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Parasha Va-era
1 Shevat 5764
January
23-24, 2004
The story of the liberation of the Israelites from
Egyptian bondage is now fully underway. This week's Torah portion contains
the first seven of the ten plagues that God inflicted on Egypt. With each
plague, the pressure on Pharaoh to let the Israelites go increases, yet whenever
Egypt is granted relief, Pharaoh responds by refusing to let the Israelites go
in the hope that each plague will be the last. Following each of the
first five plagues, the text tells us that Pharaoh hardened his heart (that is,
became stubborn) and thus did not let the Israelites leave Egypt.
Beginning with the sixth plague, however, it is God who hardens Pharaoh's heart
following each plague, thus making further plagues inevitable. God's
hardening of Pharaoh's heart has been the subject of countless commentaries over
the centuries and provides us with a
deep and troubling theological question.
Why would God seek to inflict any more pain
than was necessary to free the Jewish
people? Why was Pharaoh denied free
will to stop the horror that ultimately
resulted in the death of his own son?
The philosopher,
Abraham Joshua Heschel, provides us with an interesting answer. He
writes that "those in whom viciousness becomes second nature, those in whom
brutality is linked with haughtiness, forfeit their ability and therefore their
right [to the gift of free will]." We need to understand that our actions
in life are not merely discreet incidents but are instead part of a
pattern that we weave for ourselves. Certain actions begin a chain of
events from which there is no escape; where consequences become inevitable, even
though we might wish otherwise. In relation to history, we have
often heard the phrase "events spun out of control." This can be true
of the events in our own lives as well. Part of what should inform
our decision making is the realization that we can not always
control the future consequences of our actions, that events have a dynamic
of their own. May we heed the example of Pharaoh and avoid making the
short-sighted decisions that can bring on consequences that we not only did
not intend, but which can negatively impact our lives
forever.
Rabbi Alan Freedman
Back To TopFriday Night Shabbat Services
Rabbi Alan Freedman leads Shabbat Services each Friday night in the Community Hall of the DJCC. Cantorial Soloist Abby Gostein provides music each Shabbat evening service unless otherwise noted. Each service is followed by an Oneg.
Upcoming Services
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.
Maislin Oneg in honor of Josh Mitchell Bar Mitzvah
Audrey and Ray Maislin cordially invite you to join them at Friday night services, January 23rd, as they sponsor the Oneg in honor of the bar mitzvah of their grandson, Josh Mitchell..
TBS Welcomes Cantorial Soloist 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 Cantorial Soloist, 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
Shabbat Sing-Along!!
LOVE TO SING†old favorite Jewish songs and learn new ones? Join Abby Gostein and the TBS community for a fun-filled SHABBAT SING-ALONG (only love of music is required)
Feb 13 and Feb 27
7:30pm-7:45pm (just prior to the congregational Shabbat service)
Hope to see you there!
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.
Social Action Committee Meeting Planned
The Social Action Committee will be meeting on Tuesday, January 27th at 7:30-9:00 PM. New committee members are always welcome! Please contact Beverly Whitley at 301-1696 or Susan Laves at 453-1466 if you have questions or to RSVP and get directions to the meeting.
Storybook Project: Feedback Letter from Grandmother of Offender’s Children; Project Needs Additional Volunteers
Here is just one of the many letters we have received giving us feedback of the magnitude of impact that our Storybook Project is making on the children of offenders in Texas. This letter came from the mother of the offender.
I am Marcy’s mother and am caring for her son and daughter, Colby (8) and Veronica (6) and I would like to express how much these books and tapes have meant to them. They come running and screaming whenever the package comes in the mail. I have to stop what I am doing and get the tape player, and we all pile up on the bed and listen to Mommy read the stories. Their eyes are glued to the tape player as if she is right there. Not a word is spoken among us until it is over. Their eyes are opened wide as they take in every word that is spoken, and I can tell they are temporarily comforted by the mommy they love so dearly. For just a little while, they can pretend she is with them. Although this does not take the place of mommy sitting in bed with them reading these stories, it is certainly the next best thing. I truly hope this program continues for the sake of her children. I thank you, and Colby and Veronica thank you.
GOD BLESS YOU for giving my daughter and the other mothers such a gift.
Regards, Grandma
Judy Fox, who coordinates the project within the congregation, urges her fellow congregants to get involved. The project needs more volunteers to either go to the prison to assist in taping these stories (to provide still more children with books and tapes) or to do some other needed task such as mailing out the tapes and books to the children. For those who wish to donate funds for stamps for these mailers or to help fund the parenting classes (done by Social workers) that our project is providing by means of contributions, please contact Judy Fox at 292-4115 or judyfox@ev1.net.
