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Bethlehem Hebrew Congregation
Bethlehem, NH 03574
June 2024 - Sivan 5784
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FROM THE CO-PRESIDENT
Summer Begins at BHC with Rabbinical Student and Alumni in Attendance!
Come up to Sanctuary this Friday, June 21 at 6:00 pm, as we welcome the Sabbath on the longest day of the year, our summer solstice!
To add to this special moment, we have invited a rabbinical student, David Kaplinsky, a student at Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts, to lead services. We also welcome back special guest Rabbi Eli Herb, now the Rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom in Salem, Washington. Rabbi Herb led BHC prayers in 2014 - 2015.
As always, we sanctify the sabbath with a festive oneg, this week a “Bagelpalooza” to entice members back to schul and to welcome our special guest.
Rabbi Kirshbaum will begin officiating services from the bima of our sanctuary on Strawberry Hill St., Bethlehem, on July 5. Expect fireworks the night before! Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat services begin at 6:00 pm. On July 6, join the Shabbat morning service at 10:00 am and Torah Studies at 11:00 am. For those out of commuting range we will continue to broadcast the service via Zoom.
Read further about our schedule of outdoor and indoor activities, from our Friday morning Walking Club to Afternoon Yoga exercises, as well as Building Community through the Arts Programing which includes the Sounds in the Sanctuary concert series, the White Mountain Jewish Film Festival on Thursdays at the Colonial Theatre, and Books of Jewish Interest discussions at the Bethlehem Public Library and by Zoom.
Our last “Zoom Only” Kabbalat Shabbat service will take place on Friday, June 28, at 5:00 pm. This will be the last D’var Torah given by our wonderful BHC congregant and Board Member, Judith Felsen. Please tune in one last time to shmooze, sing, pray, wish a Misheberach for the sick, and join in the kaddish for the departed. Thanks again to Judy for a year’s worth of turning each parsha into an uplifting message to us all and thank you all for joining us each Friday and holiday evening.
Check BHC’s website at www.bethlehemsynagogue.org for all the details.
Looking forward to another full and hopefully sunny summer,
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Dave
Co-president Dave Goldstone
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FROM THE RABBI
Shalom everyone,
I look forward to greeting many of you “there" in the sanctuary on Friday, July 5 for our sixth in-person season together.
Well, sort of sixth season: it’s hard to figure out how to count 2020, isn’t it? As a matter of fact, where's “there” any more? For instance, since October 9, some of us have been meeting by Zoom for finding comfort in community every Monday and Thursday at 8 am. Never once have we been physically altogether and yet the group shares a freedom to speak candidly with one another, which I take to be a form of social intimacy. (You’re welcome to join us any time; if not receiving email reminders from me, write to leadership@bhceventsicloud.net).
Fortunately, as BHC transitions back to its in-person season, Zoomers can still join on Fri nights and Shabbos mornings thanks to a very good hybrid system set-up by early 2021 with the expertise of the Salomon family.
I recently had the privilege of attending five sessions over Shabbat offered by an extremely distinguished scholar in residence whom I'll tell you more about in a few weeks. Noting Israel’s lack of oil, he quipped that bad options seem to be the country's most abundant natural resource. It is indeed a time full of excruciatingly difficult options. As most of you know, I am a dual citizen of both the US and Israel, and will continue to do all I can to help fellow Jews respond out of love to the multiple crises facing our national homeland.
Rabbi Kirshbaum
Rabbi Donna Kirshbaum
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IN PERSON/ZOOM
"PRE-SEASON" KABBALAT SHABBAT AND BAGELPALOOZA
JUNE 21, 6:00 PM ET
For local congregants who would like to get together before the start of our summer season: a Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday, June 21 at 6:00 pm in the sanctuary and by Zoom.
Rabbinic student David Kaplinsky will lead services, along with Rabbi Herb Eil, who served BHC in 2014 and 2015. A great surprise!
Following the service, synagogue attendees are invited to enjoy a Bagelpalooza oneg, with all your favorite people, bagel fixings, and, of course, a shot of Manischewitz or Kedem.
For questions or suggestions about our service offerings, please contact the co-chairs of the Ritual Committee, Lucy Goodhart or Fred Apple.
To sponsor an oneg or kiddush Contact the hospitality committee here.
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MONDAY AND THURSDAY MORNINGS AT 8 AM:
A FEW MINUTES OF COMFORT AND COMMUNITY
Join BHC on Mondays and Thursdays at 8:00 am ET on Zoom as we continue, first off, to offer a psalm – a text to which we Jews turn to confront sorrow – then hear a brief teaching to fortify us and, every few sessions, check in with one another.
