Contact
Jessica SchultzBeth Shalom Congregation
410-531-5115
jessica.schultz@beth-shalom.net
Shabbat and Holiday Programs
Shabbat Unplugged
First Friday of each month through June at 7:30 p.m.
Modern and traditional melodies accompanied on piano by Cantor Apt and commentary of the prayer service with Rabbi Grossman move the spirit. Interested in joining the Adult Choir? Contact Cantor Apt at Cantor.Apt@beth-shalom.net. Services begin at 7:30 p.m. followed by refreshments
Hot Topics in Jewish Law and Ethics
Be part of history in the making. Join Rabbi Grossman for a stimulating discussion about current issues before the Committee on Jewish Law and Standard and have your views become part of the conversation that decides Jewish Law for the Conservative Movement.
Friday, March 13: Live Streaming of Services
Friday, May 8: A New Decision on Women and Head Coverings
Vatakim Dinners for empty nesters and mature singles and adults proceed services on these evenings. (RSVP required for each dinner to rabbi.assistant@beth-shalom.net.)
Koleinu Shabbat
Third Friday of each month through June at 7:30 p.m.
Student Choir members add ruach (spirit) in this enthusiastic service the third Friday night of the month that includes a special treat for attending students. Services begin 7:30 p.m. followed by refreshments.
Torah Talks with Rabbi Scheinerman
Saturdays, January 11, February 8, March 7 & June 13
This participatory Torah study on the weekly parsha (Torah reading) led by Rabbi Amy Scheinerman, occurs during regular Saturday morning services. Rabbi Scheinerman, currently the Hospice Rabbi for Howard County, is author of the two-volume book, The Talmud of Relationships.
Sermon in Song with Cantor Rebecca Apt
Saturdays, January 25, March 14 & May 2
Cantor Apt will lead an in-depth exploration of the meaning and music of a particular prayer, during Sabbath morning services.
Ask the Rabbi
Fridays, February 22, March 21, May 23, June 20
Bring your questions about Jewish belief, custom, history and current events for a spirited discussion with Rabbi Grossman. Special treat for students who can “stump the Rabbi” with a legitimate question.
Yom Ha’atzmaut Movie
Featuring: Heading Home
Sunday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m.
A stirring story of sports, patriotism and personal growth, Heading Home charts the underdog journey of Israel's national baseball team competing for the first time in the World Baseball Classic. After years of defeat, Team Israel is finally ranked among the world's best in 2017, eligible to compete in the prestigious international tournament. Their line-up included several Jewish American Major League players, most with a tenuous relationship to Judaism, let alone having ever set foot in Israel. Their odyssey takes them from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem where they are greeted as heroes, to Seoul where they must debunk their has-been, wannabe reputations. With their Mensch on the Bench mascot by their side, the team laughs, cries, and does much soul-searching, discovering the pride of representing Israel on the world stage. Winner of multiple awards including the Audience Award at the 2018 Washington DC Jewish Film Festival.
After watching the movie, join in a discussion of the movie, facilitated by Rabbi Grossman.
Snacks provided!
Adult Education
Spring 2020 Course Offerings
Conversational Hebrew with Ora Fisch
Wednesdays, January 29 through May at 7:45 p.m.
Fee: $40 members; $80 non-members
This intermediate level class, with emphasis on grammar, conversational Hebrew, and vocabulary acquisition, is led by master teacher and native Israeli Ora Fisch. This class continues previous classes, but newcomers are welcome.
Torah Trop for Beginniners
Tuesday, March 17; Mondays, March 23 & 30, April 6 & 13; and Thursday, April 23
Fee:$30 members; $60 non-members
If you have never read Torah before or if it’s been a long time since you last read Torah, this is the perfect class for you. We will review the fundamentals of chanting from the Torah and a bit of Biblical Hebrew grammar. Knowledge of reading Hebrew letters and vowels is required.
Jewish Author Series*
Join us for one or all of these amazing authors:
Sunday, March 15th, 11:00 a.m.: Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg, a.k.a. the Word Mavens, authors of Dictionary of Jewish Words and The Whole Spiel: Funny essays about digital nudniks, seder selfies and chicken soup memories
From kvetching about work to constructing a kugel, Jewish words describe every aspect of our daily lives. Through their humorous and fact-filled talk, The Word Mavens --- Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg -- will share funny stories and new information that they uncovered while writing their best-selling Dictionary of Jewish Words. The Word Mavens will also read from their second book of essays, tell some jokes and see how our group measures up when it comes to obscure Yiddish words. This author talk is co-sponsored by
Sisterhood, Men's Club and individual donors.
Sunday May 17th, 9:30 a.m.: Dan Rodricks, author of Father’s Day Creek
Dan Rodricks is an award-winning columnist for the Baltimore Sun, writing commentary on local, regional and national news three days a week since January 1979. He is also the host of the “Roughly Speaking” podcast. He was previously the host of Midday, a two-hour, daily talk show on WYPR, the NPR affiliate in Baltimore. Earlier, he was host of a talk show on WBAL Radio, contributed feature stories and commentary to WBAL-TV News, the NBC affiliate in Baltimore, and he produced and served as host of a live television show, “Rodricks For Breakfast,” on WMAR-TV, the ABC affiliate in Baltimore. He is the winner of several national and regional journalism awards, and the author of two other books.
*These fees are separate from the multiclass fee.
Fee: Members: 2 sessions for $18.00; 1 session for $10.00;
Non-Members: 2 sessions for $36.00; 1 session for $20.00Courageous Conversations III - about Race and Religious Bias
Tuesdays, February 4, 11, 18 & 25. Culminating Event: March 16
In Courageous Conversations, we will learn from one another and hear each other’s perspectives about how we are living together in our experiences of race and religious bias. The purpose of these conversations is not to persuade, debate, or convince one another of our positions, but to make space for each of us to be heard and to learn about one another, including areas in which we might disagree or hold different views.
All are welcome, regardless of whether you participated last year, and regardless of faith affiliation (including no faith affiliation at all). Participants will be assigned to one of the following four locations:
- St John Baptist Church
- Beth Shalom Congregation
- Dar Al-Taqwa Islamic Center
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Conversation Circles meet at 7:00 p.m. Culminating event at St. John Baptist.
Please register on-line at https://www.hococourageousconversations.com/.
Jews in America: Insiders and Outsiders
A Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning Course
Ten Thursdays beginning March 5 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
This ten-week course, offered by the Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies with content by the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, provides students with the opportunity to consider the challenges of Jewish acculturation to American life, and the sacrifices as well as the contributions that have been made over the past 200 years. Lessons will explore education, the Three Generation Hypothesis, Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, Zionism and the State of Israel, the Civil Rights Movement, and other issues that address American and Jewish culture and identity. Instructor: Rabbi Ilyse Kramer, Director of Lifelong Learning at Beth-El Temple (Harrisburg) and recipient of the Melton Senior Educators fellowship at Hebrew University. Please register at the Haberman Institute website: https://www.habermaninstitute.org/.