2014 / 2015

5775

1004 Watts Street Durham, NC 27701

919-682-1238 www.betheldurham.org

Live Klezmer (Watts Street Band)!

Free Lunch (MoB)! Social Action hunger relief project!

More details at the link above.

Full Sukkot Schedule online:

5775 Programs & Events Communal Meals……………....3

Synaplex Shabbat..………..…...3

Beach Shabbaton…….……...... 3

Sisterhood………...……………...4

Men of Beth El…....…………... 4

Synagogue Life……………….... 5

Social Action .……………….…. 6

Lifelong Learning……………... 7

Shabbat 25/ Scholar-in-

Residence weekends……...…. 7

Youth and Family……….….. 8-9

Healing Yoga & more…….....10

Office & Service hours………..11

www.betheldurham.org/calendar/Sukkot.htm

Community Dinner honoring our Chevra Kadisha

October 15, 6:15pm

Full details including cost & menu are listed on our

Sukkot schedule page.

Please make your reservations for our Sukkot Sunday Celebration & the Erev Sh’mini Atzeret dinner honoring our Chevra Kadisha

no later than Tuesday, October 7.

Sukkot Celebration October 12,

12:30-2:30PM

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Communal Meals

Annual Dinner to Honor our Chevra Kadisha An annual dinner is a longstanding tradition of Chevrot Kadisha all around the world. Beth El’s Chevra Kadisha is acknowledged to be the oldest, organized Jewish society in the Durham/Chapel Hill area. The Beth El community honors this special Chevra by attending the dinner each year on Erev Shemini Atzeret. October 15, 2014 Community Shabbat Dinners In conjunctions with Shabbat 25 weekends, we hold a dinner following Friday night services. After davening, we move to the Social Hall for a relaxing meal, shmoozing and singing. These evenings are family friendly and a wonderful way to meet new folks and enjoy old friends.

November 21, 2014 & January 30, 2015 Kiddush Lunches Each week, members of the congregation help us enhance our celebration of Shabbat and our community by hosting or sponsoring a Kiddush luncheon. Many of the luncheons celebrate significant lifecycle events such as B'nai Mitzvah, anniversaries and significant birthdays.

Synaplex Shabbat

Come to "Synaplex Shabbat" to find Jewish experiences that speak to your heart. In addition to our weekly Mishnah study led by Rabbi Emeritus Steve Sager, our engaging and participatory egalitarian Conservative and traditional Orthodox Shabbat morning services and our children's programming for kids of all ages, Synaplex Shabbat offers other worship and study options such as a yoga, an in-depth Torah discussion with a local scholar, a tefillah hike, meditation, storytelling, egalitarian chavurah style Orthodox services and more. We conclude with a communal lunch where all are welcome. If you're interested in helping us with this exciting initiative or would like to lead a session, contact Rabbi Greyber at rabbigreyber@betheldurham.org.

Beach Shabbaton

The annual Beach Shabbaton near Emerald Isle, NC, provides a unique community building experience while we immerse ourselves in Shabbat without the distractions of our busy day-to-day lives. It is a wonderful way to visit with friends, old and new. There are many opportunities to daven, learn and socialize. This year’s Shabbaton will also coincide with Channukkah.

December 19-21, 2014

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Sisterhood Connect, Learn and Contribute.

♦Welcome Brunch - Oct. 26 at the Chapel Hill home of Ellen Singer ♦Beth El Chanukkah Bazaar - Nov. 23 ♦Booth at JCC Chanukkah Bazaar - Dec. 14 ♦Potluck Dinner - Jan. 19 at a member's home (TBD) ♦Hamentaschen baking -Throughout Jan. & Feb. in preparation for Purim ♦Bingo & Bourbon night - Feb. 21 (open to the entire congregation - yes, men too.) ♦High Tea - March 22 at a local establishment ♦Hello-Farewell Luncheon - April 19 (installation of new Board members,

recognition of those stepping down from the board)

The Men of Beth El (The MoB) Schmooze, Have Fun, & Help the Community.

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For information on Sisterhood membership, contributing to the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism Torah Fund, the gift shop, &our kitchen enhancement project, visit our webpage on the Beth El site.

