There is so much happening in April. Tot Shabbat will be from 5:30-6 p.m. April 15, followed by a potluck dinner. We are expanding the Tot Shabbat program to include holiday and Shabbat activities from 6-7 p.m. Jan Greenberg, of Shabbat Chavurah fame, will offer a creative, educational and hands-on experience for children and parents alike. And we have added summer dates: June 17, July 15 and Aug.19. I look forward to enjoying Shabbat with your family.

Also on April 15, Liz Lerman and Doug Mishkin will help lead Kabbalat Shabbat services beginning at 6:30 p.m. This is always one of the most beautiful services of the year as we explore our liturgy through music and personal stories. Your participation adds so much to our understanding of prayer -- please join us.

The next night, April 16, is the annual NFTY Scholarship Concert at 8 p.m. Doug Mishkin will be singing the music of Pete Seeger. When I met Doug Mishkin, in the late 1960s, he was singing the music of Pete Seeger. I suspect he was born singing the music of Pete Seeger. What a great evening this promises to be, with personal stories from Doug's experience on the Clearwater, Seeger's pollution-bashing Hudson River sloop, to how he helped compose "If I Had a Hammer." (Note: Meryl only thinks Doug co-wrote that piece because its themes are so close to Doug's heart). Proceeds from the concert provide scholarships for Temple Micah students to attend NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) camp and Israel program experiences. Both Doug and I enjoyed NFTY camp and are truly proud that so many of our young members take advantage of these scholarships and the sell-out crowd each year that supports them.

Kol Isha has changed the date of its meeting this month to Sunday, April 17, from 2-4:30 p.m. We will continue our study of kabbalah with Jay McCrensky, who will lead us in partnered Jewish meditative practices. This interactive session is a follow up to our earlier session with McCrensky on the fundamentals of kabbalistic study, and will incorporate many of the themes and practices we have explored this year.

The Kol Isha Seder, at 6 p.m. Monday, April 18, will prepare us for our own home seders at the end of the week. This is the third seder Kol Isha has sponsored for the temple, and it is rich with traditions and new rituals that can add meaning to your family celebrations. Seating is limited, so please send in your reservations as soon as possible for reservations.

The Jewish Parenting group, which gathers monthly to view raising children through a Jewish lens, will meet at 10:15 a.m., Thursday, April 21. You can join in the dialogue any time; babysitting is available.

And a quick look at the beginning of next month points to Shabbat morning services on May 7, when 17 congregants will be called to the Torah for the first time to chant K'doshim. These men and women from the Adult B'nai Torah Class have been studying together every Tuesday evening for the past two years. They have been learning to read Hebrew and recite the prayers from our Shabbat services as well as learning to chant Torah. They have read texts about prayer, Torah and theology, and discussed varied aspects of their Jewish lives. They invite you to join them as they are called up to the bima to express their Jewish identities in a new way. There will be a kiddush luncheon following services. Class members have asked that any donation made in their honor be made to the Prayerbook Fund.

For further information, please email me.