Trumah and Grandpa Abe

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight 2/12, at 7 PM. Get ready for some soulful prayer, camaraderie and lots of singing!

Saturday morning services are this shabbat February 13, at 9 AM. We will have a children’s story time and kidush lunch after. Please consider sponsoring upcoming kidushes or just making a donation to our precious shul.

You can always donate securely online at
http://bethelaustin.wpengine.com/donate/

Shabbat Across America!
Last Friday’s services and dinner were a huge success. Our next one is soon:
Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA!

Happy birthday to dear congregants Gregg Philipson and Rachael Stavchansky! Let us know yours and you’ll get a shout out!

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
Our parshah this week, T’rumah, give the first description of the Mishkan, the Sanctuary that was the center of Israelite worship from Mt. Sinai until the building of the First Temple. The description includes the kapporeth, the golden lid to the Holy Ark which had two carven cherubs on top(incidentally, k’ruvim, “cherubs”, are not the plump winged babies of Christian iconography, but something closer to the Sphinx of Greek mythology-the body of a lion, the wings of a bird of prey, and a human head). The Torah goes on to say that God would be present between the two cherubs-in other words, the kapporeth was to be the throne of God in the Sanctuary. We know that pagan temples of antiquity had thrones, on which statues of the gods would be seated. The kapporeth had no statue, though, only the throne itself. The Presence of God, the Shekhinah, was there, palpable but not visible. The Mishkan thus made a bold statement-that God, while present in the world, is not confined by the material world or universe, but is in fact beyond it. When we read this parshah, we are called upon to remember and bear witness to God’s simultaneous immanence and transcendence. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

Sisterhood Yoga Class – Free and open to all! Please join the Beth El sisterhood on Sunday February 28 at 1PM with professional corporate Yoga instructor Lisa Feder of Being Well Yoga. The class is tailor made for us and will be a great way to relax, hang out and chill. No previous Yoga experience needed. Please bring a healthy, kosher nosh and yoga mat.

BERS, Sunday school class meets this Sunday, February 14.

Grandpa Abe’s Words of Wisdom:
They will be missed!
As most of you already know, Phil and Keren Harvey are moving to Israel. This is a special event as it’s both sad and happy. We at the synagogue will miss them ever so much. It’s happy that they will be starting a new life together in Israel. Their Jewish life started in our synagogue with conversion by our Hazzan . They have studied hard and I might add often. They have been such friendly people, loving people and very special people. This is their dream. They’re on the road to following it. The road in life is never smooth. Phil had a lot of medical issues which have very much improved. His wife Keren is so sweet and so loving. This is what makes it hard for our congregation to let go. We will let go and never completely get over it. I’m sure if one of us makes the trip to Israel, we could stop in and bring some of our Austin love to them. They have gotten rid of most of their possessions. There are still a few things to settle up like closing on the house in Israel and disposing of their present home and car. I know if I mention to Phil about this story, he would say I’m also shipping some things. Life in our little synagogue without Phil and Keren here will go on, but there will a big hole where they were. Our loss is Israel’s gain. Wishing both of you the very best and safe travels to your new home.
Dor L Dor,
Grandpa Abe

Mishpatim and Shabbat Across America

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight February 5, at the special time of 6:30 PM. We look forward to seeing you for services and a lovely kosher dinner immediately following. We gratefully thank Phil and Keren Harvey for sponsoring the dinner in honor of their upcoming aliya to Israel. Please join us in this very special evening.

We also want to wish our dear Morah Shiry Turjeman a very happy birthday! *

Candle lighting 5:53 PM. We’ll be lighting them together as a shul, and community!

The next Saturday morning services are February 13.

Shabbat across America!
Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA! This evening will be in honor of our Jewish educators at Beth El.

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week’s parshah, Mishpatim, begins with the sentence “And these are the laws that you must place before them(the People of Israel)”. The word “and” is noteworthy-it is clear that this parshah is a continuation of last week’s reading, which was Revelation on Mt. Sinai and the Ten “Commandments”, which in Hebrew are called the Ten Utterances. The laws in our parshah are a continuation of Revelation. The Ten Commandments are not the beginning and certainly not the end of Torah. To reinforce the point, the Rabbis deliberately excluded them from our prayer service, so that one would not think that this was the only important part of the Torah, or even the most important. Also, Torah is not carved in stone, like the Two Tablets-it is always a work in progress, adapting and changing as times change and we better discern God’s Will. May we always look to Torah for guidance, with our eyes to the present even as we remember the past. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

Thank you amazing kidish crew! This week we were joined by Keren, Bev, Doris, Elaine, Yesenia, Michelle, Iris, Mary, Genevieve and Sarah.

BERS, Sunday school class meets this Sunday, February 7, at 10AM. PLEASE check out the article in the Jewish Outlook featuring our lovely little school! Page 82!
http://etypeservices.com/…/jewishoutlook1//Magazine113115/F…

Love to Run? Practice the mitzvah of Shmirat Haguf – taking care of your health and run with Beth El: Did you know that Beth El has an informal running group on most Sunday mornings? All levels can run around Ladybird Lake with the Beth El running group, which leaves from Beth El at 10 AM on Sunday mornings and enjoy a gentle or brisk run around town lake. E-mail info@bethelaustin.org to join.

