Tuesday, January 30, 7:30 pm One of the most fascinating features of the Talmud is its rich tapestry of narratives. If storytelling is an art form, then the Talmud is an artistic masterpiece. Please join us as Dr. Jeffrey Rubenstein guides us through a close reading of three different Talmudic stories and teaches us how the Talmud weaves them together to form an interesting and cohesive literary unit.
There will also be a delicious dinner and drinks at the start of the evening.
This program is sponsored by Dorothy Fox, in memory of Herb Fox z"l.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Rubenstein is the Skirball Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Literature in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies of New York University.
To sponsor an Open Beit Midrash Scholar Series, click here. The Open Beit Midrash Scholar Series is underwritten by the Yvette and Herman Gordon Century Fund for Adult Teaching and Learning. To ensure we can continue to offer high level adult educational programming please consider contributing to that fund here.
Saturday, February 3, 8:00 pm Join us for Casino Night— win big prizes at our Vegas-style tables, enter the poker tournament, shop our silent auction, and L’chaim at the open bar! It’s an evening of games and cocktails for a good cause, our beloved Nursery School. Hosted by comedian Ben Asher.
Come cook for HOPE! This Sunday, January 28th 10:30-12:00 in the dairy kitchen. Please email Shayna Klopott (shayna.klopott@gmail.com) to sign up or with questions. Supervised children welcome.
Mark your calendar: this Friday, January 26, we are excited to release ASHIRAH, a new song celebrating Shabbat Shirah, composed and performed by Rabbi Yosef Goldman and featuring his Abitah band along with special guests Cantor Gaby and Jack Klebanow, Music Director.
Join us Saturday morning for Shabbat Shirah, where we will have an opportunity to learn this new melody.
Tuesdays: 2/6, 3/12, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9 at 7:30 pm A fundamental reality of being human is learning to grapple with our own mortality. No one escapes this world without encountering the death of friends and loved ones, nor are we immune from sickness. In this class we will explore rabbinic teachings that enrich the ways we think about the process of death and dying, as well as the rituals we've inherited that guide us through some of the most difficult moments in our lives.
The 2024 campaign season is officially underway! We learn in the Ethics of our Fathers that, “One should not separate themselves from the community.” (Pirkei Avot 2:4). Bartenura explains that this means we must share in the community's troubles in order to see its consolation. Living in a democracy is a privilege and the way in which we share in the burdens of the community is through exercising our right to vote.
If you are a first time voter in Westchester the last date to register to vote for the congressional race is June 15th. The Congressional primary will be held on June 25th, 2024.
As a reminder, you can only vote in the primary election if you are enrolled in a major political party. If you are registered as an independent or would like to change your party affiliation in order to vote in the 16th Congressional District primary this must be done before February 14th, 2024. If you are unsure if you are registered or unsure about your party affiliation you can checkhere. If you are interested in changing your party affiliation you can do so online.
Thursday, February 1, 7:00 pm Beth El Security Committee has invited the New Rochelle Police Department to present the "CRASE" training, (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events). This training emphasizes RUN, HIDE, FIGHT and teaches survival techniques for an active shooter scenario, including what to expect when the police arrive.
We strongly encourage everyone to attend this important safety event. Register Here.
Thursday, February 8, 7:30 pm on Zoom For Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), Beth El Synagogue Center is offering a webinar by Matan to help our community understand the needs of neurodiverse individuals, potential barriers to Jewish life, and how each member of our community can help overcome those barriers to enhance inclusion. Matan guides, trains, and supports Jewish community leaders and educators to provide purposeful, enriching, and inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities and their families.
Save the date for Youth and Family Shabbat on Feb. 9th-10th! Join us for a special family dinner starting with a Kabbalat Shabbat Service at 6 pm, followed by a delicious, fully-catered dinner at 7 pm.
$30 for 13 and older, $18 for children 3-12, 2 and under are free Family cap rate of $100 expires on February 1st. Registration closes Monday, February 5th.
Please join us in the Beth El Den for Sisterhood's Bagels and Books. We will enjoy a spirited discussion of Jonathan Rosen's book, The Best Minds. Jonathan was a member of Beth El and writes engagingly about well-known landmarks in our city, including our own synagogue and of his haunting investigation of the forces that led his closest childhood friend from the heights of brilliant promise to the forensic psychiatric hospital where he has lived since killing the woman he loved.
