Latest Shema 9:43 am Simcha Kiddush following services
Babysitting 10:00 am
Youth Groups 10:00 am Tot Shabbat 10:30 am
Shabbat Mincha 12:31 pm
Talmud Class 4:55 pm
Shabbat ends 5:40 pm
Ma'ariv 5:55 pm
TORAH READING Exodus 6:2 - 9:35, Artscroll p. 318 Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24, p. 1208
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah Shabbat morning. Steve Rich will lead the Kiddush Conversation, entitled "Did G-d Make Us the Best that He Could?" . SIMCHA KIDDUSH The Simcha Kiddush is prepared by the Simcha Kiddush Committee, chaired by Faye Silton & Marta Koblenz. The sponsors are listed below.
CONDOLENCES Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob regrets to inform you of the passing of Dr. Donald Kaner (David ben Zev), father of Vicky O'Brien. The funeral will take place at Mount Ararat Jewish Cemetery on Long Island (Farmingdale, NY) on Sunday. Shiva details to be announced.
MESSAGE FROM CBAJ BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We would like to announce the Designation of Rabbi Emeritus which has been affirmed by the CBAJ Board of Directors to Rabbi Bomzer. We wish Rabbi Bomzer a hearty Mazal Tov and sincerely thank him for his ongoing dedication to CBAJ and look forward to our continued relationship and his support of CBAJ's Rabbi Kean.
Warmly, Laura Segal, President CBAJ Board of Directors
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.
I join the CBAJ Board of Directors in wishing Rabbi Moshe Bomzer a warm mazal tov on being officially designated as CBAJ's Rabbi Emeritus. On a personal note, I would like to take this moment as an opportunity to express my gratitude to him for the support and council that he has extended to me since the beginning of my tenure.
CBAJ's new Nach Yomi class which meets before weekday Shacharit is completing its first week! It is not too late to join interesting discussion, freshly brewed coffee, and a meaningful and attainable goal to finish all of Nach.
A special welcome to all of the NCSY advisors who are joining us this Shabbat for a wonderful NCSY Albany Chapter Shabbaton! See below for the full schedule of events for teens.
The adult education committee is currently working on several exciting new classes and learning opportunities. Please continue to check back in the coming weeks as they are announced.
I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ben Kean
SIMCHA KIDDUSH SPONSORS
The January Simcha Kiddush is sponsored by CBAJ, and by the families of our celebrants: Amy Svirsky & Mitch Abolafiain honor of her birthday. Tom Kligerman in honor of the daily minyan. Maureen and Elliot Chester in honor of the birth of their son, Saul Aaron. Rabbi Dr. Moshe & Rebbetzin Rochel Bomzer in celebration of the conferring of the title Rabbi Emeritus to Rabbi Bomzer for his rabbinic service to CBAJ, with special thanks to Rabbi Kean, Laura Segal, Mark Israel, the Executive Committee, and Board of Directors of CBAJ. Nanette and Artie Brenner in honor of Lianna Brenner’s birthday. Jill and Howard Goldberg in honor of Shore and Shajar Goldberg’s marriage on December 28, 2022. Daniela and Vadim Mikhaylov in honor of David Mikhaylov's birthday, Nina Mikhaylova's birthday, and in honor of the 1st wedding anniversary of Daniela and Vadim Mikhaylov.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MINYAN NOTICE In recent weeks, guaranteeing a weekday minyan has been a greater challenge, especially for Mincha/Maariv which is early in the Winter.
In light of this, we ask two things of adult Jewish men: 1) If you are able to attend weekday minyan more frequently (even one day per week), please consider joining. 2) If you think you will be able to join minyan, regularly or occasionally, please sign-up on the weekly sign-up sheet so that we can know whether there will be enough attendees, or if we need to request additional attendees.
Please contact Rabbi Kean to join the minyan WhatsApp group, useful for receiving the sign-up sheet or if you may be available to attend a minyan on short notice.
PARKING NOTICE For security purposes, any time a CBAJ member parks in our parking lot overnight, or the B'nai Shalom parking lotat any time, we request that you display a placard issued from the office. A supply will be left on the shelf in the hallway outside the sanctuary. Please contact office@cbaj.org if more placards are needed.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SECURITY COMMITTEE CSS Level 1 Training This class has been postponed until February 12th Please email Ari Fisher for more information or to register for the next CSS Level Training to be rescheduled for February 12th at 3:00 pm.
ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING A 1 hour active shooter training class for the general membership has been scheduled, by our Security Committee in partnership with our NYS Trooper liaison, for February 15 at 7:00 pm at CBAJ. Please consider attending this important training.
