7/1/2020 Letter from the President regarding the use of the building
High Holidays. As always, this will be a time for us to come together as a community. We will pray, reflect, and repent together. We are deferring the details of how we will celebrate, pending developing more information about health and safety issue status for that time period. Rest assured, we will continually update you. Regardless of the venue we end up using for the High Holidays, we will be together: in our Sanctuary (not likely); with limited Sanctuary attendance and distancing; or virtually (most likely). Any service venue will include such TBA “must haves” as the Choir and Cantor. While our offerings for the High Holidays may be different than our traditional worship services, we are striving to provide our community with a meaningful, connected experience that includes an opportunity to communicate with one another. Any in-person service would also be available virtually.
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.
This Week's Events
THIS WEEK AT TEMPLE BRITH ACHIM
FRIDAY, JULY 10th thru THURSDAY, JULY 16th
ALL PRAYER SERVICES IN JULY WILL BE ZOOM
Friday, July 10th: Evening Kabbalat Shabbat
shabbatevening.tbazoom.info
7:30 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. – Pre-Service Schmooze Time
7:40 p.m. – approx. 8:30 p.m. – Kabbalat Shabbat (Shabbat Evening Service)
8:30 p.m. – Zoom Oneg
Saturday, July 11th: Shabbat Morning Service
shabbatmorning.tbazoom.info
10:30 a.m., followed by Zoom Kiddush
No Siddur necessary, all necessary and relevant materials will be provided on screen.
No separate URL necessary for Zoom Oneg and Zoom Kiddush, just stay with us as the service ends!
Saturday, July 11th: 8:00 p.m. COLLEGE STUDENT DESSERT HAPPY HOUR & Free Money
college.tbazoom.info
TBA COLLEGE STUDENTS – Let’s get together and catch up! Bring your own dessert!
Whether you went to college or did something else with your life after graduating High School within the past four years, please join us for a fun night of catching up with each other. We’ll talk a bit, we’ll have some “online fun” and, mostly, we’ll just enjoy being in each other’s company. BRING YOUR OWN DESSERT. Anyone who joins us will receive a $10 Gift Certificate to the Book Store of your College/University (or a bookstore of your choice, if you will not be in college in the fall).
To register, and for more information, please visit college.tbazoom.info – it’ll be great to reconnect and catch up! Bring your friends, if you’d like – but only TBA Members get the Gift Certificate. Looking forward to seeing everyone!
ATTENTION TBA JUNIOR YOUTH GROUPS – GRADES 1 THROUGH 8
Sunday, July 12th (and every Sunday through August 23rd): URJ Campfire On Tour – An online concert series benefitting URJ Camps & NFTY
urj.org/campfire – to access the weekly URJ Campfire (CAMPFIRE OPEN TO ALL!)
URJcampfire.braty.rocks – to join TBA Junior Youth Groups’ weekly Pre-Campfire session with Rabbi Lazar (TEACHING SESSION FOR JUNIOR YOUTH GROUPS)
Jewish musicians have long brought excitement and entertainment to the Reform Jewish experience, performing and building community at camps and congregations around the world. During this unique and uncertain summer season, the URJ offers a series of online concerts to continue to extend the joy and community that their music fosters.
Tune in on Sunday nights this summer at 8:00 p.m., every week through August 23 to enjoy performances from some of the biggest names in Jewish music. While you already know SOME of their music, because you’ve been singing it in Religious School and during Shabbat Services, Rabbi Lazar will teach some songs every Sunday at 7:30 p.m., before the weekly Campfire begins!
Every Sunday at 7:30 p.m., the TBA Junior Youth Groups will meet for a Pre-Campfire Learning Session with Rabbi Lazar.
Questions regarding TBA Youth Groups and/or URJ Summer Camps – contact Rabbi Lazar (rabbi@brithachim.org)
Tuesday, July 14th at 8:00 p.m. – Story Time with Rabbi Lazar RETURNS!
storytime.tbazoom.info
So many great stories to share – I look forward to seeing you all again on Tuesday!
Wednesday, July 15th: 7:30 a.m. Morning Minyan
morningminyan.tbazoom.info - to participate in the Morning Minyan
siddur.tbazoom.info - to find a pdf of the siddur that we'll use for our Morning Minyan (we will be using the grey Gates of Prayer)
The siddur is also shared on the screen, 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.
Thursday, July 9th: 12:00 p.m. – Torah Study with Rabbi Lazar
torahstudy.tbazoom.info No experience required * No materials required.
Interest in learning – helpful, but also not required. Join us!
SAVE THE DATE
Thursday, August 13th: 1 – 6PM Red Cross Blood Drive
CLICK HERE: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=temple%20brith%20achim
If you are having trouble or you need help, please feel free to contact Steve Hirsh 215-715-6140.
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.
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.
A new Zoom group is starting for those who want an opportunity to chat with others during this time of isolation. It will be meeting on Sunday afternoons with time to be decided. Ann Greenstein will be facilitating. This new group is starting because some additional people have expressed an interest in connecting with each other via a virtual group. The previous group is ongoing and is now under the facilitation of Bobbie Locke.
If you would like to join this new online chat group, please e-mail Ann at greensteina123@yahoo.com.
OTHER:
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