Covid-19 Policy Update
3/4/2022
Dear Members,
We hope you are doing well and are staying safe and healthy. Since Covid19 started almost two years ago, living in a world impacted by Covid19 has caused many changes in the way we live. As a sacred community, the leadership of Congregation B’nai Zion has worked hard to guide our communal policies and practices mindful of health and safety using the values of our tradition and the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local governmental authorities. As conditions changed, we changed our policies. Now, again, as infection and vaccination rates have improved, we are again revising our policies.
Moving forward, when you enter the synagogue, B’nai Zion expects our members and guests to:
1. Affirm and uphold the underlying Jewish values of protecting the health and well-being of ourselves and others.
2. If you prefer to wear a mask and maintain social distancing, please feel comfortable in your practice.
3. If you do not wear a mask, please be mindful of the comfort level of others and respect their personal space.
4. Select seating that respects the social distancing practices of others in attendance.
5. If you are not feeling well, please stay home and join our live stream.
6. Respect and accept the practices of fellow attendees, even if they differ from yours.
We will continue to provide masks and hand sanitizer for the use of anyone entering our building and continue providing live streamed access to our religious services and synagogue-based programs.
In addition to these changes, the Board of Directors has also opened up in-house food service which will also be in compliance with the CDC and local government authorities. We are currently working on plans for in person meals and will communicate those plans when they are finalized.
We trust that this revised policy will allow all of our members to feel safe and comfortable attending and participating in Congregation B’nai Zion’s activities. Should you have any questions or concerns please contact one of us.
Sincerely,
Felicia Rubin, President
Bill Carvajal, VP, Chair Ritual Committee
B'nai Zion Service Schedule
Join Us In Person or Virtually
Friday, Kabbalat Shabbat Service 6:00 PM
Click here to join us
A free digital copy of Siddur Sim Shalom for Friday Night is available for download at
www.rabbinicalassembly.org
Saturday, Torah Study 9:00 AM
Saturday, Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 AM
Click here to join us
Sunday Morning Minyan 9:00 AM
Click here to join us
Monday Evening Minyan 6:00 PM
Click here to join us
B'nai Zion expects our members and guests to affirm and uphold the
underlying Jewish values of protecting the health and well-being of ourselves and others. Click the link below to view B'nai Zion Covid-19 Policy. If
you are not feeling well, please stay home and join our live-stream.
Click here to view B'nai Zion Covid-19 Policy
Zoom Programming Schedule
9:00 AM MST – Not your typical Mountain Standard Time event – partly because it is MDT and mostly because on Monday, Sunday and Thursday mornings Rabbi Rosenberg invites you to join him for Tefilla, prayer. We will pray together and then schmooze over breakfast. You provide your own food in the comfort of your home. Please click here or go to https://zoom.us/j/509426785 on Sunday, Monday and Thursday at 9:00 AM for this program.
9:00 AM MST – Not your typical Mountain Standard Time event – partly because it is MDT and mostly because on Monday, Sunday and Thursday mornings Rabbi Rosenberg invites you to join him for Tefilla, prayer. We will pray together and then schmooze over breakfast. You provide your own food in the comfort of your home. Please click here or go to https://zoom.us/j/509426785 on Sunday, Monday and Thursday at 9:00 AM for this program.
Once again this year, Congregation B’nai Zion is a sponsoring partner of the ScholarStream program. Below is a link for our members to use and register without cost. There will be seven ScholarStream series this year, spanning August 2022 to May 2023.
Registration Link:
https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/civicrm/event/register?id=1545&reset=1
Please enter the coupon code: BnaiZion5783 on the registration page under “Event Fees,” then click “Apply.” That will allow you to register for each of the series at no cost. Please note that the coupon code is case sensitive.
Once you register you will receive the Zoom link for each series in a reminder email sent about a week in advance of each series, and again on the morning of each session. The deadline to register for a given session is 10 AM ET on the morning of the session.
Below please find a full description of the topics and teachers for Series 4: The Exodus in the Jewish Tradition: Philosophy, Bible, Midrash and Art
Feb. 1st - “By the merit of righteous women were our ancestors redeemed from Egypt”: a midrashic view of the Exodus Dr. Tamar Kadari, Senior Lecturer in Midrash, The Schechter Institute
Series 5: How the Conservative Movement’s Law Committee Impacts our Lives Today
Feb. 8th - Aliyot for Non-Binary Jews: Liturgical Innovation and Interpersonal Respect. Rabbi Guy Austrian, Author of the Teshuvah "Calling Non-Binary People to Torah Honors", & Rabbi Deborah Silver, Rabbi of Congregation Shir Chadash
Feb. 15th - Matriarchy Confronts Patriarchy: Liturgy as a Vehicle for Change in Jewish Religious Culture. Rabbi Joel Rembaum, Author of the Teshuvah "Regarding the Inclusion of the Names of the Matriarchs in the First Blessing of the Amidah"
Feb. 22nd - Choosing Parenthood: ART (Artificial Reproductive Technology), Adoption, and the Single Parent. Rabbi Susan Grossman, Author of the Teshuvah "Choosing Parenthood: ART, Adoption, and the Single Parent"
March 1st - Halakha, Criminal Justice and Capital Punishment
Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky, Author of the Teshuvah "Participating in the American Death Penalty"
Upcoming Events and Programs
Please see our Special Events page for information about coming events, weekly menus from our meals to go, and other programs!
Thu, February 2 2023
11 Shevat 5783
Shabbat Candle Lighting Time
Friday, February 3
Light Shabbat Candles at 5:24 PM
Saturday, February 4
Shabbat Ends at 6:19 PM
Contact Us
Phone: (915) 833-2222
E-mail: info@congregationbnaizion.org
For after hours emergencies only, please call (877) 245-2576 (this is a voice number only).
Address: 805 Cherry Hill Lane
El Paso, Texas 79912
Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Closed for Lunch from 1:00 PM- 2:00 PM)
B'nai Zion Cemetery
Address: 3915 Gateway West Boulevard
El Paso, Texas 79905
Hours: Sunday - Friday 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Our Mission
Congregation B’nai Zion is a sacred community whose mission is to add Jewish value to the lives of our members engaging God, Torah and Israel as understood and taught by the Conservative Movement.
To accomplish our mission, B’nai Zion establishes educational, cultural, religious, social, and recreational activities that further the cause and objectives of Conservative Judaism. These include sustaining a culture of lifelong Jewish learning and encouraging the next generation of leaders through education and vibrant programming that inspire a sense of Jewish identity and Jewish community. To this end, Congregation B'nai Zion engages children, young adults, families, and seniors living in the Greater El Paso region in exciting events and meaningful Jewish experiences.