Newsflash for the week
CBA Newsflash for March 26, 2025
Thank you to our Oneg Chair this week: Sandy Savino
Message from the Rabbi:
Shalom,
One piece of feedback that I got recently, which I thought was very helpful, was that some people would like to hear me talk more about how we Jews are exceptional rather than how we are like everyone else.
So what I think they’re saying is that I’m focusing too much on the universalistic aspects of Judaism rather than which is particularistic.
It is easy to become immersed in the values and teachings we share with other faiths while neglecting that which makes us unique. Certainly, our covenant with God makes us unique as Jews. Our historical narrative that reminds us every year at Pesach how we were brought out of Egypt by God’s “outstretched arm” is integral to what makes us the chosen people as is Moses having received the Torah on Mt. Sinai in a moment of divine revelation the likes of which the world has never seen.
We Jews have managed to survive thousands of years whereas so many other ethnic and religious groups who were our neighbors as well as our enemies vanished from the scene. We have survived through persecutions, expulsions, genocide and our hard fast commitment to our God and our Jewish tradition has allowed us to persevere in the face of tremendous adversity.
This Friday night I will speak more about this and I hope you’ll all attend our service either in person or now on YouTube. If you have any thoughts about this column or anything else I have written or discussed at services or in another venue, I would be interested in hearing it.
Kol Tuv, (many blessings)
Rabbi Mark
Message from the Treasurer:
Note from Steve Slavick our Treasurer:
Please mail all Treasury related communications/payments/donations to:
PO Box 6
Funkstown, MD 21734
Please send electronic correspondence for the treasurer to saslavick@yahoo.com
From The Ways and Means Committee:
Thank you to Howard for his continuing role as CBA’s “resident photographer.” See the attached PDF for some highlights from last weekend’s event!
Notes from Religious School:
Who remembers learning the alef-bet?
General Messages:
Volunteers Needed! Some upcoming opportunities to help out at CBA:
· Cooking and shopping for the congregational seder April 9, 10, 11 (mostly during the day)
· Adopt an Oneg! April 25, May 2, May 8 are open and in need of sponsors
Please contact Laurie Baturin at 301-919-1126 with your availability and any questions.
PASSOVER IS AROUND THE CORNER!!! Don’t miss CBA’s annual Community Seder, scheduled for Sunday, April 13, at 5:00 PM. Attached is the flyer, but it is also being sent separately. Chag sameach—happy holiday!
CBA – Security, Swipe Card Usage By Congregants:
A REMINDER TO OUR CONGREGANTS:
Please bring your programmed ‘swipe card’ with you for Friday evening services to assure being able to unlock and enter the doors (front synagogue door to main level foyer; rear lower-level door into the social hall – accessibility for mobility challenged individuals). For lost or Replacement access cards a charge of $20/each will be required. Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter.
TORAH STUDY:
Join us for Torah Study at 10 AM on Saturday via Zoom.
COMMUNITY NEWS:
PLANT A TREE IN ISRAEL
Planting a tree in Israel is the perfect way to show you care while helping green the land of Israel. Since 2001, more than 250 million trees have been planted. For each order, a beautiful certificate of your choice can either be emailed or mailed to the recipient with your own personalized message. Trees can be planted for any occasion such as a birth, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, graduation, wedding, get well wish or in memory of someone special. The cost of the tree is $18 with the check made out to Congregation B’nai Abraham.
For more information and to order a tree, contact Carrol Lourie at (240) 818-7555 or cglourie@gmail.com. Be sure to have your contact information and the contact information for the person the certificate is being mailed to available to facilitate the order.
THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
PLEASE DO NOT SHARE LINKS – THEY ARE INTENDED ONLY FOR CONGREGANTS
| FridayMarch 28 | Shabbat ServiceJoin us in the sanctuary or streaming live on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/XmTe63V-WmM | 7:30 P.M. |
| SaturdayMarch 29 | Torah Study Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/83429576649?pwd=WDRkYnh5cXVHREdDWi90MXdBYllzQT09 Meeting ID: 834 2957 6649Passcode: 030303 | 10:00 A.M. |
LIFELONG LEARNING
Hebrew Classes occur on Wednesday evenings. If interested, please contact Rabbi Mark at: rabbimarkcba@gmail.com There are both beginner as well as a more advanced level.
MI SHEBEIRACH (PRAYERS FOR GOOD HEALTH) – Please notify the CBA Office if you wish to add someone’s name.
Joe Cunningham
Amelia Kasinof
Gloria Ray
Janet Hawbaker
Curtis Sager
Peggy Dirolf
Pat Loffler
Robin Shoemaker
Ruthie Forman
Steve Hummel
Jody Nielsen
Laura Liebersohn
Mark Money
Donna Christensen
Cathy Jackson
Greg Axtel
Stephen Hill
Mary Pat Aravanis
Rabbi Fred Raskind
Rabbi Leila Galberner
Sybil Schiffman
Anna Lohr
Jack Deckelbaum
Buck Macht
Betty Penn
Donald Penn
YAHRZEITS (MEMORIAL PRAYERS) for those who passed between March 28– April 3. As in years past, it is traditional and appropriate to make a donation in honor of your loved one’s memory.
*Isadore (lee) Livov
Jerome Katz
*Arthur Alan Levine
Joseph Mazurek
Evelyn Chatkin
Annie Selzer
*Goldie Kaplan
Camille Markley
Jack Metzner
Ida Feldman
*Jacob Auerbach
*Helena Roza
Henrietta Simon
*Rachel Schindler
Morris Lazarus Smith
Yaffa Schneider
Ellen Lea Glick
Morton Gidon
Leah Mildred Ginsberg
*Denotes a memorial plaque in our Sanctuary