March 2019/5779 Volume 35 No
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Congregation Monthly B’nai Shalom Connections mely ipa March 2019/5779 Volume 35 No. 7 Page 2 Congregation B’nai Shalom Worship Schedule Rabbis and Staff Friday, March 1 Saturday, March 16 MAIN OFFICE 6:00 pm Shabbat Rishon at the Shab- Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26 508-366-7191 FAX: 855-780-2665 bat Table — Gezah Shabbat 8:00 am Torah and T’filah http://www.cbnaishalom.org Family Dinner 11:30 am 40th Anniversary Shabbat 7:00 pm Shabbat Family Visual Tefilah Brunch and Torah Study HOURS: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4PM and during religious school Service Friday, March 22 Saturday, March 2 7:30 pm Simply Shabbat Rabbi: Rachel Gurevitz Vayakhel Exodus 35:1 - 38:20 Saturday, March 23 Ext. 201 [email protected] 8:00 am Torah and T’filah Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service – 8:00 am Torah and T’filah Rabbi–Educator: Joe Eiduson Sean Arthur Miniman will be 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service – Ext. 204 [email protected] called to the Torah as a Bar Abby Mahr will be called to Mitzvah the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah Executive Director: Steve Winer Friday, March 8 Ext. 202 [email protected] Friday, March 29 7:30 pm Simply Shabbat 7:30 pm Ritual Lab Shabbat Saturday, March 9 Youth Educator: Debbi Morin Ext. 209 [email protected] Pekudei Exodus 38:21 - 40:38 Saturday, March 30 8:00 am Torah and T’filah Shmini Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47 8:00 am Torah and T’filah Cantorial Soloist: Sharon Brown Goldstein 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service – Avery Susan Rosenfield will 10:15 am Shabbat Morning Service – Ext. 203 [email protected] be called to the Torah as a Bat Simon Isaiah Bleier will be Mitzvah called to the Torah as a Bar Cantorial Soloist: Lisa Marcus Jones Mitzvah Ext. 312 [email protected] Friday, March 15 th 7:30 pm 40 Anniversary Weekend Family Educator Cheryl Pouliot Shabbat Service and Celebra- Ext. 209 [email protected] tory Oneg Early Childhood Coord. Alissa Schimmel Ext. 206 [email protected] Torah and T’filah • Saturdays, 8 – 9:30 AM, Library Secretary: Lori Zembruski Chronicles! The last book of the Hebrew Bible (although not quite the last book we’ll Ext. 200 [email protected] be studying before completing our review of the Tenach). History is in the eye of the beholder. Jewish history as seen by a member of the priestly elite during early Second Secretary: Stacey Wein Temple times gives us a window into how the Jewish people of that time understood their Ext. 205 [email protected] heritage and their origins. What remains the same today, and what has changed in our understanding of our past? Join us any Saturday morning for Torah study to find out. Bookkeepeer Marsha Beals Ext. 208 [email protected] Our Board and Committee Chairs President: Rob Blumberg Directors: Committee Chairs: [email protected] Robin Baer Finance: Larry Samberg Simon Davis Information Technology: Steven Goldstein VP Finance & Admin: Michael Manning Judy Deane Membership: Karen Rothman [email protected] Alan Ehrlich Ritual: Adam Winter VP Education: Steven Goldstein Jordan Eisenstock Social Action: Amy Rosenberg [email protected] Laura King CBS Cares: OPEN VP Cong. Affairs: Cheryl Kasof Phil Leavitt [email protected] Allen Rosenfeld Affiliate Groups: VP Membership: Karen Rothman Andrew Shaw Sisterhood: Nancy Bosco [email protected] Wendy Zingher Brotherhood: Jim Wilner Treasurer: Carole Grayson WAFTY: Ari Drotch [email protected] Secretary: Heidi Swanick [email protected] Immediate Past President: Allison Orenstein [email protected] March 2019 Page 3 From the Rabbi – Beyond 40 years — a glimpse into the future ver these past few months, communities, too. We are not the the trajectory of I’ve shared insights gleaned custodians of a ritual museum; while our lives to open from investigating forty years our Judaism is deeply grounded in up new vistas for of our archives, and I’ve sought to our heritage, it cannot and will not us. A recent Pew Oarticulate some of what we stand for survive if we are simply re-enact- research study as a congregation today, building on ing ancient rites. Rather, Judaism found a signifi- our past. This month, as we arrive remains relevant and vibrant when cantly higher at the pinnacle weekend of our year we are engaged in the ongoing expression of of celebrations, I’d like to take a process of redefining its value and happiness in life among people who glimpse into the future. meaning in our lives. engaged in religious community When some in the Jewish con- Every time we celebrate a bar or on a regular