A Chavuruh group has been formed at Congregation Am David in Warwick.

Besides attending various activities together such as plays, movies, concerts and sporting events, the group is planning numerous cultural and educational activities such as a tour of early Jewish holdings in the Rhode Island Historical Society Archives, a night under the stars from dusk to dawn at the Frosty Drew Observatory in Charlestown, and a talk by National Park Service Ranger John Mcniff about Roger Williams and religious freedom.

Monthly hikes are planned at local refuges, as well as walking tours of places of interest throughout New England. Social activities are planned, such as a monthly chess group, poker game and, when warmer weather arrives, golfing and chartering a sailboat for cruising Narragansett Bay.

Non-members of Congregation Am David are welcome to join. A web page is being considered for all to track the Am David Chavuruh; until then consult The Voice, Grapevine, the Providence Journal Online Calendar, WJAR TV Online Calendar, the Cranston Herald, the Warwick Beacon and other media outlets for events. Alternatively, contact either Mike Schlesinger on his cell at 914-815-1002, or Mark Sweberg at 248-5010.  Congregation Am David is located at 40 Gardiner St. in Warwick. Chavuruh-sponsored activities being led by Mark Sweberg are set forth below:

Winter Wonderland Walk 2

Sunday, Feb. 15, 1:30-3:15 p.m.

Get out and stretch your legs on this delightful winter ramble in Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in South Kingstown. The walking is gentle on about two miles of trails, and is appropriate for children and families. Dress for the weather. Meet directly at the Refuge at 1:20 p.m. The walk is limited to 15 people. Contact Mark at 248-5010 to register, for more information, and for last-minute cancellations.

Early Jewish Holdings in the Rhode Island Historical Society Archives

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2-3 p.m.; snow date Tuesday, March 3, 2-3 p.m.

Founded in 1822, the Rhode Island Historical Society is the fourth oldest state historical society in the United States. The Archives has the largest and most important historical collections in existence relating to Rhode Island. We have arranged for a private tour of the Archives, including a visit to the rarely accessible storage area where historical collections are housed and processed. The curator has generously agreed to showcase items of Jewish interest, taken from the extensive holdings of mid-17th century Newport Jewry. Admission is only $7, and is payable at the door. Tour limit of 15 people. There is a strict registration deadline of Feb. 15. RSVP to Mark at 248-5010 to register, for more information, and for last minute weather cancellations.

Afternoon under a Planetarium Dome

Sunday, March 8, 2-3:15 p.m.

The little known Planetarium on URI’s Kingston campus is the second-smallest freestanding planetarium in the world. Seating 21 people with a comfortable carpet for the younger set, it is both quaint and modern. Noted Rhode Island astronomer Francine Jackson has graciously agreed to offer us a private showing of a dynamic, visually stunning program, along with a tour of the nighttime sky over Rhode Island. This will certainly appeal to kids, and the kid in all of us, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of this special opportunity. Admission is only $5, payable at the door. Call Mark at 248-5010 to register, and for more information.

Winter Wonderland Walk 3

Sunday, March 22, 1:30-3:15 p.m.

The weather is moderating; walk off your late winter blues in Warwick City Park. The 2.8-mile paved trail winds through the woods and past coves, fields and a beach. Appropriate for all ages. Dress for the weather and bring water. Meet directly at the Park entrance parking lot at 1:20 p.m. Walk is limited to 15 people. Contact Mark at 401-248-5010 to register, for more information, and for last minute cancellations.

Roger Williams and Religious Freedom

Tuesday, March 24, 7-8:15 p.m.

National Park Service Ranger John Mcniff will be offering a free and engaging talk at the Temple on this timely topic. An expert and well informed authority on Rhode Island history, Ranger McNiff will look at Roger Williams’ time here in 17th century New England, and the end result of the struggle to establish the first place in the New World with complete religious freedom. The talk will last about an hour, and there will be plenty of time for questions and answers. Please attend this event on a most relevant subject, and join the conversation. Contact Mark at 401-248-5010 for more information.

Singer Songwriter to Warm Up Cold Winter Day

Sunday, March 29, 2-4 p.m.

Please join us for a pleasant afternoon of music with singer-songwriter Craig Sonnenfeld, from Brookline, Mass., at the Temple. Born and raised a block from the Atlantic Ocean on the South Jersey shore, Craig grew up during the folk-boom of the ’60s, and was influence by such artists as Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Paxton, Eric Andersen, Linda Ronstadt and others. Many have described Craig’s original songs as sounding like traditional folk songs: some influenced by old classic country music, and some influenced by old rural blues stylings. Craig tours throughout the East, and we are very fortunate to have him. Admission is only $5, and is payable at the door. Visit his website at www.craigsonnenfeld.com for a sample of his music, and be prepared for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Contact Mark at 248-5010 for more information.

Night Out under the Stars

Saturday, April 18, anytime, dusk to dawn

Skilled astronomer and director of the Frosty Drew Observatory, Scott MacNeill, has invited us to free private viewing through the powerful telescope located at Ninigret Park in Charlestown. The moon will be down most of the night, affording unsurpassed dark sky viewing of deep sky objects. We will be observing planets and far distant galaxies, nebula, star clusters, binary stars, and constellations. We will routinely look at objects tens of thousands of light years away. Knowing that there are 5.88 trillion miles in one light year, we’ll let you do the math. Scott has an encyclopedic knowledge of his field, and is very enthusiastic and engaging, making complex ideas seem simple. The Observatory will stay open as long as clouds, or the rising sun, don’t chase us out, or the last visitor falls to sleep. The heated sky theater will be showcasing some of Scott’s awesome astro-photography, and provide a respite from the cold early spring night. Dress for winter conditions; it gets very cold. Call Mark at 248-5010 for more information.

Early Spring Wonderland Walk 4

Sunday, April 26, 1:30-3:15 p.m.

The warm breezes of spring are calling us outdoors to the Rhode Island Audubon Society’s Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge in Coventry. This moderate walk is about two miles long, winding past meadows, and through the forest to Carr Pond. Bring water. Meet directly at the Refuge at 1:20 p.m. Walk is limited to 15 people; contact Mark at 248-5010 to register, for more information, and for last minute cancellations.