T E M P L E B E T H A B R A H A M

Volume 34, Number 2
the
October 2014
Volume 31, Number 7
Tishrei/Cheshvan 5775
March 2012
B E T H
A B R A H A M
Pu
iR
T E M P L E
Adar / Nisan 5772
M
DIRECTORY
Services Schedule
Services
GENERAL INFORMATION:
All phone numbers use (510) prefix unless otherwise noted.
LocationTime
Monday & Thursday
Morning Minyan
Chapel
8:00 a.m.
Friday Evening (Kabbalat Shabbat) Chapel
6:15 p.m.
Shabbat Morning
Sanctuary 9:30 a.m.
Exception: we will begin 9:00 a.m. the Thursdays of
Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret.
Candle Lighting (Friday)
October 3
October 10
October 17
October 24
October 31
6:48 p.m.
6:37 p.m.
6:27 p.m.
6:18 p.m.
6:10 p.m.
Torah Portions (Saturday)
October 4
Yom Kippur
October 11
Sukkot
October 18
Bereshit
October 25No’ach
TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAM
is proud to support the Conservative
Movement by affiliating with The United
Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
Advertising Policy: Anyone may sponsor an issue of The
Omer and receive a dedication for their business or loved
one. Contact us for details. We do not accept outside or
paid advertising.
The Omer is published on paper that is 30% post-consumer
fibers.
The Omer (USPS 020299) is published monthly except
July and August by Congregation Beth Abraham, 336
Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610.
Periodicals Postage Paid at Oakland, CA.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Omer, c/o
Temple Beth Abraham, 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA
94610-3232.
© 2014. Temple Beth Abraham.
The Omer is published by Temple Beth Abraham, a nonprofit, located at 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610;
telephone (510) 832-0936. It is published monthly except
for the months of July and August for a total of ten issues
per annum. It is sent as a requester publication and there
is no paid distribution.
To view The Omer in color,
visit www.tbaoakland.org.
i
Mailing Address
336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610
Hours
M-Th: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Fr: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Office Phone
832-0936
Office Fax
832-4930
E-Mail
[email protected]
Gan Avraham
763-7528
Bet Sefer
663-1683
STAFF
Rabbi (x 213)
Cantor
Gabbi
Executive Director (x 214)
Office Coordinator (x 210)
Bet Sefer Director
Gan Avraham Director
Bookkeeper (x 215)
Custodian (x 211)
Kindergym/Toddler Program
Volunteers (x 229)
Mark Bloom
Richard Kaplan, [email protected]
Marshall Langfeld
Rayna Arnold
Virginia Tiger
Susan Simon 663-1683
Barbara Kanter 763-7528
Kevin Blattel
Joe Lewis
Dawn Margolin 547-7726
Herman & Agnes Pencovic
OFFICERS OF THE BOARD
President
Vice President
Vice President
Vice President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Mark Fickes 652-8545
Eric Friedman 984-2575
Alice Hale 336-3044
Flo Raskin 653-7947
Laura Wildmann 601-9571
JB Leibovitch 653-7133
Susan Shub 852-2500
COMMITTEES & ORGANIZATIONS:
If you would like to contact the committee chairs, please contact the
synagogue office for phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Adult Education
Chesed
Development
Dues Evaluation
Endowment Fund
Finance
Gan Avraham Parents
Gan Avraham School Committee
House
Israel Affairs
Membership
Men’s Club
Omer
Personnel
Public Relations
Ritual
Schools
Social Action
Torah Fund
Women of TBA
Youth
Aaron Paul
Warren Gould
Leon Bloomfield & Flo Raskin
Susan Shub
Herman Pencovic
Susan Shub
Toni Mason
Gary Bernstein
Stephen Shub
JB Leibovitch
Ulli Rotzscher
Jeff Ilfeld
Rachel Dornhelm
Laura Wildmann
Lisa Fernandez
Eric Friedman
Alice Hale
Marc Bruner
Anne Levine
Molli Rothman & Jessica Sterling
Phil Hankin
WHAT’S HAPPENING
WTBA invites all women of the TBA community
to join us for sweets and a learning session with the
knowledgeable and engaging Professor Deena Aranoff of Kevah!
What is a Sukkah and Who Dwells Within It?
How the Sukkah serves as a symbol of our individual and communal identities
October 12, 2014 9:30 a.m. - noon in the Sukkah at Temple Beth Abraham
Join us as we explore classical Jewish texts regarding the nature of the Sukkah and who dwells within it.
