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Bethlehem Hebrew Congregation
Bethlehem, NH 03574
Week of 4 December 2023, 21 Kislev 5784
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FROM THE CO-PRESIDENT
BHC‘s Hanukkah menorah sheds light on the darkest nights!
As crowds of North Country residents, friends, and visitors to the area gathered for Bethlehem’s annual Christmas Tree lighting Saturday, December 2, BHC’s menorah stood proudly beside Bethlehem’s Bicentennial Monument. We light the first candle this Thursday, December 7, at 5:00 pm at Bethlehem Town Hall, 2155 Main Street. Cider and donuts follow in the Town Hall lobby.
Before we light the first candle, we should also take a moment of solemn remembrance of the losses suffered by our American serviceman on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. In 1973, over 2400 serviceman were killed, and 1200 were injured in that surprise attack that began the Yom Kippur war, where over 2,600 Israeli servicemen were killed and 9,000 were injured. On October 7, 2023 fifty years after the Yom Kippur war, 1200 more men, women and children were killed in another surprise attack on settlements and towns in the Gaza envelope.
Thanks to Jack Anderson, Bethlehem Fire Chief, and the Bethlehem Fire and Police Departments, the Sue Friedman Memorial Menorah has a place, power and police presence to ensure our security, for our annual “Festival of Lights” celebration.
We invite all congregants, friends and neighbors to join us in front of Bethlehem’s Town Hall this coming Thursday at 5:00 pm to light the first candle and sing the traditional Hanukkah melodies such as "Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)", "Mi Y’malel (Who can Retell)",and "I Have a Little Dreidel."
Then we'll have some fun with new, silly-song versions of old chestnuts including “Winter Wonderland (Hanukah version)”, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Hanukkah version)”, “Feliz Chanukah”, “Let it Glow! (Let it snow),” and “Old Chanukah Time”.
In lighting our menorah, side-by-side with our town’s Christmas tree, we stand together in solidarity to shed a little light on our world, even in its darkest hours.
See you there,
Dave
Dave Goldstone
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FROM RABBI KIRSHBAUM
Shalom everyone,
How are you holding up ? If you’re feeling lonely, confused, frightened, worried, heartbroken, or perhaps as if you can’t put your finger on how you’re feeling, I encourage you to join your BHC community every Mon and Thurs at 8 am for a brief psalm followed by either a sharing of Jewish wisdom for a time such as this, or an opportunity (approximately every third or fourth session) for all of us gathered on Zoom to grope our way toward expressing the terrible dislocations and quandaries of our post-October 7 lives.
I also want to mention here that this coming Sunday’s Torah study will be devoted to what I hope will be a warm, hopeful glimpse into the inner life, as it were, of Hanukkah according to several early Hasidic masters. If I may dare to say such a thing at such a moment, I believe their conclusions will bring you some delight. Remember delight?
The royalty-free image I’ve chosen for the poster for Sunday’s session (below, under "Coming Events) is from Yad vaShem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. I urge you to read the very brief story about Willy Tal's menorah pictured in the poster. In fact, I urge you to drop everything and read about a terrible darkness overcome – eventually – by a certain kind of light related to Willy Tal’s story: here
hag urim sameach – a meaningful and happy festival of light,
Rabbi Kirshbaum
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GRAFFITI HITS CLOSE TO HOME
Sunday, November 26, marked the first hate-filled vandalism reported in our local area. A mailbox and an 'Everyone Belongs' sign were damaged and spray-painted, including hateful words and a swastika, in Franconia, NH, approximately 5 miles from Bethlehem Hebrew Congregation.
There have been a number of incidents of this type of vandalism in the state reported recently, but up until now, they were in the Lakes region or further south. I attended a meeting at the Jewish Federation of New Hampshire on November 27, where Jane E. Young, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, Tim DeMann, the FBI senior agent for NH, and others in law enforcement, stressed the importance of reporting these types of incidents.
If you feel you are in immediate danger, call 911. If there is no immediate danger, but it appears that a hate crime has taken place, call the police, but also let BHC leaders know. One call to the JFNH (603-627-7679 - leave a message) will ensure that the proper law enforcement agencies will be alerted. Unfortunately, incidents of hate have increased since October 7, so please stay safe and report suspected hate crimes.
For the local news report of the Franconia incident, click here.
Melissa
Melissa Potter, co-chair Security Committee
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HANUKKAH:
Thursday, December 7 - Thursday December 14, 5:00 pm daily
(4:00 pm on erev shabbat, December 8)
It's a cold weather BHC tradition: gather at 5:00 pm at the Bethlehem Town Hall steps to light the Sue "Red" Friedman memorial menorah. Thanks to Fire Chief Jack Anderson, our menorah was up as part of the "Christmas in Bethlehem," celebration on December 2, and is ready for the holiday to begin.
