Celebrate Pesach with Congregation Beth El! See below for more information.
Playgroup for Infants and Parents
with Mimi Greissman Wednesday, March 18 • 9:30-11:00 am Join us for a morning of Jewish fun- music, puppets and games for the kids, plus discussion time for the parent/caretaker.
We will be meeting in the Children's Library at Beth El.
$8/Beth El Members, $10/non-members
All are welcome! Please tell a friend!
RSVP preferred, but not required by emailing Debra Massey or calling 510-848-5538.
Introduction to The Classic Texts of Judaism Sunday mornings, 10:30 am - 12:15 pm
March 22, 29; April 12, 19, 26
Join Rabbi Yoel Kahn for a short survey of the classic texts of Judaism – Torah, Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Mishnah, Talmud, Midrash and others. We will explore where and when they were composed, how to find a reference in them, and how to appreciate what they can teach us. The last class will include attending a special presentation with guest scholar Avivah Zornberg.
Everyone is invited...
Gardening Chug Sunday, March 22 • 10:00 am Please join us in the Beth El landscape
to weed and tend...
We will plan to meet once a month, on the 3rd Sunday of each month starting March 22. Please join us from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm or so. (Rain Cancels!) Bring gloves and tools. We will mostly be weeding, also some pruning and trimming back.
RSVP preferred, but not required byemailing Susan Frankel. Please invite your friends and forward this on to others that might be interested.
Everyone is invited!
Social Action Workshop Wednesday, March 25 • 7:30 pm in the Beit Midrash To reduce your carbon footprint...
Come to our workshop!
It's educational and fun...for the whole family!
Materials provided by the Berkeley Ecology Center
Another Gathering
of the Tribe
Beth El Retreat
at WalkerCreek Ranch Friday, May 1 - Sunday, May 3, 2009 at Walker Creek Ranch in Petaluma Register by March 27 This is an opportunity for all members of our community to gather for a weekend of Shabbat celebration, learning, community and relaxation.
The weekend schedule offers separate activities for adults and kids as well as activities for families. People of all ages will enjoy organized activities, find their own adventures or kick back and relax, getting to spend time with other Beth El folks.
Walker Creek Ranch is a beautiful camp setting, one hour and 15 minutes north of Berkeley in West Marin. Located on 1700 acres of rolling hills, the land is blessed with 20 miles of hiking trails, bay laurel forests, open grassland and clear water flowing in WalkerCreek all year long.
For more information, including lodging and pricing options and to register online, please click here.
Shabbat This Week:
March 13 & 14, 2009
17 Adar 5769
Parashat Ki Tisa
Friday, March 13 -Shabbat Evening Service 6:15pm
led by Rabbi Yoel Kahn
Saturday, March 14 -Minyan Service 8:30am
-Torah Study 9:15am
led by Laurie Swiadon -Shabbat Morning Service 10:15am
led by Rabbi Yoel Kahn and Cantorial Soloist Bon Singer
Bat Mitzvah - Adrienne Sontag-Murphy
Shabbat Next Week:
Friday, March 20 -Tot Shabbat Service 5:30pm
-Tot Shabbat Dinner 6:00pm
Please RSVP by March 18 by emailing Barbara Kanter or calling 510-848-9428 x219
-Family Shabbat Service 6:15pm
co-led by 6th grade class -Ice Cream Oneg 7:00pm
with a parallel parent program
on "The Spirit of Shabbat"
with Rabbi Yoel Kahn
Saturday, March 21 -Minyan Service 8:30am
-Torah Study 9:15am
led by Rabbi Yoel Kahn -Shabbat Morning Service 10:15am
led by Rabbi Yoel Kahn and Cantorial Soloist Bon Singer
Bar Mitzvah - Jack Friedson
Help Usher in Shabbat
with your Smile! Come join your rabbi on the bima or volunteer to help greet at a Friday night or Saturday morning service. Help us create a warm atmosphere by clicking on this link, entering SHABBAT as your password and volunteering! Any questions? Please email Robinn Magid.
Hope to see you in shul!
Upcoming Committee Meetings • Program Committee,
Tuesday, March 17, 6:00pm
• Board Meeting*, Tuesday, March 17, 7:30pm
• Ritual Committee,
Wednesday, March 18, 7:30pm
• Religious School Committee,
Tuesday, March 24, 8:00pm
• Nursery School Committee,
Tuesday, March 31, 7:00pm
*All Board meetings are open to current Beth El members unless an executive session is called. If you would like to receive board meeting minutes, please email the Board.
