Weekly News & Updates
May 12, 2022 - 11 Iyyar 5782
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And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I Adonai am your God.

Leviticus 23:22
Upcoming Services & Events
Shabbat Evening Service
Friday, May 13, 8 pm

Join Rabbi Jillian Cameron and Cantor Juval Porat where we welcome Shabbat through music, prayer, creative teachings and communal connection. Click here to register to attend in-person!
Playground Sundays
Sunday, May 15, 10:30 am - 1 pm

The BCC Playground (aka parking lot) is open for all BCC members and their families. Come and be outdoors with your BCC buddies. We offer basketball, pickle ball, badminton, and volleyball. Also, jump rope, hop scotch, and other playground games. Share stories, smiles, and laughter! Please RSVP to Albert Epstein or call/text 626-840-7001.
Trans Havurah Hangout
Sunday, May 15, 1 pm

Na'avor (let's cross), BCC's trans Havurah, invites you to join our monthly Zoom hangout. We welcome people who are trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, GNC, intersex, and allies. Join us to catch up and schmooze! Contact transhavurah@bcc-la.org if you need more information!
BCC Lunch & Learn
Wednesday, May 18, 12 pm

On the third Wednesday of the month, join BCC members and friends on Zoom for casual and engaging conversations. Bring your own lunch. Have an idea for a speaker or want to share your passion with the community? Let us know by emailing bcc@bcc-la.org! This month, BCC member and author Maggie Anton will be discussing her new book, The Choice: A Novel of Love, Faith and the Talmud. Learn more about the book here.
Shabbat with Rabbi Rick Jacobs
Friday, May 20, 8 pm

Join Rabbi Jillian Cameron and Cantor Juval Porat for this special Shabbat service with our esteemed guest, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism. We'll welcome Shabbat together through soulful song, prayer, creative teachings, communal connection, and kick-off BCC's 50th-anniversary celebration weekend! Click here to register for in-person attendance!
Shabbat Morning Minyan
Saturday, May 21, 10 am

BCC's Monthly Shabbat Morning Minyan continues on Zoom and in-person. All BCC members and friends are invited to join in this service, which features rousing melodies, Torah reading, and uplifting prayers for healing and consolation in a warm, welcoming setting. To register to attend in-person, please click here.
Trans Havurah Event (in-person)
Saturday, May 21, 1 pm

The trans havurah will be hosting an in-person hangout on Saturday May 21st at 1PM, in the parking lot at BCC. Join us for some light snacks and soft drinks, togetherness, and mutual support!
Ohr Chayim students are starting to wrap up our year of learning this Saturday by making their own critically wise editorial sweep of the Ten Commandments (or more literally from the Hebrew, the "Ten Sayings/Statements") in preparation for Shavuot.
Join us for our final all-ages holiday celebration of the year at Pride+ShavuotFEST on June 4, 10am, with singing, crafts, games, learning, Drag Queen Story Hour, & more fun opportunities for ages 2-18 and their families! Register by June 1 so we prepare enough craft supplies for everyone, or email Rae Antonoff Portnoy, Director of Education, rae@bcc-la.org, with questions or for more information.
Save the Date
BCC Books & Bagels
Sunday, May 29, 10 am

Join fellow BCC book lovers for our monthly book group meeting on Zoom to discuss Jewish fiction or non-fiction book selections, sometimes with LGBT content. Space is limited. Please contact Larry Nathenson for the Zoom link at larrynath@aol.com.

The book for this month is The Diamond Setter, by Moshik Sakal. An Israeli novel about a Syrian refugee with a rare diamond who illegally enters Israel and becomes involved in gay love triangles and revelation of family secrets.
Shavuot & Pride
May 31 - June 5, Multiple Events

Celebrate Shavuot and Pride with BCC! Starting Tuesday, May 31st, at 7 PM with Cheesy Music - A Shavuot exploration with Cantor Juval (in lieu of Torah Study) and then on Saturday, June 4th, at 10 AM we have Pride+ShavuotFEST for families with kids, and at 6 PM we have Erev Shavuot service with Temple Isaiah. On Sunday, June 5th, we march in the WEHO pride parade in the morning and team up with JewishVeg for a vegan dessert reception and cheesecake bake-off at 2 PM. Registration information coming soon!
There is more!
Announcements
The deadline for submissions for the new issue of G'vanim Magazine is Tuesday, May 17. The submission guidelines are here. Send your work to gvanim@bcc-la.org.
BCC Time Capsule

For BCC's 50th Anniversary celebration, we'll be dedicating our time capsule on Sunday, June 12 in honor of BCC member Harriet Perl, z"l. There are two ways for you to participate and help celebrate our 50th Anniversary:

1. Memorabilia Contribution: We're now collecting items to include in the time capsule. Do you have small BCC memorabilia, such as vintage T-shirts, buttons, mugs, or other BCC keepsakes that you'd be willing to contribute? Please contact BCC member Mark Miller (markallan.miller@gmail.com) about your donation.

2. A Message to Your Future Self: The Time Capsule will be opened in the not-too-distant future. How about writing a very brief message to your future self? What will you say to you? Simply email your message to Mark Miller to place in the time capsule.
The War in Ukraine - Ways to Give Support to the Ukrainian People

HIAS - HIAS is responding with emergency humanitarian assistance to those who are displaced.
World Central Kitchen - WCK is serving thousands of meals in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
IsraAID Emergency Response Team - IsraAID provides urgent relief, psychological first aid. 
ALL OUT - ALL OUT is partnering with Kyiv Pride, Insight Ukraine, and other organizations to help get LGBT+ folks to safety.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles - The Jewish Federation is mobilizing to respond to the needs of the Jewish community in Ukraine. 
Donate to Support BCC
Support Beth Chayim Chadashim
The World's First LGBTQIA+ Synagogue
At BCC, we are dedicated to growing and sustaining our synagogue family - virtually and in person. We are grateful to so many of you who share your time, wisdom and resources with our community.

Your continued support and generosity are critical. It allows us to ensure the breadth and depth of all we offer throughout the year, maintain our physical space, sustain our human resources and guarantee our place as a safe, progressive and vibrant LGBTQIA+ Jewish space in the Los Angeles community now and for generations to come. Thank you for your care and commitment to our beloved community.
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