A reminder email goes out the night before each session.
Newcomers always welcome. Please refer those outside of the BHC community to request the registration link here.
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WEEKLY SHABBAT SERVICES IN THE SANCTUARY BEGIN JULY 5
Weekly in-sanctuary services and Torah Study with Rabbi Kirshbaum begin on Friday, July 5, with Kabbalat Shabbat at 6:00 pm. On Shabbat morning July 6, the Torah service beings at 10:00 am, with Torah study at 11:00 am.
Moving forward, weekly Erev Shabbat services begin at 6:00 pm. Weekly Torah Study meets Shabbat morning at 11:00. Monthly, we celebrate Rosh Chodesh with a torah service beginning at 10:00 am.
Erev Shabbat services begin at 6:30 on the nights BHC hosts Sounds in the Sanctuary. .
Services will be broadcast by Zoom; links will be emailed weekly.
Request to join the Zoom link mailing list here
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DOUBLE YOUR MITZVOT, DOUBLE YOUR FUN
Challah Baking and Torah Construction Friday, July 19, 2:00 pm at BHC
BHC welcomes back Rabbis Linda Motzkin and Jonathan Rubenstein founders of the “Bread and Torah Project”, who will offer a “hands-on” activity: all participants will prepare the challah dough with Rabbi Rubenstein. And, as the dough rises, Rabbi Motzkin will demonstrate sewing together new parchment sections of the Torah she is creating.
Learn more here.
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BERNARD ROSE OPENS
SOUNDS IN THE SANCTUARY SEASON WITH BACH'S GOLDBERG VARIATIONS
On Friday, July 12, at 5:00 pm, pianist Bernard Rose will sit down at BHC's beautiful Yamaha piano and play Bach's rich and complicated composition known as The Goldberg Variations.
Rose, among Sound in the Sanctuary's most popular musicians, will perform the entire suite, from the beautifully tranquil and highly ornamented Aria - complemented by an active bass line - through all thirty variations.
Buy tickets online via Catamount Arts - link available soon
Four concert season tickets: $60 for BHC members, $75 general public
Tickets available at the door on concert days: $20 members, $25 General Admission;
Learn about the 2024 season here
Become a sponsor: Donate Online
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READING SEASON - FOCUS ON COMEDY - LAUNCHES WITH "SICK IN THE HEAD"
We’re off to another exciting and funny summer of reading. On Wednesday, July 10 at 4:00 pm EDT, we will be discussing Sick in the Head by Judd Apatow, the first 2024 Books of Jewish Interest selection We meet in person at the Bethlehem Public Library and by Zoom.
Nancy Fages will lead a fast-paced discussion on five great Jewish comedians featured in the book (page numbers for interviews noted):
· Jerry Seinfeld (3-10 / 185-198)
· Adam Sandler (13-26)
· Jon Stewart (226-23)
· Roseanne Barr (382-400)
· Sarah Silverman (409-416)
Learn more about this year's selections here
Learn more about the "Sick in the Head" discussion here.
RSVP if you will be attending in person or by Zoom here.
Watch for the Zoom link by email and in BHC ShulNews.
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2024 WHITE MOUNTAIN JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL'S SUMMER OF HUMOR LINEUP
6:00 pm Patio Party | 6:30 pm Guest Speaker | 7:00 pm Film
July 18 | Yaniv | Guest Speakers Amnon Cardi (Director) Ben Ducoff (Actor)
The show must go on, even if it means bending the law a little bit.
See the trailer. Learn more.
August 1 | Frisco Kid | Guest Speaker Steve Soreff
Rabbi Avram Belinsky (Gene Wilder) e gets into one scrape after another until he is rescued, in a way, by a compassionate horseman named Tommy Lillard (Harrison Ford).
See the trailer. Learn more.
August 15 | Broadway Danny Rose | Guest Speaker Rick Wilson
Danny Rose (Woody Allen), a hopeless New York talent agent, who signs has-been lounge singer Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte). Little does he know that he must escort Canova's mistress, Tina (Mia Farrow), whose ex-boyfriend is a jealous gangster.
See the trailer. Learn more.
August 29 | No Name Restaurant | Guest Speaker TBA
Ben, an ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn Jew visiting Jerusalem, missed his plane and been kicked off the bus in the Sinai Desert en route to a Pesach seder in Egypt. His last hope is Adel, a grumpy Bedouin looking for his camel.
See the trailer. Learn more.
September 5 | The Producers | Guest Speaker Rick Wilson
A theatrical producer (Zero Mostel) and an accountant (Gene Wilder) want to produce a Broadway musical, but they want it to fail so they can abscond with the investors' money when the play fails. Only - the show turns out to be a hit. Written and directed by Mel Brooks.
