Shannah Tovah from Mel Sibony, CNS President

Shannah Tovah! from Mel Sibony, President of Congregation Netivot Shalom Netivot Shalom Links... CNS Website CNS Blog CNS Calendar CNS Preschool Shorashim Hebrew School Amitim Midrasha CNS Adult Education Make a donation to Netivot Shalom!   Dear Friends,   The Days of Awe are here and as we begin another year we will not only be at full capacity in our building during the holidays but we will also have a full building throughout the rest of the year. Our building is truly a shul (a school). We have a pre-school at full capacity with two classrooms, a religious school with a large bnai mitzvah class. In addition we also rent space to an afterschool Russian School and the Chinese School (neighbors across the street) during the day. But the opportunities for you to fill our building continue throughout the year. You can take a class from our Adult Education offerings, learn to lead services or read torah, get involved with V'zot Israel or sponsor a kiddush. Outside of the building you can volunteer to cook at the Dorothy Day homeless shelter, invite a new member to your home or visit those in need of healing. Hopefully you can make it a point in the New Year to volunteer on one of our committees.    By now you should have all have read the letter that was sent by the board to the congregation. The letter had two purposes: to disclose important financial information as well as announce a generous matching challenge grant. Despite the dire warnings the board has mostly received good feedback and we hope that this will encourage you to participate even more in supporting our financial future.   Once again this year our Malachim (Angel ushers/greeters) will help out with greeting and assisting those who may be unfamiliar with our setup. In addition, they will also ask you when you are not participating in the services and want to talk with old and new acquaintances to have your conversations outside of the building. Even if you are not a greeter, our services tend to swell with many unfamiliar faces, however they are not strangers, just friends we haven't met!  I hope that you will introduce yourselves to me, and to others!   Thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to organize, setup and lead all our services. Wishing you a Shana Tova U'Metukah,   Mel Sibony cnspresident@netivotshalom.org

News from Congregation Netivot Shalom

September 24, 2011 Congregation Netivot Shalom Shabbat E-News This week's Parashah is Nitzavim-Vayeilech. Candlelighting: 6:47pm  -  Havdalah: 7:42pm. Click Here for the Shabbat Sheet! Please note: This Saturday night is Selichot! The schedule is as follows: 8:45pm Havdalah followed by songs of spiritual return and renewal led by Rabbi Shalom Bochner, 9:15 Noshing and shmoozing, 9:30  "Tales of Teshuvah" with Rabbi Bochner, 10:15  break, 10:30 "Yom Kippur: Love's Journey" with Rabbi Creditor, 11:15  Selichot Services led by Rabbi Daniel Isaacson Torah Reading     Psukei D'Zimra                       Milt Greenstein Shacharit                                 Julie Batz Torah Service       Lena Milton Calling Gabbai                                      Claire Sherman Pointing Gabbai                                    TBD Torah Reading:  Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Devarim 29:9-30:14  (page 1165) Rishon    29:9-11 Eugene Berg Sheini    29:12-14 Eugene Berg Shelishi    29:15-28 Eugene Berg Revi'I    30:1-3 Eugene Berg Chamishi    30:4-6 Eugene Berg Shishi    30:7-10 Eugene Berg Shevi'i    30:11-14 Eugene Berg Maftir   30:11-14 Eugene Berg Haftarah  Isaiah 61:10-63:9 (page 1180) Rabbi Menachem Creditor Drasha Charlene Stern Musaf  (pg. 155)                                             Martha Birnbaum Board Rep                                               TBD         Refuah Shleima and Yahrzeit Refuah Shleima: A complete healing to Gene Bardach, Joe Becker, Sheila Freedman, Samuel Gold, Lewis Hobbs, Hilda Kessler, Hadassah Kramer, Else Kieffer, Selma Klett, Cristofer Lix, Herbert Maccoby, Joyce Mack, Pauline Moreno, David Newman, Marti Rosenzweig, Helene Rosov, Matt Ruppel, Lois Silverstein, Allan Spatz, Susan Stanfield, Bernarda Strauss, Emma Tankel, William Steinbaugh, Christopher Walton,Yehudah ben Rachel, Rena bat Sadie, Daniel ben Shoshanna, Yehudah Tsvi ben Tsipora, Yosef ben Mordechai v'Sossi, Dov Bear ben Mordechai v'Sossi, Miriam Simcha bat Chaya, Yehoshua ben Hadassah, and Yehudit bat Chava Basha.     Yahrzeits include: Hannah Aaron, Evelyn Alba, Florence Harriet Andelman, Morris Becker, Esther Berger, Max Blachman, Dorothy Blumenfeld, Roberta Chaplan, Jacob Lawrence Cohen, Sam David, Magda Frei, Harry Gottlieb, Erwin Jacobs, Victoria Koty, Rabbi Stephen Neil Levinson, Martin Spilky, and Fannie Stein   Service Schedule   9:00 am Torah Study 9:30 am Shabbat Service 10:00 am Meditative Minyan with Rabbi Carol Caine - Hebrew chanting with brief periods of silence. (Room # 5 upstairs) 11:00 am Shabbat B'Yachad Program for Families and children under age 5 12:30 pm The sponsors of this week's kiddish in honor of Ben Stern's birthday: Helen Stern, Charlene Stern and Michael Irwin, Norman and Sue Stern, Susan Stern and Bob Schuster ~ Mazal Tov to Ben and all his family and friends on his 90th birthday! 1:30 pm The After Kiddush program will be:"Civil Discourse: Using Text Study and Compassionate Listening to Dialogue About the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." A discussion led by Rabbi Shalom Bochner. 8:45 pm Congregational Selichot Program & Family-Friendly Havdalah We start at 8:45 with Havdalah. Socializing and noshing and then the first class starts at 9:30: Rabbi Shalom Bochner teaches "Stories of Tshuva." Second class will follow with Rabbi Creditor @ 10:15 pm. which is then followed by the Slichot service approx @ 11:15 pm led by Rabbi Daniel Isaacson   Netivot Shalom Calendar  |  Rabbi Creditor's Blog  |  Preschool Blog Shorashim Hebrew School  |  Adult Ed Blog  |  Rabbi Bochner's Torah Commentary Facebook  |  CNS Blog  |  Netivot Community Classifieds Reminder: Please be sure to read the Urgent Message from The Board of Directors.  This critical message was sent via email and through the regular mail as well. Many thanks to the Weissman and Steinbaugh families for offering the matching challenge grant of $150,000 for the Yom Kippur Appeal!

