September 30, 2026 | Tishrei 19, 5787

Dear Friends,

There are certain times of year when a person’s deepest loyalties are tested.

The High Holy Days, certainly. And… October baseball.

Those who know me know that I am a die-hard Yankees fan. This is not a casual affiliation. It is part of my mesorah - a sacred tradition passed down through generations, accompanied by unreasonable expectations, occasional heartbreak, and the deeply held theological conviction that 27 championships should somehow entitle us to a 28th.

But now I live in San Diego. And I love this city. I love our community. And I have genuinely come to love the Padres.

Which creates a problem.

Because when both teams are playing meaningful October baseball, I find myself practicing a very specific form of rabbinic pluralism: rooting passionately for the Padres while maintaining that somewhere, somehow, the Yankees remain the am hanivchar - the chosen team (please direct all complaints to my office)!

And maybe that divided baseball heart is actually perfect preparation for Simchat Torah.

Because Simchat Torah is also about loyalty - but not the kind that stands still.

We reach the final words of Deuteronomy, celebrate completing the Torah, and then immediately roll back to Genesis and begin again: Bereishit bara Elohim.

No offseason. No resting on last year’s record. No saying, “I already know this story.”

We return because we are different. The Torah may contain the same words, but we are not the same people who read them a year ago. We have celebrated and grieved, succeeded and stumbled. Our world has changed. We have changed. And so we discover that an ancient text can somehow speak a new word to us.

Perhaps that is what real loyalty looks like - not simply loving something because we always have, but choosing to return to it again and again, allowing the relationship to keep growing.

Baseball fans understand this instinctively. There is always another season.

Jews understand it, too.

There is always another turn of the scroll.

So this Simchat Torah, may we dance this Friday evening with what we have inherited, celebrate how far we have traveled - and have the courage and curiosity to begin again.

And if the Yankees and Padres somehow meet in the World Series? That, my friends, is when I will need your prayers.

Jason Nevarez

Senior Rabbi 

rabbinevarez@cbisd.org 

Friday, October 2

6:15 pm Erev Shabbat & Simchat Torah Service and Consecration, David & Dorothea Garfield Social Hall (YouTube)

Saturday, October 3

Torah Portion: Sh’mini Atzeret – Simchat Torah, Deuteronomy 33:1–34:12, Genesis 1:1–2-3; Haftarah: Joshua 1:1–18 

10:30 am Shabbat & Sukkot Yizkor Services, Foster Family Chapel (YouTube)

20s & 30s: Movie Night in the Sukkah with Rabbi Elana Ackerman Hirsch

Thursday, October 1 @ 6:00 pm

Young adults are invited to join Rabbi Elana Ackerman Hirsch for a movie night in the Sukkah! Movie snacks are on us, but you're encouraged to bring a picnic dinner for yourself or to share. Register below to cast your vote on what movie we should watch!

Simchat Torah Pizza Dinner

Friday, October 2 @ 5:30 pm

Join the Lee & Frank z"l Goldberg Family Religious School for the special Simchat Torah tradition! Before the scrolls unroll, share a few slices with friends and family. You'll need the fuel for Israeli dancing after the service!

Pizza will be served at 5:30 pm, with the service following at 6:15 pm.

Beth Israel Day of Service

Sunday, October 4

Come join us for a day of community and purposeful projects at our synagogue! Let’s give our time on various projects such as painting, sprucing garden beds, preparing school materials, dismantling the sukkah, or assembling membership packets.

You may choose one or more of these slots:
9:00–9:45 am • 9:45–10:30 am • 10:30–11:15 am

Community Sukkah Takedown with the Men’s Club

Sunday, October 4 @ 9:30 am

Kick off the new year by fulfilling a mitzvah and helping us by taking down the Sukkah! Everyone is welcome to lend a hand.

Mending Hearts: Finding Hope and Meaning After Loss

Sundays, 10:00 am-11:30 am

Session I: October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 1, 15

Session II: January 31; February 7, 21, 28; March 7, 14

Mending Hearts offers comfort, connection, and compassionate support in a small, welcoming group for those grieving a recent loss. Space is limited—sign up today!

