September, 2025 Megillah
WITH LOVE
How could I possibly write about anything except Gaza? How could any of us think about anything else? What I am about to share will feel far from that tree, but I think it ultimately connects. Every year during one of the High Holy Day services (usually Yom Kippur morning, for those of you who want to be forewarned) I quiz the community on the Deeds Without Measure. This beloved passage is recited every day by those who davven a traditional service. (It comes, more or less, from the Talmud, Shabbat 127a.) It says, “These are the deeds for which one enjoys the profit in this world, but the principle is saved up for the World to Come.” and then there’s a list of nine. (Contact me if you’d like the list.)
One of them—you remember!—is hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests). More literally it means something like “causing guests to enter.” It’s the first day of Elul as I write this, the beginning of the month of heightened introspection. And I am asking myself what seems like a very simple question: “How many guests have I caused to enter my home this past year?” Not so very many, I must admit.
Interrogating myself, I come up with three main reasons that I don’t welcome more people to my house:
I’m not a very good housekeeper;
I’m a little shy;
There is so much rigmarole about having guests (and being one) that sometimes I’m just too tired or lazy for it.
Housekeeping: What got me thinking about this whole matter of having guests to my house was a column by the lovely Courtney Martin (“Gather Your People Anyway” https://courtney.substack.com/p/gather-your-people-anyway). She asks herself the same question: why is it so hard to have people over? And in the course of her rumination she quotes someone called Katherine Goldstein, who advocates “deep casual hosting” and [I love this!] “Minimum Viable Cleanliness.” I’d say I’m a straight C housekeeper. You wouldn’t want to eat off my floor, but you can probably safely eat off my plates. I’m capable of being embarrassed about that.
There’s a little more to it too. When people enter my house, they see my colors. My furniture. My pots and pans. My books. My art. My pets. My little house jokes. My level of affluence. When people enter my home, they enter me in a more intimate way than I usually admit. They see how I live. They see me.
Which leads to #2, my shyness. When people come over, we have to talk with each other, one-on-one. Sometimes that’s a little intense for the duration of a whole pot of tea, not to mention an evening. Will the people I invite enjoy each other? Will they like that I also like these other people? What if people are coming over just because they think they should? Who am I not inviting? It doesn’t take much hostess anxiety to make it easier to just have dinner alone.
Which leads to #3—what I like to call “the world’s smallest problem”—hostess gifts! “What can I bring?” “Oh nothing. Just come….” Okay, do I bring that jar of jam that’s been on my shelf for three years? Or wait, did they bring that jam to me last time? Do I bake a cake anyhow? Do I pass on that bottle of wine someone brought to my house and we never got around to drinking? (Once we get the rest of the world fixed, I am going to campaign to get people to come to my house empty-handed, and not to feel like a jerk if I do likewise when I go to theirs.) But it’s not just that; it’s the feeling that people need to reciprocate, or I do, and the guilt when we haven’t, and then the sense of obligation and embarrassment. I won’t even write about meal planning; I’m actually pretty good at that. I like planning a gluten-free, vegan, paleo, locally sourced meal. It’s kind of like doing Wordle. But if you come over on short notice, I promise I won’t have any snacks — no chips, no nuts, no little cookies I just happened to bake this morning, no coffee milk. Worry worry worry…
I walk with people now and then and have many coffees at my various local “offices.” But there is a particular holiness to the kitchen table. A passage in Talmud Berachot (10b) is taken to say that now that the Temple no longer exists, having a guest to your table is comparable to offering the daily sacrifice. Or as it’s sometimes paraphrased, “When the Temple fell, the dinner table became the altar of God.”
Why does any of this matter? Because we live in a hard world, and it could well get harder. And we need each other. We need to know each other, to feel comfortable around each other. We have a lot to figure out. We need to talk, a lot, and to hear each other, a lot. Not just at meetings or dialogues or demonstrations, though these are great too. Kitchen table issues get articulated at kitchen tables, but revolutions are planned around them too.