Midrasha Annual Seudah Sunday, March 15 • 5:00 pm at Netivot Shalom As you know, Midrasha is our synagogue’s high school program. Midrasha in Berkeley invites you to attend their annual Seudah, fundraising dinner, Sunday, March 15 at 5:00 pm held at Netivot Shalom, 1316 University Ave. in Berkeley. Rabbi Lee Bycel will be speaking on "The Jew as Global Citizen: Our Responsibility to Pursue Social Justice." Rabbi Bycel has made several humanitarian visits in the past few years to East Africa. The Se'udah will include music, a raffle and of course, lots of delicious, Kosher food and wine. For more information, please contact Diane Bernbaum at 510-843-4667.
Midrasha Hosts Our Seventh Graders Sunday, March 22 • 9:30 am All 7th graders and their parents are invited to Midrasha on Sunday, March 22 at 9:30 am. Students will have a one hour class with 7th graders from other synagogues and day schools and then be able to visit two Midrasha classes of their choice along with current Midrasha students. The student program lasts from 9:30-12:30. Parents will have a one-hour meeting from 9:30-10:30 where they will get to talk with current Midrasha parents and students and find out why one of our graduates said recently, “Midrasha has challenged me to become a better person, and a better Jew.” Midrasha meets at Congregation Beth El • 1301 Oxford Street in Berkeley.
Celebrate Pesach with Congregation Beth El Pesach Synaplex™ - "Get into the
Spirit of Pesach" Friday, April 3 • 6:15 pm
Join us for our Pesach Synaplex Event as we welcome the
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir for a Freedom Concert.
• Kabbalat Shabbat Services at 6:15 pm
• Potluck Dinner with Charoset Tasting at 7:15 pm
• Gospel Concert at 8:15 pm
• Shabbat Oneg at 9:00 pm
Second Night Community Seder: A Beth El Tradition Thursday evening, April 9 • 5:45 pm Join Rabbi Yoel Kahn, Cantoral Soloist Bon Singer and Beth El friends old and new for a festive celebration and delicious catered kosher Pesach meal. We are never too old not too young to learn and retell the story of our own and other people's liberation from oppression. With song, ritual and discussion, we will reenact this ancient tale, making connections to our own lives and our world.
Members: Adults $36 Children $18
Guests: Adults $45 Children $22
Childcare provided for children 5 and under.
To register, please click here.
The East Bay Jewish Community is thrilled
to welcome one of the world’s preeminent Torah scholars Dr. Avivah Zornberg Sunday, April 26 • Congregation Beth El, Berkeley
• Brunch at 10:15 am
• Presentation at 11:15 am
Dr. Zornberg will speak on Shabbat, Saturday April 25th, at Congregation Beth Israel at 5:30 pm.The topic for her lecture will be Letter from an Unknown Woman: Joseph’s Dream.Sunday, April 26th at 10:15 am, Dr. Zornberg will join Congregation Beth El for brunch followed by a presentation titled, From Another Shore: Moses and Korach.
A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Avivah Zornberg holds a PhD from CambridgeUniversity.She began her teaching career in 1969 at the HebrewUniversity, Jerusalem, specializing in English Literature.Since 1980, she has taught Torah and lectured in distinguished academic centers throughout the world. She published Genesis: the Beginning of Desire in 1995, and followed in 2001 with The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus.Her new book, The Murmuring: Deep Reflections on the Biblical Unconscious will be published by Schocken in March 2009.
Save the Date!
Sukkot in May Sunday, May 10
More information will be available in next week's e-update.
Beth El Men's Club Day at the A's - A's vs. Giants Monday, June 22, 2009 • 7:00 pm All tickets $10. For more information or tickets, please email Bob Goldstein or call 510-548-0720.
The community is invited... 2009 Inaugural Berkeley Seminars in Modern Jewish Culture Sunday, March 15, 2009 • 4:00 pm - Morrison Room, in Doe Library, UC Berkeley This public lecture will be given by Professor Jeffrey Shandler of Rutgers University.
For more information, please click here.
The community is invited...
After Proposition 8:
What's Next for Marriage Equality?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 • 7:00 pm at Congregation Netivot Shalom For more information, please click here.
The community is invited... Jewish Family and Children's Services Job Search Support Group
JFCS/East Bay is pleased to announce a new, free five-part workshop that will offer techniques, resources, and the support necessary for a successful job search. For more information, please click here.
Everyone is invited...
Celebrate Pesach with Congregation Beth El