NOAH’S COVENANT: BAR MITZVAH TALK TO BE GIVEN ON NOVEMBER 2, 2019

SHABAT SHOLOM!

I AM TODAY CELEBRATING MY SECOND BAR MITZVAH. I QUALIFY TO DO SO BECAUSE I’VE NOW BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE LIVED THIRTEEN YEARS BEYOND THE BIBLICAL THREE SCORE AND TEN. I’D LIKE NOW TO OFFER SOME THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S PARSHA, WHICH DEALS WITH THE STORY OF NOAH. I’LL FOCUS ON THE CONCEPT OF COVENANTS AND THE COVENANT THAT GOD GAVE TO HUMANS WHEN HE DECIDED THAT, AFTER THE FLOOD, HE WOULD NEVER AGAIN DESTROY ALL OF MANKIND.

BUT  FIRST A LITTLE ABOUT MY WIFE AND MYSELF, SINCE WE’RE RELATIVELY NEW MEMBERS OF K.I. OUR JOINING THIS CONGREGATION WAS FOR US AN UNANTICIPATED BONUS  OF HAVING ATTENDED A WEEKLONG CONFERENCE AT THE HARTMAN INSTITUTE, IN JERUSALEM, IN 2016. THERE WE WERE FORTUNATE TO MEET RABBI HAMILTON WHO WAS ALSO IN ATTENDANCE, AND TO REALIZE THAT WE BELONGED IN WHATEVER CONGREGATION HE SERVED AS RABBI.

SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, ON YOM KIPPUR, WE HEARD GORDON BENNETT, OUR PRESIDENT DESCRIBE HOW HE EVOLVED FROM A JEWISHLY UNEDUCATED, FULLY SECULAR PERSON IN HIS TEENS, TO SOMEONE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO JUDAISM AND ITS INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING THIS ONE. LIKE GORDON I TOO WAS SECULAR AS A TEEN. I’D HAD A BAR MITZVAH WHEN I TURNED THIRTEEN, BUT I DIDN’T THEREAFTER SET FOOT IN A SYNAGOGUE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. LIKE MANY YOUNG JEWS IN THE POSTWAR 1950’S I THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS BEING FULLY AMERICAN, AND REJECTED THE AMBIGUITY OF ALSO AFFILIATING WITH  THE SEPARATE COMMUNITY OF JEWS.

THIS ATTITUDE BEGAN TO CHANGE WHEN I WORKED FOR THREE SUMMERS IN A JEWISH CAMP, ALONG WITH A WONDERFUL COUPLE, – HAROLD KAMSLER, THE CAMP’S CONSERVATIVE RABBI, WHO LED A SYNAGOGUE IN A SMALL TOWN NORTH OF PHILADLPHIA, AND ETTA, HIS REBETZIN. THEY MENTORED MY PATH INTO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. SETTING AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE LIVES AN ADULT JEWISH LIFE, AND LOANING ME BOOKS THAT COMPARED JEWISH PHILOSOPHY WITH THE NORMS OF THE NON-JEWISH GENERAL CULTURE. ONE SUCH BOOK, WRITTEN BY THE ANGLO-AMERICAN AUTHOR MAURICE SAMUEL IN 1952, WAS CALLED “THE GENTLEMAN AND THE JEW”. AS ITS NAME IMPLIED IT CONTRASTED THE SPORTS-ORIENTED CULT OF THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN WHICH FOCUSED ON BEATING ONE’S COMPETITORS IN GAMES THAT USUALLY INVOLVED PHYSICAL CONFLICT, WITH THE JEWISH FOCUS ON COOPERATING WITH OTHER PEOPLE. IT MADE A PROFOUND IMPRESSION ON ME, AND STILL DOES. I HAVEN’T STOPPED COMPETING WITH COLLEAGUES – GENTLY, I HOPE – BUT I ALSO COOPERATE WITH THEM. BY THE TIME I MET MY WIFE-TO-BE A FEW YEARS LATER WE WERE BOTH COMMITTED JEWS….AND ZIONISTS: I’VE BEEN TO ISRAEL 67 TIMES AT LAST COUNT AND OUR THREE GRANDCHILDREN HAVE LIVED THERE FOR PERIODS AND MAY DO SO CONTINUOUSLY IN THE FUTURE.

NOW BACK TO TODAY’S PARSHA, AND NOAH…

IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED ADAM, AND GAVE HIM EVE FOR COMPANY. HE ALSO GAVE THE COUPLE TWO GIFTS: THE FIRST WAS FREE WILL, WHICH THEY COULD USE TO MAKE MORAL CHOICES, AND  THE SECOND WAS KNOWLEDGE OF THE RULES THAT GOVERN THE WORLD IN WHICH THEY WOULD LIVE.

GOD ALSO PLACED ADAM AND EVE WITHIN THE  GARDEN OF EDEN, A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT WHICH – AS SUGGESTED BY THE RABBIS – RESEMBLED HEAVEN. HOWEVER IN SPITE OF GOD’S GREAT GENEROSITY IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT, IN HUMAN HANDS, HIS GIFT OF FREE WILL WOULD BECOME CORRUPTED, AND  USED TO MAKE  CHOICES THAT WERE ILLICIT  AND EVEN IMMORAL.

FIRST, TEMPTED BY THE SNAKE  AND BY EVE’S CURIOSITY, ADAM AND EVE VIOLATED GOD’S SPECIFIC COMMANDMENT BY EATING AN APPLE. THIS ACT GAVE THEM KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO HAVE, AND THE POWER TO DO THINGS THAT THEY KNEW WERE WRONG.            THIS VIOLATION LED TO A SERIES OF PUNISHMENTS:

THEREAFTER THE COUPLE WERE REQUIRED TO WORK IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THEIR FOOD;  THEY COULD NO LONGER GO NAKED; EVE WOULD KNOW GREAT PAIN AT CHILDBIRTH; AND, MOST SEVERE,  THE COUPLE WERE EXPELLED FROM EDEN. THEN,  A GENERATION LATER,  CAIN, ONE OF THEIR SONS, COMMITTED THE WORST OF SINS BY MURDERING HIS BROTHER ABEL IN A FIT OF SIBLING RIVALRY. CAIN’S PUNISHMENT WAS STARKER: PERMANENT SEPARATION FROM HIS FAMILY.

SUBSEQUENTLY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON EARTH INCREASED MARKEDLY, AS DID THE COMPLEXITIES OF HUMAN LIFE. HOWEVER GOD OBSERVED THAT “THE HEART’S PLANNING…….BY HUMANKIND … WAS ONLY [TO DO] EVIL, ALL THE DAY”. THIS “PAINED GOD’S HEART..”, CAUSING GOD TO BE “..SORRY THAT I MADE THEM’: EVEN THE EARTH WAS RUINED.

SO GOD DECIDED TO CAUSE A GREAT FLOOD. THIS WOULD  DESTROY ALL HUMANS EXCEPT NOAH, THE ONE TRULY RIGHTEOUS MAN, AND WOULD ALSO SPARE NOAH’S FAMILY AS WELL AS  NONHUMAN SPECIES THAT, OF COURSE, LACKED FREE  WILL. GOD WOULD THEN START ALL OVER AGAIN AND MAKE NEW PEOPLE. AND THIS TIME HE WOULD GIVE PEOPLE GUIDANCE  TO HELP ASSURE THAT THEIR BEHAVIOR WOULD BE  MORAL.

