From New Member Celebrations to Thanksgiving Celebrations

Dear Haverim:

*Tomorrow, Friday, November 21

-6:30 p.m. New Members Shabbat (following 5:30 pm for those who reserved for dinner). D’var Torah: Parshat Toldot: Lessons from a Jewish Mother: Learning to Ask the Right Questions. Dessert oneg following services, OPEN TO ALL, so you can begin asking fellow congregants those “right questions.”

*Saturday, November 22

-8:45 a.m. Torah Study led by Nelly Forwood.  This is Nelly’s first time leading so come join her in the CBS Conference Room. Coffee cake, tea and coffee will be on hand.

-9 a.m. Shabbat Buddy Meet-and-Greet in Atrium.

-9:45 a.m. Shabbat Buddy Shabbat.  In an effort to implement a third part of our Strategic Plan, we are launching a new program to create stronger bridges between our Hebrew School and Shabbat Worship communities.  Today’s service will feature our Hebrew School students sitting side-by-side with Shabbat regulars, in a prayer and learning atmosphere, with brief divrei tefillah accompanying the key prayers students are learning this semester.  Cantor Elisa will be our darshanit.  Her topic: The Purpose of Prayer.

*Sunday, November 23

-9 a.m. – Morning Minyan (No Hebrew School this Sunday or next, so please make a point of attending Morning Minyan so we achieve a quorum of ten).

*Tuesday, November 25 – Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration

@ Hanover Church (across the street from Congregation Beth Shalom)

-5:30 p.m. – Veggie/Dairy Potluck (to accommodate Jewish and Muslim participants)

-6:30 p.m. – Interfaith Musical Service

*Thursday, November 27, 9 a.m. – Thanksgiving Morning Minyan (note later start time for Federal Holiday)

Come for the learning, singing and fellowship this Shabbat at Congregation Beth Shalom!

Rabbi Michael

From Jazz Concert to Cantor's Concert:Making Jewish Music Cool

Dear Haverim:

*Tomorrow, Friday, November 7,

-6:30 p.m., Kabbalat Shabbat, (6 p.m. Happy Hour).  We begin the celebration of Samantha Lipson’s bat mitzvah.  Sermon topic: OPEN YOUR EYES TO HAPPINESS.

-8:00 p.m., JazzPhest2014/Shabbat services, a cooperative venture between the Kraft Education Foundation, the Consulate of Israel, and Congregation Beth Emeth AT Congregation Beth Emeth, 300 W. Lea Blvd. We have designed CBS’ Shabbat service so you can celebrate with Samantha and still make this Israeli Jazz musical Shabbat experience.

*Saturday, November 8

-8:45 a.m., Lay-Led Torah study with Jerry Simonowitz, atrium.

-9:30 a.m., Shabbat services. Samantha  Lipson’s bat mitzvah celebration continues.  Her drash: Vayera: Say Little Do Much-WHY Don’t We Live By This Rule? The Lipson’s will host Shabbat Lunch following services – all are invited.

*Sunday, November 9

-9 a.m., Morning Minyan & Hebrew School

-10 a.m., Men’s Club brunch featuring published couples specialist Debra Laino.

Looking ahead . . .

*Sunday, November 16, 3:30 p.m., CANTOR’S CONCERT featuring our own beloved cantor in concert with her beloved sister, Cantor Shoshana Abrams Kaikov of Congregation Ahava Shalom of Ft. Worth, Texas., with guest appearance by Cantor Mark Stanton of Congregation Beth Emeth.

Enjoy the sweet sounds of Shabbat this weekend and beyond – both at Congregation Beth Shalom, at Congregation Beth Emeth, and back at Congregation Beth Shalom once again.

Shabbat shalom !

Rabbi Michael

From Scary to Dramatic

Dear Haverim,

*Tomorrow, Friday, October 31, 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat (6 pm happy hour). COME TRICK-OR-TREATING @ CBS (Costumes optional).  I have brought delicious snacks – all hegshered, some healthy, others Hershey, for all guests who come to services tonight. Sermon topic: Reconciling Halloween with Judaism: Scary Jewish texts provided. Also come celebrate the beginning of Kayla Saliman’s bat mitzvah.

*Saturday, November 1

-8:45 a.m. Rabbi-led Torah study in the chapel, as I introduce you to Midrashic texts and Rashi commentaries on Parshat Lech L’cha.

-9:30 a.m.  Shabbat services in the Sanctuary. We will continue Kayla Saliman’s bat mitzvah celebration.  Her topic: EMBRACING THE DRAMA: A Thespian’s Take on Lech L’cha.

*Sunday, November 2

-9 a.m. Morning Minyan & Family Ed Day @ Hebrew School

-10 a.m. Book club discusses A Jewish Feminine Mystique, by Dina Hasia, CBS Library.

Come join us for all the scares, thrills, drama, davening and intellectual stimulation this weekend at Congregation Beth Shalom!

--Rabbi Michael

Noah and Baseball

Dear Haverim:

     *Tomorrow, Friday, October 23:

         -7:30 a.m. - Please note that Rosh Hodesh Morning Minyan services will be held at Congregation Beth Shalom this week, NOT ASKE.

