Congregation Agudat Achim
Weekly Announcements
23 November 2022 - 29 Cheshvan 5783
Parashat Toldot


Rabbi Rafi Spitzer -- President Steve Schmidt
New Playgroup Starts Thursday 1 December
Kabbalat Shabbat in the Round 2 December
Don't Miss this Weekend with Rabbi Levin
Tot Shabbat 3 December
Torah Study 4 December
For all our upcoming programs please click on the button below.
Weekly Messages
Words from our President

This week’s message is a combination of three items that aren’t really related but together make up one exciting and informative weekly message….

  1. Not that long ago, we used to hold programs at synagogue where we’d get together and watch a movie in the social hall together and talk about it afterwards. Doesn’t that notion of getting a bunch of people together in one room sound so pre-2020? But we’ve all gotten much better at using the Internet… so the Adult Ed committee is organizing an in-your-home viewing of the movie In Heaven Underground, the story of the Weissensee Jewish Cemetery in Berlin, founded in 1880 and never destroyed. You will need to register; keep an eye out for details on how to do so. The event is a fundraiser for our own cemetery, so please join us virtually by registering and watching.
  2. On the flip side, one thing we have started doing since the beginning of COVID is lighting our giant electric menorah outdoors on the lawn. This year we will again have a lighting ceremony every night, with each night’s event being sponsored by a different synagogue group. Every night will be a little different, so make plans to join us for as many nights as you can! Lighting will be 5:10 or 5:15 each night except Friday afternoon when it will be at 3:50 to accommodate the arrival of Shabbat.
  3. And on behalf of the Board and the whole community, a hearty Mazal Tov! to Rachael, Rabbi, Ellie, and Jonah Spitzer on the arrival of the newest member of the Spitzer family. We’re all so happy for you and wish you the very best as you once again bring new life into our world and our community.


Shabbat Shalom,
Steve Schmidt
Catering News
Meals to Go Inventory Expands its Inventory Weekly
Check it out for the Holidays!

We're back with new offerings and much more to come in the days ahead.
Current inventory includes Eggplant Parm, Salmon Patties, Kugels, Herb Challah Stuffing, Vegetable Quiches, Chicken Soup and Matzoh Balls, BBQ Chicken, Vegetable Side Dishes & Dessert.


To order and arrange pick up, email Rise' @ [email protected].

Please click on the button below to see our current inventory.
Help support the SiCM food pantry
Please help the Social Action Committee as we support the SICM food pantry by donating personal care items until the end of November. Items requested most often are toothpaste, tooth brushes, shampoo, deodorant & soap. All items can be placed in the baskets in the synagogue foyer. Any questions - contact Sharon Wohl at [email protected].

Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Time to Order to Mah Jongg cards!
Large cards cost $15.00 and the Standard Cards are $14.00.
All orders must be submitted before January 27, 2023.

Please send a check made out to CAA Women's Network to:
Sara Gavens, 64 Victoria Court, Niskayuna, NY 12309.

Include with your check:
1) Names, home and email addresses, and phone numbers, for each person ordering;
2) Number of large and small cards for each person ordering; and
3) Total dollar amount enclosed.

Please contact Sara, at [email protected] or by phone at 518-782-4652, with any questions.
Joint Youth Groups Dinner
Coming 11 December
Save the Date for the Hanukkah Dinner
Registration Email Coming Next Week!
Save the Date!
Hanukkah on Jay!
Register Now!
For an Unforgettable Film
ScholarStream 5783
Series Three
School News
There is no school on November 24th and 27th
School resumes December 1st
Get ready for the Hanukkah Dinner!
High School News

December 4th will start a new High School
6 week session.


Second period electives will be:

Hot Topics with Becca Kline
How to Build a Jewish App with Jackie Rowen

Please let Jack know which one your teen has chosen.
Join our Parent Facebook Page 
 
Be up to date on the Religious school happenings. Follow our private parent page on Facebook, at CAA Religious School Parents. Reminders and pictures from school and events are posted regularly. 

