Temple Beth El of Williamsburg, VA
E-News
February 19, 2020 Issue 371
Rabbi David Katz
Jill Hyman, Synagogue Manager
Parashat Mishpatim
From a literary point of view, the emphasis of the Torah now changes. Following Revelation and the giving of the Ten Commandments, the Torah moves away from narrative and continues directly with laws and legislation for the Israelites. This section of the Torah is known as Sefer HaBrit - "The Book of the Covenant." The word mishpatim means "rules" or "ordinances," coming from the Hebrew meaning "to judge." This parasha contains 53 distinct different mitzvot (there are 613 mitzvot in the entire Torah), including civil laws, liability laws, criminal laws, ritual laws, financial laws, and family laws. Specific laws in the parashah relate to sacrifices, slavery, accidental death, kidnapping, treatment of parents and responsibility for animals, and includes the famous (and usually misunderstood) Biblical statement of "talion": eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth... (Ex. 21:24). Towards the end of the parshah, the calendar for the three festivals (Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot) is established, and then the people reaffirm their commitment to the covenant. Moses offers a sacrifice, and then he, Aaron and his sons Nadav and Abihu, and 70 other elders go onto the mountain again, and there they are treated to an extraordinary vision of God. Then Moses goes back up to the top of the mountain, and remains there for forty days.
Torah Study
Thursday, February 20
10:30 am

Shabbat Services
Friday, February 21
7:30 am

Shabbat Services
Saturday, February 22
10:00 am

TBE School
Sunday, February 23
9:30 am


60th Anniversary
Wine & Cheese Party
Sunday, February 23
6:00 pm

Meditation & Mindfulness
Tuesday, February 25
7:00 pm

Assemble Shalach Manot
Wednesday, February 26
7:00 pm
Thanks to this week's Shabbat sponsors
February 21

Friday's Oneg is potluck.

Suggestions for Friday Oneg include: grape juice, cookies, pastries, & fruit.
February 22

Saturday's Kiddush luncheon is sponsored by Deanna Marroletti in honor of her birthday.

Suggestions for Saturday Kiddush include: grape juice, challah, fruit, dips, chips, tuna or egg salad, hummus, sweets, & veggies.

When you wish to sponsor a Kiddush, please call or email Nancy Burstein at (757) 206-1447 or impresaria@cox.net. 
60th Anniversary Wine & Cheese Party
February 23rd
SAVE-THE-DATE. Sunday, February 23, from 6 - 8 pm as Temple Beth El celebrates 60 years of community with wine, hors d'oeuvres and desserts at the Williamsburg Community Building, 401 N Boundary Street. Tickets are $20 per person.
 Please RSVP to the office by Thursday, Feb 20.
Williamsburg Regional Library Showcases
60 Years of Jewish Community
Celebrate TBE of Williamsburg's 60 Years of Jewish Community
For the month of February, our synagogue is featured in an exhibit at the Williamsburg branch of the Williamsburg Regional Library highlighting our Jewish community. The display case is located in the theater lobby with beautiful objects that represent the beauty and artistry of the Jewish experience. Open 9am-9pm Mon thru Sat, 12 - 6pm on Sundays.

The display was made possible by the generous loans of objects from Flo Gussman, Paula Koz, Betsy Rossheim, Jill Whitten and Temple Beth El.
Shalach Manot
Purim is just around the corner. You can add happiness to this fun-filled festival by volunteering to help deliver Shalach Manot packages to neighboring TBE members, and/or to help assemble the packages. Package assembly is planned for Wednesday evening at 7 pm, February 26 , at TBE. Deliveries can begin as soon as the packages are assembled. We try to balance the routes so that each route has no more than a dozen members. Making deliveries is a great way to meet (or re-meet) and greet fellow TBE members. Please contact the TBE office or Bart Singer ( b.bart.singer@gmail.com ) by Feb 21 if you would like to volunteer .
Shabbat Kulanu Date Change
Shabbat Kulanu, TBE's family-oriented service, will take place on Friday, February 28, starting at 6:30 pm.
19th Annual Virginia Peninsula Jewish Film Festival
March 1st
Save-the-Date: Please join us for Shoelaces, the second film of the Winter Series of the 19th Annual Jewish Film Festival. the film starts at 2 pm on Sunday, March 1, in the theater at the Williamsburg Regional Library. All Winter Series films are free.
The Great Courses: Jewish Intellectual History, March 4th
Bob and Chellie Booth are leading a study group exploring 400 years of Jewish Thought . It includes lectures and discussion of Baruch Spinoza, Feminist Jewish Theology (Judith Plaskow), and much more. The class meets on select Wednesday afternoons from 2 - 4 pm, with a 1/2 hour lecture followed by a lengthy discussion. The next session will be held on Wednesday, March 4 - Zecharias Frankel and Conservative Judaism. If you are interested, please email Bob and Chellie at rzb2reb@cox.net , or respond to Jill in the office.
Conversational Hebrew March 4th
Advanced Classes of Conversational Hebrew with Betty Ronnen return Wednesdays at 7 pm twice a month. The next class will be held on March 4, at TBE. Other classes will be held March 18, April 1 and 22, May 6 and 20, and June 3 and 17. Contact Betty at bettybet@cox.net for curriculum details.
Halyo Singers Perform - March 6th
The Halyo Singers will perform during services on
Friday, March 6.
Celebrate TBE's 60th Birthday at the
Family Funday - March 8th
Join the Party! All TBE School-aged children and their families are invited to a Family Fun Day with your Temple Beth El friends at Baeplex Sports Studio.

