This is the last reminder that THE SHABBATON IS COMING! We had a good logistics meeting last night and we’re very exciting about the close to 90 people who will be spending, what will G-d willing be, a wonderful Shabbos together. If you are thinking about coming, the deadline is tonight.

It is truly fitting that we are having it on Shabbos Nachamu. After mourning the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash as a result of Sinas Chinim (senseless hatred) on Tisha B’Av, we have the opportunity to make some real amends by caring, respecting and strengthening one another in our Avodas Hashem.

For those of you who can’t make it, G-d willing we’ll have other opportunities to meet. Of course we hope everyone will continue reading, commenting and contributing to Beyond BT as we build this very real virtual Jewish community into a place of learning, growing and giving.

Join us by RSVPing to beyondbt@gmail.com or calling 917 992-xxxx.

The cost is $25 per adult, $18 for 18 and under, $12 for 12 and under, $5 for 5 and under and babies are free. Here is the schedule.

Friday
6:20 – Mincha/Maariv at CAY (Congregation Ahavas Yisroel)
7:30 – Friday Night Meal- Group meals in selected homes
10:00 – Oneg at the Linns
Shabbos Day
8:30 – Davening at CAY, Jewish Heritage Center or other local Shuls
11:00 – Light Kiddush at CAY
12:30 – Lunch at CAY – 1-2 Short Divrei Torah, people telling their Teshuva Stories and sharing other thoughts
3:30 – 5:00 – Rest, Walk, Shmooze
5:00 – Shiur by Rabbi Yakov Haber
6:00 – Mincha at CAY
7:00 – Shalosh Seudos at CAY – 1-2 Short Divrei Torah, more stories, more thoughts
8:57 – Maariv
9:30 – 11:00 Havdalah – Melave Malka – Beyond BT Jam Band (in formation)

One of the recurring themes on Beyond BT is that every Jew’s unique pursuit of Avodas Hashem is precious, inspiring and uplifting. Of course, we have a special place in our hearts for the journeys of those who did not have the benefit of a Torah-based upbringing, but nonetheless persevered to make Torah the driving force in their lives.

It is against that backdrop that we are encouraging you to join us for the Beyond BT Shabbaton where we will share our challenges, victories and inspirational thoughts as we truly focus on the greatness of every Jew. We are encouraging everybody who wishes, to share part of their story (in 10 minute slices) and in the process help us create deeper respect, appreciation and connection with one another and have a lot of fun in the process.

So please join us by RSVPing to beyondbt@gmail.com or calling 917 992-xxxx.

We have one slight scheduling change. We are encouraging people to arrive in KGH in time to make the 6:20 PM Mincha minyan at Congregation Ahavas Yisroel with the Friday night meals (with soup) beginning at around 7:30 PM. This way we can have a leisurely meal and still head over to the Linns at around 10:00 PM for an Oneg. If you can’t make it that early, let us know and we will make alternative Friday night meal arrangements.

The cost is $25 per adult, $18 for 18 and under, $12 for 12 and under, $5 for 5 and under and babies are free.

Friday
6:20 – Mincha at CAY (Congregation Ahavas Yisroel)
7:30 – Friday Night Meal- Group meals in selected homes
10:00 – Oneg at the Linns
Shabbos
8:30 – Davening at CAY, Jewish Heritage Center or other local Shuls
11:00 – Kiddush at CAY
12:30 – Lunch at CAY – 1-2 Short Divrei Torah, people telling their Teshuva Stories and sharing other thoughts
3:30 – 5:00 – Rest, Walk, Shmooze
5:00 – Shiur by Guest Speaker
6:00 – Mincha at CAY
7:00 – Shalosh Seudos at CAY – 1-2 Short Divrei Torah, more stories, more thoughts
8:57 – Maariv
9:30 – 11:00 Havdalah – Melave Malka – Beyond BT Jam Band (in formation)

The Beyond BT Shabbaton is scheduled for Shabbos Nachamu (August 4-5), in Kew Gardens Hills and we would really love for you to join us. The focus of the Shabbaton is connecting with our fellow Jews, face to face. We want people to develop a deeper appreciation of each other and take a small step towards creating the tight knit and truly caring Jewish community that we all desire.