Tuesday, February 13, 7:30 pm We are so fortunate to have our very own member Dr. Marvin Chinitz discuss his highly acclaimed haggadah, The Chinitz Zion Haggadah, which will transform the meaning of Pesach from an ancient holiday to the most relevant modern Jewish/Israeli/Zionist holiday on the Jewish calendar. This Haggadah is the most-timely Haggadah for our current times, as it includes not only the traditional text, but a treatise on teaching and defending modern Israel and Judaism. The commentaries of the Haggadah are related to modern Israel, "modern" antisemitism issues, and the essays included are the core of Zionist/Israeli education that needs to be passed from one generation to the next for years to come. Do you want to know how to explain current events to your college children, friends and extended family? All of this is included in The Chinitz Zion Haggadah.
This program is sponsored by Dr. Marvin and Shari Chinitz in memory of Shari's mother יהודית ברינדל בת רחל ויצחק ז''ל and in honor of presenting The Chinitz Zion Haggadah.
Thursday February 15th, at 1:30 pm via Zoom Only Tracy Wright, who has been the Director of Eastchester Library since 2007, will be sharing her expertise on Jewish authors. She will be reviewing new authors and their books, as well as discussing established authors.
Register Here. This program is sponsored by Beth El Sisterhood and Hadassah Westchester.
Save the Date! Sunday, March 3 Join us for a special luncheon honoring Sheila Cohen. All donations help support our future rabbis, cantors, and Jewish lay leaders at the seminaries in the United States, Germany, Argentina, and Israel. These students will ensure the continuity of future generations of Conservative Jews.
Every Torah Fund gift of $180 will be acknowledged with our unique pin. All contributions, of any amount, will be gratefully accepted and appreciated. Make your donation online at this safe, secure site: www.jtsa.edu/torahfund and be sure to enter ‘Beth El New Rochelle’ in the Affiliate space on the form.
This event is sponsored by Beth El Sisterhood & Women's League for Conservative Judaism.
Get Your Mahj-on(gg) on with us on March 7 at 7:30. Join in the fun with an intergenerational group for a Mah-Jongg Jamboree. Meet new friends, enjoy cocktails, mocktails and great snacks while we play and learn Mah-Jongg together.
For planning purposes please and registration fill out this Google Form.
All Profits go to Beth El Sisterhood then to Beth El Note: We can only accept checks and cash!
*Any day not listed has no scheduled programming (besides minyan). **Unless otherwise indicated, all programs are in person only.
Tuesday, January 23rd
10:00 am – Silver Sneakers for Seniors (In Person) 11:30 am – Lunch & Learn with Author Ralph White (In Person). Register here. 1:00 pm – Mah Jongg (In Person) 7:30 pm – Shul Shenanigans Rehearsal (In Person)
Wednesday, January 24th
6:30 pm – Teen Lounge Night: Challah Making (In Person). Register here. 7:30 pm – Shul Shenanigans Rehearsal (In Person)
Thursday, January 25th 1:30 pm – Parashat HaShavua (In Person & Zoom). Join online here. 1:30 pm – DOROT & Beth El’s Plant Postivity (In Person). Register here. 6:30 pm – Teen Learning Collab (In Person, Offsite) 7:00 pm – CAP with Shari Baum (In Person). Register here.
Friday, January 26th 4:50 pm – Kabbalat Shabbat (In Person)
Saturday, January 27th
9:00 am – Shabbat Services (In Person & Livestream) 10:30 am – Mini Minyan (In Person) 10:30 am – Tot Shabbat (In Person) 12:45 pm – Daf Shevui (In Person) 4:50 pm – Mincha/Maariv (In Person & Livestream) 7:00 pm – Westchester Jewish Council’s 48th Anniversary Gala (In Person, Offsite). Register here. Sunday, January 28th 9:00 am – Middle School Field Trip (In Person) 2:00 pm – Youth & Family Ice Skating (In Person). Register here. 7:30 pm – Keruv Committee Meeting (Zoom). Join online here. Monday, January 29th 9:00 am – Bagels & Book (In Person & Zoom). Join online here.
