Use of the building during COVID-19 restrictions:
Shabbat Services. For now, we are continuing with virtual services. We are also exploring holding Shabbat Services outdoors, either at TBA or another location, and the possibility of limited attendance in our Sanctuary. Any in-person options pursued would naturally adhere to the most rigorous pandemic-control guidance and standards, and services would continue to be streamed online for those more comfortable taking part from home.
Other in-person use of the TBA Building: We will be using CDC and state guidelines and mandates, and “best practices” for religious institutions. Some limited use has already occurred and is planned, such as allowing immediate family that live with the Bat or Bar Mitzvah into the Sanctuary for a streamed Shabbat service, allowing community members observing a Yahrzeit to attend in person, and members performing volunteer services for TBA. For now, we do not anticipate approving large gatherings. All use of the building will require face masks unless specifically exempted. Please contact Cindy Poust at 610-337-2222 (extension # 3) or cpoust@brithachim.org for any request not being directly coordinated with Rabbi.
PLEASE NOTE: We will be eliminating the door codes at the end December 2020. If you haven’t picked up your building key fobs yet, and would like it sooner than later, please make arrangements with Cindy in the office to do so. We are still not sure when we will be open for Services or other events, so don’t stress out about getting here. Just know there is a key fob reserved for your family.
This Week's Events
THIS WEEK AT TEMPLE BRITH ACHIM
*FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20th thru THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26th*
Please let Rabbi Lazar, Sharon Forman-Toll, Steve Kantrowitz or Cindy Poust know if you need help with holiday dinnners, and we will do whatever we can to help you. All requests will be strictly confidential with the person you choose to contact.
Let us help you help your family * That is what the TBA family is all about.
(Donations to help our Community members for Thanksgiving are welcome and appreciated)
Friday, November 20th:
10:00AM – TBA Monthly Book Club
7:30 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service…on Zoom
7:30 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. – Pre-Service Schmooze Time
7:40 p.m. – Approx. 8:30 p.m. – Shabbat Evening Service
Approx. 8:30 p.m. – Zoom Oneg
shabbatevening.tbazoom.info - for Zoom access - no siddur necessary – all relevant materials will be shared on the screen
No separate link necessary for the Zoom Oneg – just stay with us through the service to participate in our Oneg after the service ends!
Saturday, November 21st:
9:00 a.m. Shabbat Torah Study
ShabbatTorah.tbazoom.info
9:00 a.m. Tot Shabbat
Totshabbat.tbazoom.info
10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service…on Zoom
shabbatmorning.tbazoom.info – for Zoom access - no siddur necessary – all relevant materials will be shared on the screen
No separate link necessary for the Zoom Kiddush – just stay with us through the service to participate in our Kiddush after the service ends!
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
BrATY Online Escape Room – Registration Required
escaperoomNOV21.braty.rocks – to register for the event
escaperoomNOV21info.braty.rocks – for more information about the experience
Our Host from Krakow will provide us with an online Escape Room Experience which is sure to be fun and challenging. We’ll travel around the world, and also around the Internet – each of us from our own device, but all of us as one team. We’ll solve puzzles and riddles and have a blast figuring out how to really escape, the virtual room. $10 per person will get you IN the room – getting OUT, however, well, that’s a whole other story… Don’t be left out – we need you to help us all escape!
Sunday, November 22nd:
9:00 AM Religious School
7:00PM Thanksgiving Interfaith Service with CBC
thanksgiving.tbazoom.info
Sisterhood Turkey Collection
This is a difficult time for everyone, especially for those in need. Sisterhood will be collecting turkeys to help our immigrant neighbors, many victims of forced migration and not eligible for services available to others. We will help Alianzas, a small non-profit organization dedicated to serving immigrants in our area, to provide 50 households with turkeys to help them feed their families and celebrate Thanksgiving.
Please bring your frozen 12-14 pound turkey to TBA on Sunday November 22 from 12 pm to 3 pm, and we will collect and deliver the turkeys for distribution the next day. If you cannot drop off your turkey, let us know, and we will pick it up. We are also happy to accept donations of cash or supermarket gift cards.
