Announcements for Shabbat Parah / שבת פרה

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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.

image via http://bethaderech.com

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

Parshat Tetzaveh, Purim and Children’s Service

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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

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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

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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
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

Shabbat Shira, Services Friday and Saturday

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From the Cantor:

This week we read in Parshat B’shallah of Shirat Hayam, the song sung at the shores of the Sea of Reeds by Moses, Miriam and the People of Israel.  This is the first song recorded in the Bible, and is an integral part of the morning Preliminary Service.  In the Song, the People of Israel praise God, who delivered them (and by extension, us) from Egyptian bondage.  In so doing, they set an example for us-one of our greatest duties is praising God, and the best way we can do so (if we are able) is through song.  It is customary on this Shabbat, called in the Tradition Shabbat Shirah, the Shabbat of Song, to put an emphasis on singing.  Please join us to “sing to the Lord a new song” this Friday night at 7 and Saturday morning at 9.  Shabbat Shalom.

Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

8902 Mesa Drive Austin, TX 78759

cantorbenmoshe1@yahoo.com

Morah Betsy will lead a children’s service beginning at 10 or 10:15 when the Torah service begins in the main sanctuary.

Memorial Plaques:
The congregation is getting ready to order memorial plaques.  If you would like to order any for departed family members or friends, or to sponsor any for congregants who wish to order, but may not have the resources, please respond to this e-mail.  The cost is $100 and it will be a permanent memorial outside our sanctuary.