Registration is still open for this year!
Calendar for the Year
Coming in December
Youth Shabbat Programming

  • Next Singing-in-Shabbat with Emily Solomon (ages 5 and under) Friday 2 Dec @4:30 pm
  • Next Mini Minyan with Eliana Moses (Pre-K -- Grade 2) Shabbat 17 Dec @ ~10:45am
  • Next Junior Congregation with Kira Gold (grades 2-6) Shabbat 3 Dec @ ~10:45 am
  • Next Tot Shabbat with Rebecca Stashower (ages 5 and under) Shabbat 3 Dec @ ~10:45 am
  • School Havdalah (0 to Grade 5)  Shabbat 17 December 5:15pm
With our Members
Birthdays:
Jake Middleton
Judith Ruthberg
Deborah Yablon
Valentina Khirge
Harold Krupa
Anita Merims
Stephen Schechter
Florence Wasserman
Arthur Friedson
Cole Lindsey
David Posner
Gyle Ben Ami
Murray Jaros
Dan Gross

Anniversaries:
Benjamin & Emily Solomon

Mazel tov: None this week

Lost and Found: Beautiful white tallit bag left from the Bar Mitzvah. Contact Jack if it is yours.
Yahrzeits:
Abe Myers
Abram Shpigel
Gladys Kozinn
Beatrice Merims
Jennie Olshein Cohen
Dr. Harry Silver
Theodore Takaroff
Lawrence Horowitz
Abraham Flecker
Joel Gahuse
Marilyn Simon
Shirley Newman
Martin Rubinstein
Sidney Wolin




Condolences: to Susan, Rebecca, and Sarah, as well as the entire Axelrod family on Howards passing.

Thank You
Thank you and Yashar Koach to all who participated in this past week's Shabbat services, including our Torah and Haftarah Readers, Daveners/Service Leaders, Service Coordinators/Gabbaim, Ushers/Greeters, Aliya and Torah Service Honorees, and Other Participants, as well as those who Contributute to our Security Fund, Attend in person or virtually, and “…those who give funds for heat and light, wine for Kiddush and Havdalah, bread to the wayfarer and charity to the poor, and all those who devotedly involve themselves with the needs of this community… May the Holy Blessed One reward them, remove sickness from them, heal them, and forgive their sins. May God bless them by prospering all their worthy endeavors, and let us say: Amen.”

Ongoing Events
Monthly SiCM Volunteer Opportunity
CAA has made a commitment to help with food distribution at the SiCM food pantry twice a month. Some tasks include putting together grocery bags, sorting and packing products, stocking shelves, and helping with the actual distribution to their guests. Our monthly dedicated times are the second Tuesday of the month, from 1-2:30pm, and the fourth from 9:30-11am.
SiCM food pantry address: 839 Albany St, Schenectady, which is 3.5 miles from the synagogue. Please RSVP to Linda Shapiro. 

CAA Healthy Living Group (Zoom) Meets Wednesdays at 10a

Reyut requests for rides
Call Linda Birnby at 518-608-6083 to organize a ride for you with a member of our team of volunteers. Remember, the earlier that you call her to request a ride, the easier it will be to find you a driver. It is wonderful to be able to offer you this service once again!
Adult Education Series: Meet the Authors
(in partnership with the Jewish Book Council)
Sponsorship Opportunities

We are so excited about joining the Jewish Book Council Network, and about all the wonderful programs that we are able to bring as a result of that partnership. In order that we are able to join the JBC again this coming year, the adult education committee is offering an opportunity to sponsor our Meet the Authors program.


All sponsorships of this program helps to make it possible for us to partner with the Jewish Book Council in the future to bring more events like this. Your name will be included in our promotion, and you will have our gratitude. We are looking for 10 Sustainer-level sponsorships. Please help our Adult Education Committee
to continue to bring high level programming to CAA.

$250 Meet the Authors Sustainer 

$50 Meet the Authors Supporter 

Contact Becca in the main office if you would like to sponsor this program.
518-393-9211
CAA and Maven Programs

