Welcome to Congregation Beth Ami of Santa Rosa, California.
Congregation Beth Ami is online every day for services and classes. All Saturday morning services, some Friday evening services, and some events will be in person in the sanctuary as well as on Zoom. See
Events at a Glance for the virtual week calendar with Zoom information.
Events at a Glance and Virtual Week Calendar
Beth Ami Virtual Week chart with Zoom links, reopening health and safety procedures, and Closed Captioning/ Live Transcript instructions
BETH AMI VIRTUAL WEEK CALENDAR
Rabbi Miller’s Rashi classes on YouTube
Wednesdays 10:30 am weekly exercise group
Friday February 3 6 pm in-person and zoom service followed by Shabbat Dinner
Monday February 6, 2-4 pm TuBeShevat at Ron Rubin Winery
Fridays, 6 pm: First Fridays of the month in person and on Zoom: traditional Kabbalat Shabbat with Rabbi Mordecai Miller followed by dinner. Other Fridays, Sing in Shabbat, a short, music filled service led by Lisa Iskin, (sometimes we are treated to special guest Leah Gerber) and Rabbi Miller, preceded by a story with Rabbi Miller for the kids (and the kid at heart) at 5:45 pm.
Saturday morning Shabbat services 9:30 a.m. in person and on Zoom.
Mincha starts approximately an hour before Havdallah, followed by Maariv and Havdallah
Weekday: 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. morning and evening prayers will be conducted on Zoom. Beth Ami Virtual Week
Rabbi Miller’s remote classes:
Weekday Mornings 7:30 a.m. Parsha and Rashi study, also streaming and recorded on YouTube
Tuesdays at 2:00 pm Mishnah
Wednesdays at 8:00 pm Midrash
Our first Friday Shabbat dinners resumed January 6, with salmon by David Kahn (at right with Mark Dierkhising and Richard Kahn) Next dinner is February 3.
On Tu B’Shevat, Monday February 6, 2-4 pm we will mark the Birthday of the Trees with a wine tasting and tour at Ron Rubin Winery. Free, but RSVP.
Starting in January, the Nursery School will be offering a new two-year-olds’ program. Please spread the word and give director Caren Drezner a call at 707-360-3030.
Lee Feinstein makes challah for Shabbat lunches in the Beth Ami kitchen. Click to find guidelines, recipes, and lots of ways to participate in our Shabbat meals.
In December the Social Action Committee brought warm clothing and toiletries as well as serving hot food at The Palms residence. There are many ways to help.
Popular Blogs
(See more blogs here)
SERVICES AND EVENTS ARE A MIX OF IN-PERSON, ZOOM AND HYBRID
We are now conducting in person Shabbat morning services, and some indoor meetings, while most evening services and meetings remain on Zoom. We will also have the sanctuary open on Friday evenings for special speakers and occasions, including Shabbat dinner on the first Friday of the month. Our Shabbat services are a true hybrid with active participants on Zoom. Mask mandates have been lifted for our situation, though people should and do wear them. See Beth Ami Virtual Week for details.
First Friday in person service with Rabbi Mordecai Miller at 6:00 pm followed by Shabbat dinner (RSVP). Other Fridays will be on Zoom: We begin at 5:45 p.m. with a song and a story for the kids (and the kid at heart), followed by Lisa Iskin leading a short and very sweet musical Shabbat service at 6:00 pm, concluding with our communal Kiddush at about 6:30 pm. We hope that joining as a community in this way, will lift all of our spirits, with the beauty and holiness of Shabbat.
Saturday Shabbat morning services in person and on Zoom, 9:30 am, lead by Rabbi Mordecai Miller and congregants. There are hearing assistance devices for in-person attendees and captioning available on Zoom. We have resumed lunches after Shabbat morning services. They are prepared by the Kitchen Committee, and tables are set up in the breezeway outside.
Siddur Chadash Shabbat Morning
Saturday night Mincha starts about an hour before Havdalah time, followed by study of a prayer, Maariv and Havdalah: bring Havdallah candle, spicebox and wine.
Weekday: 8:00 a.m. Sunday through Friday mornings will be conducted on Zoom.
Weekday: 7:00 p.m. Evening services often include the musical leadership of Lisa Iskin
weekday Shacharit SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
weekday afternoon SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
weekday maariv SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
A source for Torah and Haftarah is at Bible.ort.org or here Another source: http://www.lashon.net/CL/
Beth Ami Virtual Week chart with Zoom links Beth Ami Virtual Week
Closed Captioning/ Live Transcript instructions Closed Caption Instructions for Beth Ami
Social Action, Civil Rights and Social Justice
Please join the members of the Beth Ami Committee on Racism and Social Justice as we explore together:
• Have time together with your community at CBA to share experiences and perhaps some sensitive discussions.
• Explore racism and white privilege in the world today and how it has directly and indirectly been a part of our lives.
• Increase our understanding and learn how racism has molded our perceptions.
• Discover ways to be antiracist and support people of color.
• Gain tools and resources to initiate and build social justice in our community.
Social Action continues to provide food to The Palms. We are now serving hot food from crockpots in person. Social Action Committee meets periodically to plan the next Palms dinner. If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact Lyla.
We have resumed volunteering at the Redwood Empire Food Bank. You need to sign up online. We usually work the 10:00- 1:00 shift and then go out for a simple meal. This is a great activity with your children or grandkids over 13. Or for any friend.
To get more info, please call Lyla Nathan at 526-7438 or Elizabeth Jarlsberg at BA office 360-3000.