The long work of figuring out how to act responsibly and usefully towards Israel/Palestine takes much conversation, much reflection. It takes time, and it takes companionship. As does the work of figuring out how to help each other and our friends and neighbors meet the challenges of our own futures. (Elul note to self: I do tend to have guests on Shabbat, which is not the time for these conversations, at least at my dinner table. Invite guests on other days.) And we need to laugh a lot too. And to confide in each other about our sore spots. And hear about new podcasts. And all the rest.
Here’s Courtney Martin with the last word: The structural and cultural barriers are real. Naming them feels like it takes some of the shame out of our struggle to just holler, “Come on over!” to people we love. Let’s acknowledge all that keeps us from reaching out right now, and do it anyway. Whether you throw one elaborately planned dinner party this year or 52 super casual potlucks, don’t let anything prevent you from opening the door to your beautiful people and saying, “Hi, welcome, welcome. Come on in!’
DOF CHODSHI
And just like that, we find ourselves in the last month of 5785, only weeks away from Rosh HaShanah, in the Hebrew month of Elul. I have always loved the phrase “and just like that”; it highlights the mysterious passage of time, without really saying anything at all. And just like what? Just like the sun rising over the hills and setting over the ocean, just like finishing our morning coffee and our evening tea, just like the winter rains coming and going so that our summer river days can come and go? And just like that, a whole new year is upon us in Elul.
In literature, this phrase is used to pause and lead into the next big thing happening. In Elul, we pause to take stock of our soul, Cheshbon HaNefesh, to prepare for this new year of 5786. As we hear the shofar blast each day of Elul, we can ask our soul different questions:
How are my various relationships feeling? Are there any that need tending or more care? Any that are not as present in my life as they were last year at this time? Any to whom I want to write a letter, initiate a heart-to-heart conversation, express a boundary or gratitude?
Where does God feel present in my life? Or, if “God language” doesn’t resonate, do I feel spiritually nourished? Do I feel drawn to deepen or change any spiritual practices—prayer, meditation, chanting, yoga, and beyond?
Do I feel content in my day to day activities? Am I giving back in some way, whether through my job or community or anything I do that helps give me a sense of purpose? Are there any adjustments I feel drawn to make in the field of career, retirement, volunteering, philanthropy, social justice?
How is my physical orbit feeling? Are there ways I can better care for my body and health? My home and material possessions? My land and environment?
What other questions shall I ask my soul?
And just like that, by the time we finish answering these soul questions, we’ll find ourselves in the shul with our whole community, singing Avinu Malkeinu. So may this month of Elul make the “and just like that” feel a little less sudden; may we feel the spaciousness to slow down and check in with our souls. May Elul bless us with compassion to see ourselves with tenderness, clarity to accept what is ready to shift, and courage to step toward it. And just like that, the gates of a new year will open and we will walk through them together.
HIGH HOLY DAYS, 5786
L'Shana Tova! We wish you and your loved ones and our world a very happy and healthy new year. Below is a fairly complete schedule of services and other gatherings. Keep an eye out for a few more details in days to come. We will gather in our shul for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, but evening and daytime services will also be accessible on the MCJC zoom link.
Full moon of Elul Chanting Circle, Monday, September 8, 5:00 PM, Mendocino Bay Viewpoint.
Selichot:
Saturday, September 13, 8:00 PM. A short, candle-lit later-evening service of preparation for the Holy Days, with chanting and time for looking within. This service will not be zoomed.
Pre-Rosh Hashanah mikveh:
Monday, September 22, 10:00 AM, Middle Ridge. The mikveh, a prayerful ritual immersion in "living water," is a beautiful traditional way to enter the Holy Days. All women are invited to attend. Details to come.
Rosh Hashanah:
Evening service, Monday, September 22, 7:30 PM.
Morning service, Tuesday, September 23, 10:30 AM. Shofar in the afternoon at Caspar Beach (see below).
Veggie potluck lunch will follow the morning service. Please bring a cold dish to serve 8-10 people, with a list of ingredients. You can leave food in the shul kitchen. If you are visiting from elsewhere, feel no need to bring food. Dishes and beverages will be provided.
Community teachings 3:00 - 4:00 PM. As always, we look forward to teachings from members of our community to help us enter the New Year. Also on Zoom.
Tashlikh and Shofar at Caspar Beach, 4:30 PM. Following the teachings on September 23.
