|
Note from the Editor
|
If you have questions, comments or would like to submit an announcement for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of "Catch Up With CBI," please contact me at (434) 295-6382, ext. 220 or email [email protected].
Candy Schoner
Communications and Connections Manager
|
Ta ble of Contents/Quick Links
|
This Weekend: Beit Midrash, Ice Skating Party, Engaging Israel
|
General Announcements
|
Internet Access
CBI recently installed equipment to strengthen, increase reliability, and expand coverage of our wireless internet access.
The guest network, which can be used by anyone in the building is named "CBI-Guest" and the password is "sukkot5776".
Inclement Weather
When weather conditions create need for closings or cancellations at CBI, information will be available on the CBI homepage at
www.cbicville.org
, and via the outgoing phone message on CBI's main number, (434) 295-6382. For Preschool and Religious School schedule changes or cancellations, special notices are also sent via email to parents in the respective groups. To receive texts from the Preschool and Kindergarten, text "@cbips" to 81010.
|
Worship Schedule
|
5:30 p.m.: Potluck Supper before Shabbat service. Please bring a dish to share.
6:15 p.m.: "Secret Jews" Family Service (see details below)
Service Leaders: Rabbi Dan Alexander and Rabbi Tom Gutherz
Usher: Susan Rozan
Saturday,February 6
10:00 a.m.: Reform/Mishkan T'filah Service/B'not Mitzvah: Rachel and Elizabeth Field
Service Leaders: Rabbi Dan Alexander and Rabbi Tom Gutherz
Haftarah: Rachel and Elizabeth Field
D'var Torah: Rachel and Elizabeth Field
Usher: Alan Zimmerman
Kiddush luncheon to follow service hosted by the Field family in honor of Rachel and Elizabeth each becoming Bat Mitzvah.
6:15 p.m.:
Kabbalat Shabbat
Service Leader: Rabbi Dan Alexander
Usher:
Lee Shapiro
Potluck Oneg Shabbat to follow service.
Saturday, February 13
10:00 a.m.:
4th Grade Shabbat Morning Program (Small Sanctuary)
Service Leaders: Rabbi Dan Alexander and Rabbi Tom Gutherz
10:00 a.m.:
Traditional Egalitarian Service (Main Sanctuary)
Shacharit: Blaire French
Haftarah: Russ Linden
Musaf: Elliott Weiss
D'var Torah: Marcia Silvermetz
Usher:
Kent Schlussel
Potluck Kiddush luncheon to follow service.
|
This Friday's Family Service
|
CBI is planning a very special and unique service specifically designed to complement
the 6th grade class curriculum over the recent weeks, focused on the Jews of Spain just before the Inquisition and the history of the Marranos (the Jews who had publicly proclaimed their conversion to Christianity only to actually still be practicing Judaism in secret).
This Shabbat, the 6th grade class will conduct the Friday night service as though everyone were Secret Jews in 1490 Spain
. The service will be preceded by a potluck supper including certain foods available to Jews in Spain during the time period.
All are invited to participate in this rare Shabbat experience.
|
Happenings This Weekend
|
Beit Midrash: Two Sessions
Sunday, February 7, 10:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Small Sanctuary
10:15 a.m. The Poetry of Ibn Gabirol with Kristin Hilgartner
We will read and discuss the poetry and religious hymns of Solomon Ibn Gabirol,
beginning our series From the Sephardic World (CBI members watch your mailbox for a postcard with the entire schedule).
Solomon Ibn Gabirol (ca. 1021 - ca. 1058) was one of the greatest Spanish Jewish poets and an important neoplatonist philosopher. Translated into Latin in the mid-twelfth century, his philosophical work became influential among scholars who were unaware that "Avicebron" (as his last name was Latinized) was a Jew and a celebrated writer of religious hymns.
Kristin Lang Hilgartner is a fourth year PhD student at UVa specializing in Contemporary Latin American Jewish Studies. She hopes that her work will contribute to a renewed interest in the Jewish Spanish language, Sephardic studies, and the history of the Jewish diaspora.
11:15 a.m. Break with Middle Eastern refreshments.
11:30 a.m. The Music of Yehuda Halevi with Rabbi Tom Gutherz
Yehuda Halevi's famous lament for Jerusalem: "My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west" may be familiar to you. Many of the hundreds of poems by Halevi (born c. 1080 in Toledo, Spain) have been set to music and incorporated into the liturgy of various Jewish communities. But the richness and intimacy of his Hebrew continues to inspire artists in our own day. We will hear some original musical settings of Halevi's poems by the contemporary Israeli artist Etty Ankri.
To hear Etty Ankri's rendition of Yehuda Halevi's poem Mi Yitneni click here.
