The ELUL 5769 - tISHRI 5770 / SEPTEMBER 2009 Builder CONGREGA T ION BE T H EL High Holy Days 5770 Schedule of Services Selichot Yom Kippur Saturday, September 12 9:00 pm Monday, September 28 Early Service 8:45 am Rosh Hashanah Evening Late Service 11:30 am Friday, September 18 Tot Service 11:45 am Early Service 6:00 pm Afternoon Discussions & Programs 2:30 pm Late Service 8:45 pm Family Service (K-5) 3:00 pm Mincha (Afternoon Service) 4:00 pm Rosh Hashanah Yizkor Circle 4:00 pm Saturday, September 19 Yizkor (Memorial) Service 5:30 pm Early Service 8:45 am Ne’ilah followed by Break Fast 6:15 pm Late Service 11:30 am Tot Service 11:45 am Sukkot Family Service (K-5) 3:00 pm Friday, October 2 Tashlich followed by BYO Picnic 4:30 pm Potluck Dinner and Service 6:15 pm in the Sukkah Second Day Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 20 Saturday, October 3 Service (Open to the community) 10:15 am Shabbat & Sukkot Festival 10:15 am Morning Services Yom Kippur Evening--Kol Nidre Sunday, September 27 Simchat Torah Early Service 6:00 pm Friday, October 9 Late Service 8:45 pm Dinner 6:00 pm Service, Consecration & Folk Dancing 7:00 pm Saturday, October 10 Shabbat & Festival Morning Services 10:15 am 2 from the rabbi TESHUVA: PREPARING FOR THE NEW YEAR As the end of summer nears, we turn our customary to sound the shofar once each day. We will sound the attention to the coming Jewish New Year. shofar at all public gatherings of the congregation—from classes The High Holy Days are our annual season to committee and board meetings and at the conclusion of each of reflection, renewal and, of course, of our Shabbat services. gathering. We come together, as families, as a synagogue community, as a people – In an effort to make the High Holidays as meaningful and fulfilling reviewing where we have been and reflecting on our intentions as possible, we have added several new aspects to our High for the year ahead. I imagine most of my relationships as being Holiday programs this year: like two celestial bodies in mutual orbit, each with a gravitational pull towards the other. I am always in connection, in relationship • Rabbi Margie Jacobs will lead a session on “Opening – although there are times when our mutual “orbits” are further the Heart through Jewish Contemplative Practice.” An apart and times when they are much closer and intimate. All opportunity for personal reflection and an invitation to the same, I am never completely cut off—and sometimes, even learn about and practice Jewish meditation, this is the first after many years in shadow or at great distance, I realize the program in a series at Beth El to explore possibilities for importance of drawing close again. Jewish spiritual practice. (see p. 15 for details) At the risk of mixing my metaphors, the process of teshuvah • More than twenty members of the congregation are coming – the turning and reflection which is at the heart of the High together in preparation for singing in the High Holiday Holy Days – is a process of directing our attention, so that we ensemble. Under the direction of Rabbinic Intern Reuben become aware of where we are in relationship to the people, Zellman, the ensemble is preparing a selection of musical values and commitments we value the most. At this time of selections to sing with the congregation at the evening compassion and openness, the Jewish spiritual tradition invites services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Max Bruch’s us to reflect on our relationship and connection with God, hauntingly beautiful Kol Nidre will be played on the cello spirituality, community, family members, friends and our own before Kol Nidre at both services. selves, asking ourselves: Where and how far we have moved? Is our present orbit taking us towards distance or closeness? Is • The second day of Rosh Hashanah is Sunday, September this the direction we indeed want to be going, and if not, what 20th. We will gather for an intimate and informal Rosh can we do to change? Hashanah morning service at 10:15; immediate past president Katherine Haynes Sanstad will deliver the derash. Sometimes this awareness and reflection leads to major changes; For those who are not inclined to attend services on the often, though, it is subtle but no less real. In one of my favorite second day, we are planning a variety of opportunities to readings from our High Holy Days mahzor (prayer book), poet extend the observance of the holiday in new and different Ellen Bass writes: “This feat is so invisible. All you can see/ is a ways, including the 5770th annual Rosh Ride (a morning bike woman going about her ordinary day,… / If victorious I will look ride with Shofar calls), a