As another January passed filled with the continuing uncertainty of the lingering pandemic, Congregation Beth Ahabah continued to pivot, adapt and find ways to celebrate and find joy.
And as the Talmud teaches when March approaches, and the Jewish calendar enters Adar, we will increase joy. “(Mishenichnas Adar marbin b’simchah,” “When Adar enters, we increase joy” (B. Ta’anit 29a).
Appropriately, as Rabbi Scott Nagel responded when asked about the Purim programming, “We don’t cancel Shabbat and we don’t cancel Purim.”
Our intrepid Purim players have begun planning for this year’s Purim Spiel, “Shushan Rhapsody,” a rollicking retelling of the Book of Esther featuring the music of Queen. Not all performance details are certain, but there will be a Spiel available to all virtually and hopefully in person too.
Our joyful Shabbat services continue in person and livestreaming to our YouTube channel, so everyone can celebrate Shabbat.
Everyone is welcome to join us at https://www.youtube.com/c/CongregationBethAhabahRichmondVA.
While our COVID protocols currently don’t allow for in-person choir rehearsal or performance, Cantor Sarah Beck-Berman and the choir have been Zoom rehearsing. Cantor has become a master of mixing recordings sent in by the choir members so we can still celebrate with a choir enhanced service once a month.
We also still find joy in learning together. On Sunday mornings we have been able to host most of our students in person, but about 10 percent are enrolled and learning in virtual classrooms.
Monday Nights
On Monday nights our adults and teens have hybrid options for many classes. Hybrid classes give us the opportunity of offer nonmembers the opportunity of studying with us.
Our next session of Adult Education starts on Feb. 21. Rabbi Nagel is teaching two hybrid classes – “Writing Personal Prayers: Creating and Maintaining an Intimate Connection with the Divine” and “An Exploration of Global Jewish Communities: Australia, China, Ethiopia, India, Iran and Yemen.
Find out more and register at:
