February 3, , 2012 10 Shevat 5772
Parasha: Beshalach
Candle lighting 2/3 4:52 PM Havdalah 2/4 5:53 PM 
Services and Meetings in our Synagogue
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Fri. Feb 3 |
7:30 PM |
Shabbat Shirah led by Rabbi Gordon. Our Choir sings and sponsors the Oneg. There is no First Friday Shabbat |
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Sun. Feb. 5 |
9:30 AM |
Sunday School |
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Sun. Feb 5 |
10:30 AM |
Advanced Adult Hebrew |
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Sun. Feb 5 |
12:00 Noon |
Family Ed Program #6 |
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Wed. Feb 8 |
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Sofer will be working on our Torahs |
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Wed. Feb 8 |
5:30 PM |
Hebrew School; Adult Hebrew |
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Wed. Feb 8 |
6:30 PM |
Trope |
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Wed. Feb 8 |
7:30 PM |
Board of Trustees Mtg. |
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Fri. Feb 10 |
7:30 PM |
Shabbat Services led by Rabbi Gordon |
Rabbi Gordon and our Lev b'Lev Caring Committee would like to reach out to our community members in need. Please call or email us if a loved one or a friend is ill and/or hospitalized.
Yahrzeits from our Memorial Wall
Julian Berch (1/28/2000), Levi Laub (1/30/1886), Judith Klein Gotkis (1/31/1993),
Marice J. Mann (2/2/1920), Leonora Goldberg (2/3/1993)
Jewish Federation Summer Camp Scholarships
The deadline for the Federation Summer camp and Jewish Summer travel programs is March 2. Some of the camps and programs fill to capacity quickly, so make sure that you get these scholarship applications in as soon as you can. For information about the scholarships and for a scholarship application, go to the federation website www.jewishfedny.org.
Shabbat Shirah - February 3, 2012
Shabbat Shirah will be celebrated Friday evening Feb 3 at 7:30 PM.
The choir will sing that night, and it will be a beautiful service; one you won't want to miss.
There will be no First Friday Family Shabbat service on February 3.
Support Berith Sholom
Sponsor an Oneg
You can sponsor an oneg for as little as $20.
Celebrating a birthday, anniversary or family milestone?
Would you like to remember a loved one's yahrzeit?
Share your simcha with your Berith Sholom family by sponsoring an Oneg on Friday Evening.
If you would like to sponsor an Oneg, please contact Jayne Architzel at
jayneea@gmail.com or call Jayne at 518-272-0935
Jayne will be happy to give you details on what you need to do. If it isn't possible for you to purchase the items yourself, just let Jayne know this and she will work out another plan for you.
Come do a Mitzvah!
Join our next Volunteer Outing at the Northeast Regional Food Bank in Latham
on Sunday, February 19, 2012 from 1:00pm until 3:00pm.
Please come and spend a few hours doing a Mitzvah at the NE Regional Food Bank. Children over age 5 are welcome, and feel free to invite your friends if you like. Dress in layers, clothes that can be messy and no open toe shoes. A RSVP in advance is required. Please contact Margo Singer at 463-8801 or emailMargosinger@yahoo.com Todah rabah!
So you want to be a DARSHAN !
(What's a darshan , Rabbi?)
A darshan is a person who interprets ("drashes") the weekly Torah portion. On most Friday nights, that's the
Rabbi. But making Torah meaningful is the right of every Jew. Many young people in our congregation, along with our adult B'nei Mitzvah, have given a D'var Torah from our bimah. You could too.
Was your bar/bat mitzvah portion particularly meaningful to you? Or -- particularly un-meaningful? Is there an episode or idea in the Torah that you would like to explore more in-depth? A portion that you struggle with? Are you interested in honing your writing skills, being part of a supportive group that gives and receives feedback, and deepening your connection to Torah? Being part of the Darshan Corps gives you an opportunity to study one portion closely, think about it, learn about traditional interpretations, and bring your own understanding to bear. The result will be a D'var Torah (literally "word of Torah") that you will present to the congregation at an erev Shabbat (Friday night) service.
The time commitment is to come to 3 gatherings of the group over the next 9 or 10 months, and to check in with the Rabbi a couple of weeks before your D'var Torah will be given. Your writing commitment is a first draft, a second draft, and a D'var Torah .
Lenny Gaines and Karen Klevanosky took this idea for a "test drive" during the past year. Ask them about it!
If you're interested, let Wendy Kay know berithsholom@gmail.com or 272-8872 X300.
Other questions, ask the Rabbi.
Tourism & Jewish Culture Included in Fair Trade Craft Trip to Guatemala in March
As part of Congregation Berith Sholom's open house during Troy's annual Victorian Stroll celebration on December 4, 2011, the Mayan Hands organization exhibited and sold fair trade Judaica and other items produced by craftspeople in Guatemala. Congregation Berith Sholom's Tikkun Olam Fund received from Mayan Hands 15% of the profits of that day's sales.
Brenda Rosenbaum of Mayan Hands has advised that an umbrella organization known as Fair Trade Judaica (http://fairtradejudaica.org), in conjunction with Mayan Hands and a group called MayaWorks, will be offering a Guatemala trip from March 2 through March 11, 2012 . As noted on the Fair Trade Judaica website (http://fairtradejudaica.org/ftjs-inaugural-trip-to-guatemala-32-31112/): "This is a unique opportunity to meet the local Jewish community in Guatemala City, visit with the fair trade artisans who make beautifully unique Judaica products, and visit major cultural and historical sites. You'll come away with a deep appreciation and understanding of Mayan life in Guatemala today, and how Fair Trade provides an opportunity for artisan and farmer communities to pull themselves out of a cycle of poverty."
The cost of the tour is $1850 per person (including all meals, but not including airfare). The full, very active itinerary and relevant contact information can be found at the website indicated above. The contact person at Fair Trade Judaica is Ilana Schatz whose e-mail address is liana@fairtradejudaica.org and whose telephone number is 510-525-1567.
Interfaith Story Circle Shares
“Stories of Strong Women”
Storytellers of many religious faiths are invited to share “Stories of Strong Women” on Tuesday, February 7 , 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM at the Islamic Center of the Capital District, 21 Lansing Road N., Schenectady. Sponsored by the Interfaith Story Circle of the Tri-City Area, the program will begin at 6 PM with a vegetarian pot-luck meal, and storytelling will run from 7:15 to 8:45 PM. Admission is free and all storytellers and listeners are welcome. For additional information, contact Audrey Seidman, 459-0661.
Dr. Mussarat Chaudhry, Nancy Marie Payne and Audrey Seidman, and will start the telling with stories from their respective faith traditions, and others will be invited to add their own stories of strong women from scripture, history or current times. The annual “Tent of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar” program was initiated in 2006 as a way to celebrate the confluence holy days at that time, and continues as a way to build interfaith bridges.
Good News!!
Haiti Project by Leah Penniman and her students featured in
Times Union Article (1/26/12)
High School helping Haiti.
Leah Penniman's 9th grade Environmental science students at Tech Valley High School designed a waste system for residents of Haiti.
Read the entire article at
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/High-school-helping-Haiti-2694524.php#ixzz1ka9OxXiT
Tikkun Olam knows no bounds at Berith Sholom:
Please help us help our neighbors, Unity House, to help women and children in need:
We are, starting this Sunday, beginning a bedding, kitchen towel and clothing drive for 33 women embarking on new, hopeful lives at Unity House's brand new domestic violence shelter, opening in March.
The playpen at our 3rd Street entrance will be ready for the following donations:
t win size sets of sheets
twin size comforters
twin-size blankets-wool, acrylic, or fleecy
twin sized "bed-in-a-bag" sets
bath, hand and face towels
dish towels, pot holders, dish cloths.
ladies pajamas and sweat suits- especially sizes M, L, XL and XXL.
200 pair of new women's sox-sports sox, crew sox, slipper sox or fun patterned sox
Not a shopper? Gift cards are always helpful! These can be placed in Wendy Kay's mailbox, in an envelope marked "Unity House donation"
Todah to all! Berith Sholom, improving our world, one kind act at a time!
The Jewish Women's Connection Presents the 7th Annual
Spa for the Body and Soul
Sunday, February 12 1 - 4 PM
Shen. Adult Community Center
6 Clifton Common Ct. Clifton Park
"Nurture your Spirit, Change the World"
Words of Inspiration by
Kaila Lasky
Come hear Kaila's stroy; her amazing journey back to Judaism
"From Drama Queen to Shabbat Queen"
Feature Gourmet Luncheon, Body and Soul Workshops, Auction and Vendors
$20 pre-registered $25 at the door $36 Sponsor
Reservations: Leah 495-0779, Clara 439-8280
Center for Jewish Studies UAlbany
presents Richard Hamm
The Jewish Civil Libertarian Arthur Garfield Hays
Thursday, February 16, 2012 7:00 PM
William K. Sanford Town Library
629 Albany Shaker Road, Colonie. NY
Co-sponsored by NYS Civil Liberties Union
This is a free event - no RSVP's necessary. Kosher refreshments will be provided.
Tikkun Olam: Support a School in the Dominican Republic
Looking for a way to make some children smile? We are looking for donations of Spanish language books for a school in an economically-impoverished community in the Dominican Republic, where children have limited access to schooling. For many of the children, the books we donate will be the first books they have ever held in their hands. The school is run by volunteers, and works to prepare the children of this community to enter the public education system—but many of them are far from ready. They need very basic board and picture books, in Spanish , as well as a few children’s Spanish dictionaries (not Spanish-English!). You can find these books online or in local thrift stores. Books or cash donations are welcome. And we are always looking for donations of children’s clothing and shoes (all items, all sizes!). If you’d like to make your donation tax-deductible, please make out checks to “Church of the Covenant”.
For more information or to donate, please contact Abbe Herzig (abbe.herzig@gmail.com).
All Hands on Deck!
Berith Sholom provides meals once a month for Joseph's House, a homeless shelter a block or 2 away. On Sunday, January 22nd, we provided hardy "comfort" foods (grilled cheese and tomato soup, tuna noodle casserole, ground turkey noodle casserole, chocolate chip cookies). Our next gig is Sunday, February 26th , a Sunday when there's no Sunday school so the kiddies can come and help! All are invited to participate -- young, old and old but acting young. Never too many hands in OUR kitchen!!!! To join in the next cooking adventure, contact Annie Rody-Wright at annierodywright@yahoo.com or 439-1992. She will add you to the email list for details.
And while you're at it: We are in continuous need of toiletries and books to be brought to Joseph’s House. Check your bookshelves for new or gently used books, visit your local library when they are hosting a book sale, or take advantage of the “buy one, get one free” offered by our local supermarkets on toiletry items. Donation receptacles (a playpen and a shopping cart!) are located at the 3rd Street entrance. Be part of the Berith Sholom legacy of taking action to assist those less privileged.
Berith Sholom: Improving the world, one kind act at a time!
Shabbat Shalom!
