Dear B’ShERT Community,

We’re pleased to tell you that the November 2019 edition of the Voice of Truth is now available online.

https://pubsecure.lucidpress.com/2019-11-VoT/

You can also find the current issue of the VoT below.

As a reminder, the VoT is published monthly September through June and the FIRM deadline is the 20th of the prior month, unless otherwise noted. Send all submissions to news@bshert.org.

We always welcome ideas and feedback. Email us at news@bshert.org or feel free to reach out to me directly at a1editor@bshert.org.

Have a sweet and healthy New Year!

Best,

Adrienne Knoll and the Voice of Truth team

Jews, God, and History

(Not Necessarily in that Order)

A New One-Man Show

Written and Performed by

Michael Takiff

Directed by Brian Lane Green

Tickets On Sale Now

A two act work of solo theater which, through comedy and drama, shows how modern humans live with ancient traditions, exploring the “big questions” about God, faith, reason, good and evil, heritage, and tribe.

Suitable for mature audiences

See the trailer at https://www.michaeltakiff.com

Sunday, December 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

~Q&A session, with the actor, will follow the show~

Admission: $25.00 if payment received by 11/27/19

$30.00 after 11/27/19 or @ door

$16.00 for young people aged 16 to 18

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Brunch 9:30 am – Lecture 9:45 am

Shabbat Services to follow

Guest Speaker – Artist Jonathan Blum

Topic:  Jonathan’s Art, Fanciful to Realistic

The Sisterhood of B’ShERT proudly welcomes artist Jonathan Blum. Mr. Blum was a Washington, DC native, who studied at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.  He considers himself to be first and foremost a portrait painter whose work ranges from the fanciful to the classically realistic. In 1994, he studied with an inspirational Rabbi in Israel and before long he was painting fictitious portraits of orthodox rabbis.  This was a stylistic breakthrough for him. Mr. Blum is currently living in Park Slope, where he has a storefront and studio.  He will be exhibiting various pieces of art he has created.

You can learn more about Jonathan Blum’s work and aesthetic at his website https://www.jonathanblumportraits.com/.

Temple and Sisterhood Members – $10.00

Non-Temple Members – $15.00

Monday, October 7th – 7:30 pm – Israeli Dance.

Tuesday, October 8th – No Tuesday afternoon Torah study. Torah study will commence next Tuesday, October 15th.

Kol Nidre – 7:30 pm, promptly.

Wednesday, October 9th – 10:00 am – Yom Kippur Service.

1:15 pm – Children’s Service/Study Session.

2:30 pm – Yizkor/Afternoon Service/N’ilah.

7:00 pm – Break the Fast.

Friday, October 11th – 10:00 am – Tot Shabbat for children 5 years old or younger and their caregiver.

7:00 pm – Shabbat Schmooze.

8:00 pm – Shabbat Service.

Saturday, October 12th – No religious school.

11:00 am – Shabbat Service.

Rosh Hashanah Food Drive – Beginning on Rosh Hashanah bags will be available for you to take home and fill with unexpired, non-perishable food to be given to Our Lady of Refuge Church Food Pantry (with a portion going to our “Little Pantry”). Bags can be returned to the Temple anytime through Sukkot.

Jewish Cultural Committee – October 27th at 3 pm at the Yeshiva of Flatbush High School (1609 Avenue J). Join us when we see “The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising,” Harry Bialor’s oratorio. Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased by contacting Harry Bialor, 718-375-8669, or on Eventbrite. You can also contact Yvette Pomeranz at yphomecrest@yahoo.com with any questions you may have.

Jewish Cultural Trip – Join the B’ShERT Jewish Cultural Committee and Union Temple of Brooklyn for their 8th Annual Getaway Weekend Trip, Saturday, Nov. 16-Sunday, Nov. 17th. Must register by October 31st. Contact Yvette Pomeranz at yphomecrest@yahool.com for pricing, registration, or if you have any questions.

Remember the Little Free Pantry—On the Church Avenue side of the building is our Little Free Pantry, built by the b’nei mitzvah class a couple of years ago. We stock it with food and toiletry items for members of the greater community to take if they need them. Items placed in the pantry are almost always gone within a few hours, so there is always room for more. Please bring non-perishable, desirable, unopened, unexpired food or new, packaged toiletry items (diapers, wipes, shampoos and soaps, toothpaste, mouthwash, sanitary pads and tampons, etc.) when you think of it. You may put items directly in the pantry or leave them in Rabbi’s office. Thank you!

What’s Your Name Again? – As our consolidated congregation continues to get acquainted, the Membership Committee suggests that when you attend Temple events you wear the name tag/lanyard you received at High Holy Days services. (Let us know if you need a lanyard.)

Introduction to Judaism: An Exploration for Curious Adults

Join this 20-session course on Jewish life, thought and practice
• Discover Judaism from an adult perspective
• Become a more confident parent of Jewish children
• Explore long-standing questions that you haven’t yet asked

In a warm and open environment,
explore Jewish thought, prayer and practice,
learn about Jewish history and holidays,
wrestle with inherited texts and contemporary issues,
discuss Jewish views of God, ethics, life and death.

The curriculum is designed to give you access to concepts, vocabulary and observances that are central to Judaism. Explore the holy and the historical, inherited texts and contemporary issues, rhythms of the calendar and of our lives in this seminar-style course.