nature hike in Tilden, an afternoon exactly the same.” The Jewish invitation to pay attention and Torah study, and our monthly homeless meal. I hope that you listen, to hear what the voices and sounds that might otherwise and your family will consider joining the community at one be overlooked, is represented by the sound of the shofar. The or more of these second day of Rosh Hashanah programs. shofar’s sound is raw, unmediated and not “beautiful”—it is primal Please watch for further details. and piercing. The brokenness of its calls evokes the brokenness of the world and speaks to our own pain and disappointments. • As we have done in recent years, we will be coming At the same time, the shofar is also a sound of promise; the together for Tashlich and a picnic on the afternoon of Rosh Shofar Service concludes with anticipation of “the sounding of Hashanah day on Saturday, and offer a variety of small group the great shofar of liberation.” discussions and forums on Yom Kippur afternoon. Historically, including at Beth El, the shofar was not sounded I look forward to greeting you and to singing, studying and on Shabbat. The prohibition is rooted not in the blowing of the celebrating with your family in this New Year. May you and shofar itself, but with the concern that we might inadvertently everyone you love be inscribed for a sweet New Year. carry the shofar from home to synagogue or otherwise violate the rules on what constitutes, according to Jewish law, tasks which L’shanah tovah tikatevu. are forbidden on Shabbat. In our liberal Jewish community, which does not consider itself obligated by the rules for Shabbat observance as taught by the halakha (Jewish law), it is Rabbi Yoel Kahn appropriate to sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah even when it falls on Shabbat—and we will do so this year. In addition, during the month of Elul, the thirty days before Rosh Hashanah, it is from the president 3 MEET OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NORM FRANKEL You may have already had the pleasure of project that resulted in not only the meeting Norm, but you may not know some addition of a beautiful Beit Mikdash, but facts about his background that make his the deepened commitment to growth of recent appointment as Executive Director at the community. Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, California, a great match. Norm served has President of Bay Area Temple Administrators, collaborating with Norm was born to a Southern California Jewish family steeped colleagues at other Bay Area synagogues, in California Gold Rush history, with direct connections to the learning and sharing best practices while Hellman family of San Francisco and Wells Fargo fame. The Gold gaining a deeper understanding of the diversity and character of Rush may conjure an apt metaphor to frame Norm’s introduction the Bay Area Jewish community. to Congregation Beth El. Could we use a little gold rushing our way? The members of the Board, Program Council and other lay leadership who’ve met Norm are all looking forward to getting Norm has a rich background in the community from having to know him and to working with him. I am confident that filled leadership positions in Jewish youth groups and national Congregation Beth El will serve as a perfect venue for Norm to organizations in SoCal during his early years. He’s got that apply his well-honed skills and depth of experience, and as a ruach! welcoming community for Norm and his family. Please welcome Norm to Berkeley’s Congregation Beth El! Norm graduated with honors from UC Santa Cruz in 1976, having majored in Politics. Since Santa Cruz is a kindred spirit Joanne Backman with Berkeley, Norm’s college experience in the 70’s makes him President, Board of Directors a natural for our community. His academic background and penchant for placing social action among his top priorities will feel familiar to all of us. Everyone is invited! After college graduation, Norm made aliyah. Together with his wife, Jan, he was instrumental in developing Kibbutz Gezer. SHABBAT For twenty-three years, Norm lived and worked at the Kibbutz, managing many farming responsibilities and related work. Norm became a specialist in irrigation systems and techniques; he unplugged served as animal nutritionist for a multi-million dollar feed center; he grew many different varieties of feed crops; he worked with neighboring kibbutzim and local authorities to develop a water A family-friendly service for the whole community recycling reservoir; he was involved in many building projects featuring Rabbi Kahn & songleader Josh Miller. including a dining hall and a state of the art milking parlor for 300 cows.