Shabbat Mincha 12:08 pm Lecture by Rabbi Nadel 4:25 pm
Havdalah 5:09 pm
Shabbat Maariv & Musical Havdalah 5:25 pm
TORAH READING Genesis: 32:4-36:43 Artscroll p. 170 Haftarah: Obadiah 1:1-21, p. 1141 SPEAKER We welcome Rabbi Shimshon Nadel as the scholar-in-residence this Shabbat. Please see below for a full listing of Rabbi Nadel's speaking schedule and topics, including Friday night Onegs for teens and for adults!
KIDDUSH This Shabbat Kiddush is sponsored by CBAJ. Kiddush will be meat (with vegetarian options).
MAZAL TOV Mazal tov to past CBAJ rabbinic intern, youth director, and NCSY coordinator, Jack Hartstein, on his engagement to Esther Nasser! Mazal tov to the Hartstein and Nasser families. We are excited to welcome Jack & Esther as guests this Shabbat.
SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE SHABBAT - DEC. 1-2 With Rabbi Shimshon Nadel
We are excited to present a new Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat Parshat Vayishlach, December 1-2, 2023 Rabbi Shimshon Nadel "Ba-yamim Ha-hem Ba-zman Ha-zeh: Celebrating the Miracle of Medinat Yisrael and our Modern-day Maccabees" A Shabbat full of song, chizzuk, ruach, and learning.
Schedule: Friday Night 6:30 PM - Oneg for Teens 7:30 PM - Friday night oneg for the community Both will take place at 258 South Manning Blvd., Albany 12208 Saturday 11:00 AM - Shabbat morning drasha by Rabbi Nadel 12:00 PM - "The Menorah as the Symbol for the State of Israel" (Lecture following Kiddush) 4:25 PM - "The Chashmonaim (Hasmoneans) as a Paradigm for Modern Jewish Sovereignty" (In place of weekly Talmud class) 5:25 PM - Maariv & Musical Havdalah led by Rabbi Nadel (Shabbat ends 5:09 PM)
Rabbi Shimshon Nadel lives and teaches in Jerusalem, where he serves as Rabbi of Kehilat Zichron Yosef, Rosh Kollel of the Sinai Kollel and Hovevei Zion’s Kollel Boker, and lectures at the OU Center. Rabbi Nadel lectures in communities around the world as a scholar-in-residence. Before making Aliyah, he served pulpits in the United States. He studied at Yeshiva University's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary.
MESSAGE FROM RABBI KEAN
Dear CBAJ Family,
On behalf of Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob, I would like to wish you and your family a restful and meaningful Shabbat.
A warm welcome to our scholar-in-residence Shabbat with Rabbi Shimshon Nadel! Rabbi Nadel is a dynamic educator with multiple connections to Albany, who teaches about topics that are at the forefront of our minds at this time.
While I am sure you join me in having tremendous concern for our fellow Jews in Israel, we have to be grateful that roughly 100 hostages have been freed from Hamas's cruel captivity. While the news of the torture that they endured is gut-wrenching, I am in awe of the strength and faith displayed by so many hostages.
From 85 year-old Yocheved Lifshitz having the mind-blowing courage to confront and shame Yahya Sinwar AS A HOSTAGE, to the family of 12 year-old Yagil Yaacov maintaining their faith that he would still be home to celebrate his bar mitzvah with the tefillin they had purchased, the strength of the Jewish people and the Israeli spirit is unbreakable.
My heart breaks for those still in captivity, with prayers for their speedy and safe return, along with the defeat of Hamas that is needed for lasting peace to be possible.
I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class! Am Yisrael Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ben Kean
UPCOMING EVENTS
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS A new season of weekly Kiddush Conversations has begun COMMUNITY BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT Sunday, 8:00 pm at CBAJ
FALL LECTURE SERIES Tuesday, December 5 at 7:30 pm, A Season for Everything
SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER FOR SHABBAT CHANUKAH Join CBAJ for a Friday night dinner on December 8, following Friday night services. Details forthcoming.
See the Adult Education Programming section below for more information about these upcoming events and other programs
YOUTH PROGAMS
Torah High2023-2024 CBAJ's Torah High meets Mondays, 7-9 pm and is open to all students in grades 8 - 12. Dinner is served. Contact Rabbi Kean with questions. Online registration available HERE Tot 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. Youth Groups Kids in grades k-5 will meet each Shabbat morning at 10-11 am. Groups will be led by our youth director 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 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 or 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
NACH YOMI 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 Join our Shabbat Afternoon TALMUD SHIUR in-person, at CBAJ,starting 1 hour before Maariv, note: new time for standard time. 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
SECURITY COMMITTEE PROGRAMMING
The Security Committee is hosting a Stop the Bleed Training Course offered by Albany Medical Center Trauma Dept. Wednesday, December 20 at 7:00 - 8:30 pm Click Here to RSVP
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMING
FALL SEASON OF COMMUNITY BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT This season, all sessions will be held WEEKLY on SUNDAYS at CBAJ at 8:00 pm
Independent & Guided Learning Guided learning with Rabbi Kean will meet once or twice a month. Guided learning with Rabbi Kean will not meet this week.
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS 2023-2024 Share Jewish experiences or ideas that inspire you! Following Kiddush on winter Shabbats. Contact Simma Kinderlehrer or Rabbi Kean to sign up
FALL LECTURE SERIES Select Tuesdays at 7:30 pm at CBAJ (in the Carr Chapel) Zoom option also available - see link to Zoom room above. December 5: A Season for Everything The famous "Time Poem" & cycles of hope & despair in Kohelet December 12: Does Life Have Meaning? Competing answers from Kohelet's Conclusion
* A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program
The Lunch & Learn for Seniors with Rabbi Kean series has resumed and the fall theme is Life's Highs and Lows. 12/19/2023 Judaism and Positive Living All sessions will begin at 12:30 pm. Lunch, catered by 518 Kosher and supervised by the VHCD, is free of charge. Please feel welcome to wear a mask during the event & take lunch home to enjoy. Please register by contacting our events coordinator Beth Liotta Tyler at 518.489.5819 x4 or beth@cbaj.org.
THE DEE PIRKEI AVOT PROJECT
The Dee Pirkei Avot project disseminates a weekly Pirkei Avot study and discussion sheet in honor of their memory of Lucy, Maia, and Rina, z''l, who were killed in a terrorist attack this year.
“A community is too heavy to carry alone” Deuteronomy Rabbah 1:10
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 Kaplowitzthe Life & Legacy committee chairs about partnering on this crucial initiative to ensure the vitality of Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob for the next 200 years.
Please click HERE for an important message from our Security Committee & security partner, Community Security Service (CSS) regarding guidelines for attending pro-Israel events
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chanukah on Jay Sunday, December 10 Time: 2 - 4 PM Location: Jay Street (Schenectady) CBAJ is proud to join the Capital District Jewish community again! https://www.chanukahonjay.com
I Stand with Israel bracelets are available for purchase $5.00 each (cash or Venmo @SherylHoffman). Pick up at Temple Israel All proceeds will go to Federations Support Israel Efforts
Introducing: The Drama Daughters A musical theater club for Jewish girls, grades 2 - 6. Contact Elisheva Lieberman at 518.704.1096 for participation details. Practices will be held on Tuesdays, 4:00 - 5:30 pm, at CBAJ.
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.