NEW LECTURE SERIES: TALMUD TOGETHER Tues. February 7th & Thurs. February 16 Join Rabbi Ben Kean and Rabbi Greg Weitzman for an evening - or two - of shared learning. Over the course of two evenings, both rabbis will teach their favorite Talmudic texts from their own unique perspectives. The first session will be Tuesday, February 7th, at CBAJ and the second on Thursday, February 16th at Congregation Beth Emeth (100 Academy Rd). Rabbi Greg Weitzman joined CBE as their Co-Senior Rabbi last summer, one year after Rabbi Kean joined CBAJ.
SOFER DAY: MEZUZAH & TEFILIN CHECKING Sunday, February 12, 10 am to 4 pm Rabbi Mendel Serebryanski, Sofer STA"M, will come to CBAJ to check Tefilin and Mezuzot. Reservations are preferred, but we will try to accomodate walk-ins. To make a reservation, fill out this form. Dedicated in memory of HaRav Chaim Zev Bomzer, z"l, on his 10th yahrtzeit, 28 Shevat, by Rabbi Moshe & Rebbetzin Rochel Bomzer.
Youth Programs
NCSY Events NCSY Shabbaton Schedule - This Shabbat! All events to take place at CBAJ unless otherwise noted Friday, Jan. 20th 4:35 PM Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15 PM Delicious "Heimish" Shabbos Homestyle Dinner 7:30 PM Oneg Featuring Desserts and Stories
Shabbat, Jan. 21st -11:45 AM "The Parsha and Me" Activity with Advisors after morning services @ CBAJ; Grades 6-7 -2:30 PM Shabbos Afternoon Dessert and Hangout @ 197 Holmes Dale 12208; Grades 6-12 -7:00 PM Movie Night @ CBAJ featuring fresh popcorn; Grades 8-12 FEB 10-12 Winter Regional Shabbaton All Teens grades 8-12 are invited to sign up for Northeast NCSY Winter Regional! This Shabbaton will bring Jewish teens together from across New England & Upstate NY for a weekend of fun, new & old friends, engaging and meaningful programming, & an uplifting Shabbat together in the beautiful Ethan Allen Hotel in Danbury, CT. Saturday night will feature all the attractions at the CT Xtreme Indoor Adventure Park! Early Bird Price until Jan 15th For more information and to register, go toNCSY's website.
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 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 THIS SHABBAT For children ages 0-5 and their parents at 10:30 am in classroom 3. 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 NACH YOMI - *NEW* Join Rabbi Kean for studying a chapter of NACH (Nevi'im & Ketuvim, the latter two sections of Jewish scripture) every weekday before Shacharit, Sunday through Friday, half an hour before the regular start time for morning services (7:30 am on Sundays, 6:10 am Monday - Friday) - in the social hall.
TORAH & TEA*Thursday mornings, 9:30 - 10:30 AM on Zoom*. Studying Kings 2. * A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program
TALMUD CLASS -4:55 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
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
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.
READING CLASSICAL HEBREW COURSE *New* Beginning after Pesach, on one evening each week students will meet on Zoom for a 90-minute class to learn grammar and vocabulary from the textbook The First Hebrew Primer. The instructor will be Mike Kupferschmid. For more information, please send an email for him to nancylawson10@gmail.com. (The day of the week will be determined by the availability of the students.)
PILLARS LECTURE SERIES Please note change of final installment to February 25th
DAILY SERVICES
January 22 - January 27
Shacharit Sunday 8:00 am (Nach Yomi 7:30 am)
Monday Rosh Chodesh Shevat 6:35 am (Nach Yomi 6:05 am) Tuesday - Friday 6:40 am (Nach Yomi 6:10 am)
Mincha/Maariv Sunday - Friday 4:45 pm
Candle lighting Friday 1/27/2023 4:43 pm
MESSAGE FROM LIFE & LEGACY
“The things you do for your self are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” Kalu Ndukwe Kalu
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 Paula Mosher or Ellen Kaplowitz , the Life & Legacy committee chairs about partnering on this crucial initiative to ensure the vitality of Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob for the next 200 years.
COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
POSITIVE PARENTING WITH RABBI ZALMY KUDAN Sunday, January 22, 2023 at the Jewish Federation Golub Center (184 Washington Ave. Ext., Albany). The Jewish Federation of NENY & Maimonides PTA invite you to a parent's night out, for an evening of inspiration. See flyer for details. RSVP to MHDSpta@gmail.com
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.