JEWISH MISS WYOMING: REPRESENTING JEWISH WOMEN ACROSS AMERICA
Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Free Online
WE ARE NOT ONE: A HISTORY OF AMERICA'S FIGHT OVER ISRAEL
Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 9:00am
Free Online
MUSIC AND THE HOLOCAUST
Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 11:00am
Fee:$21.00 Online
Schedule & Minyan Links
Schedule for the Week
Wednesday 23 November
7:30a Shacharit/Morning Minyan Zoom Password: 1921 (at Temple Israel of Scranton, PA)
Thursday 24 November Rosh Chodesh Kislev Thanksgiving Office Closed No School
Friday 25 November Rosh Chodesh Kislev Office Closed
9:30a Volunteer at SiCM with CAA
4:07p Candle Lighting / Shabbat begins
Shabbat 26 November Parashat Toldot
Torah: Genesis 25:19-28:9
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1 - 2:7
5:07p Shabbat ends / Havdalah
Sunday 27 November No school
8:30a Shacharit/Morning Minyan with Temple Israel of Scranton, PA
Monday 28 November
1:00p JTS Fall 2022 Learning Series: Dangerous Ideas: Censorship Through a Jewish Lens How Should a Jewish Philosopher Read the Bible? Hermann Cohen’s Problem with Spinoza with Dr. Shira Billett Register
Tuesday 29 November
7:30a Shacharit/Morning Minyan at Adath Israel of Merion, PA
5:00p Beginners Hebrew Class with Tsipporah Harris Register
6:00p Intermediate Hebrew Class with Tsipporah Harris Register
7:30p Board of Trustees Meeting
Wednesday 30 November
7:30a Shacharit/Morning Minyan Zoom Password: 1921 (at Temple Israel of Scranton, PA)
1:00p JTS Fall 2022 Learning Series: Dangerous Ideas: Censorship Through a Jewish Lens The Circle of Censorship and Book Burning in East European Jewry with Dr. David Fishman Register
8:00p ScholarStream Series 3: Great Thinkers Who Have Influenced Conservative Judaism Heschel on Prophecy: Spirituality and Activism with Rabbi Gordon Tucker Register Code: AgudatAchim5783
Thursday 1 December
4:15p Religious School
Friday 2 December 
4:04p Candle Lighting / Shabbat begins
4:30p Singing in Shabbat
7:45p Kabbalat Shabbat in the Round
8:30p Rabbi Levin teaches: "The Current Realities of Masorti Judaism in Israel"
9:20p Light dessert and refreshments
Shabbat 3 December Parashat Vayetzei
9:15a Morning Service by livestream with Dvar Torah from Rabbi Levin
Torah: Genesis 28:10-32:3
Haftarah: Hosea 12:13 - 14:10
Haftarah for Sephardim: Hosea 11:7 - 12:12
10:45a Junior Congregation
10:45a Tot Shabbat
12:00p Congregational Kiddush luncheon 
1:00p Rabbi Levin teaches: "Exploring the New Teshuva from the Committee of Jewish Law and Standards 'On the Mitzvah of Sustainability'" which is this December's choice for the International Seminar for Halakhic Study
5:04p Shabbat ends / Havdalah
5:10p Community Havdalah and Rabbi Levin teaches: "sharing each other's personal Jewish journeys"
Staff Emails
Rabbi Rafi Spitzer, [email protected], (518) 348-9478
Jack Mintzer, Director of Education and Programing: [email protected]
Rebecca Kline, Administrator: [email protected]
Bree Kerr, Administrative Assistant: [email protected]
Rise' Routenberg, Catering: [email protected]

Congregation Agudat Achim
Main Phone Number: 518-393-9211

Rabbi Spitzer ext. 1
Religious School Office ext. 2
As You Like It Catering ext. 3
Main Office ext. 0
Board Emails
Steve Schmidt, President: [email protected]
Susan Sharfstein, Facilities VP: [email protected]
Gary Reich, Programing VP: [email protected]
Mindy Sorbo, Treasurer: [email protected]

In the Community
CHOOSING HOPE: THE HERITAGE OF JUDAISM
Part of Between the Lines: Author Conversations from The Library of JTS
Monday, November 14, 2022, 7:30–8:30 p.m. ET
Online
Throughout our history, Jews have traditionally responded to our trials with hope, psychologist David Arnow says, because we have had ready access to Judaism’s abundant reservoir of hope. The first book to explore the depths of this reservoir, Choosing Hope journeys from biblical times to our day to explore nine fundamental sources of hope in Judaism:
  • Teshuvah: The method to fulfill our hope to become better human beings
  • Tikkun olam: The hope that we can repair the world by working together
  • Abraham and Sarah: Models of persisting in hope amid trials
  • Exodus: The archetype of redemptive hope
  • Covenant: The hope for a durable relationship with the One of Being
  • Job: The “hard-fought hope” that brings a grief-stricken man back to life
  • World-to-Come: The sustaining hope that death is not the end
  • Israel: High hope activists work to build a just and inclusive society for all Israelis
  • Jewish Humor: “Hope’s last weapon” in our darkest days
Grounded in a contemporary theology that situates the responsibility for creating a better world in human hands, with God acting through us, Choosing Hope can help us both affirm hope in times of trial and transmit our deepest hopes to the next generation.
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