CREATING COMMUNITY
Approximately 250 adults and 70children attend the NHC SummerInstitute. Singles and couples, children,teenagers, and seniors join together tocreate an inclusive community to cele- brate the multiplicity of Jewish experi-ence. While many participants aremembers of independent havurot intheir home communities, others aremembers of synagogues or are unaffili-ated. About one-third of the partici-pants each year are first-time attendees,for whom mentors will be availableupon request.The NHC is committed to creatinga community that welcomes Jewishwomen and men of every age, stage,and orientation. Whatever your Jewisheducation or denominational affiliation,whether you are Sephardi or Ashkenazi,whether you were born Jewish or became Jewish, you will be a valuedthread in the Institute tapestry.We are also committed to providingaccess to all NHC programs for those atvarious levels of financial ability. Pleasesee the Scholarship/Work Study sectionof the registration form for more infor-mation.
A DAY AT THE INSTITUTE
Your typical weekday schedule mayinclude:• Movement, yoga or silent meditation• Breakfast• Traditional or alternative morning
minyan
(prayer service) or studysessions• Joining the family segments of chil-dren’s programming• Morning class• Morning workshop• Lunch• Afternoon class• Afternoon workshop• Free time• Dinner• Concert, performance or discussion(baby-sitting provided)• Snacks• Late-night conversation, singing,Israeli dancing, games...
MINYANIM(PRAYER SERVICES)
Each weekday morning, optionalminyanim are offered. On any givenmorning there is a choice of prayerstyles; some examples are traditionalegalitarian (before breakfast), havurah-style, family, feminist, four-worlds,meditative, and chanting. A“learner’sminyan” enables those who are notyet familiar with the structure of themorning service to learn and praytogether. Some services are led mostlyin Hebrew; others use a mixture ofHebrew and English. Most have lotsof singing. Prayer books provide trans-lation and some transliteration of theHebrew.Astudy session during minyan timemay be available for those who wouldlike to use this time for learning together.
Mincha
(afternoon) and
Ma’ariv
(evening) services are also scheduleddaily.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
The NHC children’s program is guided by a staff of educators who create Jewishexperiences on the havurah model —participatory, diverse, and age-appropri-ate. The program also makes full useof the adult teaching aculty, artists-in-residence, and other members of theInstitute community. It operates duringscheduled program times, offering chil-dren the opportunity to create their ownhavurah community at the Institute.•Jewish-oriented playtime for babiesand toddlers•Creative, developmentallyappropriate Jewish learning forpreschool children•Community-building with funand Judaic content for children ofelementary-school age•Short, meaningful prayer serviceseach morning•Field trips around campus•Creative Shabbat service developedand led by the young people•The Great Outdoors — supervisedrecreation in a safe environmentThe Children’s Program is designed forchildren from six months to twelveyears old who can participate in anall-day creative program. We do our best to accommodate all children.Please contact the office if your childreceives special assistance in schoolduring the year, so we can help youplan for your child’s needs in the con-text of the children’s community as awhole.Free baby-sitting is available duringevening programs.
TEEN PROGRAM
Every year teenagers at the Institute build a teen community. Its purpose isto complement the adult activities andclasses in which the teens participate.The community provides a home baseand an inclusive and spirited groupof friends for all NHC teen participants,some of whom attend with theirfamilies. The teen community strivesto make the NHC experience even rich-er both spiritually and socially.Adult advisors, themselves Instituteattendees, are available to teenagers forchecking-in and trouble-shooting. If youhave any questions call the NHC officefor assistance or to be connected with acurrent NHC teen.Teens may work in the Children’sProgram or the Institute office for areduction in attendance fee. Seethe section on work-study on page 14or call the NHC office for moreinformation.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Evening and Shabbat programs bring thecommunity together for friendship,learning, prayer, music, dance and familyfun. The week starts with a communitygathering and ends with a closing circle.During the week, we have presentations by our Poretsky Artists-in-Residenceand their students, an annual auction toraise scholarship funds, an evening oflearning, concerts, a gala dance fest,Klezmer and other music, and manyother special treats.
2000 National Havurah Institute August 14-20, 2000
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