SO GOD DIRECTED NOAH TO MAKE AN ARK IN WHICH HE,  HIS FAMILY, AND THE OTHER SPECIES ON EARTH MIGHT SURVIVE WHILE EVIL PEOPLE AND OBJECTS WOULD BE KILLED BY THE COLOSSAL DELUGE. IT THEN RAINED FOR 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS. AND AFTER 150 ADDITIONAL DAYS THE EARTH DRIED OUT AND LIFE WAS ABLE TO RESUME.

NOAH WAS A GOOD BUT SIMPLE MAN. HE WAS NEITHER A PROPHET NOR  A TEACHER AND  COULD EVEN OCCASIONALLY BECOME DRUNK. HOWEVER HE WAS WORTHY OF RECEIVING FROM GOD A COVENANT, WHICH WAS GOD’S PROMISE THAT NEVER AGAIN WOULD HE DESTROY  HUMANITY. THE COVENANT ALSO PROVIDED A CODE FOR SUPPRESSING EVIL ACTS, CONSISTING OF SEVEN SPECIFIC INJUNCTIONS.  SIX OF THESE WERE NEGATIVE “THALL SHALT NOTS” (WORSHIP IDOLS; CURSE GOD; MURDER; COMMIT ADULTERY OR BESTIALITY; STEAL; OR EAT LIVING FLESH) AND THE SEVENTH WAS POSITIVE,  A  DEMAND THAT NOAH AND ALL HIS DESCENDANTS TO PROMOTE JUSTICE BY ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF COURTS FOR AFFIRMING THAT THE ACTIONS THEY WOULD PLAN WOULD  NOT BE EVIL. 

THE TORAH SAYS NOTHING FURTHER ABOUT NOAH – EXCEPT TO GIVE THE NAMES OF HIS MAJOR DESCENDENTS. THIS CONTRASTS MARKEDLY WITH GOD’S USE OF THE NEXT BIBLICAL FIGURE  – ABRAM, WHO BECAME ABRAHAM,  TO RECEIVE A COVENANT FROM GOD, PERHAPS A THOUSAND YEARS AFTER NOAH’S COVENANT. THOUGH THE TWO COVENANTS  BOTH REFLECTED VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS BY GOD, THEIR SCOPES DIFFERED MARKEDLY: NOAH’S WAS UNIVERSAL – FOR ALL MANKIND, EVERYWHERE, WHILE ABRAHAM’S WAS FOR THE SPECIFIC “THRONG OF NATIONS” THAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS JEWS, WHOM GOD INITIALLY PLACED IN THE LAND OF CANAAN. NOAH RECEIVED NO PHYSICAL DEMARCATION THAT SYMBOLIZED HIS PROPHETIC ROLE, WHILE ABRAHAM AND EVERY JEWISH MALE WHO FOLLOWED HIM WERE  REQUIRED, BY COVENANT, TO BE CIRCUMCISED.

HAVE THE COVENANTS, THE FIRST ONE BETWEEN GOD AND NOAH AND THE LATER ONE BETWEEN GOD AND ABRAHAM,  SURVIVED? WE BELIEVE AS JEWS THAT THEY HAVE, AND THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR ETERNITY. THEY WERE JOINED AT THE TIME OF MOSES BY A THIRD COVENANT – BETWEEN GOD AND THE ISRAELITES, ABRAHAM’S PEOPLE. AND WHILE THE FIRST COVENANT REQUIRED LITTLE FROM NOAH –  GOD GRANTED THAT COVENANT FREELY – AND THE SECOND COVENANT REQUIRED OF ABRAHAM ONLY THAT HE CIRCUMSIZE HIMSELF AND OTHER JEWISH MALES, IT WAS THE THIRD COVENANT IN WHICH GOD IDENTIFIED HIS PEOPLE, ISRAEL, AND DEMANDED THAT THEY COMMIT TO FULFILLING THEIR COVENANTAL RESPONSIBILITIES WITH HIM. THIS SPECIFICALLY REQUIRED ESTABLISHING COURTS WHICH WOULD TEACH JUSTICE TO HIS PEOPLE AND, BY EXAMPLE, TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.  GOD HAS FULFILLED HIS COMMITMENT NEVER TO DESTROY US, THOUGH OTHER PEOPLES HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DO SO, AND PERHAPS WILL TRY AGAIN.

ONCE AGAIN, SHABAT SHOLOM.

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GIVEN BY RICHARD WURTMAN ON NOVEMBER 2, 2019

June 19, 2019 | 16 Sivan, 5779

Kiddush on Saturday is sponsored by:
Marci & Brian Grossman in honor of Eden becoming a Bat Mitzvah

The congregants of Kehillath Israel and Mishkan Tefila are invited to sanctify Shabbat
with Kiddush after services, in the Social Hall.

Greeters needed for Shabbat morning! Please sign up online!

Congregant in Need of Ride to Services
A congregant from Watertown is in need of a ride to KI services either on Friday night or on Saturday morning, beginning this week.  If you drive to either of those services and would be able to pick up a passenger, please let the office know atmainoffice@congki.org

*** Online Forms ***
Yizkor Book Listing
High Holy Day Tickets
Non-Member High Holy Day Tickets

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Congratulations to our new trustees!

At last night’s annual meeting we shared highlights from the current year, provided a financial update, and elected a new slate of trustees.

Mazel tov to our new president, Gordon Bennett, and incoming trustees Jennie Roffman (Administration), Anna Katsnelson (At Large), Natasha Woolfson (Development), and Ted Folkman (Leadership)! Thank you to our outgoing trustees, David Williams, Daniel Friedman, Stuart Rose, Scott Plotkin, and Markus Orchowski. (Markus will continue providing support for facilities and systems until his permanent replacement is finalized.)

The 2019 annual report (available here) includes updates from our Rabbis,
senior professionals and board members.

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Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen and David Williams
share their Top Ten List of KI Activities in June 2019!

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Thank you to those who joined the Community Tikkun this Shavuot! We would love to hear from you about your experiences of the evening—what you liked, what you might change, and what you hope for in future years. Fill out this survey to share your feedback: tinyurl.com/ShavEval19

Also, if you’d like to make a donation to the Tikkun, you can send it to:
Shavuot Tikkun, c/o KI, 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446 or congki.org

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Picnic Shabbat Dinner
Friday, 21st of June

Join KICKS for a picnic Shabbat dinner after services on Friday, June 21! Bring your own pareve/dairy main course and a pre-packaged (pareve/dairy) item that is sealed and marked with a kosher symbol, or something made with raw vegetables (like a green salad) to share. Please bring reusable bowls, plates, flatware, and cups for your personal use. Kabbalat Shabbat starts at 6pm in the KI Chapel and we’ll head outside to eat in grassy area to the right of KI (next to the path) around 7:30pm.

We will be honoring our Rabbinic Intern Matt Goldberg as his position at KI has ended. We are thankful for  Matt’s involvement in our community this past year and even more grateful that we and look forward to continue to have him around in a lay leader capacity! We look forward to seeing you there for a night of good food, good people, and (hopefully) good weather! Sign up here!

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tasteBook with Rabbi Hamilton
Saturday, June 22 at 7:30 pm
Join Rabbi Hamilton for an introduction to and a discussion about “In This Hour” by Abraham Joshua Heschel.

