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Temple Beth Shalom needs a Web Master Requires an average of 2 to 4 hours a week. Responsible for website maintenance and updates which include formatting the weekly e-mail newsletter. Design skills required; editorial and/or programming skills a plus but not required. Must be proficient with Adobe GoLive or HTML. Contact publicity@bethshalomaustin.org . Application Deadline January 14,2004 |
Parasha Shemot
23
Tevet 5764
January
16-17, 2004
This week we begin the second book of the
Torah, Shemot or Exodus. The book focuses
on the formative event of Jewish history,
the Exodus from Egypt. As the text tells us
in many places, the purpose behind the
Exodus from Egypt was to demonstrate God's
powers of redemption to both Israelites and
Egyptians alike. In Genesis, God's power is
revealed to a small core group of people
through private visions. In Exodus,
however, God's power is on full display for
millions; bending nature to God's will and
in the Revelation of God's Torah at Sinai.
The events of Exodus are overwhelming and
mind shattering.
It is important to note, however,
that the Exodus would not have taken place
without an occurance that was silent and
took but a second. In Chapter 3 we are told
that when Moses first saw the burning bush,
he said to himself, "I must turn aside to
look at this marvelous sight" and only when
God saw that Moses had indeed turned aside,
did God call to Moses out of the bush. It
was that momentary decision by Moses to look
at the burning bush that began the chain of
events that culminated in the Exodus. If
Moses did not have the awareness and the
openness to the miracle that was occuring
before his own eyes, then God would not have
called to him.
This is God's challenge to us, as well. We often wonder, "Where is God in our lives and in our world"? Yet, we wander sightless among miracles. God is waiting for each of us to recognize the signs of God's presence in this world and to turn aside from the daily grind of our lives to witness them. If we are willing to make time to recognize and celebrate the miracle of our own existence, then God will be there calling to us. God calls out to Moses only when Moses is willing to turn aside and pay attention to God. Thus, may we be like Moses this week, and particularly on this Shabbat, and turn aside from our busy lives in order to seek out the Divine Presence; and may we then hear the call of the Divine in our own lives as well.
Back To TopFriday Night Shabbat Services
Rabbi Alan Freedman leads Shabbat Services each Friday night in the Community Hall of the DJCC. Each service is followed by an Oneg.
Upcoming Services
Friday, January 16
Shabbat Service 6:30 p.m.
Friday, January 23
Shabbat Service 7:45 p.m.
Friday, January 30
Shabbat Service 7:45 p.m. A very special service welcoming Abby Gostein and honoring those members who have participated musically in our services
Babysitting is now available for Shabbat evening services every Friday night (does not include Tot Shabbat service times). No need to make a reservation.
Shabbat Morning Torah Service/Torah Study
Rabbi Freedman leads Torah Study and a Torah Service on the first and third Saturday of each month. The next Torah Service/Torah Study will be held on Saturday January 24th in room 150C of the Community Hall. Torah Study begins at 10:00 a.m. with a Torah Service following at 11:00 a.m.
Bar Mitzvah of Dustan Levenstein
Ruth Levenstein and Sheldon Levenstein invite you to help celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Dustan Levenstein at 10 am on January 17th in the community hall of the JCAA. A luncheon will follow the service.
TBS Welcomes Music Director Abby Gostein on January 30th
We invite all TBS members and members of the Austin Jewish Community to join us as we officially welcome our new Musical Director, Abby Gostein at Shabbat Services on January 30th at 7:45pm. TBS Musical Leaders who have been leading services in the interim as well as the members Songleader Search Committee will also be honored. A special oneg will follow. We hope to see everyone there!
Abby previously served as Cantorial Soloist at Congregation Sha'aray Shalom in Hingham, MA from 1997-2003 and at Congregation Beth Israel in Austin, from 1994-1997. She has been committed to Jewish education and spiritual growth through Jewish music since her teen years, teaching Jewish music to children since 1986, starting at the synagogue of her upbringing, the Free Synagogue of Westchester, in Mt. Vernon, NY. She has led Jewish groups of all ages in prayer and song since 1988. She holds a Master's degree in Speech-language Pathology from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Yale University. She has been head songleader at several different Jewish camps, including Shwayder in Colorado and Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, Texas. She lives with her husband, Michael, whom she met in 1992 in Austin, and her two sons, Daniel (4 years old) and Aaron (almost 2 years old).
