Congregation Beth Ami
Social Activities
Adult Education
Please check our synagogue bulletin, the Shofar
for specific courses and programs being offered. More
information is available on the Education
page.
Book Discussion Group
EACH YEAR the congregation holds a book discussion
series that has attracted many folks who love books
that stretch their mind and challenge their imagination.
If you would like to discuss these books with like-minded
people, we meet at Congregation Beth Ami in Room 12-13
on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. beginning
in November. More details.
Chavurot (Friendship Groups)
THE CHAVURAH experience at Congregation Beth Ami is a meaningful one.
It is for members who are seeking to create a long-standing
intimate relationship with a select group of congregants.
A typical Chavurah is composed of about 20 people with
similar interests who generally get together monthly.
The individuals in a given Chavurah often share a common
interest or age group. Sometimes the group is intergenerational
so as to create a feeling of extended family. Each group
decides its own activities based on their particular needs
and interests — Shabbat and holiday dinners, Sunday
brunches, theatre, retreats in Lake Tahoe. Get connected!
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Israeli Folk Dancing
Circle and line dances to songs in Hebrew, and even a
few in Arabic, Turkish, Spanish, Greek, Farsi and English.
Tuesdays 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. at the Friedman Center, or in
the adjoining Beth Ami social hall. $3, anyone may
drop in any time; we do easier dances earlier. For more information, please contact the Beth Ami office at 360-3000.
Meditation
Sunday Morning Meditation is led by Rabbi George Schlesinger
of Congregation Beth Ami, this group meets weekly for
an abbreviated Shacharit service that is interwoven
with chant and meditation.
Rosh Chodesh
The Jewish calendar, unlike the secular calendar,
is arranged according to the phases of the moon. Many
Jewish festivals fall on the full moon. Rosh Chodesh (literally, “head of the month” or “head
of the moon”), the first of every Hebrew month,
always falls on the new moon. In biblical times, Rosh
Chodesh was a festival marked by celebratory sacrifice
and feasting; in rabbinic times, bonfires were lit on
the mountains to announce the arrival of the new moon.
Today Beth Ami’s Rosh Chodesh women’s group
continues to celebrate this semi-holiday for all traditional
Jews.
In Jewish lore and mysticism, as in other cultures,
the moon has been a symbol for feminine principles.
Rosh Chodesh, the new moon, has special meaning for
Jewish women, and thus we gather at the beginning of
each new Jewish month to explore our spiritual selves,
make connections with one another, take note of and
recognize our beliefs, feelings and attitudes through
the means of Jewish texts, themes, and rituals.
We meet on the eve of Rosh Chodesh, the beginning
of the new cycle of the moon. This activity is free
and open to all Jewish women, regardless of affiliation.
Please contact
our office to get on our email list for Rosh Chodesh announcements. Check the Events page for specific dates and times of our monthly
activities.
Congregational Shabbat Dinners
On the first Friday of each month the congregation gathers
in the Social Hall for a delicious gourmet Shabbat dinner
complete with a kid’s “menu.” After dinner
there are family-style services in the sanctuary with
joyful singing and stories. The oneg is truly a treat
with live music, Israeli folk-dancing, coffee and cake.
Call the office at 360-3000 for reservations. Adults,
$12; children 5-12 $7; under 5 free.
Visit the News & Events page for specific dates.
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Sisterhood
The “S” Team is not your grandmother’s
sisterhood. We are a group of women of all ages and
backgrounds who are involved in programs designed to
enhance the religious, spiritual and cultural life at
Beth Ami. Fundraising projects enable us to contribute
to the synagogue’s financial health.
Sisterhood is a special group where friendships are
made and extended families are formed. Our Sisterhood
is a place where women share common interests, concerns,
and ideas that are part of our Jewish experiences.
The newly reformed (2005) Sisterhood events have included:
Yiddish Bingo night; sponsorship of Oneg Shabbats; outings
to the theatre; gift of knives to the Beth Ami kitchen,
donation to JFCS Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, Shabbat
Baskets for the NS.
For more information and to get involved, please call
the synagogue office 360-3000. To see a listing of upcoming
activities, see News
& Events.
Social Action
“THE WORLD stands on three things: on Torah, on
divine service and on deeds of loving-kindness.”
Our Social Action Committee invites congregants to make
a difference in the world and develop meaningful relationships
with the Beth Ami family through participating in a
variety of activities which address social needs in
the general, Jewish and Beth Ami communities. We each
can make a difference. Join us.
Torah/Talmud study
Updated content coming soon.
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Tot Shabbat
On the third Shabbat morning of each month, pre-school
teacher Lauren Kalmanson conducts a Tot Shabbat program
at Beth Ami. Combining prayers, stories, arts and crafts,
singing, dance, and refreshments, Lauren presents a
Shabbat experience for the youngest members of our community
and their families. Each month, Tot Shabbat begins at
9:30 a.m. and continues until approximately noon. At
the conclusion of the Tot Shabbat experience, the children
are invited to sit on the Bimah with the rabbi for the
singing of Bim-Bam/Shabbat Shalom, and all in attendance
are invited to participate with the general congregation
in the potluck lunch in the social hall.
Open to all families in the community (not only Beth
Ami members), the Tot Shabbat experience is a chance
for families to share together in a warm, supportive
Shabbat atmosphere. While geared primarily for the benefit
of pre-school aged children and their families, older
siblings are welcome to share with their families.
Please spread the word that “Tot Shabbat”
has arrived and we look forward to sharing the Shabbat
with families with young children.
United Synagogue Youth (USY)
USY is a program for our youth ages 14 through 18
sponsored by United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
Beth Ami’s teens undertake a variety of fundraisers
and tzedakah (charity) projects throughout the course
of each year and plan and attend numerous social activities.
Members of our award-winning chapter have many opportunities
to participate in regional, national and international
events, which are held in California, across the nation,
and elsewhere in the world. USY is a wonderful way for
teens to connect with other Jewish teens and to enhance
their own leadership and Judaic skills. Go to USY
website. (This link will open in a new window.)
Our own USY group, Sonoma County USY (SCUSY) won four awards in 2006 from the New Frontier region:
- Chapter of the Year
- Best new inter-chapter event: the USY Prom
- Excellence in Membership Programing for the 8th grade Kidnap Breakfast
- President of Excellence Award to co-presidents Aaron Sherman and Ilana Stoelting
Wine Group
 The
Beth Ami Wine group picks grapes annually (except when
the harvest falls on Shabbat and/or High Holidays),
and makes Rebbe's Red, used for special occasions at
the synagogue. Everyone is welcome to join in this multi-stage
wine-making process, here in Wine Country. Announcements
will be in the Shofar, for day/time and locations.
No prior experience required. Fun for the whole family.
There are also occasional wine tastings or other related
activities, open to all who are interested. Call the Beth Ami office if you would like to participate in future activities. Check the
Shofar for details.
© 2007 Congregation Beth Ami
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