♦ October 12 - providing lunch for "Pizza in the Hut" ♦ November - Bowling ♦ December - joining the Men of Oil for Channukkah Bazaar latke making ♦ January - Film night with popcorn and scotch at shul ♦ February - BBB and brunch at the West End Billiards ♦ March - Bowling ♦ April - TBD ♦ May - Annual meeting/brunch/ discussion

The MoB contributes to the well-being of our synagogue community through fellowship and service. Its membership is multi-generational and reflects a broad range of interests. The MoB participates in holiday, charitable, and social activities and engages in joint functions with other groups within Beth El, including Sisterhood, Social Action, and Talmud Torah as well as the broader community. See our webpage to join. Contact Scott Smith (smithsm@us.ibm.com) or Mike Resnick (michresnick@gmail.com) for details on monthly activities.

Synagogue Life

The Synagogue Life Committee provides special services and programming to the Beth El community. Past and current ongoing programs and projects include the Beth El Member Photo Directory, Organizing of Chaverot, sending of cards & care packages to our first year college students, Holiday Meal coordination, High Holiday Community Card, and the Torat Z’kenim/Torah of the Elders. Zumba class Pilar Rocha-Goldberg will lead us on the 2nd Tuesday*. Everyone is welcome to enjoy this fun program at no charge!

October 14, 2014 November 11, 2014 December 9, 2014 January 13, 2015 February 10, 2015 March 10 April (TBD*), 2015 May 12, 2015 June 9, 2015

“Got Shabbat?” Enjoy Shabbat dinner with one of many hosts across the community. Look for information on how to sign up and get your hosting gift bag. Our Got Shabbat night is part of a community wide celebration, "The Shabbos Project" beginning on Thursday, Oct. 23 with the Great Challah Bake at the Levin JCC & concluding with a community Havdalah service on Saturday night, Oct. 25. More on the weekend's events at: http://levinjcc.org/calendar/shabbos-project/

October 24 Community Shabbat Dinners We’ll be putting a new twist on this Beth El tradition. Dinner will follow services on our two Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat 25 weekends (approx. 7pm) in the Social Hall.

November 21, 2014 January 30, 2015

Torat Z’kenim/Torah of the Elders This year, we will honor long-time members, Eric and Carol Meyers. Light refreshments will be served. There is no charge for this event. Beth El Freedman Center, 2:00-4:00pm February 22, 2015 Other activities being planned for this next year:

Group trip to Empty Bowls, benefitting Urban Ministries of Durham Group trip to Drag Bingo, benefitting the Alliance of AIDS Services Carolina

For more information on any of these programs, or to get involved, contact Lois Price at loisprice123@gmail.com.

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Social Action

Our Social Action Committee's current main focus is Hunger Relief/Nutrition and Child Poverty. See our web page for information on specific programs and be sure to watch for updates as more projects are added throughout the year. In addition to year-round & annual hunger/child poverty relief efforts, such as our Food Drive, participation in the local CROP walks, cooking & serving meals in local shelters, and our annual Yiddish Songfest benefitting Durham Urban Ministries, we also have a Knitting Chevra who not only make hats, sweaters, & other items for those in need, but also collect other clothing as well. We hold an annual Blood Drive in cooperation with the Red Cross, and participate in many other programs of local and international agencies which positively affect the lives of others.

5775 at a glance

• Sukkot Food Bag project - Oct. 12, 2014 during Pizza in the Hut event

• Knitting Chevra (Oct. - April, 2nd Sundays plus year-round clothing drive)

• What's Not To Like? Annual Benefit Yiddish Songfest Oct. 26, 2014

• Social Action Shabbat - Help us honor our Social Action leaders at services

& a special kiddush luncheon - Nov. 1, 2014

• Social Action Sunday - Nov. 2, 2014 (note new date)

• Volunteer Opportunities presentation - Nov. 16, 2014

• Mitzvah Fund Fun-raising Event - Dec. 14, 2014

• Blood Drive / Day of Service - Jan. 18, 2015

• Food & Toiletry Drives - Year-round

• Feeding the hungry in Durham - Year-round

• Feeding the hungry in Chapel Hill - Year-round

• Soup for SEEDS project

• CROP Hunger Walk teams in Durham & Carrboro/Chapel Hill spring walks Social Action projects are supported through

your generous donations to the Mitzvah Fund.

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Lifelong Learning See our web page for details on these and more

Adult & Teen learning opportunities throughout the year.

