Friday, 14 January, 19:00-20:30
(zoom only)
Kabbalat Shabbat led by Rabbi Alexander Grodensky, followed by online Tu BiShvat community seder. As last year, we invite you to join our virtual Tu Bishvat Seder. 

For the Tu Bishvat Seder, you would need to have the following on your tables: 
– red and white wine or grape juice
– symbolic foods: 
1 round – inedible exterior, edible interior (orange, banana, walnut, almond, pomegranate)
2 round – edible exterior, inedible interior (dates, olives, apricots, plums)
3 round – entirely edible (apples, grapes etc.)

Tu BiShvat Seder Haggadah: link

Saturday, 15 January, 10:30-12:30
Talmud Torah (all)

Torah Weekly Portion
B’shalach
בְּשַׁלַּח
Now When [Pharaoh] Let [the People] Go
Exodus 13:17−17:16
Summary
The Children of Israel escape across the Sea of Reeds from Pharaoh and his army, who drown when God drives back the sea. (13:17-14:31)
Moses and the Israelites sing a song praising Adonai. (15:1-21)
In the wilderness, God provides the grumbling Israelites with quails and manna. God instructs the Israelites to gather and prepare on the sixth day food needed for Shabbat. (15:22-16:36)
The people complain about the lack of water. Moses hits a rock with his rod and brings forth water. (17:1-7)
Israel defeats Amalek, Israel’s eternal enemy. God vows to blot out the memory of Amalek from the world. (17:8-16)

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/bshalach
Haftarah: Judges 4:4-5:31

Friday, 7 January, 19:00-20:30
Kabbalat Shabbat

Torah Weekly Portion
Bo
בֹּא
Go [to Pharaoh]
Exodus 10:1−13:16
Summary
God sends the plagues of locusts and darkness upon Egypt and forewarns Moses about the final plague, the death of every Egyptian firstborn. Pharaoh still does not let the Israelites leave Egypt. (10:1-11:10)
God commands Moses and Aaron regarding the Passover festival. (12:1-27)
God enacts the final plague, striking down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt except those of the House of Israel. Pharaoh now allows the Israelites to leave. (12:29-42)
Speaking to Moses and Aaron, God repeats the commandments about Passover. (12:43-13:16)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/bo
Haftarah: Jeremiah 46:13-28

Friday, 31 December
NO KABBALAT SHABBAT SERVICE

Feel free to join Beth Hillel in Brussels online at 19:00 instead
https://www.beth-hillel.org/

The next community service will take place on Friday, January 7th.

The entire Committee of the Liberal Jewish Community of Luxembourg wishes you ‘e gudde Rutsch’! L’ensemble du Comité de la Communauté juive libérale vous souhaite ‘e gudde Rutsch’!

Torah Weekly Portion
Va-eira
וָאֵרָא
I (God) Appeared [to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]
Exodus 6:2−9:35 
Summary
Despite God’s message that they will be redeemed from slavery, the Israelites’ spirits remain crushed. God instructs Moses and Aaron to deliver the Israelites from the land of Egypt. (6:2-13)
The genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and their descendants is recorded. (6:14-25)
Moses and Aaron perform a miracle with a snake and relate to Pharaoh God’s message to let the Israelites leave Egypt. (7:8-13)
The first seven plagues occur. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart, and Pharaoh rescinds each offer to let the Israelites go. (7:14-9:35)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/va-eira
Haftarah: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21

Friday, 24 December, 19:00-20:30
(only via zoom)
Kabbalat Shabbat

Torah Weekly Portion
Sh’mot
שְׁמוֹת
Names
Exodus 1:1−6:1
Summary
The new king of Egypt makes slaves of the Hebrews and orders their male children to be drowned in the Nile River. (1:1-22)
A Levite woman places her son, Moses, in a basket on the Nile, where he is found by the daughter of Pharaoh and raised in Pharaoh’s house. (2:1-10)
Moses flees to Midian after killing an Egyptian. (2:11-15)
Moses marries Zipporah, the daughter of Midian’s priest. They have a son named Gershom. (2:16-22)
God calls Moses from a burning bush and commissions him to free the Israelites from Egypt. (3:1-4:17)
Moses and Aaron request permission from Pharaoh for the Israelites to celebrate a festival in the wilderness. Pharaoh refuses and makes life even harder for the Israelites. (5:1-23)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/shmot
Haftarah: Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23

Friday, 17 December, 19:00-20:30
Kabbalat Shabbat

Torah Weekly Portion
Va-y’chi
וַיְחִי
[Jacob] Lived
Genesis 47:28–50:26
Summary Jacob blesses his grandchildren Ephraim and Manasseh. (48:1-20)
Jacob’s twelve sons gather around his deathbed, and each receives an evaluation and a prediction of his future. (49:1-33)
Joseph mourns his father’s death and has Jacob embalmed. Jacob is buried in Hebron in the cave of the field of the Machpelah in the land of Canaan. (50:1-14)
Joseph assures his concerned brothers that he has forgiven them and promises to care for them and their families. (50:15-21)
Just before he dies, Joseph tells his brothers that God will return them to the Land that God promised to the patriarchs. The Children of Israel promise Joseph that they will take his bones with them when they leave Egypt. (50:22-26)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/va-ychi

