Shabbat Blast

Shabbat Blast!

Erev Shabat – September 2, 2016

Candle Lighting: 7:05 pm

Maariv: 8:00

Shabbat, September 3, 2016

Parshat Re’eh

Rosh Chodesh Elul

Nosh and Drosh 9:00am

Services 9:45am

UPDATED:  Check us out on Facebook, (Congregation Beth Ohr) Twitter (@Cong_Beth_Ohr) and Instagram (congbethohr)!!!

Dear [first_name]

Tonight we greet not only Shabbat, but also Rosh Hodesh, the beginning of the month of Elul!

This means we have one month of preparation before Rosh Hashanah.

There are many ways we prepare for the Yamim Nora’im, the Days of Awe, and one of them is through special additions to our liturgy. Starting Sunday morning, we’ll blow the shofar every morning through the High Holy Day period. We’ll also add Psalm 27, the psalm for the Season of Repentance.

We recite Psalm 27 every morning and evening of the month of Elul, and continue through Yom Kippur (in some communities, all the way through Hoshanah Rabbah). The entire psalm is only 14 verses long, which is roughly twice the number of days we have left before Rosh Hashanah. I invite you to join me in selecting one verse every other day or so, between now and then, for contemplation, reflection, inspiration. I've included the entire psalm text at the end of this message, in a modern translation from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. The bolded verse (4) is the translation of the song I'm presenting here.

CLICK HERE to listen to Ahat Sha’alti

Text: Psalm 27, Verse 4
Music: Hasidic
Recorded by Cantor Sarah Myerson (voice) and Ilya Shneyveys (organ) at Congregation Mishkan Tefila, August 2015.

Psalm 27, as translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

1. Yah! You are my light. 
You are my savior.
Whom need I dread?
Yah, with you as my strong protector who can make me panic?
2. When hateful bullies gang up on me, wanting to harass me, to oppress and terrorize me
They are the ones who stumble and fall.
3. Even if a gang surrounds me my heart is not weakened.
If a battle is joined around me my trust in You is firm.
4. Only one thing do I ask of You, Yah:
Just this alone do I seek, I want to be at home with you, Yah,
All the days of my life.
I want to delight in seeing You.
Seeing You when I come to visit You in Your temple.

5. You hide me in your sukkah on a foul day.
You conceal me unseen in Your tent.
You also raise me beyond anyone's reach

6. And now, as You have held my head high despite the presence of my powerful foes
I prepare to celebrate and thrill, singing and making music to You, Yah!
7. Listen, Yah, to the sound of my cry
And, being kind, answer me!
8. My heart has said, I turn to seek you.
Your presence is what I beg for
9. Don't hide Your face from me.
Don't just put me down, You who have been my helper.
Don't abandon me, don't forsake me, God my support.
10. Though my father and my mother have left me
You, Yah, will hold me securely.
11. Please teach me Your way.
Teach me Your way and guide me on the straight path.
Discourage those who defame me
Because false witnesses stood up against me belching out violence. 
12. Don't let me become the victim of my foes.
I wouldn't have survived 
13. If I hadn't hoped that I would see, yet, 
Your goodness, God, fully alive on earth.
14. So I tell you, my friends: you too hope to Yah! Be sturdy! 
And make strong your heart. And most of all, keep hoping to Yah.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom, and a Hodesh Tov,

Cantor Myerson

High Holiday Ticket Information has been sent via email, and paper mail for those without email.  If you haven't received it yet, or if you know someone who hasn't received it, please contact the office.

Selichot. This year’s topic is "Putting God Second: How to Save Religion from Itself"  This will be a first session in a series of talks on Rabbi Doniel Hartman's thought provoking ideas.

Why have the monotheistic religions failed to produce societies that live up to their ethical ideals? Rabbi Doniel Hartman answers this question by looking at his own faith and offering a way for religion to heal itself.

It will be at Congregation Beth Ohr on September 24th, 9:00 PM

Refreshments served beforehand at 8:30

Followed By Selichot Services (10:00 PM), a chance to begin asking for forgiveness in community.

Lori and Ken Blitzer have offered to host Tashlich again. They live right on the water. We will be meeting at their home at 2625 Belmill Rd., Bellmore. BYO Bread!  After, we will reconvene at CBO for Mincha and Maariv.

2016-­5777 High Holiday Schedule 

Upcoming Hazak programming:  Sept 22, 2016 - Center for Jewish History.  Oct 23 - Capitol Steps (Comedy Show). Nov 9 - Kristalnacht Program.

Ian Randman has an Eagle Scout Project in memory of Shawn Asman, whose mom is a current member of CBO. Here is his note:  “Hi, I have created the crowdfunding campaign. The project is being done in memory of Shawn Asman, a student that attended Calhoun High School but passed away in December of 2014. All other information regarding the project is included in the campaign: Ian's Eagle Scout Project at Calhoun High School. Thank You, Ian”