TORAH READING Numbers 4:21 – 7:89, Artscroll p. 748 Haftarah: Judges 13:2 – 25, p. 1181
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah on Shabbat morning. KIDDUSH This Shabbat we are celebrating with a Simcha Dessert Kiddush (dairy), prepared by the Simcha Kiddush Committee, chaired by Faye Silton & Marta Koblenz. We are celebrating simchas, and honoring our graduates! Sponsors and celebrants are listed below.
MAZAL TOV Mazal tov to Rabbi Paul and Faye Silton on the bar mitzvah of their grandson, Juda Lior Brandwein, son of Dr. Ariel Ben-Tzion Brandwein & Dr. Nava Ruth Silton.
Mazal tov to CBAJ youth director and Albany NCSY coordinator Yonah Schneier on his upcoming marriage this week to Hannah Poupko. Mazal tov to Yonah for his graduation from Yeshiva University. We thank Yonah for a wonderful year as our youth director and wish him success in all future endeavors.
Mazal tov to past CBAJ rabbinic intern, youth director, and Albany NCSY coordinator Rabbi Jack Hartstein on his marriage this past week to Esther Nasser.
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.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for such a wonderful Shavuot! The Shavuot night dinner, Tikkun Leil Shavuot, and NCSY programming were filled with so much Torah, energy, and community.
Please join in me in davening for Yair ben Rivka, a soldier in the IDF who was critically wounded in a recent operation in Gaza with connections to our Capital District community. May Hashem send him a refuah shleimah (speedy recovery) very soon.
The New York State primary elections are on Tuesday, June 25. Please remember to vote in these important elections.
There are a couple of things that I believe you should know about the primary elections: 1. In many elections, especially in New York State, the primary is the more important election, where one party almost always wins. 2. In a number of our upcoming elections, including the extremely-tight Democratic primary for New York State Assembly for Assembly district 109, which includes the city of Albany and much of Albany County, different candidates have taken very different stances on antisemitism and Israel. If you wish to take these issues into account when voting, you may wish to research the candidates to see where they stand. 3. You may wish to contactAmidah Albany, a local Jewish and pro-Israel advocacy group founded in the wake of October 7, to receive their voter score card on Israel and Jewish issues. Their email address is:amidahalbany@gmail.com and their Instagram page is @amidahalbany.
I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class!
Marjorie and Stuart Gang in honor of their son Adam Starkman who graduated from his internal medicine residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Tom Kligerman in honor of Ilan Kligerman's Graduation from HVCC in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Dina Gottesman and Daniel Reznik in honor of Malky Reznik’s 8th grade graduation from HACD. Amarit and Seth Rosenblum in honor of Ayelet Rosenblum's graduation from Albany High School, and Nadav Rosenblum's graduation from Hebrew Academy. Deborah Vaquez and Nathan Graber in honor of Jesse Graber’s graduation from the Albany Academy for Boys. Simma Kinderlehrer & Chaim Schaffer in honor of Shavtiel Bko’ach Kinderlehrer graduation from Leaf High School Alstead, N.H, and plans to attend UNH in the fall. Laura and Zvi Segal in honor of their daughter Talia Segal’s graduation from medical school, Samuel and Allie Segal’s 1 year wedding anniversary, and Benjamin Segal birthday. Nanette and Artie Brenner and family wish Mazal tov to Camille Brenner for completing her MSW degree at Hunter College/CUNY and to Jeremy Wilson for completing his MD at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. The Brenner family also celebrates Misha Brenner’s birthday, Lianna Brenner and Elie Peltz’s wedding anniversary, and Nanette and Artie’s wedding anniversary. Rabbi Ben and Miriam Kean on Rabbi Kean's participation in Yeshiva University's Chag HaSemikhah celebrating all rabbis ordained in the last 3 years and in honor of their wedding anniversary. Amy Svirsky and Mitch Abolafia in honor of their wedding