Yom Kippur:
Kol Nidre, Wednesday, October 1, 7:30 PM.
Morning service, Thursday, October 2 10:30 AM.
Yizkor (memorial service) 4:30 - 5:30 PM. If you would like to add names to our community yizkor list, please contact Donna Montag at montag@mcn.org (or by phone at 707-877-3243, but e-mail preferred) before Yom Kippur. If you have ever given a name to be read, it will still be on the community list.
Mincha and Ne'ila, 5:30 PM to sundown. Also on Zoom.
Breaking the fast. Community kiddush at the shul will follow. All are invited to continue the joy of the conclusion of Yom Kippur at potluck break-the-fast meals at community members’ homes. We are particularly looking for hosts near Mendocino and Fort Bragg. If you would like to host a gathering, please contact Donna Montag at montag@mcn.org. Names of hosts and directions will be provided on Yom Kippur.
General Information:
We encourage you to come for as many or as few of the High Holy Day services as you like. Please do not hesitate to enter while services are underway or to leave when you need to.
We suggest a contribution of $200 for each adult who is not already a supporting member of MCJC. Please send a check to P.O. Box 291, Little River, CA. 95456 or contribute via PayPal at the MCJC website: www.mcjc.org. As always, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. It is traditional not to handle or discuss money on the holidays. If you have any financial questions please call Raven Deerwater, our treasurer, at 707-937-1099.
Volunteers are needed to help make our High Holy Days sweet and memorable for everyone. There are many ways to participate (setting up, cleaning up, prepping for Kiddush). We will give clear directions to all volunteers. Please contact Joy at ajoylancaster@gmail.com.
If you have High Holy Day-related questions, please contact Marnie Press at marniepress@gmail.com or Nina Ravitz at ninabo@mcn.org.
Shana Tova U’Metukah…a happy and sweet year to all!
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
A full Shabbat service is led by community members, with singing, chanting and silence, Torah teaching and reading, blessings for healing and peace, and time for mourners to say Kaddish. The teachers for September are listed below. We have hybrid services, so come to the shul or Zoom in from 10:30 AM until about 12:30 PM.
| 9/06/25 |
Ki Teitzei |
Margaret Holub |
| 9/13/25 |
Ki Tavo |
Raven Deerwater |
| 9/20/25 |
Nitzavim |
Paige Lincenberg |
| 9/27/25 |
Vayeilech |
Raven Deerwater |
If you would like to give a Torah teaching during Shabbat services, or want more information about what’s involved, please contact Raven Deerwater at raven@taxpractitioner.com or (707) 937-1099.
KABBALAT SHABBAT
Kabbalat Shabbat in September 19th will be hosted by Donna and David Neumark in Mendocino at 6:00 PM. For directions and to RSVP, contact them at (415) 265-0803 or (415) 264-8946.
On October 10th we will gather in Rabbi Margaret’s sukkah on Albion Ridge at 6:00 PM.
We’re set for the rest of this calendar year, but if you want to host a Shabbat gathering in 2026, please contact Mina at (707) 937-1319 or mcohen@mcn.org.
ELUL CHANTING CIRCLE
On the full moon of the mystical month of Elul, Monday, September 8th, we will meditatively chant together at 5:00 PM. We will gather at (what Google Maps calls) the Mendocino Bay Viewpoint, a little south of Big River, on the west side of Highway 1. There’s a very short trail to the overlook; please bring a folding chair or whatever you’d prefer to sit on.
SUKKOT PLANS
The beautiful holiday of Sukkot falls this year on October 6th to 13th. It’s not too soon to think about making a sukkah and inviting guests. The sukkah can be super-simple—in fact, though it’s not quite up to the standards of Jewish law, a circle of rope on the ground makes a sukkah-lite. The important things are being outside and welcoming guests. Invite your own list or host an open sukkah: invite the whole community for a potluck or to share poems or tell jokes or play cards. Or invite folks to call and stop by in a mutually convenient time span. Rabbi Holub has already staked out Friday night, October 10th, for a Kabbalat Shabbat Sukkot at her house. If you’d like to host folks in your sukkah during the week, please let Margaret know at mholub@mcn.org.
