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Features

June 2020 Voice of Truth

May 28, 2020 by • Features • 0 Comments

Dear B’ShERT Community,

We’re pleased to tell you that the June 2020 edition of the Voice of Truth is now available online.

Click or copy here: https://pubsecure.lucidpress.com/2020-06-VoT/

The Voice of Truth team is now on hiatus until the September issue. Yours truly plans to take a break from VoT editing duties by reading novels and tackling a number of writing and editing projects. (The irony does not escape me.) The deadline for the September issue is August 20th; I’ll give you plenty of notice. If you’re inspired, feel free to send your submissions earlier. As always, direct all submissions to news@bshert.org. You may also reach out to me directly at a1editor@bshert.org.

I wish everyone a peaceful, enjoyable and healthy summer. I look forward to seeing many of you on Zoom and, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, back in our beloved Temple building.

Best,

Adrienne Knoll and the Voice of Truth team

“Being B’ShERT”, Your New Blog!

May 27, 2020 by • Being B'ShERT • 3 Comments

Welcome to our newly minted B’ShERT blog, “Being B’ShERT”!

I had the pleasure of joining Rabbi Heidi recently on B’Yachad and, over Zoom, I was struck by the amazing camaraderie within our community and the STORIES.

Stories that go back decades.

The same day, I led a Youth Group event about storytelling in the time of COVID. (I love stories, as you can see, and I look for them wherever I go, or in this case, wherever I stay.)

I had the pleasure of brainstorming story ideas with our teen community, hours after hearing from our adult community, and the net result was that, in one day, I heard the stories of a Jewish community spanning 8 decades in age.

I can’t be the only one to have this privilege! We all deserve to share and hear the incredible stories of the B’ShERT community.

This is the space for us to do that.

We’d love to hear from you. This blog can be a place to share your accounts of quarantine life, your memories of Brooklyn, this Temple’s rich history, or things that are making you laugh right now.

What we will end up with is a multi-generational, ongoing account of how we lived before, during, and after this pandemic.

Mike, Adrienne and I are looking forward to your submissions! Please send them to blog@bshert.org.

Till soon,

Emma Tattenbaum-Fine

Digital Media and Youth Outreach Coordinator for B’ShERT

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A message from the President of B’ShERT

May 3, 2020 by • Features • 0 Comments

Dear B’ShERT Family,

Our thoughts are with you as you care for yourselves and your families during this difficult and uncertain period. It feels like we’re in the wilderness, wondering how long we must wait to reach the promised land of being face to face in our beloved building. During this unprecedented period, however, we’ve still managed to be active and present in your lives. Our dedicated and creative clergy, staff, supporters and congregants have ensured that B’ShERT is here for you to provide spiritual, educational, and social opportunities to benefit all of us.

While sheltering at home, many people have attended our Zoom/Facebook Live Shabbat services, Seders, Passover and Yizkor services, B’Yachad discussion sessions, Torah Study, religious school classes and numerous meetings. We’ve mourned together at virtual funerals and shiva. I am encouraged by how many of you have been attending these meaningful gatherings and hope that your needs for spiritual and community connections are being fulfilled.

I realize that many of you are facing financial difficulties and uncertainties. B’ShERT is experiencing much of the same. We are losing significant income from our Banquet Hall and Aim High early childhood rentals. We’ve had to cancel our fundraising activities, including the Journal Luncheon (which we are postponing). These are critical sources of revenue that support Temple programs, operating costs, and building repairs.

If you are able, please make a donation to B’ShERT to help sustain us during this difficult time. Please support our warm house of Jewish tradition, our open and inclusive spiritual community, as we strive to strengthen ourselves, each other, and the community as a whole — not just during this challenging period but for the brighter days ahead.

If you or someone in your circle is in need of support, feel free to contact Rabbi Hoover, or Faye Levine Guskin (fayelg47@gmail.com), a retired community social worker, who will gladly refer you to community resources.

Sincerely,

Eric Platt, President

Passover 2020 Observances at B’ShERT

April 7, 2020 by • Features • 0 Comments

Dear B’ShERT family and friends,

I know this Passover is going to be really different for most of us, and very difficult for many of us. As one of our major family holidays, it emphasizes the pain many of us are already experiencing being physically separated from our family and friends.

