Parashat Yitro – On Eagles’ Wings

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight January 29, at 7 PM. We look forward to seeing you.

Candle lighting 5:47 PM.
 
The next Saturday morning services are  February 13.
*Are you ready for First Fridays*
Friday February 5 at the special time of 6:30 PM we will have a shabbat dinner in honor of Phil and Keren Harvey who are making aliya to Israel in February. Keren and Phil have generously sponsored the Friday dinner and we thank them sincerely. Kidish crew will meet Thursday February 4th at Beth El at 11:30 AM to help cook. Anyone can join us!
Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA! This evening will be in honor of our Jewish educators at Beth El.
IF you’re on FACEBOOK, be sure to join the Beth El Austin Facebook page. You can also add your friends. Let’s get the word out about this Jewel in Austin’s Jewish community: Congregation Beth El.
 
Please consider joining the Shomrim of Austin. Congregation Beth El has been a part of Austin shomrim, a group of men and women who help in this amazing mitzvah when someone in the community has passed away. Please email us for more details. Go to the following link for more information and to sign up: 
Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Weekly Message:
This week we read in Parshat Yitro about God’s Revelation at Mt. Sinai.  Moshe Rabbenu ascends the mountain and begins the process of receiving Torah from God, the Torah that commands that we pursue justice in this world. Interestingly, the parshah begins with Moshe’s father in law, Yitro, giving advice about how to effectively administer justice, by setting up a system of courts.  It is not by Divine Revelation but by human wisdom that we arrive at the mechanisms for doing God’s will.  Human wisdom of course grows and changes as we learn more-so too must our approach to God change and grow.  God is eternal, but we are constantly evolving-this is how we are made, and we must always, like Moshe our Teacher, learn from the best of human knowledge and apply it to our relationship with God.  Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Beshalach

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight 22, at 7 PM. We look forward to seeing you. Candle lighting 5:41 PM.

Saturday morning services are TOMORROW January 23, at 9 AM, with the Torah service at 9:45 Kidish following services as well as special children’s story time!

*HOLD THE DATES: First Fridays* …
We have a couple of lovely Friday night dinners coming up on the FIRST FRIDAYS of the month. Friday February 5 at the special time of 6:30 PM we will have a shabbat dinner in honor of Phil and Keren Harvey who are making aliya to Israel in February. Keren and Phil have generously sponsored the Friday dinner and we thank them sincerely.

Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA! This evening will be in honor of our Jewish educators at Beth El.

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
Each Friday night, when we recite the kiddush over wine, we say that Shabbat is “zekher litziyyat Mitzrayim”, a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. This is from our parshah, B’shallah, which deals with the crossing of the Sea of Reeds and the beginning of the journey through the desert. When B’nai Yisrael begin to receive manna as their food, they are commanded not to collect it on Shabbat, but rather they are to stop working and rest. This of course was not possible in slavery in Egypt-slaves are at the beck and call of their masters at all times. Only free people can truly observe Shabbat-and it was for the purpose of observing the Shabbat and the other mitzvot that the People of Israel were liberated from Egypt. We are not only free from slavery-we are free to pursue our spiritual path. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

BERS, Sunday school class meets this Sunday, January 24. We will be joined at 11:30 AM by Mirit Solomon-Shimony who is a certified yoga instructor and will be doing jungle yoga with the kids – BUT with a Jewish twist in honor of Tu Be Shevat. Please bring a yoga mat or towel.

 

Parashat Bo – come on over you all!

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight 1/15, at 7 PM. Bo (come on over) for soulful prayer, camaraderie and lots of singing! Stay after and catch up with your Beth El friends.

NEXT Saturday morning services are January 23, at 9 AM

A big thank you to Bob and Bettye Halperin for sponsoring the kidush on January 23 in honor of Bob’s birthday. There will be a lovely kosher meat meal following services as well as special children’s story time!

*HOLD THE DATES: First Fridays*
We have a couple of lovely Friday night dinners coming up on the FIRST FRIDAYS of the month. Friday February 5 at the special time of 6:30 PM we will have a shabbat dinner in honor of Phil and Keren Harvey who are making aliya to Israel in February. Keren and Phil have generously sponsored the Friday dinner and we thank them sincerely.

Friday March 4, also at 6:30 PM we will be having another service and dinner as we celebrate with congregations across the US and Canada in SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA!

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week’s parshah, Bo, ends with the Exodus-with the People of Israel leaving Egypt. Of course, we know that the Exodus was successful, and we celebrate our liberation from Egypt every year at Passover. However, our Tradition speaks of an earlier, unsuccessful exodus of part of the Tribe of Ephraim, based on a midrashic reading of the genealogies at the beginning of the Book of Chronicles. According to this tradition, some of the Ephraimites left Egypt 30 years earlier but were all killed in battle with the Philistines. They did not succeed, because they did not go with the rest of their People. We know that the Community of Israel, K’lal Yisrael, is greater than the sum of its parts. This is why certain prayers, the most holy ones, can only be said with a minyan. This is why we are encouraged to share feasts like the Passover Seder with others. We are at our best when we are together. While we may as individuals have our differences, we come together to form a harmonious whole, as four voices can come together to form a choir. May we always, as a congregation, a community and a People, be united in our efforts to serve God, both in our words of prayer and Torah, and in our deeds. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

BERS, Sunday school class meets this Sunday, January 17 for some more Sunday Fundays. We will focus on Tu Be Shevat and explore all things to do with the birthday of the trees, which is Monday January 25. Pictured above are Morah Shiry’s students learning Havdallah with Cantor Ben-Moshe last Sunday.

