TORAH READING Exodus 38:21 - 40:38, p.530 Haftarah: I Kings 7:51 - 8:21, p. 1164
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah this Shabbat.
Life & Legacy Simcha Kiddush Kiddush this week is specially prepared by the CBAJ Life & Legacy committe, chaired by Ellen Kaplowitz and Paula Mosher and the CBAJ Simcha kiddush committee, chaired by Marta Koblenz and Faye Silton.
This special Simcha Kiddush honors all the community members who have already committed to leaving a legacy gift.
Sponsors for this Shabbat's Simcha kiddush include CBAJ Life & Legacy Committe, and all of this month's Simcha co-sponsors and celebrants listed below.
On behalf of Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob, I would like to wish you and your family a restful and meaningful Shabbat.
It is hard to believe that Purim is next week! Please see below for the full Purim schedule.
This Shabbat is Agunah Awareness Shabbat, an initiative of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA), to raise awareness to the widespread problem of get refusal, which is when one spouse in a marriage that is over refuses to participate in the halachic divorce process. Every day, ORA reaffirms our commitment to protect and support those who refused their freedom. Join us. Stand up, stand proud and stand with us as we protect agunot around the world in the diaspora and in Israel. To read more about ORA's work, please visit: www.getora.org.
This year, ahead of Purim, I would like to invite you to join me in two special Mishloach Manot initiatives. First, CBAJ is proud to partner with ORA in sending Mishloach Manot to agunot. Second, CBAJ is proud to partner with the Kochav HaShachar community in Israel to send Mishloach Manot to families with a father/husband who is currently serving in the war with Hamas. This initiative is being organized by former Albany shaliach, Yael Reshef, who spent time strengthening our community in Albany. Participation in these initiatives shows agunot and Israeli army families that we stand with them and care about them. If you are interested in joining in any of these initiatives, please make a contribution to the Rabbi’s discretionaryfund and put “M&M for Agunot” or “M&M for army families” in the payment notes.
I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class!
Amy Svirsky & Aliza Abolafia in celebration of Mitch Abolafia’s birthday Laura & Sam Weisblatt in honor of their 10th wedding anniversary Laura Segal in honor of all the members of Life & Legacy, in celebration of Zvi Segal’s birthday and their son Samuel Segal’s birthday Stacy & David Cohen in honor of the birthdays of our sons Benjamin and Steven Nina Mikhaylova, Daniela & Vadim Mikhaylov in honor of Grigoriy Mikhaylov’s 70th birthday, and Kiya Perkin’s birthday Deborah Fruchtman & Seth Rigberg in celebration of the birthdays of Johanna Steper and Netanya Simons
UPCOMING EVENTS
COMMUNITY BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT* NEW LOCATION! Sunday, 8:00 pm at THE SHTEEBLE (Cong. Shomray Torah)
Pre-Purim Family Learning Night - March 16 at 8 PM See below for details.
CBAJ's Annual Purim Carnival March 24, 1 - 3 PM Bouncy house party, meat seudah, and opportunities to fulfill all the mitzvot of Purim!
*See the sections below for more information about these upcoming events and other programs
YOUTH PROGAMS
Tot Shabbat The next Tot Shabbat will be March 16 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.
Pre-Purim Family Learning Night March 16 at 8:00 PM Pizza, prizes, Torah & family bonding! For ages 5-12 With Yonah Schneider Sponsored by the Barlaz family
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 Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) * 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 Mincha 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
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMING
FALL SEASON OF COMMUNITY BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT Join us at the Shteeble (Cong. Shomray Torah)* new location for the new season of Beis Medrash Night 8:00 PM this Sunday.
Independent & Guided Learning Guided learning with Rabbi Kean will meet once or twice a month. Topic: Ein Yaakov - Anthology of Talmudic Aggadah.
* A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program
Announcing the winter season of Lunch & Learn for Seniors with Rabbi Ben Kean: Midrash Rewriting the Story
March 19:Who is "The King" in the Purim Story? April 9: TBA
All sessions will begin at 12:30 pm Lunch is free of charge catered by 518 Kosher and supervised by the VHCD Please feel welcome to wear a mask during the event & take lunch home to enjoy Please register by contacting our office at 518.489.5819 x3 or office@cbaj.org
Prophetic Personalities A lecture series for select winter Shabbatot March 30Huldah with Simma Kinderlehrer
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
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.
