High Holy Days Sermons 5779
Click here to listen to our rabbis’ High Holy Days sermons from Rosh Hashanah, including first evening with Rabbi Roly Matalon, first day with Rabbi Felicia Sol, first day with Rabbi Matalon, second day with Rabbi Sol, and second day with Rabbi Matalon. Video is also available for services that took place in the BJ Sanctuary. We will add Yom Kippur sermons following the High Holy Days.
Friday Evening Service: Please Note Change of Time!
Shabbat Evening Services: PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF TIME!
From September 7, Kabbalat Shabbat will begin at 6:30PM
From October 5 throughout the winter, Kabbalat Shabbat will begin at 6:15PM
From March 15 throughout next summer, Kabbalat Shabbat will begin at to 6:30PM
Sukkah-Building
Thursday, September 20 | 6:00PM | BJ Rooftop
Start the new year right by jumping into the mitzvah of Sukkah-building! Join us to help hang walls, raise the branches, and bring our Sukkah to life. Please R.S.V.P. to let us know you’re coming.
Bim Bam in the Fall!
Fridays, September 21-December 14 | 10:15-11:00AM, 11:15AM-12:00PM | BJ Chapel
Bim Bam gives children under three a fun space to explore Shabbat through interactive songs and stories while learning traditions such as lighting candles, saying Kiddush, and giving tzedakah. The 10:15AM session features both English and Hebrew songs, while the 11:15AM session is full Hebrew immersion. The series (12 classes) is $240/members and $360/non-members. After the first registered child, each additional child receives 50% off. New BJ members may attend for free. The program is led by Shira Averbuch. Questions? Contact Danielle Freedman (x260). No class on November 23. Read more »
Sliding into Sukkot: Family Breakfast
Sunday, September 23 | 10:15-11:30AM | BJ Community House Sukkah
Families with children are invited for a late breakfast in the BJ sukkah! Sing holiday tunes, shake the lulav, and create festive decorations to beautify our sukkah. The cost is $10 per family for BJ members and $18 per family for non-members. Contact Adina with any questions.
All You Need Is Lulav!
Sunday, September 23 | 12:00PM | Meet at BJ Community House, Head to Lower East Side
Did you know that, in the late 19th century, the Lower East Side’s Jewish population was so large that, had it been a separate city, it would have been the largest Jewish city in the world?
Join us for an adventure on the Lower East Side. This sensory-rich learning experience for individuals and families of all ages will enhance your Sukkot celebrations. We will explore and shop (those who wish can purchase) for a special lulav and etrog set. Learn about the etrog (fruit of the hadar), lulav (palm frond), hadassim (at least three myrtle, leafy trees), aravot (willow twigs), as well as how to make a holder and rings woven from palm fronds to hold the branches together. Learn and practice how to take the four kinds, say the blessings, and wave them in all six directions.
Open Sukkah Times 5779
Come one, come all to BJ’s open sukkah during these hours:
Sunday, September 23 | 7:00-10:00PM
Monday, September 24 | 12:00 noon-3:00PM and 7:30-10:00PM
Tuesday, September 25 | 12:00 noon-3:00PM
Wednesday, September 26 | 12:00 noon-2:00PM
Thursday, September 27 | 2:00-4:00PM
Friday, September 28 | 12:00 noon-3:00PM
Saturday, September 29 | 3:00-5:00PM
Sunday, September 30 | 7:00-10:00PM
No Longer Strangers: Prayer and Music in the Jewish African American Tradition
Tuesday, September 25 | 7:30PM | BJ Community House Sukkah
Much like Ashkenazic nigunim and Mizrahi piyut melodies, the music of the African American spiritual tradition, heard in familiar songs like “Motherless Child” and “Wade in the Water,” are part of a rich history that define a Jewish African American experience. Join BJ member Zakai Ben Chaim and BJ Music Director Dan Nadel for a unique musical collaboration exploring the cultural and spiritual significance of this powerful music as it is now being enfolded into our global Jewish identity and shaping a shared belief, history, and language. Limited seating is available for this special evening in the BJ Community Sukkah. Register here to join us!
Family Pre-Service Oneg
Friday, September 28 | 5:45PM | BJ Community House Sukkah
Families are invited to enjoy appetizers and wine before Kabbalat Shabbat services. Connect with friends and get to know new families, then we will head to the sanctuary to enjoy services together.
Community Shabbat Potluck in the Sukkah with Rabbi Erin Glazer
Friday, September 28 | Following Kabbalat Shabbat Services | BJ Community House Sukkah
It’s the first Community Shabbat Dinner of the year! What better way to come together than in the Sukkah for a holiday about hospitality and the harvest? Bring something delicious to share, grab a bottle of your favorite kosher wine, and get ready to bring in Shabbat the BJ way: with a little singing, some learning with the newest member of BJ’s rabbinic team, Rabbi Erin Glazer, and the embrace of community. Please bring a dairy/vegetarian dish for 8-10 people, and consider including a bottle of kosher wine with your contribution. You can come early to drop your dish off in the Sukkah before heading to services. If you are able to volunteer to help set out food before dinner, please indicate this when you sign up.
Kohelet and Qawwali
Saturday, September 29 | 1:00-2:00PM | BJ Chapel
The book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), traditionally read on Sukkot, has provoked and inspired readers for centuries. Join BJ Rabbinic Fellow Margo Hughes-Robinson and special musical guests for an opportunity to dig deeper into this text, and hear the reading of Megillat Kohelet in a new and participatory way, inspired by devotional music of the Sufi tradition. No registration necessary.