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Please RSVP to the Main Office by telephone at 617-277-9155 or
by email at mainoffice@congki.org
***There is a copy of the book available in the office to be borrowed***

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July 19 Home-Hosted Shabbat Dinner
Join members of the KICKS community on Friday evening, July 19, for a home-hosted Shabbat dinner. We’re excited for this chance to get to know each other outside of shul!
If you would like to sign up to host, please do so here.
If you would like to sign up as a guest, please do so here.

The deadline to sign up for this dinner is Tuesday, July 16 at 12 noon!

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Weren’t able to join us on Shabbat?
Did you miss a Campus Event?

Did you miss Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen’s
D’var Torah about the Sacred Fire Within?
Listen now or read the transcript & take a look at past divrei torah, too! 

What’s it like to be at AIPAC? What makes it unique? What makes it diverse? Hear Rabbi William Hamilton talk with Jody Forchheimer (one of the many KI congregants that were there) about the experience of being part of a massive gathering in DC, dedicated to the State of Israel.

Did you miss Daniel Jackson’s incredible talk about mental health inclusion on Shabbat morning?  Were you so touched by his words that you wish you could share them with a friend who wasn’t able to be there?  You’re in luck!  Click here for the full transcript, and don’t forget to click here for a list of resources!

Good news! You don’t have to totally miss out, even though we missed you! Past Divrei Torah here.

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KI’s Chesed Meal Train is a lay-led service, organized by our member Eliza Katz, which provides meals for our community members.  If you would like to participate in the Chesed Meal Train by providing meals for members in need or new families, please let Eliza  know! If you are expecting (or know someone expecting);  know anyone who is sick; or in mourning; or has a need to receive meals, please email Eliza

KI Parents who are expecting

Having a baby is a huge deal and turns your world upside down– in the best way! We know that the time after baby arrives is a whirlwind of cuddles, sleepless nights, endless diapers, and everything in between. Let us take one thing off your plate and provide meals, so you don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner. If you would like to receive meals or more info, please e-mail Eliza Katz. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank You!

Hakarat HaTov
With Gratitude to Our Community Members

We are grateful for our community’s commitment to supporting each other.
Our volunteers help strengthen our community in ways that make a big difference!

Toda Raba!

Shabbat Greeters
Stephanie Berkowitz
Lea Grossman
Michael Rosenfield
Jenny Wolfson

General Fund
Jon Rotenberg
-in honor of Rabbi Hamilton

Nyna Urovitch & David Williams

Ghita Wolpowitz
-in honor of Seth Wolpowitz becoming a Bar Mitzvah

KI Next
Michael & Deena Friedman

Shavuot Tikkun
Temple Emeth
Temple Israel

Rabbi Hamilton’s Discretionary Fund
Lou & Brenda Caplan

Linda & Jonathan Davis
-in honor of David Williams

Yahrzeit Fund
Joel & Dvorah Smith
-in memory of Freda Pellis Smith

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KI’s lost & found is in the ground floor coat room.
If you’ve lost something at shul please take a look!
Unclaimed items will be donated during the first week of each month.

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The KI Inclusion Committee has created a Sensory Calming Room
as a community resource for those with sensory regulation issues.

The room is intended to be a place to take a break from tefila (prayer), and services on Shabbat mornings and holidays. It is designed specifically for people with sensory challenges or disabilities and/or their companion or anyone who requires a quiet space.  This room is accessible for those with mobility issues and it contains quiet play toys, books, puzzles, and comfortable chairs.

Parents are requested to chaperone their children in this space.
Children should not be left alone in this room.

There is live audio feed from the KI main sanctuary to help people continue to be a part of the service. Please be respectful of the games, toys, and books in the space and kindly clean-up after yourself so we can maintain a welcoming space.

Inclusion Committee Mission Statement
Congregation Kehillath Israel is committed to creating a welcoming and supportive place for all. The Inclusion Committee seeks to facilitate the full participation of people of all abilities in synagogue life, promote sensitivity to diverse populations, and cultivate a culture of inclusion at KI. To advance this mission and serve the broad KI community, we help ensure the provision of accommodations, create programming and opportunities for engagement, and liaison with other organizations focused on inclusion.

We have a new website!
http://384atki.org
Check it out and share with your friends!
There are a lot of exciting ways to get involved with 384@KI!

Here are our upcoming 384@KI events

Second Shabbat

2nd Saturday of every month
(next date: July 13)

There are a lot of you who are involved regularly at KI, but you may not know each other if you come at different times. If you can’t come to Shabbat services every week, why not come on a week when a bunch of others in their 20s/30s will also be there? We’re extending a special invitation for you to come (and bring friends!) on the second Shabbat morning of every month.

Whether you come for services, or just come for a free lunch at noon,
we hope you’ll join us!  We’ll have special tables reserved for 384@KI folks to sit together during kiddush, as well as board games around for folks to hang out into the afternoon.

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DävenDazs

Click here to register!

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Click here to register

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Have a child in elementary school this fall? 
Register for the 2019 – 20 KIRS school year!

Register here!

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Volunteer Opportunities

Campus Events

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New England Yachad – Looking for Volunteers!

New England Yachad is looking for adult volunteers for a performing arts class for adults with disabilities! The class is called “Express Yourself” and is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Kehillath Israel. It is not necessary to attend every session. Yachad creates inclusive programs, where volunteers act as “peer participants” and participate alongside our members. Make a difference in your community and participate in quality recreational programs!

Last spring, Yachad participated in a new leadership and advocacy program called Link20. Our goals are to raise awareness on the right of people with disabilities to be fully included in our society and to strengthen young activists’ leadership skills and influence in promoting inclusion and social justice. Our cohort is made up of young adults with and without disabilities who have an interest in advocacy and inclusion. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Rebecca Gilbert at or call 617-209-6799 ext. 103.

What does it take to change a life? A few hours, twice a month.
A favorite hobby. A trip to a museum. A game of pick-up basketball.
A shared meal or visit to the ice cream shop.

Volunteer with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston to change lives through the giving of your time, your energy, and your passion. Be matched, 1:1, with a child looking for a mentor, or an adult with disabilities looking for a friend.

Learn more about how JBBBS has helped people across Greater Boston at www.jbbbs.org/volunteer.
Volunteer today: Contact Tania@jbbbs.org

May 15, 2019 | 10 Iyyar, 5779

Regular Daily Minyan
Shacharit: Monday – Thursday 7:00 am in the Chapel
Mincha/Ma’ariv: Monday – Thursday 7:00 pm in the Chapel

Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, May 17
Candle lighting: 7:43 pm
Mincha/KI Community Kabbalat Shabbat (KICKS)/Ma’ariv: 6:00 pm in the Chapel

Shabbat – Saturday, May 18
Shacharit: 8:45 am in the Sanctuary
Nitzanim (ages 0-4): 10:30 am in G-11
Mini-Minyan (ages 5-7): 10:45 am in G-7
Minyan Atid (ages 8-12): 10:30 am in M-8
Transformative Torah: 11:00 am in the Library
Mincha: 7:28 pm in the Chapel followed by Seudah Shlishit
Ma’ariv: 8:28 pm followed by Havdalah at 8:43 pm in the Chapel

April 24, 2019 | 19 Nisan, 5779

Regular Daily Minyan
Shacharit: Monday – Thursday 6:45 am in the Chapel
Mincha/Ma’ariv: Monday – Wednesday 7:00 pm in the Chapel

Thursday evening & Friday, April 25-26, Pesach Day 7
Mincha/Ma’ariv: 7:24 pm, Thursday evening, in the Chapel
Festival Shacharit: 8:45 am, Friday morning, in the Sanctuary
Candle lighting: 7:20 pm
Mincha/KI Community Kabbalat Shabbat (KICKS)/Ma’ariv: 6:00 pm in the Chapel

Saturday, April 27, Pesach Day 8
Shabbat & Festival Shacharit: 8:30 am in the Sanctuary
Nitzanim (ages 0-4) & Mini-Minyan (ages 5-7): meeting together at 10:45 am  in G7
Minyan Atid (ages 8-12): 10:30 am in the Library
Mincha: 7:05 pm in the Chapel followed by Seudah Shlishit
Ma’ariv: 8:05 pm followed by Havdalah at 8:20 pm in the Chapel

Greeters needed for Shabbat morning! Please sign up online!

