CBI Events Calendar

CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL An Independent Jewish Community invites you to participate in a June Artist-in-Residence 2 1/2 day Workshop

Multimedia Journal & Collage With Patty Pape Mixed Media Art Journal & Collage

We’ll make our own hardcover art journal, covered with decorative paper that we’ve made in class. We’ll use various mixed media techniques to add artwork to our journal, including mono-printing, collage, and image transfers. You’ll leave with a handmade art journal with plenty of blank pages to continue your mixed media adventures. Whether you are a beginning artist who wants to learn the fundamentals of mixed media or an experienced artist who wants to learn new techniques, this is a fun and productive workshop for everyone.

BIO Patty spent her work career in the corporate telecommunications world. After retiring, she and her husband relocated to Winston-Salem, NC to become active grandparents. Patty started taking drawing, painting, and printmaking classes at The Sawtooth School for Visual Art, and quickly became immersed in mixed media.
Patty has an obsession with paper, paste, and art supplies which she now uses to focus primarily on acrylic painting, collage, and art journaling. She loves to share her techniques with others and continues to learn from everyone around her.

WORKSHOP DETAILS LOCATION: Congregation Beth Israel • 229 Murdock Avenue, Asheville, NC 28804 DATES: Tuesday, June 6, 2023 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm June 7 & 8 • 9:30 am—5:00 pm

REGISTRATION: Early Bird $200 By May 1, 2023 May 2 to June 1 $225

Mail check payable to: Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) 229 Murdock Avenue Asheville, NC 28804. Please include your name, address, email, cell phone. OR, Follow this handy link for online payment https://www.iatspayments.com/saaura/PA9D774D1942B59637 For registration questions, call CBI office 828-252-8660, or email admin@bethisraelnc.org

A vegetarian lunch will be provided daily. Coffee, tea, and water available throughout each day. Participants may bring snacks to share. No meat may be brought into the synagogue.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellations made prior to MAY 1 are refundable, less a $50 administrative charge. Cancellations made up until May 15 are eligible for a 50% refund. Cancellations made after May 25 are non-refundable, however the registration can be transferred to a donation to the synagogue.

Current COVID-19 policy will be followed based on recommended CDC guidelines at the time. Social distancing will be possible. Each artist will be seated at an individual table.

For questions regarding this workshop, please call organizer, Sally Gooze 828-772-0222.

CBI Baking Club Fridays, noon – 2:00pm
We usually meet Fridays at noon in the CBI kitchen. Let’s share recipes and have a blast together! RSVP to Tikva for more info: weeteawolf@gmail.com or text (919)-5-TIKVAH

FRIDAY NOON STUDY GROUP  JUNE 9  12-1

Last week, our study of God is a Verb began with a consideration of a question posed at the end of our previous session:  “Is Evil Necessary?”  Many of us were not entirely comfortable with the Kabbalistic notion that evil fulfills a primary function in creation, that if you kill the evil inclination “the world will be destroyed because there will no longer be a desire to procreate” (Yoma 69b) or engage in business, and that we must seek out the divine spark inherent in evil and attempt to uplift it.  

We moved on from this eternal conundrum and began to discuss  the opening chapter of Part 3 of Cooper’s text, “Higher Awareness.”   Some highlights from that discussion include: 

• Our agreement not to take mystical conceptions of a chariot (Merkevah) carrying us off to the throne of God too literally, even though this concept has its origin in the Haftarah from the Book of Ezekiel chanted last week on Shavuot.

• On the other hand, our group seemed to accept Cooper’s notion that we are all afflicted with what he calls a “Time Deficiency Syndrome” that has created a distorted sense of priorities.  This malady, which Cooper identifies as a form of spiritual malnutrition, is caused by our desire for more acquisitions and/or power and control.

• No one seemed to disagree with Cooper that we needed to find ways to make time to develop a true awareness of things that really mattered, to make our inner lights brighter, and to connect with the Divine.  That is, at least for most of us in the group, if we considered the Divine to be something other than an anthropomorphized God but rather a creative source of energy, a force dedicated to making the world a better place.

• We also were receptive to Cooper’s idea that we need to develop methods of attaining higher awareness by immersing ourselves in meaningful activities, engaging in contemplative meditation, and developing our kavanah (intention/purpose) to ensure that it does not devolve into rote behavior.  We also agreed that such consciousness-raising activity (which often involves ways of deflecting distractions to focus on the here and now) is a way of mending the world (tikkun olam) and mending our souls (tikkun ha-nefesh).  All of this discussion worked to prepare us for the exercises (paths) that Cooper will introduce in the remainder of this chapter.

This Friday, our group will consider the various paths of the tzaddik that Cooper outlines on pp. 186-234, paths of respect, generosity, lovingkindness, etc. 

Our discussion group meets via Zoom every Friday from 12-1 (see the CBI web site or weekly announcements for a Zoom link).  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous Friday study group sessions.   If you have questions, please contact Jay Jacoby at jbjacoby@uncc.edu . 

