Tazria-Metzora

Saturday Morning Services begin at 9 am

Join online at www.beth-jacob.org/YouTube

COVID-19 SAFETY AT BETH JACOB

Current status: Updated April 21

Check out the most up to date information at www.beth-jacob.org/covid

Masks are required in youth education programming every week

We are still using a rotating schedule in which masks will be required on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Shabbatot of the month, and masks will be optional but encouraged on the 2nd and 4th Shabbatot of the month.

Reach out to Jamie or Rabbi Rubin to share your feedback and suggestions or email [email protected].

THIS SHABBAT

Kiddush is sponsored today by Peter & Harriet Glick on honor of 60th wedding anniversary

Thank you to Bob Rees for giving this weekend's D’var Torah

SPECIAL OMER LEARNING

WITH RABBI RUBIN

There's a wonderful tradition to study our most important source of Jewish ethics, Pirkei Avot, every Shabbat afternoon between Pesach and Shavuot as we prepare to receive the Torah at Sinai together. Join Rabbi Rubin immediately after lunch for a brief (20-30 minutes) discussion of one or two mishnayot from this fascinating collection of rabbinic teachings, followed by a spirited singing of Birkat Ha-Mazon! 

This week the learning will be in conjunction with the B'nai Mitzvah Lunch & Learn in Room 4/5. Grab your lunch & join us following services tomorrow.

Musaf Conversations

Sat. April 29th around 11:15 am

in Room 4/5

Beth Gendler, the Executive Director of Jewish Community Action (JCA), will join us to talk about some of the initiatives that JCA are involved with as the city of St. Paul discusses reparations.

Our double parashah this week, Tazria-Metzora’, describes a variety of afflictions that “infect” the body and home. These illnesses create a state of ritual impurity that brings serious consequences to the individual sufferer and to that person’s community. So grave was this affliction, called tsara’at, it fell upon the local kohen to examine a person (or home) and declare that it had commenced. It undoubtedly brought a sense of loneliness and isolation to the sufferer, who was (temporarily) cast out of the camp. “Being impure, the person shall dwell alone; their dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Lev. 13:46). 

And yet, this mysterious affliction has much to teach us about the nature of healing – and supporting those who are ill. The metzora’ (person with the skin disease) is obliged to proclaim their illness in public, calling out, “impure! Impure!” in public (Lev. 13:45). The straightforward meaning of this is that a person must warn others in order prevent the spread of the contagion, but the sages of the Talmud (Sotah 32b) note that its purpose is to inform the community so that they will pray to God for compassion and healing for metzora’. The point of announcing one’s illness is not to increase a sense of isolation, but precisely the opposite: to spur communal solidarity and caring. Indeed, later on in the narrative, the Torah teaches that when Miriam contracts the tsara’at (as punishment for insulting Moshe about his treatment of his wife, according to Rashi), Moshe prays for his sister’s healing: “O God, please heal her now!”/El na refa na la! This formulation is one of our tradition’s key textual sources for praying on behalf of those who are ill. 

Remarkably, the Torah goes another step; a few verses later it tell us, “Miriam was shut out of camp seven days; and the people did not march on until Miriam was readmitted” (Num. 12:15). A midrash (Mekhilta de-Rabbi Yishmael) understands verse to mean that not only did the people of Israel wait for Miriam, but that God too waited with the nation for her to reenter the camp! In other words, God would not allow the Clouds of Glory to continue their path while one of the leaders of the nation remained behind, struggling with an illness.



One of the great strengths of the Beth Jacob community is its devotion to visiting and caring for those who struggle with illnesses, injuries, and the physical consequences of medical interventions. Our holy Torah couldn’t be clearer: it is a mitzvah to so – an obligation upon us both as individuals and a community. It is also vitally important (when appropriate and always with the explicit permission of the sufferer out of respect for their privacy) to let others know as well, so that we can ensure that no one feels isolated, left behind…and outside the camp. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Adam Rubin

Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Morris J. Allen Chair in Rabbinics

Israeli Dancing at Tapestry FolkDance Center

Thursday, April 27, 2023 

Thursday, May 4, 2023 

Thursday, May 11, 2023

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

3748 Minnehaha Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55406

Please join Aaron Silver and Noam Sienna for a few BJC-focused classes that are being offered at a special discount. Shira Schwartz studied Israeli dance in Israel and has been leading Israeli recreational dancing in the Twin Cities for decades. And she happens to be the mother of congregant member Talia Vital! Shira is planning these special BJC sessions with dancers of all levels in mind. Come experience a journey to Israel through dance and music! Enjoy the vibrant, engaging music of Israel, and its diverse styles, rhythms, and movements.

