Weekly E-Mail News
Congregation Beth Shalom
Location: 308 South B Street
Mailing address: c/o 200 West Washington
Fairfield, Iowa 52556
e-mail: bethshalomfairfield@gmail.com
website: http://bethshalomfairfield.com
Help us welcome Visitors at Shabbat Service on November 12
This coming Friday, we will be joined by visitors from several Christian churches who want to learn more about the religion of Jesus. The visit is being organized by Pastor Robert Koepcke, pastor of the United Church of Christ in Donnellson, IA. This will be the second time Pastor Koepcke has brought a group to one of our Shabbat services – and it follows a visit he led to last spring’s Seder. This time, he has invited members of the other churches in Donnellson and from a few churches in other cities, including Iowa City and Fairfield’s Presbyterian Church, where he was formerly a pastor. He’s expecting between 25 and 30 participants, perhaps more.
Starting at 6:45 p.m., at Pastor Koepcke’s request, Steve Druker will make a special presentation on the importance of acknowledging and appreciating the Jewishness of Jesus (Rav Yeshua ben Yosef). It’s based on a talk he gave at a High Holy Day service a few years ago that was very popular among our members; and he has revised it to be better-suited for a Christian audience. Then there will be a Q and A session, followed by a brief introduction to the basics of Judaism and the main features of the service they’ll be observing.
Shabbat service will start at the usual time of 8:00 p.m., led by Cantor Haim Menashehoff. We hope that a large number of our members will attend so that our guests will have a fuller experience. It will be followed by an Oneg Shabbat. Also, anyone who did not hear Steve’s earlier presentation is welcome to attend it; and members are also welcome to invite Christian friends.
Shabbat Candle Lighting Times for Fairfield
Shabbat (candle lighting) begins at 4:34 p.m. on Friday, Nov.5; Shabbat ends (Havdalah begins) Saturday, 5:34 p.m. in Fairfield.