Amitim for Grown-Ups

Amitim for Grown-Ups

with Rabbi Creditor

Tuesday Nights, 7:30pm-9pm

Dates: Nov. 8, 29; Dec. 13, 20; Jan. 3, 17, 24; Feb. 7, 14, 21; March 6, 13, 27; April 3, 17; May 1, 22

Tuition: $180-$360 for the entire series (some scholarship is available, no one turned away for lack of funds)

Please register by email to amitim4grownups@gmail.com

Have you been wishing to have an Aliyah, read Torah, and understand Shabbat morning services but don't yet have the confidence or skills?  In this brand new Adult class we will share the wisdom of "Amitim," the CNS Bar/Bat Mitzvah program!  This will be a wonderful way to gain (or brush-up on) synagogue skills, practice basic Hebrew prayer, learn how to craft a Drasha, and more!  Every class will begin at 7:30 with a "How-to" component, a 10 minute break, and then a chance for guided discussion on a range of related Jewish topics.  Participants will have the option of celebrating an Adult Bat or Bar Mitzvah, either as a group or as individuals, with support from Rabbi Creditor and Rabbi Bochner.  No Hebrew knowledge necessary, just a passionate, curious soul!  All proceeds support Tzedakkah projects at Congregation Netivot Shalom.

"Baby N’ Me!" At Congregation Netivot Shalom

   Baby N' Me!

At Congregation Netivot Shalom

Wednesdays, 9:15 am -10:30am

Oct. 26; Nov. 2, 9, 16, 30; Dec. 7, 14

$10/session, $60/season

 

Join CNS Preschool Director Lauren Kindorf in this new offering 

at Netivot Shalom for babies, toddlers, parents and caregivers!  

We'll meet on Wednesdays for stories, songs, parachutes, parenting discussions, and more!

 

Please register with Lauren at (510) 549-9447 x110 or preschool@netivotshalom.org.

