Annual Meeting and Cookout

Our annual “state of the shul” meeting  is this Sunday, May 6 at 4:15pm, followed by a cookout. We hope you can join us to see all the exciting things happening at Congregation Beth El.

Shabbat Announcement and Important Notice about Shabat Morning Services

Dear Congregants and friends,

Please join us this Friday night, April 27 at 7pm, as we usher in shabbat with song and prayer at our weekly services. 

This Saturday morning, April 28, please join us again for Saturday morning minyan at 9am, with the Torah service at 9:45.  We would like to gratefully thank Gregg and Michelle Philipson for sponsoring the kidush in honor of Miriam Margulis’ birthday.

Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Weekly message:

I am writing these words on Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day-surely the most momentous day in Jewish history in thousands of years. 64 years ago, the long nightmare of exile ended with the establishment of the State of Israel. Hebrew is once again our national language, and we have a place to call home, no matter what happens in the various lands of our dispersion. HaTikvah bat sh’not alpayyim-the 2000-year-old Hope-has come true in our days. May we soon see the days when all the dispersed and exiles of the People of Israel return home.

Please join us this Shabbat at 7PM Friday night, and at 9AM Saturday morning, when we read the parshot Tazria-Metzora and celebrate Miriam Margulis’ birthday. 

Hag Sameah and Shabbat Shalom.

Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

Please note!

 Shabbat morning services are now every 2nd and 4th Saturday.  The Google Calendar will be updated shortly.

Announcements for the End of Passover

On Thursday night, we begin the concluding days of Pesah, the Season of our Liberation. Friday’s Torah reading is the dramatic tale of the Crossing of the Sea of Reeds, usually identified as the Great Bitter Lake on the border of the Sinai Peninsula. Worthy of note is the aggadah, the Rabbinic legend, that the Sea did not split when Moses raised his staff pver the water. According to the legend, God performed the miracle only when one man, Nahshon ben ‘Amminadav, was brave enough to wade into the water. God does indeed provide for us-but we need to meet Him halfway. I hope to see everyone Friday night at 7:00, and Saturday morning at 9:00 for the conclusion of Passover and for Yizkor. Shabbat Shalom and Hag Sameah.

Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
8902 Mesa Drive
Austin,TX. 78759
cantorbenmoshe1@yahoo.com

Announcements for Passover

image via http://grade5js.edublogs.org

Dear Congregants and Friends,

We hope you can all join us this Friday night, March 30 at 7pm for our regular Kabbalat shabbat services and Saturday morning, March 31 at 9 am, with the Torah service at 9:45, for our shabbat services.  Also, don’t forget to send your RSVP by replying to this e-mail for the second night seder at Beth El a week from Saturday – April 7 at 6 pm.

Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Weekly message:

This week we read in Parshat Tzav more of the rules of sacrifices-how they were to be offered, and for what reasons. This parshah, as well as most of the Book of Vayikra, Leviticus, are rather hard reading for us, living nearly 2000 years after the last sacrifice was offered in the Temple. What we need to do is to look at the Hebrew word for sacrifice-korban, meaning something that is brought near, or more to the point, something that brings us near to God. Our ancestors offered sacrifices in order to come near to God. How can we do so in our time? That is the central question that is raised by the Book of Leviticus, and a very important question for all Jews at all times.

This Shabbat is also Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat before Pesah. The Season of our Liberation is at hand, and we will be discussing the traditions and the meaning of Pesah this Shabbat.  Please join us Friday and Saturday.

Before services on Friday night, a sign-up sheet will be available for anyone to make me their agent for selling hametz to a non-Jew for the duration of the Festival.

Shabbat Shalom.

Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
8902 Mesa Drive
Austin, TX 78759

www.bethelaustin.org

Announcements for Shabbat Parah / שבת פרה

Congregants and Friends,

Please note that we have our regular Friday night services tonight at 7pm and Saturday morning at 9am.  We hope to see you all. 

