High Holiday Theme: Israel Matters (and Local Matters, too!)

Please join us for the Days of Awe / High Holy Days 5775 at Congregation Beth Israel, 1336 Hemlock Street in Chico. Our services are warm, welcoming, inspiring, and participatory. Rabbi Dr. Julie Hilton Danan leads with her husband Hazzan Avraham Danan. Sing along to lively music by our great CBI band, and enjoy the contributions of many soloists, leaders, readers, and “team tekiah,” our shofar blowers. We also have children’s services led by Ruth Gordon, and free childcare during major services. The full service schedule is found on the Shabbat & Holiday Services page of this Newsletter.

Every year we have a theme for the talks and sermons of the holiday. This year’s theme is “Israel Matters.” Israel has been on many of our minds and hearts this summer, starting with the kidnappings and continuing with the military conflict with Gaza, and even locally with an anti-Israel billboard up on the Esplanade in Chico (see Rabbi’s blog, previous entry). Our congregation has people with many viewpoints and experiences about Israel, but it’s probably safe to say that Israel matters to each of us, and matters of Israel have concerned us, and the holidays are a great time to kick off that conversation.

There will also be some talks on “Local Matters,” including the current and future state of our Jewish community, and a Torah study of the biblical environmental Sabbatical Year which starts this Rosh Hashanah.

The following sermons, talks, and discussion are planned (times are for the service start):

• Wednesday, September 24, 7:30pm Eve of Rosh Hashanah: Rabbi Danan speaks on “Dor Le-Dor: Is There a Next Jewish Generation in Chico?” President Donna Greenberg will also offer remarks on the “State of the Synagogue.”

• Thursday, September 25, 10:00am Rosh Hashanah Morning: Prof. Michael Leitner speaks on, “Life and Leisure Under Fire in Israel,” based on his experiences this summer living and researching in Israel. Michael and Sara Leitner have a new book coming out on Israeli life and Michael has worked extensively with sports activities that bring together Jewish and Arab youth.

• Friday, September 26, 10am. Rosh Hashanah Morning II is your opportunity to talk, listen, and share your own feelings about your relationship to Israel and Jewish peoplehood, as Rabbi Danan leads a Torah Study based on a teaching of the late Jewish ethical leader and writer Leonard (Leibel) Fein: “There are Two Kinds of Jews—And We Are Both.”

• Saturday, September 27, 10:30am, Torah Study on the Sabbatical (Shmita) year, the year of rest for the land, which takes place this year, “The Shmita Year: A Vision for Earth and Society.” Bring a veggie-dairy brunch dish to share.

• Friday, October 3, Kol Nidrei, 6:30pm candlelighting/6:45 service, Rabbi Danan will speak on, “Evolution of a Zionist,” about her own journey with Israel, from West Bank settler to Palestinian-Jewish dialogue leader, and her current struggles to advocate for Israel and work for peace in today’s polarized climate.

• Saturday, October 4, Yom Kippur Morning, 10:00am: David Frankel speaks on “History of the Israeli Left.” How have historical events (some of which he witnessed firsthand) combine to weaken and challenge the Israeli Left and is there a hope for peace in nonviolent activism?

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