Family Ice-Skating Event Sponsored by CBI Religious School
Sunday, February 7, 12:15 p.m., Main Street Arena, Downtown Charlottesville
Join your friends from CBI after Religious School at Main Street Arena for ice-skating with the whole family (note: this is not a drop off-program). 
With 10 or more skaters, the group will qualify for a discounted price of $8/person (includes skates and helmet). Regular price is $10 for 9 and older; including $6 for 8 and under.
Please arrive on time with exact cash so we can pay as a group to receive the discounted price.
RSVP to Raya Rzeszut at r[email protected] or (205) 873-0973 so we know who is coming.
|
Message from Senior Rabbi Dan Alexander: Prayer in Jerusalem
|
Earlier this week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, described the decision reached by the Israeli cabinet to create a permanent
|
|
|
Wall surrounding
Temple Moun
|
pluralistic prayer space at Robinson's Arch (located at the southwestern corner of the wall surrounding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem). Rabbi Jacob's announcement can be read in full by clicking here.
It should be noted that some of those opposing this decision are long-standing members of the Women of the Wall, the group that for years has led the struggle for the rights of women to pray at the Kotel aloud, and, if they wish, wearing tallitot and tefillin.
At CBI, we plan to devote the Beit MIdrash on Sunday, March 6th, to this topic. Here is a link to an article written by Vanessa Ochs, one of the opponents of the recent decision:
click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Middah of the Month: Chesed/Lovingkindness
|
Greet each person with a smile.
The middah of the month for February is Chesed, or lovingkindness, kindness, or love
. According to Jewish mystical tradition God created the world primarily  in order to bestow kindness and love on all of creation. From this perspective, the constant outpouring of divine Chesed both initiated the world's creation and has sustained it ever since. In this scheme, we humans are co-creators with God. Thus, by expressing human Chesed, we imitate God and, in doing so, we achieve our highest capacity as co-creators.
The eminent teacher of Mussar, Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, of blessed memory (1914-2005), taught that each act of Chesed builds the world. How do humans actualize Chesed and, by doing so, build the world? In many simple ways. We do Chesed by providing meals to parents of newborns, visiting the sick, attending to the needs of the dead, comforting mourners, attending one another's joyous celebrations, being present for one another in non-judgmental acceptance, by greeting family, friend, and stranger with a warm smile.
At CBI, the Caring Committee, the Chevra Kadisha, and the Tzedakah Fund are a few of the ways one might channel the quality of Chesed. Any act of kindness, no matter how small, puts us in
c
ontact with those around us, helping to weave the fabric of community, and, bit by bit, builds the world.
|
Senior Connections Torah Discussion
What's Really Happening on Mt. Sinai?
|
Thursday, February 11, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Branchlands Manor House
Rabbi Dan will lead this Torah discussion on the Giving of the Torah, featuring a variety of approaches to one of the central ideas of Judaism.
This event is open to everyone and will take place in the Green Room at Branchlands, which is wheelchair accessible. Please contact CBI Senior Connections Coordinator, Latifa Kropf at
[email protected]
or (434) 974-7016 if
you have questions or need a ride to the event.
|
Film Series - Deli Man (Dinner and a Movie)
|
Saturday, February 13, 6:00 p.m., O'Mansky Hall
The Adult Education Committee will show
Deli Man along with a catered dinner for just $15 per person. This documentary focuses on the owner of a large deli who is the grandson of the original owner of the first Kosher deli to open on Broadway in New York City in the 1920's. The movie's emphasis is on the cultural aspects of the food and how the culture and the desire for this food is disappearing.
The film will be preceded by an introduction and followed by a discussion. Contact Nancy Summers at
[email protected] or (434) 245-9246 to RSVP or if you need a ride.
P.S. For a schedule of other films in the CBI 2015/2016 series
, go online to www.cbicville.org and click on "Learning".
|
Purim Baskets: Fulfilling 2 of the 4 Mitzvot Associated with Purim
|
CBI members, watch for your letter containing instructions and your personal login code for placing Purim basket orders online. This year, in addition to ordering baskets, you may make a gift to the CBI 's Tzedakah Fund to be used to help those in need served by local organizations.
The Jewish tradition names four mitzvot associated with Purim:
- to hear the story of Purim
- to enjoy a feast of celebration
- to send a basket of food
- to help those in need
Other Purim activities and events will be announced soon.
|
NFTY-MAR "TheVent" Weekend: Now Open For Registration
|
The BITY Board recently announced the upcoming NFTY-MAR (National Federation of Temple Youth Mid-Atlantic Region) event, called TheVent, will be held Friday, March 11 to Sunday, March 13 at the Ohef Shalom in Norfolk, VA.
