TORAH READING Numbers 19:1 - 22:1, Artscroll p. 838 Judges 11:1-33, p. 1187
SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah at services Shabbat morning.
KIDDUSH This Shabbat Kiddush is sponsored by CBAJ.
SEUDAH SHLISHIT Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Dina Gottesman & Dan Reznik l’ilui nishmat Isser ben Eliezer, Dan’s father, whose yahrzeit was this week.
MAZAL TOV Mazal tov to Rabbi Paul and Faye Silton on the birth of a great granddaughter, Emuna Penina ("Emmy") Soskil. Mazal tov to the parents, Sigalle & Shua Soskil, and the grandparents, Dr. Ari & Elana Moskowitz.
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!
Please join me in welcoming our new office manager, Melissa Brimacomb who has completed her first full week at CBAJ this week!
I wish you a happy Independence Day!
While no country is perfect, and while the United States continues to have challenges - both new and old - the United States has a proud legacy as a beacon of freedom and democracy generally, and as perhaps the safest harbor for Jews in our long diaspora. It is therefore necessary and appropriate for us to join our fellow Americans of all backgrounds in celebrating this nation and recommitting ourselves to its promise and its values.
Additionally, I want to ask you for your support in a renewed initiative through CBAJ to support chayalim to send more skin cream. If you are interested in donating, click here to donate to the CBAJ Rabbi's discretionary fund. Yael Reshef, who in the early 2000's was a Shaliach in Albany along with her family personally requested this from us, and she shared with me a video of her son, now a take tank commander in the reserves, explaining that is cream is important to chayalim working on tanks whose hands often get very dry and cracked in ways that the hand cream we send from the US is equipped to dealing with much better than products on the market in Israel. (Please feel free to email me directly if you want to learn more about this.) Of course, in this difficult time, we must also keep in our hearts the 53 hostages still being held in Gaza, who, please G-d, should all come home soon.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ben Kean
UPCOMING CBAJ & COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Senior Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Kean - Summer Schedule: July 29th & August 26th
Torah of Health & Healing Discussion Group - Summer Schedule: July 12 & August 15
Torah High's 2025-2026 Programming is underway!
Please scroll down for more information
Announcing a new CBAJ Program! The Shabbat and Yom Tov Meal Matching Program Our goal is to promote hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests) and strengthen the friendship bonds among people in our community. This is a trial process for the local Albany community. This is an opportunity to either volunteer to host members of our community, or to request a seat at a Shabbat or Yom Tov table.
Community Beit Midrash Night Alternating Sundays after Mincha/Maariv at Shomray Torah (the Shteeble). The next date of Beit Midrash Night is July 13 at 9 pm (approx.)
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.
"Intro to the Laws of Repentance" Summer Dates: July 29th & August 26th Please register by contacting the CBAJ office at: 518.489.5819 x3 or office@cbaj.org All sessions will begin at 12:30 pm at CBAJ & are free of charge Catered by 518 Kosher Catering & supervised by the Vaad Hakashruth of the Capital District * A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program
Living Room Learning The Adult Education Committee is pleased to present Living Room Learning, an initiative givingCBAJ 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 and or leading a future Living Room Learning, please reach out to Simma Kinderlehrer!
Torah of Health & Healing Discussion Group One Shabbat per month following Kiddush Summer Schedule: July 12: parashat Balak, "Curses Transformed into Blessings", presented by Barry Siegel August 15: parashat Eikev, "The Vibrations Within - the impact of sound on our health", presented by Rachamim Yakobov Speak to Organizer Yosef Yishai Hilsen if you are interested in learning more, or if you would like to be a presenter!
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*. Join Rabbi Kean in studying the Book of Daniel. * A Theodore Strauss z"l Endowment Fund sponsored program Torah & Tea resumes on July 10th.
TALMUD CLASS Join our Shabbat Afternoon TALMUD SHIUR in-person, at CBAJ, starting 1 hour before Shabbat 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
YOUTH PROGRAMMING
Torah High Planning for the 2025-2026 school year for Torah High, CBAJ's teen learning program for 8th-12th graders, is underway! Classes will be taught by Rabbi Kean and Rav Tzvi Holt. Please contact Rabbi Kean if you are interested in enrolling your child in Torah High! Tot Shabbat 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.
DAILY SERVICES NEXT WEEK July 6 - July 11, 2025
SHACHARIT Sunday 8:00 am Monday - Friday 6:40 am
MINCHA/MAARIV Sunday - Thursday 8:20 pm
Friday 7:00 pm Mincha/ Kabbalat Shabbat/ Maariv
CANDLE LIGHTING Friday, July 11 8:15 pm
MESSAGE FROM LIFE & LEGACY
“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
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING HEALTH & WELLNESS
We are eager for everyone to attend our services and programs and to feel welcome and safe while in our building. Anyone who has symptoms of any illness or is not feeling well is strongly encouraged to stay home. Better to miss services than risk spreading illness. While in attendance, frequent hand-washing is encouraged as well as minimizing close contact with others.
Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob 380 Whitehall Rd Albany, NY 12208
