Beth Israel

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Kids’ Crew Updates — 2022! 

For the Year 5782 (2021-2022)

  1. Kids’ Crew

This popular family program continues in a new, COVID-friendly format that involves outdoor and home delivery options. Led by nature explorer and children’s educator, Marty Cleary, Kids’ Crew welcomes families with children of all ages.

Currently, the program involves:

– Monthly outdoor gatherings on Jewish themes (Already this year, we have practiced tashlich, dipped apples in honey, built a sukkah, and dyed our own Challah covers using wild grapes!) Kids can be dropped off or the whole family can join in!

– Monthly packages, delivered right to your door! Each package includes fun hands-on activities, such as recipes, craft materials, songs and stories about that month’s theme. Sign up for this free gift from BIC to support your family’s Jewish learning at your own pace during the pandemic.

Themes will include: Hanukkah, Tubishvat, Wildcrafting, Purim, Pesach, Shavuot and more.

  1. Youth Crew

We are pleased to welcome Nevia Frank, an experienced Hebrew and b’nei mitzvah teacher from London, Ontario, who is here pursuing teacher education at Trent. Nevia is facilitating a monthly youth crew for children ages 10 and up who are pre-b’nei mitzvah. They are meeting virtually for now, and started with a Chanukah celebration last week. The next event will likely be a film night in December. The youth crew will evolve based on the youth’s own interests. Thus far, this includes online games, Yiddish folk tales, Judaica making, and LGBTQ Jewish literature. Youth will also be invited to create a tikkun olam community project together.

  1. Hebrew lessons

Nevia will also be offering virtual weekly Hebrew lessons for school-aged children beginning in December. We will be using the Alef Bet Quest workbook. This book will start the group off with some decoding of the Hebrew alphabet using modern and biblical word examples. It is a great transition into some basic modern Hebrew phrases and starting to learn Hebrew blessings. 

  1. B’nei Mitzvah preparation

Nevia is also available for one-on-one tutoring to prepare for a bar/bat/b’nei mitzvah. She is open to any style of bar or bat mitzvah, and we can help you to arrange leadership and the event. This program is at the family’s cost. But do let us know if you need financial support.

Nevia writes: “In the past, my students have learned torah blessings, a torah portion (around 6-18 verses depending on Hebrew level), and sometimes around 6-10 verses of Haftarah (depending on time/Hebrew level but this is not as common). We can arrange any combination of the above items or something different, depending on what suits your child/children and what your goals for the event are. Social action projects instead of a b’nei mitzvah, is also a great option. Also, I have seen students replace one aspect (like the haftarah) for a more in-depth speech or social action project. 

     5. Children and youth participation in Beth Israel Congregation events.

Let’s involve the children and youth in all our services, celebrations, and events. The congregation has enjoyed the Purim play, children’s singing at services, and there is often a special surprise in store for Hanukkah . Please get in touch with your ideas as well.

Who are these programs for?

These programs are open to all Jewish-identified children and families (including family members of Jewish-identified adults or children). All participants are invited (but not required) to become members of Beth Israel Congregation and/or to contribute a donation to support these programs.

For more information on any of these programs, please contact:

Nevia Frank

Children and Youth Coordinator, Beth Israel Congregation

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Further Highlights from 2022

End of year report from the Kids and Youth Programs of Beth Israel Congregation:

The programs this year were a great success. We added 2 new programs – weekly Hebrew classes and a monthly youth group – with the help of a new staff member – Nevia Frank. We also continued our monthly kids crew for families with Marty Cleary, which included exciting outdoor gatherings and/or monthly packages. We recently had our first indoor event at the shul to celebrate Shavuot, which included storytelling, snacks, floral crafts, and a game of Minecraft based at Mount Sinai!
 

Other projects this year included the wonderful kid-designed holiday cards, another incredible Purim play, and a collaborative Chanukah music video.

We want to congratulate Zoe Dunaway on her recent and wonderfully inspiring b mitzvah ceremony. We are now preparing for four more b mitzvahs to take place in the next year!
 

This year included:

9 Kids’ Crew events
6 Youth Crew events
24 Hebrew lessons
22 children participating
 

Here is some recent feedback we received:

“It was truly nourishing for me to finally be in community and to have my daughter be a part of a Jewish community – to be with other Jewish kids!”

 
See below for some pictures of this year’s events, which included building a sukkah and boiling grapes into dye to make challah covers.
 

Many thanks to all the children, youth, families, and leaders, and to the broader Beth Israel membership for supporting these programs! New participants are always welcome. P

Ziysah von Bieberstein
Children and Youth Programs Coordinator
Beth Israel Congregation
 

Grapes

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Kids and Youth Crew further highlights!

Kids’ Crew:

Our March packages helped us learn about Purim and prepare our costumes. Here are some pics of the masks we made!

Kids wearing Purim masks
Kids wearing Kids’ Crew Purim masks
 
Mom and kid wearing Purim mask.
Mom and kid wearing Kids’ Crew Purim mask.
 
This month, the package will be all about… you guessed, it Pesach!

Hebrew classes:

We are halfway through learning the Hebrew aleph bet! And preparing to ask the 4 questions in Hebrew at the upcoming seder.

Youth Crew:

In March, the Youth Crew made paper mache masks and learned about coincidence vs miracle in the Purim story! In April, we will be having a Jewish Minecraft adventure!

Purim:

Our second annual virtual Purim spiel was another big success with 14 kids, youth and young adults playing the majority of the parts with excellent stage presence and humour!

Interested in joining or learning more about our programs? 

