CENTER FOR PROGRESSIVE REFORM JUDAISM IN METROWEST tebeVolume 65 am/ No. 6 / January-Febraury 2021 INVISIBLE STRINGS A Word from Rav Blumberg President’s MessagePhoto taken December 2019 COMFORT AND TBA BOARD OF CONNECTION TRUSTEES — WITH TBA THE INSIDE SCOOP One of my favorite books on my son Zamir’s Have you ever wondered how Temple Beth bookshelf is called The Invisible String by Am’s Board of Trustees functions? Positions Patrice Karst. In the story, a mother reassures are all two-years in length. (Since this is the her children that even when their loved ones second year of my two-year term as your aren’t nearby, there is always an “invisible President, for example, I am very aware of string” that binds them together and can keep the passing days!) Howard Schwartz, who Rav Sam Blumberg them feeling connected to each other. We Carol Hanover is our temple’s Immediate Past-President, is purchased the book at the beginning of the also Chair of the Nominating Committee. pandemic when my son could no longer attend preschool in person; as The Nominating Committee will be convened soon and will create a the pandemic has lingered on we consistently refer back to this “invisi- new slate to be voted on at our June Congregation Meeting. ble string” when we lament how long it’s been since we have seen some YOU can be one of those officers or committee chairs on our of our friends and family. Board of Trustees. YOU can help chart the path forward for Temple Connection is paramount, especially during these unprecedented Beth Am. All you need is a willingness to help, and availability to times. During the month of January, Temple volunteers will be making attend monthly Board of Trustees’ meetings that begin on Thursday calls to our entire Temple Beth Am community to check in and learn nights at 7:30 PM, and usually run no later than 9:00 PM. continued on page 3 continued on page 7 tebeam / January-February 2021 / 2 FEBRUARY 12, 2021 / 1 ADAR 5781 ALL services will be livestreamed on Zoom. EREV SHABBBAT HALL’LU SERVICE .................. 7:15 PM TEMPLE MEMBERS: The link and password can be found in your TBA weekly email. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2021 / 1 ADAR 5781 TEMPLE GUESTS: Please send an email to [email protected] SHABBAT SHEKALIM to obtain the Zoom link information. ROSH CHODESH ADAR Weekly Portion MISHPATIM Exodus 20:11-16 FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 / 18 TEVET 5781 Haftarah II Kings 12:1-12:17 EREV SHABBBAT EVENING SERVICE ................ 7:15 PM SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN & TORAH STUDY..................................................9:00 AM SATURDAY JANUARY 2, 2021 / 18 TEVET 5781 Weekly Portion VAYECHI Genesis 47:28-50:26 FEBRUARY 19, 2021 / 8 ADAR 5781 Haftarah I Kings 2:1-2:12 EREV SHABBBAT EVENING SERVICE ................ 7:15 PM SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2021 / 8 ADAR 5781 & TORAH STUDY..................................................9:00 AM SHABBAT ZACHOR FRIDAY JANUARY 8, 2020 / 25 TEVET 5781 Weekly Portion TERUMAH Exodus 25:37-40 EREV SHABBAT EVENING SERVICE ................... 6:30 PM Haftarah I Samuel 15:2-15:34 The service will feature Grade 4 students SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN & TORAH STUDY..................................................9:00 AM SATURDAY JANUARY 9, 2021 / 25 TEVET 5781 Weekly Portion SHEMOT Exodus 1:1-6:1 Haftarah Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-29:23 PURIM SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN THURSDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2021 / 14 ADAR 5781 & TORAH STUDY..................................................9:00 AM MEGILLAH READING AND PURIM SPIEL .......... 6:00 PM FRIDAY JANUARY 15, 2021 / 3 SHEVAT 5781 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2021 / 15 ADAR 5781 EREV SHABBBAT HALL’LU SERVICE .................. 7:15 PM EREV SHABBBAT EVENING SERVICE ................ 7:15 PM SATURDAY JANUARY 16, 2021 / 3 SHEVAT 5781 SATURDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2021 / 15 ADAR 5781 Weekly Portion VA’ERA Exodus 6:2-9:35 Weekly Portion TETZAVEH Exodus 27:20-30:10 Haftarah Ezekiel 28:25-29:21 Haftarah Ezekiel 43:10-43:27 SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN & TORAH STUDY..................................................9:00 AM & TORAH STUDY.................................................. 9:00 AM FRIDAY JANUARY 22, 2021 / 10 SHEVAT 5781 EREV SHABBBAT EVENING SERVICE ................ 7:15 PM January Anniversary Blessing TEMPLE BETH AM’S E-TEVENTEAM INV RECAPITES ALL ADULTS TO TEMPLE BETH AM’S E-TEAM INVITES ALL ADULTS​: TO: SATURDAY JANUARY 23, 2021 / 10 SHEVAT 5781 ​ Weekly Portion BO Exodus 10:1-13:16 Haftarah Jeremiah 46:13-46:28 TBA plays SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN & TORAH STUDY..................................................9:00 AM HAVDALAH & HEALING SERVICE ...................... 