11:00 am – SMART Zoom (Zoom). Join online here. 1:00 pm – Canasta (In Person)
Tuesday, January 30th
10:00 am – Silver Sneakers for Seniors (In Person) 1:00 pm – Mah Jongg (In Person) 7:30 pm – Open Beit Midrash Scholars Series: The Cycle of Stories in Rabbinic Literature with Dr. Jeffrey L. Rubenstein (In Person). Register here. 7:30 pm – Shul Shenanigans Rehearsal (In Person)
Thank you to all of those who joined us for our MLK Mitzvah Day on Monday! It was so wonderful to see around 100 people coming together to do tikkun olam (repairing the world). Here is our impact:
277 pairs of shoe collected for Soles4Souls
150+ cookies baked for Hope Community Services
59 cards for Israelis (brought by our Beth El mission trip next week)
50 lbs. of snack bags for Hope Community Services
10 fleece blankets for Project Linus
Tomorrow, Thursday, January 18, marks Operation Dugo. On January 18, 1945, 60,000 Auschwitz prisoners were taken to the Death March. Among them was David Leitner, "Dugo", a 14-year-old boy. Dugo marched endless miles, dreaming about round buns, which he would eat when he arrived in Israel. Dugo survived and came to Israel. When he first visited Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, he saw a falafel store. The falafel balls reminded him of the round buns which kept his spirit going during the terrible march.
Since then, every January 18th, Dugo ate falafel, to celebrate life and as a symbol that he will never be hungry again. Throughout the years, his family and thousands of people around the world joined him, including here in Westchester. Dugo passed away last summer, but his heritage seems more relevant now than ever- "Am Israel Chai".
In honor of Dugo, we will have falafel-themed activites with our Shinshinim tomorrow, and we encourage you to enjoy falafel for dinner. Click here for more information.
In addition to Operation Dugo, we still have lots of events!
Saturday, January 20: Family Havdallah for 5th, 6th & 7th grade families from 6:15-7:30 pm. Register here.
Sunday, January 21:
Taste of Creativity Camp for 2nd-6th graders at 12 pm. Register here.
Family Havdallah for 5th, 6th & 7th grade Saturday, January 20 from 6:15-7:30 pm open to all families with a 5th, 6th or 7th grader
We'd love for our families with 5th, 6th and 7th graders to join us for a special Saturday night program at Beth El! We will enjoy Havdallah, games, a light dinner, bonfire and s'mores. Of course, siblings are invited to join!
Taste of Creativity Camp Sunday, January 21 from 12-2 pm for 2nd-6th graders
We’re cooking up a delicious summer! Interested in learning more about Creativity Camp? Join Beth El Day Camp and the Youth and Family Department for an afternoon of creativity and summer fun. We will begin with a yummy pizza lunch followed by a cooking and craft project.
Family Ice Skating Sunday, January 28 from 1:30-3 pm at Hommocks Park Ice Rink
Join us for family ice skating with your Beth El friends! Have a great time on a Sunday afternoon!
Cost: $10 per skater (observers are free); $6 to rent skates Register here.
Youth & Family Shabbat Friday, February 9 at 6 pm (dinner at 7 pm) Join us for a special family Friday night! Shirateinu will sing during Kabbalat Shabbat services at 6 pm, which is followed by a delicious, fully-catered dinner at 7 pm.
Early Bird Rates (expire February 1st): 13-adult: $30 Children 3-12 years: $18 Family cap of $100 $30 - 13 years and older.
Regular Rates (Februrary 1st - February 7th): 13-adult: $35 Children 3-12 years: $20 No Family cap available
This Sunday, January 21, 7:00 pm Get ready for an electrifying evening filled with soulful melodies and heartwarming performances! Join Rabbi Yosef Goldman, Jack Klebanow, Cantor Gaby, and an outstanding eight-piece ensemble. Be the first to experience the enchanting premiere of a new song commissioned exclusively for Shabbat Shira in the sensational Shirei Neshama series, Songs of the Spirit. Then stay for drinks and desserts for an opportunity to catch up with old and new friends! $18 per person
Don't miss this exciting concert with Rabbi Yosef Goldman, Jack Klebanow, Cantor Gaby, and a world class eight-piece ensemble. Yosef will also premiere a new song commissioned for Shabbat Shira as part of our Shirei Neshama series, Songs of the Spirit. Stay for drinks and desserts!
This program is organized by Shoresh Halev Center for Jewish Music at Beth El.
Saturday, February 3, 8:00 pm Join us for Casino Night— win big prizes at our Vegas-style tables, enter the poker tournament, shop our silent auction, and L’chaim at the open bar! It’s an evening of games and cocktails for a good cause, our beloved Nursery School. Hosted by comedian Ben Asher.
Tuesday, January 16, 7:30 pm at Temple Israel Center Join us on Tuesday, January 16th at Temple Israel Center in White Plains at 7:30 pm for a Westchester community gathering in solidarity with the hostages and the people of Israel as we mark 100 days since the massacre on October 7th. 100 days in captivity is 100 days too long. We need to be their voices and show our public support.
