CBT Logo    Egeret Tzedek

September 13, 2012
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September Tzedakah

  1. New or gently used backpacks and school supplies to be donated to the National Center for Children & Families.
  2. Canned/non perishable food to be donated to Manna Food Center

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UPCOMING SERVICES

Thu. Sept. 13 - 6:15 pm - Minyan

 

Fri. Sept. 14 - 6:30 pm - Friday Kabalat Shabbat

 

Sat. Sept. 15 - 9:30 am - Shabbat Morning Services followed by Kiddush lunch

 

Sun. Sept. 16 - 9:00 am - No Minyan

 

Sun. Sept. 16 - 6:30 pm - Erev Rosh HaShana services

 

Mon. Sept. 17 - 8:45 am - Rosh HaShana Morning Services followed by Tashlich at approximately 1:00 pm

 

Mon. Sept. 17 - 4:00 pm - Family Service followed by Tashlich and Mincha service

 

Tues. Sept. 18 - 8:45 am - Rosh HaShana Day 2 Morning Services

 

Tues. Sept. 18 - 7:00 pm - Mincha/Maariv concluding service

 

Wed. Sept. 19 - 7:30 am - Minyan & Study Session

 

Wed. Sept. 19 and Thurs. Sept. 20 - 6:15 pm

Evening Minyan

 

Click here for a complete High Holiday schedule.

 

 

 

 
Greetings!

  

L'Shana Tova!  Rosh Hashanah starts this coming Sunday evening.  In this special edition of the Egeret, we want to share a few observations about the High Holidays that will hopefully make your experience more enjoyable both here at B'nai Tzedek and in your home.

  

 

What's New This Year

  • The prayer book

In addition to using the new Conservative Movement prayer book, Lev Shalem, generously donated to our synagogue by Patti and Allan Bergenfield, we will have prayer books here at the synagogue for all our worshippers.  Please do not bring your own prayer books to the synagogue and please do not take the new synagogue prayer books out of the synagogue. 

  

  • Earlier start time for morning services

We will begin our services on Monday and Tuesday morning at 8:45 a.m. (rather than 9:00 a.m.)

  

  • Concluding service for Rosh Hashana

On Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. we will hold a traditional Mincha / Ma'ariv service.  It is a very spiritual and beautiful way to conclude the services which welcome the new year.  We hope you will join us.  Please note that on Monday, the first day of Rosh Hashana, we will also hold a brief traditional Mincha service immediately following the family service and Tashlich which begin at 4:00 p.m.

  

Important Information about Kids and CBT

  • Kids Programming

We have one of the most extensive children's programs in the country, with something for each and every age group.  Please be sure your kids are signed up and take advantage of this wonderful program on both days of Rosh Hashana

  

  • What to do with the kids after the programming is over

The children's programming will continue both mornings until after the conclusion of Rabbi's Weinblatt sermon.  All of the children will eat snacks during the programming.  We encourage our families to bring the children with them back into the Sanctuary for the concluding half hour of the service. 

  

  • Will the children have a chance to hear the Shofar?

The shofar is blown in all the children's morning programs the first and second day of the holiday. 

  

  • Do the children have a chance to worship in the Sanctuary with the rabbi and cantor?

Please bring your kids back for the family afternoon service on Monday at 4:00 p.m. for a delightful service led by the rabbi and cantor in the Sanctuary.  It is followed by the Tashlich service when we go to the creek behind the synagogue to symbolically cast our sins. 

  

  • For parents with infants

The Gage Family Board Room is equipped to handle our young families with children.  There you can also hear the service and see it on the video monitor.  Nursing mothers should feel free to use the Sudhalter Family Library for privacy.

  

  Things You May Already Know

  • The evening service and the second day of Rosh Hashana are open to the public.  We open these popular services to friends, family, guests and the public so they can join you in experiencing the beauty of the holidays at B'nai Tzedek.  We urge you come and begin the holiday on Rosh Hashana evening which begins at 6:30 p.m. and usually ends around 7:20 p.m., so families can return home for a leisurely holiday meal.

  

  • What and when is Tashlich?

