CONGREGATION BETH EL 1200 Fairfield Woods Road Fairfield, CT 06825 An Egalitarian Conservative Jewish Congregation BETH EL E-NEWS January 23 - 30, 2015 3 - 10 Shevat 5775 Shabbat Bo CONDOLENCES TO... ~ Karen Nagel on the loss of her father, David A. Werber z"l MAZEL TOV TO... ~ Elaine Appellof & Jerry Saunders on the birth of their grandson, Harris Ligon Stewart CHECK OUT BETH EL'S WEBSITE! www.congbethel.net For your convenience, sign-up forms for current events are available on the website. Invitation to Shabbat Services at Rodeph Sholom tomorrow ~ SERVICE TIMES Friday, January 23 7:30 AM Morning Minyan 6:00 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Services 4:40 PM Candle Lighting Saturday, January 24 10:00 AM Shabbat Services Haftorah: Harvey Hoffman Children's Services 10:30 AM Sunday, January 25 8:30 AM Morning Minyan Monday, January 26 7:30 AM Morning Minyan Tuesday, January 27 7:30 AM Morning Minyan Wednesday, January 28 7:30 AM Morning Minyan Dear Congregants, Part of our merger discussions with Rodeph Sholom includes each congregation getting to know each other from a social and spiritual level. We are sharing events such as Comedy Night, Wine Tasting, Purim and select services. Rodeph Sholom has invited us to join them for this week's Shabbat services. Many of our core committee and Board members will be attending. Services at Rodeph begin at 9:00 AM; the Torah service starts around 10:00 AM. They are preparing a lovely Kiddush in anticipation of us joining them. We too will reciprocate and invite their membership to a Shabbat service at Beth El soon. Shabbat Shalom, Mitch Podob and Steve Robifker PS - Shabbat Services will also be held at Beth El as Thursday, January 29 7:30 AM Morning Minyan Friday, January 30 7:30 AM Morning Minyan 6:00 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Services 4:49 PM Candle Lighting We are setting the stage, ordering the food, and preparing for a fabulous night of Auction and Comedy! You've said you are coming but if we don't know, we can't plan for you! If you have not already done so, PLEASE send, call or email in your reservation TODAY!!! 203-374-5544 or [email protected] Note: Tables for 10 or 12 can be reserved if you want to plan with your friends. usual, beginning at 10:00 AM. RABBI KORMIS ON VACATION Rabbi Kormis will return from vacation this Monday, January 26. Pirkei Avot will resume Tuesday morning, January 27 following minyan. In a rabbinic emergency, please call the synagogue office at 203-374-5544 or after hours, 203-913-9752. SHABBAT KIDDUSH TORAH STUDY following Shabbat Services Shabbat Kiddush Torah Study will take place each week following services during Kiddush. Congregants will lead discussions about 15 minutes long on something of interest in the weekly Torah portion. Please join us after services for some serious fun! Volunteers are needed. You don't need to be a scholar. Since the Torah is a living book meant to speak to us here and now, and not a book of ancient history, your life experience is an excellent starting point to prepare a talk. The Beth El Library has books of Torah commentary and Rose Myers can provide links to relevant websites and help with planning but just sharing what interests or troubles you in the parsha is enough to start a lively conversation. Please let Rose know if you'd like to lead a session. Contact her at [email protected]. CLICK HERE TO PRINT AUCTION & COMEDY NIGHT FLYER CLICK HERE TO PRINT CHILDREN'S SERVICES FLYER Click here to print: Kabbalah II Flyer BELT - Revised time this week! Tuesday, January 27 on, at 1:15 PM "Jewish Building Blocks" BELT, with Rose Myers, on most Wednesdays from 1:00 noon to 2:15 PM--- friendly, informal discussions about topics of Jewish interest. Dessert and drinks. Serious fun! A series on basic Jewish building blocks: Hebrew letters, Jewish numbers, Jewish time and space, Hebrew grammar, and related folktales and midrash and, of course, picture books! There s limited space for this program if you are planning to sign up, please do so ASAP. Click here to print flyer: Jewish Bedtime Rituals SAVE THE DATE! BETH EL'S ANNUAL COUPLE OF THE YEAR GALA Honoring MARLENE & ROBERT FISCHER CLICK HERE TO PRINT SHABBAT KEHILLAH FLYER & RSVP (2 PAGES) CLICK HERE TO RSVP TO OFFICE SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 28, 2015 (Note change of date from Sisterhood Calendar) PLEASE CONSIDER PLACING A MESSAGE IN OUR AD JOURNAL CONGRATULATING MARLENE & BOB. DEADLINE IS MARCH 10. CLICK HERE TO PRINT JOURNAL AD FORM CLICK HERE TO PRINT PURIM BASKET ORDER FORM (2 PAGES) KNITZVAH PROJECT Winter is here. Let's get knitting again. Our PLANT TREES & SUPPORT BETH EL charities will be needing hats, scarves mittens etc. For all you knitters, there is yarn available for your use in the privacy room cabinet. Place your As a member of Beth El, which is an affiliate finished products in the knitzvah box in the congregation of United Synagogue of Conservative synagogue. Call Gail Ginsberg 261-3162 with any Judaism, we have an opportunity to earn money for our synagogue when you participate in one of the following: questions. -Plant Trees in Israel in honor of friends or loved ones. -Make a donation to any of JNF's many projects in Israel. -Purchase anything from the JNF store. It's easy, quick and doesn't cost you anything extra! Buy or donate through the JNF/USCJ button on our synagogue website and 20% will go back to Beth El. Another 5% will go to United Synagogue to support congregational Israel programs. Help Israel through the work of JNF. Spread the word to your friends and family! All orders and donations must originate from the JNF/United Synagogue button on our synagogue's website to be credited to this program. You can also call 1-800-542TREE (8733) and mention our congregation. Go to our website, www.congbethel.net and click on the box (sample below) located on our home page, under the photo of our building. Just follow the instructions to plant your trees or make a donation to JNF. And while you are there, take a look at our website as well! Please note that all donations will be charged in U.S. dollars by JNF-US. All donors will receive an immediate electronic receipt from JNF-US. PLEASE SUPPORT BETH EL! FOR ALL YOUR GROCERY NEEDS, BUY GIFT CARDS FOR SHOP RITE, STOP & SHOP and STEW LEONARDS Beth El sells gift cards to ShopRite, Stop & Shop and Stew Leonards. For every card purchased, these stores donate a minimum of 5% to Congregation Beth El. YOU GET THE FULL VALUE FOR THE CARDS SO IT DOES NOT COST YOU ANYTHING! And there are no expiration dates! Questions? Please call Susan Mittag at 203-374-5544 or email [email protected]. Contact Info: Susan Mittag, Executive Director Congregation Beth El 203-374-5544 [email protected]