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CLICK HERE for this week's Healing List.

Cut away, therefore, the thickening about your hearts and stiffen your necks no more.

Deuteronomy 10:16

Maaleh Hayim - How to Mikvah: Queer Edition

Sunday, August 24, 4 pm

The Jewish LGBTQ+ community and Maaleh Hayim come together to welcome the month of Elul. Share and learn about this meaningful month, the ritual of mikvah and how it can be a powerful spiritual practice. We’ll experience a symbolic immersion as we prepare for the High Holy Days. Bring a towel, and an open heart. All are welcome - LGBTQ+, Jewish, Jew-ish, and friends. Let's gather to reflect, renew and rejoice. Suggested Donation of $36. Click here to register!

Elul Classes

Tuesdays, August 26, September 2 & 9, 7 pm

Soundbath

Saturday, September 20, 4 pm

Join a cadre of teachers in this weekly class on Zoom as we prepare ourselves for the High Holy Days! Click here to register for Zoom!

• Class 1, August 26 - Rabbi Emerita Lisa Edwards
• Class 2, September 2 - Cantorial Soloist Raymond Zachary
• Class 3, September 9 - Rabbi Jillian Cameron

Please note: the Elul Classes take place during the weekly Torah Study time slot. Torah Study will not be taking place during the month of Elul.

Then join us at BCC for a healing sound-bath led by BCC member Leigh Grode on Saturday, September 20 at 4 pm. Click here to RSVP!

BCC Books & Bagels

Sunday, August 31, 10 am

Join fellow BCC book lovers for our monthly book group meeting on Zoom to discuss Jewish fiction or non-fiction book selections, sometimes with LGBT content. Space is limited. Please contact Larry Nathenson for the Zoom link at larrynath@aol.com.

The book for this month is Telegraph Avenue, by Michael Chabon, a novel of the intertwined lives of Black and white (Jewish) families in Oakland, with an interracial teenage gay romance on the side. The author also wrote the popular books The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

Tinseltown Squares: Dance Club Open House

Wednesday, September 3, 6:30 pm

Plummer Park - 7377 Santa Monica Blvd @ Martel, West Hollywood. Parking off Santa Monica Blvd or Fountain Ave.

Dancing, Food, Fun, and Free! All Welcome! No sign up necessary.

High Holy Days 5786

September 22 - October 2

We look forward to celebrating the High Holy Days with you this year. This year High Holy Day services will be free for everyone! Keep an eye out for more information in the coming days!

Weekly Torah Study, Tuesday, 7 pm

Shabbat Morning Minyan, 2nd Saturday, 10 am

Life Transitions Group, 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 7 pm

Trans Havurah Hangout, 2nd Sunday, 12 pm

BCC Books & Bagels, Last Sunday, 10 am

B(ee)CC Honey!



Jonathan Falk and George Garcia have a harvest of organic, backyard honey this year to sell, just in time for Rosh Hashanah, benefiting BCC. The cost is $12 for a 16 fl oz jar (approx 23 oz by weight), with profits going to BCC. Please see Jonathan at services Friday nights in August, or email him at jonfalk@aol.com. Cash, check, and Venmo are accepted.

Do you need a ride to BCC on a Friday night or other events? Or, can you offer someone a ride? We'll try to connect people in need of a ride with people who can offer one. Click here to offer or request a ride. Email the office for questions at bcc@bcc-la.org.

The BCC Jewish Library project is a new initiative to help Los Angeles Jewish community members rebuild their Jewish libraries in the wake of the January 2025 wildfires. To learn more about the initiative and how you can take part, click here.

Social Action: Upcoming Demonstrations and Events



Please review the following actions and attend if you are able to do so.

• Community Service Day: Food on Foot Hollywood - Volunteering ⏰ When: Sunday, September 14, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm 📍 Where: Hollywood location to be shared with registrants. Click here to register. .
• Keep Showing Up - Rally ⏰ When: Saturday, August 16, 11 am - 12:30 pm 📍 Where: Culver City Hall, 9770 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. .
• Resistance Bootcamp: Learn the Tactics That Topple Dictators - Workshop ⏰ When: Wednesday, August 20, 7 pm - 9 pm 📍 Where: West Hollywood Aquatics & Recreation Center, Fairfax Room, 8750 El Tovar Pl., West Hollywood, CA 90069 .
• October 7th and Its Aftermath: A Personal Perspective from an FBI Agent on the Ground - Special Program ⏰ When: Wednesday, September 17, 6 pm - 8 pm 📍 Where: Location available upon RSVP. Please RSVP to mefarkas@hotmail.com.

Social Action: Rapid Response Networks



If you see ICE Activity anywhere you go, you can report it to the Rapid Response hotlines in your area.

• Los Angeles Raids Rapid Response Network (LARRN) 📞 888-624-4752 | Covers: Los Angeles County
• Immigrant Defenders Law Center 📞 213-833-8283 | Covers: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial counties | Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 AM–4 PM
• CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) 📞 213-353-1333 | Covers: Los Angeles County
• Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network 📞 323-922-5644 | Covers: Boyle Heights
• Koreatown Rapid Response Network 📞 323-894-1504 | Covers: Koreatown
• ORALE (Long Beach Community Defense Network) 📞 562-269-1083 | Covers: Long Beach
• Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice 📞 909-361-4588 | Covers: San Bernardino and Riverside counties
• Orange County Rapid Response Network 📞 714-881-1558 | Covers: Orange County
• 805 Immigrant Rapid Response Network 📞 805-870-8855 | Covers: Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties
• San Diego Rapid Response Network 📞 619-536-0823 | Covers: San Diego County

Social Action: More Resources

1. Chop Wood, Carry Water - Jessica Craven. A weekly bulletin filled with IMPORTANT and UPLIFTING information.
2. Bend the Arc - Bend the Arc is building a multiracial, multiethnic, intergenerational movement of Jews and allies all across the country who are rising up to build an American future free from white supremacy, antisemitism, and racism. In Washington, D.C. and cities across the country.
3. Indivisible - A grassroots movement of thousands of local Indivisible groups with a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the current agenda.

Resources

For resources on community health, the war in Ukraine, and reproductive rights, please check out the resources page on the BCC website.

Seeking announcement-makers!



Do you care about all the many things happening at BCC each week? Want to share them with the community? We are looking for BCC members who would like to make post-service announcements on Friday night. A template and guidelines will be provided. If you’re interested, please reach out to Maggie at bcc@bcc-la.org. We are also always seeking greeters for Shabbat! If you are interested in volunteering for this task, please reach out to Maggie at bcc@bcc-la.org.

Resources for Supporting Israel

HIAS Emergency Israel Fund

American Friends of Magen David Adom

The Jewish Federation and URJ Fund

Find more resources on the BCC website.

Did You Know...

You can watch past and current BCC services on the BCC website! When you go to the BCC homepage, click "Livestream" in the menu in the upper right corner. On that page, you can watch the current service being livestreamed. If you scroll to the bottom of the page, you can click the link that says "Watch past services here" to see older services. Click here to visit the Livestream page!