Register for BJ Hazorim CSA 2018
Tuesdays, June 5-October 30 | 4:30-7:30PM | BJ Community House
Registration now open!
Join BJ’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and pick up fresh, organic produce from Free Bird Farm at BJ once a week for 22 weeks. Choose from delicious vegetable, egg, fruit, and butter shares. Click here to find out more about the CSA. Questions? Contact Larissa. Read more »
Dialogue and Transformation - Photography Exhibit of Israeli Settler and Palestinian Women
Monday, April 16 through Sunday, June 10 | During Community House opening hours | BJ Community House
Over the past two summers, photographer Saskia Bory Keeley partnered with Roots, an initiative now in its fourth year led by a Palestinian and Israeli settler committee who works at the heart of the conflict in the West Bank. Keeley conducted photo workshops exclusively for women who would otherwise have no contact with each other. Developing photographic skills was an important aspect of the program and just as essential was the opportunity for women “from the other side” to interact in a safe setting–many for the very first time in their lives.
Hakhanah laTefillah
Saturday, May 26 | 8:45-9:25AM | BJ Chapel
Please 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.
K-2 Family Shabbat Experience
Saturday, May 26 | 10:45AM-12:00 noon | Frankel Hall
Join us for a new Shabbat morning experience for children in grades K-2 and their families. Each session incorporates spirited prayer, singing, fun learning activities, and ample schmooze time, all led by our veteran service-leader, Sarah Rosenthal. We can’t wait to co-create this new community with you.
Contact Eliana Light for more information.
Jerusalem and the Temple Mount: National Center or Locus of Universal Worship
Saturday, May 26 | Following kiddush | BJ Community House
Jerusalem and the Temple Mount have emerged as critical foci of the Arab-Israeli conflict. On the surface it appears that their significance to the Jewish world is as a symbol of our national sovereignty that emanates from their essential holiness. Despite the broad consensus embracing this view, there is a compelling Jewish tradition that imagines Jerusalem and the Temple Mount becoming the site of universal devotion.
Monday Minha Meditation
Mondays through June 25 | 6:30-7:00PM | BJ Chapel
The Center for Prayer and Spirituality is thrilled to launch this new mindfulness initiative. Join us on Monday evenings for a community sit, as we work toward building a sustained communal meditation practice. The Monday Minha Meditations will contain explorations of guided teachings, meditation techniques, and silent sits, and will also provide an opportunity for community members to recite the Mourner’s Kaddish. No registration necessary. Whether you are experienced in meditation or are thinking about beginning a practice, all are welcome.
The Book of Genesis with Hillel Friedman
Tuesdays through May 29 | 9:30AM | BJ Middle Room
When we consider the Book of Genesis, many of us remember the tales we heard in our childhood. Read more »
A Conversation with Rabbis Matalon and Sol for Multifaith Couples
Tuesday, May 29 | 6:30PM | Location given upon registration
With the new openness to multifaith couples at BJ, we would like to be in conversation with you about your experience and wisdom as we move into the future. What has been your experience? What avenues do you hope will be created? What conversations do you wish to have with us? What resources and support do you need, or think one needs, in building a Jewish home?
Please join Roly and Felicia for an evening of conversation in Roly’s home. This event is open to members only and registration is essential.
For additional information, contact Beth Tarson.
Everyday Ethics with Rabbi Adina Lewittes
Tuesdays through June 5 | 7:30-9:00PM | BJ Community House
Ethical questions of war and peace, global warming, immigration, and healthcare can be overwhelming. And yet, consciously or not, we answer critical ethical questions every day as we order our coffee, pay our workers, dine with our friends, and even shop online.
Read more »
Interfaith Partners for Peace: Reflections on Our Trip to Israel
Faith & Public Life Lecture—With Dr Yehuda Kurtzer
Wednesday, May 30 | 7:00PM | BJ Sanctuary
Register now for the last in our Faith & Public Life Lecture Series, with Dr Yehuda Kurtzer: The Moral, The Political, and The Partisan: Jewish Community and Jewish Values in an Era of Polarization. Dr Kurtzer is President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and teaches widely in the Institute’s many platforms. Read more »
June Tot Shabbat
Friday, June 1 | 5:15-7:00PM | BJ Sanctuary and Frankel Hall
Enjoy a kid-friendly family Kabbalat Shabbat service filled with singing and dancing, followed by a dinner in Frankel Hall complete with Shabbat blessings and songs. While adults are finishing their meal, children are welcome to engage in play and exploration. Be sure to register by Wednesday, May 30. Email Allison Kapusta or call her at x253 with any questions. The cost is $22/members, and $29/non-members. All children eat for free.