We will sing songs and turn on an ever-increasing number of lights. There will be Zoom. The more participants each night, the merrier. Note: We meet at 4:00 erev shabbat so we have time to get back home for Zoom services.
Nightly lead menorah lighters:
Thursday (first night) - Dave and Dorothy Goldstone | Friday - Gail and Martin Kessel
Saturday - Melissa Potter | Sunday - Eileen Regen | Monday - Mike Adler
Tuesday - Geoffrey Fages | Wednesday - Fred Apple family
Thursday (last night) - Apple family, Lucy Goodheart and Gordon Bennet
Help light the menorah - the more candle lighters the merrier - sign up here
Request the Zoom link here
Get links to the silly songs here.
See more photos of the Sue Friedman Menorah at Bethlehem Town Hall here.
Photo by Daniel Goldstone
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ZOOM EREV SHABBAT SERVICES
Psalms, songs, drash, and kaddish
Zoom into erev shabbat services on Fridays at 5:00 pm ET. Look for an email from Margaret with the weekly service details, a PDF of the prayer book and the weekly Zoom link.
Request to join the Zoom link mailing list here
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MONDAY AND THURSDAY MORNINGS AT 8 AM:
A FEW MINUTES OF COMFORT AND COMMUNITY
Join BHC on Mondays and Thursdays at 8:00 am EST on Zoom as we continue, first off, to offer a psalm – a text to which we Jews turn to confront sorrow – then hear a brief teaching to fortify us and, every few sessions, check in with one another.
A reminder email goes out the night before each session.
Newcomers always welcome. Please refer those outside of the BHC community to request the registration link here.
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ZOOM TORAH STUDY SUNDAYS
Why not join us at 11 am every other Sunday for some old-fashioned Torah study? We’ll look at the weekly portion [parshah] in a nutshell, learn about its main characters and themes, and practice the art of questioning the text Jewishly.
Look for an email invitation with registration instructions from Rabbi Kirshbaum later this week.
Request a Zoom link here
Check the BHC Web site for session schedule here.
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LETTERS FROM ISRAEL
The situation is ever-changing. Our Israeli friends Lynn A. and Julie Z. have shared their on-the-ground perspectives in letters they have allowed BHC to share.
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Read Lynn's October 25 letter here.
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Read Lynn's November 1 letter here.
- Read Lynn's November 15 letter here.
- Read Julie's November 15 letter here.
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Read Julie's November 30 letter here.
Also, read Martin Kessel's letter about Brothers and Sisters for Israel here and his report on the November 14 Rally For Israel in Washington here.
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MEET MARCIA OKUN AND JOSH LIEBERMAN
FINALLY SETTLED IN THE NORTH COUNTRY, THANKS IN PART TO BHC
He was studying for his PhD in Switzerland. She had just finished her masters studies in London. Their parents engineered a very successful set-up. Marcia and Josh have been enjoying North Country outdoor and musical activities for years, and have a daughter in the area. They are finally permanent Bethlehem residents.
Read Marcia and Josh's profile by Annie Hoyer here.
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YOU THINK YOU KNOW EILEEN REGEN...
“We saw what was needed and filled the slots, things that were fun as well as useful.”
When Eileen finally decided to retire from her BHC responsibilities this year, it took five people - plus occasional temps - to fill her shoes. If you don't know the story of Eileen Regen's life of family, service and travel, you are in for a treat.
Read Eileen's profile by Annie Hoyer here.
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FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US
IT'S AS EASY AS CLICKING HERE
Or send your (tax-deductible) contribution to: Bethlehem Hebrew Congregation,
P. O. Box 395, Bethlehem, NH 03574
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JOIN OUR CONGREGATION...
BHC comes to you through the support of the many, many people who appreciate what we do and who want to ensure a home for Jewish life and community in the White Mountains. We are already 103 years old and going strong!
Join us as a member or a friend. The BHC Board emphasizes the importance of inclusion, regardless of anyone's ability to pay.
Our fiscal year runs from November 1 to October 31 and now would be a good time to consider renewals. The additional building assessment is placed in a restricted account to pay for capital building expenses. The security fee, also restricted, pays for High Holiday police protection and other security expenses.
There is still time to donate to the 2023 High Holy Days Appeal which will go into the Capital Improvement Fund. Use the additional information box to apply your donation to Capital Improvements.
Learn more about membership and support
Join our mailing list
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