Congregation Agudat Achim
Weekly Announcements
15 September 2021 - 9 Tishrei 5782
Parashat Ha’azinu
Rabbi Rafi Spitzer -- President Jackie Rowen
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The Congregation Agudat Achim Adult Education Committee has been working hard both to plan great programming for this coming year (on the theme of our relationship with Israel, and other themes) and to cosponsor and curate programs created by partner organizations that we think will be of interest to our members. One terrific example of this is the Conservative/Masorti Movement's ScholarStream programs, which, because of our sponsorship, are being offered free to our members. Another of our partners is the Hadar Institute, whose Project Zug program enables folks to learn and study with partners virtually in self-paced curriculums. We were able to join the Project Zug Elul study of Teshuva as a congregation, and Steve Schmidt's teaching at Tashlich distilled our learning in a really beautiful way. In the spirit of Yom Kippur, I'd like to share Steve's words with you, in the hopes that you will learn from him, and also that your interest might be sparked to participate the next time we invite you to join a Project Zug learning cycle, or another of our adult education offerings.
Tashlich is a ceremony that tends to focus on the negative – things we’ve done wrong, ways we need to do better, our brokenness. So let me start with something positive, and also with a bit of a puzzle.
As we approach Yom Kippur we are asking God for mercy, and the book of Psalms promises us that it is available. Rava, a rabbi who lived in Babylonia in the 4th century CE, observed that Psalms contains a contradiction about this; his comment is recorded in the Talmud, tractate Pesachim, page 50b:
“It is written: “For Your mercy is great unto the heavens, and Your truth reaches the skies” (Psalms 57:11); and it is written elsewhere: “For Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches the skies” (Psalms 108:5).” So which is it – unto the heavens, or above them?
Rava resolves it this way. It’s not just what you do, but why you do it that matters. If someone does a mitzvah, but for selfish reasons – say, if I give charity because I want to show off my wealth – that’s the case when mercy rises to the heavens. But when someone does a mitzvah for the sake of doing that mitzvah – because it is the right thing to do – then mercy rises to a higher level, a level above the heavens.And as it is with mercy, so it is with repentance. Several members of our congregation participated last month in a course on repentance taught by Rabbi Shai Held of Hadar. One of the things we learned in that course is that when you repent, you can try to change your actions – what you do – but you can also try to change your motivations – the reasons why you do things. Both of those are teshuvah, but one is teshuvah on a higher level. This higher level of teshuvah goes beyond trying to change what you do; it reaches the level of trying to change who you are. This affects you more deeply, and is a more transformative kind of teshuvah. If you can reach this level and make improvements in your character, your actions will get better as a result. So as you go through these next ten days, try to ask yourself not just “How can I do better?” but also “How can I want to be better?” Keep that in mind as you’re thinking about the kind of person you will be in the coming year.
Thank you, Steve, for this beautiful teaching.
Gmar Hatima Tova, May we all be sealed for good in the book of life,
Rabbi Spitzer
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Rabbi Rafi Spitzer's Sermon 1st Day Rosh Hashanah 5782 |
Rabbi Rafi Spitzer's Sermon 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah 5782 |
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Ilana Sandberg Sings "Yaaleh" Lev Shalem 223 |
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Save the Date
Pizza in a Hut
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23 September 2021
at 5:30p
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Watch for our dedicated email on Friday with all the information needed.
If you want to register now you can by clicking here.
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Stephen Berk Lecture Series |
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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 now!
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.
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CAA Cosponsored this Community-wide Event |
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CAA Scholar stream
for the Year
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Save the Date: 24 October
New Adult Education Program
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Birthdays: Ellen Malkis, Michael Delman, Linda Birnby, Lauren Eiger, Lynn Finkel, Matt Geuther, Walter Krefetz, Marilyn Elson, Sandy Bell, Meredith Eiger, Sasha Spektor, Rachel Hollander
Anniversaries: None this week
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Yahrzeits: Mary C. Keesal, Lillian Mendelson, Tillie Gold, Sam Routenberg, Norman Shore, Nathan Kaplan, Julie Fink Myshrall, Jay Sales, Minnie Skoburn, Abraham Davidovitz, David Kagan, Helen Wohl |
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Thank you to the individuals who participated in this past week's
Shabbat services: Yashar koach!
Thank you to all who contributed to our High Holy Day services.
Torah and Haftarah Readers: Dan Mayer, Gilah Moses
Daveners/Service Leaders: Steve Schmidt, Elianna Moses
Service Coordinators/Gabbaim: Murray Jaros; Art Friedson, Marilyn Elson
Other Participants: Rachael Besser, Marilyn Elson, Rabbi Spitzer, Elianna Moses, Edith Kliman, Art Friedson, Kaitlin Spektor, Gilah Moses
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.
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High Holiday Forms and Information |
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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.
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School Started September 12!
There is still time to register!
Registration for 2021-2022 school year
is now open for Prek - 12
High School Electives are Now Available.
Email Jack with your choices.
We are holding classes in person this year
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Thank you for your support of our Meals to Go take-home food service.
We have sold out of every item!
We will return with a fully stocked inventory at the end of October!!
Feel free to contact Rise' Routenberg at syncaterer@aol.com to offer suggested items for us to prepare.
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Food Drive: SiCM + CAA Social Action |
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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.
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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
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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.
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This Sukkot, join Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh and our partners Romemu Yeshiva, Shamir Collective, Jewish Studio Project, JArts, Mitsui Collective, Hadar, and Svara for a virtual afternoon of learning focused on joy, ritual, and the 2nd Temple practice of the Simchat Beit HaShoeivah, the joyous water drawing ceremony that occurred each year in Jerusalem during the intermediate days of Sukkot. We will draw from our own wellsprings of joy through learning, creative arts, embodied ritual, and a concert with Joey Weisenberg. All are welcome.
Sunday, September 26
3 - 6 PM ET / 2 - 5 PM CT / 12 - 3 PM PT
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