High Holy Days Services

Our High Holy Days services, led jointly by our Rabbis and congregation members, are soulful and song-filled.

As is our tradition, all High Holy Days Services are open to the public.  No tickets are required, but please contact the BK office to make a reservation.  Donations are welcome.  All visitors are encouraged to join us for prayer, study and lively discussion.

Childcare (BK Kids Club) is available by reservation.  Please see the form below.

As we prepare for the New Year 5771, many people are working hard at Bnai Keshet to ensure a spiritual, thoughtful and communal High Holy Days celebration. As communal participation is an important BK value, your quick response to this letter will ease our work! Please return the attached form to the synagogue office by email or fax today.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

Rabbi Elliott has started a blog on our website!  His first article is titled, "Jewish Mindfulness Practice: Meditation - It's Good for That!".  Please feel free to comment on the article by simply leaving feedback directly on the blog page.

The blog can be always accessed by going to: http://www.bnaikeshet.org/rabbisblog.

Dear Parents,
We are very pleased this year that school registration forms can again be accessed on-line!   For your convenience, below you will find a check-list of all the Forms needed to be remitted to the School Office to complete registration for your child(ren).

Spirited music, Israeli movies, poetry, book talks, discussions of hot topics and values-driven issues –  not to mention Grateful Dead back stories… all at Bnai Keshet on Friday nights, 7:30 p.m., beginning October 1 and scheduled every Shabbat through January.  The program “officially” launches on Friday night, October 8, with a congregational Shabbat dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the first Kabbalat Keshet music service of the New Year.

Our popular, family-friendly Kabbalat Keshet music service will continue on the first Friday night of every month with lively music and the joy of Shabbat. (Because of the fall holiday schedule, October is the one exception.) Stay after to jam.

The following is a statement from The Reconstructionist Rabbinic Association:

The Reconstructionist Rabbinic Association (RRA) has watched the conversation unfold around Park51, the proposed community center in lower Manhattan, with deep concern. We fully recognize the strong sentiments that have been aroused, and the passionate expressions of grief that are still raw for many families. As Jews and as rabbis, however, we want to state unambiguously our commitment to the principle of the free exercise of religion, a principle that has allowed Jewish Americans to flourish in this country.

Over the last year a great number of Bnai Keshet members have taken it upon themselves to deepen their knowledge of the service and act as Ba'alei Tefillah, leading much of the service with Rabbi Darby. This year we would like to expand this group and invite others to get involved with more areas of the service at all levels. We invite you to explore a theme, question or style of prayer, that interests you. We would like to find a parsha, study together and work on a devar Torah together. We invite you to review a section of the service with us in preparation for leading it. In short we would like to strengthen the participatory spirit of Bnai Keshet services by collaborating as often as possible with members of the congregation. So please call or email with your ideas and interests!

During this afternoon of prayer and spiritual practice we will work at building a Mishkan , a place for God to dwell in our hearts, in our bodies, in our energy fields, in our relationships, in our communities and in our world. “Va’asuli Mikdash v’shochanti b’tocham. Make for me a holy place so that I can dwell among, between and within you.” This commandment sends us onto the path of healing that allows us access to the full power of heart and soul, a wide perspective, and a strong calm center. We will explore ways to clear and strengthen the energy body, giving us a pathway from survival brain reactivity to mature brain clarity, from Small Mind (mochin de katnut) to Big Mind (mochin de gadlut).

The JRF is looking along with the Arava Institute and Hazon for 36 JRF Congregations that will send at least one bicycle rider to Bike Ride from Jerusalem to Eilat to support peace and the environment in Israel. Bnai Keshet would like to be one of those congregations. Join the Arava Institute-Hazon Israel Ride October 19- 26, 2010. From the seat of your bike you will smell, taste, hear, see, and feel the land of Israel in a way you have never experienced.

The 43rd Biennial Convention of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation will be held November 11-14, 2010, in Newport Beach, California. The theme is “California Dreaming: Visioning Our Jewish Future.” JRF is proud of its conventions’ inspiring services, engaging workshops (over 50!), stimulating speakers, and fabulous entertainment. This year also offers an escape from Novemberrrr to a sunny, resort-like environment.

Click on the attachment below to access the June Rainbow Reporter.  Now, everyone with access to the internet can read the insightful columns posted by our Rabbis and co-Presidents, our tributes and member mentionings,  and get a flavor of the events sponsored by our congregation.

The previous issues are posted on the Members-Only section of the site.

Or, for future reference, just simply go to, or bookmark http://www.bnaikeshet.org/rainbow to get the latest edition!

Volunteering to sponsor a Kiddush has never been so easy, musical (really) and fun. Check out the new website, www.bkkp.info. It has everything you  need to make a successful Kiddush, including:
"BK KIDDUSH FOR SHMENDRICKS";  a calendar which shows the available dates; and an easy to complete online request form.