Each December, more than 100 Beth El members of all ages gather together on the North Carolina coast for a weekend of eating, praying, and schmoozing.
This year, we can’t gather on the beach, but we WILL HAVE a
Shabbaton from Home
January 22-24, 2021!
We’ve done our best to elevate the weekend beyond simply a Zoom marathon. We’ve peppered in offline experiences, breaks and unstructured time. Come and go as you please. Try a self-guided painting class in your own time. We’re committed to keeping to the detailed schedule below so you can join in on specific programs. Think of it like a giant restaurant menu — you don’t have to order everything, even though it looks great. Start with a few dishes that interest you and see what else you’re hungry for. Or get one of everything. Your choice! Since we’re all thinking of food now, let’s talk dinner.
Shared Shabbat Meal
We hear you — everyone misses community meals. So on Friday night, January 22, you are invited to eat the same meal together, apart. Dinner will be one of the offline activities, so you can eat whatever you like and you don’t even have to close your mouth to chew. The deadline to order a heat-and-eat meal has passed, but you are invited to cook the same meal at home! If you are cooking at home, the shopping lists for dinner and challah are included at the bottom of this page, and the recipe cards will be in your registration gift box.
Challah Baking Class
Everyone is invited (virtually) into Beth Spira’s kitchen to bake challah Friday afternoon. You are welcome to simply watch and learn, but you are encouraged to participate hands-on from home. Since your dough will need time to rise, she recommends planning ahead so that you arrive to the 2:30pm class ready to braid. Scroll to the end for ingredients and first steps.
Plan to Grab Your Gifts
You all have a giftbox waiting! There are a few options on Thursday and Friday to pick them up. Please let us know ahead of time, so we can have them in the right place! Email Kevin your where & when.
• Thursday, January 21, 11:00 am – 5:30pm: The Mad Popper (105 W NC Hwy 54, Suite 259)
• Thursday, Jauary 21, 1:00 pm – 4:00pm: Kevin Ginsberg’s office (3400 Croasdaile Drive, Building 300)
• Friday, January 22, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Kevin Ginsberg’s office (3400 Croasdaile Drive, Building 300)
• Friday, January 22, 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Beth El Synagogue (1400 Watts St), also the pickup for pre-ordered meals
Blood Drive
The Blood Mobile will be at Beth El on Sunday morning. To donate blood, you must reserve a time. This mitzvah is not limited to registered Shabbatoners, so please forward the invitation and encourage your friends and neighbors to participate.
Book Discussion Without Homework
The week’s Parsha – Bo – includes plagues which led us to clever program names and some offbeat subject matter. That’s why we chose a gem of a book for discussion: “Tell Me How This Ends Well” by David Samuel Levinson. It can be purchased here or anywhere you get your books. But if you haven’t purchased or read it yet, don’t let that stop you from joining the discussion! Beth Belford will read some excepts and lead a conversation that doesn’t require you to pass a pop quiz.
Creativity Hour
A pet delight of many, you’ve heard the pleas to plan ahead. To reiterate, you can submit an act through this ShulCloud form or by emailing Kevin.
Poker
For details and to join, reach out to Howie: howardwizwer@gmail.com.
Schmoozing
What is the Shabbaton without schmoozing? We don’t know and we certainly aren’t going to find out. There will be plenty of unstructured schmooze time between scheduled events. Aside from the public Shabbat services and the occasional specialty room (e.g. poker, teen games), most of the weekend’s events will be in one primary Zoom room. Come early or stay after a program to mingle.
Schedule
The weekend is brought to you by Parshat Bo, featuring Plagues 8-10 and the classic phrase “Let My People Go.” Since we are incapable of letting a pun go un-spun, behold our clever names!