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Rabbi Hamilton and KI President David Williams talk about Passover

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REVIVAL live at Congregation Kehillath Israel!
Saturday, April 27, 8:30 pm
The concert is free! Please RSVP here!

REVIVAL is a spiritual folk-rock show that speaks to urgent moral issues of our day. It features original story-driven music by Kristen Plylar-Moore performed by a small ensemble of singers and instrumentalists. Rooted largely in Hebrew biblical texts, the music expresses themes of love and justice, and envisions a world grounded in compassion and dignity for everyone.

REVIVAL has been performed in venues around NYC including at the 14th St. Y’s “Into the Night” Shavuot programming, WOW Café Theater, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, and Town & Village Synagogue. An album of the show’s music (2018) has garnered notable coverage in 6/8 Music, Moment Magazine, Tikkun Daily, Lilith Magazine, andTablet Magazine’s Jewcy.com. Music from the album has been featured on FM radio stations WERS (FM 88.9 out of Boston, MA), WICN (FM 90.5 out of Worcester, MA), and WERU (FM 89.9 out of Bangor, ME), and on podcasts including Jewish Rock Radio’s Jewish Women Rock, and the music blog podcast “Adobe and Teardrops.”

To learn more about the show, please visit www.RevivalTheShow.com.

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Downtown Lunch & Learn
Tuesday, April 30th @ 12pm
All are invited to a downtown lunchtime study group where Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen will be teaching an intro to Pirkei Avot, focusing on the first chapter. We’ll talk about what it means to be part of an ongoing or evolving tradition, and what the text teaches us about being transmitters of a living Torah.
We’ll meet at Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP, One Liberty Square, 13th floor, Boston, MA 02109.A kosher lunch will be served.
Space is limited, so you must RSVP to tfolkman@piercebainbridge.com by April 26.
Click on the picture above for the Facebook event page!

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Did you love Shabbat Morning 101?  Are you eager for more opportunities to learn in community with others?
Sign up now for our next Shabbat Morning learning series: Transformative Torah!

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Join Weekday Minyan
Attendance at daily minyan is not only a gift to yourself of time to reflect spiritually, connect with community, and pause in your busy day, but it also helps those who are saying Kaddish by ensuring there is a community within which they can honor their loved ones. Please use the linked form to let us know how you would like to be involved in maintaining our ongoing commitment to a daily, egalitarian minyan in Brookline.

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Sage Advice – KI Presents: Wisdom for Our Times

We are excited to be launching an initiative to study Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Sages) with a variety of group options. There are multiple discussion groups running concurrently throughout the community that will meet monthly between now and June.

Sunday, June 2, 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
in G-7 – Led by Shirah Rubin, focusing on Jewish text with a creative expression component.
RSVP required by May 24th to shirah@congki.org.
Babysitting available with RSVP by May 24th.

Saturday, May 11 at 12:30 pm
in the Library– Led by Rabbi David Starr – all are welcome even if you have not attended previous sessions

There is no charge to attend these sessions, but kindly RSVP.

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Please RSVP here. 

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Advanced Talmud:
Afterlife Views in Modern & Contemporary Judaism
Will resume next Thursday, May 2nd 
Thursdays at 11:00 am in the Chapel
This is an on-going class taught by Rabbi Joseph Schultz.
New participants are welcome! If you would like to receive emailed class updates, please email the main office. We look forward to seeing you!

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Weren’t able to join us on Shabbat? Did you miss a Campus Event?

Did you miss Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen’s D’var Torah about the Sacred Fire Within? Listen now or read the transcript & take a look at past divrei torah, too! 

We had a great time celebrating with everyone at Purim – check out the photos from the festivities!

What’s it like to be at AIPAC? What makes it unique? What makes it diverse? Hear Rabbi William Hamilton talk with Jody Forchheimer (one of the many KI congregants that were there) about the experience of being part of a massive gathering in DC, dedicated to the State of Israel.

Did you miss Daniel Jackson’s incredible talk about mental health inclusion on Shabbat morning?  Were you so touched by his words that you wish you could share them with a friend who wasn’t able to be there?  You’re in luck!  Click here for the full transcript, and  don’t forget to click here for a list of resources!

Good news! You don’t have to totally miss out, even though we missed you! Past Divrei Torah here.

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The Boston Globe is proud to announce the return of GRANT (Globe Readers And Non-profits Together), a community initiative that allows subscribers like you to help deserving non-profits earn free advertising space in the Globe.

If you are a print subscriber, you have received a $50 GRANT voucher to allocate to the certified 501(c)(3) of your choice.

Submitting your GRANT voucher is easy — just click the button below and enter the name of the organization you’d like to support. Non-profits that receive a minimum of $1,000 in GRANT dollars will be awarded free advertising space in the Globe. The more GRANT dollars earned, the larger the advertising space provided. Submission deadline is April 30, 2019.

SUBMIT YOUR VOUCHER »

For more information and to view the non-profit leaderboard, go to Globe.com/GRANT.

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Share the love…you have for KI

Have you/your family found a welcoming place at KI – with friends, community, spiritual growth? Why not share that happy feeling with a new member?

An offer to meet up at services and chat at Kiddush, open your home for a Shabbat meal or arrange a play date can go a long way to helping a new congregant feel connected to our synagogue.

Send a brief email about yourself and your connection to KI

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KI’s Chesed Meal Train is a lay-led service, organized by our member Eliza Katz, which provides meals for our community members.  If you would like to participate in the Chesed Meal Train by providing meals for members in need or new families, please let Eliza  know! If you are expecting (or know someone expecting);  know anyone who is sick; or in mourning; or has a need to receive meals, please email Eliza

KI Parents who are expecting

Having a baby is a huge deal and turns your world upside down– in the best way! We know that the time after baby arrives is a whirlwind of cuddles, sleepless nights, endless diapers, and everything in between. Let us take one thing off your plate and provide meals, so you don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner. If you would like to receive meals or more info, please e-mail Eliza Katz. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

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New Parent Drop-In: Blessings with Baby
Every Thursday morning at 11:30 am 

This weekly drop-in space is for new parents and little ones to meet one another, and to learn a bit with Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen from Judaism’s wisdom about how to bless (and be blessed by!) your growing family.

We’ll serve light refreshments with a program loose enough to come and go as you need – babies and all!

Thank You!

Hakarat HaTov
With Gratitude to Our Community Members

We are grateful for our community’s commitment to supporting each other.
Our volunteers help strengthen our community in ways that make a big difference!