JUSTICE GROUP
MCJC’s Justice Group meets in-person (only) at the shul at 5:30 PM on the last Monday of the month. This month we will gather on the 29th. All are invited. Come hear updates on the Justice projects, Citizenship Scholarship and Indigenous Relationships. Share updates on organizing for immigration rights and other local justice activities. Find out how organizations on the Coast are preparing for possible ICE encounters. Learn how to get involved in the Mendocino County Response Network. Discover ways you can speak and act for peace and humanity in Israel and Palestine. For information or to receive Justice Group announcements, contact Donna Medley at dmthebeez9@gmail.com.
THINK ABOUT THIS
Once a month, on the first Wednesday, the Philosophy Circle gathers to explore a thought-provoking topic related to ethics, existence, or reality. In September, we will meet on the 3rd. There is no outside reading; just show up, hear a few profound sentences from a Jewish philosopher then join the discussion with other members of our community. For more information, contact Rabbi Paige at rabbipaige@gmail.com.
ZOOM ADDRESS
We are using the Zoom address below for many MCJC events. Password is shalom. Disregard the numeric passcode at the bottom of the invitation unless you’re dialing in on a landline. If you have questions or problems, contact susan.tubbesing@gmail.com.
Join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7071836183?pwd=NzFaTkpjOXVYMDNnNnprOXlnZjVhQT09
Meeting ID: 707 183 6183
Passcode: shalom
Numeric Passcode: 776001
BIRTHDAYS
Please reach out to the celebrants noted below and spread love. If you would like your natal day listed, email rabbipaige@gmail.com with your birth date. (We list the day, but not the year, and your name will be featured only during your birthday month.) Below are the September birthdays:
9/3 dobby sommer, 9/11 Elizabeth Lev, 9/16 Judith Aftergut, 9/18 Esther Faber
HERE FOR YOU
Rabbis Margaret & Paige want to remind you all that we’re always available for you in any way we can be! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of them to go on a walk or have tea with you.
SAVE THE DATE FOR DEATH
The folks who brought you the Death Over Donuts discussions are planning an in-person event at the shul for Sunday, October 19th at 1:00 PM. We look forward to another educational, informative panel presentation and conversations. Please mark your calendar. More details to come. For more information, contact Leslie Krongold at elkrong@yahoo.com
ELDERS CONVERSE
The Elders’ Conversation usually meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, but because Rosh Hashanah falls on the fourth Tuesday of this month, we will meet on Tuesday, September 9th (our usual meeting date) and then again on Tuesday, September 30th, the fifth Tuesday of the month. We pick our topic at the end of the prior meeting and it is shared before the meeting in the MCJC announcements sent out by Susan Tubbesing. People of all ages are most welcome.
SHARE YOUR GIFTS
On Tuesday, September 9th at 5:00 PM, at the shul, learn to make naturally fermented soda. Discover how to create your own by making and maintaining a “ginger bug” in your kitchen. In this workshop, you’ll prepare and take home a refreshing lacto-fermented ginger soda (with optional flavors), along with your own ginger bug starter to continue fermenting at home. Please bring the following ingredients: • one tablespoon of fresh ginger and a jar for your starter; • cutting board and sharp knife; • funnel with a small end that fits into a bottle top; • optional—flip top bottles, your favorite fruit (juiced or puréed) and any herbs or spices you’d like to experiment with. Contact Jessica with questions at jessnuss@gmail.com.
BOOK GROUP
We will meet on Zoom Monday September 15th at 2:00 PM to discuss And After the Fire, by Lauren Belfer, a novel about two women, one European and one American, and a mysterious choral masterpiece by Johann Sebastian Bach that changes both their lives. In this National Jewish Book Award winner, American soldier Henry Sachs takes an old music manuscript from a seemingly deserted mansion in the ruins of Berlin in 1945. In America in 2010, Henry’s niece, Susanna Kessler, struggles to rebuild her life after she is assaulted on the streets of New York City. Henry dies soon afterward and she uncovers the long-hidden music manuscript and sets about trying to determine its provenance. The search leads her to Berlin in 1783, where Sara Itzig Levy, a renowned musician, concealed the manuscript of an anti-Jewish cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, an unsettling gift to her from Bach’s son, her teacher. This work and its disturbing message will haunt Sara and her family for generations to come.
