Friday Evening Services will take place at AJCC this Friday at 6:00 pm *** Note Different Time
Morning Services Shabbat 9:00 am
Latest Shema 9:30 am
Shabbat HaGadol Drasha 11:15 am KiddushLuncheon 12:00 pm
Babysitting 10:00 am
Youth Groups 10:00 am Talmud Class 6:20 pm
Shabbat Mincha & Seudah Shlishit 7:20 pm
Maariv 8:20 pm Havdalah 8:29 pm
TORAH READING Leviticus 14:1 - 15:33 Artscroll p. 620 Haftarah: Malachi 3:4 - 24, p. 1220
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver the yearly Shabbat HaGadol Drasha (Discourse), entitled "Is My Dog Chametz??? Pesach, Pets, & the Halachic System." KIDDUSH LUNCHEON Following regular Shabbat morning services and Shabbat HaGadol lecture, join CBAJ for a pre-Pesach luncheon, prepared by the CBAJ Programming Committee.
Sponsors for the luncheon are listed below.
MAZAL TOV Mazal Tov to CBAJ members Laura (CBAJ Board President) and Zvi Segal on the bris of their first grandson, Lev Micha Shaprio! Mazal Tov to the parents, Ariella (Segal) & Eli Shapiro, and Eli's parents, Stanley Shapiro & Ann Hirsch.
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.
Last week, I, like many of you, was somewhat on edge about the threats from Iran to attack Israel, our cherished ancestral homeland first-flowering of our redemption. My remarks at Seudah Shlishit upon hearing whispers of reports of Iran's attack were somber, not knowing exactly what happened and fearing what it could amount to.
Upon reading the news, hearing that some 99% of all drones and missiles were shot down by Israel and the US, with support from the UK, France, and Jordan, seeing the images of Israel's air defense systems shoot down the Iranian rockets and drones, the only thing that I could think of is that we were meriting to see the words of the Haggadah, "Vayotzi-einu Hashem Elokeinu misham bi-yad chazakah u-vizro'ah netuyah - And Hashem our G-d took us out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm."
May we continue to merit to see G-d's salvation and redemption. I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class! (And I hope your Pesach prep is going well!)
Am Yisrael Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ben Kean
SHABBAT HAGADOL KIDDUSH LUNCHEON SPONSORS
Diamond Level Nanette & Artie Brenner Stacy & David Cohen Michal & Ronen Hofman In memory of Michal's sister Yivonne Rivka bat Rachel Laura & Zvi Segal In honor of the birth of our grandson Lev Micha Shapiro
Platinum Level Millie & Daniel Grossberg Jack & Ellen Kaplowitz Sharon & Michael Willen Andrea & Ari Fisher
Gold Level Simma Kinderlehrer & Chaim Schaffer In honor of Chaim's 60th Bar Mitzvah anniversary Robert Crystal Amy Svirsky & Mitch Abolafia The Melnicoff Family
Silver Level Ronald Sultan In memory of Salha bat Lulu & for providing a place to say Kaddish
Bronze Level Eve Rosen Anonymous Rabbi Ben & Miriam Kean In honor of Dina Gottesman & Chana Israel
SALE OF CHAMETZ Designate Rabbi Kean your agent to sell you chametz one of three ways: 1) ONLINE: Please click here to complete an online sale of chametz form. OR 2) IN-PERSON: Please click here to download a printable paper copy to print out and give directly to Rabbi Kean. (If completing in-person, Rabbi Kean will be available at the shul for authorizing the sale of Chametz immediately following morning and evening services(except Shabbat) from Tuesday morning, March 16, to Monday morning, April 22 (or by appointment). OR 3) MAIL: You may also download the printable copy and mail it to the CBAJ office.
Note, for all mailed forms and for those spending Passover in Israel or time-zones East of NY, the sale of Chametz form must be received by Rabbi Kean before Shabbat , Friday April 19.
If you need a form mailed to you, please email office@cbaj.org .
If you own a pet, you must make sure that you switch their food to non-chametz pet food. If they must eat chametz, please contact Rabbi Kean about making the proper arrangements to sell your pet.
