Dear Congregants,

I hope that all of you and your families have enjoyed a pleasant summer and are contemplating easing into fall and the upcoming holiday season. Attached please find Bet Chaverim Congregation’s High Holiday Information Packet for 5778/2017.

We are delighted that Rabbi Morris Zimbalist will again be leading Bet Chaverim Congregation’s High Holiday Services, along with Rabbi Leon Rosenblum as Cantor. Those of you in attendance at our past High Holiday Services can attest to the meaning and beauty Rabbi Zimbalist brought to our past observance during the Days of Awe.

Again this year, we will hold our High Holiday Services at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia 21045for Rosh Hashanah (Thursday and Friday, September 21st and 22nd), KolNidre (Friday night, September29th), and Yom Kippur (Saturday, September30th).Additional details will be published in future Chai Lights, and will also appear on our Holiday tickets.

Please also remember that this year, as we initiated last year,Bet Chaverim’s Social Action/Green Committee andour Religious School are jointly sponsoring a Food Drive for the Howard County Food Bank and Food onthe 15th. As we celebrate the birth of the worldand as our religious school students learn about Jewish Values, werequestCongregants donate dry and canned foodgoodsand/or diapers, to be delivered to those in need in our community. Our drop-off locations and times are:

  • Sunday, 9/17 during BC Religious School (9AM-12PM) at Oakland Mills High School
  • Both days of Rosh Hashanah (9/21 and 9/22) at the Doubletreeby Hilton Hotel
  • Saturday, 9/23 at Shabbat Shuva Services at the Hawthorn Center

There will be large blue buckets into which the food and diapers can be deposited. Help our students put Teshuvah into action by helping others, jointly with our Social Action/Green Committee, by contributing and helping our local community in need. Let’s show that Bet Chaverim Cares!

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HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE for 5778

The upcoming holidays promise to be jam-packed with both religious and social events; here's what we have to look forward to:

♦HAVDALLAHAND SELICHOT—Saturday, September 16, Hawthorn Center at 8:00 PM. As the month of Elul draws to a close, the mood of repentance becomes more urgent. Prayers for forgiveness called Selichotare added to the daily cycle of religious services. Join us for this important community gathering, as we come together to initiate the Selichot for this holiday observance. Refreshments will be served.

♦ROSH HASHANAH—Thursday and Friday, September 21st and 22nd,at the Doubletree byHilton Hotel, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia 21045.

Morning Service9:00 AM

Babysitting10:00 AM – 1 PM

Torah Service10:10 AM

Junior Congregation10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Sermon12:10 AM

♦TASHLICH— Thursday, September 21st(only), at Lake Kittamaqundi Pavilion near Clydes. Please head directly to the Pavilion at Lake Kittamaqundi following services. If you like, bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the lake at approximately 2:00 PM, followed by a brief service at 2:30 PM.

Our services this year will include the traditional and symbolic casting away of our sins by tossing bread crumbs into the water, as well as a brief family-friendly service.B.Y.O.B. – Bring Your Own Bread (and cast away your sins).Tashlichwill last approximately one hour, and all are welcome to come!y.

♦KOL NIDRE andYOM KIPPUR—Friday and Saturday, September 29th and 30th

  • Evening Services- Friday, September29th, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia 21045.

Mincha 6:15 PM

KolNidre 6:30 PM

Sermon 6:50 PM

  • Yom Kippur- Saturday, September30th, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia 21045.

Morning Service9:00 AM

Babysitting10:00 AM – 1 PM

Torah Service10:15 AM

Junior Congregation11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sermon11:15 AM

Yizkor11:35 AM

Break2:30 PM

Study Session3:45 PM

Mincha4:45 PM

Ne’ilah6:10 PM

Ma’ariv7:25 PM

Havdallah/Final Shofar

Blast 7:40 PM

  • Community Break FastCelebration – Saturday evening, September 30th, immediately following Yom Kippur Services at The NonProfit Collaborative of Howard County, 9770 Patuxent Woods Drive, Building #100, Columbia 21046 (located off Broken Land Parkway). RSVP required.

♦SUKKOT—Services in the Sukkah.

  • Ma’ariv and Adult Education in the Sukkah – Wednesday, October 4th, 7:00 PM at the home of Rabbi Morris and Alison Zimbalist,7104 Newberry Drive, Columbia, 21044. The service will last 15 minutes, followed by a study session for 1 – 1.5 hours.
  • Open House in the Sukkah – Sunday, October 8th, 5:00 – 7:30 PM at the home of Rabbi Morris and Alison Zimbalist,7104 Newberry Drive, Columbia, 21044. Refreshments will be served. Please remember the Zimbalist home is Kosher and Nut-Free.

♦SHEMINI ATZERET/YIZKOR AND SIMCHAT TORAH—Thursday, October 12th at the Hawthorn Center, time will be determined. Rabbi Zimbalist will lead a Mincha/Yizkor service for Shemini Atzeret, before we transition into our Simchat Torah celebration. There will be special activities for our youth (details to follow), and we encourage everyone to come. Refreshments will be served.