If you are not currently in the Book Group, please contact Fran Schwartz for the Zoom invitation at franbschwartz@gmail.com. Books are usually at Gallery Bookshop.
MCJC BOARD MEETING
The MCJC board will meet on September 10th at 5:30 PM on Zoom. If you wish to attend part of the meeting, please contact Susan Tubbesing for the Zoom address at (707) 962-0565, or susan.tubbesing@gmail.com.
WE <3 MAILERS
Kath Disney Nilson and her helpful husband, Steve once again prepared the last Megillah for mailing. They are always there when the business office calls them! With dedication like theirs, this mitzvah can be yours. Please contact Sarah at 962-0565 or sarah.nathe@gmail.com
MEGILLAH SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Mendocino Megillah is published monthly as an emailed PDF and an online version. The online Megillah is posted on the newsletter page of the MCJC website: www.mcjc.org/newsletter. Any information on changes in email address or in email notifications should be sent to Sarah Nathe at sarah.nathe@gmail.com. If you choose not to be a contributing member of MCJC, we request a $54 annual fee for the Megillah.
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING DONORS
Donna Weintraub, Bob Evans, Sally & Lee Welty, Marilyn Rose & James Blackstock, Margaret Fox-Kump, Myra Beals, Danny Mandelbaum & Benna Kolinsky, Tracy Salkowitz & Rick Edwards, Laura Goldman & Dennak Murphy, Ronnie James, Carol Maxon, Kath Disney Nilson, Lew Mermelstein, dobby sommer, Andrea Luna, Roberta & David Belson, Mina Cohen & Jeffrey Berenson, Donna Feiner, David & Donna Neumark,
Dan Azar in memory of his wife, Lisa Calvarese Azar
Fran Schwartz, Susan Tubbesing & Sarah Nathe, Rosalie & Art Holub in honor and celebration of Rabbi Paige and Ben’s marriage, with all good wishes
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Mendocino Megillah is published monthly, except for August. The deadline for article submission is the 20th of the month before publication. The editor will include all appropriate material, space permitting, with the exception of copyrighted material lacking the permission of the author. Divergent opinions are welcome. Material printed in the Megillah does not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the MCJC Board of Directors.
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| Chevra Kadisha |
Clare Bercot Zwerling |
956-571-0945 |
clarebercot@icloud.com |
| Cemetary |
Donna Montag |
707-877-3243 |
montag@mcn.org |
| Outreach (new to the community), Finance Committee, Announcements |
Susan Tubbesing* |
707-962-0565
|
susan.tubbesing@gmail.com |
| Justice Committee |
Donna Medley* |
707-962-9493 |
dmthebeez9@gmail.com
|
| Women's retreat, Annual dinner |
Harriet Bye |
707-937-3622 |
bysawyer@mcn.org
|
| Kabbalat Shabbat Coordinator |
Mina Cohen |
707-367-3390 | mcohen@mcn.org |
| Volunteer Coordinator |
Joy Lancaster* |
510-703-9955 | martyjoy@sbcglobal.net |
| Building Maintenance |
Marnie Press* |
707-937-1905 | marniepress@gmail.com |
| Treasurer, Finance Committee |
Raven Deerwater* |
707-964-8333 | raven@taxpractitioner.com |
| Landscaping, Library |
Nina Ravitz* |
707-357-6462 | ninabo@mcn.org |
| Secretary, Finance Committee |
Alix Sabin* |
415-238-1342 | alixsabin@gmail.com |
| Book Group, Bikkur Cholim |
Fran Schwartz |
707-937-1352 | franbschwartz@gmail.com |
| Web dude |
Gus Mayeno |
webmaster@mcjc.org | |
| Megillah Editor, Name & Address & Subscription changes |
Sarah Nathe |
707-962-0565 |
sarah.nathe@gmail.com |
| Rabbi |
Margaret Holub |
707-734-0311 | mholub@mcn.org |
| Rabbi |
Paige Lincenberg |
rabbipaige@gmail.com |