basis, especially if that gregational world look to the bat mitzvah, I look to our students engagement included deeper social future, their response is one that is to begin to articulate that meaning connections and opportunities to do infused with anxiety, fretting over for them in their own words. Over volunteer work to make a difference what exists today that may not exist this past month, I’ve been invited in the wider community. Our work tomorrow. For sure, we have seen a in to Mill Pond School three times, is to create meaningful and acces- great deal of shifting in the ways that sible ritual gathering spaces, social many people seek out the spiritual Judaism remains action opportunities, and engaging life and express their Jewish cultural relevant and social and cultural activities that identities, but I look out at the same vibrant when we continue to bring us together as landscape and feel energized by the are engaged in the Jewish community. possibilities. Many of us who are ongoing process So much of the work we have part of Jewish community life know of redefining its done together over these past years that our expression of Judaism is not value and meaning has been about evolving what we the same as our parents’. And that in our lives. do, how we do it, and the choices is nothing new. In fact, one of our and options we make available, to founding members and early Pres- provide multiple entry points for idents, Marshall Gould, expressed speaking to two hundred 5th grade all who seek this kind of spiritual that desire to create a different kind students, to help them think about community life. But just as culture is of community culture from the con- the connections between spirituality ever-evolving, so we are never done gregations of his parents’ generation and wellness. Utilizing the wisdom in our work to evolve and do more when our teens interviewed him of positive psychology and character to remain a vibrant hub of Jewish earlier in the year. Every generation trait development, we can find so community life. We have 40 years redefines and remakes Jewish com- much in the spiritual tool box of our of experience as Congregation B’nai munity in ways that are reflective of own tradition that contributes to Shalom and almost three millennia their values and the broader culture overall wellness, including mental of evolution as the Jewish people to that we are a part of. health, resilience, and measures build upon. Our future may look dif- It is not surprising that in an age of happiness. Our rituals lift up ferent from our past, but, together, of disruptive innovation, curated opportunities to express gratitude, we will continue to create a Jewish experiences, and a search for mean- to notice and bless the “wow” community of purpose. ing, the same forces that are creating moments in our lives, and to rec- shifts in many aspects of our day- ognize the messenger angels who, Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz to-day life would have an impact on through a conversation or a word [email protected] how we think about our spiritual of encouragement, help to redirect Page 4 Congregation B’nai Shalom From Our President – Help Ensure the Future of Our Oneg Shabbat ear Congregation B’nai and nosh. In the current system, warm touches Shalom, about once every one and half to and culture of The purpose of my two years a member is sent a letter the Oneg is Monthly Connections article this from the office explaining hosting. something that I Dmonth is to look for volunteers to The member is given a date by the am reluctant to help ensure the future of a great office to be a host family, and told start outsourc- tradition at Congregation B’nai a Sisterhood Captain will make ing to a third Shalom. I am certain everyone has contact a week to ten days before to party caterer. It attended Shabbat Services on Friday confirm and coordinate food. The is not a question of money — it is night. After our Shabbat services, we Sisterhood Captain then shops for about preserving the “Friday night host an Oneg in the Social Hall. The any additional foods that will be with friends” feel of our Onegs. Oneg always consists of a variety of needed for that night (reimbursed I hope that we can find new vol- foods — fruits, vegetables, glu- by Sisterhood) and is then present unteers. Please reach out to me at ten-free options, cake, sweets, etc. at the Oneg and helps the host with [email protected] or our Our families stay and socialize, the set-up and clean-up. An Oneg takes Executive Director, Steve Winer at clergy usually stays and chats with place about fifty times a year! [email protected] if members and guests, and children you would like to volunteer.