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This packet will enable you to:

  • Sign up for Bet Chaverim’s Annual Break Fast and New Year’s Celebration (Saturday, September 30th)
  • Order Guest Tickets
  • Sign up to Usher during Holiday Services
  • Purchase a Lulav and Etrog
  • Publicly Remember Loved Ones on Yom Kippur
  • Participate in Childcare Activities
  • Add loved ones to our Yahrzeit database to receive reminders in the coming year [FORMS MUST BE EMAILED/SNAIL MAILED ONLY]

Please take a few minutes to review this packet, and do your best to abide by theFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH Deadline, so that we can meet your needs in a timely manner.

ALL FORMS CAN BE COMPLETED:

1) ONLINE USING BET CHAVERIM’S WEBSITE,

2) SCANNED AND EMAILED TO SHELLI ROSSMANAT,

- OR-

3) SNAIL MAILED TO ARRIVE BY SEPTEMBER 14th AT: ROSSMAN’S FOR BET CHAVERIM, 10634 GLASS TUMBLER PATH, COLUMBIA, MD, 21045.

To complete forms online:

  1. Go to Bet Chaverim website:
  2. Click on Home tab on the far left
  3. Select forms from drop-down menu
  4. Fill in requested information
  5. Submit form

ALL PAYMENTS OR DONATIONS SHOULD CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE PURPOSE FOR THE FUNDS AND SHOULD BE MAILED TO:

Bet Chaverim

P.O. Box 2428

Ellicott City, MD 21041-2428

Membership in Bet Chaverim Congregation includes High Holiday tickets. This year, tickets will be mailed by September 14th. To receive tickets at that time, Members must have either paid their dues in full orhave made payment arrangements with our treasurer, Stuart Goldman, by September 10th. Please contact Stu at:, and let him know what payment arrangements you propose (up to 12 monthly payments) so he can track our finances appropriately and send email reminders, if desired.We would appreciate it if you make every effort to pay membership dues as rapidly as possible.

As previously noted, Membership dues are $1200per two-adult family and $600 for single-adult family. We also have special reduced rates for young adults and families with young children as part of our L’DorVa’dor program. Interfaith partners are welcome as full members. No member will ever be turned away or made uncomfortable due to financial circumstances.

For questions about Membership, please contact:

  • Heather Zimmerman, Membership Co-Chair: ( 410-480-8361)

—or—

  • Elan Abutboul, Membership Co-Chair: (732-233-6416)

If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment and help us update our Membership database by providing revised information if you have moved, changed phone numbers, or encountered other changes you think the database should reflect.Importantly, we have added Yahrzeit information to our database, so that we can provide the service of sending advance reminders to Members. Please complete the Yahrzeit form at the end of this packet, and send any other updated Membership informationby email or regular mail to:

Shelli Rossman

10634 Glass Tumbler Path

Columbia, MD 21044

I look forward to greeting you at our High Holiday Services, if not before!!

Warm Regards,

Marty Leshin, President

3RDANNUAL BREAK FAST

Everyone—yes, you, your kids, your parents, your guests— welcome!!!

The Potluck Dairy Break Fast, modeled on past gatherings, will feature Bagels, Lox, and Fixins (e.g., cream cheese, tomatoes, onions, capers), together with a scrumptious buffet of entrees, sides, and desserts contributed by participating families. We have reserved NonProfit Collaborative of Howard County,9770Patuxent Woods Drive, Bldg. #100, Columbia 21046(located at the Howard County Community Resources Campus off Broken Land Parkway, a short drive from the Hilton Hotel where High Holiday services will take place) for our Break Fast festivities. This is intended to be a big, informal get-together, where it’s possible to freely circulate and kibbitz with one another. However, it has the advantage of enabling plentiful table seating for those who choose it.

There is no charge for Members, other than the contribution of a dish for the Potluck Buffet. Ticket-holding guests who wish to join us are welcome to do so for $10 per person or $20 per family. Non-members without Guest Tickets also may join us for a donation of $15/person and $25/family.

Please RSVP by September 14th if you plan to attend this celebration, and indicate:

Family Name: ______

____ The number of Members in your party

____ The number of Guests ($10/person or $20/family)

____ The number of Non-Members without Guest Tickets ($15/person or $25/family)

Shelli will respond to your registration by providing you with the event link that will enable you to sign up to bring the Potluck Dish of your choice. The link will also include helpful guidance such as the hours for the gathering (immediately following Yom Kippur services to 10:30PM), when food can be dropped off if you prefer to do that as you return for evening services, and suggestions on amounts and types of foods needed to provide a diverse and balanced selection of dishes, as well as how contributions should be labeled. We are asking that foods be prepared without nuts, and clearly marked when they adhere to dietary concerns such as gluten free or sugar free.