Guests include Carmi Tint and Eyal Tarchitzky, who will be in New York to share their personal stories from October 7th, and Maurice Shnaider, the uncle of Shiri Bibas and great uncle of Kfir and Ariel Bibas.
This event is organized by the Westchester Jewish Council.
Let’s put on the pressure. Release the hostages now. For over 100 days, Hamas has held kids, moms, and dads hostage in Gaza. Turn your outrage into action: Urge Congress to #BringThemHomeNow Here.
A number of congregants have inquired about the Israeli “dog tags” that are being worn to promote awareness of the hostages in Gaza. There are several options for the engravements on the dog tags, such as an English version: “Bring them home now,” or combined English “Bring them home now” and Hebrew “הלב שלנו שבוי בעזה” (our hearts are captured in Gaza) or in Hebrew "ביחד ננצח” (together we will win). If you would like to purchase some of these dog tags from UJA, you can do so here. In whatever way you choose fit, it is important that we keep the hostages in our thoughts and prayers.
For more more ways to support Israel, go to our Israel Resources page here.
Indulge in a culinary escape from the demands of your week with Beth El's tantalizing ready-to-eat meals, thoughtfully prepared by our dedicated Communal Freezer team.
Right now there is mac n' cheese and vegetable soup in our freezer. Please enjoy!
Communal Freezer is open whenever Beth El is open. Open to all Beth El members.
Sunday, January 21, 12:00 pm
We’re cooking up a delicious summer! Interested in learning more about Creativity Camp? Join Beth El Day Camp and the Youth and Family Department for an afternoon of creativity and summer fun. We will begin with a yummy pizza lunch followed by a cooking and craft project. This is for 2nd through 6th graders. $10 per person
11:30 am: Author talk lead by Ralph White, who will speak on his life experience as a banker in Hanoi during the Vietnam War and speak about his book Getting out of Saigon: How a 27-Year-Old Banker Saved 113 Vietnamese Civilians.
Come cook for HOPE! Sunday, January 28th 10:30-12:00 in the dairy kitchen. Please email Shayna Klopott (shayna.klopott@gmail.com) to sign up or with questions. Supervised children welcome.
Tuesdays: 2/6, 2/13, 3/5, 3/12, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9 at 7:30 pm A fundamental reality of being human is learning to grapple with our own mortality. No one escapes this world without encountering the death of friends and loved ones, nor are we immune from sickness. In this class we will explore rabbinic teachings that enrich the ways we think about the process of death and dying, as well as the rituals we've inherited that guide us through some of the most difficult moments in our lives.
Tuesday, January 30, 7:30 pm One of the most fascinating features of the Talmud is its rich tapestry of narratives. If storytelling is an art form, then the Talmud is an artistic masterpiece. Please join us as Dr. Jeffrey Rubenstein guides us through a close reading of three different Talmudic stories and teaches us how the Talmud weaves them together to form an interesting and cohesive literary unit.
This program is sponsored by Dorothy Fox, in memory of Herb Fox z"l.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Rubenstein is the Skirball Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Literature in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies of New York University.
To sponsor an Open Beit Midrash Scholar Series, click here. The Open Beit Midrash Scholar Series is underwritten by the Yvette and Herman Gordon Century Fund for Adult Teaching and Learning. To ensure we can continue to offer high level adult educational programming please consider contributing to that fund here.
Thursday, February 1, 7:00 pm NRPD will be presenting: Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training. It teaches survival techniques for an active shooter scenario, including what to expect when the police arrive. We encourage attendance as this is valuable to everyone from a community and personal perspective. Register Here.
Thursday, February 8, 7:30 pm on Zoom For Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), Beth El Synagogue Center is offering a webinar by Matan to help our community understand the needs of neurodiverse individuals, potential barriers to Jewish life, and how each member of our community can help overcome those barriers to enhance inclusion. Matan guides, trains, and supports Jewish community leaders and educators to provide purposeful, enriching, and inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities and their families.
Save the date for Youth and Family Shabbat on Feb. 9th-10th! Stay tuned for more details. Join us for a special family Friday night dinner starting with Kabbalat Shabbat at 6 pm, followed by a delicious, fully-catered dinner at 7 pm.
Thursday February 15th, at 1:30 pm via Zoom Only Tracy Wright, who has been the Director of Eastchester Library since 2007, will be sharing her expertise on Jewish authors. She will be reviewing new authors and their books, as well as discussing established authors.
Register Here. This program is sponsored by Beth El Sisterhood and Hadassah Westchester.
