Havurah: 36 Years and Still Going Strong
by Don Sackman
Remember 1973? Israel defeated the Arabs in the Yom Kippur War. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were dedicated in New York. Burglars were caught breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate Complex. Larry Kushner was our rabbi and, under his leadership, one of the first Havurahs at Beth El was established: Nancy and Ron Blecher, Elizabeth and Barry David, Merna and Jerry Morse, Kay and Don Sackman.
Our first Sukkoh - 1973/5733 - Pamela, Barry, Alyson, Ron, Merna, Joel, Don, Amy, Nancy, Mark, Larry and Kay
Our families came together (with four of our children – Mark, Larry, Pamela and Joel) to plan a B’nai Mitzvah and establish a Havurah, a small fellowship devoted to a particular holy task. Some time after Ron Blecher, of blessed memory, passed away in 1981, Nancy met and married Frank Davis – loss and gain both seamlessly absorbed into the flexible fabric of our fellowship.
A Havurah is a congregation within a congregation. The root meaning of the Hebrew letters is:
- To unite.
- To weave together.
- To make associations/compose.
- To tie magic knots.
Who knew? Indeed, who would have predicted? Our four families, and our children,have come to know and love one another since the Havurah was formed some 36 years ago. Continuously celebrating life cycle events; Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and weddings followed, along with countless Shabbat (Sabbath) and Havdalah (conclusion of Sabbath) services at everyone’s home. Winter get-togethers in Stowe, summer gatherings at the Cape, Oneg Shabbats, holiday celebrations, and most remarkably constructing Sukkoth (booths), set up at our homes in Sudbury, Lincoln and Brookline, continuously for the past 36 years!
The beat goes on. Grandchildren arrived on the scene – 21 at the latest count. Big 70 and Big 75 birthdays were marked, along with fiftieth anniversary celebrations.
Life has been good. Our Havurah remains a big part of our lives. We have every intention of keeping this congregation within a congregation going as long as spirit and body permit.