         -6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat services (6 p.m. Happy Hour).  We will celebrate the beginning of Scott Lehrfeld's bar mitzvah.  My dvar Torah will link our recent Halina Preston Holocaust Education Committee's INTERFAITH VISIT to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum with Parshat Noah.  It was a remarkable visit and there was a real sense of alliance-building across religion and race which is filled with great promise.

     *Saturday, October 24:

       -8:45 a.m., Lay-led Torah study in the atrium with Michele Weiner.

       -9:30 a.m., Shabbat services as Scott Lehrfeld's bar mitzvah study continues! Scott's drash will be "A Baseball Fanatic's Guide to Parshat Noah."  Watch Scott hit a real home run (I couldn't resist).

         Shabbat shalom,

         Rabbi Michael

Yom Kippur 5775

Dear Haverim,

     It is with a full heart that I wish you all a meaningful, introspective fast.  I hope that the time we spend together over this Friday night and all day Saturday will elevate you and inspire you.  Cantor Elisa, the choir and I will provide the setting, but alas, only you can do the real soul-work.  I hope you will look back on your 25-hour fast with a sense of satisfaction and purpose, with real hope for self-improvement, and world-improvement in the year ahead.

*Tonight, Friday night, October 3, services start at 6:22 p.m.

*Tomorrow, Saturday, October 4, services start at 9:00 a.m.  The final tekiah gedolah will be sounded at 7:22 p.m.  BYOS – Bring Your Own Shofar, so you can echo my shofar blast with your own!

--Remember to bring your High Holy Day tickets with you for both services to your entrance into the building.

Please remember that you are all cordially invited to our Beals Family Sukkah for desserts, schmoozing and  guitar-led Israeli folk singing (and some 60’s folk songs too) on Sunday, October 12^th at 5 p.m. You will find our address in your beautiful new  Membership Directory.

`May God inscribe us all in the Book of Life for a Healthy, Happy, Peaceful New Year!

Gemar chatima tovah!

Rabbi Michael

From Summer Time to Gratitude

Dear Haverim:

      It is good to be back with you again.  Things are much better for my parents back in California and now I can return my attention to you.

*Tomorrow, Friday, September 12, 8 p.m., Kabbalat Shabbat services.  Special time, special theme: “What We did This Summer.”  Join us Frank Levy, Bonnie and Nate Zahn share their experiences on the recent Wilmington Jewish Community congregational trip to Israel.  Bring a food donation with you for the Hanover Food Pantry.

*Saturday, September 13,

-8:45 a.m. Lay-Led Torah Study.

-9:30 a.m. Shabbat services.  D’var Torah subject: Parashat Ki Tavo—What are YOU Grateful For?  We will focus on the subject of gratitude as a fundamental building block of the Jewish faith, and I will ask you to bring a brief GRATITUDE story of your own, designed to inspire others.

Shabbat shalom!

Rabbi Michael   

From Shabbat Under the Stars to The Jazz Singer

Dear Haverim:

*TOMORROW NIGHT, Friday, August 29, 6:30 pm SHABBAT UNDER THE STARS, JCC Picnic Grounds (Garden of Eden Way, Talleyville),preceded by 5:30 pm candle-lighting, Kiddush, Motzi (we provide candles, grape juice and challah, YOU provide your own veggie/dairy Shabbat dinner).  Debbie Nachlis will join us on her 12-string guitar, and we will have a kid-powered sedra scene  skit in place of the drash.  This is our last outside Shabbat of the summer so please join us, and bring new friends.

*Saturday, August 30, back at Congregation Beth Shalom

8:45 a.m., Lay-led Torah study

9:30 a.m. Shabbat services.  Sermon topic: Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Labor Day Sermon.

*Sunday, August 31, 9 a.m. Morning Minyan – eagerly seeking a minyan!

*Monday, September 1^st, 9 a.m. NOTE special Labor Day late-morning start time.  Please come as Julia Frank dons tefillin for the first time and co-leads the service and chants Torah as part of her bat mitzvah preparation and celebration.

*Tuesday, September 2^nd, 8 p.m., TCM’s The Projected Image: The Jewish Experience on Film.  Tonight: The Jazz Singer (1927), The Jazz Singer (1953) @ 9:45 pm, Hester Street @11:45 pm, and Avalon @ 1:30 a.m..

ABOUT THE FILM SERIES:

TCM proudly presents The Projected Image: The Jewish Experience on Film, a weekly TUESDAY NIGHT showcase of movies focusing on Jewish history and heritage as portrayed on screen. An extension of TCM's popular Race and Hollywood franchise, this showcase features introductions by Dr. Eric Goldman, an expert on Yiddish, Israeli and Jewish film; and founder and president of Ergo Media, a video publishing company specializing in Jewish and Israeli video. Goldman is also the author of The American Jewish Story Through Cinema (2013) and Visions, Images and Dreams: Yiddish Film Past and Present (2011).

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Shabbat shalom!

Rabbi Michael