory of a Holocaust hero who rescued 2,500Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto. OnAugust 9 and 10, ICM will host Rabbi Eli Kaufner,founder of Mechon Hadar in New York City.Finally, one of our ongoing programs is theproposed bible garden on ICM’s campus.All of these programs need your support, bothfinancially and in the planning stages; we are alsolooking for people to serve on the committee.Please let us know if you would like to join us inworking on these exciting projects by emailingCarol at cgoldsmith251@gmail.com.❧ Pastoral Care and Bikkur CholimDo you know someone who is ill or inneed of a pastoral call or visit? Please letRabbi Novak know by calling the office at802-362-4578 or contacting him on hismobile phone at 802-688-3555.