Rabbi Bob Alper Is Coming to Temple Beth
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A Monthly Publication for Temple Beth-El, Las Cruces, New Mexico AUGUST 2017 (AV-ELUL 5777) Shabbat Services (See Page 2) Rabbi Bob Alper Friday, August 4 is coming to Family Shabbat Service at 6 pm, (June, July & August Temple Beth-El! birthday blessings included) with a Potluck Dinner following Friday, August 25— Friday, August 11 ”The Spirituality of Shabbat Service at 7pm Friday, August 18 Laughter” presentation Shabbat Service for Renewal of Spirit at 7 pm during Shabbat Worship; Friday, August 25 Saturday night, August 26 at Shabbat Service at 7pm Friday, September 1-Special Schedule 7:30 pm—Stand-Up Comedy Wine (regular and non-alcoholic) and Cheese at 5:45 pm See Page 5 for Shabbat Service at 6:15 pm more information! Saturdays Talmud Study at 9:00 am, Be watching in early August Shabbat Service at 10:15 am, followed by a potluck Kiddush For High Holy Day mailings For parts for worship and the Rabbi Karol is presenting 2017/5778 Yizkor Booklet brief talks during the sum- ****************** mer on books that he hopes Religious School will begin with you will also be interested in exploring: a first morning orientation and gathering on Sunday, August 27 Tuesday, August 29 at 7:00 pm at 10:00-11:30 am. Praying the Bible: Finding Personal Parents will receive Meaning in the Siddur, Ending Boredom & Making Each Prayer Experience registration materials Unique, by Rabbi Mark H. Levin (Jewish during the first week of August! Lights Publishing). AUGUST 2017 (AV-ELUL 5777) Page 2 Worship Schedule Saturday, August 26 Please note: All 7:00 pm services will include either a Torah 9:00 am Talmud Study reading and a d’var torah, a brief discussion based on the To- 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service & Potluck Kiddush rah portion, a compilation of prayers and/or songs on the Parashat Shoftim Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 theme of the Torah portion, or a brief D’var Torah that offers Haftarah Isaiah 51:12-52:12 an insight based on the parashah for the week. Friday, August 4-FAMILY SHABBAT Friday, September 1—SPECIAL SCHEDULE!!!! 6:00 pm Family Shabbat Service FOR ALL AGES, includ- 5:45 pm Wine (regular and non-alcoholic) and Cheese ing birthday blessings for June, July and August. “Pre-neg” sponsored by Brenda Parish and Paula Ann Berkson will represent the Board of Trustees. Kramer and the Karols. 6:50 pm Dairy/Vegetarian Potluck Shabbat Dinner 6:15 pm Shabbat Evening Service. Ned Rubin will Ruth Rubin will coordinate the dinner. represent the Board of Trustees. Saturday, August 5 Saturday, September 2 9:00 am Talmud Study 9:00 am Talmud Study 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service led by Stuart Kelter and 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service & Potluck Kiddush Leora Zeitlin, followed by a Potluck Kiddush Parashat Ki Teitzei Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 Parashat Vaetchanan Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 Haftarah Isaiah 54:1-10 Haftarah Isaiah 40:1-26 COMING ON Friday, August 11 7:00 pm Shabbat Evening Service— Rabbi Karol will speak FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2017 on “Listening to the right voices.” Carrie Swartz and SHABBAT UNDER THE STARS family will sponsor the Oneg Shabbat. Jeff Brown will (FAMILY SERVICE) represent the Board of Trustees. AT SAGECREST PARK Saturday, August 12 601 N. Roadrunner Parkway 9:00 am Talmud Study 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service & Potluck Kiddush Service at 6:00 pm Parashat Ekev Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 Followed by a potluck picnic dinner Haftarah Isaiah 49:14-51:3 Hot dogs provided Please bring a non-dairy dish to share. Friday, August 18 7:00 pm Shabbat Service for Renewal of Spirit, featuring special music and prayers for healing within our Shabbat Upcoming B’nei Mitzvah at Temple Beth-El liturgy. Sue and Norm Mazer will sponsor the Oneg Michael Bruder—Saturday, December 2, 2017 Shabbat. Diane Fleishman will represent the Board of Joshua Rosenberg—Saturday, December 30, 2017 Trustees. Saturday, August 19 9:00 am Talmud Study BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2017-2018 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service & Potluck Kiddush President-Ellen Torres Parashat Re’eh Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 Vice-President-Jeff Lewis Haftarah Isaiah 54:11-55:5 Secretary-Diane Fleishman Treasurer-Allen Blum Friday, August 25 Ann Berkson Jeff Brown Sue Brown 7:00 pm Shabbat Evening Service. Rabbi Bob Alper, our Pearie Bruder Michael Lieberman Scholar-in-Residence, will speak on “The Spirituality of Susan Michelson Ned Rubin