SERVICES WILL START AT 9:45 AM THIS WEEK (12/18/2021) FOR US TO CELEBRATE CHICK HELFAND’S 100TH BIRTHDAY!
Then services go back to 9 AM for the following weeks.
Just to assure anyone who has questions, we are having live services this Shabbat and any subsequent Shabbats unless there is an announcement indicating otherwise. Looking forward to seeing you at synagogue on Saturday.
Masks are mandatory in the synagogue!
Please join us for in person services this Saturday morning at 9:45 AM or on Zoom if you are not comfortable attending in person (Zoom Link was emailed).
Please RSVP if you are attending to Mike Novick (mikenovick1 @ gmail.com) or Mija Almeida (mijaba65 @ gmail.com). There will be a sign in book when you arrive for services.
From Christina Mattison Ebert’s D’rash Designs Series
Shabbat Candlelighting Times: Shabbat begins on Friday, November 5th at 5:15pm, and ends on Saturday, November 6th at 6:15pm.
Parashat Toldot – Genesis 25:19-28:9 Rebecca and Isaac have twins, the smooth-skinned Jacob, whom Rebecca favors, and the hairy Esau, who Isaac favors. After returning from a hunting trip, Esau asks his brother for some lentil soup, but Jacob tells him he must trade him his birthright. Years later, when Isaac is old and blind, Jacob tricks their father into giving him the firstborn blessing. Jacob leaves home, fearing his brother will retaliate, and finds a wife at his uncle Laban’s house.
Haftarah: Malachi, 1:1-2:7 Though Esau was the firstborn, and thus had the birthright to his father’s inheritance, it was Jacob who received the more prestigious blessing, and who went on to be the patriarch of the family. Malakhi is likely mentioning Jacob and Esau because Esau was also known as Edom (Gen 25:30), the progenitor of the Edomites. During Malakhi’s life, the Edomites looted Jerusalem and killed many of those who fled. The people of Israel might reasonably have questioned whether Jacob and the people of Israel really were being accepted and Esau and the Edomites rejected, but Malakhi assures the Jews that God is still on their side.
Click here to learn more about the Parshat Toldot.
This Shabbat is Shabbat Rishona! Please join the Religious School in celebrating the joy of Shabbat this Saturday beginning at 9am.
The search committee invites members of the congregation to attend services on Shabbat mornings March 14, 21, and 28. Each morning a different rabbinic candidate will be our guest teacher and service leader.
Join us at the synagogue on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, at 9:00 AM for services and then stay for the Alef Beats a cappella performance from 10:45 to 11:30 AM. We’ll end with a festive Kiddush/social time in the vestry/lower level. All are welcome. Of course, it’s Shabbat, there is no charge. We’re part of Greater Boston JArts Arts Matter Shabbat programming. More here.
Coming from Brown/RISD Hillel, the Alef Beats perform for us every couple of years and it’s always great to have their musical presence and energy enliven our community. Learn more about them by clicking here. Their repertoire contains some contemporary Israeli songs in Hebrew, a Yiddish classic or two and some recent American offerings.
One featured song for this visit by the Alef Beats is “There Must Be Another Way” which was the Israeli entry to the 2009 Eurovision music contest with Israeli musical artists Noa (Jewish) and Mira Awad (Muslim). The lyrics are in Hebrew, Arabic and English (English translation below the video).
The lyrics “speak” for themselves:
There Must Be Another Way
There must be another
Must be another way
Your eyes, sister
Say all that my heart desires
So far, we’ve gone
A long way, a very difficult way, hand in hand
And the tears fall, pour in vain
A pain with no name
We wait
Only for the next day to come
There must be another way
There must be another way
Your eyes say
A day will come and all fear will disappear
In your eyes a determination
That there is a possibility
To carry on the way
As long as it may take
For there is no single address for sorrow
I call out to the plains
To the stubborn heavens
There must be another way
There must be another way
There must be another
Must be another way
We will go a long way
A very difficult way
Together to the light
Your eyes say
All fear will disappear
And when I cry, I cry for both of us
My pain has no name
And when I cry, I cry
To the merciless sky and say
There must be another way
And the tears fall, pour in vain
A pain with no name
We wait
Only for the day to come
There must be another way
There must be another way
There must be another
Must be another way
Shabbat October 6, 2018—Services @ 9:00 AM—Shabbat Rishona
27 Tishrei 5779 Parashat Bereishit
Adult Study: Body Ethics—Jewish Views on Vegetarianism
Shabbat morning schedule
9:00 AM – We begin gathering/setting up/getting ready
9:15 AM – Children/students in the vestry for learning
9:15 AM – Adults/teens in the sanctuary for prayer/worship/davening/Torah service (abbreviated)
10:10 AM – Adults and children switch locations (vestry vs. sanctuary) so that that at 10:15 AM we change spaces so that . . . .