We will learn more about the holiday and how it connects to our everyday lives.
Professor Deena Aranoff is an assistant professor of Medieval Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological
Union in Berkeley. She teaches courses on Jewish society and culture in the medieval and early-modern
European context. Her interests include rabbinic literature, medieval patterns of Jewish thought and the
broader question of continuity and change in Jewish history. Professor Aranoff is a Kevah educator and
also a certified yoga teacher.
No charge for this event.
Your RSVP is appreciated by October 5. email: [email protected]
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK CLUB
October 20, 2014, 7-9 p.m.
TBA Baum Youth Center
Jodie Picoult’s The Storyteller
RSVP: Fifi Goodfellow at [email protected].
THE TEEN SCENE
The Friendship Circle
Friendship Circle programs present families of individuals with special needs and teen volunteers the
opportunity to form real friendships
within a non-judgmental and supportive community.
Teen Scene:
Teen Scene is a semi-monthly, one and a half hour
program on Sunday evenings for teens with special
needs to join with loving teen volunteers for a fun,
educational group experience.
PJ Library Events for Families
(Children ages 2-7)
Come enjoy these wonderful free family events!
October 19, 3:30-5 p.m.
Bay Area Children’s Theater
A fun workshop!
November 2, 3-4:30 p.m.
In Concert with Isaac Zones & Melita Silberstein
December 7, 3-4:30 p.m.
Puppeteer Diana Schmiana
All events will be held at the
Contra Costa Jewish Day School
955 Risa Road, Lafayette
Kindergym Sunday Play Days with Dawn
The program begins with a light dinner and is followed
by an hour of activities and Jewish discussion. Teens
enjoy various activities, which include dancing, basketball, yoga, drum circle and more.
Oct 19, Nov 9 & 16, Dec 7
For more information, including Teen Scene dates,
please contact Devorah Romano, [email protected].
See additional WTBA sponsored Adult
Education activities on page 6.
Details on page 14
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FROM THE RABBI
Top Ten Books - Tanach Tops the Charts
by Rabbi Bloom
There’s a chain post spreading through Facebook “challenging” people to name the top 10
books that have stayed with them throughout their lives. With that in mind, I’d like to name the
Top Ten Jewish books that have stayed with me throughout my life and rabbinical career.
1. Tanach (Of course!)
2. Jewish Wisdom by Joseph Telushkin
3. God Was In This Place and i, I Did Not Know It by Lawrence Kushner
4. The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism by Joseph Telushkin and Dennis Prager
5. Exodus by Leon Uris
6. Night by Eli Wiesel
7. Bee Season by Myla Goldberg
8. When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner
9. Say Yes to Life by Sidney Greenberg
10. My Promised Land by Ari Shavit (time will tell, but it’s on my mind right now)
And now, as it says on Facebook, I challenge you, the members of Temple Beth Abraham, to
think about the ten Jewish books that have been important to you.
L’shalom,
Rabbi Mark Bloom
FROM THE EDITOR: If you email your list of 10 Jewish books that have influenced you to
[email protected] we will print them in next month’s Omer. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Changing of the Leyning Guards
By Lisa Fernandez
After more years that she can remember, Outi Gould is
retiring her position as leyning coordinator, passing the
torch to Joan Korin.
Outi has done a remarkable job, gathering TBA’s Torah
readers and organizing
their chanting portions
for more years than she
can count. She’s loved the
honor.
leynings – scheduled. (In Yiddish, leynen means to read.)
And if there are still holes, or people cancel at the last
minute, Outi said that means for her personally – “learning lots of Torah portions.” Once, she got a call at 7 a.m.
on Shabbat. Someone couldn’t make it. She had to learn
the portion herself. Other times, when someone didn’t
arrive on time, Outi, Susan Simon or Rabbi Bloom had
to read from the Tikkun,
while another set of eyes
followed the Torah portion with the pointer.
To limit the number of
mishaps, Outi has this
advice for Joan: Send
out a call for readers five
to six weeks before the
date, then a second call
a week or so later. Keep
a separate list of people
who can learn a portion on short notice, and
appeal to those if the first
“(I know that what I do is
a) very essential, if somewhat invisible, job,” she
said. “Teaching people how
to read from the Torah and
providing all kinds of support, both technical and
emotional.”