Laughter.” Leslie Glater and Diana Blum will sponsor Michael Mandel (Mensch Club) the Oneg Shabbat. Ellen Torres will represent the Dee Cook (Sisterhood) Board of Trustees. Rabbi Lawrence P. Karol *********************************** The next Board of Trustees Meeting will be held on Thursday, August 17. AUGUST 2017 (AV-ELUL 5777) Page 3 Message from Rabbi Karol ing the captive, and infusing the world with our own life- We are fortunate to live in a country giving powers. that guarantees freedom to practice our We are called upon to seek ways in which we can be religion. We can take whatever opportu- holy (like God is holy) and to make Shabbat sacred by nities we choose to learn, to pray, and to regenerating ourselves for our work in the world. We ask be with our community. At the same for a special spirit to envelop us every day, and we give time, our society has its own rhythms thanks for all of the gifts we enjoy in our lives. Our that are reflected by community groups, prayer for peace has endured for centuries, and we recite sporting events, and cultural performances. it over and over, week after week, hoping that we will be Consequently, Shabbat can be a time that might make alive at a time when nations and people will discover a some members of the Jewish community feel somewhat way to truly make peace a reality. We pray for a time out of step with the mainstream, as many activities and when the Oneness that we ascribe to God will lead us to programs do occur on Friday and Saturday. Shabbat, find the oneness within humanity that could be our ulti- however, can provide us with a time to step back and re- mate peaceful destiny. We remember people who have flect on the teachings of our tradition and how they can died, whose lives and spirits could move us to act in a guide our contributions to the betterment of the world way that expresses the best they had to give while they around us. were among us. The rituals of Shabbat highlight the value of rest after Our prayers on Shabbat morning add new themes to engaging in the labors of the week. As a congregation, it the prayers of the evening: giving thanks for our bodies is our privilege to create a holy space for one another to that have the potential to miraculously work each day, set daily life aside for a little while, to join our voices and expressing gratitude for the soul inside of us that together in prayers that are ancient and always new, and makes us who were are. We recite blessings in the to develop insights through words of Torah and by en- morning that praise God for giving us sight and insight, gaging in discussion. The music of our worship is in- for strengthening our steps, for giving us the energy to tended to be restful, spirited and nourishing, and our face the new day, for creating everyone in the divine im- voices joining in melody together can enable us to nour- age, and for providing us with the opportunity to be free. ish and nurture a special sense of soul on Shabbat. Communal worship and study prepare us to enhance There is great meaning in the readings and rituals of the life of our community with the wisdom of our herit- Shabbat. Values for living emanate from the meditations age, which includes a sense of how human beings should and readings in our services and from the symbols before treat one another with respect and accept each other be- us in the Sanctuary. The light of the Shabbat candles, yond any differences that, according to some, could drive the Eternal light and the lights of the menorah are an ex- us apart. pression of the enduring faith of our community and the On Shabbat evening, we often recite this verse from persistent presence of God's Oneness among us. the book of Psalms: “Light is sown for the righteous, and The Psalms that welcome Shabbat declare not only the gladness for the upright in heart." majesty of the divine, but also the essential role of justice We always need more light, within ourselves, among in the world and the need for people to be "upright in the members of our congregation, and in the greater com- heart," because that approach brings more light to the munity. We generate that light by determining what it world. means to be righteous and upright in our actions towards Jewish liturgy leads worshippers on a journey from our fellow human beings. honoring creation and daily re-creation happening around May our resolve to practice the values we pray contin- us to feeling the love of the divine when we study on our ually prepare us and guide us to shine that light on the own and with each other. We express the ways in which world and upon each other. we can return that love and we recall past moments of redemption so that God can redeem the world through L’shalom, our righteous and just actions.