Mountain Family
Steamboat Springs' Jewish Congregation
President's Message
August, 2011
Dear Members and Friends of the Har Mishpacha Family,
With the inspired leadership of Rabbi Booth-Nadav and our own Har Mish members during the year, our Congregation has enriched itself to more educational programs, social opportunities and Family and Home Shabbat services for all.
This is what we all want, but we as a Congregation cannot function without the support—“support” meaning time, commitment and financial-- of our Jewish community. We have sought out and enjoy the services of our Rabbi, our religious school, “Jewishness” programs and a greater presence in our Steamboat community.
We of Har Mish wish to continue this progress—our devoted Board pledges to do so—but we cannot and should not be the sole builders of our Jewish community. We therefore call upon our members and friends to take an active role in providing your families and our Jewish community with the activities you and we wish for ourselves---religious, cultural, educational and social.
I am looking forward to the growth of our “Mountain Family”, asking each of you to volunteer, using your expertise, time and devotion, and—yes, money, to ensure that we and our families enjoy being Jewish.
Yes, this is a mitzvot.
Shalom,
Bert Halberstadt
President, Har Mishpacha
Introducing Rabbi Steve
Congregation Har Mishpacha welcomes Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav as our new rabbi, effective Feb. 2011. He joins us from Denver, visiting monthly for long weekends. He is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia (92). He served as a Hillel Director at the University of Delaware, and in congregations in Lansing, Michigan and Denver, Colorado. He brings us over fourteen years of congregational experience.
In Denver Rabbi Steve is also the Executive Director (and founder) of "Wisdom House Denver: A Center for Multifaith Dialogue and Spiritual Inquiry." Here he teaches classes, leads contemplative hikes and a Jewish meditation practice group. Also from here he is the project manager for "9/11 Ten Years After: A Multifaith Response" in Denver.
Rabbi Steve is also an adjunct staff member of "Adventure Rabbi," based in Boulder, CO., and works with R. Mike Comins at TorahTrek, where he learns and trains leaders in Jewish Wilderness Spirituality.
Rabbi Steve is a past board member of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, and is on the program committee for Limmud Colorado.
Rabbi Steve lives in Denver with his wife and daughter, Jan and Ariella, and their dog "Reb Zusya," a reincarnation of an 18th Cent. Hasidic rabbi.
We look forward to sharing and growing with Rabbi Steve in our mutual love for joyful, meaningful Jewish life, learning, celebration and community in a contemporary context.