Jewish Thought Part II: Reconstructionist Judaism with Rabbi Jonathan Freirich 7-9pm
How To Make This Night Different from All Other Nights with Barbara Feld 7-8pm
Jewish Tools for Building a Successful Marriage: From Newlyweds to Celebrating Golden Anniversaries with Sarah Oppenheim 8-9pm
Beginning January 1, 2012, you may register for Temple Beth El University by visiting www.beth-el.com/RSVP. For more information, call Sue Hummel at 704-749-3054 or go to www.beth-el.com/tbeuniversityMembers: $18 for each elective; $36 for the core class. Non-Members: $26 for each elective; $52 for the core class. Financial assistance and scholarships are always available.
New Bereavement Healing Service
New Monthly Bereavement Healing Service starting Friday, February 3rd, 7:15 pm in the Polsky Beit Midrash - As we embrace Shabbat and stop the chaos of our weekday world, our public displays of mourning are meant to cease. Yet still, it is on Shabbat when work is no longer a distraction that we feel the pain of our loss more profoundly. As Shabbat is a time of healing, on the first Friday of each month, at 7:15 pm (in between our Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Shabbat Evening worship) the congregation will offer an experimental and new bereavement healing service. Through prayers and words of reflection, those who have experienced losses will have the opportunity to find healing, to find community and to find the comfort of Shabbat.
Room in the Inn
Volunteers Needed! Next Dates: February 4th & 5th, February 18th & 19th, March 3rd & 4th Once again we are faced with a cold winter that will arrive in December, and Temple Beth El, Temple Israel and the Jewish Community Center will be hosting homeless "neighbors" from Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The RITI volunteers, for the last 15 years, have been nothing short of superb, helping out as overnight monitors, food preparers, food servers, doing set up (make beds, set up tables and chairs) and clean up (put beds away, clean kitchen), as drivers (pick up and drop off "neighbors"), breakfast makers, lunch makers, moving beds and doing any other tasks needing to be done. See the flyer with dates and complete information HERE. Any questions? Email Herm Ziegler at hermz@bellsouth.net or Larry Leibman at larryshelleycharlotte@gmail.com
15th Annual Comparative Religion Series
"One God? Yours or Mine: A Provocative Look at the Concept of God." Please join us at Temple Beth El for 6 Tuesday evenings from January 10 through February 14 (February 21 reserved as a snow date) from 7-9pm. The schedule is as follows:
·January 10: Rabbi Judy Schindler, Temple Beth El and Rabbi Chanoch Oppenheim of the Charlotte Torah Center – Welcome and Overview – Jewish perspective ·January 17: President John Barringer of the Charlotte South Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Mormon perspective ·January 24: Imam John Ederer, Muslim American Society of Charlotte – Islamic perspective ·January 31: Reverend James Howell, Myers Park First United Methodist Church – Protestant perspective ·February 7: Father Patrick Earl, S.J., Saint Peter's Catholic Church – Catholic perspective ·February 14: Ms. Marcy Braverman Goldstein, PhD, Department of Religious Studies, UNC Charlotte – Hinduism, a scholar's perspective ·February 21: Snow date
This program is open to the entire community and is free of charge.
Sadie Levin Scholar-in-Residence Shabbaton
Sadie Levin Scholar-in-Residence Shabbaton to feature popular author and teacher Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin, February 17-18th
Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin founded Kol Echad: Making Judaism Matter, a trans-denominational adult learning center in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the author of numerous books on Jewish life and spirituality and was named rabbi of Temple Israel in Columbus Georgia in 2010. Friday night February 17 at our 8:00 pm services, Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin will give the sermon entitled: "A Date With God." The Shabbat evening liturgy is filled with mystical ideas and images. The most important, and the most scandalous, is found in "Lecha Dodi." Meet the most mysterious and most scintillating "woman" in the Jewish tradition -- the Shechinah. Her story will change your way of looking at Judaism and the world.
Saturday morning February 18, Congregational Shabbat Workshop "The God's Are Broken." Everyone knows the story of Abraham shattering his father's idols. It might even be Judaism's most famous (non-biblical) story. But it is not really a children's story. In fact, it has shaped the Jewish response to the world, and it has deep implications for us today. Following Congregational Shabbat Brunch, Rabbi Salkin will deliver the Dvar Torah at our Congregational Shabbat Service.
This Shabbaton honors Sadie Levin, the beloved mom of Norm Levin, our honorary lifetime President, who was a woman devoted to Jewish learning.
Temple Beth El Trip to Israel
June 28th - July 9th, 2012 The Deadline to Register is February 29th!
Take a Trip of a Lifetime To Israel with Temple Beth El - Join Rabbi Schindler and her family for a Congregational Trip to Israel, June 28th through July 9th, 2012. Climb Masada at sunrise, raft down the River Jordan, float on the Dead Sea, be moved by the sacred sites of Jerusalem, and inspired by the holy land that connects us to 4,000 years of history as a people. See our past come alive, make friendships with Beth El members that will last a lifetime, enjoy Israeli wine and food and landscapes from the Mediterranean to the Golan Heights to the mystical city of Tzfat.
