SHABBAT SHALOM, GESHER SHALOM!


 
January 3rd, 2019
 
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Shabbat Times: 
Candle Lighting
Evening service at CBIOTP
Morning Service at CBIOTP
M inha at CBIOTP 
4:22  pm
7:00 pm 
9:30 am
4:00 pm
 
  Forecast:  46/rainy

IN THIS ISSUE...
Birthdays and Anniversaries 
Valerie Maier
Laurie Smilovitz
Sally Seymour
Susan Ginsburg
Selma Spielman
Sheila Scherl


   UPCOMING EVENTS
 
Saturday 1/4
Morning Service at CBIOTP 9:30am 
Minha , S'uda Shlishit (3rd Shabbat Meal), timely topic, Maariv and Havdalah 4:00pm at CBIOTP
Tuesday 1/7
Sisterhood Board Meeting 1:00pm 
Thursday 1/9 Rabbi's Class 
10:30am
Friday 1/10
Evening Service 7:00 pm
 
I am away this Shabbat, returning next week... I hope you had a Happy Hanukkah and New Year.  
A BIG thank you to all who make it possiible for me to go away with all aspects of our services in good hands.
I ask that you support our daily minyan until we resume a normal, post-holiday schedule.
kas
  




 
Special Alert Regarding Attack in Monsey, NY and Our Shul's Security

Dear Friends,
I am away with no phone service and limited internet access, which explains the delay in sending this communication to you...but I was up on Saturday night/Sunday morning, riveted to the BBC TV reports from Rockland County; it was their lead story for hours.
 
This terror attack, plus other recent events, are exactly that: terrifying - and yet we know we cannot succumb to our fears as that is what terrorism seeks. While we rely on our authorities to keep us safe; we know how challenging these situations are, these perpetrators fly under the radar of surveillance. We also know we all must also do our part, taking realistic and practical steps to secure our facilities and our own well-being.
 
I want to assure you that we have taken safety precautions in our shul: we hire uniformed Fort Lee Police personnel, at considerable expense, to protect us at Shabbat (and holiday) morning services, and our custodial staff operates the locked entry doors at CBIOTP on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons/evenings. Our new offices/Chapel are equipped with a security system that provides for video surveillance and screening with buzzer entry (following visual identification) for all who have business in our offices, participate in classes, or attend any of our weekday minyanim. The Fort Lee Police are well-aware of our new location, which, for security reasons we do not publicize, and they provided a higher level of protection (something akin to a Hercules Team) for our two public Hanukkah Menorah lightings.
 
We are grateful for your continued support for our Congregation, and we want you to feel safe whenever you join us for activities. We will continue to review the situation and adapt accordingly.
 
Thank you.
Rabbi Kenneth Stern




Security Update 
from Gerald Dargan, Northern New Jersey Jewish Community Security Officer:

Jason Shames (Federation CEO) sent out an email earlier (Sunday) advising that we had spoken to the State Attorney General and that Federation is in contact with local, county and state law enforcement. The Bergen County Rapid Deployment Team is being deployed into the community to conduct synagogue checks tomorrow (last Monday). Any synagogue that is having an event in the near future should alert their local police department.  
We will keep the community advised of any new details as they pertain to the investigation.  

from kas: you should be aware that Gerry Dargan has been extremely helpful to our Shul as a consultant, and immediately responsive to any of our needs. He was instrumental in organizing an "active shooter" training program for Fort Lee synagogues. We are grateful to him and to Federation. 


Click image for more information


 
MERCAZ is the Masorti's/Conservative Movement's political arm,    through which we can advocate for programs and funding in the World Zionist Congress and its upcoming elections 

Dear Friends:

Beginning at the end of January you will be able to cast your vote for MERCAZ in the World Zionist Congress Election. This is the one opportunity we, as American Jews, have to directly use our voice in Israel and shine a light on issues of religious pluralism.  

By casting your vote for MERCAZ, it will send a critical message that pluralism, democracy and equality are critical to creating a strong and vibrant Israel and that the right to observe Judaism in Israel as we see fit, and not according to the dictates of the Chief Rabbinate.

By casting your vote for MERCAZ, you will also ensure that our institutions will get their fair share of the $1 billion dollars in funding for programs both in Israel and around the world. These are critical dollars that grow our movement and make sure our voice is heard.
Share this video with your friends and family today and urge them to join us by voting MERCAZ from January 21 thru March 11, 2020.
Thank you.
Rabbi Stern
I will be sending you additional information in the weeks to come...







ALL 3 OF OUR SHABBAT SERVICES ARE NOW HELD AT CBIOTP


Torah Rea ding 274    Haftarah 291
VA-YIGGASH
Judah approaches Joseph and delivers an impassioned plea, asking that Benjamin, who was framed for having stolen Joseph's chalice, be allowed to return to their aged father. Judah offers himself in place of his youngest half-brother. At this point Joseph can no longer contain himself and he reveals his true identity to his brothers. Joseph reassures them that their role in his disappearance was God's will: it has allowed him to save Egypt from starvation during the famine which will continue for another five years. It will also allow Joseph to bring their entire family from Canaan to Egypt where they will have sufficient food. The brothers embrace; all is forgiven.
 
