As we have learned, numbering our days is tedious and challenging, but we can still find great awe and joy in unexpected places. It is with that spirit that we approach the festival of Shavuot.
Shavuot is both a holiday celebrating the gift of Torah and a harvest festival highlighting our gratitude for the abundance in our lives. Usually we spend Shavuot at Temple Beth-El celebrating Confirmation. This year’s students are adamant that they want to celebrate together in person, white robes and all. They have wisely chosen another festival of Torah to celebrate in the Fall, Simhat Torah.
We wanted to celebrate Shavuot with something special to mark this moment. Something to fill our wells and feed our souls. While we know we can’t be together in person, we are thrilled to welcome Nefesh Mountain for a private zoom concert for our community. We will look forward to raising our voices in song and letting the music lift our spirits. Mark your calendar!
Friday May 1, 2020 / 7 Iyar 5780 Shabbat Service (Link will be sent Friday at 4:30 PM and will also be available on Facebook and on our home page) ____________________________________________________________________
Saturday May 2, 2020 / 8 Iyar 5780 9:00 AM
Torah Study
ZOOM LINK HERE Password: TBE6070! ____________________________________________________________________
Pop-up Torah Classes In our amazing community, we each have something to share! Join us for these classes where members of our community will share their Torah via the Zoom links below. Do you have some “torah” to teach? Let us know and we’d love to showcase your knowledge with our community as a way to stay connected!
Thursday, April 30, 2020 4:00 PM Tehillim - Soul Soothing Psalms with Rabbi Gavi Ruit
During times of uncertainty and distress, Jews have always turned to the Sefer Tehillim - The Book of Psalms - for solace, guidance, and renewal. We will be reading and discussing Psalms selected specifically for these difficult times.
Sunday, May 3, 2020 2:00 PM Sisterhood Discussion of Unorthodox
There is some interest in watching Unorthodox on Netflix and then getting together to discuss the first two episodes when we would have been gathering for the Joanne Forman Film Festival. If that goes well and there's interest, we can take another two weeks and watch the last two episodes and discuss the following week. We had attempted to use Netflix Party to watch together, but it is a fairly complicated process - you need to watch on a computer (laptop or desktop) not a device - and you need to download the Netflix Party app on Chrome. So, if you'd like to participate, watch at your own pace. Those who don't have Netflix could take advantage of a free 30 day trial which would give you plenty of time to watch the entire series - click here for link to the trial.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 4:00 PM Famous Portraits on the Stamps of Israel with Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum
Israeli stamps are not just beautiful---they tell important stories! Join Sam Zwetchkenbaum as he provides a guided tour of his website which is intended to answer the question, "Who is this person and what got them on a stamp?"
Thursday, May 7, 2020 4:00 PM Tehillim - Soul Soothing Psalms with Rabbi Gavi Ruit
During times of uncertainty and distress, Jews have always turned to the Sefer Tehillim - The Book of Psalms - for solace, guidance, and renewal. We will be reading and discussing Psalms selected specifically for these difficult times.
Friday, May 8, 2020 5:00 PM Shabbat Hallelu & 87th High School Graduation (Link will be sent Friday at 4:30 PM and will also be available on Facebook and on our home page)
Tuesday, May 12, 2020 4:00 PM Di Yiddishe Amerike Yiddish as a Reflection of the American Jewish Experience through Song with Cantor Judy Seplowin.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 4:00 PM What happens to youth sports after COVID-19?
When Hilary Levey Friedman was researching her book, Playing to Win: Raising Children in a Competitive Culture, she often heard parents bemoan how much family time youth sports, and other activities, consumed. But all agreed that unless there was some sort of reset, where everyone agreed to step back, change wasn't possible. Parents wanted to preserve the option for their kids' future opportunities and not participating meant falling behind. Now, a global pandemic has forced that reset. How will children and families react to this change? How might kids' afterschool activities shift as a result of COVID-19? Hilary is a sociologist who teaches in the Department of Education at Brown University. She is also President of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Women, and her second book, Here She Is: The Complicated Reign of the Beauty Pageant in America, is out this August!
Thursday, May 14, 2020 4:00 PM Tehillim - Soul Soothing Psalms with Rabbi Gavi Ruit
During times of uncertainty and distress, Jews have always turned to the Sefer Tehillim - The Book of Psalms - for solace, guidance, and renewal. We will be reading and discussing Psalms selected specifically for these difficult times.
Thursday, May 21, 2020 4:00 PM Tehillim - Soul Soothing Psalms with Rabbi Gavi Ruit
During times of uncertainty and distress, Jews have always turned to the Sefer Tehillim - The Book of Psalms - for solace, guidance, and renewal. We will be reading and discussing Psalms selected specifically for these difficult times.
Thursday, May 28, 2020 4:00 PM Tehillim - Soul Soothing Psalms with Rabbi Gavi Ruit
During times of uncertainty and distress, Jews have always turned to the Sefer Tehillim - The Book of Psalms - for solace, guidance, and renewal. We will be reading and discussing Psalms selected specifically for these difficult times.
Saturday, May 2, 2020 10:00 AM Soulful Zoom Shabbat Service will be led by Rabbi Alan Flam, Judy Kaye and Bruce Phillips. Please log in a few minutes early.
Join thousands across North America to celebrate Israel's 72nd Independence Day! Virtual celebrations throughout the day for children, teens, and families. Music, art, and conversation with well-known Israelis, interactive workshops, games, contests, and more.
