Wonderful things happen at Beth El – Barashat Balak

/in , , /by

Wonderful things happen at Beth El. Read on and see what I mean. Friday Night Shabbat Services

Tonight 7/22, at the regular time of 7:00 PM.

Tomorrow morning at 9 AM, come join us for Shabbat morning services. Torah service at 9:45. This week the service is in memory of Bam Rubenstein’s beloved late father Ralphie z’l. There will be a lovely kidush lunch after as well as a children’s story time.

Candle lighting in Austin is at 8:12 PM

Pictured below is :
Hazzan Ben-Moshe and Shereen Canady at their wedding last week. Again, we all wish you many blessings and nachas and a terrific life together.
Sisterhood is reading The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem to be discussed with a glass of wines in September.

Sunday School is fast approaching. Let your friends with children aged KG through bar and bat mitzvah age know about this special, quality school, with its amazing teachers and sweet children. info@bethelaustin.org

Happy birthday to Genesis! And also to Edith Troen. Mazal tov and ad 120.

Huge kidish kudos to the kidush crew who put together a culinary delight! Michelle, Yesenia, Genesis, Sara and Natalie and Iris. Next kidish crew Thursday August 12 at 11 am at Beth El.

We also gratefully thank Hannah de la Conception and her family for another bag full of amazing books and toys for the children of our shul. Some absolute treasures and brand new books all the way from Israel. We are truly fortunate.

And more appreciation to our lay led davening crew last Friday night who really rose to the occasion. Vania and Sara led us in beautiful songs. Kevin, Yosef and Gregg – led us in joyful prayer and powerful drash.

CANTOR BEN-MOSHE’S WEEKLY MESSAGE: This week we read in Parshat Balak how the title character, the king of Mo’av, hired a prophet named Balak to curse the People of Israel, but God turned the curses into blessings. In particular, we note the words “How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel.” These are the words that we say when entering a synagogue-though we should perhaps say them when entering our houses as well. The Midrash states that “tents” refers to individual homes, while “dwelling places” refers to sanctuaries. Our homes are also holy, and what we do in them is just as important spiritually as our synagogue life, if not more so. May our homes, like our synagogue, be places where we draw closer to God and to each other. Shabbat Shalom.

AND FINALLY – WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN AT BETH EL BY GRANDPA ABE (WHOSE EXACT IDENTITY IS STILL A MYSTERY)

Well, if you haven’t already noticed the air and the ambiance around our synagogue has really taken on an exciting and beautiful feeling to it. First of all, our beloved Hazzan has taken a new bride. We are so happy to welcome her into our family. I am so sure that she will have a lot to add to our little Jewish community. We have several super families who have converted to Judaism. They add so much to our congregation. And let’s not forget the new members we have been getting, along with more and more visitors. I guess the best kept secret in Austin has been let out. When the congregation communicates with each other, there is such a feeling of love and concern for each other. Everything is always upbeat and positive. I feel in a round-about way that this is due to our lovely and caring congregants. This is a place that people are wanting to attend now. They enjoy the worship service and the gatherings afterwards. We’re having a lot of growing pains which is just wonderful, such as needing new air conditioning and lovely new landscaping in the front. This is one special place on earth. If you feel that something could benefit and make our little synagogue a little better, let Iris or Kevin or any of the wonderful board members know. They are always open to suggestions. Well, it’s getting sundown now. Another Sabbath begins. Shabbat Shalom.

Parshat Hukkat

/in , , /by

Shabbat shalom to all our facebook friends! Lovely, lay-led Friday Night Shabbat Services tonight at the usual time of 7:00 PM. Kudos to Yosef Aguilar for leading and Gregg Philipson for the Dvar Torah. Vania will lead us in song! The Cantor is in Florida celebrating his wedding to Shereen Canady and we look forward to seeing him next week!

Shabbat morning services are a week away SATURDAY, July 23rd! The kidish is being sponsored by Bam Rubenstein. Please let us know if you would like to help defray kidish costs by the mitzvah of sponsoring an upcoming kidish.

CANTOR BEN-MOSHE’S WEEKLY MESSAGE: This week we read Parshat Hukkat, which details the beginning of the conquest of the Land of Israel. The Parshah starts with a description of the purification rituals for coming into contact with the dead, a necessity for warriors in battle according to Jewish Tradition. Warriors returning from the field of battle had to spend a week outside the camp, undergoing purification, rather than holding a triumphal parade or the like. From the very beginning, our Tradition has avoided glorifying war. War may be sometimes an unfortunate necessity, but never a cause for celebration. May we always continue in this tradition of being lovers and pursuers of peace. Shereen, Ilan, Eden, Cayla and Julia all join me in wishing Shabbat Shalom to the entire Beth El family. Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

