Parashat Ki Tavo

Friday Night Shabbat Services
Tonight 9/23, at the regular time of 7:00 PM.
Shabbat morning services are this Saturday September 24 at 9AM. It is generously sponsored by Arthur Gurney in loving memory of his late mother Lorraine of blessed memory. It will be a delicious meat luncheon.
Havdallah and Slichot services are this Saturday evening at 8 PM. Children please bring your PJs.
Sunday School at 10 AM Sunday September 25, followed immediately by the Beth El work day. Please help us make the shul extra beautiful for the High Holidays.
Check out the High Holiday schedule at www.bethelaustin.org
Candle lighting in Austin is at 7:06 PM
Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week, our parshah, Ki Tavo, deals mainly with what the People of Israel are to do when they enter the Land of Israel. Moses’ instructions to the People include the laws of bringing First Fruits to the Sanctuary and the laws of the triennial Poor Tithe. The parshah also deals with two ceremonies which are to take place immediately upon crossing the Jordan. In one, the People are to build a stone monument, plaster it, and then write the text of the Torah upon it. In the other, they are to go to the valley between Mt. G’rizim and Mt. ‘Eival, outside the city of Sh’chem. There, they are to recite a litany of curses against those who commit crimes which would upset the order of society. The Levites were to recite the curses, and all the People were to answer “amen”, signifying agreement and acceptance. The first things that our ancestors were commanded in the Land of Israel was to bind themselves to law, to the Covenant. Moses would no longer be there to lead the People-it would become the responsibility of the People to govern themselves. As we enter the High Holiday season in earnest-we begin saying S’lihot, penitential prayers on Saturday night-let us pledge to govern ourselves, as individuals and as a community, in a way that reflects our Covenant with God. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
Slichot and some truly meaningful soul searching! Do not miss this wonderful once a year pre-high holiday evening service.
Challah fundraiser. The Sunday school kiddos and volunteers will once more make a culinary delight. We will bake special round holiday challot and you can order your holiday challah for pick up. Either plain, chocolate chip or raisin. Suggested donation of $5 a challah with all proceeds going to help the Sunday school. PLEASE EMAIL US AT info@bethelaustin.org to place your order.
PLEASE HELP SPONSOR A HIGH HOLIDAY KIDUSH MEAL. We will gratefully accept donations of paper goods, kosher challah juice and wine, kosher deserts and of course, monetary donations.
A fabulous day was had by all of the kids, teachers and volunteers at the Beth El Religious School on Sunday.
We welcomed four new friends: Stella, Max, Izzy and Mia. We are so happy they have joined our BERS!
What a busy morning we had! A big thank you to Juliette Meinstein, Iris Daniel, Tamara Miller, Judith Golden, and Iris Koeller for helping make our honey cake baking extra sweet. We could not have done it without you!
We made delicious honey cakes to deliver to some of our friends and to Jewish residents at several senior homes.
The children also made adorable, apple print Rosh Hashanah cards to go along with the sweet treats. What a beautiful and tasty mitzvah!
Kitah alef: the children enjoyed Morah Anat’s reading of “Zen Ties,” a book about a panda who baked goodies for older people in her community. This was a great introduction to the happenings of the day.
Kitah bet: Morah Lital taught her class a beautiful Israeli song called “Be Rosh Hashanah.” They continued working in their new Hebrew books and completed a challenging Hebrew word search.
Kitah gimel: Morah Bev continued to work with her class on reading and writing in Hebrew and the senior class followed the honey cake recipe with little assistance and made beautiful cards.
There were some V.I.P.s meeting in the sanctuary on Sunday. Mike Miller, Hal and Elaine Jacobs, Barbara Goldin and their fellow Jewish War Veterans held their meeting and then came out to say hello. Mike Miller shared that he had served in the Navy in Vietnam and described what the Jewish War Veterans do). The children thanked him for his service (see photo above). It was a sweet, memorable teachable moment, in the sunshine during Hebrew school recess.
Next week, Cantor Yitzhak Ben-Moshe will continue teaching his group the High Holiday melodies and prayers as they prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
We wish everyone a wonderful week! Fill out those mitzvah leaves as you do something to help someone.
L’Shalom,
Shereen Ben-Moshe
Grandpa Abe :Times have changed
It was about 40 something years ago that I felt the need and obligation to pay my dues at my house of worship. At that time, I was a youngster, married with several children. We had all we could do to keep the bills paid. My wife stayed home with the children because we thought the children needed supervision. Our financial state was so tight that each year I would go to the bank and borrow the money to make sure that my dues were paid on time. I felt that the synagogue needed my money to operate and also I felt an obligation to pay my dues. As time went on, I would get dues statements with no amount on them. I always paid what I felt was my fair share, trying to raise the amount whenever possible.
Now that all the children are grown and left the nest, I feel even a bigger obligation to see that my synagogue has my share. Without people donating their fair share to our synagogue, we would not have one. And if we did not have one, it would be very hard to perpetuate our fine religion. I’m writing this letter just after I wrote a check to my synagogue or I should say, OUR synagogue. The dues have gone up by me for my fair share since I took that first loan out. I now do not need to take a loan out and feel extra special when I write a check to OUR synagogue. I have been told by several people that that is one way to becoming a good Jew, that is to support our synagogue.