Invitation to Congregation from Abby to her Shabbat Open House
Abby, Michael, Daniel and
Aaron Gostein invite you to a SHABBAT OPEN HOUSE
at their home. Please celebrate Shabbat with
us. Details below:
Saturday, February 7,
2004, from 2pm-5pm
8111 Greenslope Drive
512-343-8434
FOUND: After the Christmas Day volunteering efforts at the Capital Area Food Bank, there were several coats left behind. If someone from the TBS volunteers is missing a coat, please call Adrienne Longenecker, Volunteer Services Coordinator at the Capital Area Food Bank at (512) 282-2111, ext 115, or email her at alongenecker@secondharvest.org
FOUND: Tiny black handbag with lipstick and chapstick inside. Call Lisa at the TBS office at 735-8900 to claim
FOUND: If you have lost your watch and you can identify the one that was turned in from a Shabbat service, please call Lisa at the TBS office at 735-8900 to claim
The Passover Experience
A three-session Passover course – 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on March 17, 24, and 31. Topics will include:
• Themes, symbols, and foods for Passover
• Making the Seder a special experience for children and adults
Rabbi's Lunch Time Seminars
Please mark your calendar for the monthly lunch time seminars with the Rabbi: Second Wednesday of each month 12 Noon to 1:30PM at JCAA in the Rabbi’s office. The seminars are open to the community. There will be no seminar in January as it conflicts with the Tapestry program.
February 11- The Shema and its Blessings
Nothing is more central to Jewish worship than the Shema and the three blessings that surround it. In this session, we will explore the underlying theology and themes of these blessings, how our different traditions have modified them, and why they remain central to Jewish worship.
March 10- Beyond the Intifada: Other Current Issues in Israel
Our vision of what is happening in Israel is formed by the American media, which focuses on the Intifada. There are many more serious and complex issues facing Israeli society that deserve our attention. Though Israeli media sources we will examine some of these issues such as the ongoing effects of a faltering economy and clashes between religious and cultural Jews.
Contact Ira Goodman by email or call 418-1905 for more information.
General Fund
Gail & Neil Miller
In memory of Bruce Blakely's father, Enoch S. Blakely
Paul and Jeri Saper
In memory of Victor Ravel
In honor of the birth of Andie & Arnie Allen's 10th grandchild
Barbara and Ron Klayman
In memory of Victor Ravel
In honor of the TWO new grandchildren of Andie & Arnie Allen
In honor of the marriage of Ellen and Sherman Kusin's daughter Joelle
Audrey and Charles Wolchansky
In honor of the birth of Andie & Arnie Allen's new grandchild
To Charles and Audrey Wolchansky, in honor of Karen's engagement
In honor of the new home of Kristen and Russell Chozick
Merry and John Balis
In honor of the engagement of Lori Friedman and Josh Levy
Andie & Arnie Allen
Lois & Ira Goodman
In honor of the beautiful services lead by Ed Astrich and Joan Edelstein
Lois & Ira Goodman
In memory of Gail & Neil Miller's Aunt and Uncle
Michael and Alice Kuhn
Mel and Sari Waxler
In honor of the marriage of Joelle and Aaron, daughter of Ellen and Sherman Kusin Andie and Arnie Allen
In memory of Mark Robin, son of Barbara and Sherwin Robin
Susan and Jerry Pinsker
Andie and Arnie Allen
Lois and Ira Goodman
David and Naida Cohn
Lea, Christopher and Zach Burnett
Ray and Audrey Maislin
Bill and Roz Poynter
Barbara and Ron Klayman
In memory of Celia Stahl Gellman
Susan and Jerry Pinsker
Andie and Arnie Allen
Lois and Ira Goodman
Lea, Christopher and Zach Burnett
Ray and Audrey Maislin
Shelley and Gary Zausmer
Janis and David Goldstein
Barbara and Ron Klayman
RITUAL FUND
In honor of Lori Friedman’s engagement to Joshua Levy
Lynne and Steve Gellman
BUILDING FUND
Lynne and Steve Gellman
In memory of Celia Stahl Gellman
Gary & Shelley Zausmer
Janis & David Goldstein
Barbara and Sherwin Robin
Mr. and Mrs. H.P. Laves
David and Naida Cohn
Cynthia Freedman
Debra Saxe
Ellen and Mark Rozman
Mr. and Mrs. Mort Luster
Clarke Heidrick
Julie and Bob Herman
Michelle and Steve Feibus
PRAYER BOOK FUND
Continued recovery of Ethel Norman
Continued recovery of Naida Cohn
In memory of Susan Train
In memory of Victor Ravel
In honor of the marriage of Ellen and Sherman Kusin’s daughter
In honor of the birth of Andie and Arnie Allen’s newest grandchildren
Continued recovery of Ron Suchart
Continued recovery of Arthur Daum
In honor of the 40th anniversary of Patti and Larry Maltz
In honor of the engagement of Lori Friedman and Joshua Levy
Ron and Sandy Goldstein
RABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Saul Saldana
In appreciation of Lily Waxenberg's baby naming
Hallie & Andrew Waxenberg
Mazel Tov to the following Temple Beth Shalom adult members who are celebrating their birthdays and anniversaries for the weeks of January 12 - January 19.
