he Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Havurah was founded in 1993. For many years we met in members’ homes for services, discussions and celebrations. At that time, services were lay led, and leadership rotated around the membership. Decisions were made by consensus of the entire membership -- which consisted of about 20 people. Dues were $36 per year.
If there’s one thing that defines the spirit of our group, it’s community and participation.
Those were the good old days, but these are the even better days. We’ve grown a lot; settled down in the Jewish Community Center; started a school for our kids; celebrated weddings, births, adoptions and bar and bat mitzvahs; expanded from once a month services to a wide range of activities; created a truly innovative project called the Progressive Jewish Giving Fund; formalized our organizational structure; and grown thankfully accustomed to great service leading. OK, I guess we all miss the $36 annual dues, but we’re still driven much more by volunteer energy than by paid staff.
If there’s one thing that defines the spirit of our group, it’s community and participation. And yes, that is one thing, because if there isn’t participation, there isn’t community. We can each participate in our own way: leading a discussion or sharing an idea, teaching a song or singing along, organizing an event or just showing up. The Havurah isn’t a building; we don’t even have one. The Havurah is us. And you are most welcome to join!
About AARH
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