Eat, Schmooze, and Sing: Community Shabbat Dinner with Ari
Friday, June 1 | Following Shabbat services | BJ Chapel
Celebrate the beginning of Pride Month and elevate your Shabbat with friends, food, and soulful singing led by Hazzan Ari Priven. LGBTQ community members, friends and allies are invited to join for a three-course dinner with wine. All are welcome.
Honoring Chaim Citron: Author and Beloved BJ Security Guard
Saturday, June 2 | Following kiddush | BJ Chapel
Join us as we honor Chaim Citron, BJ’s beloved security guard and the author of the novel Wings of Hope, as he shares anecdotes from his novel and from his own experience of growing up in the early days of the State of Israel.
Chaim was born in 1951 in Tel Aviv-Yaffo. During his high school years he lived on Kibbutz Givat Haim Ehud, where he studied agricultural mechanics as a trade. At age 18, he was drafted into the Israeli Defense Force and served in the scout-mechanized infantry unit during the War of Attrition with Egypt and in the Yom Kippur War in Syria. Haim has lived in Queens, NY, since 1980, and returns to Israel annually to visit family and friends.
Haim is the proud father of two sons and one granddaughter. For the past 16 years he has worked at BJ as a security guard, where he remains grateful for all the kindness and support he has received from the community.
Aliyah Honoring the Class of 2018
Saturday, June 2 | During Shabbat morning service | BJ Sanctuary
We would like to extend a special invitation to all teens in the senior class of 2018 (and their families) to this special Shabbat morning service, beginning at 9:30AM. This year’s senior class will be called to the bimah for an aliyah during the Torah service so that we can give them the yasher koah they deserve and wish them lots of mazal in all of their future endeavors! To sign up, email Michelle.
Annual Celebrate Israel Parade
Sunday, June 3 | 12:15PM | 52nd Street between 5th and Madison Avenues
Join the BJ rabbis and fellow members of the BJ community as we show our support of Israel on its 70th anniversary. Get out your Israeli flag as we walk/sing/rollerblade/push strollers down 5th Avenue. We will be marching as part of a Upper West Side coalition of synagogues. An official parade t-shirt will be provided at the meeting point.
Israeli Book Club discusses The People of Forever Are Not Afraid by Shani Boianjiu
Sunday, June 3 | 5:00-6:30PM | BJ Community House
The Israeli Book Club is more than just your typical reading group—it is an intimate encounter with Israeli culture, society, and politics. Join us for a good read and nuanced conversation that will help you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of contemporary Israeli issues.
Our next book is The People of Forever Are Not Afraid. Written by up-and-coming Israeli author Shani Boianjiu, the novel follows the story of three female Israeli soldiers going through their right of passage. Read the Washington Post’s rave review of the novel.
Buy this book from BJ’s new page on Amazon and a small portion of the proceeds will be donated back to us at no additional cost to you.
Journalism: The Family Business
Sunday, June 3 | 6:30PM | BJ Sanctuary
In partnership with The Jewish Week, BJ is proud to present a talk with Clyde & Maggie Haberman. From Jerusalem to the White House, this father and daughter have covered some of the major stories of the last three decades for The New York Times. Hear them talk about their experiences in this discussion moderated by The Jewish Week’s Gary Rosenblatt.
Doors open at 6:00PM
Non-members should register here.
| Clyde Haberman Former Jerusalem Bureau chief, columnist and editorial writer for The New York Times and author of “The Times Of The Seventies: The Culture, Politics and Personalities That Shaped The Decade.” | |
| Maggie Haberman White House Correspondent for The New York Times and a political analyst for CNN. Haberman previously worked for Politico and the New York Daily News where she was a political reporter. |
Israel Film Center Festival
Tuesday, June 5 – Tuesday, June 12 | Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Avenue
BJ is proud to partner with the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Israel Film Center Festival.
BJ members receive 20% off all tickets with discount code IFCBJ18.
Sustainability and Environmental Committee Meeting
Tuesday, June 5 | 6:30-8:30PM | BJ Middle Room
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.
K-2 Family Shabbat Experience
Saturday, May 26 | 10:45AM-12:00 noon | Frankel Hall
Join us for a new Shabbat morning experience for children in grades K-2 and their families. Each session incorporates spirited prayer, singing, fun learning activities, and ample schmooze time, all led by our veteran service-leader, Sarah Rosenthal. We can’t wait to co-create this new community with you.
Contact Eliana Light for more information.
The Book of Genesis with Hillel Friedman
Tuesdays through May 29 | 9:30AM | BJ Middle Room
When we consider the Book of Genesis, many of us remember the tales we heard in our childhood. Read more »
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 | 88th Street 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.