Saturday Morning Mishnah Study (8:45a.m. - 9:30a.m. weekly) The Saturday morning Mishnah study group meets in the Freedman Center. All are welcome to join at any time. No prior mishnah knowledge required. Wednesday Morning Service and Study (8:00a.m. - 9:00a.m. weekly) Join us for services, coffee, nosh, and schmoozing, followed by a study led by Rabbi Greyber on Maimonides Laws of Prayer. (Rosh Chodesh Wednesday services start at 7:45a.m. – check the weekly announcements.) Walking with God: A seven-month introduction for adults - begins October 26: This course is aimed at both those who did not have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, as well as for those who completed this milestone, but are now interested in building a more mature understanding of Jewish tradition and spirituality in a warm and supportive environment. Classes will be held on Sunday mornings October 26 through mid-May & culminating with an optional adult B'nai Mitzvah ceremony for those who wish to participate. Cost , Registration & other details on this course can be found on our Lifelong Learning program page. Moses Mendelssohn: Reconciling Enlightenment Philosophy and Traditional Judaism - begins October 18: This mini-course will be led by David Reed and will include a series of five sessions exploring the context and content of Moses Mendelssohn’s (1729 - 1786) work as a philosopher of the German Enlightenment and as a translator of and commentator on Jewish texts. All texts will be in English and all materials necessary for the mini-course and the discussions will be supplied. A suggested outside reading list for those with interest in the topic will also be provided. There is no charge for this course, however donations in honor of your studies are always welcome and appreciated. These should be directed to our Lifelong Learning Fund to help support such programs. Monthly Torah Study (time & location varies) Approximately once a month we are offering Torah discussions led by various congregants. Times vary from before (9:30a.m.) or concurrent (10:30a.m.) with the Torah reading in the Main Sanctuary to an occasional session held after kiddush lunch (approx. 1:00p.m.). Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat 25 Weekends In addition to classes, the weekly text studies and monthly Torah study, the Lifelong Learning committee is planning two scholar-in-residence Shabbat 25 weekends. Watch for details as these weekends draw near.

November 21-23, 2014: Avraham Infeld, Jewish educator and former president of International Hillel. Please note that Saturday, November 22 will also be a Synaplex Shabbat morning with a variety of worship & study opportunities.

January 30-February 1, 2015: In honor of Jewish Disabilities Month, we have invited Rabbi Charles Sherman, author of The Broken And The Whole: Discovering Joy After Heartbreak, to talk about his life of faith with a severely disabled son.

Our Lifelong Learning programs are funded from your donations to

The Elaine Perilstein Fund & the Lifelong Learning Fund. 7

Talmud Torah Youth and Family Programming

Talmud Torah We are happy to offer a well-rounded Jewish education to all children in grades pre-K through 7. Students at Talmud Torah have the opportunity to develop a true passion for Judaism and a strong connection to their synagogue and their community. A comprehensive Talmud Torah calendar is available in the lobby & on our website.

Fundraisers to support Talmud Torah Chanukkah Bazaar - November 23, 2014

Pancake Palooza - December 7, 2014 Purim Carnival - March 1, 2015

Early Childhood Early Childhood Families have the opportunity to participate in several exciting programs through the school year, including both ongoing programs and special events. All families with children ages 4 or younger, including both Beth El members and members of the larger community, are invited to these great activities: Tot Shabbat: Our monthly Shabbat morning children's service. Children should be accompanied by at least one adult for services. In addition to this service, Shabbat morning babysitting is available year -round. Simchat Tot: Our monthly Sunday morning program includes songs, stories, and craft projects, and gives young children and their families an exciting opportunity to get to explore a monthly Jewish theme in a fun and friendly environment. We also offer two special Shabbat programs during the year:

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Sunday, October 12 (9:45-10:30 AM) Sunday, November 23 (9:45-10:30 AM) Sunday, December 7 (9:45-10:30 AM) Sunday, January 11 (9:45-10:30 AM)

Sunday, February 8 (9:45-10:30 AM) Sunday, March 8 (9:45-10:30 AM)Sunday, April 19 (9:45-10:30 AM)

Plus: Saturday, January 31 (Havdallah in Pajamas 5:30-6:30 PM)

Saturday, May 9 (Shabbat afternoon picnic)

For the 4 & younger crowd with their grown ups!

