Pekudei, which means records or accounts, comes from the same root as the verb “to notice”: The book of Exodus began with God noticing our suffering. What might we notice as the book ends? Our Friday night service begins at 6:00 p.m. and concludes around 6:50 p.m. This week I will lead the davening and share a teaching.
Our service is designed to create a buffer between the work week and Shabbat rest. We aim to make the atmosphere like a family shabbat table complete with Candle Lighting, Blessing one another, Kiddush, and Motzei. Before and after the service we take time to check in with one another and share greetings (feel free to log on early). Our service has been abridged for ZOOM but includes familiar and new melodies, readings from the margins of the siddur, and some learning.
SHABBAT MORNING:
A Moving Experience
How do we hold on to our relationship with God once we leave Sinai? Parshat Pekudei (Ex. 38:21-40:38) brings the story of the Exodus to a close: God brought us from slavery in Egypt to Mount Sinai, and now, as we prepare to move on to the Promised Land, the Tabernacle enables us to bring the intimacy of Sinai with us wherever we go.
Our Shabbat morning service begins at 10 a.m. in our sanctuary, and you can join us in person or on Livestream. Marvin Wolfert will read Torah, Linda Dietrich will read Haftorah, and I will lead services and offer a teaching. Services will conclude around noon and will be followed by a kiddush luncheon underwritten by Linda & Harry Dietrich in celebration of Harry's 85th birthday.
CHAG PURIM SAMEACH!
Join us on Saturday night, March 23, for our Purim spiel, costume contest, Pot of Gold Raffle, and playful Megillah reading, as well as Havdalah, the Brotherhood wine sale, and delicious hamantaschen. The evening begins with a pizza dinner at 6 pm, and Purim festivities beginning at 6:45 pm. (Livestream will begin at 6:45.)
Then come back Sunday morning for the gantze (full) Megillah reading at 8 am, followed by a Sisterhood Community Brunch. Check out our Purim page for full details, and please RSVP!
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Lisa Feld
We Want YOU… to be a Gabbai!
Our talented gabbais fulfill a number of important roles during Shabbat and holiday services: distributing honors, calling people up to the Torah, coaching honorees who are less familiar with the Torah blessings and choreography, and supporting our Torah readers by following along with the reading and offering gentle correction. We are seeking to train volunteers in these skills; if you have always wanted to be more involved in our prayer services and strengthen your knowledge and confidence, this is a great opportunity.
Volunteers should have solid Hebrew skills and be willing to commit to arriving in the sanctuary by 10:15 to help the First Gabbai distribute honors on days when you are training or serving. We will provide training, mentorship, and materials for practice/study. If you are interested, please send an email toritual@bnaitikvahma.org.
Simcha Shabbat & Kiddush
We encourage you to sponsor a kiddush to mark a simcha, celebrate a birthday, anniversary, commemorate a yahrzeit, honor an individual's accomplishment, or just to enhance our Shabbat. Since not every kiddush is sponsored, we hope you will consider a contribution to the kiddush fund so we can provide a kiddush every week. All sponsors are much appreciated and will be acknowledged.
We have streamlined this process to make it easier than ever-- come see our new kiddush sponsorship page on the website!
Starbucks Shabbat: Saturdays at 12 PM onZOOM Enjoy an informal cup of joe while discussing various topics from the weekly parsha to current events. No RSVP needed; come regularly or pop in!
Rabbi Gordon sends a weekly email to the congregation keying us into some of the special aspects of this coming Shabbat and possibly some other events or items we should be aware of.
