Kiddush following services Shabbat Mincha Earliest: 12:16 pm
Talmud Class 4:25 pm
Havdalah 5:12 pm
Maariv 5:25 pm
TORAH READING Genesis 37:1-40:23, p. 198 Haftarah: Amos 2:6 - 3:8, p. 1142
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah Shabbat morning.
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS This week, Kiddush Conversations will be led by Simma Kinderlehrer on Tehilim 139.
KIDDUSH This Shabbat Kiddush is co-sponsored by CBAJ and Rabbi Paul & Faye Silton in memory of Rabbi Silton's sister Sandra Segal, whose yahrzeit is this Shabbat.
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.
This week, while traveling for CBAJ business, I had the opportunity to go back to Yeshiva University, where as many of you know, I spent 7 years between my undergraduate and rabbinical school studies, and I davened Mincha at the main yeshiva minyan where I had davened most days for those 7 years. That being said, I was still completely dumbstruck by the fact that average, weekday Mincha took a full 25 (!!!!) minutes! (Our average Mincha length is more like 15 or maybe 18 minutes.)
While I am not suggesting any changes to the length of our services, I did appreciate the opportunity to remember the ways in which every Jewish community, shul, minyan, etc. does things a little differently, and it was a nice reminder to pause a little more and remember the value of kavannah (concentration) when davening.
Wishing you a meaningful Chanukah this week! I hope to see you at some of the community's upcoming Chanukah celebrations, like Chanukah on Jay next Sunday (Dec. 29) and the CBAJ New Year's Day Chanukah Celebration (Jan. 1).
Am Yisrael Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ben Kean
CBAJ INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL
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.
CBAJ CHANUKAH PARTY! Join us January 1st, New Year's Day, for a Chanukah bash at CBAJ! An afternoon of food (dairy), friends and fun! Featured activities: dreidel competition and bouncy house.
SIGN UP FOR KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS - JOURNEY THROUGH TEHILIM - Following Kiddush on winter Shabbats Contact Simma Kinderlehrer or Rabbi Kean to sign up
Scroll down for additional details on all upcoming events & programs
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 section 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 Motza'ei Shabbat Maariv 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
Living Room Learning The Adult Education Committee is pleased to present a new learning initiative! 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!
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
Stay tuned for the announcement of the next series !
Community Beit Midrash Night 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: December 29.
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
JEWISH FEDERATION OF NENY SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES The Jewish Federation is offering two scholarship opportunities:Academic Scholarships& Financial-Need Based Jewish Enrichment ScholarshipsAcademic Scholarships to support undergraduate and graduate studies are available and based on need and/or merit. Please contact Deborah Chapman Goldstein, (518) 783-7800 ext. 230 or dgoldstein@jewishfedny.org if you have any questions regarding academic scholarships. Jewish Enrichment Scholarships are being offered to area children and college students for Jewish enrichments, including overnight Jewish camps, Jewish summer-travel experiences, and summer and year-long Israel experience programs, and seminars. Please contact Rebecca Miller for more details, (518) 783-7800 ext. 225 or rmiller@jewishfedny.org . APPLICATION DEADLINES: February 21, 2025 Applications for both scholarship opportunities can be found HERE.
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
