Shabbat Vaetchanan / Nachamu
July 31- August 1, 2020
Our building remains closed. Please continue social distancing. We are working diligently with a task force of Synagogue leadership and medical experts on a reopening plan for CBAJ.
Please reach out to us if you need help with anything at all, or even if you just need to talk, during this prolonged difficult period.
RABBI'S MESSAGE
Click here to view a video message from Rabbi Feldman (this message was also sent to the members of the Rabbinical Council of America, where Rabbi Feldman has recently been elected to the Executive Committee).
The usual live Friday evening and Havdalah programs will not take place this week. Please stay tuned for next week's new virtual programming.
TORAH READING
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11, Artscroll p. 958
Haftarah: Isaiah 40:1-26, p. 1196
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU
Rabbi Feldman and the CBAJ Family is available to speak with you. Please e-mail him at rabbi@cbaj.org or call the CBAJ Office to leave a message.
CBAJ President Artie Brenner is reachable at president@cbaj.org .
The Chesed committee can be reached through the form below.
CONDOLENCES
We regret to inform you of the passing of CBAJ Member Monya Zvinyatskovskiy, father of Arkady and Leonid Zvinyatskovskiy. Notes of condolence can be sent to arkady.zvin@gmail.com .
CHESED AT CBAJ
If you would like help with shopping, errands, or other things since you are remaining home as much as possible, or conversely, if you would like to volunteer to help people in the community who may need help, please fill out the form at this link . Please be in touch with Rabbi Feldman with any needs.
MISHNA CLUB
Click here for this week's Mishna Club learning. For more information on joining, contact Rabbi Feldman.
BIKE NCSY
Albany is participating in this year's Bike NCSY. Click here for more information; contact Nathan Graber to coordinate the local contignent.
YOU SEND IT, WE PRINT IT
Please be sure to send the CBAJ office information about celebrations or other achievements to be mentioned in the weekly e-mail and printed notes.
DAVID AND ROSE UDELSON BRAY SCHOLARSHIP
Applications can now be submitted for the David and Rose Udelson Bray Scholarship Fund. The award is available to support undergraduate or graduate study.
For details of the application, please see Bray Scholarship. Applications for the fall semester are due by Monday, August 31.
ACCESS INFORMATION FOR OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
For Facebook programming, visit facebook.com/rabbifeldman
DAILY SERVICES
Sunday - Thursday: 6:35 pm on Zoom
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JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES
JFS is delivering Kosher meals and offering grocery shopping to homebound seniors and families.
They are offering virtual groups for students, parents, and seniors. More information and registration is here. Clinicians are available for counseling and Senior Resource Specialists can help families and older adults with long-term care planning and
aging-related resources.
Update regarding meals
Jewish Family Services (JFS) and Jewish
Federation proudly partnered with Albany County and
the Vaad Hakashruth of the Capital District at the beginning of the pandemic to provide kosher
home delivered meals to home-bound seniors
and families. With our community's support,
we have been able to provide over 50 meals / day.
Now that restrictions have been lifted and
emergency monies from the County are being
redirected, recipients of these meals are now
asked to go through the statewide system to
determine continued eligibility.
Basic eligibility for meals includes 1) frailty, illness or otherwise inability to prepare meals for oneself;
2) a lack of transportation to access other meals;
3) a lack of family or friends or support system
that can help with meals. These are the basic
rules but every person has a different need and
we want to continue to be there to help.
If you or someone you know has been receiving
the meals or you think they should and / or have questions, please contact Lisa Gally, Director of
Essential Services at JFS at 518.516.1107.
Please know that JFS and Federation are committed to helping our more vulnerable community members continue get the food and support they
need.
For more information on Albany county-supported home delivered meals, please click here .
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Jewish Family Services and Jewish Federation of NENY are responding to the needs of vulnerable families and seniors. We are looking for volunteers to:
Deliver Kosher meals
Pick up meals and deliver to local seniors and families
Shop for groceries
Shop at one of three Albany Price Chopper stores and deliver to a local senior. Shopping list provided.
Drive a Jewish senior
Take a senior to a doctor’s appointment, bank, hair salon, etc.
Join the JFS / Federation volunteer team.
College students welcome for the summer.
Call Lisa Gally at 518-516-1107 for more information.
Register at this link to volunteer.
CORONA-VIRUS INFORMATION
If you have health related questions, concerns, or needs regarding COVID-19, St. Peters Health Partners has social workers and nurses available to speak with you at 518-525-1132. If you need more emotional support during this difficult time,
the NY State COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline is 844-863-9314.
When it comes to possibly saving lives, Jewish law always follows the most stringent opinion that will save the most lives. Let us be part of the solution by staying safe and following protocols suggested by public health experts. Keep social distancing guidelines:
Do not be within 6 feet of anyone else, except the people with whom you live.
If you can, work from home; if you cannot, maintain the social distancing protocols.
Playdates should not take place between children.
If you experience symptoms, contact your doctor.
Do not invite guests for Shabbat or Yom Tov meals, and make Shiva and Bikkur Cholim visits by phone.
If you are High Risk due to age or other conditions, please stay home as much as possible and take advantage of our Chesed Committee's generous offers.
The Mikva is open by appointment and is following protocols suggested by the Orthodox Union in consultation with public health experts.
The Utensil Mikvah is also open. Please bring gloves to use, and wash your hands with soap before and after using the Utensil Mikvah. If you cannot follow these sanitary protocols, or if you have personal concerns about using the Utensil Mikvah for current health-related reasons, you may use this form to have the Beth Din of America arrange to sell your new utensils to someone who is not Jewish. They will arrange to buy those utensils back at a later date (which will be shared with you), at which point your utensils must be "toveled" in the Mikvah. This solution is only to be used in cases of great need, such as ours.
TEFILAH AT HOME
Use this opportunity to take extra time and read the Tefilot meaningfully (and learn their meaning), sing with new melodies (if you have others at home, sing together).
Aside from not reciting Bar'chu, Kaddish, Kedusha, or the repetition in any services:
Friday Night: Recite Vayechulu paragraph following the Amidah, then skip to Aleinu. If starting Shabbat early, daven Mincha before Plag Hamincha (the time labeled "Earliest Shabbat" on this e-mail's time-bar), candles may be lit and Ma'ariv may be davened after Plag Hamincha.
Shabbat Morning: Start davening in time to recite Shema before the latest time for Shema. After Shacharit Amidah, read the Torah Portion and special Maftir without any of the blessings. Yekum Purkan is not recited, then Ashrei and the Mussaf Amidah should be recited, and the concluding prayers (if you have children at home, ask them to lead Ein Kelokeinu, Aleinu, Shir Shel Yom, and Adon Olam). Shir HaKavod is not recited.
Ma'ariv and general: One may daven Ma'ariv 15 minutes before the end of Shabbat and include Atah Chonantanu in the Amidah. It is Rabbi Feldman's opinion that one does not say the three words "E-l Melech Ne'eman" before Shema in Ma'ariv or Shacharit, contrary to the instructions in many Siddurim. It is also his opinion that one who usually recites the paragraph at weekday Ma'ariv that begins ברוך ה' לעולם אמן ואמן does not recite this paragraph when praying without a Minyan.
LIFE & LEGACY *
We are excited and honored to be partnering with 10 other local organizations in the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s LIFE & LEGACY™ program. We completed a successful first year! Please help us pay it forward and leave a legacy for future Capital District Jews. Please speak to a Life & Legacy committee member about partnering on this crucial initiative to ensure the vitality of Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob for the next 200 years. Please consider completing a Letter of Intent. For more information, contact office@cbaj.org.