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Order Memorial Board Plaques Now

If you would like to order a memorial board plaque to honour a loved one, please email Ron before July 15.  This will ensure that the plaque can be produced and will be available for an unveiling with Cantor Leon Litvack officiating following the Yom Kippur Musaf service. The cost of each plaque is $260, and the following information is required:For details on what information is required:

1) Full English Name

2) Full Hebrew Name with mother’s name if possible, so Abel/Rachel ben/bat Aaron v’Eve

3) Date of Death in the Gregorian calendar, and if known, whether the death occurred before or after sunset on that day.

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Holocaust Education Committee Field Trip

May 7th to the Toronto Holocaust Museum to attend a presentation entitled:  “Reflecting Together:  Interfaith Families and the Holocaust”.   The presenter is Rabbi Denise Handlarski a Trent University education professor and long time friend of Beth Israel.  More details about this can be found at this link.   The presentation is from 7PM-9PM.   

For those interested in possibly car pooling and taking some extra time to visit the THM on May 7th, please contact Ralph.

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Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah)

On behalf of the Beth Israel Holocaust Education Committee:

Yom HaShoah V’Hagvura (Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day) occurs every year on the Hebrew date of 27 Nisan.  It is observed in Israel as its Holocaust memorial day.  This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps.   The theme this year at Beth Israel is resistance and resilience as expressed through art. 

Please join us on Wednesday, April 23rd from 5 – 8:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Synagogue. 

At 5:00PM the doors open for attendees to peruse a Yad Vashem exhibit entitled “The Anguish of Liberation in Art”.   Other related resource materials will be presented as well.

At 5:30 PM, please join us for a commemorative candle lighting. 

At 6:15 PM, please join us for a screening of Hilary Helstein’s documentary, “As Seen Through These Eyes” (trailer link here) .  It threads together incredible stories of defiance and resistance to Nazi brutality through expressions of art.  A cautionary note that some graphic images are presented.

For more information email Ralph.   Click here to RSVP.

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Family Friendly Lag B’Omer in the Country 

Dr. Dan Houpt and family invite the community to join them for a Lag B’Omer celebration, including potluck and bonfire, Saturday (note correct day), May 17th from 3pm on at their farm. For more information (including the address), email us.

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Help Us Make a Minyan for Yom HaShoah

Please join the Holocaust Education Committee for a shared observance of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) on Wednesday, April 23.  The program begins at 5:00PM with time to view an HE Exhibit and resource materials followed by a 5:30PM commemorative candle lighting (minyan+), and at 6:00PM-7:30PM a presentation.  Mark your calendars please. More details to follow.  If you have questions please contact Ralph B. at shoaheducation@jccpeterborough.com.
 
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Would YOU Help Us ZOOM or Record Beth Israel Events?

We would love to connect more with those members of our community who are unable to make it to events in-person, and are looking for a few people to help in this effort by attending and recording and/or zooming events. If this might be you, or you know someone who would be able to serve in this way (volunteer or possibly paid), please email us.

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Call for Proposals:

Events, Activities, Services at Beth Israel for 2025-26

In the interest of continuing to offer meaningful and interesting events for our community, in addition to our current program, we are inviting proposals for additional events / activities / services that you would like to add June, 2025-June, 2026 (inclusive). Proposals will be received by the BIC Events Committee via this form until Friday, March 28th. For more information or to apply, click here. We look forward to receiving your proposals!  
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Beth Israel Rideshare 

Do you generally drive to events at Beth Israel? Do you have room for a passenger(s)? There are a few lovely folks who would like to attend events at Beth Israel but don’t always have a ride. If you’d like to offer – or ask for a ride, and haven’t already, kindly email Chad

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Guest Leader: Laura Wolfson 

**Join Us for a Shabbat Morning Service (w/Bar Mitzvah!), Kiddush &/or Afternoon Program May 24th** 

Members and friends are invited to join us as Beth Israel welcomes Guest Leader Laura Wolfson on Saturday, May 24 for a Shabbat Morning Service at Beth Israel (and via Zoom – email us for the link), beginning at 10 a.m. and including Benji Beavis being called to the Torah as Bar Mitzvah, Kiddush, sponsored by the Beavis family. These are all-ages, family-friendly events. Click here for details and to RSVP for the Kiddush (required).

 

About the Mosaic-Making Project

RSVP Required – Click here.

From 1 – 3:30 p.m. Laura will facilitate a Mosaic-making Project for the community. This will be a continued exploration of the contemporary themes evoked in the weekly Torah portion, through a process of collaborative design. Inspired by an interactive Torah study session (this will include a musical and poetry component, discussion, and might even include a scavenger hunt), we will create a beautiful glass tile mosaic, which will then become a treasured piece of art for our community. This project can be worked on together by adults of all ages, and children as young as preschoolers. Laura will facilitate the design process and teach everyone how to work with the mosaic materials. She will bring all the required materials for the project. 

NOTE: please bring an apron to protect your clothes, or clothes that can get messy/dirty for the afternoon program. RSVP Required. Click here.

 

Bio of Guest Leader Laura Wolfson

Laura Wolfson is a part-time Cantorial Soloist at Shaarei Beth El Congregation in Oakville, ON. She has also been a professional Jewish Educator with a Masters Degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College for 30+ years. Most summers she spends time at URJ Camp George as a member of the Faculty, and she has facilitated Jewish learning activities at too many Jewish family programs and retreats to count! Her specialty area is developing and facilitating collaborative intergenerational educational community projects using a variety of media including music, visual arts, drama and storytelling.