Being Jewish

The Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin

Leave a comment

YR-quoteWhat:  The Legacy of  Yitzhak  Rabin, Nobel  Peace  Prize Recipient

When: Tuesday Night, November 3, 7:00 -8:45 at Congregration Beth Shalom

Why: In commemoration of Prime Minister Rabin’s 20th Yartzheit, one  of  the  most  important  people  in  Israel’s history whose legacy lives on  today.

Open to the Community

This program is presented  by two  educators  from  the Dror Israel Movement*  in Israel

7:00 – 7:30: Come view the exhibit which chronicles Rabin’s life

7:30 – 8:45: Interactive program on Rabin’s life, his legacy and what it means for  Israel today.

 

*Dror Israel is a pioneering educational movement whose mission is to effect meaningful, long-term educational and social change in Israeli society in order to promote solidarity, social activism, democracy and equality. They aim to form the grassroots nucleus of an exemplary society in Israel based on the vision of the prophets of Israel and the founders of Zionism.   In the past decade, Dror Israel has established 16 Educators’ kibbutzim in the social and geographic periphery of Israel. There are currently 1,200 young adults living in these kibbutzim, aged 20-40, who work daily in the organization’s educational, cultural and social activities with over 100,000 children, teens and adults. 

Lisa Gottfried named teen advisor at Congregation Beth Shalom

Leave a comment

Dear CBS Family,

I am delighted to share with you that our member and friend Lisa Gottfried has been named teen advisor.  Lisa brings a wonderful background in  working  with teens, a passion for empowering  youth and a real commitment to strengthening our teen program at CBS.

lisaheadshot-sbslight-266x300Lisa grew up in Philadelphia and was very involved in BBYO programs and held many leadership roles.  She also worked at Jewish summer camps.  She and her husband Louis worked together at Camp Judea here in California.  She currently teaches at New Technology High School in Napa as the Digital and Interactive Media Educator.  She and Louis have been members of CBS since 2000 and their three children Abie, Mo and Leah have grown up in  our community.  She has been active in CBS throughout the years as a teacher and as a member of the Youth Committee and Board.

This summer CBS again sent a large cohort of our kids to Camp Newman, the URJ overnight camp up in Calistoga.  There is nothing more wonderful than summer camp to instill a love of Judaism and community and it seems unanimous that all our campers had a great time.  Many of the teen campers came home and immediately expressed that they are interested in staying in touch with Camp Newman friends through various NFTY activities scheduled throughout the school year.

Our youth group will be associated with the  NFTY: the National Federation of  Temple Youth.  NFTY’s Mission statement is: “NFTY is a movement that builds strong, welcoming, inspired communities through teen-powered engagement. Together, we pursue Tikkun Olam, personal growth, youth empowerment, and deep connections, all rooted in Reform Judaism. NFTY’s Central West Region (NFTY-CWR) encompasses northern and central California, Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii.”

Since arriving here, I have had  the privilege of officiating at over 30 Bnai Mitzvah!  Most of  those young people are now in the 9th-12th grades.  Our focus will be those grades with some programs designed for younger people.  Many of our programs will be held with other teens from all around the Bay Area.

Lisa will be in touch with all teens and their parents via email in the next few days to schedule our first organizational and informational meeting sometime in August and she’s so excited to help facilitate connections, leadership and a love of Judaism for our teens at CBS!  Lisa can be reached at lisa@gottfried.org.

Please join me  in welcoming  Lisa to this important  role at CBS.

My best,

Lee

Shavuot Celebration at Diamond Creek

Leave a comment

14129b0ba4ef80a7d436021134ab3a1e5ea05491-x425-2Congregation Beth Shalom‘s annual celebration of Shavuot will be at Diamond Creek Vineyards in Calistoga thanks to the generosity of Boots Brounstein.

Join Congregation Beth Shalom and Congregation B’nai Israel for this spectacular day.

Sunday, May 24th, beginning at 10:30 am Swimming, “schmoozing” etc. will end at 3:30pm

Services will take place at 11 am with Rabbi Lee Bycel, CBS, and Rabbi David White with music led by CBS Music Director, Gordon Lustig

Shorashim (children 4 and under with their parents) will celebrate in an area with leader Mimi Greisman

It’s a day spent in beauty with a lake (and paddleboats), swimming pool, trees, vineyards, waterfalls, and sunshine (we hope) in abundance.

Plan to bring a picnic including beverages, towels, folding beach chairs, and bathing suits.

Go north on Highway 29 past St. Helena. Turn left on Diamond Mt. Road (one block past Dunaweal Lane). Proceed to 1500 Diamond Mt. Road, where you will see the first of many signs directing you to the lake at Diamond Creek Vineyards which is farther up the road and around the hill to the right. Note: if you get to the stop sign on Highway 29, turn around and go back to Diamond Mt. Road.

