Purim! (Wed, Feb 28)

Photo by Nate Steiner on Flickr. Public Domain.

Join us on Wednesday, Feb 28, at 6:00.

We'll read the Book of Esther (M'gillat Esther) and eat delicious hamantaschen (of course!).

Come in costume if you’d like. The kids are already discussing what they plan to wear.

We will provide the groggers (noisemakers), but we need you to come make noise!

American Freedom, the American Revolution, and American Jews: A History (Thur, Feb 15)

Photo by Josh Hallett*

Please join us at Beth Shalom on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:00, for our second installment of the Beth Shalom Cultural Arts Series.

Hear Dr. Adam Jortner speak about "American Freedom, the American Revolution, and American Jews: A History."

Wine and light appetizers will be served. 

Please invite your friends.       

Adam Jortner studies the transformation of religious and political life in the early United States, concentrating on Judaism and the American Revolution.

Dr. Jortner has received fellowships from the following:

• Woodrow Wilson Foundation
• McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania
• Massachusetts Historical Society
• Kentucky Historical Society
• Redd Center for Western Studies. 

He is teaching a course this semester titled "American Religious Liberty & Religious Minorities."

Beth Shalom is offering a cultural series to provide our community with the opportunity to hear from leading figures and outstanding scholars on issues of religion, history, and contemporary society from a Jewish perspective through lectures and films.


*Hallett, J. Declaration of Independence—National Archives—Washington, DC. Photo. 2009. CC-BY-SA 2.0. https://flic.kr/p/6shrhc                   

Religious School Happenings (Sun, Feb 4)

Letter from Temple Beth Shalom in Puerto Rico

Our ISJL Fellow, Harrison Bleiberg, visited with us this weekend, and the kids loved the games!

Barbara led planting for Tu BiSh'vat despite the rain.

And the children received a beautiful thank you letter from Temple Beth Shalom in Puerto Rico, the recipient of their tzedakah collection (text below). We wish the best for San Juan's congregation and whole community as they continue to recover.

Dear Students of the Beth Shalom Sunday School,

All of us at Temple Beth Shalom in San Juan, Puerto Rico (we have the same name!) would like to express our sincere thanks for the tzedakah money you collected towards hurricane relief.

This has been a very difficult time for us, as well as for all of Puerto Rico. Many of us are still without power or water. In my own case, our water has just returned but we have yet to get our power restored. We turn on our generator for a few hours in the morning and a few hours at night. We avoid opening the refrigerator when the generator is off. After it is turned off at night we leave candles lit in the bathrooms and use flashlights. I like to use the flashlight on my phone.

We loved the photo of you and the wonderful card you made. We have put it on out bulletin board for all to admire. If you come to Puerto Rico with your parents in the future, come and visit us!

Sincerely,

Emily Krasinski
President, Temple Beth Shalom
San Juan, Puerto Rico