Sunday, March 8, 2020
10 am - 12 pm

Experienced martial arts instructors will be on hand to make sure that kids learn and play in a safe and carefully supervised environment.

This fun day will include a
Create Your Own Sunday Ice Cream Sundae Bar. BAEPLEX is located at 500 Bulifants Blvd in Williamsburg. RSVP to Jill Whitten at jillwhitten@gmail.com or (757)258-0182 by March 1.
TBE Sings with Winsome March 8th
TBE Sings is being led by the music group Winsome and our very own Mike Schulman and Rob Weinberg. Please bring your singing voices and plan to have a fun musical afternoon.

All are welcome, Sunday, March 8 at 3 pm.
The UJC Annual Family Purim Carnival - March 8th
Purim is just around the corner. Come join the fun, Sunday, March 8 from 12 - 2 pm, at the UJCVP, 401 City Center Boulevard, Newport News.

*Face painting *Amusements *Costume Contest *Carnival Games *Prizes *Raffle for attending a Megillah Reading
*Lunch & Hamantashen available for purchase.
Purim Celebration - March 9th
TBE's Purim Celebration will take place Monday night, March 9, starting at 7 pm. The evening will include the reading of the Megilah, our annual Hamantaschen Bake-Off, Purim skits by TBE School students, and schpiels performed by you!

Everyone is invited to participate by writing a spiel - a funny skit somewhat based on the Purim story - and presenting it that night. We are also looking for bakers to make and bring a few dozen Hamantaschen to enter in our contest. Please register in the Hamantaschen Bake-Off ahead of time by contacting Jill in the TBE Office. 'Walk-ins' will be happily eaten, but it will be helpful to have an idea ahead of time of how many competitors we'll have! Contact Rabbi David for more info.
Williamsburg Presbyterian Visits - March 13th
Williamsburg Presbyterian students will visit during Friday night services on March 13. Please bring a refreshment or dessert to share and stay to mingle.
Simcha Shabbat - March 13th
Please join us Friday night, March 13, during services to commemorate Simcha Shabbat. We will recognize and celebrate anyone with simchas in March and receive blessings! In advance of March 13, please contact Jill at office@tbewilliamsburg.org with who's celebrating and the occasion.
A Sisterhood Program With Rabbi David: An Introduction to Reconstructionist Judaism - March 24th
Join us for a Sisterhood meeting starting promptly at 6:30 pm.
Then, we'll begin the evening's program at 7 pm, "A Sisterhood Program With Rabbi David: An Introduction to Reconstructionist Judaism.” All members of Sisterhood, and those women interested in becoming members are welcome. Please join us in the TBE Social Hall.
Congregational Seder
April 9th
SAVE-THE-DATE: 2nd Night, TBE Congregational Seder, Thursday, April 9, at 6:30 pm, at the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists, 3051 Ironbound Road. 

Prices are $18 for members, $36 for non-members, $12 for college students, $10 for children ages 4 - 14, and children under age 4 are free. Please call the office to reserve.

 Space is limited.
Shabbat Zakein
April 11th
SAVE-THE-DATE:

TBE's Caring Committee is proud to announce Shabbat Zakein -
Shabbat for Our Elders, Passover Edition . This abbreviated Shabbat service will start at 11 am, Saturday, April 11, will last about an hour, and will be followed by a full Pesach Kiddush luncheon. Members of TBE's Caring Committee will help bring older members with transportation needs to and from services. 
21st Annual Blood Drive in Memory of Ali Kaplan
April 19th
Note: All presenting donors between April 1-30 will receive a $5 Amazon Gift Card by email.
Celebrate life and make a difference by giving blood at the 21st Annual Blood Drive in Memory of Ali Kaplan , Sunday, April 19 from 9 am - 2 pm. Visit redcrossblood.org (to donate), select "schedule a blood donation today," and enter sponsor code: TempleB, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Walk-ins are welcome. 
From the Safety and Security Committee
The Safety and Security Committee and Rabbi David are working closely with the UJC and the Secure Community Network to evaluate TBE's security needs and priorities. Based on their recommendations, we will continue to improve security, including better outside lighting, new locks, an updated alarm and security camera system, and strengthening our doors and windows. A police presence at some TBE functions will continue.

Thanks to a generous donation, we are in the process of getting Automated External Defibrillators in case of heart attack. We have also added two professional first aid kits in the event of emergencies. If you would like to make a donation of any size to help ensure that TBE remains a safe, secure, and welcoming place for Jewish life here in Williamsburg, please be in touch. And, please contact me at ewolin@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Elliott Wolin, 
Chair, TBE Safety & Security Committee
Jill Hyman
Synagogue Manager
757-220-1205

Rabbi David Katz
757-206-1633
mobile 757-634-6407
Temple Beth El, A Welcoming Synagogue In Williamsburg, Virginia
Visit our website, www.tbewilliamsburg.org