Toda Raba!

Shabbat Greeters
Gordon Bennett
Stephanie Berkowitz
Michal Gasco

Rabbi Hamilton’s Discretionary Fund
Beth Kantrowitz & Benjamin Scheindlin

General Fund
Marcie Abramson
-in appreciation of Jan & Stuart Rose

KI Next
Harold & Linda Simansky

Annual Appeal
Markus Orchowski & Noemi Greyzdorf

Yahrzeit Fund
Joyce Golder

Sara Scolnick
-in memory of her father, Abraham Kirstein

Ron & Carol Killian
-dedicated in memory of Adolph Engel

Margery Ehrlich
-in memory of Robert Ehrlich

Stanley Quint
-in memory of Charlotte Quint

Ruth Lurie
-in memory of Herman Joseph Yogel

Danielle Buckman
-in memory of Alan B. Freund

David Goldman
-in memory of Dora Goldman

Susan Barclay
-in memory of Ruth Kuritz & George Kuritz

Merrill Ring
-in memory of Frieda Ring

Elaine Lasoff
-in memory of her beloved father, Joseph Lasoff

Jordan & Sandra Golding
-in memory of Herman H. Golding

John Doernberg
-in memory of Nanette L. Doernberg

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KI’s lost & found is in the ground floor coat room.
If you’ve lost something at shul please take a look!
Unclaimed items will be donated during the first week of each month.

We have a new website!
http://384atki.org
Check it out and share with your friends!
There are a lot of exciting ways to get involved with 384@KI!

DävenDazs

Jewish Ethics: Learning & Discussion
3rd Thursday of every month (next date: Tomorrow. April 18)

On the third Thursday of every month, we’ll gather after Ma’ariv to learn together from KI’s Library of Gratitude book Sage Advice, a commentary on Pirkei Avot (Jewish wisdom writing) by Rabbi Yitz Greenberg. Since this program will take place instead of DavenDazs, ice cream will be provided.
Please RSVP to let us know to expect you, so we can plan accordingly.

Second Shabbat

MonDance Israeli Dance & Beginners Class
Every Monday, admission is just $5 a person
 Everyone can join our dance community.
7:30 – 8:15 pm:  Beginners Class – come learn the dances you love!
8:15 – 11:15 pm:  Circles, lines, and partner dances
11:15 pm – midnight:  Partner dances
Email for more information.

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For Youth

Join Camp Ramah in New England for an unforgettable
Family Camp weekend from May 24th-27th!

We offer camp activities, like sports and arts, a ride on our Alpine Tower Swing, rafting on our agam (lake), and an unforgettable Ramah Shabbat. We will have excellent childcare for children of all ages from toddler on up, and we will even have shmirah (babysitting) at night so the adults can go experience camp on their own.  There will be programs for adults, children, both together, and anyone in between. Family Camp is always a blast, and we’d be thrilled if you’d join us! Email Simon Luxemburg at simonl@campramahne.org with any questions! You can learn more about the program on our website here, watch our Family Camp video, and can sign up through this form. We hope to see you there!

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Youth Tefila

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Chag Kasher V’Sameach – Happy Passover!
Nitzanim and Mini-Minyan are combined on
Saturday, 4/27 & Sunday, 4/28
Led by Maya Emerson, meeting at 10:45 am  in G-7

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Minyan Atid
In the Library, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Shabbat morning tefila for grades 3-6. Pre and Post Bnei Mitzvot are invited to lead our upcoming Minyan Atid services. KI’s weekly Shabbat tefila strives to create a kehilah (community) that encourages participation, learning and leadership.

By pairing an easy to read siddur with the same melodies that KI uses in its main service, we will prepare the KI youth to join and thrive in prayer with the main community.

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All 1st-4th graders of the 384 community are invited to celebrate the end of Shabbat with a SLEEP-UNDER! On Saturday May 4th from 6-9PM, this event will include dinner and fun activities! Parents are invited at 8:30 for ma’ariv, and then to join their kids at 8:45 for havdallah and an ice cream party! Wearing PJs is encouraged!

The cost of this event is $10 for one child, or $15 for two children.
Please RSVP with this link: http://evite.me/YqCFZEQ6Xb

Please contact Emily Farbman, Ramah Service Corps Fellow,
with any questions: emily@congki.org

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Save the Date for May Teen events!

High School Israeli themed Shabbat dinner – May 10th
Middle School Shabbat Dinner – May 31st

Havdallah and Game night for 7th-10th graders from 8-10pm. Bring your friends and favorite board and card games for a night of fun! Dinner will be served.

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Volunteer Opportunities

Campus Events

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Community Tikkun Leil Shavuot in Brookline 5779

all night June 8-9, 2019 starting at 9:00 p.m.

at 384 Harvard Street and 100 Centre St.in Brookline

Our Vision: Each year, Shavout allows us to re-receive Torah as a Jewish community. We are again convening congregations and organizations in Brookline, Brighton, Chestnut Hill and surrounding areas to create a creative, multifaceted night of learning. We invite all interested groups to join us in co-sponsoring the Tikkun, which will include short study sessions running from 9:15 p.m. to 4:15a.m., interspersed with snack breaks and opportunities to connect with one another. We hope to offer two to ten concurrent sessions in each time slot (a total of 30 sessions). We will also hold a pre-Tikkun Shabbat  study session at 8:00 p.m. at 100 Centre St.

This year we will offer sessions in four tracks:

• P’shat/Drash: Traditional text study. Ex. studying a page of Talmud in chevruta, exploring commentary on Biblical text, etc.
• Remez: Non-and less-traditional subjects or study. Ex. a cooking class, biblio-drama or improv, wine tasting, panel discussion or debate
• Sod: Kabalistic and mystical subjects, etc. Ex. singing piyutim, a guided meditation or yoga session, a Shavuot Seder, dance workshop
• Tzedek: Sessions in any discipline with a social justice theme. Ex. text study on economic justice, discussion of food justice in context of kashrut, Jewish protest musical tradition

Call for Teachers: Teachers affiliated with co-sponsoring organizations as well as those not affiliated  should email Stephanie atsberkowi@yahoo.com by May 1, 2019.  Be sure to include:

1. The title of your proposed session and a short, 1-2 sentence description that includes the topic and style of study (cooking demo, mostly chevrutah with some discussion, lecture-style, etc.)
2. The track in which you think your session best fits (Pshat/Drash, Remez, Sod, Tzedek)
3. A one sentence description of the presenter
4. Any materials you will need (ex. photocopies of text, scotch for a tasting)
5. What partner organization, if any, you represent/are affiliated with.
6. Your top three choices for time slot. Since we need to fill the whole night, we are unable to guarantee you one of your top choices. If you are ONLY able to teach in certain slots, let us know.
   1. 8:00-8:50p (at 100 Centre St. only)
   2. 9:15-10:05p
   3. 10:10-10:45p (this is a short session during/instead of the dinner break–could be food related)
   4. 10:45-11:35p
   5. 11:45p-12:35a
   6. 1:05-1:55a
   7. 2:00-2:50a
   8. 3:15-4:05a
7.  Any accessibility concerns or needs. In particular, while we endeavor to make the whole tikkun wheelchair accessible, there are some spaces that are more easily navigated than others. Similarly, while all spaces are accessible without using an elevator, one space requires climbing 10 flights of stairs for those who do not wish to use an elevator.