anniversary. Judith Rickman in celebration of her uncle Larry Rickman’s 98th birthday. Ofir and Josh Katz in honor of their 14th wedding anniversary Nina & Grigory Mikhaylov wishing a Happy birthday to Vadim Mikhaylov and Nison Mikhaylov. Sandra Sabzevari and Josh Schulman-Marcus in celebration of the birthdays of their children Odelia (9), Liora (5), and Netanel (2). Stacy & David Cohen in honor of our daughter-in-law, Bethanne Goldman's birthday, and in honor of the June graduates. Mazal tov to Rabbi Paul & Faye Silton on: the graduation of their granddaughter-in-law, Daniella Bessler Moskowitz (wife of Avishai David Moskowitz, son of Elana Yaakova Silton & Dr. Ari Moskowitz) from Yeshiva University's Stern College for Women; the high school graduation of their grandson Azriel Baruch Moskowitz (son of Elana & Ari), from Beth Tefilla Community Day School; their grandson Ezra Moshe Silton (son of Dr. Rabbi Akiva & Sharon Silton) on being recognized as a Chayal Mitztayen ("soldier of excellence") by Tzahal; the induction of their granddaughter Calanit Dora Epstein (daughter of Tamar Silton Epstein & Jeremy Epstein) in Tzahal; the graduation of their grandson Ariel Yair Kahan (son of David Kahan & Michal Meira Silton Kahan) from Yeshiva University summa cum laude while in the semikhah program. Ilana and Rob Kovach in honor of Dov Kovach's graduation from Albany High School, and their son-in-law Natan Mendelson's graduation from Rutgers University.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The CBAJ Bookclub Meeting June 19 at 8:00 pm
COMMUNITY BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT The next guided learning Chaburah with Rabbi Kean is on June 23
See below for more details
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING & END OF YEAR BBQ
Sunday June 23rd, 2024 at 5:30 pm
The vote for the new slate and the budget will take place at our annual membership meeting. You will also be able to access the meeting on Zoom. Following our meeting please join us for our annual delicious CBAJ BBQ.
CBAJ ZOOM ROOM Go to https://zoom.us/join Enter meeting ID: 940 508 9347 | Enter passcode: 613518
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 The next bookclub meeting: June 19 at 8:00 pm On CBAJ ZOOM
SPRING SEASON OF COMMUNITY BEIS MIDRASH NIGHT Join us at the Shteeble (Cong. Shomray Torah)* new location Sundays, following Maariv (evening services). Contact Rabbi Kean, Sean Ference, or Mendy Shepherd to be added to the Whatsapp group.
Independent & Guided Learning Guided learning with Rabbi Kean will meet once or twice a month. Topic: Ein Yaakov - Anthology of Talmudic Aggadah. Next guided learning Chaburah with Rabbi Kean is on June 23.
A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program
Lunch & Learn for Seniors with Rabbi Ben Kean
Summer dates to be announced.
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
PRICE CHOPPER KOSHER STORE GRAND OPENING New Location: 1730 Central Avenue in Colonie Kosher DepartmentGrand Opening on Friday June 21st at 10:00 am We need you with us to show our solidarity behind the new venture, which will expand the kosher offerings in the community. Please RSVP at vhcd51@yahoo.com or 518-727-5566 and advise you will join. The new store will host our kosher department as well as new offerings of To Go Meals and Kosher Sushi on a daily basis.
518 KOSHER CATERING - SHABBOS-TO-GO-CATERING Learn more about 518 Kosher's Shabbos catering at their website. https://kosher518.com
THE WANDERING JEW KOSHER POPUP CAFE Thursday, June 27 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm at JFNENY brought to you by ACHDUT, A Harold Grinspoon Foundation supported Haverah. Our mission is to provide an open and joyful monthly cafe experience--kosher food and uplifting programs---for the entire community. We will offer standard cafe items and some Japanese inspired menu items like sushi salad, miso soup, and stir fried vegetables and tofu. All food is prepared and sealed in the Bethlehem Chabad kitchen. Rabbi Josh Sussman, violinist and musicologist, will be playing and illuminating the sacred art of niggunim: wordless Jewish melodies and their role in Jewish spirituality. CLICK HERE for more details & to register
