Congregation for Humanistic Judaism
Sarasota, Florida
Congregation for Humanistic Judaism
Special Interest and Social Groups 2011-2012
(Open only to CHJ members)
In the list below you will find descriptions of existing CHJ groups and the contact person for each of them. If you have difficulty reaching any of the people listed below, please call Elaine Altenberg at 351-7144 and she will try to help you. Some contact people are snowbirds, so may not be in Sarasota at this time. We need people willing to take on leadership roles in some groups, at least to get them started. Please consider being one of those people.
Congregation-Wide Committees That Need You!
Caring Committee
The Caring Committee reaches out to help members who need assistance when they are ill, have experienced a death in the family, or are incapacitated in some way. Pauline Kabcenell and Adele Fox are co-chairs of the committee. CHJ members may be called upon at one time or another to help in providing food, rides, companionship, or in other ways assisting their fellow members. An effort is made to find people living in the general area near the person needing help. If you would like to be contacted by the Caring Committee when someone who lives near you is in need, please sign in on the Caring Committee Sign Up sheet.
If you know of a CHJ member who is in need of help, please contact Pauline at 377-1284 or mkabcenell@verizon.net or Adele at 377-5308 or forfox@aol.com. You can also contact them to let them know you’re available to help if you haven’t already signed up at the October 2010 Meet and Greet, as they are updating their files.
Social Action Committee
Join members in their Social Justice/Social Action (national and global) efforts or Community Action (local) efforts through this very vital CHJ committee. Contact Arlene Pearlman 377-1003 or ajp474@comcast.net if you’d like to get in on the action and help repair the world – Tikkun Olam.
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Special Interest and Social Groups
Beading Buddies
The group will meet once a month in members’ homes. Each person will bring a beading project to work on and a bag lunch. The hostess will provide dessert. We will Bead, Talk, Socialize and Connect! This will not be a group for people who want to learn to bead – no lessons. We would help and learn from each other. For more information please contact Janet Rosenfeld at 360-9155 or email at aljanrose@yahoo.com
Bike Riding Group
The Bike Riding Group meets a couple of times a season or monthly, if there is interest, usually on Saturday morning. They ride about an hour to an hour and ½ and try different places and try to choose scenic routes. Scheduling is flexible depending on the weather and all are welcome. If the group desires, they go to lunch afterward or bring their own lunch and brown bag it. They are open to suggestions on places to ride. Please call Sandy Siegel at 927-4645 or e-mail her at sndrsgl@aol.com for more information.
Board Games Groups
“Scrabble,” “Upwords,” “Boggle,” and others are among the fun board games played by this group. They’ll teach you a word game, or if you have an interesting game that some members might like to try, bring it with you. The current Board Games Group is looking for a volunteer to lead the group. For information or to offer your name as an organizer, contact Elaine Altenberg at 351-7144 or Elaine@altenberg.com
Bridge Group
Our Bridge Group is always seeking and welcoming new members. So if you are interested in playing party bridge (not duplicate) on a regular schedule set by you and others (perhaps once a month) please contact Marjorie Eiseman at mte1031@gmail.com or 966-0262.
Digital Imaging Group (DIG)
DIG (Digital Imaging Group) meets at 1:30 P.M. on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Sarasota North County Library (Newtown Library). The purpose of the group is to learn what makes a good photograph and how to use your digital camera and computer to achieve that end. A variety of assignments are made and Diggers bring in their images on memory cards or CDs. The photos are displayed on a digital projector and critiqued. All skill levels are welcome. E-mail Jules Altenberg at jules@altenberg.com if you wish to join.
Dining Groups
The groups usually get together once a month. The details are worked out by members of each group. The groups meet for appetizers or dessert in members’ homes, then review local restaurants. It’s a culinary adventure but not pricey. If this activity interests you, call Pauline Kabcenell at 377-1284 or mkabcenell@verizon.net As more people join, we will form new groups.