Rabbi Sue Oren, Instructor and Coordinator

Class meets in two sections:
Weds eves, 7:00-9:00 pm at Flatbush Jewsh Center (Church Ave & E 5th Street)
OR
Sun eves, 7:30-9:30 pm at Park Slope Jewish Center (8th Ave & 14th Street)

first session for everyone: Weds, Oct 30th at Flatbush Jewish Center

$425 course tuition
plus $25 materials fee

For registration & questions,
contact Rabbi Sue Oren at introclass@earthlink.net

This class is co-sponsored by:
Beloved, Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, B’ShERT: Beth Shalom v’Emeth Reform Temple,
Congregation Mount Sinai, East Midwood Jewish Center, Flatbush Jewish Center,
Kane Street Synagogue, Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives,
Park Slope Jewish Center, Union Temple

B’ShERT congregant & Hanna Senesh Society President Harry Bialor has composed an opera entitled “The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising,” which will receive its world premiere on Sunday October 27 at 3 pm at Yeshiva of Flatbush, 1609 Avenue J. The ticket cost is $30 which includes a tax-deductible membership in the Hanna Senesh Society. You may purchase tickets on Eventbrite or RSVP to Harry directly at harrybialor@optonline.net.

(This program is not sponsored by B’ShERT, but the Jewish Cultural Committee is organizing a group to attend. Contact Yvette Pomeranz at yphomecrest@yahoo.com if you would like to attend with the group.)

Days of Awe 5780

This year, our services will be led by Rabbi Heidi Hoover and our new Associate Rabbi/Educator, Alexis Pinsky. Music is especially important to our High Holy Days. In addition to our two rabbis, who sing wonderfully, our Cantorial Soloist Nonie Schuster, Accompanist Maxine Feldman and our excellent community choir will add beautiful music to our inspiring services. All services will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.

The High Holy Days schedule is as follows:

Selichot………………………………………………………..Saturday, Sept. 21^st, 7:30 PM  

Rosh Hashanah

Erev Rosh Hashanah……………………………………………….Sunday, Sept. 29^th, 8 PM

Morning Service – Day 1………………………………………….Monday, Sept. 30^th, 10 AM

Children’s Service……………………………………………….Monday, Sept. 30^th, 1:30 PM

Tashlich – Day 1……………………………………….Monday, Sept. 30^th, approx. 2:30 PM

Morning Service – Day 2……………………………………………Tuesday, Oct. 1^st, 10 AM

Tashlich – Day 2………………………………………….Tuesday, Oct. 1^st, approx.1:30 PM

Yom Kippur

Kol Nidre……………………………………………….Tuesday, Oct. 8^th, 7:30 PM promptly

Morning Service…………………………………………………Wednesday, Oct. 9^th, 10 AM

Children’s Service/Study Session…………………………..Wednesday, Oct. 9^th, 1:15 PM

Yizkor/Afternoon Service/N’ilah……………………………..Wednesday, Oct. 9^th, 2:45 PM

Community Break the Fast………………………………………Wednesday, Oct. 9^th, 7 PM

Last year we tried something new with the tickets for the High Holy Days — a combination ticket/name tag. This worked well and the tickets you receive this year will again be the combination name tag and ticket. When you join us for services, we ask that you wear the name tag around your neck using a lanyard, which will be provided. It’s always nice to start a conversation knowing someone’s name, and to have a quick way to check if you think you’ve forgotten it.

Because of the larger size of the congregation, and the limited seating, we will be checking tickets at the door. Therefore, it is important that you bring your tickets with you. Please note that children’s services and Yizkor services will be open to the community and tickets are not required. If you do not have your tickets, please check in with the ushers upon arrival.

A limited number reserved seats are available; people with reserved seats will have the seat numbers on their tickets. Everyone else will have a regular ticket and can sit in any unreserved seat. Every effort will be made for family groups to sit together, but priority for reserved seats will go to those who need a particular accommodation.

Our two Tashlich services last year were a success and we will be continuing this practice this year. The first Tashlich service will be on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and will take place at the lake in Prospect Park. The Tashlich service on the second day of Rosh Hashanah will be held at the Salt Marsh Nature Center at Marine Park. This means that people who could not attend Tashlich because of the long walk to Prospect Park now have the opportunity to participate.

We look forward to spending the High Holidays with you as we begin a new year together.

According to our minhag (custom) at B’ShERT, we will once again be livestreaming our holiday services for those congregants and community members who are unable to join us in person. This year, our livestream will appear on our YouTube channel (also embedded above) and will be linked from our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages (as well as the front page of the website). Our broadcasts continue with Kol Nidre at 7:30 pm Tuesday evening, October 8th.

The practice of livestreaming holiday services from B’ShERT began in 2012 (when the Ditmas Park branch of the congregation was still known as Temple Beth Emeth v’Ohr Progressive Shaari Zedek). Longtime congregant Werner Friedlander z”l was housebound and concerned that he would not be able to observe the mitzvah of listening to the sound of the shofar on the holiday. He called Rabbi Hoover to ask if she would call him on Rosh Hashanah and “phone in” a shofar blowing for his benefit. While she was happy to oblige, she thought that other congregants might also want the option of tuning in for services, so she asked her husband and congregational tech maven Mike Rose to set up a video stream.

If you have problems accessing the stream, please let us know! You can email tech@bshert.org or call the office and we’ll try to correct the issue.