The word “Mizrayim,” Hebrew for “Egypt,” literally means “from narrow places.” Using this interpretively, we sometimes talk about Passover as leaving the narrow places to freedom. Technology is what is allowing our spirits not to be completely trapped in the narrow places of our homes. Being able to telephone and video-conference is how we continue to have the freedom of sharing our lives with others.

That is how we are going to be able to celebrate Passover together this year. Our second-night community Passover seder will begin at 6 pm on Thursday, April 9th.

You may have heard that there have been some security issues with Zoom, the platform that we use for interactive video gatherings. Because of that, you will need to register in advance for the second night seder. Please use this link at OneTable’s Seder2020 project to sign up in advance (by Thursday at noon).

When you register, you will receive an email with a pdf of our Community Haggadah and instructions for what it would be good to have on your table for the seder (and ways to improvise if you can’t get everything).

We will also be streaming our Festival services for the first and seventh morning of the holiday; those services will be available at bshert.org/services/live & you can also check your email for details this week and next.

I look forward to celebrating virtually with you!

In community and in peace,

Rabbi Heidi

COVID-19 Updates from Rabbi — March 13

March 13, 2020 by • Features • 2 Comments

Dear B’ShERT family and friends,

As we have been watching the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to slow its spread, we have become increasingly concerned about our own community. As you know, our population includes many who are vulnerable to severe effects from the virus, and none of us have immunity to it.
Our president Eric Platt, the Executive Committee, Rabbi Pinsky, and I have been discussing over the past few days what measures we should responsibly take, and based on all the knowledge that is available now, we have decided the following:
All in-person gatherings are canceled or postponed between now and the end of Passover. We will move as much as possible online, and will provide instructions for how to access it. This includes Tuesday Torah study, services, and meetings.
We have already begun to stream services. I will continue to lead services on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings alone in the sanctuary (at least for now), so that services can be streamed from the sanctuary. The link to streaming services is bshert.org/services/live .
You can access an electronic version of the prayerbook to follow along here: https://www.ccarnet.org/publications/mishkan-tfilah-for-shabbat/
If you prefer to borrow a hard copy of the prayerbook, you may stop by the synagogue to pick one up, or let us know if you can’t do that and we’ll arrange to get one to you over the next week. Contact Alice at 718-282-1596 or alice@bshert.org to request to borrow a prayerbook.
Rabbi Pinsky is working with our teachers and Religious School committee to move Saturday religious school online. Hebrew lessons already take place online during the week, and will continue as they have been. She will be based at home and will send information when the plans have been made.
The family Purim megillah reading and carnival is canceled for tomorrow. Rabbi Pinsky will be on Facebook Live on the B’ShERT Facebook page at 10 am Saturday, where she will lead a Purim song session on Facebook at 10 am.
This is a frightening and confusing time, and in addition to the anxiety and concern you may be feeling, the measures we and other organizations are taking will necessarily increase social isolation. If you feel lonely and want to talk, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Rabbi PInsky, or another member of the congregation. Please also contact me or another member of the congregation if you need assistance with anything.
Even if we can’t be physically together, we want to continue to care for one another and be together spiritually. 

If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Rabbi Pinsky, or Eric Platt.
May we be blessed with wisdom, health, and strength.
B’Shalom,
Rabbi Hoover

COVID-19 Update

March 4, 2020 by • Features • 1 Comment

embroidery patch magen david adomDear B’ShERT family,

I know we have all been hearing a great deal about the novel coronavirus and the disease associated with it, COVID-19. While there is not yet (as of 3/4) broad community spread here in the New York area, we have to anticipate that may change.

There are some members of our community who are especially vulnerable, and we should take precautions to help keep each other as safe as possible. To that end, I’d like to encourage us all to observe these common-sense practices:

  • Rather than shaking hands or hugging, bump elbows or wave.
  • Wash hands often and thoroughly (with soap, scrubbing for 20 seconds, rinsing, and drying).
  • If you have symptoms of a respiratory illness, stay home instead of coming to the synagogue.
  • Cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue or your elbow.
  • Try to avoid touching your face.

