Shabbat Chanukah, Rosh Chodesh Tevet, Miketz December 23-24, 2022
Candle Lighting 4:07 pm
Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat, & Ma'ariv 4:10 pm
Morning Services Shabbat 9:00 am
Latest Shema 9:39 am Kiddush following services
NO BABYSITTING THIS SHABBAT
Youth Groups 10:00 am
Shabbat Mincha 12:18 pm
Talmud Class 4:30 pm
Shabbat ends 5:13 pm
Ma'ariv 5:30 pm
TORAH READING Genesis 41:1-44:17, Artscroll p. 223 Seventh Aliyah: Numbers 28:9-15, p. 890 Maftir: Numbers 7:42-47, p. 768 Haftarah: Zachariah 2:14-4:7, p. 1210
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah Shabbat morning. Mitch Abolafia will lead the Kiddush Conversation. KIDDUSH Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by Jill and Howard Goldberg in honor of their son Shore's aufruf.
MAZAL TOV Mazal Tov to our CBAJ members Jill and Howard Goldberg, and their son Shore Goldberg on his aufruf this Shabbat at CBAJ and upcoming marriage to Shajar Gonzalez.
Mazal Tov to CBAJ members Maureen and Elliot Chester on the birth of a baby boy Thursday evening. The Brit Milah is planned for Friday, December 30th.
MESSAGE FROM RABBI KEAN
On behalf of Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob, I would like to wish you and your family a restful and meaningful Shabbat.
Shabbat Chanukah is an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between two similar and important mitzvot, lighting candles on Chanukah and lighting candles on Shabbat. Is there a relationship between these two types of fire that we have a sacred obligation to light? Which one of the two is more important than the other?
The Talmud discusses this latter question with respect to a person who only has enough money to buy oil for one candle. Such a person should prioritize lighting Shabbat candles over Chanukah candles.
The reason for this has to do with the respective purposes of each type of candle.
Chanukah candles are meant to illuminate the outside for the purpose of pirsumei nisa-publicizing the miracles of Chanukah. In particular, the endurance of the Jewish people and its commitment to Torah in the face of persecution and pressure to assimilate.
Shabbat candles, by contrast, serve to illuminate the inside, the home, for the purose of shalom bayit-peace within the family or home. Shabbat is meant to be a time of joy within the house and should not be tainted by strife caused by darkness.
The reason Shabbat candles take precedence over Chanukah candles is that the miracle celebrated by the Chanukah candles is only possible with the familial peace symbolized by the Shabbat candles. Jewish survival and continuity is powered by the engine of the Jewish family and home. The home is the building block of the entire Jewish people. We "prioritize" Shabbat candles over Chanukah candles to highlight this key to Jewish survival and continuity.
This is, of course, an important message for the two families CBAJ families celebrating s'machot this week: the Goldberg's, celebrating the upcoming wedding of Shore and Shajar; and the Chester's celebrating the birth of a new son. As they both mark important milestones in building their families, we bless them with the understanding that it is families like theirs that the bedrock of the Jewish people and its future.
I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class!
Shabbat Shalom, Chodesh Tov, and Chag Chanukah Same'ach,
Rabbi Ben Kean
UPCOMING EVENTS
SECURITY COMMITTEE: CSS Level 1 Training Please email Ari Fisher for more information or to register for the next CSS Level Training on January 22.
Youth Programs
NCSY UPCOMING Northeast NCSY Shabbatons: December 28-31 National Yarchei Kallah Located in Stamford, CT, contact NCSY for sign-up
Stay tuned for updates from NCSY!
Torah High 2022-2023 CBAJ's Torah High meets Mondays, 7-9 pm and is open to all students in grades 8 - 12. Pizza dinner is served. Registration information available here
Babysitting -THERE WILL BE NO BABYSITTING THIS WEEK Babysitting is available for children ages 0-5 every Shabbat morning for from 10:00-11:30 am! You do not need to be a member to drop off your kids. At least one parent or guardian must be at CBAJ for the duration of babysitting. Babysitting will take place in Classroom 3. The babysitters will bring the kids to Kiddush, please remember to pick up your kids when babysitting ends! Please make sure to inform the babysitters if your child has any food allergies/restrictions. Children in diapers may participate, but babysitters will not be able to change diapers, so please check on kids in diapers.
Youth Groups Kids in grades k-5 will meet each Shabbat morning at 10-11 am. Groups will be led by our youth director, Yael Gonzalez, and teen youth leaders. For more information about attending, or if your teen wants to work as a youth leader, email office@cbaj.org. Tot Shabbat For children ages 0-5 and their parents at 10:30 am in classroom 3 - stay tuned for the next Tot Shabbat
Please contact Joshua Schulman-Marcus (jschumar@gmail.com) if you would like to be added to the Young Families WhatsApp group.
WEEKLY LEARNING AT CBAJ
WEEKLY CLASSES TORAH & TEA*Thursday mornings, 9:30 - 10:30 AM, in person in the chapel & on Zoom*. Studying Kings 2. * A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program
TALMUD CLASS -4:30 pm this Shabbat Join our Shabbat AfternoonTALMUD SHIUR in-person, at CBAJ, starting 45 minutes before Shabbat ends. We are studying Masechet Makkot.
*CBAJ ZOOM ROOM (weekday classes only) Go to https://zoom.us/join Enter meeting ID: 940 508 9347 | Enter passcode: 613518
BOOK CLUB The next CBAJ Book Club is meeting in the CBAJ Zoom Room on January 18th at 8:00 pm to discuss A Journey to the End of the Millennium - A Novel of the Middle Ages by A. B. Yehoshua.
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS This year's Topic: "The World of Midrash" Join CBAJ members in discussing a different Midrash every week! Midrash is one of our Tradition's most powerful and ancient tools for understanding the Torah and demonstrating its relevance to later generations, For more information, suggested source material, or the volunteer sign-up page, please click here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Rabbi Kean or Steve Rich. Begins November 19, and will take place following Kiddush.
PILLARS LECTURE SERIES
FEEDBACK REQUESTED The Adult Education Committee wants to hear from you! All ideas about classes, lectures, and other adult education programs of interest should be forwarded to events@cbaj.org
DAILY SERVICES
December 25 - December 30
Shacharit Sunday Rosh Choesh Tevet 8:30 am Monday - Friday 6:40 am
Mincha/Maariv Sunday - Friday 4:15 pm
Candle lighting Friday 12/30/2022 4:12 pm
We are excited and honored to be partnering with 10 other local organizations in the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s LIFE & LEGACY™ program. 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. For more information, contact office@cbaj.org .
COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
JFS-CBAJ Volunteer Partnership CBAJ invites you to volunteer with one of JFS's programs to support seniors and vulnerable individuals in our community. Email Simma Kinderlehrer to learn more.
Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob 380 Whitehall Rd Albany, NY 12208
Visitors please e-mail the CBAJ office regarding registering for our services during the ongoing pandemic.
Please review and adhere to our COVID POLICY when planning your visit.
The wearing of masks will be a personal choice. This applies to both services and social activities, such as kiddish.
Fully vaccinated community members are welcome to register as "vaccinated" at this link.
If you feel sick at all, please exercise good judgment and stay home rather than attending services, regardless of vaccine status.
We still request those who are able to help our Minyan status register for weekday and Friday and Shabbat afternoon services, so that we can continue to confirm a Minyan for those times. A registration email is sent weekly.