We want to emphasize that all Jews, be they BTs, FFBs, Partially Observant or Non Observant, are encouraged to join us.

The program will be centered around people telling their own stories and sharing other thoughts in short 5-7 minute chunks throughout the communal meals. Everybody is encouraged to share, but if that’s not your thing, that’s fine too. We’re also going to try to arrange the meals so that people will sit with and have the opportunity to converse with the greatest number of people.

It is very important that we have your reservations as soon as possible so that we can properly arrange for housing and catering.

Here’s the preliminary itinerary. Let us know what you think.

7:20 – Mincha at CAY (Congregation Ahavas Yisroel)
8:30 – Friday Night Meal- Group meals in selected homes
10:15 – Oneg at the Linns

8:30 – Davening at CAY, Jewish Heritage Center or other local Shuls
11:00 – Kiddush at CAY
12:30 – Lunch at CAY – 1-2 Short Divrei Torah, people telling their Teshuva Stories and sharing other thoughts
3:30 – 5:00 – Rest, Walk, Shmooze
5:00 – Shiur by Guest Speaker (two very good prospects but waiting for a final committment)
6:00 – Mincha at CAY
7:00 – Shalosh Seudos at CAY – 1-2 Short Divrei Torah, more stories, more thoughts
8:57 – Maariv
9:30 – 11:00 Havdalah – Melave Malka – Beyond BT Jam Band (in formation)

The cost is $25 per adult, $18 for 18 and under, $12 for 12 and under, $5 for 5 and under and babies are free.

Please join us. It should be a great time. Please email us at beyondbt@gmail.com to let us know
you’re coming and with any scheduling recommendations.

Here is the latest update on our Shabbos Nachamu Shabbaton. Most importantly we have managed to slash prices:

$25 – Adults
$18 – 18 and Under
$12 – 12 and Under
$5 – 5 and Under

Friday night meals will be at the host houses and we will be having Shabbos Lunch, Shalosh Seudos and Melave Malka together.

This is a tremendous opportunity to deepen the connections we have made reading, writing and growing together at Beyond BT. We really hope that everybody in the metropolitan area who does not already have plans for that Shabbos will join us.

If you are planning on attending or considering it, please comment below or email us at beyondbt@gmail.com so we can start planning properly.

Due to the wonders of our web based community, we’re already getting some good feedback on the Shabbaton. We’re working on ways to slash the prices and to create a structure that is focused on meeting people and facilitating great discussions. If you’re even thinking of coming, please comment or email so we can start to plan appropriately.

Rabbi Dovid Schwartz has a great Dvar Torah on Remembering Miriam.

This week’s Internet Parsha Sheet was produced by Efraim Goldstein.

We’re reposting the links to R’ Yaakov Astor and R’ Yonason Goldson over on Aish, since they have a lot of great stuff on the second perek of Pirkei Avos. (And because we think the world of the both of them.)

We are extremely grateful to Hashem for the success of this project. Together we have created a virtual community of thousands of Jews worldwide sharing our thoughts, ideas and chizuk.

We would like to move to the next stage and create more offline activies to meet, share and strengthen one another. Frequent commentor Chana recently suggested a Shabbaton on Shabbos Nachamu, August 5th, which sounds like a great idea. We would probably hold it in Kew Gardens Hills, since we know a lot of people here who could provide sleeping accomodations. The event is open to BTs, FFBs and OnTheWays, but the program will be primarly geared toward BT issues.

We would have communal meals and hopefully a rocking Melave Malka if we can get some of the musicians in the group here. We figure the cost for the meals would be between $75 – $90 per person and about $50 – $70 for children under 16.

Updated:
We would have Friday meals at the host houses, with a communal Shabbos lunch and we’re working on low cost ideas for Shalosh Seudos and possibly a Melave Malka. We’re trying to get the cost for the meals to between $20 – $30 per person and about $16 – $24 for children under 16.

Please leave a comment or send us an email at beyondbt@gmail.com, if you would be interested and let us know how many people would be in your party.