Also, our dear friend and Beth El founding member and past President, Herb Kadish is leaving Austin to be near family in Chicago.  We will be having a dinner in his honor on Friday March 23 at 6:30 pm and we hope you can join us as we say farewell to Herb.

from the cantor:

This week’s Parshah is the double parshah of Vayak’hel/P’kudei, the conclusion of the Book of Exodus. These parshot detail the building of the Mishkan, the Sanctuary in the desert. This Shabbat is also Shabbat Parah, one of the four special Shabbatot before Passover. The special reading for Shabbat Parah details the sacrifice of the parah adumah, the Red Heifer which was part of the ritual for purification from contact with the dead. Since the main observance of Passover was the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb, everyone had to be in a state of purity in order to properly celebrate the Festival. This special reading is part of the preparation for Pesah, now less than a month away.

When you come in to Beth El beginning this week, there will be a sheet of paper in the lobby, which you can sign in order to make me your agent to sell hametz for the duration of the Passover holiday. Shabbat Shalom.

Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
8902 Mesa Drive
Austin, TX 78759

www.bethelaustin.org

Parshat Tetzaveh, Purim and Children’s Service

Dear Congregants and Friends,

Services for the coming week:

• Friday night, 7pm, Kabbalat Shabbat
• Saturday, 9am, Shabbat morning service
• Saturday, 10am, Children’s Shabbat Service
• Wednesday night 6:30pm – PURIM!  Including appetizer & dessert potluck (dairy or pareve), megilla reading, and a Purim puppet play presented by the religious school students.

From the Cantor:

This Shabbat we have an opportunity to perform an extra mitzvah, in addition to the mitzvot of Shabbat, and that is to “Remember what ‘Amalek did to you on your way out of Egypt”.  The Rabbis decreed that this week’s additional reading, Zachor, is one of the 613 commandments of the Torah-all the more reason to make a special effort to attend services this weekend.  Remembrance is actually one of the key values of our Tradition.  We are commanded to “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy”, and to remember many other things as well.  We remember those who are no longer with us, on the yahrtzheit, the anniversary of their passing.  Remembrance alone is not enough, though.  We must remember certain things so that those memories can inspire us in the present.  Please come this Shabbat at 7PM Friday and 9AM Saturday, as we explore what we are to remember, and why.

Shabbat Shalom.

Friday night Pot luck shabbat dinner – 6:30 Parashat Yitro

Dear Congregants and friends,

Please join us at 6:30 tonight, February 10, for a shabbat pot luck dinner and services.  We look forward to seeing you all.  This event is free and open to all.

Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Message:

This week’s parashah, Yitro, begins with the story of Moses’ father Yitro (Jethro) visiting the camp of the People of Israel at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The Torah records that Yitro made an offering to God, and Moshe and the Elders came to eat with Yitro. Then as now, sharing food is an important religious observance. We are impelled to serve God in all that we do, even those activities which are seemingly the most mundane, such as eating. Please join us tonight at 6:30 as we share food and fellowship together at Beth El. Shabbat Shalom.

Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
8902 Mesa Drive
Austin, TX 78759
(512)897-7646
cantorbenmoshe1@yahoo.com

Tu B’Shvat, Judaism 201, Pot Luck Friday

Dear Congregants and friends,

Tomorrow night, Tuesday February 6 at 7pm, we will be having another in our awesome Judaism 201 series – looking at Tu Be Shevat and beginning to delve into the deeper meaning of the holiday. We hope to see you.

This coming Friday, February 10, at 6:30 pm we will be having our monthly dairy/parev pot luck shabbat– this month in honor of Tu Be Shevat – the holiday of the trees. Please note that services will be at the slightly earlier time of 6:30pm, immediately followed by a delicious dinner. Please leave a comment if you would like to attend and what you can bring.  Remember, our pot lucks are free and open to all so bring your family and friends.

We look forwrd to seeing you all.

Congregation Beth El

8902 Mesa drive

Austin TX 78759

www.bethelaustin.org

On Monday we had a tu b’shvat seder during religious school at Congregation Beth El and planted in our brand new synagogue herb garden.

Photos of our students with Cantor Ben Moshe, Miss Iris, Miss Claudia, and Morah Betsy are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/MorahBetsy/BethElTuBShvatKids