Birthdays
January 13 Carol Sessler January 14 Julie Kleaman January 18 Diane Guccione January 18 Jane Wachnin
Anniversaries
January 12 Dennis & Lisa Nault-Gross January 13 Lee & Gay Thompson
Upcoming Sisterhood Events
Challah Bakin Class - Jan 21
You
read the recipe in the membership packet, but you
would really like to learn how to do it! Join us at
10am on Wednesday morning, January 21 as Temple Beth Shalom's own Joan Edelstein shares her challah
baking expertise with us.
Women's Investment Seminar - Jan 29
7:15 PM on Thursday January 29, at the home of
Lois
Goodman.
For more information on joining TBS Sisterhood,
please contact
Lisa
Goodman at 918-1423
SOCIAL COMMITTEE
Join us for an Evening of Fun, Laughter, and Beautiful Music: AUSTIN RIVER CITY POPS
Temple Beth Shalom is going to
a performance of the famous
"AUSTIN RIVER CITY POPS" Orchestra
Saturday, January 24th at
8:00 p.m.
Reagan High School Theater
7104 Berkman Drive, Austin 78752
Performance Group Ticket Price:$10.00 p/person or $15 for single tickets.
For reservations or with questions,
please contact Marion Werner at 342-8595 or
mwer1@realtime.net. You are invited to
join us for Dinner before the performance at a
restaurant nearby (Dutch Treat)
A Note of Thanks from Sherwin and Barbara Robin
When our son, Marc Alan Robin, died suddenly in Chicago at the age of 50 after many years of illness, it was a terrible shock. We want to tell our fellow congregants how much our family thanks each and every one of you for the support and care we were given.
Even as we have grown since our joining by leaps and bounds, Temple Beth Shalom continues to be the closest and most wonderful group of the people in Austin. That goes from our Rabbi, Officers and every member of our temple!
Sherwin & Barbara
KADIMA
Kadima-JCCA Winter Dance -- Save the Date
Saturday, January 24, 2004
7:30 pm - 11 pm
Mark your calendars for the third annual Kadima-JCCA Winter Dance. It will be on Saturday, January 24, 2004. All Jewish middle schoolers (6th through 8th grades) are invited, no matter which congregation you belong to (or even if you don't!). There will be door prizes, pizza, desserts, and more. Start making plans with your friends and make the Winter Dance the place to be.
Attire is "dressy". Inappropriate dress will not be allowed. Music will be provided by Penguin Productions. Admission is $10 and includes pizza, desserts, and door prizes. Call your friends to join you.
TAPESTRY OF JEWISH LEARNING
Tapestry of Jewish Learning Welcomes Austin to Explore Music, Politics, Literature and More.
January 10-18, 2004
The Second Annual Tapestry of Jewish Learning, an adult education experience, brings together a dynamic and accomplished group of local and national presenters that will engage participants in over 65 topics from “Jews Who Rock” to “Moses and Management”.
Professors, Political Satirists, Rabbis, Cantors, Educators, Theater Directors, Authors, Social Workers, and Ministers will help participants unravel the deeper complexities of Jewish music, politics, literature, sciences, cooking, ethics and more. Classes are scheduled throughout the week with morning, afternoon and evening opportunities.