Tashlich is the beautiful ten minute service where we gather at the creek behind our synagogue to begin the new year by tossing bread crumbs into the creek to symbolically cast away our sins.  It is held two times in order to allow maximum participation - One immediately follows the Rosh Hashana Monday morning service, and the other is immediately following the Rosh Hashana afternoon family service.  (There is no need to come to both - unless you really have a lot of sins to get rid of.)

  

Parking Information

  • Whenever possible, please travel to the synagogue in just one vehicle as parking is very limited, and if you live within two miles of the synagogue, please consider walking.  Drives should drop off all passengers at the entrance to the synagogue and then proceed to one of the auxiliary locations noted above to take a shuttle bus back to the synagogue.
  • Overflow Parking

Once the synagogue parking lot and driveway are full, overflow parking will be available as follows:

  

1.       Edison & Lockland Roads off South Glen Road (one block east and west of the synagogue).  When parking on these roads, both of which are residential streets, vehicles may park on only one side of the street.  Vehicles parked on the wrong side of the street are subject to towing.  Also, please do not block our neighbor's driveways.

  

2.       Saint Peter & Paul Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church at 10620 River Road (across from Norton Road)

  

3.       Lower lot at the Fourth Presbyterian School next door will be available only at the following times:  Sunday evening for Erev Rosh Hashana, Friday night, Shabbat morning and for Kol Nidre.

  

4.       Potomac United Methodist Church(corner of Falls Road and South Glen Road)

  

  • Parking is prohibited on Norton Road at all times.  Montgomery County Police will ticket and/or tow vehicles that are illegally parked at the owner's expense.
  • Frequent shuttle buses will be provided to and from satellite parking areas for your convenience.
  • Individuals over 80 may use the synagogue parking lot by displaying a special parking pass on the dashboard.  These passes may be obtained by contacting Executive Director Alan Blank.  

What to do with Out of Town Visitors

  • If you have members from another synagogue, they are welcome to join our services. They should bring a letter from their congregation indicating that they are members in good standing.  If you would like to purchase tickets for visiting family, you may do so by calling Missy Schwartz at the office at301 299-0225 x304.

Seating and Ushers

  • Please try and move to the middle of the rows and try not to leave a vacant seat, so that we can accommodate all of those who wish to join us for our holiday services.  Please be helpful and responsive to our ushers, as well as members of our staff.

 

A Word From Our Ushers.  B'nai Tzedek is blessed with a fine group of ushers who are here to ensure that we all have a safe and enjoyable experience while at services.  Please cooperate with them by observing the times when the ushers ask that we not permit people to move about in the sanctuary.  The ushers know that the doors should remain closed and the congregants should remain at their seats whenever the congregation stands and when the Rabbi gives his sermon.  The ushers met earlier this month to prepare for their duties, and one item they discussed which has been a problem at some times in the past involves the saving of seats.  Please click to see the attached note from the ushers describing how they intend to handle the saving of more than one or two seats by any of us.   The ushers are only trying to help other congregants who do not have seats, so please help the ushers by limiting your seat saving, particularly during peak attendance times.  Our ushers also wish to remind us that when we leave the sanctuary but talk while still in the lobby, many congregants will overhear us and the talking may interfere with the enjoyment of services by our fellow congregants.  Please be courteous and limit our talking until outside of the building.

 

 

Home Observance.  We hope you have made plans to enjoy a festive holiday meal with family and friends.  This is a time of great joy in our Jewish cycle, and we hope you will prepare special foods and bring out the good linen, china and silverware for this occasion.  A round challah, apples, honey, candle lighting and wine all help give meaning to this special day.  Here is a bit of additional advice on how to introduce the holiday in your home:

 

Rosh Hashanah Home Rituals (taken from the new Mahzor)

 

Candlelighting

 

On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, we light candles 18 minutes before sunset, as on Shabbat. On the second night, we light candles from an existing flame after nightfall. It is traditional to light a minimum of two candles, although some light more, corresponding to the number of people in one's family. After lighting the candles, we customarily cover our eyes while reciting the following two b'rakhot, which we recite on both nights:

 

Barukh atah Adonai, eloheinu melekh ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivvanu l'hadlik neir shel yom tov.