It hasn’t all been easy. It
can be a monumental task
to get all readings – or
2
Outi Gould
Joan Korin
continued on page 23
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Relational Judaism – A Book Worth Reading
by Mark Fickes
When I stepped into the role of TBA President last year, the Union of Conservative Judaism
gave me a lot of books, many of which focused on how to stem a perceived decline in the
Conservative Movement or how to increase membership in synagogues. One book that I
found particularly thought provoking was Relational Judaism by Dr. Ron Wolfson. At the
time, Dr. Wolfson’s book was the subject of a lot of discussion. There was an article in the
j. which prompted a fair amount of debate among some members of the TBA Board. While
the book was interesting, I could not help but think that the concept of “Relational Judaism”
promoted by Dr. Wolfson posited a false dialectic. On the one side are synagogues that are
transactional institutions meaning that they provide goods for services, e.g., in exchange for
membership dues, shuls provide their members with Hebrew school, b’nai mitzvah and other
life cycle events. Dr. Wolfson believes this model is doomed to failure. The solution that
Dr. Wolfson proposes are synagogues that embrace a “relational model” in which the primary
emphasis is to foster one-on-one Jewish relationships among members which will purportedly
lead to radically re-envisioned communities that will thrive. Apparently, if we don’t become
more relational, we’ll never attract those who are distracted by Facebook, Twitter and the like.
Further, if we become truly relational, we won’t need to charge dues at all because people will
be so enamored with us that they’ll just give us money because of the sense of community
that a relational shul will engender.
In response to these worries, many synagogues are falling over themselves to offer more and
more programs. Let’s try Torah for Tots! Or, how about Talmud for Teens! Yet, despite more
and more programming, many shuls are not able to stem the tide of a declining membership.
If you think about it, this really makes sense. It is too easy to fall into the trap of fixating on
providing more things so people feel the membership dues are well spent. But, far too often,
we don’t ask whether giving you more things and giving them to you faster really enhances
the quality of your Jewish experience at shul. Frankly, what good is yet another Talmud class
if you don’t meet someone new, make a new friend, or find a new way to interact with the
world Jewishly as a result of attending that class?
Over the past year, I’ve seen the countless ways that TBA has fostered opportunities to participate in a traditional synagogue while at the same time providing opportunities to interact
Jewishly with each other. From our participation in AIDS Walk to restoring the wetlands,
from the joy of all the b’nai mitvah services to all our adult education offerings, we are a
strong community that embraces both the transactional and relational models of Judaism. As
I look back over the past year, it seems odd that a book about the problems with synagogues
cast a new light on what a wonderful community we have. And, while we are not without our
share of challenges, I am so proud that we address them with a commitment to community
and fostering Jewish values.
L’shanah tovah. I wish you all a good and sweet New Year!
Please Join Us for Morning Minyan
on Mondays and Thursdays
Join the regulars at our Minyan service, each Monday and Thursday
usually starting at 8:00 a.m. The service lasts about an hour, and
is really a great way to start the day. As an added bonus, breakfast
is served immediately afterwards. To use the old expression – try it,
you’ll like it. If not as a regular, just stop in once or twice and see what
it’s all about.
3
EDITOR’S MESSAGE
Jewish Stories from Around the World
by Rachel Dornhelm
It’s a well-worn idea that books can transport you to other realities. But I was reminded of
how a book can transport you through time... back to your own childhood… the other day.
My mom pulled out a volume from when I was growing up: “Elijah’s Violin and Other Jewish
Fairy Tales.” In many ways it’s not a very remarkable book. It never won big awards or had
big printing runs.
Despite the simple title description as Jewish Fairy Tales, when my mom recently handed me
the blue hardback book missing its dustcover, I remembered instinctively the kinds of stories
that were in it. Stories in which there was definitive good and bad. Kind, well-intentioned
souls battling to restore order and justice. There is magic and royalty and spirits. Most importantly, the stories come from many parts of the world: Morrocco, Greece, Babylon, Eastern
Europe, India.
I grew up in a place with a very small Jewish presence, without the amazing supports and infrastructure that we are so lucky to have here at TBA. In this setting the books I read for pleasure
had a huge impact on my concept of what it meant to be a part of a Jewish community.
I treasure the way the fairy tale book Elijah’s Violin gave me a broad sense of Jewish history
around the world; the way K’tonton brought magic to the observances I knew from my own
family; and, in adolescence, the way The Chosen made me better understand the complex
dynamics of assimilation.
Yes, in Judaism when we say “the People of the Book” it refers to the Torah. And there are
so many other texts that have reinforced the culture and religion through diaspora - from the
Haggadah to the Talmud.