Grandpa Abe’s Words of Wisdom:
A tribute to Marion Miller z’l
When I started this column, I told you that I would be writing about people, places, and things. This time I wish to write about a special person. I don’t like writing a story like this, but it’s got to be written. As you have already heard, Marion Miller passed away on January 6th. A lot of people come and go in this world. Not many of them leave their footprints in the sand. Marion was a special person. She was not only attractive outside, but inside where it really counts. I always found her very compassionate and understanding. She had a lot of wisdom that, if you spoke to her, she’d be willing to share with you. Her love for her family was endless. Just seeing her family all together just radiated with love. At the funeral, you could see the boys taking care of their dad, either wiping his nose or seeing that he was kept warm. This kind of love is taught through the mom and dad. There were many, many things at the synagogue she helped with. Not to mention all the work she has put in with the Jewish War Veterans. She was always willing to stop what she was doing to talk to you and to give you some encouragement. It’s hard to describe a person that is this special. It’s hard for me to believe that she is no longer among us, but her legacy will live on. If we had more people like her to be a role model, this world would be so much better. It was always fun to hear Bob describe family gatherings on Jewish Holidays. How much joy there was in their celebrations! Seeing pictures of these celebrations only confirmed what we all knew. They were a happy family. Marion will always be missed. Their family traditions will continue, but there will a vacant space.
Dor L Dor,
Grandpa Abe

 

Parashat Vayera

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight 1/08, at 7 PM.

Our Saturday morning services are this shabbat, December 9, at 9 AM. The Kidush is kindly sponsored by Audrey and Barry Mann.

Marion Miller’s funeral service will be held Friday January 8th at 11 AM at Weed-Corley-Fish funeral home, 3125 North Lamar Blvd.
It will be followed immediately after by a graveside service at Capital Memorial Park Cemetary in Pflugerville, at the Beth Israel section III.
14501 North IH-35, Pflugerville, TX 78660

Shiva minyanim will be held at Bob Miller’s home around the corner from Beth El: Please park across the road in the office lot.
Friday January 8th at 5PM
Sunday January 10 at 7PM
Monday January 11 at 7PM
Tuesday January 12 at 7PM
Wednesday January 13 at 7PM

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week we read in Parshat Va’era of the four promises God made to the People of Israel through Moses-that He would take us out of Egypt, save us, redeem us and take us to be His People. In memory of those four pledges, we drink four cups of wine at the Passover Seder. Our outlook is thus one of gratitude-we thankfully acknowledge all that God has done for us, from the Exodus until now. Gratitude is the basis of our spiritual life-we thank God first for the gift of life, and also for the ability to be conscious of that gift. This week, as we mourn the passing of Marion Miller, and extend our condolences to Fred and to Bob Miller, and to Bob’s brothers, Marc, Steve and Keith and the entire Miller family, we are also grateful that such a wonderful woman was part of our lives. May her memory be for a blessing. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

Marion Miller’s obituary: Written by her.
www.tributes.com/Marion-Miller.
Writing this death notice myself serves a dual purpose: 1) it spares family members from trying to recall all the small details of my life, and 2) it provides future generations with some important information. I was born at home in Hartford, Connecticut on 1/19/31 in the midst of the Great Depression. I was pre-deceased by my mother, Clara Simon Cohen, born in Russia, Father, Isidor, born in Russia, brother, Samuel Cohen: brother, Joseph Cohen and half sister, Betty ShermanIn 1933 the family moved to Boston, Massachusetts where WPA work was made available by the then U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Despite the hardship brought on by the Great Depression, we never lacked for the necessities of life, thanks to my father’s hard work as a carpenter.When I was six years old, my mother died of a kidney infection. In 1937 antibiotics were not yet available. Betty at age 21, newly married to Irving Sherman, became caregiver to three younger siblings along with caring for two children of her own, Roselyn and Evelyn. Betty was my father’s first child by a previous marriage.After graduation from Roxbury Memorial High School for Girls in 1948, I worked as a secretary for two years at Kingston Clothing Company in Boston. At age 19, I married Fred G. Miller on March 8, 1950. Four sons were born of this marriage: Marc (married to Lori), Keith (married to Robin), Stephen and Robert. The boys were raised in the Natick/Framingham, Massachusetts area. I returned to the working world as a secretary after the children were all in school. Former employers include the Ahlquist Agency, The Equitable Life Assurance Society, The Interface Group, Medical Park Orthopedics of Austin, TX and Miller Uniforms & Emblems.In 1997 Fred and I moved to Austin to be close to our family, all engaged in the rapid growth of Miller Uniforms. After one year as a medical transcriber, I joined Miller Uniforms in 1998.Fred and I enjoyed traveling to various countries throughout Europe, Paris, France being my favorite destination.On 1/24/10 we traveled to Israel for a fast-paced, week-long tour with a Hadassah group.Fine art and music were among my major interests. Visiting museums was a favorite activity, as was the game of Scrabble. Advice to Future generations: Learn to play a musical instrument and appreciate fine art.I was a life member of Hadassah and a proud member of Congregation Beth El in Austin.Final words: “No need to mourn. It was a wonderful life – fine husband, fine children, fine grandchildren and find great-grandchildren.In addition to my husband, Four sons and their wives, survivors include, 7 Grandchildren, 3 Step Grandchildren, 9 Great Grandchildren my Brother’s widow Phyllis Cohen, Three nieces, Diane, Beverly and Sandy, Nieces Roselyn and Evelyn, several cousins and second cousins.Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 8, 2016 at Weed-Corley-Fish North Lamar Chapel. Interment will follow at Beth Israel III at Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville.Memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Beth El, 8902 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas 78759 or Hospice Austin’s Christopher House, 4107 Spicewood Springs Rd., Suite 100, Austin, Texas 78759