Highlights: Visit major sites in Tel Aviv, North and Jerusalem Several options for Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies Great activities: Jeep tour, rafting, scavenger hunt, water hike, drumming circle Mifgash with our partnership and volunteering in Jerusalem AND MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE for the Trip Flyer and Itinerary
For general information, please contact Rabbi Judy Schindler: rabbijudy@beth-el.com For registration information, please contact Ruby Goldman at Sarai Tours: ruby@israelexperts.com
Charlotte Jewish Film Festival at TBE
Temple Beth El is proud to sponsor "A Lens on Israel: A Society Through Its Cinema" featuring special guest speaker Dr. Eric Goldman in the upcoming Charlotte Jewish Film Festival. Dr. Goldman is a PhD in Cinema Studies and sought after speaker who will lead us on a journey through Israel using Israeli film clips as a "lens" on society. Mar 1, TBE, 7 PM, $8. Tickets can be purchased at www.charlottejewishfilm.orgor at the door.
Holocaust Historian Speaks at Temple Beth El
World Renowned Holocaust historian Christopher Browning will speak at Temple Beth El on Thursday, March 29th at 7:30pm on "Holocaust History and Survivor Testimony." The event is free and open to the public. For more information, view the flyer HERE!
American Hebrew Academy
The American Hebrew Academy is the only Jewish college prep boarding high school in the United States. The campus is located on 100-picturesque acres in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Academy attracts students from all over the world, and currently enrolls students from 23 states and 13 countries. Ninety-Two percent of all families, whose children attend the Academy, NEVER even considered a boarding school until they visited this remarkable school. Here is a link to a short movie that gives a convincing case for the American Hebrew Academy and why more people should consider this extraordinary option. www.americanhebrewacademy.org/movie
CHAZON BETH EL – The Vision for Beth El
With our upcoming 70th anniversary in 2013, the Temple Board has commissioned a strategic planning effort entitled "Chazon Beth El – The Vision for Beth El" to anticipate the Temple's needs and ensure its future.
Thank youto those who participated in a focus group on Sunday, January 8th. We will keep you updated on our progress, and recommendations will be presented at the Annual Meeting on April 30, 2012.
The Union for Reform Judaism Biennial President Obama addressed those in attendance Friday afternoon, 12/16/11. Some of Temple Beth El's Clergy and Staff were there!
One highlight from Charlotte's Interfaith Thanksgiving Service that Temple Beth El hosted. Cantor Andrew Bernard conducting and Cantor Mary Thomas singing with the Interfaith Choir.
Prepare for Shabbat with your bodies, minds and souls. Sign up now for our Winter session!
Torah Yoga
Friday mornings - 9:00 am to 10:00 am January 6th through March 9th in the Beit Midrash at Temple Beth El
Rabbi Judith Schindler and Shelley Bear (RYT certified yoga instructor) will help us to welcome Shabbat in through Torah yoga, where we will combine moving through yoga poses guided by Jewish teachings. Enter Shabbat renewed and replenished. Please bring a yoga mat.
The fee is $70 for the ten weeks for members of Beth El and members of the Levine Jewish Community Center and $75 for non-members. There is a $8/session drop-in fee.
To RSVP please email www.beth-el.com/rsvp or call the RSVP line 704-749-3070. To RSVP through the LJCC, please call 704-366-5007 Financial Assistance is available for those in need.
Rabbi Jonathan's Daily Talmud Commentary
Dip your toes into the ocean of Talmud The Talmud encompasses the entire discussion from which our Judaism emerges. Contemporary progressive Judaism takes up this conversation in many ways, explore them with Rabbi Jonathan. Rabbi Jonathan writes a daily commentary inspired by the "read a page of Talmud everyday" tradition called daf yomi. You can find each brief daily comment on Rabbi Jonathanʼs blog: http://jewishand.org/daily-talmud/
Hebrew High
The Place to Be on Wednesday Nights! The Consolidated High School of Jewish Studies of Charlotte is a supplementary Jewish high school for students in grades 8-12, sponsored by Temple Beth El and Temple Israel, and open to all Jewish teens in Charlotte. CHS offers courses in all aspects of Judaism and a unique opportunity for students to interact with their peers. CHS also offers diverse social and community-service activities. CHS students are encouraged to develop strong Jewish values and a sense of unity with the Jewish People. Go to www.hebrewhigh.org for more information.
Congratulations LIBERTY
CONGRATULATIONS TO LIBERTY (our Beth El Senior Youth Group) for being number #1. In a national report, our Temple Beth El had the most registrations and also the most participants in NFTY (national) events. We thank Andy Harkavy, our Youth Director, our LIBERTY Board, our Youth Activities Committee, and our entire congregation for their support of our Beth El youth. To see our outstanding statistics on participation click here.
Use the following link to check out an assortment of Temple pictures taken by ArtShots Photography: http://artshotsphoto.exposuremanager.com/g/temple_beth_el *You will have to enter your email address before you are able to view the photos*
Our Temple, in conjunction with Shalom Bayit and United Family Services’ Victim Assistance Program, is collecting cell phones for victims – or potential victims - of domestic violence. Unwanted cell phones will be reprogrammed to call 911 and used in the event of an emergency. Simply bring the cell phone and battery charger (in a bag or box, if possible) to the office for collection. For more information check www.shalombayit-nc.org.
Please pick up your Rededication Journal from the Reception Desk. We have reserved one for every member family. The Journal features numerous businesses that support Temple Beth El, as well as Temple History and messages from previous clergy and dignitaries.
