Parashat Tetzaveh

Friday Night Shabbat Services are Tonight 2/19, at 7 PM.
Candle lighting in Austin is at 6:04 PM

Our next Saturday morning services are shabbat February 27, at 9 AM.

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!

Happy upcoming birthdays to dear congregants Elaine Jacobs and Sara K! Last week was a treat as we celebrated with Barry Mann, Gregg Philipson, Rachael and Arie Stavchansky and Brucha Greenberg!

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week’s parshah, tetzaveh, deals with the Kohanim, the priestly class of ancient Israel-their clothing, the ceremony of ordination, and some of their basic duties. The Kohanim fulfilled an important function for our ancestors, bridging the gap between human and Divine, bringing the People of Israel closer to God through teaching Torah and through the rituals of the Mishkan and later the Temple. Today of course we honor the memory of the Temple priesthood, but we understand that any person can draw close to God, and that no Jew is better than any other by birth. The priesthood was a necessary step in our evolution, but now we are on the way to full egalitarianism before God. 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 21

Are you ready for Purim at Beth El – we are gonna rock the house. Special treats in store for Wednesday March 23, 7:30 PM. Entertaining Megilla reading, music, delicious hamentaschen, some L’ Chaims and a few surprises – what more could you ask for?

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