Please note: There are a limited number of slots available and we want to offer a wide variety of subjects and styles of learning. Thus, we may not be able to accommodate everyone who responds.  We will make every effort to be accommodating and we hope you will do the same! We will let you know by May 9 if you will be teaching and in which slot.

Here are some guidelines:  

• Chevruta study and/or discussion are strongly encouraged for text-based classes.
• We strongly prefer sessions that provide some opportunity for interactivity or for participants to express their own thoughts and ideas.

Most sessions are 50 minutes long. It is important to keep the momentum going, especially later in the night. Based on feedback from previous years, being as interactive as possible and dividing the time among different modalities helps people stay awake and engaged. If you’d like help planning your lesson or to review your plans in advance with an educator to get some ideas, please let us know.

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New England Yachad – Looking for Volunteers!

New England Yachad is looking for adult volunteers for a performing arts class for adults with disabilities! The class is called “Express Yourself” and is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Kehillath Israel. It is not necessary to attend every session. Yachad creates inclusive programs, where volunteers act as “peer participants” and participate alongside our members. Make a difference in your community and participate in quality recreational programs!

Last spring, Yachad participated in a new leadership and advocacy program called Link20. Our goals are to raise awareness on the right of people with disabilities to be fully included in our society and to strengthen young activists’ leadership skills and influence in promoting inclusion and social justice. Our cohort is made up of young adults with and without disabilities who have an interest in advocacy and inclusion. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Rebecca Gilbert at or call 617-209-6799 ext. 103.

What does it take to change a life? A few hours, twice a month.
A favorite hobby. A trip to a museum. A game of pick-up basketball.
A shared meal or visit to the ice cream shop.

Volunteer with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston to change lives through the giving of your time, your energy, and your passion. Be matched, 1:1, with a child looking for a mentor, or an adult with disabilities looking for a friend.

Learn more about how JBBBS has helped people across Greater Boston at www.jbbbs.org/volunteer.
Volunteer today: Contact Tania@jbbbs.org.

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Join a dynamic group in conversation as part of Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ year-long, community-wide conversation tour, “The 360Five: One Year, Five Questions, Many Voices,” led by CJP President and CEO Rabbi Marc Baker. Through dozens of in-person events around Greater Boston, the tour has introduced diverse audiences to Marc and has allowed him to hear a broad array of perspectives about critical issues to inform and co-create a shared future of a resilient, networked community.

We have planned a special event to focus on all issues, including those most significant for older adults, their caregivers, and professionals. Your input and insights can help build a community of learning and action that strengthens Jewish life in Greater Boston and beyond.

Monday April 29, 2019 | Program 1:00 p.m. | Registration opens 12:30 p.m. 
Golda Meir House a 2 Life Community, 160 Stanton Ave. Auburndale/Newton
Desserts and Coffee will be served. Dietary laws will be observed. 

To RSVP Click Here or contact Beth Tauro at betht@cjp.org with any questions or accommodations.
Limited parking is available on site. Additional options include parking on Stanton Avenue or at the Woodland MBTA station.

 The event will feature a discussion around five key questions:

1. Considering Jewish life in Greater Boston, what is our Jewish community doing well?
2. When you think about a vibrant Jewish community, what do you imagine it to look like?
3. What do you think gets in the way or could get in the way of us creating a more vibrant Jewish community in the future?
4. In what ways, if any, do you feel connected to Judaism, Jewish practice,  Jewish institutions, and the Jewish community?
5. When you think about the future of the Jewish community, what gives you hope? What concerns you?

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How Do Refugees Challenge the Nation State? RSVP to the Facebook event HERE. 

In the face of widespread closed border and refugee deterrence policies, how do refugees challenge the nation state? The work of imprisoned Iranian-Kurdish writer Behrouz Boochani offers an urgent case study for how refugees can contest their legal and social exclusion. 

As a novelist, journalist and activist, Boochani has exposed the hidden abuse facing refugees detained by the Australian government in the remote Manus Island detention centre, while being a detainee there himself since 2013. His political projects contest refugees’ exclusion from the nation and show how Australia is reshaped by those who it attempts to reject.

Boochani will be joining us via video link from Manus Prison to discuss his political resistance and his recently released novel.

His novel, No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison (Picador), won Australia’s largest literary prize in January 2019. The book was texted out of Manus Prison via a series of WhatsApp messages sent on a mobile phone over the course of five years.

Boochani writes frequently in the New York Times, the Guardian and other international newspapers, is the co-director of the documentary Chauka, Please Tell Us the Time, co-produced a play, Manus, is an honorary member of PEN International and has won numerous awards for his writing, including the Anna Politjovskaya Prize for Press Freedom and the 2017 Amnesty Media Award.

He will be joined in conversation by professor of politics Anne McNevin, who writes on transformations of citizenship and political belonging, and the regulation of space in world politics.

Join us at 6pm Thursday April 25th in Sever Hall 113.

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Boston’s only Jewish historic landmark building and bustling hub for Jewish life, the Vilna Shul, Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture, is turning 100 on April 28, at 5:30PM at WGBH at its Centennial Celebration! Honoring Jed Weiss, Dr. Ilana Braun, Drs. Shari and Robert Thurer, and Lynne Spencer; the event features live klezmer music, a nostalgic turn-of-the-century menu, a live auction, and a big reveal…join us to celebrate Boston’s rich Jewish history and future!

Click https://vilnashul.org/events/event/annual-tribute-event-2019 to register!
Contact Rosa at rosa@vilnashul.org with questions!

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MENSCH•MARKS: Life Lessons of a Human Rabbi
A reading by the author, at Brookline Booksmith
Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00 pm
For information, click here

If Rabbi Joshua Hammerman has his way, the word mensch will become as popular and ubiquitous as that other Jewish favorite, the bagel. But unlike everyone’s favorite excuse to eat cream cheese, being a mensch is good for the soul—and it doesn’t hurt your waistline.

According to Hammerman, being a mensch, an exceptional human being, transcends any other accomplishment. The award-winning journalist and veteran spiritual leader believes there’s nobility in normalcy, especially in these tumultuous times, which is why he’s written MENSCH•MARKS: Life Lessons of a Human Rabbi (HCI; April 2, 2019). Anne Lamott meets David Brooks in this memoir full of the wit, wisdom and pathos of being fully human.

Mensch is a Yiddish word that has gone beyond its basic definition—a human person—and has become a shining symbol of how simply being human in today’s world has become an act of heroism. As the Talmud states, “In a place where there is no humanity, be human.” To help us on our road to discovering our inner mensch, Hammerman presents 42 brief essays that mirror the 42 stops that the Israelites made as they wandered in the desert. These stories, full of the joy, sorrow, messiness and redemption of everyday life are designed to lead us out of our own wilderness toward realizing of our own promise as a better person.

Hammerman doesn’t spare himself as he shares his own mensch•marks, the life experiences he navigated as stepping stones to spiritual maturation. Failure and forgiveness, loving and letting go, finding deeper meaning in work, and holiness in the inconsequential moments of everyday life as he shares the challenges that honed his soul. In the rabbi’s inimitable style, he draws invigorating lessons from how the Hindu god of dance and how the Sabbath anchors the workweek, why A.A. Milne inspired his “The Torah of Pooh,” how the diverse cast in a high school production of Fiddler on the Roof forced him to challenge his own views on intermarriage, and the temptation of the forbidden Oreo^TM.

