Beth Shalom Schedule for the Week of February 21st

Well, thank G-d, we've made it to this coming weekend, which is a very special time when the whole world turns up-side-down for the festival of Purim.  Traditionally, we read the megillat (scroll of) Esther and spend the rest of the time making as much noise and craziness as we can muster with the help of copious amounts of alcohol.

With H-shem's help and blessings, we will meet at the synagogue at 956 J Street in Crescent City this Friday evening at 7:00pm for Shabbat services.  Rabbi Les is scheduled to lead services and G-d willing will make the trip to join us for this great weekend.

We will meet to light candles, welcome the Shabbat Queen and have a little kiddish as a community before we retire to our respective weekends.

The following Saturday morning at 10:00am we will meet again at the classroom in Fort Dick for our weekly Torah study. This week we will read and discuss parshat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20 - 30:10) where we will learn of H-shem's instructions regarding the Holy Priests including their special garments and duties in the Mikdash or "Tent of Meeting."

Rabbi Les has contacted us by email and has returned from his travels in Patagonia. G-d willing he will join us this weekend to lead our congregation's services and Torah study and may we all merit to have a blessed and safe Purim weekend.

Debbi Friedman in Ashland Thursday Night!

Shalom aleychem everyone.  I just got an email announcing that Debbie Friedman is playing in Ashland this Thursday night!

What a great way to prepare for a topsy turvy Purim weekend. ^^

Here is the actual press release I was sent:

JEWISH MUSICIAN DEBBIE FRIEDMAN TO PERFORM IN ASHLAND

MARCH 25

            Ashland – St. Clair Productions presents Debbie Friedman at Havurah Shir Hadash, 185 N. Mountain, Ashland, on Thursday, March 25, 8 p.m.  One of the best-selling artists of contemporary Jewish music, Friedman has given the world music that is transformative; music that offers joy and comfort, hope and faith, healing and inspiration. 

            Tickets are $22 in advance, $25 at the door, $10 for teens 12-17 and free under 12.  Tickets are available at the Music Coop in the A Street Marketplace and the Havurah office, on-line at www.stclairevents.com or by calling 541-535-3562.  A portion of the proceeds benefits Havurah Shir Hadash.

            Friedman is credited with almost single-handedly birthing an entire subgenre of music. Long before the appearance of popular Jewish rockers like Rick Recht, she became the best-selling, most beloved performer of Jewish traditional music from the baby-boomer generation.

            “Spontaneous audience reaction has become the trademark of Debbie Friedman's concerts. Whether she is appearing in a synagogue, a Jewish center, a conference hotel, or a place as hallowed as Carnegie Hall… her devoted fans rise to the occasion, singing the lyrics most know by heart and (reacting) with… joyful abandon.”  The New York Times

            Prior to Friedman, most Jewish music was perceived to come in only two forms, both originating in Europe: klezmer for weddings and bar mitzvahs, and cantorial liturgy for the synagogue. As a Jewish summer-camp counselor in Oconomowoc, Wis., Friedman picked up an acoustic guitar and began singing the prayers in the American vernacular of the day, using a folk style similar to Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Peter Paul & Mary. With the same fervor for social justice as these boomer-folk icons, she added a spiritual dimension, and by 1972 had released Sing Unto God. It was a different, deeply religious response to the struggles of the Vietnam era, dedicated to "all those people who have helped me come closer to my Judaism, who have deepened my appreciation of life ... to those who stand for peace."  (Pittsburgh City Paper)

            Friedman has taken the prayers and teachings of the Torah, of the first 5 books of the Old Testament, and created a catalogue of modern day songs that translate the messages into a format that people without education steeped in Judaism can understand and relate to. Often people who sing these songs in their Synagogues or camps don't realize that they were composed by Friedman. They assume that they are a part of traditional liturgical prayer.

            Friedman’s work appears in diverse settings from the Barney In Concert video (The Alef Bet Song) to an episode of “Strong Medicine” on the Lifetime channel (The Healing Prayer - Mi Shebeirach). In 1999, Tree of Life, a division of Hallmark greeting cards, designed and marketed a series of 12 holiday cards using Debbie’s inspired lyrics.

            In 1996, Friedman celebrated her 25^th  anniversary of her musical career with a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall.  She has performed in hundreds of cities in the United States, Canada, Europe and Israel. She has appeared before national conventions and conferences for major Jewish organizations.  In 2007, Friedman was appointed Instructor in Music at the School of Sacred Music of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

            “If viewed in terms of her prolific output of recordings, the extremely spiritual content of her compositions and her innovative dabbling in self-publishing, Debbie Friedman could be considered to be something like the Sun Ra of the Jewish music scene. She is certainly one of the most popular creators of Jewish music. … Like Sun Ra, Friedman's spiritually-driven ambition seems to have no limits, leading her to projects as ambitious as the direction of a 300 person chorale.” Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide

Beth Shalom Schedule for the Week of February 14th

With H-shem's ever loving kindness we will meet at the synagogue at 956 J Street in Crescent City this Friday evening at 7:00pm for Shabbat services.