As an inclusion effort for congregants who need to remain at home or would prefer not to attend services in person, we will also be streaming additional services. You can see all streamed services (past and planned) on the temple’s YouTube page, and it’s easy to subscribe so you get a notification when Temple is live.

We pray that the COVID-19 pandemic will not become severe. Meanwhile, let’s do what we can to take care of ourselves and each other. You can read more about this challenging situation and the Reform Jewish response at the URJ Blog.

In peace and with prayers for health,

Rabbi Hoover

Shabbat Across America, Feb 28

January 31, 2020 by • Features • 0 Comments

Come Join Your Temple Family and Friends as we

Celebrate Shabbat Across America 

Friday evening, February 28 at 7:00 P.M. 

A dairy meal will be served

Shabbat Services to follow.

 Dinner will be $10 pp /Children under 13 are free

Reservations must be in by February 24  

Checks made payable to B’ShERT 

Tu B’Shvat Seder Saturday, February 8th

January 31, 2020 by • Features • 0 Comments

Tu B’Shvat Seder
 
Come celebrate the birthday of trees at our Tu B’Shvat Seder. 
 
Engage all of your senses in this celebration of nature through song, activities, and of course food! 
 
Saturday, February 8th, 9:45-11 am.
 
Open to the entire congregation.
 
There will be a light brunch beginning at 9:30 am. 

What’s Happening January 31 2020

January 31, 2020 by • Features • 0 Comments

Friday, Jan. 31st – 10:00 am – Tot Shabbat for children 5 years old or younger and their caregiver.

7:00 pm – Torah Study. This week’s Torah portion is Bo, Exodus 10:1-13:6. If you would like to study the portion beforehand, go to: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0210.htm#1

8:00 pm – Shabbat Service.

Saturday, Feb. 1st – 9:45 am – Religious School.

9:45 am – Parent Workshop.

11:00 am – Shabbat Service.

Monday, Feb. 3rd – 7:30 pm – Israeli Dance, $10 pp.

Tuesday, Feb. 4th – 1:00 pm. Afternoon Torah Study – Led by Sam Silverman. The class is currently studying Josephus’ “Antiquities of the Jews.”

Wednesday, Feb. 5th – 7:00 pm – The Temple evening book club will meet at the home of Bonnie Greenbaum. This month’s book is “The Art Forger” by B.A. Shapiro.

Thursday, Feb. 6th – 7:00 pm – Purim Shpiel Rehearsal. Rehearsal will start tonight and every Thursday until our Purim Shpiel, which is set for Monday, March 9. This year we’re using the music of Elton John. Get involved in this fun holiday spectacle! You do not need to come to every rehearsal, but you do need to come to a few of them.

Friday, Feb. 7th – 10:00 am – Tot Shabbat for children 5 years old or younger and their caregiver.

7:00 pm – Torah Study. This week’s Torah portion is B’shalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16). If you would like to read the Torah portion beforehand, go to: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0213.htm#17

8:00 pm – Shabbat Service.

Saturday, Feb. 8th – 9:45 am. Religious School.

9:45 am – Tu b’Shevat Seder. Celebrate the birthday of trees at our Tu b’Shevat Seder. There will be a light brunch at 9:30 am.

11:00 am – Shabbat Service.

Jews On the Chocolate Trail, May 3

January 24, 2020 by • Features • 0 Comments

book cover chocolate trailRabbi Deborah Prinz will speak about “Jews On the Chocolate Trail,” a delectable journey through the religious history of chocolate; exploring the surprising Jewish and other religious connections to chocolate. Rabbi Prinz draws from her world travels on the trail of chocolate to enchant chocoholics everywhere as she unwraps the role of religions in the trade, retail and manufacture of chocolate since it was first introduced to Europeans. Explore the surprising connections to chocolate in this gastronomic adventure.

Date:  Sunday, May 3, 2020,

Time:  4:00 PM

Place: Banquet Hall

Admission:  $18.00 – Adults

$ 5.00 – Children 13 & under

(payable to temple office or via Eventbrite & Facebook)

There will be plenty of chocolate stories, treats and books to enjoy along with book signing.

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