Film Groups
We have a number of film groups that may be presently filled, but we are also in the process of forming new film groups to meet the needs of other members who are also interested in viewing films and discussing them. Each group meets at a time selected by its members, usually in the homes of group members. Sometimes they choose to dine out afterward and continue their discussion of the film then. Current groups include:
Foreign Films – meets the 4th Tuesday at for dinner and discussion at a local restaurant. Contact Barbara Chertok (BarbChert@aol.com).
Film Group One (last Friday) – meets the last Friday of month at 3:30 p.m. Contact Jackie Heyman at 924-3448 or hopeantiques@verizon.net
First Wednesday Group – meets the first Wednesday of month at 4 p.m. Contact Marilyn Oslander at 951-2029 or marasota@yahoo.com
Third Wednesday Films – meets the third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Contact Joan Bornstein at 359-6983 or jlbmsw@aol.com
Film Forum – Discussion led by Jules Altenberg, 351-7144 or jules@altenberg.com . Meet the 2nd or 3rd Tuesday at 4 p.m. Group currently filled.
The Humanaires (our chorus)
If you love to sing, please consider joining our CHJ chorus, the Humanaires. They are a group of amateur singers who enjoy singing songs in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladina, and English (plus occasionally other languages as well) that come out of our Jewish experience. You don’t have to be familiar with the languages since everything is transliterated. The Humanaires practice every Thursday afternoon at 2:00 P.M. at Unity. No auditions or past singing experience required. If you are interested in singing with an enthusiastic group of people and making new friends along the way, call our conductor Dave Berman at 355-2515 or Rachel Ferrell at 747-6690 or rrferrell@aol.com
Mah Jongg Group
The Mah Jongg group gathers every Friday afternoon from 1 – 4 p.m. at each other’s homes. (Four games/hour). All are welcome!! Contact Joan Koulish at 359-9703 or sjkoulish@comcast.net
Men’s and Women’s Groups
These are groups that gather to discuss issues of personal concern, i.e. relationships, the emotional aspects of illness, and other topics relevant to members’ lives. They are not cry-baby groups, but rather a sharing of experiences to give and get support and information from other group members. The groups are separate for men and women, and all conversations are confidential. If you are interested call:
Mens’ Groups - Jerry Paskovitz at 358-0260 or leonpask@comcast.net
Women’s Groups - contact Sylvia Kolker at 361-7170 or bjuliet@aol.com The CHJ Women bring strong “collective wisdom” to life’s challenges. Come and share that wisdom. This is not a therapy or advice group. Kolker is a professional psychologist with a specialty in group facilitation. Topics will reflect what resonates with participants’ lives. The group meets bimonthly.
Poker
This new group is being formed and will play in the day time to accommodate people who don’t drive at night. When six interested people have joined they will decide on regular days and times. Contact Janet Hemond at 966-3553 or janhemond@comcast.net
Readers Group
Our Book Club has been revived. Former librarian, Lee Floersheimer, is organizing a core group of people with a passion for the printed word. The group meets once a month, and all books discussed are readily available at local libraries, so no book purchase is required. If you are interested in reading books and discussing them with other CHJ members – time, place, and reading material of mutual interest for review and discussion -- please contact Lee Floersheimer at 359-9775 or mariposa93@verizon.net
Sunsetters
If you love our beautiful Sarasota beach sunsets this group is for you!!
We meet on the 4th Sunday of each month at Lido Beach … approximately 2 hours before sunset. In the spring and summer (when the sun sets late, we bring our own picnic dinner and when the time changes in fall and winter … we eat out at a local casual restaurant. Interested? Contact Barbara or Gerry Shapiro at ms.shappy@verizon.net or call at 365-3756.
Wine Tasting Groups
Our Wine Tasting Groups meet once a month from September to May at tasters’ homes. Each group is limited to 12 people. Following evaluation of the wines and sharing opinions, there is usually more discussion of the wines and then, those who wish to do so, dine out together. If you are interested in Wine Tasting, contact Ron Fox at eronfox1@yahoo.com or 342-4248 to add your name to a group.
Women’s Golf Group
We have been trying to organize a Women’s Golf Group. If you are interested in playing golf with other CHJ women, please contact Marilyn Golden at sygo100@aol.com or 355-2979 after November 1st as Marilyn is a snowbird.
Rev. 11-10-11