TheVent is a weekend-long color war between the youth groups (8th to 12th graders) of the North, South, East, and West sub-regions of the Mid-Atlantic. Note CBI is part of the South and chose the theme "Mario" for this year's event
. Each section will compete against the other sub-regions in fun games and competitions. The weekend will be filled with get-to-know-you activities, programs about social justice and current events, and lots of fun!
Early Bird registration ends on 2/17. Last day to register is March 7. There is a bus stop in Richmond that will take people to the synagogue in Norfolk, or if CBI is able to get 10 people to go, the bus will make a special stop in Charlottesville.
|
| 2016 CBI Tzedakah Fund - Applications Due February 29 |
The grant period for the Tzedakah Fund is now open. This year, CBI will consider applications for grant requests of up to $1,500.00 each. Applicants must complete the attached one-page information sheet and submit it along with proof of 501c.3 status by February 29, 2016. Agencies are urged, but not required, to attach more information about the goals and objectives of the project they want to fund and must meet the fund guidelines specified in the application materials.
The CBI Tzedakah Fund is meant to provide supplemental funding for
 agencies i
n Charlottesville/Albemarle
providing human services
.
The fund is not meant to meet individual needs or act as a clearinghouse for ad-hoc projects.
Organizations applying for funds must be sponsored by a CBI congregant and all applications will be
reviewed by the CBI Tzedakah Fund Committee. Selected applicants will be invited to make a brief presentation to the committee.
Applications should be submitted to CBI Executive Director, Kathryn Mawyer, preferably electronically to [email protected]. Organizations may also mail applications and supporting documentation to CBI, P.O. Box 320, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
CBI Members: You are invited to contribute to the CBI Tzedakah Fund by directing your tax-deductible donation to CBI with notation to Tzedakah Fund. The more you donate, the greater our collective impact will be on the community.
|
United Jewish Fund for Charlottesville (UJFC) Summer Camp Scholarships
|
The UJFC has a limited number of summer camp scholarships available for Jewish camp this summer.
Past recipients have attended URJ camps (Harlam, Six Points,
Kutz), Capital Camps, Camp Judea, Habonim Camp, or Camp Ramah. In addition to traditional overnight camps, scholarships can be used for day camp to Camp CBI and the CBI Noar teen program. These scholarships are need based only
. Applications may be obtained from either UJFC or CBI (online at www.cbicville.org after February 2) and must be submitted to UJFC by February 28, 2016.
Families interested in scholarships for Camp CBI or for the CBI Noar program can apply directly to CBI by contacting Shelby Apple, Camp Director at (434) 295-6382, ext. 402 or email
[email protected]
.
|
Calling All Shutterbugs
|
CBI is now on Facebook and Pinterest and is calling all shutterbugs to join in the fun. The purpose of using these social media sites is to facilitate communications with members; encourage religious and spiritual growth, and engage others  to participate in synagogue life.
CBI's Pinterest page includes several categories such as: Jewish Holidays, Arts and Culture, Food, Synagogues Around the World, Israel, etc. If you have appropriate photographs that you would like to contribute to this page, please contact Candy Schoner, Communications and Connections Manager at (434) 295-6382, ext. 220 or email [email protected]. This is a great opportunity to share your interests with others.
Go ahead, check us out on Facebook and Pinterest and add your voice. It's easy and fun!
|
|
Judaica Shop: Buy Your Books Now While Supplies Last
|
Why shop the big box stores for Judaica items when you can find everything you need at Congregation Beth Israel's  Judaica Shop and help support your synagogue. Plus, all books are now at their lowest prices. Once our inventory is gone, we will no longer be stocking books.
|
Caring Response Team Needs Your Participation
|
When someone in the community is in need of a meal due to illness or injury, help arra
nging a shiva minyan, or a meal of consolation following the death of a family member , the Caring Response Team is only a call or email away.
If you would like to provide comfort to others during challenging times in their lives, please consider joining the Caring Committee and becoming part of the response team. If you are interested, please contact Vikki Bravo at (434) 979-1538 or by email at [email protected]. You can volunteer as much or as little as you like.
|
Lay Participation in Worship Activities
|
If you have an interest in reading Torah during services, use this link to the CBI website for upcoming readings and available dates
. Any questions, please email CBI President, Gerry Berg at
[email protected]
.
You can also sign-up online for any of the following:
D'var Torah
If you would like to serve as an usher but never have before, please
contact Scott Goodman at (434) 962-3000 or
[email protected] to learn about the role of usher at CBI prior to sign-up.
For questions about signing up or technical difficulties, please call the CBI office at (434) 295-6382 or [email protected]
|
CBI's Calendar
|
|
|
| Weekly Announcement Deadline |
Weekly announcements are distributed on Thursdays. The deadline for items to be submitted is Wednesday by 11:00 a.m. Please email submissions to Candy Schoner at [email protected] Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
