Purim Megillah Reading at CBI

Monday, March 9

6:30pm Vegetarian/dairy Potluck meal & hamentaschen in the social hall

7:20pm Megillah reading and beverages in the sanctuary.

Come in costume with a dish to share and hear the Purim megillah read!

Gabbai Class

March 11, 2020, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Join Gabbai Marc Panansky to learn (or refresh your memory) how to serve as Gabbai during Saturday morning services.

All are invited to this one-session class.

February 28 and March 6, 2020 12-1

Our group will NOT meet on Friday, February 28.

Last Friday our group discussed Rabbi Wolpe’s claim (in response to some of his atheist opponents) that “unaided by emotion, by vision, reason is a poor compass with which to navigate the world. . . . To fashion a reason that will help us survive, the world needs God” (Ch. 5 of Why Faith Matters).  We then moved on to Chapter 6 and Wolpe’s perspectives on “Reading the Bible.”  Much of the material in this chapter has been the topic of discussion before:  the Bible speaks anew to each receptive spirit in each age; the Bible is an ever-evolving text that cannot be paraphrased; the Bible must be reinterpreted in every generation; the Bible can’t be evaluated in a single reading; the Bible offers different messages depending upon the care with which it is read and upon the reader’s approach.  Perhaps the most important takeaway from this chapter is Wolpe’s observation that reading the Bible offers us ways of seeing the world, and his claim that “Faith is not a proposition but an orientation to the universe.”

When we meet on March 6, we’ll complete our discussion Rabbi Wolpe’s book with a look at Chapters 7 and 8:   “Is Religion Good for You?” and “Why Faith Matters.”  To supplement our discussion, participants are encouraged to read Isaac Bashevis Singer’s short story, “Gimpel the Fool,” which can be found at the following link:

http://www.bolles.org/uploaded/2016-17_Summer_Reading/Upper_School/Sophomore_Summer_Reading/Gimpel_Singer_2016_HONORS.pdf

Our informal discussion group meets every Friday from 12-1 in the CBI Library.  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous noon study group discussions.  If you have questions, please contact Jay Jacoby at jbjacoby@uncc.edu.

Please note that our group will take a week off for good behavior and will NOT meet on March 13.  We will resume on March 20, when we take on a new topic, Writings of the Apostle Paul.

All are invited to join us for a family-friendly Friday night service at 6:00pm followed by a vegetarian/dairy potluck meal.  Pizza (courtesy of Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian Restaurant) and ice cream are provided, please bring a salad or side dish.

Join us in welcoming Shabbat with prayer and song.