SPEAKER Rabbi Kean will deliver a Dvar Torah at services Shabbat morning titled "When Yaakov Fled From His Brother."
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS Chaim Schaffer will lead Kiddush Conversations this week with a talk titled "Connecting Heaven and Earth."
KIDDUSH
This Shabbat, Kiddush is sponsored by CBAJ.
REMINDER We begin reciting ותן טל ומטר (V'tein Tal U-matar) in the weekday Amidah (in place of ותן ברכה) on Thursday evening, December 4th. The Amidah must be repeated if one forgets to include the correct insertion.
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!
Dr. Simkovich is a world-class scholar, the editor-in-chief of Jewish Publication Society (one of the most prominent and important publishers of Jewish studies in the world), professor at Yeshiva University's Bernard Revel Graduate School, and former chair of the Jewish Studies Department of Catholic Theological Union. It a unique opportunity for us to learn from and interact with an important and brilliant scholar!
I hope that you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving! An interesting piece of Jewish Thanksgiving history: Congregation Shearith Israel, New York's historic Spanish-Portuguese synagogue which predates the American revolution, has celebrated Thanksgiving with a religious service since 1789, when George Washington called for the first Thanksgiving service! You can read here about the legacy of Gershom Mendes Seixas, the cantor at Shearith Israel at the time of the American Revolution, along with the sermon that he delivered on the first Thanksgiving of the nascent United States, on November 26, 1789. You can also view here the text of Thanksgiving Service arranged by Rabbi David De Sola Pool, Shearith Israel's rabbi for 63 years, in 1945.
We mourn the death of U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and pray for the complete and speedy recovery of U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot on Wednesday in an attack in Washington DC. Staff Sgt. Wolfe remains in critical condition.
It is with a mix of relief, gratitude, sadness, solemnity, and anger that welcome the return of the body of Dror Or, hy''d, slain by Palestinian Islamic Jihad on October 7 and whose body was just returned this week. His wife, Yonat Or, was also murdered on October 7 during the onslaught in Be’eri, and their younger children, Noam and Alma, were abducted alive and then returned in a ceasefire deal on November 25, 2023, exactly two years to the day before their father’s body was returned. May Dror's memory forever be a blessing, and may his family find comfort and strength.
We continue to demand and daven for the return of slain hostages Sudthisak Rinthalak and Ran Gvili, the final two slain hostages who remain in Gaza.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ben Kean
UPCOMING CBAJ EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Fall Lecture Series: "Foundations of Faith" with Rabbi Kean Tues., December 2 | 7:00 PM | @ CBAJ & on Zoom
Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat: Dr. Malka Simkovich Please join us, December 5-6 for an unbeatable Shabbat with renowned scholar, editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society & Yeshiva University professor, Dr. Malka Simkovich!
Please note - The deadline to register for the S.I.R. dinner is Wednesday, December 3rd, at 10 am.
Please scroll down for more information.
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMING
FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH - CBAJ FALL LECTURE SERIES With Rabbi Kean What does it mean to be a believing Jew? How do we respond to questions in faith? Tuesday, December 2 | 7:00 PM At CBAJ in person and on Zoom (Zoom link to be shared ahead of event).
FALL 2026 LUNCH & LEARN Fall Senior Lunch & Learn Series with Rabbi Kean Tuesday, December 16, 12:30 PM @ CBAJ Topic: Maimonides Hilchot Deot - How We Balance Different Character Traits Please register BY DECEMBER 12 by contacting Melissa Landa-Brimacomb 518.489.5819 x3 or office@cbaj.org.
COMMUNITY BEIT MIDRASH NIGHT Alternating Sundays, 8-9 pm Presented by CBAJ & Shomray Torah Guided learning Chaburah with Rabbi Kean studying Ein Yaakov. Next meeting: Sunday, December 7
KIDDUSH CONVERSATIONS
2025/2026 Topic: PARSHAPERSPECTIVES Got an insight? Lead a session! Develop and share your insights and understanding of a Parashah. Speak to Rabbi Kean or Simma K if you are interested in learning more.
HALACHA YOMI **NEW** Mondays, Wednesdays - Fridays following Shacharit (approx. 7:20 on Tues/Fri, 7:30 on Mon/Thurs). Join us in studying halacha every morning Kitzur Shulchan Aruch for 5-10 minutes following weekday Shacharit.
MORNING TANYA: BREAKFAST & LEARNING Tuesdays, 7:30-8:15 am. Join us in studying Tanya, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi's classic work on Chassidut, and enjoy breakfast, discussion, and camaraderie.
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
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
Family Learning Night For children in grades K-8 and families. On Motzei Shabbat on select weeks during winter months. Dates: December 13, January 10, February 14, March 14 All events at CBAJ. Free admission. Pizza dinner included. Please contact Shore Goldberg with any questions.
Torah High The 2025-2026 school year for Torah High, CBAJ's teen learning program, is underway! This year, we are opening up a fun middle school program aimed at supplementing your middle schooler's current Jewish education! Open to students 6th-12th grade. 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 if you would like to be added to the Young Families WhatsApp group. *Remaining Tot Shabbat Dates for the 2025 - 2026 year: 12/6, 1/3, 1/10, 2/7, 2/28 & 3/14. 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 all children ages 0-5 every Shabbat morning from 10:00-11:30 am!
DAILY SERVICES NEXT WEEK November 29 - December 5, 2025
SHACHARIT Sunday 8:00 AM Monday - Friday 6:40 AM
MINCHA/MAARIV Sunday - Friday 4:05 PM
CANDLE LIGHTING Friday, December 5, 2025 4:03 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.
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.