We expect to complete our study of God is a Verb by Friday, June 16.  On Friday, June 23, we’ll be starting a new topic when we explore JEWISH PERSPECTIVES ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.  Judaism  has a history of debate over the death penalty but it generally disagrees with the practice. Although the Torah describes over 30 situations where the death penalty would be appropriate, there are many limitations that have made it difficult to implement.

Our exploration is intended to help inform the screening and panel discussion of a film, Racist Roots:  Origins of North Carolina’s Death Penalty, which will be sponsored by Congregation Beth Israel on Monday June 26, 2023, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.   

Stay tuned to the CBI web site and Weekly Announcements for a link to the Racist Roots film and  further information on the Noon Study Group discussions and the June 26^th event focusing on issues involving Social Justice and the Death Penalty.

Artist and philosopher Ken Vallario will be facilitating philosophy sessions at CBI on

Mondays, 6:30pm

As the world grows in complexity, philosophy is a great way for people to grapple with the big questions in a collaborative way.

CBI Baking Club Fridays, noon – 2:00pm
We usually meet Fridays at noon in the CBI kitchen. Let’s share recipes and have a blast together! RSVP to Tikva for more info: weeteawolf@gmail.com or text (919)-5-TIKVAH

FRIDAY NOON STUDY GROUP  JUNE 9  12-1

Last week, our study of God is a Verb began with a consideration of a question posed at the end of our previous session:  “Is Evil Necessary?”  Many of us were not entirely comfortable with the Kabbalistic notion that evil fulfills a primary function in creation, that if you kill the evil inclination “the world will be destroyed because there will no longer be a desire to procreate” (Yoma 69b) or engage in business, and that we must seek out the divine spark inherent in evil and attempt to uplift it.  

We moved on from this eternal conundrum and began to discuss  the opening chapter of Part 3 of Cooper’s text, “Higher Awareness.”   Some highlights from that discussion include: 

• Our agreement not to take mystical conceptions of a chariot (Merkevah) carrying us off to the throne of God too literally, even though this concept has its origin in the Haftarah from the Book of Ezekiel chanted last week on Shavuot.

• On the other hand, our group seemed to accept Cooper’s notion that we are all afflicted with what he calls a “Time Deficiency Syndrome” that has created a distorted sense of priorities.  This malady, which Cooper identifies as a form of spiritual malnutrition, is caused by our desire for more acquisitions and/or power and control.

• No one seemed to disagree with Cooper that we needed to find ways to make time to develop a true awareness of things that really mattered, to make our inner lights brighter, and to connect with the Divine.  That is, at least for most of us in the group, if we considered the Divine to be something other than an anthropomorphized God but rather a creative source of energy, a force dedicated to making the world a better place.

• We also were receptive to Cooper’s idea that we need to develop methods of attaining higher awareness by immersing ourselves in meaningful activities, engaging in contemplative meditation, and developing our kavanah (intention/purpose) to ensure that it does not devolve into rote behavior.  We also agreed that such consciousness-raising activity (which often involves ways of deflecting distractions to focus on the here and now) is a way of mending the world (tikkun olam) and mending our souls (tikkun ha-nefesh).  All of this discussion worked to prepare us for the exercises (paths) that Cooper will introduce in the remainder of this chapter.

This Friday, our group will consider the various paths of the tzaddik that Cooper outlines on pp. 186-234, paths of respect, generosity, lovingkindness, etc. 

Our discussion group meets via Zoom every Friday from 12-1 (see the CBI web site or weekly announcements for a Zoom link).  All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise or attendance at previous Friday study group sessions.   If you have questions, please contact Jay Jacoby at jbjacoby@uncc.edu . 

We expect to complete our study of God is a Verb by Friday, June 16.  On Friday, June 23, we’ll be starting a new topic when we explore JEWISH PERSPECTIVES ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.  Judaism  has a history of debate over the death penalty but it generally disagrees with the practice. Although the Torah describes over 30 situations where the death penalty would be appropriate, there are many limitations that have made it difficult to implement.

Our exploration is intended to help inform the screening and panel discussion of a film, Racist Roots:  Origins of North Carolina’s Death Penalty, which will be sponsored by Congregation Beth Israel on Monday June 26, 2023, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.   

Stay tuned to the CBI web site and Weekly Announcements for a link to the Racist Roots film and  further information on the Noon Study Group discussions and the June 26^th event focusing on issues involving Social Justice and the Death Penalty.

Cummings Cove also has one of the most picturesque golf courses in the area. Carved out of the landscape is an 18-hole, par 71 course that can be challenging as well as possessing many beautiful
mountain scenes that are enjoyed by those playing the course. –New York Times

Artist and philosopher Ken Vallario will be facilitating philosophy sessions at CBI on

Mondays, 6:30pm

As the world grows in complexity, philosophy is a great way for people to grapple with the big questions in a collaborative way.

CBI Baking Club Fridays, noon – 2:00pm
We usually meet Fridays at noon in the CBI kitchen. Let’s share recipes and have a blast together! RSVP to Tikva for more info: weeteawolf@gmail.com or text (919)-5-TIKVAH