Jewish group to hold festival this week
The Jewish Congregation of Maui is celebrating the Festival of Shmini Atzeret this week.
The schedule of services is as follows:
* Today, 6 p.m. Eve of Shmini Atzeret service.
* Monday, 10 a.m. Shmini Atzeret morning service, including Geshem, the prayer for rain and Yizkor; 6 p.m. Simchat Torah/ Celebration of Torah, with singing, dancing, food and drink.
* Tuesday, 9 to 10 a.m. Simchat Torah. All people are called to the Torah, including children's Aliyah! Refreshment and drinks will be made available.
Shmini Atzeret is a separate festival from Sukkot, otherwise known as the Eighth Day of Assembly, when Jews pray for rain.
Simchat Torah is reserved for rejoicing over the eternal cycle of the Torah. On this day, the last portion of the Torah is read, the scroll is rewound back to the beginning where the first portion is read to restart the cycle again. It takes an entire year to read all the portions of the Torah on their designated days.
The Jewish Congregation of Maui's services are at Beit Shalom Synagogue, 634 Alulike St., Kihei. Its phone number is 874-5397 or send email to administration@mauijews.org.
More information is available on its website at www.mauijews.org.
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Free presentation will focus on night sky
A free informational and interactive presentation titled "Spend A Night with the Stars" will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kahului Public Library.
James "J.D." Armstrong, Maui Technology Education and Outreach specialist at the University of Hawaii's Institute of Astronomy on Maui, will present a guided tour of the universe through the lens of the Faulkes 2-meter telescope. Armstrong will explain how the telescope works and what it is capable of seeing.
The two-hour program will feature a live feed from a telescope atop the Haleakala Observatory. The images will be projected onto a movie screen inside the library, and participants will have the opportunity to control the telescope through a computer interface.
The Kahului Public Library will close at 8 p.m. Tuesday; no one will be admitted after that time.
The program is suitable for ages 6 and older. All children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
For more information, call the library at 873-3097.
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Talk to focus on family-focused nonprofit
Debbie Butay of Maui Family Support Services will speak at the Rotary Club of Kihei Sunrise meeting at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Five Palms Restaurant at Mana Kai Resort in Kihei.
Butay will share information about the nonprofit agency, which recently celebrated 30 years of service in Maui County.
Breakfast costs $22. The public is invited.
For more information, contact Rotary Club of Kihei Sunrise President Patty Hemmen at 280-8372 or visit www.kiheirotary.org.
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Meeting to discuss education options
The University Center, Maui will hold a degree preparation workshop to discuss bachelor's and master's degree opportunities available on Maui from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Hawaii Maui College Laulima Building, Room 108.
The University Center, Maui facilitates distance learning degrees from within the University of Hawaii system. The session will cover requirements for a variety of degree programs as well as the application process. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.
For more information, call 984-3525 or send email to uctrmaui@hawaii.edu.
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Volunteers invited to clean Iao park
The Japanese Cultural Society of Maui will hold a cleanup at the Japanese Gardens at Kepaniwai Park & Heritage Gardens in Iao Valley from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Families are encouraged to attend to view the monuments located in the park and share their stories of Japanese immigration.
Participants are asked to bring garden tools, trash bags and portable chairs. Lunch and water will be served following the cleanup.
For more information or to RSVP, call Rodney Ryugo at 250-9714.
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Wellness program to focus on heart
Maui Memorial Medical Center will present its six-week Malama Pu'uwai (Take Care of Your Heart) cardiovascular wellness program beginning Thursday through Nov. 15. Sessions will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at the hospital.
The program is free and open to the public.
The program is aimed at promoting wellness through early detection and modification of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Topics to be discussed will be education, healthy food choices, exercise, screening and referrals.
Follow-up newsletters will be mailed three and nine months after the program concludes. There will also be follow-up meetings held six and 12 months following the program.
Program participants will receive free services, including a health assessment and lifestyle profile, blood pressure evaluation, laboratory tests and more.
A healthy meal is offered at each session and is sponsored by the Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation.
Advance registration is required and space is limited.
For more information or to register, contact Kim Finney at 243-3047.
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Public invited to vote for nonprofits
The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite local nonprofit finalists in Bella Pietra's Natural Stone for Non-Profits project.
The top three finalists include Hospice Maui, Puakea Foundation on the Big Island and Waikiki Health Center on Oahu.
The grand-prize winner will receive a design and installation package worth $10,000 from Bella Pietra and Build Beautiful; two semifinalists will receive a design package worth $1,000 each. Votes will be accepted through Oct. 15, and can be done by visiting www.facebook.com/bellapietra.
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EMT training to be offered in fall 2013
The Maui Emergency Medical Services Training Center will offer an emergency medical technician course in the fall of 2013.
Prerequisites include Composition I/Expository Writing (ENG 100), Survey of Medical Terminology (HLTH 125), and the college Computerized Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System (COMPASS) placement test.
For more information, call 244-4063 or visit www.kcc.hawaii.edu.
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$10,000 grant open to nonprofits
Maui nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for the $10,000 Weinberg Friends Project grant.
Interested agencies must provide a written narrative describing the proposed project along with a justification of how it addresses the needs of Maui's "poor and needy."
Proposals must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. Nov. 16.
To view requirements, visit www.kahuluirotary.com/weinbergfriendsproject.cfm.