Passover Menu @ Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen

Leave a comment

April 3rd and 4th CBK (Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen) in St. Helena will be having a Passover Menu. The menu contains Matzo Ball Soup, Charoset Salad, Housemade Halibut Gefilte Fish, Grandma Ruth’s Beef Brisket “TIMMES” and Flourless Chocolate cake. All items are ala carte. In the past Chef’s from CBK have come down to Congregation Beth Shalom in Napa and taught the art of making Gefitle Fish – my wife says they are the best she has ever had.unnamed (2)

Winemakers, Musicians, Comedians, Politicians To Participate In A One-Of-A-Kind Interpretation Of The Story Of Passover In A Live Sit-Down Seder.

Leave a comment

(March 6, 2015 – NAPA, CA) The “Napa Seder-Beyond 4 Cups” transcends religion and highlights the cultural connection to the historic Jewish liberation from slavery and universal struggle with freedom. Wine is a prominent theme in the traditional Passover Seder, and Michael Dorf, City Winery owner and founder wants to ask the question “why on this night in Napa should we only have 4 cups of wine?”. Mr. Dorf has produced his unique celebrity driven Seder in NY since 1988, taken it to Chicago in 2012 and will premier it in Napa on March 29th at City Winery Napa—one week prior to the official start of the holiday.

For the Napa Seder, over 10 winemakers and winery owners will sit down with various musicians, comedians, and political thinkers, including Israeli Superstar, David Broza in an engaging Seder luncheon. The interpretive Seder will offer inspiration, fun, and a unique cultural connection between wine, music, tradition, and peace.

This event is a chance for Dorf to combine his deep connections to the entertainment industry (prior to launching City Winery he created and ran New York’s iconic music venue, The Knitting Factory) with his love of wine and entertaining. Special guest David Broza was recently featured by Vanity Fair writer Jordan Hoffman, who opened his story with the line;

“He did more for the Middle East peace process in eight days than Secretary of State John Kerry has done in two years. Is he a diplomat or religious leader? No, he’s a singer-songwriter, and if no one else is going to try and heal the world, he will.”

The event will open with a viewing of the new film East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem, produced by Broza, it is a spectacular & important film showing how music can bridge people in Israel and Palestine, even in a longtime war zone. Film will screen at1:30PM, followed by Q&A, then a short performance by Broza during the Seder.

“This Seder is an opportunity for the community to explore our connection to our ancestors in a one-of-a-kind evening that could only happen in an open, free society, cosmopolitan and sophisticated city like Napa. “ Said Michael Dorf
Beyond Four Cups: The Napa Seder
City Winery Napa
1030 Main Street Napa, CA 94559
Noon Doors – 1:30 PM Start
Cost: $90
Ticket and Information Link

Weapons of the Spirit – Filmshowing + QA with Director

Leave a comment

weaponsofthespiritWhen: Sunday April 12th @ 12:30 pm

Where: Congregation Beth Shalom

A Unique Conspiracy of Goodness

Weapons of the Spirit is the internationally acclaimed documentary film about a small village in Nazi-occupied France that saved 5,000 Jews during World War II. Following the film we will have a Q&A with the filmmaker Pierre Sauvage, led by Rabbi Lee Bycel.

Open to the entire community and appropriate for children 5th grade and above.

Yom HaShoah  Commeration.

 

Beyond Four Cups: The Napa Seder Featuring David Broza

Leave a comment

beyond4cups_flyerMarch 29th – 12:00 – Napa City Winery – PM Doors / 1:30 PM Start / Ends 4:30 PM (Estimated End Time.)

****Tickets Include Screening, Seder, Lunch, Wine, & Haggadah****

Link to buy Tickets – General Admission $90

A celebrity driven music, artistic and interpretive Seder that offers inspiration, fun, and a unique cultural connection between wine, music, tradition, and peace.  For the Napa Seder, over 10 winemakers and winery owners will sit down with various musicians, comedians, and political thinkers, including Israeli Superstar, David Broza in an engaging Seder luncheon.

Tickets include: Screening, Seder, Lunch, Wine, & Haggadah

Participating Wineries Include:

Silver Oak – Diamond Creek – Covenant Wines – Hagafen – Judd’s Hill – Alpha & Omega – Shirah – City Winery – St. Supery – Clos Pegase

David Broza has produced a spectacular & important film showing how music can bridge people in Israel and Palestine, even in a longtime war zone.  The film will screen at 1:30pm then a Q&A, short performance in the Seder.

Jewish Winemakers Tasting and Nosh 2015

Leave a comment
Wait… what?  Matzoball shooters? Gifilte Fish Sushi? Rabinical Reubens? Save the date!

The 5th annual Jewish Winemakers Tasting and Nosh will be held on Sunday, April 12th at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, 126 1st St W  Sonoma, CA 95476.  An entire mishpuchah of superb winemakers will be pouring.  Nisht veynik of cooks will be cooking.  Over 300 people will be kvel’n.  Don’t miss the biggest simkhe of them all!

Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. You can purchase tickets using your credit card through PayPal with the button below. On the PayPal page, select “Don’t have a PayPal account?” for other payment options such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.