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Annual Celebrations

Holidays at Bet Alef are a special occasion to explore Jewish Spirituality in the seasonal rhythms of our lunar calendar. With High Holidays in the autumn, Chanukah in winter, Purim & Passover in the Spring, and many other opportunities, Bet Alef provides many opportunities to grow in understanding of our sacred celebrations. 

Rabbi Olivier brings a unique voice to the traditional Jewish celebrations of our most sacred days. High Holy Day services at Bet Alef are dedicated to spiritual immersion – from the preparation of Selichot and workshops to deepen the experience to the final tones of the shofar at the conclusion of Neilah on Yom Kippur. Rabbi Olivier BenHaim invites, inspires and instructs individuals to integrate mind, body and spirit in self, community and world. He teaches how Jewish rituals, celebrations, and texts are doorways to deeper meaning, connection, community and joy.

 

Sukkot & Simchat Torah provide opportunities to reflect on our commitment to community and to our sacred text. We build a Sukkah, gather together, and study together. During Simchat Torah, we experience the ending and immediate beginning again of the annual Torah reading cycle. Dance and celebrate with the Torah. 

Chanukah at Bet Alef is a joyful celebration of light and the commemoration of an ancient miracle. It is a time for us to reflect on the light that we bring into the world and focus on the miracles of life around us. 

For Tu BiShvat, we celebrate the Birthday of the Trees together, normally in some service activity that promotes the well-being of our planet.

Purim is our community’s annual musical celebration of the story of Esther, Mordecai, and Haman. Each year we choose a different way to retell the story, invite our community to participate with us, and eat many hamantaschen as a reminder of the good that one person can do.

Along with High Holy Days, Passover stands as one of Judaism’s most fundamental remembrances. As we set aside 8 days together, we remember our people’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. We share a special meal called a Seder together on the 2nd night, in which we re-enact through story-telling the tale of our journey from slavery into freedom.