Shabbat Mevarchim Parshat Shekalim Mishpatim February 17 - 18, 2023
Candle Lighting 5:11 pm
Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat, & Ma'ariv 5:10 pm
Morning Services Shabbat 9:00 am
Latest Shema 9:29 am Simcha Kiddush following services
Babysitting 10:00 am
Youth Groups 10:00
Shabbat Mincha 12:37 pm
Talmud Class 5:30 pm
Shabbat ends 6:14 pm
Ma'ariv 6:30 pm
TORAH READING Exodus 21:1 - 24:18, Artscroll p.416 Maftir: Exodus 30:11-16, 484 Haftarah: II Kings 12:1 - 17, p. 1213
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah Shabbat morning. Mike Kupferschmid will lead the Kiddush Conversation.
KIDDUSH A special, parve, sit-down Kiddush is sponsored by Rakhamim Yakobov & Rachel MuratovaL'iluy Nishmat (in memory of): Masliach ben Yafa (Rakhamim's paternal grandfather) Ari Khai ben Rachel (Rachel's paternal grandfather) Mira bat Chana Bakhmal (Rachel's maternal grandmother) Yehi Zichram Baruch - May their memories be for a blessing.
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 am excited to share that I will be headed to Florida next week (Boca Raton on Tuesday, Fort Myers on Wednesday) to visit with our CBAJ community in Florida! If I have not already been in touch with you and you would be interested in events in Florida, please email me!
Something I'm thinking about this week is "being different together." I thoroughly enjoyed my discussion this past week with Rabbi Greg Weitzman of Cong. Beth Emeth. The conversation helped me to simultaneously understand others' points of view better and respect them more, while also strengthening my commitment to my own views.
In that vein, I want to make a plug for the Jewish Federation's Community-wide Shabbat dinner hosted at the Albany JCC on March 31 (see details below). When Rob Kovach approached me with the idea of a Community-wide Shabbat, he shared it within the context of the value of "being different together," and I truly believe that it will help strengthen both our community-wide bonds, and our particular commitments and values.
I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ben Kean
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WELLNESS REMINDER Anyone who has symptoms of any illness or is not feeling well is strongly encouraged to stay home, irrespective of vaccination status. Better to miss services than risk spreading COVID or another viral infection. Please also wear a mask if you suspect or know of a covid exposure regardless of symptoms. 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
PURIM 5783! Purim is right around the corner, March 6-7! Save the date for our schedule of events (details to follow): Monday night: 7:20 PM Family-friendly Megillah Reading & Light Break Fast 9:00 PM Late (Quiet) Megillah Reading Tuesday: Megillah reading with regular daily minyan 4:30 PM Family-friendly Megillah Reading 5:15 PM-7:00 PM Carnival & Purim Seudah (dinner)
LECTURE SERIES: TALMUD TOGETHER Thurs. February 16 & Tuesday February 28 at 7:00 pm (note schedule change) 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 on Thursday, February 16th at Congregation Beth Emeth (100 Academy Rd)and second on Tuesday, February 28th at CBAJ.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 26, 10 am to 4 pm (note schedule change) Rabbi Mendel Serebryanski, Sofer STA"M, will come to CBAJ to check Tefilin and Mezuzot. Reservations are preferred, but we will try to accommodate 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.
LUNCH & LEARN for SENIORS *New* Join Rabbi Kean for the new Lunch & Learn Series for Seniors.
February 28: Contemporary Lessons from the Holiday of Purim
March 28: Four Myths & Facts About Passover
May 9: Myths & Facts: Lag Ba'Omer
All sessions will begin at 12:30 pm. All curious minds are welcome. Lunch catered by 518 Kosher, supervised by the VHCD, free of charge. Please register by contacting our events coordinator Beth Liotta Tyler at 518.489.5819 x4 or beth@cbaj.org. * A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program
COMMUNITY-WIDE BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT *New* Jointly presented by CBAJ & the Shteeble Starts Thursday, March 2, 8:30-9:30 pm at CBAJ (social hall) Join the Shteeble & CBAJ for Beis Midrash Night! Take part in the unique experience of in-depth, textual chavrusa or individual learning in a Beis Midrash setting. Cholent & kugel will be served. All levels of experience are welcome—with guided options available for beginners. This will be a recurring program, taking place every other week. For more information, contact: Rabbi Kean, Sean Ference, or Mendy Shepherd.
YOUTH PROGAMS
NCSY Events Stay tuned for more information. Torah High 2022-2023 - Next semester starts 2/27/2023! 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 Tot Shabbat Next Tot Shabbat March 18! 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. 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.
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.
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 -5:30 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
CBAJ BOOK CLUB Our next zoom gathering is Wednesday, May 3 at 8:00 pm. We will discuss The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczu. It is available on Amazon, Thrift Books and in local libraries. CBAJ has 2 available copies to loan.
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.
KABBALAH AND CONSCIOUSNESS *New* With Simma Kinderlehrer & Howard Schaffer Curious about Kabbalah? We are offering a taste of the book Kabbalah and Consciousness, by Allen Afterman. We will discuss a few juicy tidbits to wet your appetite for an ongoing study of this accessible, experiential ascent from ordinary consciousness toward knowledge of and union with The Infinite. Sunday, March 19, 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Future sessions will be in person, time dependent on participants. R.S.V.P. Requested. Please text response and questions to (516) 382-5201
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.)
HAGGADAH INSIGHTS *New* Tuesdays, March 14 & 28, 7:45-8:30 pm at CBAJ Join Rabbi Kean for a three-part lecture series exploring the Haggadah. Rabbi Kean's goal is to primarily share ideas that are new to him.
PILLARS LECTURE SERIES Please note change of final installment to February 25th
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
February 19 - February 24
Shacharit Sunday & Monday 8:00 am (Nach Yomi 7:30 am)
Tuesday - Friday 6:40 am (Nach Yomi 6:10 am)
Mincha/Maariv Sunday - Friday 5:20 pm
Candle lighting Friday 2/24/2023 5:20 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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
Community-wide Shabbat Dinner at JCC Save the date: March 31, 6:30 - 8:30 pm CBAJ will be joining in the program and CBAJ's Friday evening services will be moved to the JCC on March 31. More details to follow! Hosted by the Jewish Federation at Albany JCC
Jewish Family Services - Grief & Loss Support Group JFS is offering an in-person weekly support group for anyone who is grieving the death of a family member or friend. Select Thursdays in February & March, starting 2/16, 2 - 3 pm. Locations TBA. For dates, registration & fee information CLICK HERE
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.