Please contact Cathy Koffs to let us know you will provide a turkey or with questions. (610-764-3585 cathyk435@comcast.net)
Thank you so much for your help. TBA Sisterhood
Monday, November 23rd:
Storytime with Rabbi Lazar
storytime.tbazoom.info
I look forward to sharing stories with you!
Tuesday, November 24th
7:00PM Adult Ed Classes
Join our enlightening and honest conversation about systemic racism, our unconscious biases and the history of the African-American experience facilitated by Nicole Hall. We are currently reading the book Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. On Tuesday, November 24, we will discuss Parts I and II.
The link to join is: adultedracialjustice.tbazoom.info.
Wednesday, November 25th:
7:30 a.m. Morning Minyan
morningminyan.tbazoom.info - to participate in the Morning Minyan
The siddur will be shared onscreen, for your convenience.
Need to say Kaddish? Want to help make a minyan for someone else to be able to say Kaddish?
Just want to start your day with some meaning and inspiration?
Join us for our weekly Morning Minyan - every Wednesday morning.
7:00PM - 8:30PM: 7th-10th grade Confirmation Classes
Thursday, November 26th:
TBA Offices Closed
No Group Torah Study
Midweek Torah Study will return Thursday, December 3rd
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, December 12th – 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
BrATY Chanukkah Cupcake Decorating Extravaganza
We’ll decorate cupcakes, play trivia games, do scavenger hunts, and we’ll lead the Online TBA Congregational Chanukkiah Lighting – don’t miss out on this!
Sunday Evening, December 13th
World Premiere of the TBA Junior Youth Groups Chanukkah Video Program
We’ll play some games, watch a professionally produced Chanukkah Video – featuring several TBA Junior Youth Group Families – and we’ll lead the Online TBA Congregational Chanukkiah Lighting. All TBA Junior Youth Groupers (and their families) are invited!
TO CONTACT THE CARING COMMUNITY TEAM, please call Ann Greenstein at 424-524-3938 or e-mail her at greensteina123@yahoo.com.
The caring community team is available to help members who need assistance with meals and rides and issues associated with illness and bereavement. Or, if you just need to hear a friendly voice during this time of isolation, we have a group of volunteers ready to make contact with you.
Caring Matters, and at Brith Achim, we are here for one another.
OTHER:
FROM RABBI LAZAR www.checkinwiththerabbi.info
...where you'll be able to get yourself booked into my calendar for either a 20-minute phone call or a 20-minute video call.
Fill me in on the latest news * I can read a story to your kids *I can read a story to you
Tell me a great joke you heard recently * Ask me for a great joke that I heard recently
I can help your kids with their homework * We can pray together
We simply can feel comforted by seeing each other's face and/or hearing each other's voice.
Of course, if you would like to discuss something that necessitates a longer amount of time, and/or a greater amount of attention, please be in touch with me and/or Cindy directly.
TBA PUZZLE SWAP
TBA Puzzle Swap provides a forum in which members can safely exchange puzzles. There is a table set up in the front (circle door) entrance with puzzles for contactless picking up or dropping off. The front doors are unlocked from 9AM – 3PM each weekday (when the office is open). Please park and use the front circle door entrance, as there is construction at the other entrance. There is hand sanitizer on the table. If you have puzzles to donate, please follow these same contactless steps. If you are unable to drive or otherwise need assistance to pick up or deliver your puzzle, please contact community@brithachim.org.
For Sunshine Donations: You can donate online Directed Giving donations
Please use http://www.goodsearch.com/ for your Internet searching needs.
Choose Temple Brith Achim as your charity of choice.
For all those who shop online via Amazon, you can help TBA raise $$ simply by using their Amazon Smile program. Please click on the following link and sign up via your Amazon account to use AmazonSmile when you shop. Amazon will donate 5% of your purchase to Temple Brith Achim. https://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-2201830
REMINDER: You can access our TBA Congregational Directory anytime. Just sign into your account on our website: brithachim.org. Top “right hand” corner click on “login”. If you forgot your password or haven’t used your account yet, click on “forgot/need password”. Then follow the directions to set up a password and sign in. Once you are signed in click on “directory” along the task bar under our TBA banner. NOTE: non-congregants cannot access this directory. Our database will only allow members to sign in with the email address registered with TBA.