COMING SOON: PLEASE WATCH THIS SPACE FOR AN EXCITING YOGA and essential oils class. Kimberly Bernstein will lead us in a relaxing and spiritual Jewish Yoga class – we have rescheduled the class for August when more folks are in town.
Sunday school resumes in the fall, on August 21. Currently enrolliing students for the coming year to join our BERS and their awesome teachers. Bar and Bat mitzvah prep classes also continue. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@bethelaustin.org

Thank you to the kidish crew this month of Claudia and company who made a delicious meal for Saturday morning services! The front lawn again looks amazing thanks to Yesenia and Efrain and also to the countless folks who help tidy up, clean and spruce Beth El up

COMMUNITY NEWS FROM TEXAS HILLEL FOR INCOMING COLLEGE STUDENTS:

I am excited to share with you a unique opportunity for any recently graduated high school seniors (and their parents) who are planning to attend the University of Texas at Austin (Austin Community College, St. Edward’s University or Texas State University) this fall.

Texas Hillel will be hosting an Open House in Austin on Monday, August 15th at 7:30pm at Texas Hillel. Students and parents will have the opportunity to meet current Texas Hillel students and staff, and will hear about Texas Hillel, how to get involved and all that it offers in terms of Jewish life on campus today.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could help us get the word out about this event and pass on this information to your community. I have attached a copy of the event invitation that can be forwarded to folks who you think might be interested. Alternatively, if you could provide us with names and contact information for students and parents, we can reach out directly.

We would also like to invite you to attend this event as we understand the importance of continuing to connect with these students (and their parents) once they leave home to attend college.

You can RSVP for the event by emailing RSVP@texashillel.org.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone (512-476-0125) or email (dseptimus@hillel.org).

Thank you in advance for your help. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the event in August!

Hook’Em,
Rabbi Daniel Septimus

Parashat Korah

/in , , /by

Come on over and join us for Friday Night Shabbat Services tonight at the usual time of 7:00 PM
Candle lighting in Austin is at 8:17 PM

Shabbat morning services are THIS SATURDAY, July 9. Torah service will be at around 9:45 and there will be children’s story and play time as well as a kosher kidish lunch following services. If you haven’t been in a while, don’t be a stranger. Here at Beth El we truly welcome all. This week’s kidish is sponsored by the Koellers in honor of our wonderful congregation and Cantor Ben-Moshe.

Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Message
This Shabbat we read in Parshat Korah about the most serious challenge to the leadership of Moshe and Aharon. In addition to the title character, the rebellion is led by Dathan and Aviram of the tribe of Reuven. The Midrash identifies them as the two Israelites who were fighting in Egypt and who replied to Moshe’s efforts to intervene by saying “Who made you an officer and a judge over me? Are you going to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?” In other words, they had been quarrelsome and rebellious for years. The Midrash here points out an important truth about human nature-these kinds of attitudes can become habitual, and can lead to disaster later. We should always try to cultivate good practices, so that these may become the habits which shape our characters for the rest of our lives. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

We would like to extend our heartiest mazal tov to Cantor Ben-Moshe on his upcoming marriage to Shereen Canady in Florida. We wish you both much nachas and happiness!!!

The sisterhood has another exciting YOGA class next Sunday afternoon, July 17 at 2 PM at Beth El. This class is free and open to all. Kimberly Bernstein will lead us in a relaxing and spiritual Jewish Yoga class.

Sunday school resumes in the fall, on August 21. Currently enrolliing students for the coming year to join our BERS and their awesome teachers. Bar and Bat mitzvah prep classes also continue. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@bethelaustin.org

HELP WITH MAKING MEALS FOR A BETH EL FAMILY: please volunteer to make a vegetarian or kosher meal for Patrice and Chris’s family this coming week by contacting us on this e-mail. Patrice is finally home after a lengthy stay in hospital and we welcome you back!

Check out this wonderful weekly podcast by Rabbi David Wolpe. Last week’s talk was particularly inspiring and discussed the importance of saying kind words as opposed to lashon hara about each other and our Jewish community. BEHA’ALOTCHA –sins of speech http://www.sinaitemple.org/worship/sermons/

COMMUNITY NEWS: This Sunday at the J from 11-2 PM at the J’s pool, there will be leaving party for Greg Bourland security Director at the J. Please join us as we say bye to a wonderful man who has helped the Jewish community stay safe.

Parshat Sh’lakh L’kha and Happy July 4!

/in , , /by

Friday Night Shabbat Services tonight at the regular time of 7:00 PM. Join us for spirited singing and stay after for coffee, cookies and company.
Candle lighting in Austin is at 8:18 PM

Shabbat morning services are a week away, Saturday July 9.

Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Message
Parshat Sh’lakh L’kha gives the story of the twelve spies sent by Moshe to scout out the Land of Canaan. The Torah relates that they found a bunch of grapes in Nahal Eshkol that was so large that it had to be hung on a staff and carried by two men (said by the Midrash to be Yehoshu’a and Calev). Some may recognize this as the emblem of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. The first “tourists” in Israel were there to see if they could live there. Israel is our home-we as Jews should take seriously the idea of returning home now that we are able, now that we once again have sovereignty over our land. And we must always keep our eyes turned towards Zion. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

The sisterhood will have a host of events in the coming year. Highlights include another Chemist in the Kitchen class with Tamar, book club event with Gail, Art with Sharon, Volunterering at Mitzvah day with Rachael, Jewish yoga (“Oy”ga) fun, garage sale to raise funds for the shul and much, much more. As always, please send us your ideas and if you would like to help with events.

Sunday school resumes in the fall, on August 21. Currently enrolliing students for the coming year to join our BERS and their awesome teachers. Bar and Bat mitzvah prep classes also continue. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@bethelaustin.org

Happy Birthday to the USA! We hope you’ll have a happy July 4th!

Rabbi Peter Tarlow – From the Center for Jewish Latino Relations:
This week’s Torah section is: “Sh’lach L’chah meaning: Send forth”. You will find it in the Book of Numbers 13:1-15:41. Reading this week’s parashah we cannot help but connect its name to an earlier section found in Genesis: “Lech L’chah meaning Go forth”. In Lech l’chah G’d tells Abraham to change the place where he lives and to change his life. In this week’s parashah, it is not G’d commanding Abraham to move but Moses who commands the Israelites to send forth twelve spies to scout out the land that generations back G’d had given to the people of Israel. In the case of Lech l’chah, Abraham obeys the command, successfully moves from Ur to Canaan and from moral darkness to spiritual light. In this week’s case, the twelve spies will fail. It is fear and lack of faith in themselves and in G’d that will turn success into failure.
Are not these two Torah portions different sides of the same coin? Both leaving Ur and Sinai required acts of courage and the need to leave the familiar and accept risk. Both Bible portions share a common theme: that without an optimistic sense of faith, we lack the courage to dream and thus become eternal slaves of fear.
In this week’s section the text teaches us that ten of the spies brought back a highly negative
and pessimistic report stating: the enemy is too strong, the land cannot be conquered. From their perspective Jewish history would die before it was born. As in the case of most pessimists they were excellent in presenting the problem, but offered no alternative solution. Pessimists, despite what they may claim, tend to become frozen in their fear of success.
Realistic optimists take a very different approach to life. Thus, two of the twelve spies take state: “Im chafetz banu ha’Shem v’hevi otanu el ha’aretz ha’zot utnah lanu eretz asher hi zavat chalav udvash/if the Lord so desires it, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, for it is a land flowing with milk and honey.” (14:8). The two positive spikes knew the task would not be easy but with strength of faith and a sense of dedication G’d would not abandon them and they would succeed. These two spies, Caleb and Joshua, teach us an important lesson: Pessimism accomplishes nothing. Indeed, pessimists not only hold themselves back, but also destroy the spirit of those with whom they associate. Pessimists are not realists. Realists offer solutions, pessimists offer only fear but never alternative solutions.
Judaism is not a religion for pessimists. We Jews are commanded to be persons of faith; not to be deniers of faith. Judaism insists that we have faith in oneself and in G’d. Is not our history a 5,000 year journey of faith and optimism? Ours is the story of a small people refusing to give into “the reality of the pessimist.” It was only with faith that even as we faced the horrors of Nazi Europe, we were willing to rebuild a modern nation from the ashes of Europe’s bigotry.
To be an optimist is to sanctify the past and to embrace the future. As a people of faith we have no other choice then to remember the words of Joshua and Caleb “be strong and to be of good courage” for like our ancestors in Sinai we have no alternative. Are you a person of optimistic faith or negative pessimism?

Parshat Beha’alotkh

/in , , /by

Friday Night Shabbat Services are tonight June 24 at 7 PM
Candle lighting in Austin is at 8:18 PM.

Shabbat morning services are tomorrow morning, June 25 at 9 AM, with the Torah service at 9:45 and a kidush lunch immediately following.

Our deepest condolences to the Butler family on the loss of Larry’s mother earlier this week. May you all be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Cantor Ben-Moshe’s weekly message:
As we read Parshat Beha’alotkha, we begin with the description of the menorah, the seven-branched candelabrum that lit the Mishkan and later the Temple. It was the job of the Cohanim, the priests, to light the menorah every evening, and it was to burn all night to light up the sanctuary. In a way, this act was a microcosm of our role as a people. The Torah says that we, the People of Israel, are to be a “kingdom of priests”, and our Tradition also says that we are to be a “light unto the nations”. We are called to set an example of ethical living to anyone with whom we come in contact. Jewish Tradition is not meant merely to make us feel better, but to make the world better. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

Thank you kind kidish crew for the shabbat kids. This week spearheaded by Claudia Aguilar!

We would like to wish Patrice Jones a continued refua shlema as she recuperates at Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital in Kyle. G-d willing you will be back home in a couple of weeks.