Introduction to Judaism Class at CBI – Beginning in November

   

Do you want to learn more about Judaism? Great!

Announcing a new  Introduction to Judaism class at Congregation Beth Israel:  a new program in Jewish engagement for everyone regardless of religion or background, offered in partnership with the Louis & Judith Miller  Introduction to Judaism Program at American Jewish University.

This class, taught by Rabbi Rachel, will have eighteen sessions over the course of the fall and winter, beginning in November 2016. (Schedule TBD — after the Days of Awe we’ll take a break to breathe, then dive in together, and we’ll do our best to find a class time that works for everyone who signs up.)

Free for CBI members; $60 for non-members.

To sign up, contact rabbibarenblat@gmail.com. 

The required textbook is $20; let the rabbi know if this is a hardship.

New dates: class on death, mourning, and transformation

Dear CBI members and friends,

I have heard from several of those who wanted to take my upcoming class on Jewish teachings about death and mourning that the dates don’t work for y’all, so I am moving the class further into the summer season. The new dates are: June 5, June 26, and July 24. Here’s the description of the class:

Death, mourning, and transformation

This three-session class, taught by Rabbi Rachel, will explore Jewish ideas, teachings, and rituals around death and mourning. We’ll explore texts both ancient and modern which will offer us different Jewish ideas about death and afterlife, taharah and burial, and kaddish and mourning customs. The class will meet at 10am on Sundays June 5, June 26, and July 24

Price: $18 for CBI members, $36 for non-members. Register by emailing rabbibarenblat at gmail dot com.

I look forward to learning with y’all!

Blessings,

Rabbi Rachel

Announcing an adult education class this spring

Death, mourning, and transformation

This three-session class, taught by Rabbi Rachel, will explore Jewish ideas, teachings, and rituals around death and mourning. We’ll explore texts both ancient and modern which will offer us different Jewish ideas about death and afterlife, taharah and burial, and kaddish and mourning customs. The class will meet at 10am on Sundays April 3, May 15, and June 5.

Price: $18 for CBI members, $36 for non-members. Register by emailing rabbibarenblat at gmail dot com.

Shavua tov! Looking forward to a very special Shabbat.

Shavua tov – a  good week to you! The coming Shabbat is going to be special in several ways.

A MUSICAL SHABBAT WITH RABBI RACHEL & RABBI DAVID

Rabbi David Evan Markus, my ALEPH co-chair, will be co-leading Shabbat services with me over the February 27 weekend. Those of y’all who were with us at the end of August last time he visited may remember the beauty and sweetness he brings to the bimah. Expect music, harmony, teachings, and an extra helping of joy. Please join us for Friday night services at 7:30pm on Friday February 26, and Saturday morning services at 9:30am on Saturday February 27.

On Friday night we will begin with a potluck Shabbat dinner at 6:30pm — we are still seeking a host who can organize cleanup and lock the building at the end of the evening, so if that’s you, please let me know!

This week we’re reading parashat Ki Tisa.
If you’d like to read some commentaries on this week’s Torah portion, some links follow:

• 2006: A mishkan in time
• 2008: The people, the calf, and Moshe
• 2009: Re-entry [Torah poem]
• 2011: God’s afterimage, and letting our light shine
• 2011: The other side of the story [Torah poem]
• 2013: Cloud of glory: a d’var Torah for chol ha-moed Sukkot (we read this same Torah portion during Sukkot as well)
• 2014: Shabbat, the Golden Calf, and Rest
• 2015: Inspiration

And here’s the URJ’s compilation of commentaries on this week’s Torah portion: Ki Tisa at the URJ.

Even once Shabbat draws to its close, there will be other exciting happenings in our community next weekend.

A TALK BY RABBI JILL HAMMER, AUTHOR OF THE HEBREW PRIESTESS

CBI is joining with Rimon and Temple Anshe Amunim to present a visit to the Berkshires fromRabbi Jill Hammer, co-author of The Hebrew Priestess, a groundbreaking book about women’s spiritual leadership from antiquity to today. Rabbi Jill will speak at 7pm on Saturday February 27 at Temple Anshe Amunim, 26 Broad Street in Pittsfield. She’ll read from the book, talk about how it came to be, answer questions, and sign copies of the book. Don’t miss this!

WRITE SONGS OF LOVE WITH BERNICE LEWIS

Local resident (and nationally known singer / songwriter) Bernice Lewis will present a workshop on “How to Write a Jewish Love Song,” co-presented by Jewish Federation of the Berkshires.  11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday February 28, $10.00, includes a kosher style buffet lunch. Bring your instrument or just your voice. Bring a smart cell phone to record your song, and a notebook and writing tool! Bring your sweetie! RSVP’s requested by February 24to office@cbiweb.org or by calling (413) 822-5267.

We hope you’ll join us for one or all of these special events!

Two online learning opportunities from ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal

Dear CBI members and friends,

CBI is now a member of the ALEPH Network, a network of creative, innovative, and heart-centered Jewish institutions, nonprofit organizations, and communities around the world. Here’s information on two upcoming online classes which will be offered by ALEPH — one taught by our own Rabbi Rachel.

