Sukkot and Simchat Torah
It’s not over! Come Celebrate the harvest and the Torah. Click on the links for pdf schedules and flyers.
Simchat Torah, October 1 at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday October 2 at 9:30 p.m. flyer
For a complete holiday schedule through Simchat Torah: High Holiday Schedule 2018
A Guide to the meanings and practices of each holiday event: High Holiday guide 2018
Shabbat dinner series programming for 2018-2019
Resilience, Hope & Recovery: Extraordinary Contributions and the People who Create Them. Join us the first Friday of every month, starting in August 2018, for Shabbat service, community dinner (no charge) and program featuring extraordinary contributions to resilience, hope and recovery and the people in our community who make them. Shabbat is a time to be with family and friends, and this year we particularly are mindful of how the presence of a strong community offers survivors of any disasters stepping stones on the path to normalcy. Join us for Services (6:00 pm) and dinner (6:30 pm) with program to follow; invite your family & friends. There is no charge for dinner, but you must make a reservation. This program is generously underwritten by a grant from the Jewish Community Federation’s Wildfire Relief Fund. Resilience Hope Recovery flyer
Friday, October 5, 2018 our Shabbat dinner will honor Paul Lowenthal, Assistant Fire Marshall with Santa Rosa Fire Department. In the early morning hours of October 9, Paul was instrumental initiating evacuations in the Larkfield, Mark West and Fountaingrove areas, alerting the Chief Fire Marshall that the Tubbs Fire was here, in Santa Rosa, likely saving 100’s of lives. Paul’s focus was on getting others to safety, even as he knew his own home was lost in the fire.
We’ll honor Paul for what he did that night, and what he does every day. Paul’s family and parents, Ira & Marlene Lowenthal, will join us, as will his sister (current Beth Ami Community Nursery School Director) Priscilla Lowell and her family. We’ll hear from members of Beth Ami whose homes were lost in the Tubbs Fires. Experience firsthand the value of community in creating hope and sustaining recovery. Shabbat dinner Paul Lowenthal
6:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat service
6:30 p.m. Shabbat dinner: no charge, donations made online or sent to the office are gratefully accepted.
7:15 p.m. Paul Lowenthal
Make sure to RSVP by Wednesday October 3.
Sing in Shabbat
Social Action
RAISE THE ROOF with Habitat for Humanity! It was less than a year ago that unprecedented wildfires ravaged Sonoma and Napa Counties. Our community stepped up with an outpouring of support toward the relief effort, and today we continue to help reconstruct lives by partnering with Habitat for Humanity for three days of service in Santa Rosa.
Register to volunteer to build homes near the decimated Coffey Park neighborhood on one of these three dates :
Sunday September 30, Sunday October 7, Sunday October 28: all at 8:30 a.m. to 3;00 p.m.
A brown bag lunch will be provided to all participants. Please note, that on our September 30th work date, we will be offering kosher lunches, made by Sonoma County Chabad Jewish Center. REGISTER NOW, Space is limited.Sponsored by the Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund.
Social Action has committed to providing dinner once a month for the residents. We will cook and serve our next dinner on Wednesday, October 17. We hope you will consider being involved in this important effort. We have a list available of additional items needed to support this worthy cause. Pleases consider bringing items to the Beth Ami office or volunteering your time to cook or serve. Tikkun Olam!
Adult Education classes
Midrash Class with Rabbi Mordecai Miller: Wednesday evenings 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. (Rabbi’s Study)
We examine the original text of the Midrash Rabba (the Great Midrash) on Genesis as well as an 18th Century commentary called “Eitz Yoseph”. These provide original insights into the Biblical text. Discussion is encouraged. Bi-weekly schedule.
Parsha of the week class and discussion with Rabbi Miller meeting Wednesday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Class will be cancelled on those Wednesdays which are actual Yom Tovim.
There is no charge for Rabbi Miller’s classes. Important: If you are interested in attending , please be sure to call Rabbi Miller at 707-889-6905 or email rabbi@bethamisr.org to make sure that the class is being held that evening. Classes are not held on Yom Tovim.
Adult Education Book Group: THE BROTHERS ASHKENAZI (1936) by I.J. Singer is the current novel we are reading for the this book group, which is open to all CBA members and friends. LORETTA DENNER, SRJC English professor emeritus and fluent in Yiddish, will again lead the discussion which will be held on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 7:30pm, probably in the CBA Succah. A limited number of books borrowed from the SFJC Library are available in the CBA Office. Questions or comments? Linda Emblen 544-4532. For more information click Book Group Brothers Ashkenazi
Ongoing Activities
“Daily Daven” morning and evening with Rabbi Miller in the chapel
Mornings–Monday thru Friday at 7:00 am
Sundays and national holidays at 8:30am, a light breakfast follows on 1st and 3rd Sundays
Evenings–Sunday through Thursday at 7:00 pm (check schedule for passover during the holiday)
If you need to say Kaddish or memorialize a special event, contact the office at 360-3000 one week in advance, and we will do our best to secure a minyan. The Torah is read Monday and Thursday, if there is a minyan.
Israeli Folk Dancing has moved to the Person Senior Center at Finley Rec Center. See the Israeli Dance blog.
Check out the current newsletter: Shofar September-October 2018 for more events and details about the events listed above. Archived issues of the Shofar are also available online.
Congregation Beth Ami is located in Northern California,in the heart of Wine Country in Sonoma County, about one hour north of San Francisco, and about one hour west of Napa.