General Fund
In memory of Marc Robin
Richard and Irene Parker
Ralph and Ellen Loeb
Gail & Neil Miller
BUILDING FUND
In memory of Cele Gellman
Katie, Andrew , Sandy and Carol Dochen
Golda Jean and Herman Schmidt
Robert and Babette Laibovitz
Randi and David Sherman
Richard and Irene Parker
In memory of Mark Robin
In Memory of Henry Miller
In Memory of Elise Berry
In memory of Cele Gellman
Don and Dee Coplin
In memory of Cele Gellman
In memory of Marc Robin
In memory of Elsie Berry
In memory of Henry Miller
In honor of the beautiful services lead by Ed Astrich and Joan Edelstein
In honor of Audrey Maislin being honored as the Woman of Valor by the JCAA Women's Division
In honor of Mina Parven's marriage to Ellis Titohe
In honor of the engagement of Renee and Marvin Brilliant's daughter, Ellen, and son, Mark
In honor of the marriage of Ilene Gray and Joe Strouse
Sandy and Ron Goldstein
In memory of Cele Gellman
In memory of Marc Robin
In memory of Elsie Berry
In memory of Henry Miller
Audrey & Charles Wolchansky
Mazel Tov to the following Temple Beth Shalom adult members who are celebrating their birthdays and anniversaries for the weeks of January 19 - January 26.
Birthdays
January 20 Megan Laibovitz January 20 Allan Kohn January 20 John Katzman January 21 John Balis January 22 Mark Salmanson January 23 David Kocher
Anniversaries
January 20 Harvey & Nancy Ring
Upcoming Sisterhood Events
Challah Bakin Class - Jan 21 at 10AM
Join Sisterhood at 10am on Wednesday morning, January 21 at the home of
Carol Dochen, 5010 North Rim Drive, Austin TX 78731.
Temple Beth Shalom's own Joan Edelstein
will share her challah baking expertise with us.
Please RSVP to Barbara Mindlin at 346-6626 if you plan to attend
Women's Investment Seminar - Jan 29 at 7:15PM
Sisterhood invites you to attend a
Women's Investment Seminar, at the home of Susan Miller, 3805 Edgemont Drive,
Austin, TX 78731. The TBS Sisterhood’s own Susan Miller
will be presenting an overview of the world of investing in 2004.
This promises to be an interesting and highly informative seminar.
Topics will include: 1) investment basics including an overview of types of
investments--mutual funds, bonds, stocks 2) a close look at understanding
investment risk 3) advanced topics include--diversification, the impact of
taxes, asset allocation.††Susan brings over 20 years of experience in the
investment business as a member of the Bond Public Finance
Team at Salomon Brothers; Vice President of Mortgage Backed Securities
at Bear Stearns & Co. and Vice President of Global Markets at
Bankers Trust. In addition as co-founder of The Resnick Group,
LLC in Los Angeles, she managed over $125 Million in assets.
Susan has an MBA in Finance from UCLA and also graduated with
Honors from Northwestern University. Currently, she is
President of her own Investment Advisory firm,
Edgemont Investment Management, LLC.
Please RSVP to Susan at susanmiller@austin.rr.com if you plan to attend.
Women's Torah Study: Sex in the Text - The Role of Sex in Relationships based on Torah
Tuesday, February 10 from 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm (location TBA).
We will be studying various passages from the book "Sex in the Text"
and looking at how sex is portrayed in the bible and what role
is plays in relationships. Specific topics of discussion will include:
sexual relations between husband and wife, the sacredness of sex and
sexual pleasure. The format for the study will be breakouts of
small groups to dialogue on a particular topic from the text and
answer questions and will conclude with the groups reconvening to
present what was discussed. The evening promises to be both interesting
and enlighting and one should come away from the study with a deeper
awareness of how Judiaism understands sexuality. Please call Sisterhood
member Stephanie Puente at 418-9594 or email her at
spuente@aol.com
if you are interested in attending.
Please RSVP by Tuesday, February 3.
For more information on joining TBS Sisterhood,
please contact
Lisa
Goodman at 918-1423
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)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE "J" and THE COMMUNITY
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.
Jewish middle-school aged kids dance. For more
info, contact Reagan Weil at 735-8036 or
at
Reagan.weil@jcaaonline.org.
TAPESTRY OF JEWISH LEARNING
Tapestry of Jewish Learning Welcomes Austin to Explore Music, Politics, Literature and More.
January 10-18, 2004
This week-long educational opportunity offers over
65 intriguing classes that will engage participants in
unraveling a tapestry of Jewish life - past, present, and future.
For additional information, please click the link:
http://www.tjlaustin.com, or
contact the any of the following: Aliza Orent at 735-8076 or
aliza.orent@jcaaonline.org;
Dana Epstein at 735-8076 or dana.Epstein@jcaaonline.org; or
Emily Tobey at 735-8054 or
emily.tobey@jcaaonline.org.
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
For more information, click the following link:
http://www.austinmaccabi2004.org
“SchooLink” PROGRAM TO BEGIN
SchooLink is a program designed 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 at 7:30 PM on February12 &25, March 30, and April 26 at the Harry Ransom Center at UT. Reflecting a wide range of topics, all lectures are free and public, open to both campus and Austin 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 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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