*Any day not listed has no scheduled programming (besides minyan). **Unless otherwise indicated, all programs are in person only.
Tuesday, January 16th
All programs except for minyan are cancelled due to inclement weather.
CANCELLED - 10:00 am – Silver Sneakers for Seniors (In Person) CANCELLED - 1:00 pm – Mah Jongg (In Person) CANCELLED - 7:30 pm – Shul Shenanigans Rehearsal (In Person)
Thursday, January 18th 1:30 pm – Parashat HaShavua (In Person & Zoom). Join online here. 6:30 pm – Teen Learning Collab (In Person, Offsite) 7:30 pm – Textual Magic: The Jewish Wisdom and Themes That Ignited My Love for Judaism with Rabbi David Schuck (In Person & Zoom). Join onlinehere. 7:30 pm – Shul Shenanigans Rehearsal (In Person)
Friday, January 19th 4:40 pm – Kabbalat Shabbat (In Person)
Saturday, January 20th
9:00 am – Shabbat Services (In Person & Livestream) 10:30 am – Mini Minyan (In Person) 10:30 am – Tot Shabbat (In Person) 12:45 pm – Daf Shevui (In Person) 4:40 pm – Mincha/Maariv (In Person & Livestream) 6:15 pm – Family Havdalah (In Person) Sunday, January 21st 10:00 am – Shul Shenanigans Rehearsal (In Person) 12:00 pm – A Taste of Creativity Camp (In Person). Register here. Monday, January 22nd 11:00 am – SMART Zoom (Zoom). Join online here. 1:00 pm – Canasta (In Person)
Tuesday, January 23rd
10:00 am – Silver Sneakers for Seniors (In Person) 11:30 am – Lunch & Learn: Author Talk with Ralph White (In Person). Register here. 1:00 pm – Mah Jongg (In Person) 7:30 pm – Shul Shenanigans Rehearsal (In Person)
We hope you'll join us for "A Taste of Creativity Camp" this Sunday, January 21st at 12:00 pm. Don't miss out on an afternoon of pizza, baking, and crafts! This event is open to current and prospective campers. The deadline to register is tomorrow (Wednesday, January 17th). Register heretoday!
Rebecca Guralnik, Day Camp Director Zoe Schein, Assistant Director daycamp@bethelnr.org 914-235-2700, ext. 256
We hope you'll join us for "A Taste of Creativity Camp" this Sunday, January 21st at 12:00 pm. Don't miss out on an afternoon of pizza, baking, and crafts! This event is open to current and prospective campers. The deadline to register is tomorrow (Wednesday, January 17th). Register heretoday!
Rebecca Guralnik, Day Camp Director Zoe Schein, Assistant Director daycamp@bethelnr.org 914-235-2700, ext. 256
We have a number of important things coming up that we want to share with you:
Our early bird registration deadline is this Monday, January 15! Sign up for our 2024-2025 school year on or before Monday and pay 1/3 of your tuition to take advantage of our discounted tuition rates.
Mitzvah Day is on Monday, January 15. MLK Day is a federal holiday because it is supposed to be a day of community service. Join in that effort! Additionally, Beth El is collecting used shoes in any condition as part of MLK Mitzvah Day. The shoes will be sorted, organized, and donated to Soles4Souls ! There is a donation bin in the lobby, and the collection will go until Mitzvah Day ends.
On Tuesday, January 16, After Care will end at 2:30pm because there is a Nursery School Staff meeting. Also, an important reminder if your child is staying in After Care -- please be sure to send in a separate snack marked PM Snack. It is important that the children have a substantial, designated snack for the afternoon because they are getting very hungry.
Shabbat shalom, Ronnie and Shery
Highlights:
Monday, January 15: Early Bird Registration Deadline. Register here.
Mondays at 9AM: Anaf parents are invited to the Youth Lounge to celebrate Havdallah.
Monday, January 15: MLK Mitzvah Day from 11 am- 1 pm. Register here.
Tuesday, January 16: After Care ends at 2:30PM.
All After Care children need a substantial, designated snack marked PM snack.
Wednesday, January 31: Challah Bake with Morah Eden at 7:15PM.Register here
Saturday, February 3: Casino Night at 8PM. Register here.
Community Programs
Challah Bake: Practical & Spiritual Aspects Join us for a special evening at Beth El with Morah Eden, one of our 2s teachers, as she takes us through the steps of creating delicious challah for your Shabbat table. Added bonus -- learn how to make babka as well! Click here to register