Payment will be run through the FolkDance Center. However, registration is necessary to get a headcount for the class



Cost: Standard class price of $12/person

• First Class: Pay as able (and get a free ticket voucher for the next class)
• Second Class: Free ticket voucher from first session
• Third Class: Standard class price of $12/person

Lag B'Omer Trivia Night & Bonfire Fundraiser

Tuesday 5/9 from 5:30-8:00 pm

Join us for an amazing evening of community, philanthropy & food!

This year's annual fundraiser will celebrate Lag B'Omer and Beth Jacob! The night will start with food & the silent auction. Make sure to arrive by 6:30 pm, which is when the live auction will start. Following the auction those who want to play trivia can compete for the title of most knowledgable or spend a little bit of time outside at our s'mores bar celebrating Lag B'Omer by the bonfire!

TICKETS:

PLAY TRIVIA - $18.00 per person

Make a team of 4 -$72.00

Make a team of 6- $108.00

BONFIRE TICKET - $18.00 per person

(Come to the event but without playing Trivia)

Kids Trivia & Babysitting with dinner available for kids 12 & Under

Beth Jacob Blood Drive

May 21st from 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U.S. Do your part, and donate blood at the Beth Jacob Blood Drive!

HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE MY SIGNING UP FOR THIS YEAR'S BLOOD DRIVE

Shabbat Kitchen Crew & Greeters

Sign up to be a greeter or help in the kitchen!

Our shul runs smoothly due to the strong involvement from our lay leadership. As we're holding communal kiddush again, we are asking you to sign up to help on Shabbat. This is a mitzvah that we ask of all members of our community. We are looking for 6 people to help with Kitchen Crew and 4 Greeters each week!

Community Events

YOM HAZIKARON

COMMEMORATING ISRAEL'S FALLEN

Monday, April 24 · 6:40pm

Temple of Aaron

Join us for a moving ceremony to remember those who have sacrificed their lives for the State of Israel. After the ceremony, we will continue the evening with Erev Shirei Lochamim (soldier's songs night). During this time, we will sing songs about fallen soldiers or those written by fallen soldiers and share their stories. It will be a time of reflection, remembrance, and unity.

Sunday, April 30 • 5-8 PM

Nickelodeon Universe Mall of America

Come together as a community as we transform Nickelodeon Universe into the perfect destination to party. Israeli music, performances, activities for adults and kids, wristbands for rides, and so much more. This is the celebration you won’t want to miss!



Pre-registration will be required. For the safety and security of the event, every individual attending the event ages 18+, must pre-register and provide full name and email address. For children under the age of 18, please provide full name and parent/guardian email.

Sponsored in part by the Miriam Kaitz Israel Program Fund, a designated fund of the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation. Thank you to the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC) for sponsoring and supporting security.

ART AND FAITH BRIDGING THE JEWISH AND BLACK COMMUNITIES: STORIES OF A HISTORIC

Location of Events: UROC, 2001 Plymouth Avenue N

Public invited. All events free. Registration encouraged.

Learn about these marginalized communities through stories related to a landmark building that has served as the spiritual home of two congregations: the Jewish Tifereth B’Nai Jacob congregation that built the building and worshiped there until 1957, and the Holiness/Pentecostal First Church of God in Christ congregation that has worshiped in the building since purchasing it in 1957.

Wednesday, May 10th, 4:00-7:00 pm

• Photographic and historical exhibit formal opening

• Lecture by noted synagogue historian Dr. Samuel Gruber

• Reception

MATARAINURS

Thursday, May 11th, 9:00-3:30 pm

• Symposium

• Lectures by art and architectural historian Dr. Marilyn Chiat and

COGIC Bishop Lemuel F. Thuston

• Community Roundtable Discussion

• Tour of the First Church of God in Christ

Metro East Minyan

Monday-Friday @ 7:15 am | Holidays @ 8:30 am | Rosh Hodesh @ 7:00 am

Sunday Minyan at Temple of Aaron AND on Zoom @ 9 am

Monday - Thursday Evening at Temple of Aaron: 6pm

Join online at Beth-Jacob.org/Minyan