10:15 AM – Children/students in the sanctuary with Rabbi Heath for a kid-friendly Shabbat service. Parents only need to stay if their child can’t stay alone
10:15 AM – Adults learning together in the vestry using handout/resource material on Body Ethics: Jewish Views on Vegetarianism.
11:00 AM – Kiddush together in the vestry
Shabbat October 13, 2018—Services @ 9:00 AM
4 Cheshvan 5779 Parashat Noah
Adult Study: Praying with Our Feet—Clean Water
Shabbat morning schedule
9:00 AM – We begin gathering for the morning
9:15 AM – Adult learning
10:00 AM – Prayer/worship/davening/Torah service
11:10 AM – Kiddush together in the vestry
Shabbat October 20, 2018—Services @ 9:00 AM — Book Discussion at 11:30 AM
11 Cheshvan 5779 Parashat Lekh Lekha
Adult Study: Heritage, Civilization and the Jews: The Power of the Word (500 BCE—200 CE) (view video in advance)
Shabbat morning schedule
9:00 AM – We begin gathering for the morning
9:15 AM – Adult learning
10:00 AM – Prayer/worship/davening/Torah service
11:10 AM – Kiddush together in the vestry
11:30 AM—Book discussion after Kiddush—The Weight of Ink – Led by A.Kearnan
Shabbat October 27, 2018—Services @ 9:00 AM—JArts Shabbat—Alef Beats – A Cappella from Brown/RISD Hillel
18 Cheshvan 5779 Parashat Vayera
Shabbat morning schedule
9:00 AM – We begin gathering for the morning
9:15 AM – Prayer/worship/davening/Torah service
10:45 AM – Alef Beats a Cappella group from Brown/RISD Hillel
Jewish Music Rocks kept us learning and enjoying music on Shabbat morning September 6th. The first Shabbat of the month in October is Yom Kippur, so Jewish Music Rocks returns on the first Shabbat in November – November 1st.. Until then, here are more contemporary versions of Adon Olam for you to enjoy. Check the previous post for the words in Hebrew, English and transliteration.
Surprise – A dance along with a new melody. Quite a bit of contemporary Israeli music is choreographed for a more physical interpretation and experience of the music.
JEWISH MUSIC ROCKS – yes, it’s true, the meter of Adon Olam renders it possible to sing it to almost any melody – and most Hebrew school students have, at one time or another, if their teachers are letting them have that kind of fun!!
This Shabbat morning we ended services with the Pharrell Williams melody for “Happy” which is omnipresent in our musical worlds these days, but changed the words to a classic Jewish poem – Adon Olam / Master of the Universe – sung by Listen Up! A Cappella.
Adon Olam (“Lord of the World”) is alleged to be composed in the 11th century by Solomon ibn Gabirol. The word “Adon,” meaning master, was first spoken by Abraham in the Bible, referring to God. The lyrics speak about God’s greatness and all-empowering existence. There have been countless melodies adjoined to this hymn.
Adon Olam is the final prayer of the Musaf service on Shabbat morning and festivals. It can also be found in the composition of bedtime prayers and is recited on one’s deathbed. In the next to last line of the Adon Olam is a request that God watch over one’s soul as they sleep. The conclusion of Adon Olam mentions God’s presence and ability to bring reassurance to the people.
JEWISH MUSIC ROCKS – we continued this Shabbat morning with a very recent (August 2014) song praying for a better world – for peace. The video is followed by YouTube notes upon the songs release.
Published on Aug 14, 2014
Y’hi shalom becheilech shalvah be’arm’notaich.
Let there be peace in your borders, tranquility in your castles…
Neshama Carlebach and Josh Nelson release a powerful music video offering a heartfelt prayer for peace against searing images from Israel and Gaza. In the midst of a summer of bloodshed and strife, the duo performs Shlomo Carlebach’s iconic song…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Shira Dicker
917.403.3989
shira.dicker@sd-media.com
August 15, 2014 (New York, NY) — Let there be peace on earth; let it begin in me… for love is all we need.
Moved by a summer of pain and suffering in the Middle East, at home and around the world, Neshama Carlebach and Josh Nelson have responded in the form of a prayerful, riveting and emotionally raw music video, produced by Josh Nelson.
Musical artists with a lifelong commitment to Israel, trans-denominational appeal and a message of unity for the Jewish community and the world at large, Neshama Carlebach and Josh Nelson were compelled to record the legendary melody composed by the late, great Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach in the midst of the violence in Israel and Gaza…and in the face of the resurgence of anti-Semitism around the world.
“As a Jew, as a mother and as a human being, I am terrified by the escalating hatred that I see in this world,” stated Neshama Carlebach, daughter of Shlomo Carlebach. “I grew up knowing that my father’s family ran from Nazi-occupied Europe and was aware of my deep blessing; that I was living securely and free of fear. I hear his voice in my head. This song is our prayer.”
