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
to 2:00 pmBeth 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
No First Friday of the Month Shabbat Dinner for April
Monday April 22 6:30pm Community Seder See the Shofar newsletter for holiday services;
Fridays, 6 pm: First Fridays of the month in person and on Zoom: traditional Kabbalat Shabbat with Rabbi Mordecai Miller followed by dinner. Fourth Fridays lay led on Zoom. Other Fridays, Sing in Shabbat, a short, music filled service led by Leah Gerber.
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
Beth Ami’s Community Seder on the first night of Pesach, Monday April 22. Click for information, a guide from the Rabbinical Assembly, and Sale of Hametz form.
The Men’s Group as well as the Social Action Committee volunteers at the Redwood Empire Food Bank. See the blog section for activities.
A letter from Rabbi Mordecai Miller on the war in Gaza: “Like so many, I’m deeply troubled by the events going on locally and globally…”
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: On 2nd and 3rd Fridays Leah Gerber leads 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. Fourth Fridays will be led by congregants.
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. Lunches after Shabbat morning services are prepared by the Kitchen Committee with potluck donations, see food guidelines and recipes here.
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.
weekday Shacharit SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
weekday afternoon SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
weekday maariv SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
A source for Torah and Haftarah is here Another source: https://www.sefaria.org/texts
Beth Ami Virtual Week chart with Zoom links Beth Ami Virtual Week
Closed Captioning/ Live Transcript instructions Closed Caption Instructions for Beth Ami
COMMUNITY PASSOVER SEDER ON THE FIRST NIGHT
Monday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. Led by Rabbi Mordecai Miller
Welcoming all ages, affiliations,interfaith & LGBT communities, members, and non-members.
The meal will be fish, dairy and vegetarian, with a special dessert.
Members: adults $30, youths $16
Family Maximum: $80
Non-members: Adults $36
Youth $16, Family Maximum: $90
Subsidies available so all can attend. Reservations Deadline Thursday April 18 by noon.
See the Shofar newsletter for festival and other services available in person and on Zoom.
Social Action, Civil Rights and Social Justice
Please join the members of the Beth Ami’s Advocates for 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.
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
Shofar Newsletter
Check out our current newsletter: Shofar March April 2024 for essays, news, more events and details about the events listed above. Archived issues of the Shofar are also available online.
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 is on a break: See the Israeli Dance blog.
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
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,...
Beth Ami Book Group reading A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka
Our current read is a memoir by Lev Golinkin, A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka (2014, 303 pgs.) Golinkin was born in Kharkov, Ukraine, in 1980 during the end of the Cold War and the Soviet Union. Critics say the memoir is vivid, darkly comic, gripping....
The History of Latkes, and how to cook them
You don't have to make latkes the same way every time... once you try the recipes in this pdf, you'll wish Chanukah was longer than eight days. Here is some food history for you. When we think of latkes, we are immersed in the romantic tradition of this hot, crispy,...
Back to hybrid dancing in social hall and zoom
I will be in Beth Ami's social hall 7-9 pm Wednesday Oct. 26 The gate from the rear parking lot should be propped open. You can also zoom: Leanne Schy is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Leanne's dance reunion Time: Oct 26, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time...
A YOM KIPPUR TIME NOVEL
CBA Book Group is now reading THE BETRAYERS by David Bezmozgis (Fiction, 256 pgs., 2015) for discussion Sunday, October 16, in my sukkah. The book spans 1 Jewish day in the life of a powerful Israeli politician, a former Soviet refusenik. The story takes place mostly...
The continuing presentation by Professor Ben Benson
Sunday, October 2 at 2 PM Nature as Torah; Spiritual Structure in Native American Culture Where: Congregation Beth Ami, 4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa The program will also be available on Zoom. https://us04web.zoom.us/j/862157330?pwd=c2V5dEp6YzA4ZERHL2p2REdFU29uQT09 A...