SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah Shabbat morning entitled, "Rivkah in Sarah's Tent."
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS This week, Kiddush Conversations will be led by David Elkins about Tehilim 145. We wish David & Sharon well as this will be David's final Shabbat in Albany before he returns to Israel.
REFUAH SHLEIMAH Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob wishes a refuah shleimah (a speedy recovery) to Avichai Binyamin ben Yaffa Shira, Daniel & Millie Grossberg's grandson, who was injured a second time this year serving in Tzahal in Gaza. Thankfully, he is in stable condition.
MAZAL TOV Mazal Tov to CBAJ member Joyce Teitelman on becoming a great-grandmother, with the birth of a baby boy named Asher Binyamin, son of Sara and Dovid Braverman and grandson of Rabbi Larry and Nehama Teitelman.
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.
B'chasdei Hashem, the 400 tubes of Aquaphor skin cream that CBAJ purchased for Israeli soldiers arrived in Israel and are currently being distributed. Our contacts in Israel who were responsible for distributing them reported to us that the soldiers tremendously appreciated the cream and that they are in high demand! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this effort!
A special thanks once again to all of our volunteers who helped prepare the new member luncheon last Shabbat, in particular, to Dina, Chana, Dan, Jeff, Ellen, and Marta. It was so wonderful to celebrate all of our new members!
Am Yisrael Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ben Kean
CBAJ INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL
1. Skin Cream for Chayalim. In partnership with former Israeli shaliach to Albany, Yael Reshef, CBAJ will be sending 400 tubes of Aquaphor to soldiers serving on the frontlines, many of whom are experiencing extremely dry and cracked skin. If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please donate to the CBAJ Rabbi's discretionary fund, and put "Skin Cream for Chayalim" in the notes.
2. Partnership with EPIC Family. CBAJ is proud to partner with Epic Family, an organization that provides support and counseling to children living in Israel. Epic Family has seen a tremendous uptick in need in the past year since October 7 due to the war. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to support care for one child for one year, or recruit 20 people to give $25 per month for 1 year. Click here to view the flyer or visit EPIC Family's websiteto learn more.
COMMUNITY BEIT MIDRASH NIGHT Sunday, December 1, at 8:00 pm at CBAJ. Rakhamim Yakobov will deliver the opening Dvar Torah.
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS BEGIN AGAIN - JOURNEY THROUGH TEHILIM - Following Kiddush on winter Shabbats Contact Simma Kinderlehrer or Rabbi Kean to sign up
SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE SHABBAT WITH RABBI MOSHE KORNBLUM SHABBAT VAYETZI, DECEMBER 6-7 Please save the date for a Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat with Rabbi Moshe (Moish) Kornblum. Rav Moish is the Assistant Dean at Yeshivat Orayta, where he was the rebbe (teacher) of Albany natives Misha Brenner, Isaac Singer, and Elior Schwartz. Rav Moish's teaching will focus on Aggadah. There will be a Friday night Oneg at Rabbi & Miriam Kean's home, a Saturday night Melaveh Malka dessert reception, and a Simcha Kiddush on Shabbat morning. Details forthcoming.
Scroll down for additional details on all upcoming events
UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS
LATTE & LEARN November 26, 5:00 PM at Starbucks (1244 Western Ave.) For grades 9 - 12
contact shoremgoldberg@gmail.com with any questions
YOUTH PROGRAMMING
Torah High 2024-2025 The Torah High Fall 2024 semester is underway! Taught by Rabbi Kean and Rabbi Tzvi Holt. Mondays at 7:00 pm for students in grades 8 - 12, dinner included! Any interested families whose students are interested in learning more about Torah High should contact Rabbi Kean directly, rabbi@cbaj.org Tot Shabbat New Location - Classroom 2 (middle) For children ages 0-5 and their parents at 10:30 am in classroom 2. 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 us 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 Taanit.
*CBAJ ZOOM ROOM (weekday classes only) Go to https://zoom.us/join Enter meeting ID: 940 508 9347 | Enter passcode: 613518
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMING
Select Tuesdays at 7:30 PM December 3, December 10 In person in the Carr Chapel & ZOOM. CBAJ ZOOM ROOM (weekday classes only) Go to https://zoom.us/join Enter meeting ID: 940 508 9347 | Enter passcode: 613518
NEW! Living Room Learning The Adult Education Committee is pleased to present a new learning initiative, Living Room Learning! Living Room Learning will give CBAJ members an opportunity to share a Torah teaching of their choice in the informal setting of a private home. If you are interested in either hosting Living Room Learning, or teaching for Living Room Learning, please reach out to Simma Kinderlehrer! First Living Room Learning: Date: Saturday evening, December 14th 7:30 pm. Location: Home of Chaim Schaffer & Simma Kinderlehrer. Topic: Coexisting with My Inner Demons with Judaism as a Mediator with Daniela & Vadim Mikhaylov
Share your insights into one chapter of Tehilim (Psalms), what it means to you, and what it can teach us! Following Kiddush on winter Shabbats, begins Nov. 9 Contact Simma Kinderlehrer or Rabbi Kean to sign up
December 17 The Miracle of the Oil: A Miracle for Our Time
Please register by contacting Seanan Herrick 518.489.5819 x3 or office@cbaj.org
All sessions will begin at 12:30 pm at CBAJ 380 Whitehall Rd.
Lunch is free of charge catered by 518 Kosher Catering & supervised by the Vaad Hakashruth of the Capital District
Community Beit Midrash Night Begins Again! Alternating Sundays at 8:00 PM at CBAJ. Presented by CBAJ & Shomray Torah Guided learning Chaburah with Rabbi Kean studying Ein Yaakov. Dedicated as a merit for the refuah shleimah of Zev Chaim ben Michal Sivan. Next date: Sunday Dec. 1.
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.
“The synagogue is a community which values who I am, how I live, what I give to others now and to those who follow me in years to come. It is the place where they know my name." Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
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.
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
MACCABI GAMES OPEN HOUSE - AJCC & SJCC Learn about the Albany-Schenectady Delegations - two Open House opportunities, December 10 & 15, Click Here for the details
518 KOSHER CATERING Learn more about 518 Kosher's Shabbos catering at their website. https://kosher518.com
Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob 380 Whitehall Rd Albany, NY 12208
