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CHAI TIMES at CBI
December
Index December Calendar January Calendar Messages: Rabbi Weintraub Cantor Schultz Director of Lifelong Learning, Maureen Sechan Guess Who’s Coming To Shabbas Latke social / Chase the Dreidel Let The games begin / Shabbat on the road Havdalah Undernighter / Hanukkah Story Time / Beginning Hebrew Reading Biking With Rabbi / Jweish Thought at Jo-Els Guess Who’s Been To Shabbas / Coffee Talk With Rabbi Jews & Brews / Iyun for Young Professionals Introduction to Judaism Parent Education Class / Lunch & Learn Sisterhood Cookie Mitzvah / Adult Bar - Bat Mitzvah Israeli Dancing / Support Israel For Hanukkah Home Security CBI Library CBI Birthdays CBI Anniversaries
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
December Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thur
Fri
1
Sat
2
Simcha Shabbat Morning Service
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Israeli
3 Dancing
4
Let the Games Begin PRTT Religious School Teddy Bear Hanukkah
10 Israeli Dancing
Israeli
Introduction to Judaism Class
11
Israeli Dancing
12
13 Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class
Intro to Judaism Class
7 Hanukkah Begins
18
25
CBI Office Closed
19
at 10 8 Torah (Zoom)
Beginning Jewish Thought Hebrew Reading at Jo-El's Men's Club Latke Hannukah Dinner Kabbalat Shabbat Service
14
15
Beginning Torah at 10 Hebrew Reading (Zoom) Biking with the Rabbi Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Young Profess. class
PRTT Religious School Rosh Chodesh Women's Group
24
6 Coffee talk with Rabbi
PRTT Religious School Parent Education Class Chase the Dreidel 5k
17 Dancing
5
20
Lunch with the Rabbi Intro to Judaism Class
Coffee talk with Rabbi
26
27
21
Jews & Brews
Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class
28
22
Torah at 10 (Zoom) Shabbat on the Road Service
29
Torah at 10 (Zoom)
Christmas Mitzvah Day Kabbalat Shabbat Service
31
9
Shabbat Service
16
Shabbat Service Junior Congregation and Tot Shabbat
23
David & Janice LeVine Bnai Mitzvah Anniversary & Shabbat Morning Service
30
Grandparents Shabbat Morning Service
January Sun
Mon
1
Tue
2
Wed
3
Thur
4
New Years Day CBI Office Closed
Fri
5
6
Torah at 10 (Zoom)
Simcha Shabbat Service
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
7
8
9
10
11
12
PRTT Religious School
Introduction to Judaism Class
Coffee talk with Rabbi
Torah at 10 (Zoom)
Israeli Dancing
Tizmoret Concert Young Professionals class
Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class
Jewish Thought at Jo-El's
Rosh Chodesh Women’s Group Israeli Dancing
15 MLK Day CBI Office Closed
16 Lunch with the Rabbi
22
17
Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class
18 Jews & Brews
19
Torah at 10 (Zoom)
Introduction to Judaism Class
23 Introduction to Judaism Class
PRTT Religious School Parent Education Class
24 Coffee talk with Rabbi Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class Israeli Innovations
Men’s Club Steak and Scotch
PRTT Religious School Some of us: Meet American Jewish Heroes
Israeli Dancing
25
26
Torah at 10 (Zoom) Kabbalat Shabbat Service Biking with the Rabbi Shabbat Dinner
Israeli Dancing
28
29
30 Introduction to Judaism Class
13 Shabbat Service
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
21
Family Shabbat and youth service
Biking with the Rabbi Sisterhood General Meeting
14
Sat
31 Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class
20
Shabbat Service
Junior Congregation and Tot Shabbat
27
Shabbat Shirah Morning Service
The mitzvah of Hanukkah is pirsumei nisah, publicizing the miracle. We share the story of Hanukkah, reminding ourselves and those around us of the greatest miracle of all: we are here. We are proud to be Jews, yesterday, today and tomorrow. We will stand up for our rights, celebrate together and remember our history--every single day. As Peter, Paul and Mary said: “We light one candle for all we believe in… don’t let the light go out!” This lesson is one that is needed now, more than ever. When those around the world and far too close to home say that Jewish lives are less valuable than any others, we must declare that we are here and we are not going anywhere. For most of my rabbinate, I have worked to welcome and embrace Jews and Jewish life in the synagogue AND throughout the community. The reason I have coffees, lunches, Jews and Brews, home studies, bicycle rides, and give community speeches and blessings is so that everyone in our area knows that CBI is here and Judaism is everywhere. Since October 7th, I have received calls from Jews who have not regularly been synagogue goers. They have asked how to get involved, how to re-affiliate, how to reidentify. I remind them that they have always been Jewish and now is the time to be proud. Lighting the candles for Hanukkah is a rebellious act. It has been since the very beginning. Join us for Chase the Dreidel, for Shabbat Hanukkah Dinner or for minyan or any of my around town activities. Be proud of who you are. Light one candle, and then another, and another. Your light is MY inspiration.