Joseph lavishes gifts upon his brothers and sends wagons to convey Jacob and the Israelite household to Egypt. On the way down to Egypt Jacob stops at Be'er Sheva, where God assures him that his descendants will return to Canaan.
 
The reunion between father and son is quite emotional. Joseph presents his father and several of his brothers to Pharaoh, who extends an invitation to them to settle in Goshen.
 
The famine becomes more and more severe. When the people have no more money with which to buy food, they exchange their cattle and their land for provisions. Many move from the countryside to the city to be close to the food storage and distribution centers. Those who remain on the land are permitted to till it as long as they remit one-fifth of their produce to Pharaoh's treasury. The Israelites, living apart from the Egyptians, prosper in Goshen.

 
Tonight: Evening service at 7:00 p.m. at CBIOTP
Tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. at CBIOTP
Minha, Seudah Shlishit, Ma'ariv & Havdalah at 4:00 p.m. at CBIOTP
During Seudah Shlishit we will read...
Finding Terrorist Needles in the Internet Haystack:  An Interview with Arik Barbing, former head of the Shin Bet security agency's cyber department
    
This Week's Yahrzeit Observances
We hope that our weekly listing of yahrzeit observances will serve 2 purposes:
1)     To remind those who have the yahrzeit for a second time, much closer to the date of the actual observance
2)     To alert friends and acquaintances that someone they know is observing a yahrzeit. We hope that you will show them your support by joining them at our minyanim, and helping to assure that Kaddish can be recited with a minyan 
        
              
Ellen Yuder will be observing yahrzeit for her mother, Edna Davidman on Friday evening, January 3rd
Alvin Sussman will be observing yahrzeit for his mother, Celia Sussman on Friday evening, January 3rd
Harriet Hirschenfang will be observing yahrzeit for her husband, Fred Hirschenfang on Monday evening, January 6th
Martha Shemin will be observing yahrzeit for her grandfather, Albert Shemin on Monday evening, January 6th
Audrey Greenberg will be observing yahrzeit for her mother, Beatrice Breindel on Tuesday evening, January 7th
Ira Smilovitz will be observing yahrzeit for his mother, Florence Smilovitz on Tuesday evening, January 7th
Peter Bloch will be observing yahrzeit for his mother, Lenore Bloch on Wednesday evening, January 8th
Barbara Fishman will be observing yahrzeit for her mother, Florence Eckstein on Wednesday evening, January 8th
Vida Story will be observing yahrzeit for her mother, Mollian Story on Thursday evening, January 9th


Important/Interesting Reads      
Colmar - Europe's Most Picturesque Medieval Town with a Turbulent History                                                               (... but no mention of the Treasure or of the persecution of its Jews)    
                                          





Re-Inventing the Bible
Thursdays at 10:30 am
Join Rabbi Stern as we discover the amazingly creative juices of  the classical rabbis! They were masters at spinning yarns, embellishing narrative, and inventing out of whole cloth to really make the Bible come alive through what they called Midrash Aggadah.
Using Louis Ginzberg's one-volume The Legends of the Bible (you can buy a used copy online for less than $10), we will contrast the biblical text with these rabbinically enhanced narratives.
 
Next classes: December 19, then January 9


For weeks, AIPAC has been asking its members to get senators to sponsor legislation that would extend sanctions to entities dealing with already sanctioned Palestinian groups, called the Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act of 2019. So far, they have 20 sponsors, but just one Democrat, Richard Blumenthal, D-Ct., who initiated the bill with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Bi-partisanship, which is the hallmark of AIPAC, is becoming more difficult...And that isn why your presence at AIPAC is even more important!