This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Barry Chazan, will speak on Sunday, January 11 at 7 PM. Dr. Chazan is currently the International Director of Education of Birthright Israel, an organization that is a unique partnership between the people of Israel, local Jewish communities and leading Jewish philanthropists. Birthright Israel provides a gift of peer group, educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26. Dr. Chazan will discuss “The Lifelong Journey of Creating a Jewish Identity: What a Jew Needs to Know.”
Tapestry of Jewish Learning, a collaboration of community Jewish Organizations, will be presented at Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Agudas Achim and the Jewish Community Association of Austin. For more information about Tapestry of Jewish Learning, visit www.tjlaustin.com or call 735-8076.
Registration Information:
For a complete listing of Tapestry classes visit www.tjlaustin.com or call 735-8076 to receive a brochure. To register for classes, contact 735-8054.
$12 Standard Rate
$5 Senior Rate (Ages 65+ pre-registration required)
$5 Student Rate (must have valid student ID)
Special rates for 3, 6, and unlimited class packages also available.
Austin POWERS: The 2004 JCC Maccabi Games
August 1-6, 2004
The JCC Maccabi Games® are the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world - and they're coming to Austin in 2004! From August 1 through August 6, 2004, the JCAA will host this Olympic style athletic competition, along with social and cultural events, educational programs and community service projects that make the JCC Maccabi Games® an experience not to be missed. In Austin in 2004, over 1,000 teen athletes will have the opportunity to learn, grow, share, compete, socialize, and make memories that will last a lifetime. The help of the Austin community is vital to the success of the 2004 JCC Maccabi Games®. There are many ways you can get involved including becoming a Host Family, a Sponsor, a Volunteer, or, if you're a teen, a Maccabi Athlete. For more information about these opportunities, please visit our web site: www.jcaaonline.org/programs/Maccabi.html or contact Robyn Barde, Games Director at 735-8096 or robyn.barde@jcaaonline.org
“SchooLink” PROGRAM TO BEGIN
Do you have a child in elementary, middle or high school? Are you interested creating a respectful environment in the schools? Are you interested in establishing long-term relationships with teachers and principals? If you answered yes to these questions please join us January 25th as the ADL helps us launch SchooLink.
The purpose of SchooLink is to create a proactive dialogue between parents, educators and the ADL promoting learning environments which are inclusive and harmonious, which embrace the spirit of the laws which constitutionally protect the rights of all, and in which all stakeholders ‑ students, parents and educators ‑ feel comfortable to teach and to learn.
The SchooLink training will take place from 1:00-4:00 on Sunday January 25th on the Dell Jewish Community Campus. For more information or to RSVP email alan.potash@jcaaonline.org.
Jewish Studies and Beyond Lecture Series
The Jewish Studies Program at the University of Texas at Austin is pleased to announce the 2003-2004 series of lectures in its annual event, Jewish Studies and Beyond. Four speakers—David Weiss Halivni of Columbia University, Eli Zaretsky of the New School for Social Research, Susannah Heschel of Dartmouth University, and Kathryn Hellerstein of the University of Pennsylvania—will be featured in the months of February, March, and April at the dates and times shown below. Reflecting a wide range of topics, all lectures are free and public, open to both campus andAustin communities at large. Parking for the Harry Ransom Center (which is located at 22nd and Guadalupe) is either on street or at Dobie Mall. For inquiries, contact Prof. Adam Zachary Newton at 512.471.8532 or at adam.zach@mail.utexas.edu.
February 12: Harry Ransom Center Auditorium, 4th Floor. 7:30 PM – David Weiss Halivni
February 25: Harry Ransom Center Auditorium, 4th Floor. 7:30 PM – Eli Zaretsky
March 30: Harry Ransom Center Auditorium, 4th Floor. 7:30 PM – Susannah Heschel
April
26: Harry Ransom Center Auditorium, 4th Floor.
7:30 PM – Kathryn Hellerstein
Mosaic 2004
5th Annual JCAA
Women's Division Mosaic Luncheon
Wednesday, February 18,
2004, 10:30 AM
At the Renaissance Austin
Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Boulevard
Guest Speaker: Linda
Scherzer, former Middle East correspondent for
CNN and Israeli Television.
