- Congregation Beth El–Keser Israel
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
…e synagogue and the services. In my Devar Torah, I would like examine the place of beauty and art in the Sanctuary. The sanctuary is a place where we pray together, where we venerate the wisdom of the Torah, where we tell stories that celebrate our shared past. It is also a place where our spirits and our community can be invigorated, nourished, and rested. It is a safe place, made safe by the community’s recognition of its sacredness. The sanctit…
…d. Signed, Dying to Know Dear Know, Long ago when the sites were obtained, land was cheaper outside the city. Moreover, it is viewed as proper that a cemetery be a little bit out of sight. Dear Rabbi, Why do some shuls say Mourner’s Qaddish so many times at the end of some services? Signed, Late for Work Dear Late, Why? Because it’s a tradition. Originally only one qaddish was said, and only one person, usually a mourner, said it. There are some…
…man approaching bar mitzva age begin putting on tefillin? Signed, Men in Black Dear Men in Black Leather, The Talmud (Sukka 42a) records a statement from the Mishnaic period: “A minor who knows how to wave the lulav is obligated to wave; to wrap in fringes (tsitsit) is obligated with respect to fringes; to care for tefillin, his father should buy him tefillin.” In general, we encourage pre-benei mitzva to begin performing mitzvot (religious oblig…
…tax surcharge of 1% on incomes exceeding $1 million per year as part of a plan to balance the state budget. That plan was rejected last year. That plan must now be brought back to the legislature for passage. Last year (2001) the Federal government passed a “temporary” ten-year tax cut program. That was at a time when large budget surpluses were projected. Now they want to make those cuts permanent. This is at a time of huge projected deficits and…
…deal prayer: “Please God, please heal her.” In Hebrew it is five single-syllable words. The traditional prayers are valuable in that by reciting them we are habituated to prayer, we learn the vocabulary of prayer, and we fulfill our obligation to recite the Shema and Amida which are statutory prayers. But beyond the “fixed prayers” one should say what is in one’s heart. Moses Maimonides firmly noted that a person may pray in any language. Yes, God…
…o do. It will make us better people. It will make the community stronger. It’s tiqun olam. And if not now, when? “You must not remain indifferent.” Shabbat shalom. See also Parashat Huqat-Balaq by Gila Reinstein See also Parashat VaEthanan — Installation of Officers by Gila Reinstein Email President Gila Reinstein at gila.reinstein@yale.edu …
…residence on Winchester Avenue in New Haven was completed in April 2006. Kulanu for Adults with Special Needs – Kulanu Havura is a project begun in the summer of 1997 to enable adults with developmental disabilities to live richer lives as Jews in their own homes and to participate more fully in the synagogue community. Kulanu Havura helped congregants become more aware of and sensitive to adults with special needs as one step in unifying the comm…
…I didn’t feel invisible anymore. One day I was speaking with my brother-in-law on the phone. I was talking about BEKI (which by this time I had joined) and the feeling that I have here. And I confided in him that one day I’d like to get up on the bima and read from the Torah. And as I said these words I began to tremble. The very thought was overpowering to me. To even think of myself as playing such an honored role among Jews seemed so bold. Who…
…d teaching courses at MAKOM Hebrew High School in New Haven, she teaches Kulanu classes at BEKI, the Keefe Community Center in Hamden, and the Learning Barn at Fellowship House in New Haven. Her Kulanu students range in age from 18-50. A few weeks ago, Johnston held a belated Tu B’Shevat seder for her students — they ate Israeli food, talked about the current situation in Israel, and planted parsley seeds so they’ll have parsley at their Passover…
…ial family himself, Rabbi Woodward considers the inclusion of non-Jewish relatives in the community to be deeply important. The same goes for Jews of all income levels. Membership at BEKI is not about money. While BEKI does rely on members’ dues to pay the staff and to keep the building open, nobody is turned away because of inability to pay. Our members include those who can afford to pay little or no money to belong to BEKI, and such arrangement…