Movie Mavens: I Swear

Wednesday, October 7 @ 1:30 pm

Based on the true life story of John Davidson, a Scottish man with severe Tourette syndrome, I Swear received five nominations at the 79th British Academy Film Awards and won three BAFTA awards including Best Actor.

Service Learning Trip to the Dominican Republic: Informational Meeting

Tonight, Wednesday, September 30 @ 5:30 pm-6:30, or Thursday, October 8 @ 5:30-6:30 pm

Join us for a virtual information session about Beth Israel’s fifth Service Learning Trip to the Dominican Republic in February 2027! This unforgettable opportunity to empower a community is open to 9th–12th graders and adults alike.

Both informational sessions will cover the same information.

Providing Dinner to the Residents of Rachel’s Women’s Center & Night Shelter

Sunday, October 11 @ 4:15 pm

Beth Israel Needs YOU (yes, YOU!) to join the group providing dinner to homeless residents of Rachel Women's Center.

For decades, Beth Israel has delivered dinner on designated Sundays year-round to the homeless women at Rachel's Women's Center. We're doing it again on October 11. Join us in supporting this important and long-standing mitzvah.

Cooking with Tammy

Thursday, October 15 @ 6:00 pm

Join Beth Israel’s Tammy Vener for an evening of delicious cooking, tastings, wine, desserts, a cookbook exchange, and a raffle! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options are available. Guests will receive a booklet of recipes to take home.

Shira Chadasha Erev Shabbat Services

Friday, October 16 @ 8:30 pm

Join us for Erev Shabbat Shira Chadasha Services (New Song) in the Foster Family Chapel. Replenish your soul with contemporary music and prayer in this intimate and informal service open to all and followed by an oneg. This service is in person only.

Men's Club Speaker's Forum & Dinner: Understanding the November Ballot Initiatives

Wednesday, October 21 @ 6:30 pm

Join Beth Israel member Jason Bercovitch, Senior Advisor to Rep. Scott Peters, for a nonpartisan presentation explaining what each ballot measure would do and who supports and opposes each proposal. Space is limited. RSVP today!

Member Meet Up: Knitting and Crocheting for Caring Community

Sunday, October 11 @ 9:00 am. RSVP here

Men’s Club Discussion Group

Monday, October 12

10:00 am. RSVP here

Adult Evening Book Club

Thursday, October 15

7:00 pm. RSVP here

Morning Mindfulness with Julie Potiker

Wednesdays @ 10:00 am

RSVP here

Member Meet Up:

Tuesday Afternoon Mahjong

Tuesdays 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

RSVP here

Anniversaries: Week of September 30 - October 6

Janine & Sanford Feldman on 45 years!

Karen Foster Silberman & Jeff Silberman on 27 years!

Rachel & Lyle Carnick on 24 years!

Karen Elitzky & Erik Johnson on 19 years!

Jamie & Adam York on 16 years!

Sarah & Jean-Pierre Guillou on 14 years!

Kendall & Tyler Savitch on 14 years!

Jennifer & Doug White on 11 years!

Corryn & Bruno Garcia on their 1st year!

Julie Alper, Wendy Batterson, Sondra Berman, Robert L. Berman, Roni Breite, Becks De Witt, Denese Garrick, Wilfred Garrick, David Gilmore, Joey Gilckman, Lee Goldberg, Rachel Goldenhar, Dick Gordon, Tanya Jablon, Richard Katz, Sandra Levinson, Julieta Velasco Medenilla, Leah Belloew McCune, Barry Pearlstein, Stacey Rael, Nanci Roth, Norman Rozansky, Galina Rubalchenko, Sarah Bat Batya u’ Moshe, Sarah Yocheved bat Channah, Mimi Shuman, Rhonda Schwartz, Debbie Simmons, Heather Smith, Marilyn Thompson, Cathy Weil, Gail Zides.