Click on photo to enlarge

The Perlman recital was, as to be expected, outstanding – especially the 5 encores he played without once leaving the stage!

We were invited to meet Itzhak Perlman backstage after the performance through
an interesting coincidence where he was once taught voice in NYC by a very great
friend of our family, Olga Ryss. Olga, a well known Russian Opera diva, was
befriended by my grandmother when she came to South Africa in 1936 to set up the
Johannesburg Opera Company.

I had written to Perlman about his association with her. He was amazingly
gracious for the few minutes we had to talk to him when I gave him the attached
picture of Olga.

Thanks to Gail for the photography.

The next major holiday in the Jewish calendar is the
pilgrimage festival of Shavuot which commemorates  the giving of the Torah at Mt Sinai and falls
seven weeks after Pesach.  Because the
holiday occurs in late May or early June often Hebrew school is already on vacation.  This year the holiday begins Saturday evening, May 26 and will be observed at BHC on the last day of  beit sefer spring term Sunday morning May 27.

In preparation for Shavuot our beit sefer students have been busy all spring with a unit on the Ten Commandments.   Exploring this rich
text has triggered questions from our four very bright students that would cause adults to stratch their heads.

Besides learning how important the Ten Commandments are in our lives today, the students are learning to say them in English and Hebrew and to chant them with the taamim (Torah chanting symbols).  You will enjoy the fruits of their labors at the family service on May 27.

Speaking of fruit, Shavuot is an agricultural holiday as well as a religious one.  It is celebrated by bringing bikurim (gifts of fruit) to the synagogue and wearing garlands.  BHC beit sefer will lead the bikurim processional and we hope everyone will bring fruit for a basket to take to a member who is not able to attend service because of illness.

Shavuot is also one of the holidays on which Yizkor (Memorial Service) is recited.  Yizkor begins at 10:00 AM.  A minyan is required to say Yizkor.  A few BHC congregants  have recently lost close family members and need to say Kaddish so your attendance is crucial and a mitzvah.

Following Yizkor the beit sefer students and teachers will  lead the Shavuot family service.  The celebration will conclude with a pot luck dairy luncheon.

2012 Season

All Events at The Colonial, Main Street, Bethlehem

Thursday, July 12,  7:00 PM Opening Reception “Just Desserts” & 7:30 PM film  In Heaven, Underground

Tuesday July 24 4:00 – 7:00 PM Ellen Fisch Exhibit – Meet The Artist Presentation and Reception

Saturday August 18, 8:00 PM The KLEZMATICS LIVE In Concert

Thursday August 23, 7:30 PM Hava Nagila What is it?

Thursday September 20, 7:30 PM Footnote

Thursday October 4, 7:30 PM My So Called Enemy

Films introduced by Professor Edwin Seroussi

More than at any other time, Jews feel drawn to Judaism when their lives are turned upside-down by the death of a close relative or someone for whom they have to make final arrangements.  The rituals of our tradition are vast, beautiful and mysterious.

The weekend seminar Undertaking Holiness will explore  Jewish rituals, laws and traditions surrounding dying and death as ascribed in classical and modern Jewish texts. Sessions will include lectures, partner study, and group discussion.  The group will work together to set up strategies and procedures to increase community involvement in addressing the needs of North Country Jews.

Undertaking Holiness is open to all.  Preregistration is required.

1: 22:39-41
2: 23:1-3
3: 23:4-6
4: 23:7-12
5: 23:13-15
6: 23:16-18
7: 23:19-26
maf: 23:19-26

Haftarah: Micah 5:6 – 6:8

JULY 14 PINCHAS

1: 26:52-56
2: 26:57-62
3: 26:63-27:5
4: 27:6-14
5: 27:15-23
6: 28:1-10
7: 28:11-15
maf: 28:11-15

Haftarah: I Kings 18:46 – 19:21

JULY 21 MATOT-MASEI

1: 32:1-4
2: 32:5-19
3: 32:20-27
4: 32:28-42
5: 33:1-10
6: 33:11-36
7: 33:37-49
maf: 33:47-49

Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Jeremiah 2:4- 28; 3:4

JULY 28 DEVARIM

1: 2:2-5
2: 2:6-12
3: 2:13-16
4: 2:17-19
5: 2:20-22
6: 2:23-25
7: 2:26-30
maf: 2:28-30

Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1 – 1:27 

AUGUST 4 VAETCHANAN

1: 5:1-18
2: 5:19-24
3: 5:25-30
4: 6:1-3
5: 6:4-9
6: 6:10-19
7: 6:20-25
maf: 6:23-25

Haftarah: Isaiah 40:1 – 40:26

AUGUST 11 EICHEV

1: 9:4-10
2: 9:11-14
3: 9:15-21
4: 9:22-29
5: 10:1-5
6: 10:6-18:8
7: 10:9-11
maf: 10:9-11

Haftarah: Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3

AUGUST 18 ROSH CHODESH RE’EH

1: 12:29-13:1
2: 13:2-6
3: 13:7-12
4: 13:13-19
5: 14:1-8
6: 14:9-21
7: 14:22-29
maf: Numbers 28:9-15 (7 p’sukim)

Haftarah: Isaiah 54:11 – 55:5

AUGUST 25 SHOFETIM

1: 18:6-8
2: 18:9-13
3: 18:14-17
4: 18:18-22
5: 19:1-7
6: 19:8-10
7: 19:11-13
maf: 19:11-13

Haftarah: Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12

SEPTEMBER 1 KI TEITZEI

1: 23:8-12
2: 23:13-15
3: 23:16-19
4: 23:20-24
5: 23:25-24:4
6: 24:5-9
7: 24:10-13
maf: 24:10-13

Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1 – 54:10

SEPTEMBER 8 KI TAVO

1: 26:12-15
2: 26:16-19
3: 27:1-3
4: 27:4-8
5: 27:6-10
6: 27:11-28:3
7: 28:4-6
maf: 28:4-6

Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1 – 60:22

SEPTEMBER 15 NITZAVIM

1: 29:9-11 (3 p’sukim)
2: 29:12-14 (3 p’sukim)
3: 29:15-28 (14 p’sukim)
4: 30:1-6 (6 p’sukim)
5: 30:7-10 (4 p’sukim)
6: 30:11-14 (4 p’sukim)
7: 30:15-20 (6 p’sukim)
maf: 30:15-20 (6 p’sukim)

Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10 – 63:9

SEPTEMBER 17-18 RH

SEPTEMBER 22 VAYEILECH

1: 31:1-3 (3 p’sukim)
2: 31:4-6 (3 p’sukim)
3: 31:7-9 (3 p’sukim)
4: 31:10-13 (4 p’sukim)
5: 31:14-19 (6 p’sukim)
6: 31:20-24 (5 p’sukim)
7: 31:25-30 (6 p’sukim)
maf: 31:28-30 (3 p’sukim)

Haftarah: Isaiah 55:6 – 56:8

SEPTEMBER 26 YK

SEPTEMBER 29 HAAZINU

1: 32:1-6 (6 p’sukim)
2: 32:7-12 (6 p’sukim)
3: 32:13-18 (6 p’sukim) 
4: 32:19-28 (10 p’sukim)
5: 32:29-39 (11 p’sukim)
6: 32:40-43 (4 p’sukim)
7: 32:44-52 (9 p’sukim)
maf: 32:48-52 (5 p’sukim)

Haftarah: II Samuel 22:1 – 22:51

OCTOBER 6 SUKKOT

Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Joshua 1:1 – 1:18
Haftarah for Sephardim: Joshua 1:1 – 1:9

OCTOBER 9 (8) SIMCHAT TORAH

VZOT HABRACHA

1: 33:1-7  (7 p’sukim)
2: 33:8-12 (5 p’sukim)
3: 33:13-17 (5 p’sukim)
4: 33:18-21 (4 p’sukim)
5: 33:22-26 (5 p’sukim)
6: 33:27-29 (3 p’sukim)
7: 34:1-12 (12 p’sukim)  

OCTOBER 13 BERESHIT

1: 5:1-5 
2: 5:6-8
3: 5:9-14
4: 5:15-20 
5: 5:21-24
6: 5:25-31
7: 5:32-6:8
maf: 6:5-8

Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Isaiah 42:5 – 43:10
Haftarah for Sephardim: Isaiah 42:5 – 42:21

Spring Session begins Sunday, April 22

Shira and Rachael are planning fun for all!