Congregation Agudat Achim
Weekly Announcements
9 September 2021 - 3 Tishrei 5782
Parashat Vayelech
Rabbi Rafi Spitzer -- President Jackie Rowen
|
|
|
There is an interesting connection between the idea of “going,” of movement, contained in the name of this week’s Portion, Vayelekh, the third to last of the Torah, and the Parasha (3rd from the beginning of the Torah) which contains the same verb, Lekh Lkha. Abraham is told to “go” at the beginning of our Torah, and Moshe “goes” at the end of our Torah. Shadal reminds us that the word Lekh is also connected to Revelation, as it is used in reference to the sound of the Shofar at Sinai “kol hashofar holeikh v’khazeik” the sound of the shofar “went” and increased. Shuly Rubin Schwartz, the Chancellor of JTS, teaches us that “some of the most consequential journeys we take in life are invisible to the naked eye. This is, after all, our task during the month of Elul and the Yamim Noraim: to do the internal work to manage sadness, disappointment, frustration, and anger, and to reach out to those in our lives with a generous spirit and an eye toward the future.”
May we take these moments and move toward forgiveness and change.
Shabbat Shalom and Gmar Hatima Tova,
Rabbi Spitzer
|
|
Stephen Berk Lecture Series
|
|
Congregation Agudat Achim's Adult Education Committee announces a series of six fascinating lectures with Dr. Stephen Berk, professor of history at Union College and Scholar-in-Residence at Congregation Agudat Achim for more than 30 years.
Come join us this fall for Dr. Stephen Berk's newest lecture series,
Personality Counts: The Men and Women who Created and Shaped the State of Israel
The dates of the lecture series are:
Sept: 23, 30, Oct: 7, 14, 21, 28
All Lectures will be in person or online, your choice
Please register by September 13th.
You can register and pay online or by check by clicking on the button below.
If you prefer to use a printed format you can view, download, and print the registration form by clicking here.
|
|
CAA Cosponsored this Community-wide Event
|
|
CAA Scholar stream
for the Year
|
|
Save the Date: 24 October
New Adult Education Program
|
|
Carrot Festival Help Wanted!
|
|
As you know, our 43rd annual Carrot Festival is on October 10. We have two key Carrot Festival Committee positions that we hope to fill ASAP! Both of these positions can be shared by two people if that makes it easier for you. If you are interested in taking either position, or have any questions, then please contact Hillary Fink at 518-331-4208 or hbean5891@aol.com. She looks forward to hearing from you! Thank you!
Please note that lots of help will be needed on the day of the Festival. Sign-ups will begin right after the high holidays, so please watch for details!
Vendor Captain(s)
This person/people will be the "point person" for all of our vendors for the few days leading up to the Carrot Festival, up to and including the day of the Festival. They will handle questions vendors have, and will be responsible for overseeing the set-up of all of the vendors, inside and out. (Please note that our two vendor chairs, Diane and Matt Frank, have an out-of-town commitment for Carrot Festival weekend. They will guide you through the process to make it seamless for everyone! We promise!) If you are looking for a short four to five day commitment, then this is the position for you!
Volunteer Coordinator(s)
This person/people will oversee the recruitment of most volunteers for the day of the Carrot Festival. They will work closely with Committee members to determine the needs, and will coordinate the sign-ups of our members onto the spreadsheet. They will also be the "point person" on the day of the Festival making sure volunteers know where they need to be, and will help to move volunteers around to other stations if needed.
|
|
Birthdays: David Gross, Meredith Geuther, Kaitlin Spektor, Mannie Goldstein, Katerina Gross, Laura Mushkat, Dan Mayer, Jennifer Gavens, Sadie Weiss, Ely Wohl
Anniversaries: Robert & Monika Woll, Larry & Michelle Kahn, Adam & Emily Gilman, Jeffrey & Lisa Shapiro, Sam & Este Sylvetsky
|
|
Yahrzeits: Suzanne Friedman, Alfred Goodman, Iosif Khylapov, Evelyn Olin, Anna Sosensky, Louis Koslowf, Ida Silver, Fredric Vinick, Raphael Siegel, Bernard Stein, Joel Kahan, Bessie Sobel, Irving Wasserman, Herman Bragin, Sam Ocean, Harris Sanders, Max Anikstein, Harry Lloyd Frisch, Lilian Miller, Gertrude (Trudy) Moses, Alan Rowen, David Sencer, Jean Woll, Charlotte Carpenter, Ruth Isenberg, Lillian Shaller
|
|
|
Thank you to the individuals who participated in this past week's Shabbat services: Yashar koach!
High Holy Day participants will be listed in full in upcoming announcements.
Thank you to all who contributed to our High Holy Day services.
Torah and Haftarah Readers: Dan Mayer, Rabbi Spitzer; Howie Mittleman
Daveners/Service Leaders: Rabbi Spitzer, Aryeh Korevaar
Service Coordinators/Gabbaim: David Stashower; Howie Mittlem
Other Participants: David Stashower, Rachael Besser, Steve Schmidt, Edith Kliman, Bob Weissberg, Kati Illouz, Rebecca Stashower, Howie Mittleman, Talya Stashower, Mira Stashower
Contributors to our Security Fund, Attendees, “…those who give funds for heat and light, wine for Kiddush and Havdalah, bread to the wayfarer and charity to the poor, and all those who devotedly involve themselves with the needs of this community… May the Holy Blessed One reward them, remove sickness from them, heal them, and forgive their sins. May God bless them by prospering all their worthy endeavors, and let us say: Amen.”
