Parashat Naso and Grandpa Abe

Shabbat shalom! Please join us for our Kaballat Shabbat services, Friday May 25, at the regular time of 7:00 p.m.

Saturday Morning services are this week, Saturday May 26, starting at 9 am with Psukei D’Zimra, Torah service at 9:45, with children’s story time at around 10:30. We will end with a kidish lunch at around 12 noon. All are welcome! Beth El is truly a place where “everyone knows your name” and has a kind word and smile for you.

Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Weekly Message;

This week’s parshah, Naso, continues the theme from last week of preparation to leave Sinai and begin the trek to the Land of Israel. Continuing with the numbering of the Levites and detailing their responsibilities, a number of laws are given and then the parshah closes with the dedication of the Mishkan. This dedication included equal gifts from the tribal chieftains, and this section of our parshah also comprises the Torah readings for Hanukkah, the holiday of the rededication of the Temple. We read this parshah near the summer solstice, when the days are longest, and again at Hanukkah near the winter solstice, when days are shortest. In truth, any time is proper for dedication to doing what is Godly in this world. Shabbat Shalom.

Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

Shabbat candle lighting times are at 8: 06 p.m.

www.bethelaustin.org/donate

Macrame and Margaritas!
Sunday June 24 @ 4pm @ Beth El

Join the Beth El sisterhood for Macrame making with our wonderful teacher Anat who will show us the ins and outs of this fun craft. And just for fun, we will all be bringing super healthy salads to share and making Margaritas to sip. Open to all! A $5 donation to help cover costs.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

we will also be watching the musical Mama Mia together on June 26 at the home of Juliette and then as soon as Mama Mia, Here We Go Again Comes Out will watch it as a sisterhood!

Sisterhood Book Club.
Judas by Amos Oz –
available in Hebrew and English

Summertime and the reading is easy – or at least incredibly interesting. The sisterhood is reading Amos Oz’s 2016 novel, Judas. We will meet at the end of the summer to have a stimulating discussion, so get your copy soon.

Also, save the date. Our annual “state of the shul” meeting will be held on Sunday, June 10, at 4:30 p.m. followed by a Kosher cookout. We plan to discuss shul business and elect officers for the upcoming year. To nominate a current member as an officer, please send an email to Bob Miller, chair of the nominating committee at bob.miller@milleruniforms.com Nominations should be submitted no later than 15 days before the board meeting. The meeting is open to all – they are always a great deal of fun and very inspiring. We are blessed to be part of this small, yet vibrant and truly chesed filled congregation.

And finally, you all are invited to the Bat Mitzvah of Sara K on the weekend of June 16. Iris and Kevin would be deeply honored to have their Beth El family attend.

Grandpa Abe: What a Day!

On Saturday, the 12th of May, we were so fortunate to have had a Bar Mitzvah at our special worshiping place. Jonathan was the Bar Mitzvah boy. He stood so proudly at the bimah and as he carried the Torah around. It just made me feel good all over, as they say down here in Texas. This was not the only thing that I noticed in our special synagogue. I looked around and I saw a middle aged gentleman with his arm on the back of the pew resting on his wife’s shoulder. Not far from him was another couple sitting real close to each other sharing his tallis. (I’m not quite sure if the tallis was to keep her warm or if he wanted to share these special moments with her. But for whatever reason, it was heartwarming) When the service ended, a lot of the couples turned to each other and they gave each other an affectionate kiss. I know this should be a Valentine’s Day story, but you have to write when the occasion arises. As my wife would say, it’s a Mother’s Day story. The children have picked up on this feeling of love and friendship in their happenings around the synagogue. I see them using, as we would say, their good manners. They are very polite and just all around very special children. I guess their parents have taught them well, with God’s help.

Dor ‘l Dor,

Grandpa Abe

Please join Shalom Austin on Sunday June 3 at the Dell Jewish Community Campus for their wonderful and family friendly SPLASH BASH. From 11 to 3. Free and open to the community.