Although we intend to hire limited help to facilitate clean up, we nonetheless would greatly appreciate Members who are willing to volunteer to assist with Set Up and Clean Up. Please let Shelli know if you are able to volunteer to:

____ Set Up ____ Clean Up

GUEST TICKETS ORDER FORM

TICKET PURCHASES
Member Name: ______
Address: ______
Daytime Phone: ______
Email: ______
Ticket purchases: ____ # of adult tickets requested ____ # of youth tickets requested
Total amount: $______

Members in good standing are welcome to purchase tickets for guests who reside outside of Howard County and will be visiting for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. Holiday Tickets for adults are $200/person; tickets for youth aged 13-18 are $100/person. Children younger than age 13 do not require tickets. Tickets are free for dependent college students and military personnel.

Bet Chaverim Congregation extends reciprocity to members in good standing of other out-of-county congregations. If your guests meet these requirements, please provide the name and location of their home congregation(s).

Members’ tickets will be mailed bySeptember 14th. To receive guest tickets in the same mailing, please place orders before that time. Order forms may be completed online or emailed/mailed to Shelli Rossman(). Payment should be sent to Stu Goldman at:

Bet Chaverim

P.O. Box 2428

Ellicott City, MD 21041-2428

Free Tickets Requested for Dependent College Students, Military Personnel, or Reciprocity for Members of Out-of-County Congregations
# of Tickets
# of Tickets / Guest Name / Address / Reciprocal
(Y/N) / Guest’s Congregation & Location

HIGH HOLIDAY USHERS

Successful High Holiday Services are a Community Activity!!! We invite every Congregant to join us in making these Services memorable and meaningful!!!

Please consider volunteering to Usher for our High Holiday Services

Adult #1
Name: ______
Phone Number: ______
Email: ______
Please select the dates you would like to usher:
__ Rosh Hashanah Day 1 (Thurs., Sept. 21)
__ Rosh Hashanah Day 2 (Fri., Sept.22)
__ KolNidre (Fri., Sept. 29)
__ Yom Kippur (Sat., Sept.30)
__ Yizkor (Sat., Sept.30)
__ I do not wish to Usher during the Yom Kippur Yizkor Service / Adult #2
Name: ______
Phone Number: ______
Email: ______
Please select the dates you would like to usher:
__ Rosh Hashanah Day 1 (Thurs., Sept. 21)
__ Rosh Hashanah Day 2 (Fri., Sept.22)
__ KolNidre (Fri., Sept. 29)
__ Yom Kippur (Sat., Sept. 30)
__ Yizkor (Sat., Sept. 30)
__ I do not wish to Usher during the Yom Kippur Yizkor Service

LULAV AND ETROG ORDERS

YIZKOR BOOK OF REMEMBRANCES

Bet Chaverim Congregation will disseminate aBook of Memorial Remembrancesduring Yizkor Services on Yom Kippur.

Although a DONATIONIS NOT REQUIRED, we encourage you to consider making a donation to Bet Chaverim’sin memory of your loved ones to Bet Chaverim’sChesed Fund, or to either the Melissa S. Gorelik Youth Fund or our Religious School.Our Chesed Funds are used to provide shiva trays for bereaved members of our Congregation. The Melissa S. Gorelik Fund supports youth activities for children and adolescents. And the BC Religious School provides Jewish education, and is currently running a moderate deficit. If you choose to contribute, please indicate the purpose so our treasurer can properly allocate your donation, and send to:

Bet Chaverim

P.O. Box 2428

Ellicott City, MD 21041-2428

REMEMBRANCE
At this special time of year, we remember and mourn our loved ones who have departed.
Remembered by [Your Name(s), as you wish the entry to appear]:
______
Names of Departed to be Remembered (First and Last Names):
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______

CHILDCARE

We have reserved a room for childcare in the Hilton Hotel, a short distance from the room where our adult services will be held. As was the case last year, we plan to hire one or more babysitter(s) to entertain and monitor children aged 2 and older from 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM for both days of Rosh Hashanah and for Yom Kippur at no cost to the families.

Children younger than 2 years old can play in the childcare area, but will need to be watched by a parent or guardian.

Parents are encouraged to bring small toys/books that their children can enjoy sharing with others. In addition, Bet Chaverim will make a selection of age-appropriate toys available and also provide snacks and juice/water.

In order to help us complete the arrangements for childcare, please indicate the children you’d like to include in these activities by providing their names, ages, and any food allergies, as well as the services you’re planning on attending (e.g., 1st day Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur morning). Please list children under 2, as well, if you plan on visiting the childcare area with them, so we have sufficient snacks/drinks to offer the littlest ones.

Family Name: ______

Parent/Guardian Cell Phone: ______or ______

Child’s Name Age Food Allergies Service Dates/Times

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

PLEASE REGISTER FOR CHILDCARE NO LATER THAN September14TH, BUT EARLIER IF POSSIBLE!!