He knows the truth we all share—being a morally evolved human being actually means to be fallible and imperfect, even as we strive to do better. Being a mensch means seeking justice tempered with compassion, understanding our human connection, serving a higher cause and living with dignity and integrity.

In a time when every measure of civility is being overturned, being a mensch may be the only measure of character that truly matters. “If by sharing what I’ve learned, I can add a modicum of generosity, honesty and human connection in a world overflowing with cruelty, loneliness and deceit, then I’ll have done my job,” says Rabbi Hammerman, forever the optimist, who believes that we can turn things around, one mensch at a time.

RABBI JOSHUA HAMMERMAN is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT and the winner of the 2008 Rockower Award for Excellence in Jewish Journalism and the 2018 Religion New Association Award for Excellence in Commentary. He is a regular contributor to The New York Jewish Week, the Times of Israel, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and the Religion News Service and his personal essays have also appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the Washington Post. He has served as the president of the Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut and the Stamford Board of Rabbis and as chaplain for the Stamford Police Department. He is a rabbi, journalist, father, husband, Red Sox fan and an aspiring mensch.

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All training at Congregation Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard St., Brookline.

Please sign up for this free training series provided by the Brookline Police Department, in conjunction with the CJP-JEMS program.

For more information, please email:  chatchett@brooklinema.gov.[/fusion_text][fusion_table fusion_table_type=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]

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Register Here for Sessions:

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Regular Daily Minyan
Fridays, 7:00 am
***Sundays, 8:00 am in the Chapel & 7:00 pm at 100 Centre Street
Mondays – Thursdays, 7:00 am & 7:00 pm, in the Chapel

Friday, December 14
Candlelighting: 3:55 pm
Mincha: 4:00 pm; followed by a Winter Learning, Chapel
KI Community Kabbalat Shabbat (KICKS)/Ma’ariv: 5:15 pm, Chapel

Please note that with the change to standard time, KICKS will be meeting at 5:15 pm throughout the winter.

Saturday, December 15
Shacharit: 8:45 am
Mini-Minyan (ages 5-7): 10:30 am in G-11
Jr. Congregation (ages 8-12): 10:30 am in M-8
Nitzanim (ages 0-4): 10:45 am, G7
Mincha/Ma’ariv: 3:30 pm, in the Chapel, followed by Havdallah: 5:00 pm

Children’s Kiddush  is sponsored by Eliza & Shani Katz in honor of Ari Katz’s birthday

Upcoming Programs​

Shabbos Schmooze

December 22 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm
At the home of Charlie Radin & Mugi Hanao: 184 Clark Road, Brookline

Saturday afternoon discussions with fair-minded people. Some politics, some sports, some whatever. All are welcome.

If you haven’t yet, check out this video interview with KI’s Rabbinic Intern, Matt Goldberg & make sure to say hi to him when you see him around!

https://www.facebook.com/384atKI/videos/550934845366910/

Downtown Lunchtime Seminar Series

Downtown Lunchtime Seminar Series
Location: Murphy & King,  One Beacon St., 21st Floor,  Boston, MA 02108
Hosted by Ted Folkman
topic to be determined each month
Monday, December 17: noon – 1 pm; led by Rabbi Hamilton.
RSVP required to get your name added to the building security list.
RSVP to both Ted at TFolkman@murphyking.com and Henry at henry.braun@bc.edu

Directions: By T, the closest stop is Government Center. By car, there is parking available at the Center Plaza garage. Because of some construction in the building, folks will have to enter on the Beacon Street side of the building unless they’re coming in from the parking garage.

Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project Dinner and Workshop

Tuesday December 11th

Join us for a dinner with keynote speaker, author, Anita Diamant, we are welcoming those who are considering becoming part of our Project, as well as current partners and alumni. The workshop topics include How to Start or Foster a Mental Health Initiative at Your Synagogue and Disability Awareness. Anita will speak about “Hiddur Mitzvah – Making Jewish Life Beautiful for All.” We will also hear from Sharon Shapiro, Trustee of the Ruderman Family Foundation. We are pleased that we will have a strong representation from the KI Inclusion Committee.

Thursday, December 13: Brookline – Congregation Kehillath Israel

Each town hall-style event will feature a discussion of five key questions:

1) Considering Jewish life in Greater Boston, what is our Jewish community doing well?
2) When you think about a vibrant Jewish community, what do you imagine it to look like?
3) What do you think gets in the way or could get in the way of us creating a more vibrant Jewish community in the future?
4) In what ways, if any, do you feel connected to Judaism, Jewish practice, Jewish institutions, and the Jewish community?
5) When you think about the future of the Jewish community, what gives you hope? What concerns you?

Your input and insights can help build a community of learning and action that strengthens Jewish life in Greater Boston and beyond. We hope you’ll join us for an engaging event at a location that’s most convenient to you. All events will begin at 7:00 p.m.

All events are free of charge and accessible to people of all abilities. Light snacks will be served. Dietary laws will be observed.

For special accommodations or more information, please contact Beth at betht@cjp.org.

Save the Date! KI Gala – March 23rd, 2019

More details coming soon!

Shopped at the Butcherie? Please bring your receipts to KI

The Butcherie donates back to KI’s Youth Education Fund a percentage of everything that you purchase. If you make purchases at the Butcherie, please ask the cashier to stamp your receipts (shows that you used either cash or credit card) and then bring them in. We have an envelope and box for receipt collection in our new office space!

384@KI (KI’s 20s/30s group)

DävenDasz with 384@KI, a 20s & 30s group

Every Thursday, join together to help make a minyan at 7:00pm services. Afterwards, we’ll head to JP Licks or another hot spot in Coolidge Corner.
Want more information? Check out the 384@KI community calendar, Facebook group, and Google group.

We have a new website!

Check it out & share with your friends–there are a lot of exciting ways to get involved with 384@KI!  (http://384atki.org)

Ready to invest in the community that has invested in you?

Do you want to help support future (expanded!) programming for folks looking to connect in meaningful ways? We invite you to invest in our continued success by making your commitment official. For more information about programming or membership options for folks in their 20s/30s, please visit http://384atki.org/join-ki or contact Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen (RabbiEBC@congki.org) for more information.

TEEN EXPERIENCES at KI & the 384 Campus

Join the MADRICHIM TEAM

Develop your leadership skills and gain community service hours for school by:
– Guiding younger children in tefila on Saturday mornngs
– Mentoring in a monthly girls’ group
– Volunteering at holiday children’s programs
– Leading Torah reading with other teens in Junior Congregation
– Assisting with administrative tasks in the office
– Tutoring Hebrew as an aide in the Religious School
Fill out this form for details.

B’nei Mitzvah Seminar – UPDATED
The B’nei Mitzvah Seminar is a special way to learn & prepare for your sacred milestone alongside others celebrating between January 2019-August 2020.  In addition to sessions with the full cohort, each family will be part of a small group/chevre to build deeper connections with one another.  Please save the following dates now & contact Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen (RabbiEBC@congki.org) for more details

• Monday, January 21, 2019 (12-3pm): Inspo: Expo at KI
• Sunday, April 7, 2019 (time TBD): Good Deeds Day

PROJECT KESHER – Stay Connected! Post B’nei Mitzvah Opportunities

Learn and prepare for this Did you recently have a Bat/Bar Mitzvah? Mazel tov, and we need you on Shabbat morning to help lead tefila! Keep up your skills and do a mitzvah as a young adult in our community. Sign-up here or email larry_cohen@comcast.net for details.