Individually and as a creative team, Neshama Carlebach and Josh Nelson perform widely across the denominational spectrum of Jewish life and in secular venues as well. Deeply invested in Jewish Peoplehood, they are spiritual role models in their community. As such, they felt the urgent need to call for peace and love in the middle of this time of unprecedented conflict, they said. “We believe that all people have the right to live their lives without fear, and when we decided to speak up, we knew of no text more poignant than this prayer for peace,” said Josh Nelson.
Shlomo Carlebach’s version of “Y’hi Shalom” is beloved and meaningful for millions around the world, Jews and non-Jews alike, explained Josh Nelson. “We hope that this recording will inspire humanity to come together and to begin to move in a new direction. There are no simple answers to the incredibly complex situation in Israel and Gaza, but the message in this song may be a place to start.”
JEWISH MUSIC ROCKS – we continued our exploration this Shabbat morning with another song with the theme of making the world a better place. A little background . . .
Here in the Western Hemisphere we miss so much wonderful music. One excellent source to expand our knowledge is the Eurovision annual song contest which showcases one song per country from Europe and beyond. Here is the 2009 entry from Israel – There Must Be Another Way – sung by Noa and Mira Anwar Awad. More on them below the YouTube video and lyrics.
Einaiych
There must be another
Must be another way
עינייך, אחות / Einaich, achot
כל מה שלבי מבקש אומרות / Kol ma shelibi mevakesh omrot
עברנו עד כה / Avarnu ad ko
דרך ארוכה, דרך כה קשה יד ביד / Derech aruka, derech ko kasha yad beyad
והדמעות זולגות, זורמות לשווא / Vehadma’ot zolgot, zormot lashav
כאב ללא שם / Ke’ev lelo shem
אנחנו מחכות / Anachnu mechakot
רק ליום שיבוא אחרי / Rak layom sheyavo achrei
There must be another way
There must be another way
عينيك بتقول / Aynaki bit’ul
راح ييجي يوم وكل الخوف يزول / Rakh yiji yom wu’kul ilkhof yizul
بعينيك إصرار / B’aynaki israr
أنه عنا خيار / Inhu ana khayar
نكمل هالمسار / N’kamel halmasar
مهما طال / Mahma tal
لانه ما في عنوان وحيد للأحزان / Li’anhu ma fi anwan wakhid l’alakhzan
بنادي للمدى / B’nadi lalmada
للسما العنيدة / l’sama al’anida
There must be another way
There must be another way
There must be another
Must be another way
דרך ארוכה נעבור / Derech aruka na’avor
דרך כה קשה / Derech ko kasha
יחד אל האור / Yachad el ha’or
عينيك بتقول / Aynaki bit’ul
كل الخوف يزول / Kul ilkhof yizul
And when I cry, I cry for both of us
My pain has no name
And when I cry, I cry
To the merciless sky and say
There must be another way
והדמעות זולגות, זורמות לשווא / Vehadma’ot zolgot, zormot lashav
כאב ללא שם / Ke’ev lelo shem
אנחנו מחכות / Anachnu mechakot
רק ליום שיבוא אחרי / Rak layom sheyavo achrei
There must be another way
There must be another way
There must be another
Must be another way
English Translation
There Must Be Another Way
There must be another
Must be another way
Your eyes, sister
Say all that my heart desires
So far, we’ve gone
A long way, a very difficult way, hand in hand
And the tears fall, pour in vain
A pain with no name
We wait
Only for the next day to come
There must be another way
There must be another way
Your eyes say
A day will come and all fear will disappear
In your eyes a determination
That there is a possibility
To carry on the way
As long as it may take
For there is no single address for sorrow
I call out to the plains
To the stubborn heavens
There must be another way
There must be another way
There must be another
Must be another way
We will go a long way
A very difficult way
Together to the light
Your eyes say
All fear will disappear
And when I cry, I cry for both of us
My pain has no name
And when I cry, I cry
To the merciless sky and say
There must be another way
And the tears fall, pour in vain
A pain with no name
We wait
Only for the day to come
There must be another way
There must be another way
There must be another
Must be another way
Known in Israel by her full name Achinoam Nini, Noa is Israel’s leading international concert and recording artist. Born in Tel- Aviv in 1969, Noa lived in NYC from age 2 until her return to Israel alone at the age of 17. Her family is originally from Yemen. After serving the mandatory two years in the Israeli Army in a military entertainment unit, Noa studied music at the Rimon School where she met her long-time partner and collaborator Gil Dor. Noa is married to Dr. Asher Barak and together they have 2 children, Ayehli and Enea.
Mira Anwar Awad
Actress, singer and songwriter. Born in Rama village in the Gallillee, 1975 to Palestinian fathet, and Bulgarian mother. Studied in the Rimon school for Jazz and contemporary music, 1996-2000. Participated in Improvisational workshops in Isarael and the UK sponsored by the BIArts, British Council. Studied in the body theatre school with a scholarship from the America-Israel culture foundation. Speaks Arabic, Hebrew, English and Bulgarian.
Congregation Agudath Achim 
You must be logged in to post a comment.