Beth Ami Israel Committee
The Israel Affairs Committee collects links and descriptions of national and international webinars and online viewing about Israel and antisemitism.
Crash course on the history of Israel: Register now for the 5-part Zoom course, on 5 Sunday mornings, 10-11:30 AM PST, Jan 8-Feb 12
Co-Sponsored by our Israel Committee Sessions provide the history of Jews and Arabs in the land of Israel and the evolution of the current Israeli/Palestinian conflict Admission for this course is free of charge.Registration is required
Adult Education
Online weekdays: Rashi commentary on the week’s Torah reading, 7:30-8:00 a.m. The text is shared on screen, and translation is always provided. This is pitched towards the person who is beginning to look at traditional Jewish learning. Videos now posted on YouTube
Online: Mishnah Class with Rabbi Mordecai Miller on Tuesday afternoons 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
The collection of Oral Torah edited and compiled by Rabbi Judah the Prince in the year 200. We will examine the Hebrew text and the classic commentary of Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinora. All Hebrew will be translated and explained.
Please feel free to catch a lesson and join us weekly if you find this speaks to your desire to learn about our traditions.
Online: TaNaCh Class with Rabbi Mordecai Miller: Thursdays at 2:30 p.m. A study and discussion based on the Parsha of the week or Neviim (Prophets.) In English with lively discussion.
Online: Midrash Class with Rabbi Mordecai Miller: Wednesday evenings 8:00 – 8:45 p.m. 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.
There is no charge for Rabbi Miller’s classes. A source for Torah and Haftarah is at Bible.ort.org or here Another source: http://www.lashon.net/CL/
Beth Ami Virtual Week chart with Zoom links Beth Ami Virtual Week
SCHOLARSTREAM: Beginning in August and spanning all the way up to Shavuot, the Conservative Movement seminaries and institutions are partnering to offer seven series that will bring our community face-to-face with the brightest and most engaging scholars our movement has to offer. Congregation Beth Ami has been given a sponsorship for the whole Series. Contact Lizzie at the Office to get a code to access any one of the lectures that interest you. Please note that the start times vary from month to month so read the schedule carefully and mark your calendars ahead of time. More information and links
Ongoing activities
On Zoom: Morning Minyan 8:00am
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.
On Zoom: Evening service 7:00 p.m.
In the Social Hall: Exercise for Older Adults 10 am Wednesdays
Israeli Folk Dancing every other Wednesday evening: See the Israeli Dance blog.
Check out our current newsletter: Shofar January February 2023 for essays, news, 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.
Some Recent Blogs
The West Coast Musical Premier – “Jacob Wrestling the Angel”
Congregation Kol Emeth Presents:The West Coast Musical Premier - "Jacob Wrestling the Angel" In Loving Memory of Mel Krauss and Irene Krauss-de-Groot Sunday, February 26th Co-sponsored by Congregation Beth Ami Congregation Beth Am Congregation Beth Jacob, Cohn Music...
Celebrate Tu B’Shevat at a Winery
Tu B’Shevat gets its name from the date on which the holiday occurs, the 15th of the month of Shevat. A minor Jewish holiday, it is often referred to as the new year (or “birthday”) of the trees. The holiday originated in the Talmud, and was based on the date chosen...
Rabbinical Assembly Condemns Bill to Undermine Israel’s High Court
In response to Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s "Judicial Reforms" proposal, the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the international association of Conservative/Masorti rabbis, issued the following statement: We are deeply alarmed by the attempted subversion of the...
Dance group Jan. 11, 7 pm with zoom
Hi dancers. People tell me they are willing to begin their New Year resolutions about exercising early and want to meet December 28 and January 11. See video links below, and email requests. It's harder for me to grab songs during the dance because the screen is too...
Free Choice Book January 15
Book Group for January 8 and/or January 15 free choice. Each participant tells us a little about a fiction or non-fiction book he / she has been reading lately. Something about the author. 5 or 10 minutes. And the rest of us listen and may have a question or 2...
Participating in Shabbat Lunches
The Shabbat lunches are slowly growing more popular, so we are needing your help. We need volunteers at the lunch to help us clean up when the meal is over and Birchat Hamazon (blessings after the meal) is done. That way the work goes faster for all of us. We are...
Beth Ami Nursery School Chanukah Party Thursday December 15, 5-6 pm
Please join us at the Beth Ami Community Nursery School December 15, 5 - 6:30 p.m. in the Social Hall, to welcome Chanukah a little early in a fun-filled evening of Cookie Decorating, Latke and Pizza Eating, Candle Making, Photo Booth, Chanukah Stories, Learning with...
Beth Ami’s Chanukah Latke Night Sunday Dec 18, 4:30-7:45 p.m.
We know that Jewish holiday food is full not only of calories, but symbolism. We eat latkes fried in oil to remind us of the oil that lasted eight days. But why do we put applesauce on our latkes? On Sunday December 18 it will symbolize that the apple doesn't fall far...
Book group reading with “One Bay One Book”
Our group’s read is Omar Friedlander’s debut collection, The Man Who Sold Air In The Holy Land, the SF Jewish Community Library’s One Bay One Book selection— Jewish people all over the Bay Area are reading it this year. Many related talks on ZOOM and in person. The...
Social Action Committee at the Palms December 14
We are going to serve a holiday dinner at The Palms on Dec.14th. If anyone would like to contribute cookies, rolls or chili please contact Lyla Nathan at 707-4864905. We will also be handing out toiletries and small winter clothing: new or slightly worn hats, scarves,...