2004 Ayshet Chayil (Woman
of Valor): Audrey R. Maislin
$30 Prepaid Couvert for
Lunch
Minimum $150 Promise to the
JCAA Annual United Jewish Campaign
Look for your invitation
soon. RSVP by February 1 to reserve a seat.
Any questions? Call
735-8078.
AUSTIN JEWISH ACADEMY SPONSORS: What Has Adolescence Done To My Child
Austin Jewish Academy is sponsoring a special event on Wednesday, January 14 at 6:30 PM in the ECP Multi-Purpose Room on the Jewish Community Campus. Dr. Carl Pickhardt will speak on What Has Adolescence Done To My Child Dr. Pickhardt is a published author and psychologist in a private counseling practice who has written such books as: "Keys to Single Parenting", "Keys to Successful Stepfathering", "Keys to Developing Your Child's Self-esteem", "Keys to Raising a Drug-free Child", "Keys to Parenting the Only Child", and "Parenting the Teenager". We invite the community to join us as we discuss the trials, tribulations and joys of adolescence. The event is free of charge, but an RSVP to 735-8370 is requested.
AUSTIN HADASSAH
Austin Hadassah to honor Past Chapter Presidents
The Austin Chapter of Hadassah Cordially invites you to honor past Austin Chapter Presidents at our Monday, January 26, 2004 luncheon from 12 noon to 2 PM at Zin, American Bistro, located at 1601 W. 38th @ Kerbey Lane. For further information, please contact Jeanette Brickman, January Luncheon Chairman, at 527-9948.
Temple Beth Shalom and the Lifelong Learning and Social Action Committees of Congregation Beth Israel jointly sponsor a month-long series exploring the Hebrew Prophets and their relevance to modern life.
The Prophets and Economic Justice, Rabbi Benjamin Sternman
Wednesday, Feb 4, 7:00pm
"Listen to this, you who devour the needy, annihilating the poor of the land, saying 'If only the new moon were over, so that we could sell grain; the Sabbath, so that we could offer wheat for sale, using an ephah that is too small, and a shekel that is too big, tilting a dishonest scale, and selling grain refuse as grain! We will buy the poor for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals.' The Eternal swears by the Pride of Jacob: 'I will never forget any of their doings.' " -- Amos 8:4-7
Come hear the words of the Eternal as relayed through God's prophets and explore how the ancient ideals of economic justice can be applied to today.
Benjamin Sternman is Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel
The Prophets in Historical Context, Rabbi Steven Folberg
Wednesday, Feb 11, 7:00 pm
There at least two factors that can make reading and understanding prophetic literature challenging. First, some of the most important passages are in the form of poetry, which often uses images and metaphors, which are unfamiliar to contemporary readers. In addition, the prophets, more than "predicting the future," spoke to the agonies and controversies of their own times, making a knowledge of those ancient times critical to understanding of the texts. In this class, we will learn more about the historical circumstances in which the prophets lived and taught.
Steven Folberg is Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel
Heschel and the Prophets, Rabbi Alan Freedman
Wednesday, Feb 18, 7:00pm
At the core of Abraham Joshua Heschel's two-volume work on The Prophets is the concept of prophecy as an interactive relationship with God. Heschel's message is that God cares about human beings and is invested in our fate. This presentation will focus on Heschel's work and how that work can provide us with a different perspective on how God interacts with all of us. Heschel is both poetic and highly readable with a message that is meaningful for us all. Come and discover how Heschel's view of the prophet will enrich our understanding of the role of the prophet in modern Jewish life.
Alan Freedman is Rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom
How the Prophets Influenced Modern Music, Cantor Jaime Shpall
Wednesday, Feb 25, 7:00 pm
For centuries, Jews and Christians have put the words of the prophets to music. The combination of music and social justice sends a powerful message and inspires people to action. Come learn some of these songs of justice from both the Jewish and Secular worlds.
Jaime Shpall is Cantor at Congregation Beth Israel
For more information about our congregation, please visit http://www.bethshalomaustin.org.
Contact info
Mailing Address:
Temple Beth Shalom
7300 Hart Lane
Austin, TX 78731
Phone
(512) 735-8900
General E-mail
admin@bethshalomaustin.org
Rabbi's contact info:
rabbifreedman@bethshalomaustin.org
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