Dear CAA Family and Friends,
What an incredible weekend celebrating our beloved Rabbi Blumofe’s 25th year of dedication, spiritual leadership, and devotion to our community at Congregation Agudas Achim. The light surrounding our Agudas family was shining bright during this holiday of miracles. There was so much love and joy for Rabbi and for one another.
Thank you to everyone who made this 4-day celebration a reality!
Harriett Kirsh Pozen & Nancyellen Seiden, Co-Chairs
NFB25 TEAM
Harriett Kirsh Pozen & Nancyellen Seiden
NFB25 Co-chairs
Rabbi Gail Swedroe, Associate Rabbi
Frances Meltzer, CAA VP Fundraising
Rachel Rosenberg O’Brien, Executive Director
Stacey Pomerantz, Director of Catering & Events
Alex Perez, Logistics and Facilities Coordinator
Committee Chairs
Ambiance and Decor – Ellen Hunt
Hospitality and Food – Carole Price & Joanne Senyk
Volunteers – Jacci Chanon Prywes
CAA Esteemed Staff
Gabe Alvarado, Lanie Bailey, Rachel Cottle, Joe Lopez,
Millie Rosenberg, Zoe Steiner, Tammy Stone, Jane Weiss
Event Contributors
Susan Klein, CAA President
Gary Susswein, CAA Past-President
Kathy Benayoun, Jeannette Bland, Malka Dubrawsky, BJ Friedman, Brett Ladd,
Mike Miller, Ben Saffer, Fai Lee Steinberg, Jyll Vertuno, Amy Vorhees
CAA History Committee
Ken Nordhauser, Marshall Sack, Sandy Sack,
Fai Lee Steinberg, Andy Reisberg
Tribute Video Committee
David Finkel, Mike O’Krent, Andy Reisberg, Jennifer Rubin
Volunteers
Linda Aronovsky Cox, Jamie Artman, Carolyn Austin, Etti Baranoff, Suzanne Bazarian,
Ginny Belofsky, Deborah Ben-Nun, Nava Berg, Kim Berman, Wendy Botnick,
Naomi Brodkey, Rebecca Canter, Greg Chanon, Karen Chanon, William Chick,
Debbie Cohen, Eileen Cohen, Robin Davis, Deborah Doliner, Linda Druss, Gal Estrela
Paula Falk, Kelly Finkel, BJ Friedman, Craig Gilden, Cari Kahn, Marcus Klein,
Susan Klein, Nick Kornblith, Penny Kruger, Cindy Lindauer, Ben Lewis, Melanie Lewis
Bobby Lopez, Janet Marz, Frances Meltzer, Terry Milma, Wendy Milman, Bobbie Nehman
Suzanne Newberg, Vicky Osherow, Eric Pomerantz, Bob Pozen, Amy Prescott
Josh Prywes, Virginia Raymond, Bob Rosenzweig, Sally Schneider, Jeff Senyk
Joanne Senyk, Joel Sher, Julie Sher, Ian Spechler, Gary Susswein, Jyll Vertuno
Amy Vorhees, Phyllis Worob, Greg Yamin, Sharon Yamin
In-kind Contributions
Ace Custom Quality Engraving
Austin Jewish Film Festival
Rambler Sparkling Water
Sign Effects
Stitch and Dye
All celebrations are free and open to the community. Advance registration is required for all events. Deadline to reserve your seat is Friday, December 1, 2023.
Please make your ticket requests using form below. Tickets will be confirmed 7 – 10 days after submission of your request. For event details and questions, please email nfb25@caa-austin.org
Learn more about our #NFB25 Endowment Campaign HERE today!
#NFB25 – Celebrating Rabbi Neil Blumofe
December 7 – 10, 2023
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7
TICKET REQUESTS CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT – 6:00PM — 1st night of Hanukkah candle lighting for all with Rabbi Neil Blumofe and Rabbi Gail Swedroe then stay for Latkes + Vodkas with music from Mazel Tov Cocktail (21+).
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8
TICKET REQUESTS CLOSED FOR DINNER – 5:00PM — Erev Shabbat and Hanukkah celebrations include 2nd night of Hanukkah and Shabbat candle lighting with Rabbi Neil Blumofe and Rabbi Gail Swedroe, Shir La Shabbat family dinner and Hanukkah cookie decorating. Geared towards children 8 and under and their grown-ups.
6:00PM — Erev Shabbat Services in the CAA Sanctuary with Rabbi Neil Blumofe followed by celebratory Oneg
6:00PM — Shir La Shabbat service in CAA Social Hall with Rabbi Gail Swedroe and Ben Saffer. (Shir La Shabbat is geared toward children 8 and under and their grown-ups.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9
9:45AM — Shabbat services followed by kiddush lunch
1:30PM — Study session with Rabbi Neil Blumofe and colleagues
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10
11:30AM — Congregation Agudas Achim Religious School Celebration for Rabbi Neil Blumofe
7:00PM — Celebration concert with The Rumble from New Orleans (cash bar).
Rabbi Neil F. Blumofe
Rabbi Neil F. Blumofe has created holy moments at Congregation Agudas Achim for more than 25 years, first as Hazzan and then as the Senior Rabbi and Spiritual Leader.
Through his teaching, leadership, and music, Rabbi Blumofe has impacted the lives of thousands, both within and beyond the walls of Agudas Achim. He has served on faculty at the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and the Seminary of the Southwest, hosts the jazz series, Views and Brews at the Cactus Cafe, and is a Senior Rabbinic Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. He has also taught the Living Judaism class at Agudas Achim for a generation, inspiring students at a crucial entry point into the community.
Rabbi Blumofe was ordained as a Rabbi at both the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York and the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles and as a Hazzan at JTS. He and his beloved wife Anne have three grown children, who were all raised as part of the Agudas Achim community.
Judaism can be fun and life-affirming in its approaches to life.”
~ Rabbi Neil F. Blumofe
Congregation Agudas Achim Celebrates Rabbi Neil F. Blumofe’s 25 years of Building Community (The Jewish Outlook – September 2023 Edition)
Have a story you want to share?
Please submit stories to nfb25@caa-austin.org.