Congregation Beth Israel events

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EVENTS:

Shabbat morning services are held each Saturday at 9:30 a.m. followed by kiddush and text study at 11:00 a.m. On first Fridays, there is a vegetarian pot-luck dinner at 5:30 p.m. All services are in the Ada and Paul Paresky Sanctuary with kiddush in the Rudnick Family Social Hall.

Sunday, February 5, 10:00 a.m.: A celebration of Tu BiShvat with a seder for the Hand-in-Hand families with pre-school and kindergarten students.

Monday, February 6, 3:30 p.m.: The Aleph Bet, Ne’arim and Aleph Garten classes will be held.

Wednesday, February 8, 6:00 p.m.: Rabbi Barenblat will lead a Tu BiShvat Seder. Please join us and bring a veg/dairy dish to share! Wine and tree fruit will be provided.

Friday, February 10, 8:15 a.m.: Come restore your spirit and prepare for Shabbat with a meditation minyan with Rabbi Rachel Barenblat. No meditation experience necessary and all are welcome!

Saturday, February 11, 9:30 a.m.: Reb Rachel leads the Shabbat morning service and Torah Study.

Sunday, February 12, 10:00 a.m.: A celebration of Tu BiShvat with a seder for the Avodah families with children grades 1 through 4.

Monday, February 13, 3:30 p.m.: The Aleph Bet, Ne’arim and Aleph Garten classes will be held.

Thursday, February 16, 12:00 p.m.: The Senior Lunch Bunch will share a meal, friendship and good conversation, followed by a special presentation at 1:00 p.m. More details to follow.

Next Jewish Book Discussion Group, Monday, March 5, 7:00 p.m.: We will discuss “Triangle: The Fire That Changed America” by David Von Drehle. For more information, contact Chaim Bronstein at chaim@bcn.net.

Please remember the Take & Eat Program, our monthly community outreach program delivering meals to senior shut-ins. The program needs your continued support through donations and volunteering to help once a month. Contact Jack in the CBI office and he will forward your information to the Take and Eat crew.

Donations of dry and canned foods to the Berkshire Food Project can be left in the shopping cart

in the cloak room. Please also support MAZON: Jewish Response to Hunger.

SENIOR LUNCHEON May-December 2011

All luncheons are on Thursdays promptly at noon, with programming immediately following at 1:00pm.

August 11

September 8

October 6

November 10

December 15

Please RSVP by the Monday

before the luncheon date.

CBI office 663-5830

May 12, Richard Maht will be speaking about Franz Kafka and the Secrets of Jewish Mystycism, whereby Kafka having been estanged from Judaism found his way back through his writings and his cultural liaisons.

June 9, Diana Feld will present "Yiddish Poetry in Translation" from her mother's Yiddish poetry writings that Diana has lovingly translated into English so that she may read and share with others. Diana also speaks and reads Yiddish herself.

Dear friends and members of CBI,

The moon of Tevet is waning now. When next we see the full moon, it will be the full moon of Shvat, which rises on Tu BiShvat, the New Year of the Trees. Tu BiShvat is 3 weeks (and a few days) away -- hence this Save the Date notice.

Tu BiShvat is the (observed) birthday of every tree; it's the date when our tradition says the sap begins to rise again for the coming year. (Perhaps the sages of old had some mystical insight into the New England pastime of sugaring?) This year we'll celebrate Tu BiShvat at CBI at three different events, each geared toward a different age group.

On Sunday February 5, the Hand in Hand families will celebrate Tu BiShvat with an age-appropriate simple seder of fruits, nuts, juices, and songs.

On Wednesday February 8 (Tu BiShvat itself), we'll hold a potluck Tu BiShvat seder for adults and teens which will feature the aforementioned symbolic fruits and juices as well as some teachings from kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), some teachings from the Jewish environmental tradition, some contemporary poetry, and some wonderful conversation. Bring a vegetarian/dairy potluck dish to share, as after we've eaten the fruits and nuts which are part of the symbolic journey of Tu BiShvat, we'll enjoy a festive meal.

And on Sunday February 12, the Avodah kids (grades 1-4) and their parents will join Reb Rachel for their own age-appropriate seder and celebration.

This is a wonderful and sweet festival which connects us not only with Jewish mystical teachings about trees and God, but also with the progression of the seasons. (Tu BiShvat is exactly one month before Purim and two months before Pesach -- in some ways, despite the snow and ice, this is our first hint that spring will someday come.)

Please save the date for our Tu BiShvat seder -- whichever one seems most appropriate to you and your family. And if you're coming to the Wednesday evening adult/teen seder, please RSVP so we have some idea of how many people to expect.

Wishing you every blessing as we move through winter and toward the promise of spring!

(And Shabbat shalom! I hope to see you at CBI tomorrow morning for prayer, song, and joy.)

Take care, Reb Rach