Hanukkah Party

Hanukkah Party

Please plan to join us for our annual Hanukkah party on Sunday, December 9, at 5:00 pm.   We will be serving Barry’s famous latkes, singing and having a festive time.  Please plan to bring a dairy or parve dish.

From Rabbi Peter Tarlow of Texas A&M Hillel Foundation: 

Sundown Saturday, 12/8, we mark the beginning of Chanukah. Chanukah, or however you chose to spell it, is a holiday of miracles shrouded in mystery. Too often we tend to view it as a holiday meant only for children. Chanukah means many things to many people. For some it is the holiday foods, for others it is a time of gift giving. From a historical perspective, the holiday reminds us of the first war fought expressly Jewish principles (1) the idea of freedom of worship and freedom of speech. Others combine the holiday’s ideals with the chanukiah (menorah) and see in it the ideal that the light of freedom can pierce the darkness of tyranny.

In school children learn that Chanukah represents the rededication of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation from the Greek speaking (not the Greeks) Assyrians. According to Talmudic legend, at the Temple’s rededication there was only enough oil to light the national menorah (candelabrum) for one day and yet somehow the oil lasted for 8 days. What is fascinating about this miracle is that the original sources, the Books of Macabbees (found in the Apocrypha) never mentions the miracle, but only speaks of our great military victories over our Greek speaking enemies.

The actual war is also wrapped in mystery. Historians are not sure of its causes. Was this war about the masses rising up against out-of-control business or government interests or was the revolt a successful attempt in which loyal Judeans took their country back from the urban elite liberals who sought to destroy Jewish culture in a sea of internationalism and secularism?

In the 20th century, especially in the USA, Chanukah has had a major (re)birth. Occurring in December, modern commercial interests soon realized that this holiday would be a perfect counter-weight/addition to the commercialized Christian holiday of Christmas. Thanks to the magic of marketing, Chanukah, a minor holiday, became a major holiday, dedicated like Christmas to the spending of money. Yet despite this misunderstanding of Chanukah (and some Christians might say the same about Christmas) Chanukah provides us with a powerful messages.

Chanukah teaches us that the light of liberty and knowledge can overcome the darkness of fear and prejudice. It reminds us that prejudice occurs when we judge others as evil simply for being different from ourselves. Chanukah is the holiday that teaches tolerance, diversity, and understanding between peoples. It reminds us that each culture and people has something special to contribute to the world. Chanukah can serve to unite all of us. The Spirit of Chanukah is unique: it is the sense of national responsibility mixed with the idea that nothing comes without hard work.

Chanukah’s essence is the counterbalance to Passover’s slavery. In Passover, we learn how we had become soft, how we were willing to compromise our dignity for the “onions and cucumbers of Egypt.” Chanukah, on the other hand, symbolizes that freedom requires hard work, that even in the darkest of times, when we see no solution, we are required to be optimistic. Chanukah means dedication and its name reminds us that it is only through dedication that we defeat personal indifference and can overcome the selfishness of materialism.

 

Friday Night Services and Potluck Dinner

On Friday night, October 19, please join us for our wonderful song filled Friday night services at the slightly earlier time of 6:30 pm this week, followed immediately by a dairy/parev potluck dinner.
What a great way to end the week and welcome in shabbat.
Please email bethelaustin@yahoo.com if you have any questions or what dish you would like to bring.

Parasha B’reshit

Congregation Beth El we will be having services both Friday night, 10/12, and services this Saturday morning, 10/13.  Friday night services start at 7:00 pm and Saturday morning services start at 9:00 am with the Torah reading around 10:00 am.
 
Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message  This Shabbat we begin again the yearly reading of the Torah with Parshat B’reshit.  We will read of the Creation of the Universe, and especially of humanity.  Our Parshah also speaks of the creation of the Shabbat, the Queen of Days.  Perhaps the most important creation was that of rest-the idea that we were not created to labor unceasingly, but to rest and just *be*.  This is the gift of Torah to us, and from us to the entire world.
 

Children’s Services on Yom Kippur

Children’s services begin on Yom Kippur (Wednesday) morning after the kids and our child-size Torah scrolls accompany the large Torah scrolls around the sanctuary at the beginning of the Torah service. (Approximately 10 AM)

The younger children (Pre-K to 2nd grade) will then march out and meet with Morah Betsy during the adult Torah service. Expect songs, prayer and an animated re-telling of the story of Jonah. The playground will be closed at that time, and all students 4th grade and up are expected to listen to the Torah reading quietly in the sanctuary. (Third graders get to choose!) Then we’ll all listen to one of our big brothers or big sisters lead Ashrei in the sanctuary, escort the Torah scrolls back to the ark, and then the younger children will play outside or quietly in the social hall while 4th-6th graders are invited into the mini-sanctuary (formerly referred to as the garage and sometimes called the classroom or expanded social hall) to pray, discuss, sing and study Torah.

All children are welcome in the sanctuary at any time. We love kids, we welcome them, and we also want to model for them the behavior we expect from them at synagogue, especially on a day as long as Yom Kippur. Weather permitting, children may use the playground, play quietly in the classroom/mini-sanctuary, read a book in the social hall, or, of course come into the big sanctuary. They are always welcome if they can maintain the dignity of the holiday and respect the purpose of the room and of all those who pray. Entries and exits should be limited, and should be timed as to not interrupt the standing portions of the amidah, the barchu, or kaddish.

Please note that there will be games and books available for children on Tuesday evening for the Kol Nidre service, but we will not be providing child-centered programming at that time.

Any questions? Email Morah Betsy Teacher@BethElAustin.org or fill in the form below.

 

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Freddie Grant’s z”l Unveiling and Shabbat Shuvah

This Sunday, 9/23, at 10:00 am at Austin Memorial Park will be Freddie Grant’s z”l unveiling ceremony. The cemetary is at 2800 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX and the Jewish area is the southwest corner, the section closest to MOPAC. Please plan to join us at 10:00 am on Sunday morning to pay respect to Freddie and honor his memory.

Also, please to join us at Beth El for Shabbat Shuvah services. Tonight, 9/21, Friday night services will begin at our regular time of 7:00 pm and tomorrow, 9/22, Saturday morning services will begin at our regular time of 9:00 am with the Torah reading around 9:50 am.

Cantor’s Message: This Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is known as Shabbat Shuvah, from the first words of the haftarah, “Shuvah Yisrael…”-“Return, O Israel….” The message is of course one of repentance. Though our Tradition maintains that repentance can, and should be done at any time, we are especially mindful of the need to do so now, as the days grow shorter and darkness falls earlier.

In the spirit of the season, let me now ask forgiveness from all in the Beth El family if I have hurt or offended you in any way, whether in word or did, by action or inaction. May we all forgive each other, and ourselves. May we all remember the blessings that we all bring to each other’s lives, beginning this New Year of 5773 with a clean slate. Shabbat Shalom, ug’mar hatimah tovah. May each of us be sealed for good in the coming year.

Kol Nidre will be held next Tuesday night, 9/25, at 7:00 pm and Yom Kippur morning services will start next Wednesday morning, 9/26, at 9:00 am. Please email us at bethelaustin@yahoo.com with any questions or addtional details.