We’re having a concert next month! On Tuesday, January 9 at 7 pm, CBI is pleased to welcome Tizmoret, who are Queens College Hillel’s professional Jewish a cappella group. Tizmoret draws singers from colleges throughout the New York City area and has taken Jewish collegiate a cappella to the next level, performing classic Jewish melodies, American pop music and contemporary Israeli tunes. Tizmoret has produced eight full-length albums as well as two EPs. They have performed for countless B’neiMitzvot and synagogues, college campuses, at the Merkin Hall and Symphony Space, and various music festivals across the Eastern United States. Tizmoret won the 5th annual Long Island College A Cappella Challenge in 2010, won Kol HaOlam (the national Jewish collegiate a cappella competition) in 2011, 2012, and 2015, won the first annual Philadelphia Jewish Collegiate A Cappella Competition in 2017, and competed in the 2017 and 2019 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). They annually tour the east coast and beyond, and have even performed in Italy at a New Year’s party as well as at the annual White House Hanukkah party in 2014. To get a preview of the treat that you’re in for, check out this video: https://youtu.be/hMJ0m6-uK-0?si=pDv-U8iAQFtZusgW More information, including ticket prices and sponsorship levels, will be coming very soon. There are logistics involved in producing a concert like this. In this case, one of the logistics is providing one night of home hospitality for the singers on the night of the concert, January 9, preferably in kosher homes. There will be 10-15 of them. If you have beds available in your home for that night and would like to host 1 or 2 of the singers, please contact either myself or the office. Also, if you would like to help with the planning or with the night of the concert (e.g. box office, ushers, etc.), I would love to hear from you. B’shalom, Cantor Jonathan Schultz
“Who Can Retell the Things That Befell Us? Who Can Count them? In Every Age a Hero or Sage Came to Our Aid.” I could retell the things that befell our people. It wouldn’t be easy because it keeps me awake in the middle of the night like a looming shadow in a time when darkness is literally increasing. However, Hanukkah, The Festival of Lights, is a time of increasing our joy: we light an additional candle each night, from right to left like we read Hebrew, and by the eighth night we have a brilliant display to chase away the darkness. And so to chase away the darkness, I will count eight recent heroes aiding us in this season and briefly describe their victories over darkness. 1. Oz Davidian is an Israeli farmer who saved 120 people in Re’im, the site of the Nova Music festival. He made 20 trips in his truck with dash cam showing each harrowing journey. One passenger thought he was from Shin Bet, the Israel Security force. Here’s his story: https:// www.timesofisrael.com/truck-dashcam-footage-shows-farmer-dodging-bullets-as-he saved-120-from-music-festival/ 2. Youssef Ziadna, an Arab-Isareli Bedouin mini bus driver drove into the attack and left with a bus full of 30 Israelis from Nova music festival. Four of his family members have been missing from the attack, and a cousin was killed on 10/7. Here is his story: https:// www.jta.org/2023/10/19/israel/this-bedouin-bus-driver-is-credited-with-saving-30-people from-the-outdoor-party-massacre 3. Rachel Edri, 65, from Kibbutz Ofakeem and her husband were held hostage in their home. She stalled 5 terrorists for 17 hours by giving them cookies and kindness while using her wits to transmit information to police outside. She saved her family and others during that 17 hours. Her story: https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/bjxis4611t 4. A world first: three all female tank crews defended kibbutzim and the Israel-Gaza border for 17 hours—in their tanks. See their incredible story and video here: https://www.timesofisrael.com/female-idf-tank-crews-ran-down-dozens-of-hamas-terrorists-on october-7/ 5. Zaka, Israel’s search, rescue and Chesed shel Emet volunteer service who tirelessly comb the devastation in order to provide ultimate dignity to the fallen. 