See the trailer. Learn more.
Flout your creativity. Host a patio party: a few dates still available!
Contact the hospitality team here.
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SUMMER TRAIL WALKERS
WILL MEET AGAIN ON FRIDAYS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR:
July 5 and 19, August 2, 16, and 30 | 9:30 AM
It’s time to get the bug spray and sunscreen out so we can start enjoying nature! This year we will again gather to take walks in and around Bethlehem, mostly on the Fridays following the White Mountain Jewish Film Festival.
This year's itinerary offers a combination of easier and more difficult walks, so people can choose what they want. Sharon will send out specific directions and/or any changes to the plan each Monday before the week's walk.
Everyone is welcome. We’re looking forward to seeing both old and new faces!!!
See the detailed list of planned walks here
Sharon Heyman leads the walks. Contact her here.
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DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR GENTLE YOGA CLASSES WITH SUSAN BONNICI
Registered yoga teacher Susan Bonnici has volunteered to offer another gentle yoga course onsite at BHC. Classes will meet weekly on Tuesdays, at 4:00 pm, from July 9 through August 27.
Susan will be guiding students to gradually build flexibility and skills that they can take from the mat to life. Suggested donation to participate in the series is $60. Registration closes July 5.
Register here.
Questions? Contact Susan.
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"SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE" DOCUMENTARY BEARS WITNESS TO HAMAS SEXUAL ABUSE
Rabbi David Edelson and Martin Kessel recommend "Screams before Silence," a difficult documentary which bears witness to the abuse of Israeli women by Hamas men. Cheryl Sandberg, formerly of FaceBook, interviews victims of Hamas sexual violence, gently helping each woman tell of her horrific experiences.
Rabbi Edelson: We are still wrestling with the question of why so many women's organizations and activists against sexual violence found it hard to speak up about the abuse of women on October 7. Many remained silent for months, or only issued tepid acknowledgements. I want to remind you to be thoughtful about how - and if - you view it. Some will want to view it alone while others will need others around them for such difficult images. Be sure to have people you can call to speak to after watching it.
Rabbi Edelson advises that if you have any qualms about being exposed to the brutal facts head on, that is totally respected, but the main message is for as many people as possible is to "bear witness"....
View the film here
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JULIE ZUKERMAN'S LETTERS FROM ISRAEL
Julie Zuckerman continues to write essays on the 'big ups and more downs" of life in Israel today. Her letters can be found on her Substack page. From her June 1 letter:
I’m not sure I have much new to report here, other than the very obvious fact that we are all sick of this situation and would like this nightmare to be over.
Julie offers some reading suggestions, including a piece in the New York Times, “A Chill Has Fallen Over Jews in Publishing” and - to share with college-age kids/friends - a hopeful comment by Natan Sharansky in Tablet, The 500, on the Columbia Jewish students who bravely addressed victim-blaming Jews for the hatred that targets them.
Read her June letter on Substack here
Read her May 15 letter on Substack here
Join Julie's mailing list here. Photos of picking oranges from /juliezuckerman.substack.com/
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BEING IN ISRAEL AT THIS CRITICAL TIME - A LETTER FROM MARTIN KESSEL
It is almost two weeks since Gail and I returned from a month in Israel.
Being in Israel at this time is truly an emotional pendulum swinging from many joyous family gatherings, to the realities of the ongoing wars with Hamas in Gaza and with Hezbollah on Israel’s northern border.
Read Martin's full letter here.
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MEET REGINA GRADESS
A Member Profile by Annie Hoyer
Regina Gradess may be BHC’s most far-flung member. She’s a born and bred Manhattanite who’s never set foot in New Hampshire. Thanks to our Aliza Holtz, Regina has become a “singing” member of BHC.
Read Annie's profile of Regina here.
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FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US
IT'S AS EASY AS CLICKING HERE
Or send your (tax-deductible) contribution to: Bethlehem Hebrew Congregation,
P. O. Box 395, Bethlehem, NH 03574
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JOIN OUR CONGREGATION...
BHC comes to you through the support of the many, many people who appreciate what we do and who want to ensure a home for Jewish life and community in the White Mountains. We are already 103 years old and going strong!
Join us as a member or a friend. The BHC Board emphasizes the importance of inclusion, regardless of anyone's ability to pay.
Our fiscal year runs from November 1 to October 31. The additional building assessment is placed in a restricted account to pay for capital building expenses. The security fee, also restricted, pays for High Holiday police protection and other security expenses.
Learn more about membership and support
Join our mailing list
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