WORKING TO PRESERVE JEWISH TRADITION
The mission of this congregation is to cultivate the tenets of Reform Judaism through prayer, worship, study, fellowship and good works. In pursuit of this, we commit ourselves to ongoing innovation, seeking new challenges and continually evaluating our progress and results while building and sustaining an environment necessary to realize our mission.
WELCOME RABBI BENJAMIN SHULL
EXCITING NEWS FROM TEMPLE B’NAI SHOLEM
Dear friends,
We are thrilled to report that Temple B’nai Sholem has engaged a part-time rabbi to lead us monthly on Shabbat and for the High Holidays. Rabbi Benjamin Shull will begin on Friday evening, March 3, 2023. We hope you will be there to welcome him as he leads us in Shabbat services. Usually, we will also have programming on Saturday led by Rabbi Shull, but we are not yet sure of the full schedule for his first visit. (In general, we will plan some combination of: Torah Study, Adult Education, Lunch ‘n Learn, discussion with children in our Religious School, or just general “schmoozing” in and around the temple to get to know each other.)
Rabbi Shull and his wife recently moved to the Wilmington, NC area from Florida to be closer to family in Raleigh. He has been a congregational rabbi for many years and has training and experience in social work. He will be working full-time as a chaplain in the Wilmington area but contacted us to see if we would be interested in having a part-time rabbi. We had been starting to think of that possibility, since we have been grappling with easing the load of our dedicated group of lay leaders. At the same time, our dear Rabbi Whiman and Cantorial Soloist, Sherry Cohen, who have been leading us in High Holiday Services for several years, informed us that they had the opportunity to lead another congregation, but hesitated to leave us without a rabbi.
So, when our Search Committee met Rabbi Shull — and was impressed with his manner, experience, and ideas — and when he indicated he would be available and interested in leading High Holiday services as well as Shabbat services, we felt this was “bashert” (i.e., “meant to be”).
I want to thank the Search Committee (Chair Irv Joffee, Howard Neviser, Maxine Weisman, Marsha Luhrs and Carla Byrnes) who helped enormously with this important task. The Board of Directors unanimously approved their recommendation to engage Rabbi Shull through 2023.
Shalom,
Howard Neviser, President
SHABBAT SERVICES – RABBI SHULL IS HERE THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 AND SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Shabbat services will take place on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Temple. Rabbi Shull will be here on September 1 and will lead services that evening. On Saturday morning he will lead the congregation in Part II of preparing for the High Holidays: The Power of our Words. Click here for more information.
Please continue to check the Shofar each week for the current schedule as services will takeplce earlier at 7:00 p.m. on the weeks when Rabbi Shull is not here.
We invite you to join us. For information about joining our Zoom service or any other Temple functions please call the Temple at 252-638-4545 or contact us via this website. After speaking with you we will be happy to send you a link to a Zoom service.
COMING EVENTS – See Our New Temple Brochure
GET READY FOR THE NEW YEAR! 5784 IS ALMOST HERE!
The High Holidays will soon be here. Rosh Hashanah begins Friday evening, September 15 and continues through Saturday, September 16. Yom Kippur begins Sunday evening, September 24 and continues until Monday evening, September 25. Temple B’nai Sholem will hold services for the High Holidays as follows:
Rosh Hashanah Evening: Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Rosh Hashanah Morning: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 10:30 a.m.
Tashlich Service will follow the Morning Service
Yom Kippur Evening / Kol Nidrei: Sunday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Yom Kippur Morning: Monday, Sept. 25 at 10:30 a.m.
Yom Kippur Afternoon/Yizkor (Memorial) & Concluding Services: Monday, Sept. 25 at 4:30 p.m.
All services, except Tashlich, will be held in the Temple Sanctuary and will be accessible via Zoom. (Tashlich will be held along the Neuse River, near the Temple. Details available later.)
IMPORTANT INFO: Due to the need for security at services, tickets will be required for admission to the Temple. Each person entering will need to present a ticket, with their name on it issued by the congregation, before they can be admitted into the Temple. To obtain tickets, please email Irv Joffee at ijoffee@gmail.com by Thursday, August 31. Request the number of tickets you would like and include the name(s) of the people you expect to attend. The requested ticket(s) will be sent by return email.
Temple members will receive their requested tickets as part of their membership. Guests, and those who are not yet members, will need to make a contribution of $150 per person before the tickets will be issued. A contribution will also be required to obtain the Zoom link. We feel it is only fair that people who expect the Temple to be there when they need it and want it must also support it. This contribution can be applied toward membership later in the calendar year, if desired.
If you are not a member, it will save time if you mail your contribution at the time of your request to:
Temple B’nai Sholem – TICKETS, 505 Middle Street, New Bern, NC 28560.
Links for the Zoom services will be provided separately. For more information contact Irv at ijoffee@gmail.com or contact us via this website.
We wish everyone a sweet, prosperous, and healthy New Year.
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