6. Air force reservists from Israel, who months ago were criticized as traitors by standing up to perceived threats to Israeli democracy, were in the cockpits of their planes within hours of the attack on October 7. Thousands of reservists from around the world flew back to Israel if they were able. 7. Thousands of volunteers from Israel and the world, including members of our CBI community, are working in the south picking produce, cooking food and tending fields and livestock to alleviate the dire circumstances facing Israel’s agricultural hub due to the war. 8. Rimon Kirsht Buchshtav, a recently released hostage, was told to hold hands with her Hamas captors as she walked to Red Cross “volunteers” and to hug them. She looked the Hamas terrorist in the eyes and said, “No one is to touch us right now. We will walk on our own with our heads held high.” And that’s what she did, along with some fellow hostages. The ninth candle is called the shammash, the helper candle. We are grateful for those allies who stand by us in truth, spirit and humanity. Our light shines brighter together and will dispel the darkness. May we go from strength to strength. Am Yisrael Chai!
Guess Who’s Coming To SHabbas We welcomed Diane and Phil Bloom, our Canadian members, back with dinner and Havdalah at the home of Kathleen Buns. Also pictured are Michael Barth and Maureen Shacter.
CBI Library Click Here for CBI ONLINE Buns Family Library – Browse our Library! (virtually or in the synagogue).For any questions about the site, log in, or book check out, contact Jill Weisberg at bellallure1@aol.com or 717-917-3748 (Jill is also happy to check out books for you). Library Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm M-F. Browse the shelves. To check out a book, please complete the "Check Out A Book" sheet by the library computer. The library is open during Friday night and Saturday morning. Books cannot be checked out during these Shabbat hours. On November 7, 2020, we lost our beloved Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. Jonathan Sacks, Baron Sacks was an English Orthodox rabbi, philosopher, theologian, and author. Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013. What better way to celebrate his distinguished life than to read his books.
We happily accept donations that are intact and do not have tears or yellowing. Help in reshelving and moving around books is needed. Contact Jill Weisberg at bellallure1@aol.com
Alli Gordon Gerry Mensh Susie van Gelder Susie Schwartz Ronnie Geffon Diane Bloom Barbara Rubin Jeff Miller Murray Rubin Sharron Scott Judy Kaye Amy Giskin Mason Salit Karen Sher Judi Gordon Bill Marger Amy Mendelblatt Ali Breslav Goldberg Jennifer Sternberg Arnie Kravitz Reva Pearlstein David Margulies
Pam Askin Rebecca Zapen Douglass Vicki Greenfield Janet Augenbraun Maxine Kaufman Jocelyn Howard Susan Bartholomew Ina Sheppard Mark Walters David Zwerin Stephanie Adelson Mark Benjamin Riva Bartell Myrna Rubin Sheryl Sutton Nancy Weil Hannah Ayes Larry Litt Ted Glatt
Happy Birthday!
Michael & Margot Benstock Morris & Billie Bornstein David H. & Myra Gross Arthur and Diana Jay Ross & Jennifer Levy Ben & Rita Thomas Mark & Judith Teitelbaum Rhonda Care & Hadley Manings
Happy Anniversary