Announcements for Shabbat and Shavuot

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Dear Congregants and Friends,
Please join us tonight at 7pm for Kabbalat shabbat services.
Tomorrow, Saturday May 26 at 9:45 AM, we will join Congregation Agudas Achim on the Dell Jewish Community Campus for a service in memory and honor of Elaine Shapiro’s late father Jim Novy.
Sunday morning, May 27 starting at 9am, we will have Shavuot services at Beth El, followed by a light kiddush.  There will be a children’s program in the social hall, after the beginning of the Torah reading in the sanctuary.  We hope to see you all!
Cantor Ben-Moshe’s weekly message:
This Shabbat we begin the reading of Sefer B’midbar, the Book of Numbers.  After a year at the foot of Mt. Sinai, the People of Israel are to muster for the march to the Promised Land, a march that would end up taking a generation.  Ironically, the day after Shabbat we read of the arrival of the People of Israel at Sinai, and the Revelation of Torah, on the Festival of Shavuot.  We have been counting towards this day since the second night of Passover-to Z’man Mattan Toratenu, the Time of the Giving of our Torah.  This is after all the purpose of the Exodus-to be free to live the life of the spirit that was simply impossible for slaves.  And the purpose of Torah was so that it could be lived by our People in our Land.  May all of Israel repeat the promise of our ancestors at Sinai, “na’aseh v’nishmah“, “we will do it and we will hear it”.  And may all the People of Israel be privileged soon to live in the Land which was promised to us.  Shabbat Shalom and Hag Sameah.

Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
8902 Mesa Drive
Austin, TX 78759
www.bethelaustin.org

Friday night services 5/18 at 7pm and two “hold the date” announcements

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Dear Congregants and Friends,
We hope to see tomorrow, Friday May 18  at 7pm for our weekly, song filled kaballat shabbat service.
Please note these two special events:
Saturday May 26, Congregation Agudas Achim at the Dell Campus is having a special service in memory of Elaine Shapiro’s late father Jim Novy (also Allene Novy’s grandfather) may his memory be a blessing.  We encourage our members to attend this special shabbat morning service which will start at 9:45 at Agudas Achim.  Jim Novy led a fascinating and philanthropic life, supporting the State of Israel, the Austin Jewish community and even receiving a Purple Heart certificate for his clandestine work during World War II.  His personal efforts even helped our very own dear Fred Grant (z”l).   A book has just been written about his life, titled The First Jews of Texas: The Life of Jim Novy, and the author David Chapin will be talking during the shabbat morning services.
Sunday May 27, at 9 am we will have our special Shavuot service.  Please plan to attend this wonderful holiday celebration of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.  Bring your whole family.
Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Message:
This Shabbat we conclude the Book of Leviticus with the reading of the double parshah B’har/B’hukkotai. Parshat B’hukkotai include a tokhekhah, one of the two passages of rebuke found in the Torah. When these passages are read in the synagogue, they are read quickly and in an undertone. Unlike some other religious tradition, Judaism does not focus attention on punishments for disobedience. Rather, we focus on the performing of mitzvot for their own sake, for the purpose of bettering ourselves and the world. God doesn’t need to frighten us into following the Tradition. Judaism is a path of love, not of fear. I look forward to seeing everyone Friday night at 7:00 PM. Shabbat Shalom.
Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
8902 Mesa Drive
Austin, TX 78759
www.bethelaustin.org

Shabbat Announcement and Important Notice about Shabat Morning Services

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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

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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

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image via http://grade5js.edublogs.org/2008/04/13/mon-thurs-414-1708-9-12-nisan-5768-last-post-before-pesach/

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