Latest News
Week of November 8
Torah on Tap on Tuesday, November 12
Torah on Tap returns this month! Join us for a lively discussion on a Jewish topic.
The next event will be held:
- Date: Tuesday, November 12th
- Time: 7:30 - 9:00 PM
- Place: The Watermark Clubroom, 10001 Windstream Dr, Columbia, 21044
All are welcome, and are encouraged to bring their favorite libation and maybe a munchie or two to share.
Week of October 25
Friday Night Speaker Series: Jewish Medal of Honor Recipients — Friday, November 1, 7:30 PM at Hawthorn Center on Sunny Spring
Army, Navy and Air Force Versions of the Medal of Honor
Sheldon Goldberg, Ph.D, LtCol, USAF (Ret), who serves as a docent/historian at the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, will share inspiring stories of Jewish Medal of Honor recipients. The Medal of Honor is the highest award that can be bestowed upon U.S. military service members and is awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.
Water! Water! Water! - STEM Program for Young Students: Sunday, November 3rd
Bet Chaverim Congregation and the Maryland STEM Festival will be hosting "Water, Water, Water!", a STEM program in conjunction with the story of Noah. Jewish National Fund's Rafi Glazer and Filmmaker Cheryle Franceschi will be teaching about water in Israel, having discussions, and running STEM activities involving water. This FREE program is geared towards elementary and middle school students. The event will conclude with an ice cream party.
Date: 11/03/2019 (Sun.)
Time: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM EDT
Location: Non-Profit Collaborative, 9770 Patuxent Woods Dr, Columbia, MD 21046
RSVP required: https://tinyurl.com/BetChaverimStem19
Upcoming Shabbat & Holiday Services:
♦ Shemini Atzeret/Yizkor and Simchat Torah Services — Mon., October 21, 5:30 PM Mincha with Yizkor, 6 :30 PM Simchat Torah, and 8:30 PM Services conclude. Services will be at Hawthorn Center on Sunny Spring.
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HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE for 5780
The upcoming holidays promise to be jam-packed with both religious and social events. Estimated times for holiday services are provided below based on prior years’ experience.
♦ SELICHOT — Saturday, September 21, Hawthorn Center at 8:30 PM. As the month of Elul draws to a close, the mood of repentance becomes more urgent. Prayers for forgiveness called Selichot help us identify with the themes of the holidays. Join us to welcome the new week with a Havdallah service, followed by the Selichot service. Refreshments will be served.
♦ ROSH HASHANAH — Monday and Tuesday, September 30th and October 1st, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia 21045.
Rosh Hashanah--Day 1 and Day 2
9:00 AM: Waking Up to a New Year—A combination of traditional introductory prayers, study, and reflection to open our hearts and minds to the New Year.
10 AM: Tefillah b'Kehillah—Community Prayer, the traditional Rosh Hashanah service highlighted by songs for the season, Torah reading, and the sounding of the Shofar.
**Children will join the congregation in the Torah parade and the sounding of the shofar.**
12 PM: Musaf--Sovereignty, Memory, Redemption
♦ TASHLICH — Sunday, October 6th at Lake Kittamaqundi Pavilion near Clydes. Please bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the lake at approximately 12:30 PM, followed by a brief service and program. Cheryle Franceschi will be talking about the environment and conservation. She is a local environmental educator who just finished her film Conservation Kids about teaching children to appreciate nature. The film can be streamed at Conservation Kids – A Green STEM Documentary. B.Y.O.B. – Bring Your Own Bread (and cast away your sins).
Location and Time TBD.
♦ KOL NIDRE — Tuesday, October 8th, 6:15 PM SHARP, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia 21045
♦ YOM KIPPUR — Wednesday, October 9th, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia 21045.
9 AM: Kavannot—Intentions, a combination of traditional introductory prayers, study and reflection to set the tone for this sacred day.
10 AM: Tefillah b'Kehillah--Community Prayer, the traditional Yom Kippur service highlighted by songs for the season, Torah reading, and an interpretive Avodah service led by the children of Bet Chaverim.
12 PM: Yizkor--Memorial Service, followed by Musaf.
4:45 PM: Mincha, the afternoon service, highlighted by continued prayer as the day draws towards its conclusion, and the reading of the Book of Jonah.
5:45 PM: Neila, The gates are closing. We end the holiday with joy and satisfaction after committing ourselves to strive towards goodness in the year.