The deadline to submit a chametz form to CBAJ is Monday, April 22, by 8:30AM
UPCOMING EVENTS
COMMUNITY BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT* NEW LOCATION! Sundays, 8:00 pm at The Shteeble(Cong. Shomray Torah)
TORAH FOR YOUR SEDER Thursday, April 18 at 8 PM In-person in the chapel and on Zoom.
*For more information about programs in this section, scroll down to the relevant sections.
CBAJ ANNOUNCEMENTS
COMMUNITY SHABBAT
Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York unites with local clergy to offer the second annual community Shabbat experience on Friday, April 19, at the Albany JCC.
Please note: CBAJ's Friday night minyan will be moved to the Albany JCC for this week at 6:00 PM - note: different time Tickets are not needed to attend services
Note: tickets are sold out for the dinner
SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE SHABBAT
Save the date: May 17-18 for our Spring Scholar in Residence Shabbat with Dr. Sara Ronis The Shabbat will include a Friday night dinner (by reservation only) and a Kiddush luncheon (open to all). The deadline to register for the dinner is May 7.
Schedule of Events & Talks by Dr. Ronis Friday 7:00 PM Friday Night Services 8 PM Dinner (by reservation only) 8:45 -9:30pm The Demons in the Details, or What are All Those Demons Doing in the Talmud?
Saturday 11:30 – 11:50am Living in the Center and On the Margins: The Complex World of Rabbinic Babylonia [CW: Infertility]
Approx 1:00-1:45 pm Fetal Positions: The Talmudic Approach(es) to Personhood
6:30 pm Talmud Class (with Dr. Ronis) Yalta in the Talmud
BATTLE OF THE BBQS
Beth Abe is sponsoring a team for the Battle of the BBQ Abe and Jake’s House of BBQ Sunday, June 30, 2024 A community day supporting the Shalom Food Pantry
We are looking for some high spirited goal oriented people to spearhead us towards victory in this battle. The brigade will prepare and barbeque food provided by the Bethlehem Chabad. If interested please contact the “The king of the Barbeque” @ 518-461-9618. Ship Ahoy!
YOUTH PROGAMS
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 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
CBAJ BOOK CLUB
The CBAJ bookclub will be reading The Jewish State: From Opposition to Opportunity by Doron Perez two copies are now available - in the Chapel - first come, first serve The next bookclub meeting: TBA
SPRING 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
Lunch & Learn for Seniors with Rabbi Ben Kean
Spring dates to be announced after Passover
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.
Shacharit Sunday 8:00 am Monday Fast of First Borns begins 4:50 am Shacharit 6:30 am Chametz Sale 8:30 am Tuesday & Wednesday Pesach 9:00 am
Thursday & Friday 6:30 am
Mincha/Maariv Sunday - Thursday 7:30pm See candle lighting times
Friday 7:00 pm
Candle Lighting Monday, April 22 Erev Pesach 7:28 pm
Tuesday, April 23 Pesach after 8:32 pm* * must be lit from preexisting flame
Friday, April 26 7:32 pm
MESSAGE FROM LIFE & LEGACY
“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
SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, May 5 at 7:30 PM COMMUNITY-WIDE YOM HA-SHOAH COMMEMORATION AT OHAV SHALOM Guest presenter: Russel Kaback https://www.russellkaback.com/my-grandfathers-story Sponsored by the Capital District Board of Rabbis and Cantors
SAVE THE DATE: Monday, May 13 6:30 - 8:30 PM COMMUNITY-WIDE YOM HAZIKARON COMMEMORATION & YOM HA'ATZMAUT CELEBRATION at Proctors Theater, Schenectady Early-bird pricing thru Monday April 21 Hosted by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York & Israel Bonds. Featuring: Yom Hazikaron Special Guest Izzy Ezagui, Decorated IDF Soldier, Inspirational Speaker & Author; Tekes Maavar (transition ceremony) led by the Capital District Board of Rabbis & Cantors; and Judah Gavra, Israeli Singer & Songwriter accompanied by keyboardist Orian Rosenzweig. For more information or to RSVP, go to:https://www.jewishfedny.org/community-calendar/israel-76
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.