We will meet to light candles, welcome the Shabbat Queen and have a little kiddish as a community before we retire to our respective weekends.

The following Saturday morning at 10:00am we will meet again at the synagogue for our weekly Torah study. This week we will read and discuss parshat Terumah (Exodus 25:1 - 27:19). This week H-shem gives us the plans for the Mishkan (tabernacle) and commands us to build it, along with its furnishings, so that He can "dwell among" us.

With G-d's help, we are still expecting Rabbi Scharnberg to return from his travels in Patagonia.  He was not back for Torah study in Brookings last weekend.  G-d willing we can expect to see him for our Fourth Friday Shabbat Service in Crescent City and following Torah study in Fort Dick.  Our prayers are with him for a safe and inspiring trip and a safe and speedy return.

Beth Shalom Schedule for the Week of February 7th

With H-shem's ever loving kindness we will meet at the Synagogue at 956 J Street in Crescent City this Friday evening at 7:00pm for Shabbat services.

We will meet to light candles, welcome the Shabbat Queen and have a little kiddish as a community before we retire to our respective weekends.

The following Saturday morning at 10:00am we will meet at Evergreen bank in Brookings, OR for our weekly Torah study. This week we will read and discuss parshat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1 - 24:18). This week we are witness to H-shem expounding on the laws he is giving to the children of Israel before Moses finally ascends the Holy Mountain to receive the stone tablets which had been inscribed by the finger of G-d.

With G-d's help, we are expecting Rabbi Scharnberg to return from his travels in Patagonia.  I could be mistaken but I think he planned to be back for our Brookings Torah study this week.  If I am mistaken we can expect to see him for our Fourth Friday Shabbat Service in Crescent City and following Torah study in Fort Dick.  Our prayers are with him for a safe and inspiring trip and a safe and speedy return.

Toxic Beauty Hits Hard Behind Redwood Curtain

The story of our very own Jill Munger has been published at http://squishsquash-squash.blogspot.com/2010/02/heavy-metal-florists-mercury-toxicity.html in what will, G-d willing, become a spark to ignite a firestorm of public awareness about the dangers of exposure to toxic chemicals. The story has been written to highlight the dangers of toxic chemical exposure and it chronicles Jill's trip down the rabbit hole after she suddenly started experiencing unexplainable acute, vertigo while working as the florist for a local supermarket chain.

Her ordeal continued with doctors and specialists as they were stumped to find a cause for what had become a nightmare filled with fits of vomiting and migraines forcing her to spend 24 hours a day in a dark room with the covers pulled over her head to keep out the light. At one point they thought it might have been an ear infection caused by Jill's volunteer lifeguard activities. That possibility was eliminated as her symptoms continued to deteriorate.

Thank G-d, Jill is still with us today and seems to be feeling much better. If you want to know how they finally diagnosed the cause of her misery and how it relates to toxic chemical exposure you'll have to read the blog post at http://squishsquash-squash.blogspot.com/2010/02/heavy-metal-florists-mercury-toxicity.html

Beth Shalom Schedule for the Week of January 31st

With H-shem's ever loving kindness we will meet at the Synagogue at 956 J Street in Crescent City this Friday evening at 7:00pm for Shabbat services.

We will meet to light candles, welcome the Shabbat Queen and have a little kiddish as a community before we retire to our respective weekends.

The following Saturday morning at 10:00am we will meet at the synagogue in Crescent City for our weekly Torah study. This week we will read and discuss parshat Yithro (Exodus 18:1 - 20:23) now we will follow Moses and the Israelites on their struggle through the wilderness as H-shem leads them to receive His Torah at mount Sinai.

With G-d's help, Rabbi Scharnberg is still traveling in Patagonia. Our prayers are with him for a safe and inspiring trip and a safe and speedy return.


Finally, we are having a Special Shmooze this Sunday evening at the synagogue with guest speaker Rabbi Nechemia Newman.  


Hope to see everyone there.

Special Sunday Evening Shmooze

We are thrilled to announce a special shmooze this Sunday evening at 6:00 pm at the Synagogue in Crescent City.

With H-shem's ever loving help and kindness, our special guest, Rabbi Nechemia Newman will be in town to oversee the kosher cheese production at Rumiano Cheese.

While he is visiting, Rabbi Newman has agreed to bring a shmooze about a topic of our suggestion.  Some of the suggested topics included the conflict between Israel and Iran; and dealing with interfaith marriage.

Be there Sunday night to find out which topic he picks.