6:00 PM FRIDAY JANUARY 29, 2021 / 17 SHEVAT 5781 EREV SHABBBAT EVENING SERVICE ................ 6:30 PM The service will feature Grade 3 students Simchat Siddur SATURDAY JANUARY 30, 2021 / 17 SHEVAT 5781 Weekly Portion BESHALACH Exodus 13:17-17:16 Haftarah Judges 4:4-5:31 “B-1” of th e first to register for Temple Beth Am’s Virtual AdultA d ult SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN “B​-1” ​of the first to register for Temple Beth Am’s Vir​ tual ​ & TORAH STUDY..................................................9:00​ AM B I N G ​BOI NevGeOni negv!e! ning!! FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2021 / 24 SHEVAT 5781 EREV SHABBBAT EVENING SERVICE ................ 7:15 PM February Anniversary Blessing OurSat uTBArdSa tcommunityyu, rDdeacye, mDeb gotceer m 5together,b 2e0r2 50, 2 online020 twice SATURDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2021 / 24 SHEVAT 5781 in the month of December for some friendly Weekly Portion YITRO Exodus 18:1-20:23 BINGO and8:0 0socializing. –8 :90:03 0– p9m:3 0 pm Haftarah Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-9:6 FREE!F REE! SHABBAT MORNING MINYAN Thank you the E-Team for coordinating & TORAH STUDY...................................................9:00AM these great virtual events, and to the many FAMILY HAVDALAH SERVICE .............................Pour your 5:30favorite PM beverage and bring something to snack on while we join together Pour your favoriteparticipants beverage and who bring joined something in. to snack on while we join together for a funfor and a fun relaxing and relaxing evening! evening! 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ContactContact Ellen Felcher: Ellen Felcher: [email protected] [email protected] with questions with questions ​ ​ ​ ​ 3 / January-February 2021 / tebeam FEATURE Invisible Strings Finding comfort and connection in these unprecedented times continued from front page how congregants are holding up in light of the ongoing pandemic. Meditation and Celebration of Tu B’Shvat” with Hebrew We encourage you to pick up your phone if there’s a local number College: a contemplative evening of song, food, and learning that’s unfamiliar to you or call our volunteers back at a time that’s about the New Year for the Trees. convenient for you, so that we can know how you are doing and Your TBA clergy and community are always here for you, to if there’s anything we can do to support you, as we eagerly await lend a compassionate ear and to offer support as we begin to see a the time where we can gather safely together again in our TBA glint of light at the end of this tunnel. We encourage you to think building. about what you need to make January a month of comfort and Additionally, we will be offering several events throughout connection for yourself, and we hope that you’ll join us throughout the month as we double down on our commitment to community the month as we show solidarity to one another and find solace and our congregants’ holistic health. On January 10th at 4:00 PM, in this warm, vibrant, and resilient community. Let us make our you are invited to join as the Religious School sponsors Nissa “invisible strings” that much more visible as we accompany one Diantina who will be leading yoga for the school committee’s next another through the winter. parent engagement event. Also on January 10th at 7:45 PM, I will In comfort and connection, facilitate the next session of my Lifelong Learning class, titled “Comfort and Connection in Jewish Text.” On January 17th at — Rav Sam Blumberg 7 PM, join TBA congregant Scott Cohen, LICSW, LMFT, who will be facilitating a discussion on “Managing Yourself and Your Lifelong Learning Series Family During this Extended Time of COVID,” giving us skills to with Rav Blumberg manage through the winter. On January 23rd at 6:00 PM, Cantor JANUARY 10, 2021 Wolff and myself invite you to join us for an evening of soothing Havdalah, music, and poetry as we come together to find comfort Comfort and Connection in one another’s presence at the end of Shabbat. And on January in Jewish Text 27th at 7:00 PM, we invite you to join as we cosponsor “A Musical See details later in this issue TBA IS HERE FOR YOU. ZOOM EVENT: January 17, 2021 at 7:00 PM Havdallah Service January 23rd at 6:00 PM MANAGING YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY Join us for an evening of soothing Havdalah, music, and poetry as we come together to DURING THIS EXTENDED TIME OF COVID find comfort in one another’s presence at the end of Shabbat So there is a vaccine, but we can’t get it yet… TBA member, Scott Cohen, LMFT, LICSW will be the speaker for a Zoom session on Sunday evening January 17, 2021 at 7:00 PM.