Barukh atah Adonai, our God, ruler of time and space, who has made us holy through mitzvoth and instructed us to light the festive candles.

 

Barukh atah Adonai, eloheinu melekh ha-olam, she-hekheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higgi-anu la-z'man ha-zeh.

Barukh atah Adonai, our God, ruler of time and space, for granting us life, for sustaining us, and for bringing us to this moment.

 

A meditation may accompany the candlelighting:

With these candles we pray to God, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to grant us good life and health to all our dear ones and the whole world. With these candles we pray to God, the God of our mothers Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel, to grant us good life and health to all our dear ones and the whole world. (Flory Jagoda)

 

Bless the Children - Place your hands over the head of each child and say:

 

For a son:

Y'sim'kha elohim k'efrayim v'khi-m'nasheh. May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.

 

For a daughter:

Y'simeikh elohim k'sarah, rivkah, rakheil, v'lei-ah. May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah.

 

Recited for all:

Y'varekh'kha Adonai v'yishm'rekha. Ye-eir Adonai panav eilekha vi-khunnekka. Iissa Adonai panav eilekha v'yaseim l'kha shalom.

May Adonai bless and protect you. May Adonai's countenance shine upon you and grant you kindness. May Adonai's countenance be lifted toward you and grant you peace.

 

Special Kiddush for Rosh Hashanah: (text found at  

www.jewfaq.org/prayer/roshhash.htm

  

 

The day is sanctified and the spirit of the holy day is formally welcomed into our homes through the recitation of the blessing over a cup of wine. The blessings introduce the themes of Israel's chosenness, Rosh Hashanah as a day of memory, the story of the Exodus from Egypt.

 

Hand Washing, Ha-motzi (over a customary round hallah) and Prayer for a Sweet Year:

 

There are many food rituals associated with Rosh Hashanah, the most well-known is dipping pieces of apple in honey. We recite the blessing over fruit (Barukh Atah...borei p'ri ha-etz) followed by:

 

May it be Your will, Adonai our God, and God of our ancestors, to renew for us a sweet, and good year.

 

(less well-known Rosh Hashanah food traditions can be found at:  

www.jcarrot.org/culinary-prayer-lesser-known-rosh-hashanah-food-rituals 

   

 

Rosh Hashana Family Dinner Reading

Here is a reading by the Rabbinic Cabinet of Jewish Federations of North America of which Rabbi Weinblatt is the National Chairman, for your family holiday meal.

 

On this Rosh Hashana we gather as Jews united across the

world to celebrate the new Jewish year 5773.

 

Once again we feel the privilege of inaugurating a new year and

as we do so, we look back at our history with profound pride. At

the same time, we look to our future with the worry that always

comes from experience, but also with the soaring hopefulness

of a people whose Torah teaches hope for God's world.

 

On this day marking the creation of the universe, let us try

to re-create ourselves as decent human beings, as caring

members of families and communities, and as loyal members

of the House of Israel.

 

As we dip a slice of apple in honey, let us remind ourselves that

life is worth living and that a life of Torah and holy deeds brings

sweetness into the world.

 

Finally, as we hearken to the wordless prayer of the shofar,

let us listen to the commandment only our hearts can hear:

Choose life, that you may live.

 

May we join our fellow Jews in choosing life for the coming

year, both for ourselves and for all of God's creatures.

 

Amen

 

Our Wish.  Our wish for each of you and your families is for a happy, healthy, prosperous and peace-filled new year.  May you be inscribed and sealed in the book of life for a good year!  We look forward to greeting each and every one of you at services over the coming days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Purchase a leaf on the Cafritz Family Tree of Life (in honor of a special birthday or anniversary, bar/bat mitzvah or the birth of a child or grandchild). Cost: $360 each

 

Honor the memory of a loved one by dedicating a plaque on our Yahrzeit Memorial Wall. Cost: $500 each.

 

Click here to purchase a leaf or yahrzeit plaque.  Under select fund choose "Cafritz Family Tree of Life" for a leaf or "Samuel Burtoff Memorial Board" for a yahrzeit plaque.