Shabbat Hazon Devarim August 9 - 10, 2024 and Tisha B'av August 12 - 13, 2024
Friday Candle Lighting 7:46 pm
Friday Night Services 7:00 pm
Shabbat Morning Services 9:00 am
Latest Shema 9:29 am
No Babysitting this week
Youth Groups On hiatus for summer
Kiddush following services
Talmud Class 6:40 pm
Shabbat Mincha & Seudah Shlishit 7:44 pm
Maariv 8:40 pm Havdalah 8:49 pm
TORAH READING Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22, Artscroll p. 938 Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27, p. 1195 SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah at Shabbat morning services entitled "His Kindnesses Are Not Stopped: Seeing Divine Mercy Through Divine Rebuke."
KIDDUSH This Shabbat Kiddush is sponsored by Elliot and Rina Chester in honor of the first yahrzeit of Elliot's grandfather William Chester (Velvel Ben Shmuel HaLevi) z"l.
MAZAL TOV Mazal tov to CBAJ members Rob & Ilana Kovach on the birth of a grandson to their children Jenny & Simcha Gold. Mazal tov to the great-grandparents, CBAJ members Barbara and Hesh Ungerman and the entire Kovach, Ungerman, and Gold families.
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.
In light of the constant stream of news about threats of a major attack from Iran and Hezbollah against Israel, I am reminded of the haunting words of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik in his work Kol Dodi Dofek:
"With respect to the unity of the nation as well, one must firmly establish that so long as there is shared suffering, in the sense of "I am with in him in his distress" (Psalms 91:15), there is unity. If the Jew, on whom Providence has shined Its countenance, and who believes that with respect to himself the sharpness of hatred has been removed, and estrangement from his surroundings has passed, nevertheless still feels the distress of the nation the burden of its fate/existence, then his bond to the nation has not been severed. If boiling water is poured on the head of a Moroccan Jew, the prim and proper Jew in Paris or London must scream, and by feeling the pain, shows himself loyal to the nation. The breakup of the people and the constriction of its self-image are the result of a lack of shared empathy." (Ed. 2006, pp. 57-58)
In challenging times like this, it is imperative that we remind ourselves that our fates our linked and bonded together.
I hope to see you soon at a tefilah, children's program, event, or class!
Am Yisrael Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ben Kean
TISHA B'AV AT CBAJ
Tisha B'Av Monday, August 12 - Tuesday, August 13
Schedule of Tisha B'Av Services at CBAJ Monday August 12 7:55 pm Mincha/Maariv with Eicha Fast of Tisha B'Av begins at 8:00 pm
Tuesday 6:40 am - Shacharit with Kinot Kinot will be done following Shacharit, and will last until approximately 9:30 am. Kinot will be accompanied by brief explanations by Rabbi Kean and CBAJ members to enhance our understanding of the Kinot. CBAJ will include a special Kinah written by Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon in commemoration of the victims of the October 7 Massacre and the fallen in the current war, Swords of Iron.
Tisha B'Av Afternoon Shiur: "The Lord Is Righteous in All His Ways: Accepting & Challenging Divine Judgment on Tisha B'Av." With Rabbi Kean 4:00 PM at CBAJ
Tisha B'Av Film Screening: Legend of Destruction Tuesday August 13th at 5:30 PM Location: Temple Israel
7:35 pm - Mincha/Maariv Fast ends 8:32 pm
GUIDE TO THE THREE WEEKS
Tisha B'av is August 12-13. During these three weeks leading up to Tisha B'av, known as Bein Ham'tzarim (lit. "Between the Straits"), Jewish tradition dictates customs of mourning to be observed in commemoration of the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash (Temple). See below for Rabbi Kean's guide to these customs.
Tisha B'Av Film Screening: Legend of Destruction August 13th at 5:30 PM Location: Temple Israel Sponsored by the Jewish Federation, Temple Israel, Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob, Bnai Sholom, Beth Emeth, & Ohav Shalom.
Legend of Destruction, winner four Israeli Academy Awards, created a stir in Israel when it first came out. The movie is based on historical events that led up to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE – a calamity that changed the destiny of the Jewish people forever. Click here to view flyer with event details As a review by the NY Times describes, its relevance to current themes of disunity in Israeli society led then-Prime Minister Bennett to encourage all Knesset members to watch it and President Herzog to wish that every Israeli school child would see it. Click here to view the trailer. Click here for a review by Rav Stav founder of Tzohar, which also highlight the relevance of this production to today’s events.
Note: Summer Hiatus announcements for Youth Programming & Beis Medrash See Below For More Information
YOUTH PROGRAMMING
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 Youth groups for children in grades k-5 will be on hiatus for the summer.
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 next book is "The gifts of the Jews: how a tribe of desert nomads changed the way everyone thinks and feels" by Thomas Cahill We'll meet by Zoom on October 9 at 8pm
Summer 2024 Senior Lunch & Learn Series Topic: Talmudic Personalities & their Relevance Today
Based on your feedback, and following-up on a popular lecture series at CBAJ, we will explore the life and times of some of the greatest figures of the Mishnah and Talmud. Through exploring their lives, we will get a window into the world of the Mishnah and Talmud, the foundational texts of Rabbinic Judaism, and explore the eternal relevance of their legacies.
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
Please feel welcome to wear a mask during the event & take lunch home to enjoy
August 27 (no change after all!) Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi: Savior & Destroyer of “Oral Torah” September 24 Reish Lakish: The Gladiator Rabbi
Community Beit Midrash Night will be on hiatus for the summer. Stay tuned for information about the Fall series!
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.
Refer to Tisha B'av Schedule above for service times on Tuesday 8/13
MESSAGE FROM LIFE & LEGACY
“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 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 COALITION FOR LITERACY - Jewish Federation of NENY For over 20 years, the Jewish Coalition for Literacy has played an integral part in helping Kindergarten through 3rd grade students learn to read. We are looking for more volunteers and are having a Kick-off event on Thursday, September 19th at the Federation.Click here for more information.
PRICE CHOPPER KOSHER STORE RELOCATED & EXPANDED OPTIONS New Location: 1730 Central Avenue in Colonie We need you with us to show our solidarity behind the new venture, which will expand the kosher offerings in the community. The new store will host our kosher department as well as new offerings of To-Go-Meals & Kosher Sushi.