Ongoing Programs

Advanced Talmud

Thursdays, 11:00 am in the Chapel
This is an on-going class taught by Rabbi Joseph Schultz. New participants are welcome. If you would like to receive email class updates, please contact the main office.

Requests for Assistance from the Community

Housing Needed for Family Seeking Asylum

A young family of four living in our community has a pressing need for assistance with new housing.  They are seeking accommodations close to public transportation.  For more information if you have or might know of potential accommodations, please contact socialaction@congki.org.

384 Campus & Partner Events 

New England Yachad – Looking for Volunteers!

– New England Yachad is looking for adult volunteers for a performing arts class for adults with disabilities! The class is called “Express Yourself” and is held on Tues. and Thurs. 4-6PM at Kehillath Israel from Oct – Jan. It is not necessary to attend every session. Yachad creates inclusive programs, where volunteers act as “peer participants” and participate alongside our members. Make a difference in your community and participate in quality recreational programs! Contact Rebecca Gilbert at gilbertr@ou.org or 617-209-6799 ext. 103 for more information.- Last spring, Yachad participated in a new leadership and advocacy program called Link20. Our goals are to raise awareness on the right of people with disabilities to be fully included in our society and to strengthen young activists’ leadership skills and influence in promoting inclusion and social justice. Our cohort is made up of young adults with and without disabilities who have an interest in advocacy and inclusion. If you are interested in being part of fall cohort, which start Oct. 17th at 6PM, contact Rebecca Gilbert at gilbertr@ou.org or 617-209-6799 ext. 103

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Community Events​

National Havurah Winter Retreat

National Havurah Will Hold Its Winter Retreat in Western Mass, Dec 14-16, 2018

The National Havurah Committee, a network of havurot, individuals and communities, has held an annual week-long Summer Institute as well as weekend regional retreats for many decades.

This-year’s New England retreat will be held at Camp Ramah, in Palmer, MA. Music, Learning, and Spiritual Growth set the tone. A vibrant, musical Kabbalat Shabbat service starts the weekend. Friday evening continues with dinner, singing, and course sessions. On Saturday and Sunday, interact in a range of classes, take time for spirited prayer, walk in the woods or at the lake, learn and sing new songs, stretch your body and your mind. There will also be a supervised program for children. Camp Ramah is about 75 minutes from Boston, MA or Hartford, CT; 90 minutes from Albany, NY, or Providence RI, and convenient to New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont locations. Accommodations are simple, uncrowded, comfortable, and fully winterized. Single rooms and “hotel-style” rooms are also available. Meals are kosher, with vegetarian options. For full details, go to:  www.havurah.org/ne-retreat-2018
(also, please note: participants from the 413 Area Code and southern Vermont can attend for 50% off thanks to a Jewish Family Camp grant available from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Visit https://hgf.org/grants-awards/jewish-family-camps)

Looking for a unique Israel tour?

Tired of New England winters and looking for an alternative to Florida this year?  The Canadian & American Active Retirees in Israel, CAARI, offers an opportunity to experience Israel in a special way through a unique program, designed for the ages 50+ which consists of volunteering, touring ‘must see’ and ‘off the beaten” path sites and an outstanding Speaker’s Forum. The program runs January 10 – February 21, 2019 with flexible 2-6 week options  in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Galilee and Jerusalem.  You have probably been to museums and archeology sites, but how about a news station, a coexistence school, or dancing classes and culinary workshops?

To learn more about the Program, visit the CAARI website, www.caarivolunteers.com, email caarivolunteers@gmail.com  or call 917- 724-2235.

March of the Living – 2019 Teen Registration

Registration has begun for the 2019 Teen March of the Living to Poland and Israel, April 28 – May 12, 2019. Details at https://motl.org/

MOTL, in its 30th year, inspires participants to become knowledgeable, active community leaders.  Groups are led by local guides, historians and Holocaust survivors. Since 1988, MOTL has brought 260,000 teens to Eastern Europe and Israel.

For teen applications and information contact: Aaron L Kischel, Director of MOTL Teen Programming, Day Schools, Synagogues & Youth Movements /  kischel7241@gmail.com /  781-799-4765. Scholarships up to $2,000 are available. Teens must register and submit applications before  Nov 30th to qualify.

Visit our website to see full details about these upcoming events happening in the Boston area!

• CAMERA Fellowship for College Students
  – Includes 4-day training conference in Boston; writing op-eds; organizing college campus events, and more
  – Learn more and apply at the CAMERA website

Announcements & Links

Magen David Adom Volunteering

Magen David Adom is Israel’s ambulance, blood-services, and disaster-relief organization, serving as emergency medical first responders for the state’s more than 8.5 million people. MDA is the only organization mandated by the Israeli government to serve in this role, but it’s not a government agency, so it relies on donations and gifts.

They are looking for volunteers to pick up and replace MDA collection cans in Brookline. If you are interested in this local volunteer opportunity, please contact Barbara Gershen-Swartz at doctorbarbara@comcast.net.

Accommodation Needs?

Do you need accommodation during upcoming services or events? Please email info@congki.org or call 617-277-9155.

CJP Warmline

Do you know someone who is struggling financially? The CJP’s warmline can be reached at (1-800-CJP-9500) or at their website.

Donate to KI Through Amazon

Did you know that you can support KI while shopping  through Amazon?  KI is an Amazon affiliate.  You can connect to Amazon Smile by clicking here. Shop as usual, select us as your charitable organization, and KI will receive a percentage of the purchase price at no cost to yourself.  It’s easy and much appreciated! KI shoppers have helped contribute over $75 just by shopping via KI’s Amazon link.

Rehearsing Repentance

Lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville signaled an early victory for the civil rights movement.  Courageous students in 1960 were willing to endure humiliation, injury, and incarceration, all to advance desegregation through non-violent means.  What is less known, is how much that courage was prepared for, practiced, and rehearsed, before it was demonstrated.

James Lawson, a Methodist minister who had been schooled in non-violent resistance, simulated and enacted scenarios for weeks in advance of the actual sit-ins. Students were harassed, manhandled, shouted at, and shoved by white men who were part of Lawson’s training exercises.  “People don’t realize the necessity of fierce discipline and training” Lawson would say. What is true for practicing courage is also the case with repentance. Preparation makes a difference.

Toward the end of this week’s portion of Torah, Moses conveys, “But God did not give you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear until this day” (Deut. 29:3). What is Moses trying to teach?

Perhaps that first-hand experience cannot be immediately comprehended. Only after the leavening of time can we fully appreciate what the Exodus and Sinai really mean. Or maybe Moses is offering a preamble. His message will soon turn philosophical, moral, and spiritual.  Until now, the Children of Israel have been unable to receive such sentiments.  Whether digesting the past or priming the future, the message indicates that sometimes our faculties are more functional than they otherwise would be.

Poised to enter our season of personal renewal, it behooves us to prepare our hearts, eyes, and ears to discern their deeper meaning.  One tested and true way to ready ourselves for repentance is to rehearse it in advance. Make time this week to visit with someone you’ve disappointed for the sake of furnishing a better future together. This is what we ask of God.  May we prepare to receive in ways that flow from what we offer.

A sweet Shabbat to you,

Rabbi William Hamilton

Image: Trees and Path