Would you like to see your name on this list?
Get in touch with Howie Mittleman or Rabbi Spitzer!
Ritual Mitzvah Volunteer Opportunity
Rabbi Spitzer and the ritual committee are looking to expand our pool of regular Zoom weekday evening service leaders. One of our regular leaders has developed a conflict on the nights he usually leads, and we'd like to take the opportunity to get some new faces involved. This is a wonderful way to give back to the community, doesn't take longer than 15 minutes, and is relatively easy to learn. Creative/nontraditional services may also meet the need of the community. Please email rabbispitzer@agudatachim.org if you're interested, or curious.
|
|
High Holiday Forms and Information
|
|
There will be no babysitting services available at the synagogue during High Holiday services.
There will be no printed tickets for High Holidays this year. All members are registered for attendance and must check in at the front door for contact tracing purposes. Your name will be prepared on a printed list to be checked off by our security guard. You will be asked the following questions upon entry:
- Have you travelled outside the country in the past 14 days?
- Have you had any direct or close contact with anyone who tested positive or may have been positive for COVID-19, including the Delta variant?
- Have you had any symptoms of illness in the last 48 hours, including sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, smelling, or tasting?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, we will ask you to participate in the service from your home, via our live stream service.
Non-members (extended family of CAA members or individuals in the community) must pre-register in order to attend any High Holiday services. No non-CAA member walk-ins will be allowed at any High Holiday service. In order to register, please fill out the form here.
|
|
School Starts September 12!
Registration for 2021-2022 school year
is now open for Prek - 12
High School Electives are Now Available.
Email Jack with your choices.
We will be holding classes in person this year
|
|
Tashlich Program First day of School
|
|
Food Drive: SiCM + CAA Social Action
|
|
The Social Action Committee is continuing plans for a New Year of Tikkun Olam with projects that serve the needs of the greater community. To that end, a High Holiday-Sukkot food drive is planned. Beginning 1 September and continuing through Carrot Festival on 10 October, we will be collecting much needed nonperishable food items to be distributed to SICM (Schenectady Community Ministries).
Food items should be placed in baskets located in the synagogue foyer.
SICM has suggested the following items ONLY:
Coconut Milk - Canned Fruits and Vegetables - Breadcrumbs - Quinoa - Couscous - Stuffing - Dried Herbs.
Thank you in advance for participating in this critical community act of tzedakah.
|
|
Reyut and Hessed requests for rides
It is now permitted for our volunteers, if they feel comfortable, and are vaccinated and masked, to drive congregants. Please feel free once again to call Linda Birnby at 518-608-6083 to request a ride, and she will call the volunteers for you to get you a driver. Remember, the earlier that you call her to request a ride, the easier it will be for her to find you a driver. It is wonderful to be able to offer you this service once again!
Rabbi Spitzer teaches a class on the weekly Torah portion on Tuesdays from (NEW TIME) 10:45a – 11:45a on Zoom. The link is on the CAA Online Programming Google Doc. If you are interested in exploring the weekly Parashah, please attend. All are welcome. Rabbi Spitzer invites you to call or email with your comments or thoughts.
Beginner and Intermediate Hebrew Classes at CAA Next Class 5 October
Interested in learning Hebrew? Zipporah Harris, a Hebrew teacher with more than 30 years of experience, continues to share her knowledge and skills at CAA. A group of learners who joined Ms. Harris’s class several sessions ago is now at a solid intermediate level, ready to start its next session of 10 classes on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. If you are a beginner, interested in joining a beginners’ Hebrew class, please contact Zipporah Harris at yourpersonalspace1@gmail.com Cost: $100 per session, payable to Zipporah Harris at the beginning of a session ($10 per class)
Every Wednesday on Zoom at 10a.
Meets on the second Wednesday of each month, at 12:00p
Next Meeting 13 October
October book: The Light of Days, by Judy Batalion
November book: Paris Children, by Gloria Goldreich
|
|
Siddur Supplement
Until further notice, we are using the full Siddur Sim Shalom during weekday and Shabbat services. This version has both Shabbat and Weekday prayer services (whereas the "Slim Shalom," which only contains Shabbat services are typically used in the sanctuary). Rabbi Spitzer has made the following four prayers accessible.
We would like to make everyone’s experience of the service at home as barrier-free as possible so please get in touch with us if there are other things that we can do to increase ease of access.
|
|
A Time to Grow:
A PJ Library Family Guide to the Fall Holidays
|
|
Coming up on Sunday, September 12th
Join us for Selichot at the Egalitarian Kotel
Enhance your experience of the High Holidays. Join the World Zionist Organization and the Masorti Movement in Israel for Selichot prayers at the Egalitarian Kotel.
It will be broadcasted live from Jerusalem – with translations to English and other languages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|