SHABBAT CELEBRATIONS:From New Members to Birthdays

Dear Haverim:

*Tomorrow night, Friday, February 21, 6:30 p.m., New Member Shabbat (preceded by a special, extended Happy Hour beginning at 5:45 p.m.).  Please celebrate our New Members, who will each be given honors in our service, and be presented with the gift of a mezuzah, along with the offer to have the rabbi or cantor make a house call to help affix it and bless their respective homes.  We are counting on veteran members to come in large numbers to properly welcome the newest segment of our CBS community.

*Saturday, February 22, 9:30 a.m., Shabbat services (10:15 a.m. Torah service).  We will continue our celebrations with February birthday merrymakers who will be sponsoring Shabbat lunch. Sermon topic: Parshat Veyakel: Getting Your Priorities Straight.

Looking ahead…

*Next Friday, February 28, 7:30 p.m. (following 6:30 p.m. Teacher Recognition and Student Consecration), Rabbi Elie Spitz, my mentor visiting from California, will be our Kraft Shabbat Scholar-in-Resident.  Topic: Jewish Imagination.

*Next Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m. Rabbi Spitz leads a pre-service Jewish Meditation Session.  11:30 a.m., Rabbi Spitz speaks on “Does The Soul Survive?” – Jewish views on the afterlife.(His book on this subject is now available for purchase in the Gift Shop).

Please join us both this Shabbat and next, for some wonderful programs.

Shabbat shalom!

Rabbi Michael

DOES THE SOUL SURVIVE?

Does The Soul Survive?

A fine question which will be explored in Rabbi Elie Spitz’s book, by the same name, THIS SUNDAY, 10:15 a.m., CBS Library, right after 9 a.m. minyan.

Both of Rabbi Spitz’s books, Does the Soul Survive? ($19) and Healing from Despair ($17) will be on sale at our Gift Shop prior to the Book Club Meeting (and throughout February) – purchase the set for $36, checks made payable to the Congregation Beth Shalom, Memo: Gift Shop.

Meet the author, himself, at the end of the month, for the Rabbi Jacob Kraft Adult Education Committee program, featuring Rabbi Spitz, after Friday night Shabbat Services, February 28, 6:30 p.m.; for guided Jewish meditation, just prior to Saturday morning Shabbat Services, March 1, at 9 a.m., and during services and after lunch, also on March 1.

                                                        --Rabbi Michael

From LOVE Shabbat to Don't Destroy Us:What Would the Neighbors Say?

Dear Haverim:

     Before we get all grumpy about the snow, I thought I would share this observation from my colleague, Rabbi Josh Heller, of Atlanta:

Looking outside, I am struck by the words of Psalm 147, part of the daily morning service, which remind us of the power of God's hand in nature:
"He lays down snow like fleece, scatters frost like ashes.
He tosses down hail like crumbs- who can endure His icy cold?
He issues a command-it melts them; He breathes-the waters flow."

Even strengthened by Psalm 147, there are ramifications for all this snow.  So first, please thank William Taylor and Merrill Dorph for all their efforts to keep our synagogue building open and available to us over Shabbat.

*Friday, February 14, 7:30 a.m. AKSE has CANCELLED their morning minyan on account of the weather.

*Friday, February 14, 8 p.m. LOVE-THEMED FRIDAY NIGHT SHABBAT Services.  Every woman will be rewarded with roses and Hershey’s chocolate kisses for attending services tonight.  My sermon will explore love texts in our Scripture and Liturgy.  Every couple will be given their own copy of Song and Songs, to read to each other in the privacy of their own homes, following services. (We are obviously doing our best to be timely, topical and incentivize your Shabbat service attendance, so come and partake).

*Saturday, February 15, 9:30 a.m. Shabbat services. (10:15 a.m. Torah service).  Sermon topic: Parshat Ki Tissa: Don’t Destroy Us! What Would the Neighbors Say?

*Sunday, February 16, 9 a.m. Morning Minyan – No Hebrew School so please help us make a minyan.

11 a.m. George Rosenberg Funeral, Chapel.

7 p.m.  Shiva for George Rosenberg at the Olicker residence, 6 Ross Ct., Wilmington, 19810.  Shiva will be held Sunday through Tuesday evenings, at 7 p.m.

*Monday, February 17, LATE 9 a.m. service for President’s Day.

Please brave the elements and help us make up minyanim during our inclement weather.  Come to Congregation Beth Shalom, where it’s always warm inside.

Warmly,

Rabbi Michael 

Bribery, Pure and Simple

Oh no! Cantor Elisa is not well enough to sing tonight.

It’s time for BRIBERY!

Tonight’s Shabbat-in-Sochi Russian-themed Happy Hour includes:

Pieroggis w/sour cream, Blintzes w/sour cream, Russian Borscht with … yes sour cream, and Vodka (not w/sour cream but oj is available). 