Year-Round Offerings for Families, Teens, & Adults
November 2019 / Cheshvan 5780

There are many ways to enjoy Ramah experiences year-round, whether it's with your own Ramah camp or with the Ramah mishpacha at programs throughout North America, Israel, and the world. Use these links or scroll down to learn more!
No prior Ramah affiliation is needed to participate in these programs, so please invite friends and family to join you, or forward this email to anyone who might be interested in these terrific program offerings!
Travel with Ramah Israel Institute (RII) and Reshet Ramah
Poland Journey for Adults (two trips)  |  July 13-19, 2020 & Oct. 19-25, 2020
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Family Adventure in Israel  (two trips)| August 10-20, 2020 & Dec. 21-30, 2020
Ramah Morocco Experience  | Oct. 19-29, 2020 
Ramah Israel Bike Ride & Hiking Trip  | April 20-27, 2021
Custom  Family  and  Synagogue  Trips
Family Camps & Retreats
Ramah Darom Winter Break Family Camp   |  Dec. 27, 2019  -  Jan. 1, 2020
Camp Ramah at Limmud NY  (Ramah Nyack/Berkshires partnership) | Feb. 14-17, 2020
Ramah Darom "Book It to Shabbat with PJ Library"  (in partnership with with Jewish Federation of Atlanta PJ Library) | March 13-15, 2020
Ramah Darom Passover Retreat  | April 7-17, 2020
Ramah California Passover Camp  | April 8-17, 2020
Ramah New England Family Camp   | May 22-25, 2020
Ramah Darom Summer Family Camp  | June 24-28, 2020 and July 15-19, 2020
Ramah Wisconsin Family Camp | Aug. 12-16, 2020
Ramah Berkshires Outdoor Adventure Family Camp  | Summer 2020 dates to be announced
LimmudFest at Ramah Darom  (partnership with Limmud Atlanta and Southeast)  |  Sept. 4-7, 2020
Ramah Poconos - Sukkot | Oct. 2-5, 2020 (registration opens soon)
Adult Camps & Retreats
Ramah Shabbaton at Songleader Boot Camp (St. Louis, MO) | Feb. 14-16, 2020
Experiential Educator Course at BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy | March 8-15, 2020 and May 17-24, 2020
Singles Weekend at Ramah Berkshires (for singles in their 40s, 50s, and up) | May 22-25, 2020 (registration opens soon)
Ramah Darom/Pardes Shavuot Beit Midrash  | May 28-31, 2020 (partnership with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies)
Ramah Poconos - Shabbat Plus | July 24-26, 2020 (registration opens soon)
Families with Children with Disabilities
Ramah New England Tikvah Family Shabbaton  | May 1-3, 2020 (registration opens soon)
Ramah Darom Camp Yofi   | Aug. 5-9, 2020
Ramah California Camp Ohr Lanu   | Aug. 13-17, 2020
Ramah Poconos Tikvah Family Camp   |  Aug. 19-23, 2020
Programs for Teens & Young Adults
Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim (TRY) | Jan. 27 - June 1, 2020
TRY, the Ramah Jerusalem High School, is a transformative program that offers 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students a fully accredited academic program within a Ramah setting based in Jerusalem. Students from day schools and public schools continue their required and elective courses, participate in an outstanding program in Jewish history and thought, and immerse themselves in Israeli life and culture.
MITF is Ramah's first-ever immersive Israel experience for college graduates ages 21-35. MITF fellows spend an exciting year teaching English in Israeli schools, making a meaningful impact on the lives of their students, learning Hebrew, and living in Jerusalem. This highly subsidized program provides extensive opportunities for personal and professional growth and enrichment. Ramah MITF is a partnership between Masa and the Israeli Ministry of Education.
BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy |  Dec. 22, 2019 - Jan. 12, 2020 (A program of Ramah in the Rockies)
BaMidbar's therapeutic expeditions  are immersive experiences that help Jewish young adults ages 18-28 overcome personal hurdles and get on their feet as confident and adjusted adults. Using wilderness and adventure-based experiences as a vehicle to promote self-reflection and community connection, students build a toolkit to face life's challenges. BaMidbar's program serves emerging adults who may or may not have a history of mental health challenges, but who are struggling to find their way forward as they transition from adolescence into adulthood.

Israeli Culture in North America
Art
Proposition
Through January 11
Hesse Flatow
Proposition is a group video exhibition featuring Ben Hagari, showcased in a screening room along with a selection of associated props, costumes, sculptures and other related materials from these videos in the adjoining gallery space.

Film
Synonyms
Ongoing
Quad Cinema
Based on writer-director Nadav Lapid's own experiences, Synonyms is an intensely kinetic tragicomic puzzle that explores the ways in which language and identity - both national and existential - are inextricably linked... or aren't. Winner of the Golden Bear at Berlin International Film Festival.

Music
Roni Gal-Ed at Jupiter
January 6 | 2 PM & 7:30 PM
January 20 | 2 PM & 7:30 PM
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church
Described as "one of the finest oboe players in the country" by The Jerusalem Post and "Outstanding...the star soloist of the evening" by The New York Times - Roni Gal-Ed will be playing two concerts with Jupiter - a chamber music series to acknowledge and perpetuate the legacy of conductor Jens Nygaard.

Art
Rotem Reshef: Arcadia
Through January 26
Katonah Museum of Art
In Arcadia, Israeli artist Rotem Reshef has collected organic materials, some from the KMA grounds, to paint monumental rolls of unstretched canvas that are suspended from the walls.The marks and vibrant palette which saturate the entire surface reference the natural world, and the gesture of pouring paint reveals her unconventional artistic process that filters and redefines abstraction and expression.

Music
Tamir Hendelman and the Spirit of Israel Ensemble
January 9 | 7 PM
Yamaha Artist Services Piano Salon
Pianist/composer/arranger and Yamaha artist Tamir Hendelman leads a quintet of top Israeli-American jazz musicians from Los Angeles and New York in an evening of dynamic and lyrical jazz interpretations of traditional and modern Israeli songs, music by fellow Israeli jazz artists and their own original compositions.


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