[HANASHIR:15800] RE: Jewish Exchange

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

Friends - There's a nice website called:  www.theisraelexchange.com
<http://www.theisraelexchange.com/> 
Which, when you enter, you can click on "radio" and hear all kinds of
great music!  You can choose from contemporary, Israeli, middle eastern,
childrens, etc. etc.  In fact, I just heard Fran Avni!  Enjoy.
Meris Ruzow
 
Meris (at) nycap(dot)rr(dot)com
 
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org] On
Behalf Of Gail Greenberg
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 2:12 PM
To: 'hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org'
Subject: [HANASHIR:15790] RE: kiddush levana
 
We recently put together a Havdallah guide that included this
information about Kiddush Levana:
 
Kiddush Levana.Blessing the Moon
 
R' Yochanan said: "Anyone who blesses the new moon is as if he has
greeted the Shechina" (God's Presence).
(Sanhedrin 42A)
 
On the first Saturday evening after the new moon, we add special
prayers, the Kiddush Levana, to our Havdallah celebration.  We show God
that we appreciate the world created for us.
 
There is a famous story called "The Sun and the Moon":
On the fourth day of creation, "God created two luminaries." Originally
the sun and moon were the same size, until the moon asked God,
"Sovereign of the Universe, can two kings share a single crown?" God
replied by telling the moon to go and make itself smaller. "Sovereign of
the Universe," the moon cried "because I presented a proper claim, must
I make myself smaller?"
And God, realizing the justice of her plea, compensated the moon, by
promising that she would rule by night, and that Israel would calculate
the calendar by her. God - also promised that eventually the moon would
be restored to the same size as the sun.  Babylonian Talmud Chullin,
60a.
 
The prayers are recited only when we can see the moon, and contain the
recitation of psalms and special brachot.  Share this prayer as a family
to extend your Havdallah experience:
 
            New moon, teach us to value our darkness, even as you move
into the light.  Let us give voice to what is silent.  Let us make
visible what is hidden.  Just as this new moon creates anew the cycle of
the month, so too may it inspire us to create anew ourselves and our
faith. 
 
Blessed are You, God, who renews the months. 
Baruch Atah Adonai, M'Chadesh hachadashim.
 
After we thank God for all of the creations, we turn to others to wish
them "Shalom Aleichem", Peace be to You, as a way of extending our
connection with God to those around us.
 
There is also a lot of info at this site
http://www.cckollel.org/html/parsha/shemos/mishpatim5763.html
 
I have done this service once with students I teach (5th and 6th
graders) and we added learning about the lunar cycle and songs like
Heveinu Shalom Aleichem and Hallelu.  The kids really got into it!
 
Gail
 
Gail Greenberg, Senior Staff Associate
J.E.F.F.-Jewish Experiences For Families
Federation's Alliance for Jewish Education
6735 Telegraph Road Suite 370
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301
248.205.2536
248.645.7867 (fax)
 <mailto:greenberg (at) jfmd(dot)org> greenberg (at) jfmd(dot)org
http://www.thisisfederation.org/alliance
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Golda18 (at) aol(dot)com [mailto:Golda18 (at) aol(dot)com]
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 2:01 PM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:15789] kiddush levana
Kiddush Levana is a special kiddush that is done when there is a full
moon.  I assume that it is levana meaning white.  i don't know anything
about the derivation.
gail nalven