Continuing Education
Temple Sinai and JCOGS Present a series of programs with
Dr. Galeet Dardashti
As the granddaughter of Yona Dardashti, the most renowned singer of Persian classical music in Iran in his day, and daughter of highly esteemed cantor Farid Dardashti, Middle Eastern vocalist and composer Galeet Dardashti is the first woman in her family to continue her family tradition of distinguished Persian and Jewish musicianship.
Galeet will be presenting several programs over the next few weeks, including:
Mizrahi Kabbalat Shabbat Service – March 12
Israeli Music Goes Mizrahi – March 17
Get you Sepharid/Mizrahi Pesach Groove On – March 31
Watch our calendar and weekly newsletter for more information.
Wednesday Morning Jewish History Study Group
Current Book – Rescue: The Exodus of the Ethiopian Jews – Ruth Gruber
Rescue is the moving account of the lives, struggles and persecutions of the isolated black Jews of Ethiopa – and of their valiant journey across the country to their long-awaited rescue and absorption into Israeli society.
Race and Responsibility Lecture Series
Presented by the Social Action Committee, this series of 5 monthly lectures includes:
Tuesday, January 19th – Alan Steinweis (Dept. of History, UVM) Roots of Racism and Anti-Semitism in Europe
Tuesday, February 23rd – Sherwood Smith (Center for Cultural Pluralism, UVM) White and Whiteness: History and Meanings for Today
Monday, March 15th – Kesha Ram (Senator, State of Vermont) Acting for Social Justice in Vermont: Challenges and Possibilities
Wednesday, April 14th – Mark Levine (Dept. of Health, State of Vt.) Health Equity: Challenges in our State
Wednesday, May 5th – Stephanie Seguino (Dept of Economics, UVM) The Challenge of Reparations: Implications for Vermonters?
Quick Links
Upcoming Services (March 5-6)
Friday
KABBALAT SHABBAT WORSHIP – 6:30 pm
Join us to welcome Shabbat online. This week is our annual HIAS Refugee Shabbat, in conjunction with the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. The Refugee Shabbat project is a moment for congregations, organizations, and individuals in the United States and around the world to dedicate a Shabbat experience to refugees and asylum seekers. Rabbi David Edleson and Cantor Mark Leopold will lead.
More about HIAS and the Refugee Shabbat Project
View/download the latest service handout (11/2020). (PDF)
Connect with ZOOM a few minutes prior to our start time to make sure everything is working and to schmooze a bit. You will be put into an electronic “waiting room” until admitted.
Join Us to Welcome Shabbat! (password required*)
*Call the Temple Office (802-862-5125) if you need the password.
KIDDUSH AND ONEG SHABBAT – About 7:30 pm
Immediately following our Kabbalat service, remain online for Kiddush and Oneg Shabbat. You’ll have to provide your own wine, Challah and snacks!
Saturday
MORNING SHACHARIT SERVICE – 9:30 am
Get online with ZOOM to bid farewell to Shabbat. Our morning service is a one-hour, peaceful chanted online service, mostly in Hebrew, with focus on the “greatest hits” of Shabbat Shacharit services, a great way to get to know the service and start your day. Torah study will immediately follow worship at about 10:30 am, and runs until noon.
Plan to join our ZOOM session a few minutes prior to start time.
Join Us Online at 9:30 am (password required)
TORAH STUDY – 10:30 am – noon
Our online Torah Study (provide your own bagels/donuts and coffee!) immediately follows morning worship at about 10:30 a.m. All are welcome!
We strive to maintain a vibrant exchange of ideas about the weekly Torah portion, bringing both traditional commentary and recent scholarship to the bear on the text, with a focus on Mussar. It is a lively salon style, participatory Torah Study where all are welcome to click in (with the password). No background or Hebrew is needed.
This week, we read Parashat Ki Tisa (Exodus 25:1 – 27:19).
The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: When you take a census of the Israelite men according to their army enrollment, each shall pay the Eternal a ransom for himself on being enrolled, that no plague may come upon them through their being enrolled.” – Exodus 30:11-12
In Ki Tisa, the Eternal tells Moses to take a census of the Israelites and collect a half-shekel from each person, stating specifically that “the rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less…” (Exodus 30:15). Moses is given instructions on how to prepare for the the ordination of priests, and to engage 2 skilled artisans, Bezalel and Oholiab, to construct objects for the Tabernacle.
This is also the parashah that tells the story of the Golden Calf, wherein Moses, upon returning from the mountain with the Covenant, destroys the tablets when he sees the Israelites worshipping the false god idol. The Eternal punishes the Israelites with a plague, and Moses returns to Mount Sinai with set of blank tablets and spends another 40 days, before returning with a newly inscribed Ten Commandments and a “radiant face.”
Read the text (Hebrew and English) on sefaria.org Modern (Reform) Summary, Translation and Commentary Podcast from RJ.org
Additional links to commentary on this week’s portion for families:
✡ Ki Tisa for Tots ✡ Ki Tisa for Tweens ✡ Ki Tisa for Teens ✡
Join Us for Study if you’re not already online. (password required)
HAVDALAH and MAKING PRAYER REAL – 6:00 pm
Join us for Havdalah and a preview of our Making Prayer Real class, which starts on March 14 and will be taught by Rabbi Edelson and Rabbi Amy Small.
Call the Temple office if you need the passcode.
Chaverim has you covered!
Need help during the COVID-19 crisis? If you need assistance with shopping, household repairs, pet care, etc., please contact our Chaverim Committee, and we’ll try to help you out with .
Want to help people in our community who are sheltering or need help? Please let the Chaverim Committee know that you are available to help people in your area.
Social Action Opportunities
Your Social Action Committee is developing a list of important volunteer activities. This list will be updated on a regular basis and will always be available on the Tikkun Olam-Social Action webpage.