7:15 PM: Sounding of the Shofar
♦ SUKKOT — Services in the Sukkah. TBD
♦ SHEMINI ATZERET/YIZKOR AND SIMCHAT TORAH — Monday, October 21st . We will hold a Mincha/Yizkor service for Shemini Atzeret, then transition into our Simchat Torah celebration. There will be special activities for our youth (details to follow), and we encourage everyone to come. Refreshments will be served
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Back to Shul Schmooze - September 8
Cost: $15 per person payable by check or credit card no later than September 3rd
- To pay by mail, please go to: https://www.bet-chaverim.org/paybymail. Checks can be mailed to Bet Chaverim Congregation, P.O. Box 2428, Ellicott City, MD 21041. Please be sure to include the name of the event on the memo line of your check.
- To pay by credit card, please go to: https://www.bet-chaverim.org/payment.php.
RSVP at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a44acab23a6ff2-back
Please contact Hedy Tanenholtz at ehtanenholtz@verizon.net if you have questions or require assistence.
Torah on Tap - September 10
Torah on Tap returns from its Summer Hiatus.
Join us for good Torah, good company, and good pizza with a full bar. Avoid the cooking and learn why Yom Kippur is the Happiest Day of the Year.
Date: Tuesday September 10, 2019
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 PM
Location: HomeSlyce, 9400 Snowden River Parkway, Columbia, 21045
Cost: None (except what you order)
Become an “Emotional Support Human”
The Horizon Foundation launched a new public outreach campaign designed to help people effectively support those in their lives who may be struggling with mental health challenges. The “Emotional Support Human" campaign aims to normalize conversations around mental health and offer tips for people to approach those conversations.
Learn more about the Horizon Foundation's campaign at https://supporthuman.org
Bet Chaverim Awarded Horizon Foundation Grant
Bet Chaverim is honored to have been awarded a Horizon Foundation Mental Health Outreach and Community Engagement grant. The goals of this initiative are to decrease the stigma of seeking mental health and to learn how to intervene and direct someone to appropriate resources. Free training is now available to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and to learn to Question, Persuade,and Refer (QPR) someone to help. Click here for more information and to register for training: https://images.shulcloud.com/583/uploads/QPR-Flyer-2019-od-at.docx
Bet Chaverim will hold other relevant programs in the coming months, including a presentation by Rabbi Ilan Glazer on Friday June 28th. Rabbi Glazer will discuss his book And God Created Recovery: Jewish Wisdom to Help You Break Free From Your Addiction, Heal Your Wounds and Unleash Your Inner Freedom. Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Growing Excitement for BC’s Israel Trip (Feb. 9-20, 2020)
Next February in Jerusalem? Oh yes!
That’s because Rabbi Blumenthal is leading our first Exploring Israel Adventure (February 9-20) for BC members and their families. Many congregants already have heard about the trip at services or through the grapevine, and now, everyone can check out the planned itinerary and pricing information. Click here for current information about the itinerary: https://images.shulcloud.com/583/uploads/Israel-Itinerary-3.15.2019.pdf
Click here for the application and additional information:
https://images.shulcloud.com/583/uploads/3-21-19---2020-Israel-Trip-Application-Form.pdf
“We planned this trip for both the first-time visitor to Israel, and those who haven’t been there recently,” Rabbi Blumenthal explained. She is already fielding inquiries about the trip. “People are excited and I am very pleased with the initial reaction,” she said.
Organized by ITC Tours, the trip will spark or renew appreciation for - and understanding of - the Jewish people’s eternal connection to Israel. Starting in Tel Aviv, participants will explore a wide range of “must see” cultural, historical and religious sites, museums, and institutions. They will be immersed in the uniquely Israeli blend of old and new ideas, biblical and modern history, and powerful emotions that are both freely shared and yet highly personal.
From Tel Aviv, the tour heads north along the sea and then inland to the Galilee, including visits to Roman ruins, the mystical city of Tzfat, and a night on a kibbutz. Activities include touring the Golan Heights, visiting the exquisite Dan Nature Preserve, wine tasting, learning about Ethiopian Jews, and then, driving south to Jerusalem to greet Shabbat at the Western Wall.
With more than four days to discover Jerusalem, BCers will explore the Jewish Quarter, Yad Vashem, the Chagall windows, Dead Sea Scrolls, markets, museums and much more. Plus there’s a day trip to the Dead Sea (swim suits!), Qumran and Masada.
An information meeting about the trip was held on Tuesday, April 30 at Sue and Marty Leshin’s house. If there are questions, please contact Rabbi Blumenthal directly: rabbiblumenthal@gmail.com or 917.742.4214.
Come Join Us!