Haftarah: I Kings 2:1-12

Sunday, 5 December, 18:00
Hanukkah Candle Lighting
NOT AT 20:00 / PAS À 20:00

Friday, 10 December, 19:00-20:30
Kabbalat Shabbat

Torah Weekly Portion
Vayigash
וַיִּגַּשׁ
And [Judah] Approached [Joseph]
Genesis 44:18−47:27
Summary
Judah pleads with Joseph to free Benjamin and offers himself as a replacement. (44:18-34)
Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and forgives them for selling him into slavery. (45:1-15)
Although the famine still rages, Pharaoh invites Joseph’s family to “live off the fat of the land.” (45:16-24)
Jacob learns that Joseph is still alive and, with God’s blessing, goes to Egypt. (45:25-46:33)
Pharaoh permits Joseph’s family to settle in Goshen. Pharaoh then meets with Jacob. (47:1-12)
With the famine increasing, Joseph designs a plan for the Egyptians to trade their livestock and land for food. The Israelites thrive in Egypt. (47:13-27)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/vayigash

Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28

Sunday, 28 November – Sunday, 5 December, 20:00
Hanukkah Candle Lighting

Friday, 3 December, 19:00-20:00
Kabbalat Shabbat

Friday, 3 December, 20:00
Hanukkah Potluck Dinner
We will prepare latkes/fried fish and ask you to bring a salad and/or dessert to share. Please let us know by 1 December whether you will attend. Costs for members: €10, non-members: €20. Your place will be confirmed upon reception of your transfer. CovidCheck will apply. For children aged 6-12 please make sure you provide a test result.

Saturday, 4 December, 10:30-12:00
Shabbat Morning Service followed by Rabbi’s Shiur: 13:00 – 15:00

Torah Weekly Portion
Mikeitz
מִקֵּץ
After [Two Years]
Genesis 41:1−44:17
Summary
Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s two dreams and predicts seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine. (41:1-32)
Pharaoh places Joseph in charge of food collection and distribution. (41:37-49)
Joseph marries Asenath, and they have two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. (41:50-52)
When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy food during the famine, Joseph accuses them of spying. He holds Simeon hostage while the rest of the brothers return to Canaan to retrieve Benjamin for him. (42:3-42:38)
The brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin and for more food. Joseph continues the test, this time falsely accusing Benjamin of stealing and declaring that Benjamin must remain his slave. (43:1-44:17)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/mikeitz

Haftarah: Zechariah 4:1-7

Friday, 26 November, 19:00-20:30
Kabbalat Shabbat

Sunday, 28 November
Luxembourg City Synagogue
Hanukkah Party for Families (Registration CLOSED)

KIDS OF AGE 6 AND ABOVE (NOT 12) NEED AN OFFICIAL COVID TEST RESULT.
RAPID SELF TESTS NO LONGER ACCEPTED.

Sunday, 28 November, 20:00
Kabbalat Shabbat
Hanukkah Candle Lighting

Torah Weekly Portion
Vayeishev
וַיֵּשֶׁב
[Jacob] Settled
Genesis 37:1−40:23
Summary
Jacob is shown to favor his son Joseph, whom the other brothers resent. Joseph has dreams of grandeur. (Genesis 37:1-11)
After Joseph’s brothers had gone to tend the flocks in Shechem, Jacob sends Joseph to report on them. The brothers decide against murdering Joseph but instead sell him into slavery. After he is shown Joseph’s coat of many colors, which had been dipped in the blood of a kid, Jacob is led to believe that Joseph has been killed by a beast. (Genesis 37:12-35)
Tamar successively marries two of Judah’s sons, each of whom dies. Judah does not permit her levirate marriage to his youngest son. She deceives Judah into impregnating her. (Genesis 38:1-30)
God is with Joseph in Egypt until the wife of his master, Potiphar, accuses him of rape, whereupon Joseph is imprisoned. (Genesis 39:1-40:23)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/vayeishev

Haftarah: Amos 2:6-3:8

Friday, 19 November, 19:00-20:30
Kabbalat Shabbat

Torah Weekly Portion
Vayishlach
וַיִּשְׁלַח
[Jacob] Sent
Genesis 32:4−36:43
Summary
Jacob prepares to meet Esau. He wrestles with a “man,” who changes Jacob’s name to Israel. (32:4-33)
Jacob and Esau meet and part peacefully, each going his separate way. (33:1-17)
Dinah is raped by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, who was chief of the country. Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi take revenge by murdering all the males of Shechem, and Jacob’s other sons join them in plundering the city. (34:1-31)
Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin and is buried in Ephrah, which is present-day Bethlehem. (35:16-21)
Isaac dies and is buried in Hebron. Jacob’s and Esau’s progeny are listed. (35:22-36:43)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/vayishlach
Haftarah: Hosea 11:7-12:12

Friday, 12 November, 19:00-20:30
Kabbalat Shabbat

Torah Weekly Portion
Vayeitzei
וַיֵּצֵא
And [Jacob] Left
Genesis 28:10−32:3
Summary Jacob dreams of angels going up and down a ladder. God blesses him. Jacob names the place Bethel. (28:10-22)
Jacob works seven years in order to marry Rachel, but Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Leah, Rachel’s older sister. (29:16-25)
Jacob marries Rachel but only after having to commit himself to seven more years of working for Laban. (29:26-30)
Leah, Rachel, and their maidservants, Bilhah and Zilpah, give birth to eleven sons and one daughter. (29:31-30:24)
Jacob and his family leave Laban’s household with great wealth. (31:1-32:3)  

Commentary: https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/vayeitzei
Haftarah: Hosea 12:13-14:10