Parashat Shemot

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Friday Night Shabbat Services, Tonight 1/01, at 7 PM. We hope you can join us for uplifting and sprited singing. Great way to keep your New Year’s resolution of going to shul more.

Please keep Marion Miller in your thoughts and prayers as she is currently at Seton Hospital Main battling illness. We wish the whole Miller family strength in this difficult time.

Our next Saturday morning services are January 9, at 9 AM. The Kidush is kindly sponsored by Audrey and Barry Mann. We will be honoring Phil and Keren Harvey as they embark on their journey of making aliya to Israel and wish them all the best!

Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week we begin Sefer Sh’mot with the parshah of the same name. Pharoah(possibly Seti I) decides that the Israelites need to be enslaved, so he makes them out to his people to be a threat, and is thereafter able to oppress them with the cooperation of the Egyptian people. After our ancestors’ liberation from Egypt, the Torah commands us to refrain from oppressing strangers, for we knew what it was like to be an oppressed community of outsiders. We need not look so far back, either. During the 1930’s and 40’s, Jewish refugees from Europe were barred from entering the United States, ostensibly out of fear that they might be Communist infiltrators. We know that feeling all too well-and God commands us in the Torah to act compassionately towards the strangers and outsiders. To support and comfort demonized ethnic groups is not only our best interest, but in the best tradition of the Jewish People. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe

We will resume Sunday Fundays, a.k.a. Sunday School on January 10 at 10 AM. So much to look forward to including Jungle Yoga walk on Sunday January 24 with Yoga instructor Mirit Solomon-Shimoni and more.

Rabbi Tarlow’s Weekly Parasha from the Center for Crypto Jewish studies:
Appropriately enough, we begin a new year with a new book of the Bible. This week we begin our yearly reading of “Sefer Shmot” or as it is known in English translation: “The Book of Exodus.” Just as each year brings new opportunities and challenges, the same can be said for each book found within the Hebrew Bible. Exodus is a perfect example of a book that is both a continuation of Genesis and also a very different book from Genesis. In this election year it reminds us that the consequences of past mistakes become the problems of the next administration. Reading Exodus carefully the text seems to indicate that we are partners with G’d in the shaping of history, and due to a God-Human partnership, time is a river flowing toward goals. Exodus argues that humans play a role in history’s direction. This second book of the Bible takes us from slavery toward liberation. The Hebrew reader will note the subtle clues in Exodus to humanity’s political empowerment. For example note the book’s name: Sefer Shmot does not mean The Book of Exodus, but rather the “Book of Names.” In Hebrew Scripture having a name is more than a mere sign of life. For our ancestors, names meant existence, and not to have a name was to be less than human. To give a name is to have power and purpose. Adam, symbolizing humanity, becomes human when he names the animals. G’d does not name the animals, Adam does, and in so doing changes nameless creatures into specific groups of animals. On the other hand, fascist regimes turn people’s names into numbers as a dehumanization method. We see a hint of the importance of names in the latter chapters of Genesis, the angle changes Jacob’s name to Israel, and Joseph in his flight toward assimilation changes his name from a Hebrew name to an Egyptian name. Names, in the Hebrew Bible symbolize the person or groups relationship with the world.Modern politicians continue to use names as weapons, they often speak of allies with specific names and generalize enemies’ names. The importance of names is underscored in the parasha’s first verses: VaYakam Melech Chadash al-Mitzrayim shelo yada et Yosef/there arose a knew king over Egypt who did not know Joseph.” Note the interplay here: “the Pharaoh” did not know (of) Joseph and we, the reader, do not know who the Pharaoh is. Pharaoh has ceased to be a person and instead has turned into a political position. Might the text be indicating that dehumanization begins when we cease to know our enemy’s name, when our enemy is reduced to a concept or a generalization instead of a human being?

Community News: Grand re-opening of the Austin Community Mikveh: Save the Date. Sunday January 17 at noon