This is the time of the year that the synagogue is asking for your help. It comes in different shapes and forms. It may be called donations or even dues. The bottom line is help keep our synagogue going. It doesn’t run entirely on love. We must have money.
Dor ‘l Dor,
Grandpa Abe
I see something in our congregation that I feel is just wonderful. It’s all the new life we’ve got started. When I mean new life, I mean all the children we have. We have them at nearly every age and they all are enjoying Judaism. We have some of the best singers anywhere around. The girls just sing their hearts out. The children have really done well in their studies at Sunday School being taught by some wonderful teachers. I was speaking to one of the parents and the dad was telling me that they had to rearrange their vacation so the children wouldn’t miss Sunday School. It wasn’t his doings. It had to do with the children. They wanted to attend. It’s wonderful to see the children wanting to get all the knowledge they can. Although I see the children having fun, I also see them taking it very seriously. When I was younger (that was before dirt) we would ask the teacher if we could go to the restroom and never return. Before we knew it the whole class was out of the room. Need I tell you how much we learned. Now we pay the price. I am so glad to see these children grow up in such a fine synagogue as ours. They are the future. “Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
I see something in our congregation that I feel is just wonderful. It’s all the new life we’ve got started. When I mean new life, I mean all the children we have. We have them at nearly every age and they all are enjoying Judaism. We have some of the best singers anywhere around. The girls just sing their hearts out. The children have really done well in their studies at Sunday School being taught by some wonderful teachers. I was speaking to one of the parents and the dad was telling me that they had to rearrange their vacation so the children wouldn’t miss Sunday School. It wasn’t his doings. It had to do with the children. They wanted to attend. It’s wonderful to see the children wanting to get all the knowledge they can. Although I see the children having fun, I also see them taking it very seriously. When I was younger (that was before dirt) we would ask the teacher if we could go to the restroom and never return. Before we knew it the whole class was out of the room. Need I tell you how much we learned. Now we pay the price. I am so glad to see these children grow up in such a fine synagogue as ours. They are the future. “Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Our Honey Cake Bakers Tamara Miller, Iris Daniel, Juliette Meinstein and Shereen Ben-Moshe! Thank you ladies!
Happy September birthdays to Vania Aguilar, Ilan Ben-Moshe, Carmen Rodriguez, Kay Shapiro, Judith Golden, Doris Hochman, Orli Carmel and Gail Ellenbogen. May you have an amazing and blessed year ahead. If we don’t have your birthday, please do send it to us.
NOW OPEN: US Holocaust Memorial Museum Exhibition: “State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda” Exhibition
UPCOMING: Public Program Wednesday, September 28
Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave, Austin
State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda is a traveling exhibition produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It examines how the Nazis used propaganda to win broad voter support in Germany’s young democracy after World War I, implement radical programs under the party’s dictatorship in the 1930s, and justify war and mass murder. This most extreme case study emphasizes why the issue of propaganda matters and challenges citizens to actively question, analyze, and seek the truth.
Public Program:
US Holocaust Memorial Museum Event – Fueling Extremism in a Wired World: The Balance of National Security and Personal Liberty
Wednesday, September 28, 7- 8:30 PM
Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave, Austin Free
Check out a piece about Gregg and Michelle Phipson!
http://www.thestoryoftexas.com/…/collecting-to-remember-gre…
Senior Rosh Hashanah Luncheon
Wednesday, September 28, 11:15-1:00 PM
JCC Austin, Community Hall
Make your reservation today!
The Jewish Federation of Greater Austin Women’s Division will host this year’s Rosh Hashanah Luncheon at the JCC, 7300 Hart Lane. Services and music will be led by Rabbi Alan Freedman and Cantorial Soloist Abby Gostein from Temple Beth Shalom. Reservations are needed by today. Door to door transportation is available.
For more information or to register, please contact Annie Skelton at 512-735-8088 or annie.skelton@shalomaustin.org.
For transportation requests, please contact Julia Sparks at 512-735-8024 or julia.sparks@shalomaustin.org.
NOW OPEN: US Holocaust Memorial Museum Exhibition: “State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda”
Exhibition
UPCOMING: Public Program Wednesday, September 28
Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave, Austin
State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda is a traveling exhibition produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It examines how the Nazis used propaganda to win broad voter support in Germany’s young democracy after World War I, implement radical programs under the party’s dictatorship in the 1930s, and justify war and mass murder. This most extreme case study emphasizes why the issue of propaganda matters and challenges citizens to actively question, analyze, and seek the truth.
Public Program:
US Holocaust Memorial Museum Event – Fueling Extremism in a Wired World: The Balance of National Security and Personal Liberty
Wednesday, September 28, 7- 8:30 PM
Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave, Austin
Free
Registration Required: https://www.ushmm.org/events
In 1924, Adolf Hitler wrote, “Propaganda is a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert.” While digital tools are fostering unprecedented global conversation, extremists are using them to foment hate, recruit followers, and incite violence. The Museum is prioritizing this timely conversation to explore the tension between free speech, incendiary propaganda, and personal liberty. What responsibility do technology companies, governments, and individuals have to shape the reach of social media and technology to keep our world safe?
Questions/Contacts: USHMM Southeast Regional Office at 561-995-6773 or email southeast@ushmm.org