Children's Services

Tot Shabbat (10:30-11:15): For children age 4 and younger, this service focuses on singing, movement, and exposure to Shabbat synagogue practices. Jr. Jr. Congregation (10:30-11:30): In this service for grades K-2, children are introduced to songs, stories, and prayers. Junior Congregation (10:30-12:00): Children in grades 3-6 enjoy their own version of a Saturday morning services. They pray, practice Torah rituals, and discuss the weekly Torah portion, as they build their own prayer community.

Youth Groups

Beth El is proud to host four youth groups, providing social activities and community-building opportunities for children of all ages.

USY, our group for 9th-12th graders, develops leadership skills as our teens plan and implement monthly events. Activities can include both social programming and social action. Participants have the opportunity to develop their own interests and to explore what the Triangle area community has to offer. Kadima, our group for 6th-8th graders, gives middle-schoolers a chance to bond with their peers through social and social action programming. Kadimaniks begin develop-ing leadership skills by helping to choose, plan, and support their programs. Pre-Kadima, for all 3rd-5th graders, provides a taste of youth group participation and some exciting social opportunities. Children have the opportunity to get to know one another in a fun and interesting environment. Our pre-Kadima members have the op-portunity to develop their connections to each other and to Beth El, preparing them to take on leadership roles in Kadima and USY. Alef-Bet is for children in grades K-2. Our youngest elementary school children have the opportunity to enjoy a taste of youth group participation, as they enjoy various activities and form their own community.

Youth activity calendars are available online & in the lobby.

Beth El is happy to offer children's Shabbat morning

services at least once monthly.

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And so much more...

Our Rabbi Emeritus, Steve Sager invites you to join him in conversations through his creation of Sicha. Sicha, Hebrew for "conversation," is an organization that promotes the vital ongoing dialogue between classical Jewish texts and modern life. Essays engaging modern and classical texts in conversations can be found on our website: www.sichaconversation.org. Sicha is planning many new events and programs for the coming year. Check the Sicha website, a repository of program information, podcasts, essays, resources, and shared successes.

Calling all parents (or anyone else interested in joining us)!

Come study the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Greyber 9:00-9:45 AM on the 4th Shabbat of each month

October 25th November 22nd NO December class January 24th February 28th March 28th (9:00-9:30 AM only) April 25th

No RSVPs or prior Torah knowledge or experience required.

Healing Yoga Select monthly Shabbat mornings 10-11 a.m. in the Freedman Center

This class is gentle and a wonderful way to nurture yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Just bring yourself - we have mats, blankets, foam blocks, straps, and bolster pillows to make you comfortable. Thanks to the generosity of friends and family, the class is free. If you would like to make a donation, please send it to Beth El with "yoga" noted. If you have questions, please contact Marjorie Satinsky at margiesatinsky@icloud.com or 919-383-5998.. Details and session dates are available online: www.betheldurham.org/calendar/index.html#csyoga

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Office Hours: Monday through Thursday: 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Fridays: 9:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. Weekday minyanim in the main sanctuary: Sunday mornings at 9:30a.m. Wednesday mornings at 8:00a.m. followed by a text study with Rabbi Greyber Talmud Torah Classes: Sundays: 9:30a.m.-12:30p.m. preK-7th grades Wednesdays: 4:15p.m.-6:00p.m. 2nd-6th grades Saturdays: 9:00a.m.-9:45a.m. 7th grade Friday night services: Services are held on Friday evenings only in conjunction with other program-ming or special occasions. Times are noted within each monthly calendar. Saturday morning services: Services in the Orthodox Kehillah begin at 9:00a.m. Services in the main sanctuary begin at 9:45a.m. See the Ritual section of our website for information on other services periodically offered such as Children’s & Egalitarian Chavurah Style Orthodox minyanim Saturday morning Mishnah study group: Saturdays, 8:45a.m. Shabbat babysitting (ages 2-7): Saturdays, 10:30am - 12:30pm

For an online calendar of Beth El events: www.betheldurham.org/calendar/index.html

Seeking Shabbat & Holiday Greeters

Do you like getting a warm "Shabbat Shalom" as you enter shul on Saturday morning? You're not alone. Our greeting program has been extremely well received. To keep this program going, we need volunteer greeters like you. Just click on the link below to view available dates and pick one (or two) in the coming months.

Thanks for helping make Beth El a warm and welcoming place to be! http://bit.ly/BEGreet.

If you've never greeted before, it’s easy. We've put together some guidelines to help:

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