News from Congregation Netivot Shalom - Sept. 17

September 17, 2011 Congregation Netivot Shalom Shabbat E-News Click Here for the Shabbat Sheet! Dear Netivot Shalom Community,   This week's parashat is Ki Tavo. Candlelighting 6:58pm, Havdalah 7:53pm.   Shabbat Shalom! Torah Reading   Psukei D'Zimra                       TBD Shacharit                                 Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch Torah Service       TBD Calling Gabbai                                       Diane Bernbaum Pointing Gabbai                                    TBD                Torah Reading:  Parashat Ki Tavo  26:1-27:10  (page 1140) Rishon    26:1-3 Rabbi Daniel Isaacson Sheini     26:4-8 Rabbi Daniel Isaacson Shelishi    26:9-11 Rabbi Daniel Isaacson Revi'I    26:12-15 Joel Siegel Chamishi    26:16-19 Joel Siegel Shishi    27:1-4 Joel Siegel Shevi'i    27:5-10 Joel Siegel Maftir   27:7-10 Joel Siegel Haftarah  Isaiah 60:1-22  (page 1161) Julie Seltzer Drasha Rabbi Menachem Creditor Musaf (p.155)                                             Larry Hanover BoardRep                                               Matt West       Refuah Shleima and Yahrzeit Refuah Shleima:A complete healing to Gene Bardach, Joe Becker,  Raphael Benjamin, Sheila Freedman, Samuel Gold, Lewis Hobbs, Hilda Kessler, Hadassah Kramer, Else Kieffer, Selma Klett, Cristofer Lix, Herbert Maccoby, Joyce Mack, Pauline Moreno, David Newman, Marti Rosenzweig, Helene Rosov,Matt Ruppel, Lois Silverstein, Allan Spatz, Susan Stanfield, Bernarda Strauss, Emma Tankel, William Steinbaugh, Christopher Walton,Yehudah ben Rachel, Rena bat Sadie, Daniel ben Shoshanna, Yehudah Tsvi ben Tsipora, Yosef ben Mordechai v'Sossi, Dov Bear ben Mordechai v'Sossi, Miriam Simcha bat Chaya, Yehoshua ben Hadassah, and Yehudit bat Chava Basha.   Yahrzeits include: Julie Carol Andelman, Ruth Berg, Avraham Braverman, Sylvia Brenner, Bobbie Cahn, Lawrence Manuel Dorfman, Norman Jacobson, Frank Jacobvitz, Myer Kagan, Joel Knaster, Erich Lehmann, Haim Oliner, Leonid Plotkin, Abraham Potak, Jacob Rosenblatt, Leah Rosenblatt, Leon Saul Rosenthal, Bernard Schorr, Fega Dvera Silberstein, Harry Weingarten, and Mildred Weisel Service Schedule    9:00 am Torah Study 9:30 am Shabbat Service 11:00 am Rimmonim - Shabbat Program for Families with children grade K-2 12:30 pm Kiddush organized by the Kiddush Club 1:30 pm After Kiddush Program: Judy Radousky on the Mitzvah of Confession - It's a Jewish Thing! Netivot Shalom Calendar  |  Rabbi Creditor's Blog  |  Preschool Blog Shorashim Hebrew School  |  Adult Ed Blog  |  Rabbi Bochner's Torah Commentary Facebook  |  CNS Blog  |  Netivot Community Classifieds HIGH HOLY DAY REMINDER: All Membership Renewals must be received by the CNS Office by Friday, September 23, 2011 in order for your High Holy Day tickets to be mailed in time. If your ticket order is later than that, the tickets will be available at the Will Call Box before services. Please contact Rachel at office@netivotshalom.org if you have any questions in regard to membership status or ticket order.

Ritual Committee Resources

• Ritual Committee Mission Statement (Archived January 2007)
• Services Schedule
• Guide to Shabbat Morning Services
•  VirtualCantor.com!
• Minyan Lev Shalem Melody Bank!
• CNS Shabbat Morning Audio Guide!
• Becoming a Jew
• Drashot and Writings
• Teshuvot of the Committee of Jewish Law and Standards
• "Halakhah" section of MyJewishLearning.com
• Rabbi Creditor's writings on Conservative/Masorti Judaism

Congregation Netivot Shalom Ritual Committee Mission Statement

Archived January 2007

"Make me a House and I shall dwell among them."  (Exodus 25:8)

 

We are commanded to create the space and environment in which God shall dwell.   God will not abide in the synagogue we build together, but among us, the community.  Our challenge is to permit God to dwell in our midst and to fashion an environment in which God's presence is felt.  As individuals and together, all our behavior is directed to that purpose.

 

While the Ritual Committee is specifically charged with creating that environment, ultimate responsibility lies with every committee and each person in the congregation.  Emet Ve-Emunah reminds us: "The synagogue and special seasons or events can be catalysts for prayer, but only in the soul of one who is ready to seek God."

 

MISSION STATEMENT:

 

The Ritual Committee of Congregation Netivot Shalom sets standards for religious observance so that ritual practice, in a manner consistent with Conservative Judaism, becomes a means to achieving a nearness to God. Accordingly, the Ritual Committee sees both outer form (keva) and inner devotion (kavannah) as integral to the religious experience and seeks to ensure that both are celebrated in all religious services. Central to the mission of the Committee is working with the rabbi, the mara d'atra (local authority) and posek acharon (final decisor) in deciding halachic issues, in interpreting halachah; defining religious policies and practices; implementing and enforcing policies, including oversight of all Congregation Netivot Shalom-sponsored religious events and services; setting standards for service leaders, torah readers and gabba'im; and working with other committees to cultivate knowledgeable service leaders and foster participation in services. The Committee is uniquely responsible for hiring and supervising a Ritual Coordinator; setting and supervising ritual requirements for youth and b'nei mitzvah; procuring ritual objects;  and continuously evaluating ritual policies and practices to meet the needs of congregants' religious lives.