Aviv: 20s and 30s Havdalah and Sukkah Hop
Saturday, September 29 | 6:30PM | BJ Community House Sukkah
Join us for havdalah in the BJ sukkah, followed by drinks and a snack! Meet new friends and mingle with 20s and 30s in the community as we check out other sukkot on the UWS. This event is free but, please R.S.V.P. so we have the right amount of refreshments.
Moving Traditions 2018-2019
Sundays (Monthly*), September 30, 2018-April 28, 2019 | 5:00-7:00PM | Location TBD
Rosh Hodesh (Sisterhood) and Shevet (Brotherhood), are small, single-gender, single-grade groups, led by Moving Traditions-trained adult mentors. Find your own Jewish community in a safe, relaxed space filled with activities, discussion, exploration, and fun. Our research-based and field-tested curriculum applies Jewish wisdom and values to supporting teens in the issues they care about most, such as relationships, gender roles, healthy sexuality, social media, pressure, and stress.
Dates: September 30, November 4, December 2, January 6, February 3, April 7, April 28
Family Simhat Torah Celebration
Monday, October 1 | 5:30-6:30PM | BJ Sanctuary
Join us for a lively evening as we celebrate Simhat Torah together. Families are invited to help us mark the end of another Torah cycle and the beginning of a new one with dancing, hakafot (rotations around the room), singing, and good company! Contact Adina for more information.
Aviv: 20s and 30s Simhat Torah Pre-Gathering
Monday, October 1 | 6:00PM | BJ Reception Room
Simhat Torah is a joyous holiday! Grab dessert and a drink, and mix and mingle with other 20s and 30s in our community. Then, at 7:30PM, we will move to the sanctuary to celebrate the holiday.
Wise Living
Beginning October 2 | Various Times | Various Locations
Grounded in mindfulness and spiritual practices such as meditation, journaling, movement, and blessings from Judaism and other faith traditions, Wise Living offers social, emotional, and spiritual insights to help individuals meet the challenges of these years with a sustaining spirit. Guided by the book Wise Aging: Living with Joy, Resilience, and Spirit by BJ members Rabbi Rachel Cowan and Linda Thal, peer groups will be led by trained facilitators and meet regularly for meaningful and fulfilling discussions.
Economic Justice Hevra Meeting
Thursday, October 4 | 6:30-8:30PM | BJ Middle Room
Get involved in the Justice for Farmworkers Campaign. We are asking questions, having conversations, and educating the community to expand our collective understanding of ethical consumption. In doing so, we aim to acknowledge the predominantly immigrant laborers who make New York’s multi-billion dollar agricultural economy possible. Through the passage of the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act, we hope to ensure that laborers who produce the food on which New Yorkers depend can have the dignity and equality they deserve.
Tot Shabbat
Friday, October 5 | 5:15-7:30PM | BJ Sanctuary and Frankel Hall
Families enjoy a kid-friendly Kabbalat Shabbat service filled with singing and dancing, followed by a dinner complete with Shabbat blessings and songs. While adults are finishing their meal, children engage in play and exploration. Register by Wednesday, October 3, and contact Danielle Freedman with any questions. The cost is $22 for members / $29 for non-members. All children eat for free. Read more »
Hakhanah laTefillah
Every Other Saturday Beginning October 6 | 8:45-9:25AM | BJ Chapel
Join Rabbi Roly Matalon to prepare the soul and open the heart for Shabbat morning prayers through the singing of piyutim and reflections on kavannah. This series is open to all, no registration necessary.
Hebrew Speaking Havurah
Second Sunday of Each Month* | 5:30-7:00PM | Location Given Upon Registration
Get together with other Hebrew speakers to discuss current affairs. Each month, a topic will be chosen and reading material (in both English and Hebrew) will be provided. At each meeting, we will hold a discussion in Hebrew.
The meetings are facilitated by Rabbi Yisrael Serok, former senior in the Mossad, who was in charge of the underground immigration of Jews from Syria and other Arab countries. Rabbi Serok has vast knowledge of both contemporary Israeli society and Jewish sources, and always offers a unique perspective on Israeli current affairs.
Notary Services for BJ Members
Business hours | BJ Community House
Our Human Resources and Administrative Associate, Shakeara Hatchett, is now authorized to provide notary services (for personal or business purposes) to all BJ members. Email Shakeara to set up a notary appointment.
Volunteers Needed for Hesed: Shabbat Connections
Our community is strongest when we care for each other in times of need. Do a deed of lovingkindness by connecting with members of the BJ community who are homebound, lonely, or in need of some extra care. With regular and consistent phone calls we can brighten the days and warm the hearts of those who need it most. Please contact Joni Brenner at ShabbatConnections@bj.org for more information on how you can help.
Meals for New Parents
Service and Hospitality: Volunteer with the Judith Bernstein Lunch Program
Thursdays | 11:30AM-1:00PM | Frankel Hall
Every Thursday at BJ we welcome guests into our synagogue for a delicious lunch, friendly companionship, and music performed by a BJ member every other week. Join our lunch program by volunteering and taking part in the warm and welcoming atmosphere we offer to our guests. To learn more about this opportunity or to volunteer contact Larissa Wohl or call x272.