During Shabbat services, we will pay homage to the 50^th anniversary of the British Invasion when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, by asking all attendees to please dress in the red, white and blue of the Union Jack. 

Adon Olam will be set to a very sing-a-able Beatles’ classic.

Our February birthday honorees and their friends will be treated to chocolate mousse birthday cake as an added incentive for attending tonight.

Bribery, pure and simple.  But, hey, I need you.

See you tonight.  Shabbat in Sochi Happy Hour begins at 6 pm.  Kabbalat Shabbat services begin at 6:30 p.m.

1.                             до свидания

do svidaniya – in honor of the Sotchi Olympics--

(Cheerio) – in honor of the British Invasion--

Rabbi Michael

SHABBAT IN SOCHI

Dear Haverim:

*Friday, January 7, 2014, 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Services (6 pm, Olympian Happy Hour). With Cantor Elisa and I both shaking off our respective flu viruses, we are in even greater need for your energy and ruach to help carry us through services tonight. My sermon topic: SHABBAT IN SOCHI. I’ve got the inside track on what your life would look like if you were a Shomer Shabbat Jew traveling to Sochi for the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics, and you might be very surprised when you find out what they’ve got planned. This is also FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY SHABBAT. If you have a birthday in February and would like a special blessing from the clergy, plus a rousing rendition of Yom Hooledet Sameach, please come and celebrate with us!

*Saturday, January 8, 2014, 9:30 a.m. MEN’S CLUB SHABBAT. By that title you might wrongly thing this Shabbat is just for Men. Ha Ha. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is the Shabbat when the Men’s Club says, “ladies (and clergy) sit back and relax. We are going to lead the service. Feed you. Take care of you.” This is your Men’s Club saying, “You deserve a break today, so get up and get away to …to the CBS Men’s Club Shabbat.” You will be impressed to see what our men have cooked up both on and off the bima. And bravo to our ladies for an amazing Sisterhood Shabbat last week. I could get used to this! Please join us.

Shabbat shalom!

Rabbi Michael

From PJ Library to Abortion: Running the Gamut

Dear Haverim:

·        Tomorrow night, Friday January 24

-5:45 pm  PJ Library: Music and Stories starring Delaware Rabbis, for 0-5 year olds (and their parents)-chapel. No need to attend services or Federation Shabbat to attend PJ Library program.

-8:00 pm Federation Shabbat Services (following 6:30 pm dinner for those with reservations)-sanctuary. We will feature Delaware Jewish community leadership as service leaders-sanctuary.  Oneg dessert to follow.  Guest speakers: Our own Dr. Henry and Lisa Dadone-Weiner.  Please come to services and serve as good hosts to our visitors from other shuls in Wilmington, as well as the Jewish communities in Newark, Dover and Rehoboth, who are all closing their Friday night services in order to celebrate Shabbat with us!

* Saturday, January 25, 9:30 a.m. Shabbat Services. (10:15 Torah service).  My drash will focus on Parshat Mishpatim: What Does the Torah say about ABORTION ?  We will examine Exodus 21:22 very carefully, and balance it against other issues, such as the First Amendment’s “anti-establishment” clause.  You might be surprised with what you learn.  I will hand out a learning packet for you to take home for future reference.

It’s cold outside.  Stay warm inside by attending Shabbat services at Congregation Beth Shalom!

B’yedidut,

Rabbi Michael

From Dr. King Celebration to JNF 2.0-Beyond Trees

Dear Haverim:

*Tomorrow, Friday, January 17, 5:30 p.m., Veggie-dairy potluck on a southern theme, in honor of Dr. King’s Birthday, Lower Level.

6:30 p.m., Dr. King Birthday Celebration Interfaith Shabbat Celebration, Sanctuary.  This is a family-friendly service with a featured interfaith presentation, fueled by kids (with a little adult assistance):

Across The Alley Staged Reading

Introduction: Rev. Dr. Clifford Johnson, Shiloh Baptist Church

Narrators: Ariella Beals and Christopher Jacob

Abe: Jonathan Jacob

Willie: Jonathan Walls

Grandpa: Fr. Joe Brennan, Christ Our King Catholic Church

Willie’s Dad: Rev. Grant Johnson, Peninsula McCabe UMC

Conclusion: Rev. Andy Jacob, Hanover Presbyterian Church

*Saturday, January 18, 9:30 a.m., Shabbat Services.  Featured speaker: Joel Friedlander, Regional Director, JNF.  Topic: JNF 2.0–Beyond Trees (a belated salute to Tu B’Shevat).

*Next Friday night, January 24, we will be hosting the entire Delaware Jewish Community for Federation Shabbat. 

PJ Library Shabbat, 5:45 p.m., for our zero-to-five crowd.

Community Dinner, 6 p.m. (reservations are due tomorrow, January 17 – call 302-654-4462).

Participatory Services/oneg, 8 p.m., open to all.

I hope CBS members will come out in large numbers, to serve as greeters to our wider community.

Shabbat shalom!

Rabbi Michael