Come for the food

Dear Haverim:

*Tomorrow, Saturday, August 31, 12 noon.  If you needed yet another incentive to come to Shabbat services tomorrow, please attend a festive Kiddush lunch, sponsored by Judy and Jeff Lewis, Frances and Steven Klein, and Ruth Greenberg, in celebration of the Lewis’ and Klein’s respective wedding anniversaries.  Todah and Mazel Tov!

Shabbat shalom and l’shana tovah tikateyvu,

Rabbi Michael

Shabbat Under-the-Stars to MLK to Kosher Wine Tasting to Selichot

Dear Haverim:

*TONIGHT, Friday, August 30, 6 p.m. FREE BBQ Shabbat dinner, JCC Picnic Grounds, followed by 6:30 p.m., family-friendly, musical Shabbat Under the Stars service (incl. Debbie Nachlis on her 12-string guitar), and special August Anniversary Blessing, topped with parve anniversary cupcakes, and an interactive Sedra Scenes Torah Skit. NOTE: NO Friday services at CBS this evening.

*Saturday, August 31,9:30 a.m. Shabbat Services (10:15 a.m. Torah service) @ CBS.  Dvar Torah: Nitzavim-Vayelech: Standing at Sinai-Standing in DC 50 Years Ago -- The language of inclusivity.  I will be making some Torah-based comparisons between the parshat ha shevuah and Dr. King’s path-breaking speech.  I will be asking, “where were you when Dr. King addressed 250,000 gathered at the Lincoln Monument on August 28, 1963, and how did the speech impact you?” (At 5 ½ months old, I was in my crib, so I hope to learn much from you).

8:30 p.m.-Havdalah and Guided kosher wine-tasting, courtesy of Bob and Annette Aerenson and our friends at Fairfax Liquors.

10 p.m.-Selichot Service, featuring Cantor Elisa & Choir.

*Sunday, September 1, 9 a.m. Morning Minyan. 

1:00 p.m. AKSE-CBS Pre-High Holy Day Cemetery Visit & Service, Jewish Community Cemetery on Foulk Road.

*Monday, September 2, 9 a.m. Labor Day Service (note special late time in consideration of Federal Holiday).

(Note: High Holy Day services begin with Erev Rosh Hashana, Wednesday night, September 4^th, 8 p.m.)

Shabbat Shalom and L’Shana Tovah Tikateyvu!

Rabbi Michael

From Civil Rights Stories to YOUR Story: Celebrating Anniversaries

Dear Haverim,

*Tomorrow, Friday,August 23, 6:30 p.m., Kabbalat Shabbat (6 p.m. Happy Hour).  Dvar Torah: 50th Anniversary of March on Washington: Jewish Involvement in Civil Rights.  We will also be celebrating ALL August anniversaries with a blessing and champagne/sparkling grape juice toast during Kiddush. We will have a second all-August anniversary celebration next Friday during our last, family-friendly, musical Shabbat Under the Stars in the JCC Picnic Grove, including a free bbq Shabbat dinner and parve celebratory cupcakes.

*Saturday, August 24^th, 9:30 a.m., Shabbat services (10:15 a.m. Torah service).  Dvar Torah: Ki Tavo: Sharing your History. We are influenced by our back stories.  They influence how we behave today.  We will begin with the text My father was a wandering Aramean, from the this week’s Torah reading. From there we will talk about the power of stories, aggadot,  in the Jewish faith. Come prepared to share a pivotal short story from you own life and how it has shaped your behavior.

Shabbat shalom!

Rabbi Michael

Peace Talks to Yoga

Dear Haverim,

·        Tomorrow night, Friday, August 16, 6:30 p.m., Kabbalat Shabbat (6 p.m. Happy Hour).  Sermon topic: Israel-Palestine Peace Talks: Reasons for Hope or Ma Nish Tana Ha Lilah Ha Zeh?

·        Saturday, August 17

-8:45 a.m. Beth Shal-OM YOGA

-9:30 a.m. Services

-10:15 a.m. Torah reading

Dvar Torah: Ki Teitzeh: Tsa’ar Ba’alei Hayim Legislation. This is another in our interactive summer series sermons.  We will explore the Human-Animal Bond. Please come armed with your most moving, James Herriotesque family dog or cat stories (you can bring the actual family pet on the Sunday when we read Parshat Noah in early October).

We will be celebrating President Ralph and First Lady Jill Downard’s wedding anniversary with a Kiddush lunch which they are sponsoring.

Shabbat shalom!

Rabbi Michael