2009 marks Congregation Beth El’s 100th birthday.

 

 

 

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Centennial Calendar of Events
Congregation Beth El
Bennington, Vermont
2009 / 5769-70
 
 
April 6–May 28th: Special Centennial Year Counting the Omer course with Viola Moriarty and Rabbi Joshua Boettiger - Mondays this Spring from April 6th-May 28th, 7:30-9:00pm at Jon and Viola’s house (no class May 25th, final class Shavuot night)

Jews traditionally have counted 49 days between Passover and Shavuot. Why do we count, not just in these seven weeks, but in our lives in general? What are we waiting for? How do we measure growth? What is different about Jewish time? What are the traditions surrounding this mysterious seven week period? Join Viola and Rabbi Joshua for a multi-media class exploring these questions. Viola will teach how to make our own Omer booklets to aid in counting, Rabbi Joshua will be telling Rebbe Nachman’s classic story, “The Seven Beggars Tales” over the course of the seven weeks, and we will travel through this time together. Please sign up in advance of this class by emailing Amanda at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
 
Friday, June 12th: Fiction Reading in loving memory of Patricia Barr 7:00pm
featuring Jamaica Kincaid, Ian Frazier, Ceil Bandman, Gretchen Grace-Mazur, Barry Mazur, and Annie Woodhaul. $25 suggested donation to benefit Barr Fund, which funds our rabbinic internship program. (See Press Release at end)
 
August 2009 (exact dates to be determined): Timber Frame Workshop
Learn the ancient craft of timber framing! Build a Sukkah unlike one you have ever seen before! Enjoy classes on Sukkot in the evenings!
 
Join Members of the Timber Framers Guild of North America for a three day workshop teaching this traditional post and beam framing, with mortised and tenoned pegged joinery. In this class we will lay out and cut the joinery for a 12’x18’ sukkah, assemble it, and have a good old-fashioned barn-raising. Rabbi Boettiger and other teachers will offer shiurim on Sukkot in the evenings.
 
September-November: Bennington Museum presents a special exhibit by Emmett Leader.
 Congregation Beth El will be hosting events around the exhibit’s opening, such as an interfaith colloquium on sacred space.
 
Hannukah, December 2009: Re-Dedication of Congregation Beth El’s Historic Synagogue