These courses are open to everyone, and you can participate from the comfort of your own home (as long as you have an internet connection).

ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal is proud to present Tikshoret, a new online adult education initiative. We aim to offer adults an opportunity to dive deeply into the spiritual and educational gifts of Jewish Renewal. Tikshoret tuition is intentionally low to welcome a diverse group of learners.

The Hebrew word Tikshoret comes from the root for “deep connection,” and that’s what these classes are designed to be: an opportunity to connect with the riches of our tradition. These exciting classes will be taught by teachers and rabbis from across the Jewish Renewal world. Through this highly accessible online platform, we seek to inspire, engage, challenge, and explore the mysteries of the past with an eye towards contemporary spiritual practice and creating personally meaningful Jewish experiences.

We hope that you will join us on this sacred journey!

Writing the Psalms of Our Hearts
Instructor: Rabbi Rachel Barenblat

Wednesdays, Feb 17, 24, March 2 & 9
8pm-9:30pm Eastern Time
The psalms are a deep repository of praise, thanksgiving, grief, and exaltation, one of our communal tools for connecting with God. In this class, each of us will become a psalmist. We’ll awaken our spirits and hearts by praying select psalms together, warm up our intellectual muscles with writing exercises, and enter into a safe space for creativity as we each write our own psalms. After sharing our psalms aloud and sharing our responses to each others’ work, we’ll close by davening together once more.

Learn more about Rabbi Rachel Barenblat
Cost: $125

SIGN UP TODAY BY CLICKING HERE

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Eve and Lilith: Secrets of the Creation of the Divine Feminine
Instructor: Shoshanna R. Schecter-Shaffin

Wednesdays, March 30, April 6, 13 & 20
8:30pm-10pm Eastern Time

(Photo by: Janice Rubin)

How much do you really know about the Biblical Eve and mythical Lilith?  In this participatory 4 part class we will draw on archaeology, ancient ethnographies, actual Biblical text and midrash as we deeply “rediscover” Eve and Lilith and their connections to the ancient Divine Feminine. Please note: All texts will be taught in translation, no Hebrew background is necessary.
Cost: $125
SIGN UP TODAY BY CLICKING HERE

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Future Tikshoret Teachers include:
Hazzan-Magid Steve Klaper, Rabbinic Pastor Dr. Simcha Raphael, and Rabbi David Zaslow.

If you have questions about these courses, please contact shoshanna@aleph.org

Blessings to all!

A very special weekend in late February

Dear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends,

I’m writing this morning to let you know about three wonderful things which will be happening in our community over the weekend of February 26-28.

A Musical Shabbat with Rabbi Rachel & Rabbi David

Rabbi David Evan Markus, my ALEPH co-chair, will be co-leading Shabbat services with me over the February 27 weekend. Those of y’all who were with us at the end of August last time he visited may remember the beauty and sweetness he brings to the bimah. Expect music, harmony, teachings, and an extra helping of joy. Please join us for Friday night services at 7:30pm on Friday February 26, and Saturday morning services at 9:30am on Saturday February 27.

A Talk by Rabbi Jill Hammer, Author of The Hebrew Priestess

CBI is joining with Rimon and Temple Anshe Amunim to present a visit to the Berkshires from Rabbi Jill Hammer, co-author of The Hebrew Priestess, a groundbreaking book about women’s spiritual leadership from antiquity to today. Rabbi Jill will speak at 7pm on Saturday February 27 at Temple Anshe Amunim, 26 Broad Street in Pittsfield. She’ll read from the book, talk about how it came to be, answer questions, and sign copies of the book. Don’t miss this!

Write songs of love with Bernice Lewis

Local resident (and nationally known singer / songwriter) Bernice Lewis will present a workshop on “How to Write a Jewish Love Song,” co-presented by Jewish Federation of the Berkshires.  11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday February 28, $10.00, includes a kosher style buffet lunch. Bring your instrument or just your voice. Bring a smart cell phone to record your song, and a notebook and writing tool! Bring your sweetie! RSVP’s requested by February 24 tooffice@cbiweb.org or by calling (413) 822-5267.

I hope you’ll join us for some or all of these special happenings at CBI.

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel

The Torah of Awakening: a Jewish Meditation e-course

What if you could transform stress into ease, worry into trust, anger into love?

What if you could open so deeply to the blessing and beauty of every moment, that gratitude becomes your natural state?

What if mindfulness were as effortless as breathing?

These are some of the questions asked by Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks. You can listen to and watch some of his teachings on YouTube — see “The Curse Is the Blessing,” Torah of Awakening.

Brian is offering a seven-week e-course in Jewish meditation and spirituality, and all proceeds benefit ALEPH: the Alliance for Jewish Renewal. The seven-week online course costs $21.95.

(He’s also offering a seven-week in-person course in the San Francisco Bay area, and that course can be purchased as a series of recordings for those who, like us, live far away.)

If you’re interested in deepening your contemplative practices while supporting ALEPH, you can learn more (and/or sign up) at Jewish Meditation E-Course.