Welcome to Congregation Beth Ami of Santa Rosa, California.
Congregation Beth Ami is online at least twice every day for services and classes. See Events at a Glance for the virtual week calendar with zoom information. We are monitoring changing health guidelines to design reopening procedures.
Events at a Glance and Virtual Week Calendar
Beth Ami Virtual Week chart with Zoom links BETH AMI VIRTUAL WEEK CALENDAR
Streaming video on our Facebook page
Rabbi Miller’s Rashi classes on YouTube
Erev Shabbat on Fridays
4:30 p.m. Mincha led by Rabbi Miller,
5:50 p.m. story, 6:00 p.m. Sing in Shabbat led by Lisa Iskin and Rabbi Miller, concluding with Kiddush
Saturday morning Shabbat services 9:30 a.m. on Zoom; 4:30 Mincha, 5:45 Havdallah
Weekday: 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. mornings 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
Beth Ami salutes Pride Month. We have marched every year in Sonoma County, first in Guerneville then in Santa Rosa. We hope for the return of the parade soon!
Every Friday at 5:50 p.m. Lisa Iskin with Rabbi Mordecai Miller conducts Sing In Shabbat. Welcome Shabbat with a family story, song and Kiddush.
Rabbi Miller is on zoom teaching Rashi, Mishna, Midrash and Tanach, and conducting weekday morning and evening minyans. See the virtual calendar.
Our Courageuos Conversations: Join the Beth Ami Committee on Racism and Social Justice to share, and increase understanding.
The Social Action Committee supplies dinners to The Palms housing, and can always use more cooks to cook in your kitchen. Let the office know if you can help.
Popular Blogs
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.
Thursday, April 8-7:30-8:30 Recognizing Racism
Thursday, April 22-7:30-8:30 Racism and White Privilege
Thursday, May 6-7:30-8:30 Becoming an Ally Flyer
Social Action continues to provide food to The Palms. We came up with an idea to prepare individual portions. Social Action Committee meets periodically to plan the next Palms dinner. To get more info, please call Lyla Nathan at 526-7438 or Elizabeth Jarlsberg at BA office 360-3000.
Services online
Beth Ami is bringing services, davening and Torah study into our homes while our building is closed. We are conducting Zoom sessions, plus streaming video on our Facebook page at these times, along with pdfs of prayerbooks for following along:
Friday, Mincha at 4:30 p.m. followed by candlelighting.
Sing in Shabbat led by Lisa Iskin and Rabbi Miller. We begin at 5:50 p.m. with a song and a story for the kids (and the kid at heart), followed by Lisa’s 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, 9:30 am, Siddur Chadash Shabbat Morning
Saturday night Mincha starts about an hour before Havdalah time, followed by a story, Maariv and Havdalah bring Havdallah candle, spicebox and wine.
Weekday: 8:00 a.m. Sunday through Friday mornings will be conducted on Zoom.
Weekday: 5:00 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
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 2:30 – 3:30 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
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.
On Zoom: Israeli Folk Dancing every other Wednesday evening: See the Israeli Dance blog.
Check out our current newsletter: Shofar May and June 2021 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.
Latest Blogs
Upbeat musings
Dear Congregants, Friends and BACNS Families, as our fiscal year and school year winds down, I have several Upbeat Messages about our future. I’m grateful to all of you who are here to share them with me. In addition, please join us for the Annual Meeting on June 13,...
Volunteering once again at the Redwood Empire Food Bank
Last week we volunteered at the Redwood Empire Food Bank, something we did regularly pre-pandemic. The work involves packing food for distribution as we did before. The setup is outside under a large tent. There is also opportunity to be completely outside. It is very...
Events Next Week (May 9 – May 16, 2021)
Israel Committee Communication Three events next week plus links to recordings of eight prior events: Jerusalem Day, The Scoop on Yemenite Jews’ Return Home, and Recordings We hope that you have enjoyed and learned from our prior “Voices of Israel” webinar. The next...
Preparing for the Congregation’s Annual Meeting June 13
Dear Congregants, This will be my last communication with you in the Shofar as your President. When I stepped into this role, I could not have anticipated the life-changing events that were to modify our world forever. I cannot say I’m reluctant to step down – the...
Fighting Hunger
The SAC made another delivery of a delicious home cooked meal to the residents of The Palms. Once again it was received with great thanks and gratitude. The residents know who we are at Beth Ami and always welcome us with a smile. Great job team! I have received...
Sing in Shabbat
Join us this Friday evening on the Beth Ami Zoom page, as we Sing in Shabbat as a community. At 5:50 we have a song and a story with Rabbi Miller. We then join with Lisa Iskin for a short musical Shabbat service, concluding with Kiddush. Sure to delight all ages! The...
Shavuot and Food
The Festival of Shavuot, the Feast of the Weeks, Chag Habikkurim, the Festival of the First-fruits; all describe the festival that started with ancient agricultural origins associated with the sweetness of spring bounty that later in history shifted to the Revelation...
The Yemenite influence on Israeli dance and music
Dancers, we are taking a break and will resume zoom dancing at 7 p.m. Wednesday May 26. Limor Shapira, who used to lead our group, has resumed leading live in person dancing in Israel. But I have not heard of local groups meeting in person, other than a few meeting...
Our Courageous Conversations
Here are 2 pdf documents to refer to: Racism Definitions_ and Resources for Learning More about Racial 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...
Hear Dr. Paul Liptz – Yemenite Jews
Voices Of Israel May 16, 2021 (Sunday) 10 a.m. PST Hear Dr. Paul Liptz teach us about the Yemenite Jews' journey to return home. The Yemenite Jews dreamed of returning to Israel through the centuries and beginning in the 1880s, small groups arrived. However, in the...