Friday, January 22
2:30 pm-3:30 pm Challah Baking Class: Let My People Dough (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
5:15 pm-5:25 pm Opening Ceremony + Candle Lighting: Let My People Glow (Zoom ID: 874 0492 6098)*
5:30 pm-6:30 pm Musical Kabbalat Shabbat: Let My People So, La, Ti, Do (Zoom ID: 874 0492 6098)*
6:30 pm-7:00 pm Shabbat Dinner (offline)
7:00 pm-7:15 pm All Ages Storytime: Let My People Sto-ry (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
7:15 pm-7:30 pm Post-story schmooze (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
7:30 pm-8:30 pm Teaching: Let My People Know (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
7:30 pm-8:30 pm Organized Grownup Games: Let My People So-cialize (Zoom ID: 834 2808 6886)
Saturday, January 23
9:45 am-10:45 am Yoga: Let My People Flow (Zoom ID: 851 7899 3775)*
10:00 am-11:00 am Family Service: Let My Little People Grow (Zoom ID: 843 4532 0181)
10:00 am-12:00 pm Shabbat Morning Services: Let My People Bo (Zoom ID: 811 1601 8491)*
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Kiddush/Oneg/Schmoozeroom (Zoom ID: 811 1601 8491)*
1:00 pm-2:00 pm Self-Guided Nature Walk (offline)
2:00 pm-3:00 pm Book Discussion/Introduction: “ Tell Me How This Ends Well ” (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
3:00 pm-4:00 pm Schmooze (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
4:00 pm-5:00 pm Beit Midrash with Rabbi Sager: Let My People Know (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
Click here for the related text.
5:00 pm-6:00 pm Schmooze (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
6:15 pm-6:30 pm Musical Havdalah (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
6:30 pm-6:45 pm Group Picture: Let My People Pho-to (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
6:45 pm-7:45 pm Creativity Hour: Let My People Show (sign up to showcase your creativity here) (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
7:45 pm-8:15 pm Pun-Off (Zoom ID: 865 1246 1676)
8:15 pm Poker (Zoom ID: 848 2929 1567)
8:30 pm-9:30 pm Teen Games (Zoom ID: 996 7203 1704)
Sunday, January 24
9:00 am-2:00 pm Mobile Blood Drive — you must reserve a time!
Registration
We ask for a modest registration fee to cover program expenses and supplies: $18 per adult ($9 per child, and a maximum of $54 per family), but Let My People Do-nate more or less. You do not have to be a member to participate; we especially welcome newbies! Shabbat services will always be open to the public, but the rest of the weekend will be in private Zoom rooms whose links are only shared with registrants. You can get a no-questions-asked discount code by emailing jenna@betheldurham.org.
SIGN UP TODAY!
Complete the registration form here. If you have questions, please call the office at 919-682-1238.
RECIPES:
Click here for the Shabbat dinner recipe
Click here for Beth Spira’s Challah recipe
Steps to Complete Before Class (Full instructions included in Registration Gift Box)
1. Measure out all the ingredients in separate bowls.
2. Place the water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of white sugar into a large bowl and stir to combine. Let stand 10 minutes until you see a thin frothy layer across the top. This means that the yeast is active and ready to use. (If you do not see this or if your yeast won’t dissolve, it has likely expired, and you’ll need to purchase new yeast and start again.)
3. In a separate bowl mix together the 4 ½ cups flour, brown sugar and salt.
4. In another separate bowl mix together the oil, egg yolks and vanilla.
5. First add the liquid ingredients to the large bowl with the yeast and water, then pour in the flour mixture. Mix together with your hands until you have a ball of dough.
6. Use the 1/2 cup of flour to mix into the dough (a bit at a time) if the dough ball seems too sticky, reserving some for the kneading surface to keep the dough from sticking to it.
7. Find a space to knead the dough on. Sprinkle some flour on the surface to make sure the dough doesn’t stick while kneading it.
8. Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and put onto the surface and knead it for 10 minutes. (Add a bit more flour to the kneading surface as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.) Dough should become smooth.
9. Place dough into a large bowl that has been lightly greased with vegetable oil.
10. If you have a range, turn your oven on to 400 degrees. Cover bowl with a damp warm towel and place covered bowl on top of the range – not inside the oven! – for 1 ½ hours. This makes sure the dough can stay warm enough to rise. If you have a wall oven, find a warm spot in your kitchen (but not hot enough to start baking the dough) to let the dough rise.
Photos from Shabbaton 2017