Rabbi Peter Tarlow’s Weekly Parasha:
This week’s Torah portion is called “Mishpatim” (Justice). You will find it in Exodus 21:1-24:18. Mishpatim provides the legal codes that would form the basis of Israel’s judicial system. It is a long parashah dealing with the ordinances, rules, and regulations needed by a band of slaves if it were to become not merely a nation but a true “light to other nations.” Reading slowly through the parashah we discover that it is extraordinarily rich in the depth of its legal insights and that it covers the gamut of relations between people, between humans with other forms of life, and between humans and G’d. Among its many codes we find: definitions and laws concerning indentured servants (“avadim” in Hebrew), the rules governing capital punishment, laws governing abuse of parents, laws governing personal injury, issues of property damage, prohibitions against sorcery/apostasy, and social laws protecting the disadvantaged such as orphans, foreign nationals, widows, and captives in war.The parashah covers a broad range of legal details. This week’s parashah understands that law is more than mere details. It is also a philosophical approach to life. Throughout the parashah we find philosophical questions such as: “Up to what point are we responsible for our actions, and for the unforeseen or unintended consequences of our actions?” and “Are all citizens to be treated equally before the law?”The text forces the reader to ask hard questions such as: What is the purpose of law? Do laws exist to protect the strong and rich or to protect the weak and poor? Are all people to be treated equally before the law? It is interesting to note that an unbiased researcher of legal systems around the world would be forced to conclude that most laws are implemented in a way that protects the powerful and rich against the downtrodden and weak. Yet the Torah is clear that justice must be equal for all. The great medieval commentator RASHI noted that despite this philosophy of law’s logic few nations truly hold the strong equally liable with the weak. In most nations high government officials are never prosecuted, bribes are a way of life, and although the law may be the same, the law’s implementation is not. We see the philosophical idea of equality before the law in G’d punishment of Moses and the fact that modern Israel is one of the few nation’s on the face of the earth where a Prime Minister is sent to prison for the taking of (in political terms) a relatively minor bribe. In how many other nations do those in power break the law and the media remains part of a conspiracy of silence?

Community News: The Mysteries of the 613 Commandments. Beth El is proud to be a host and sponsor of this fascinating educational program.

Wednesdays 12-1:30 PM $18/class or $50 for the entire three part series. By tradition, there are 613 commandments, or mitzvot, in the Hebrew Bible. For Jews, these mitzvot – taken together – inform the life by which God calls us to live. Jews have all sorts of differing ideas about which of these mitzvot should actually be followed and how. But rarely do we give them a fresh look to study and discuss how they might give guidance to how we live in our own time. This session will attempt to begin that discussion in our community by exploring a way of examining the mitzvot as classified by Maimonides. Taught by Sandy Kress. This is a lunch and learn, please bring only dairy, parve or veggie.

Series 1: “Our Relationship with God”: February 24, March 2, 9 at Temple Beth Shalom, 7300 Hart Lane
Series 2: “Our Relationship with Others”: March 23, 30, April 6 at Congregation Beth El, 8902 Mesa Dr.
Series 3: “The Requirements of Justice” : April 20, 27, May 4 at Congregation Agudas Achim, 7300 Hart Lane
To register please go to: www.shalomaustin.org/jll

Sisterhood Candle making class!

Parashat Yitro – On Eagles’ Wings

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight January 29, at 7 PM. We look forward to seeing you.

Candle lighting 5:47 PM.
 
The next Saturday morning services are  February 13.
*Are you ready for First Fridays*
Friday February 5 at the special time of 6:30 PM we will have a shabbat dinner in honor of Phil and Keren Harvey who are making aliya to Israel in February. Keren and Phil have generously sponsored the Friday dinner and we thank them sincerely. Kidish crew will meet Thursday February 4th at Beth El at 11:30 AM to help cook. Anyone can join us!
Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA! This evening will be in honor of our Jewish educators at Beth El.
IF you’re on FACEBOOK, be sure to join the Beth El Austin Facebook page. You can also add your friends. Let’s get the word out about this Jewel in Austin’s Jewish community: Congregation Beth El.
 
Please consider joining the Shomrim of Austin. Congregation Beth El has been a part of Austin shomrim, a group of men and women who help in this amazing mitzvah when someone in the community has passed away. Please email us for more details. Go to the following link for more information and to sign up: 
Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Weekly Message:
This week we read in Parshat Yitro about God’s Revelation at Mt. Sinai.  Moshe Rabbenu ascends the mountain and begins the process of receiving Torah from God, the Torah that commands that we pursue justice in this world. Interestingly, the parshah begins with Moshe’s father in law, Yitro, giving advice about how to effectively administer justice, by setting up a system of courts.  It is not by Divine Revelation but by human wisdom that we arrive at the mechanisms for doing God’s will.  Human wisdom of course grows and changes as we learn more-so too must our approach to God change and grow.  God is eternal, but we are constantly evolving-this is how we are made, and we must always, like Moshe our Teacher, learn from the best of human knowledge and apply it to our relationship with God.  Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Beshalach

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight 22, at 7 PM. We look forward to seeing you. Candle lighting 5:41 PM.

Saturday morning services are TOMORROW January 23, at 9 AM, with the Torah service at 9:45 Kidish following services as well as special children’s story time!

*HOLD THE DATES: First Fridays* …
We have a couple of lovely Friday night dinners coming up on the FIRST FRIDAYS of the month. Friday February 5 at the special time of 6:30 PM we will have a shabbat dinner in honor of Phil and Keren Harvey who are making aliya to Israel in February. Keren and Phil have generously sponsored the Friday dinner and we thank them sincerely.

Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA! This evening will be in honor of our Jewish educators at Beth El.

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
Each Friday night, when we recite the kiddush over wine, we say that Shabbat is “zekher litziyyat Mitzrayim”, a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. This is from our parshah, B’shallah, which deals with the crossing of the Sea of Reeds and the beginning of the journey through the desert. When B’nai Yisrael begin to receive manna as their food, they are commanded not to collect it on Shabbat, but rather they are to stop working and rest. This of course was not possible in slavery in Egypt-slaves are at the beck and call of their masters at all times. Only free people can truly observe Shabbat-and it was for the purpose of observing the Shabbat and the other mitzvot that the People of Israel were liberated from Egypt. We are not only free from slavery-we are free to pursue our spiritual path. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

BERS, Sunday school class meets this Sunday, January 24. We will be joined at 11:30 AM by Mirit Solomon-Shimony who is a certified yoga instructor and will be doing jungle yoga with the kids – BUT with a Jewish twist in honor of Tu Be Shevat. Please bring a yoga mat or towel.

 

Parashat Bo – come on over you all!

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight 1/15, at 7 PM. Bo (come on over) for soulful prayer, camaraderie and lots of singing! Stay after and catch up with your Beth El friends.

NEXT Saturday morning services are January 23, at 9 AM

A big thank you to Bob and Bettye Halperin for sponsoring the kidush on January 23 in honor of Bob’s birthday. There will be a lovely kosher meat meal following services as well as special children’s story time!

*HOLD THE DATES: First Fridays*
We have a couple of lovely Friday night dinners coming up on the FIRST FRIDAYS of the month. Friday February 5 at the special time of 6:30 PM we will have a shabbat dinner in honor of Phil and Keren Harvey who are making aliya to Israel in February. Keren and Phil have generously sponsored the Friday dinner and we thank them sincerely.

Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA!

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week’s parshah, Bo, ends with the Exodus-with the People of Israel leaving Egypt. Of course, we know that the Exodus was successful, and we celebrate our liberation from Egypt every year at Passover. However, our Tradition speaks of an earlier, unsuccessful exodus of part of the Tribe of Ephraim, based on a midrashic reading of the genealogies at the beginning of the Book of Chronicles. According to this tradition, some of the Ephraimites left Egypt 30 years earlier but were all killed in battle with the Philistines. They did not succeed, because they did not go with the rest of their People. We know that the Community of Israel, K’lal Yisrael, is greater than the sum of its parts. This is why certain prayers, the most holy ones, can only be said with a minyan. This is why we are encouraged to share feasts like the Passover Seder with others. We are at our best when we are together. While we may as individuals have our differences, we come together to form a harmonious whole, as four voices can come together to form a choir. May we always, as a congregation, a community and a People, be united in our efforts to serve God, both in our words of prayer and Torah, and in our deeds. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

BERS, Sunday school class meets this Sunday, January 17 for some more Sunday Fundays. We will focus on Tu Be Shevat and explore all things to do with the birthday of the trees, which is Monday January 25. Pictured above are Morah Shiry’s students learning Havdallah with Cantor Ben-Moshe last Sunday.

Grandpa Abe’s Words of Wisdom:
A tribute to Marion Miller z’l
When I started this column, I told you that I would be writing about people, places, and things. This time I wish to write about a special person. I don’t like writing a story like this, but it’s got to be written. As you have already heard, Marion Miller passed away on January 6th. A lot of people come and go in this world. Not many of them leave their footprints in the sand. Marion was a special person. She was not only attractive outside, but inside where it really counts. I always found her very compassionate and understanding. She had a lot of wisdom that, if you spoke to her, she’d be willing to share with you. Her love for her family was endless. Just seeing her family all together just radiated with love. At the funeral, you could see the boys taking care of their dad, either wiping his nose or seeing that he was kept warm. This kind of love is taught through the mom and dad. There were many, many things at the synagogue she helped with. Not to mention all the work she has put in with the Jewish War Veterans. She was always willing to stop what she was doing to talk to you and to give you some encouragement. It’s hard to describe a person that is this special. It’s hard for me to believe that she is no longer among us, but her legacy will live on. If we had more people like her to be a role model, this world would be so much better. It was always fun to hear Bob describe family gatherings on Jewish Holidays. How much joy there was in their celebrations! Seeing pictures of these celebrations only confirmed what we all knew. They were a happy family. Marion will always be missed. Their family traditions will continue, but there will a vacant space.
Dor L Dor,
Grandpa Abe