But I would also argue for the importance of including Jewish literary fiction as a key part of
rounding out our religious lives and those of our families.
Recently, I saw a study that proved reading literary fiction greatly boosts peoples’ empathy
- the ability to detect and understand others’ emotions. “Empathy is something that is key to
being a part of a community. And to so many of the tenets of Jewish living like chessed and
mitzvot.
Consider pulling out one of the books of Jewish literary fiction suggested by the Rabbi in his
column or reviewed by Fran Teisch on page 10. Enjoy the fact that it may not only enrich our
ideas about others’ Jewish lives, but it could also create greater understanding of each other
here in our own community.
Happy reading. Shanah Tova.
November Omer Theme: East Coast/West Coast Jews
December Omer Theme: Hanukkah photos from past years
THE OMER
We cheerfully accept member submissions. Deadline for articles and letters is the seventh of the month preceding publication.
Editor in Chief Rachel Dornhelm
Managing Editor Lisa Fernandez
Layout & Design Jessica Sterling
Calendars Jon Golding
B’nai Mitzvah Editor Susan Simon
Cover Gabriella Gordon
Help From People like you!
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Jessica Dell’Era, Nadine Joseph, Richard Kauffman, Jan Silverman,
Debbie Spangler
June Brott, Jessica Dell’Era, Charles Feltman, Jeanne Korn, Anne Levine,
Proofreaders
Stephen Shub, Susan Simon, Debbie Spangler
Copy Editors
Distribution Hennie Hecht, Herman and Agnes Pencovic
Mailing Address 336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610
E-Mail [email protected]
COMMUNITY
East Bay Tikkun Olam Chessed Day
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Inspirational Kickoff Rally at Temple Sinai at 9 a.m.
Then join one of 15 projects:
• Express your inner Picasso paint a mural at the Oakland Lafayette Elementary School, paint walls at the
American Indian Resource Center, or work on a mosaic at Malcolm X Elementary School
•
Wrap and Spiff-Up Holiday Toys for low-income families.
•
Beautify the regional parks, shores, and streets with clean-up and gardening projects at Redwood Regional Park,
Berkeley Shoreline, Lake Merritt, 40th Street, and Urban Adamah
•
Love animals? Help prepare the exhibits at the Oakland Zoo
•
Bing-OOOOOO!!!! Join seniors at Reutlinger Center for Jewish Living for an exciting game!
•
Creative with Crayons? Good at tying knots? Come to Stern Hall at Temple Sinai to decorate food delivery bags,
write card to Israeli soldiers, and both knit and knot blankets to benefit those who receive services from JFCS, A
Package from Home, and Highland Hospital.
Sponsored by Beth Jacob Congregation, Congregation Beth El, Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation
Netivot Shalom, Temple Beth Abraham, Temple Sinai, Bend the Arc, East Bay JCRC, Oakland Hebrew Day
School, Midrasha of Berkeley, and Tehiyah Day School.
Pastries courtesy of Semifreddi’s Bakery & painting supplies courtesy of Home Depot.
Event info and sign-up at http://tinyurl.com/ebtocd2014
5
WTBA, OUR SISTERHOOD
The People of the Book Club
by Molli Rothman
“Make books your companions; let your bookshelves
be your gardens: bask in their beauty, gather their fruit,
pluck their roses, take their spices and myrrh. And when
your soul be weary, change from garden to garden, and
from prospect to prospect.”
~ Ibn Tibbon, c. 1120-1190 Spanish Jewish scholar
Remember when you were a kid and bored and complained to your mother that you had nothing to do, and
your mom would say “Read a book”? Well now you can,
but not be bored!
The People of the Book Club has been meeting for about
15 years. We meet monthly at private homes from 7:00 to
9:00 p.m., members take turns hosting. Each month we
alternate between a fiction book and a non-fiction book.
Each book chosen must have some Jewish content or be
written by a Jewish author.
If you like to read a variety of topics, you would probably enjoy attending a meeting of The People of the Book
Club. We are a warm group of people with lively discus-
Join us next* month for WTBA’s
Girls Night Out
Israeli Wine &
Chocolate Pairing
Thursday, November 6
7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Baum Youth Center, 341 MacArthur
Girls Night Out is a casual, monthly event to gather
TBA women together for relaxed and unstructured
social time. Drop in on the first Thursday of each
month to chat, laugh, debate, have a glass of wine
and some light goodies, and get to know each other
better. No need to bring a thing! Meet old friends,
and make new friends. There’s a different mix, vibe,
and conversation every month. Come check it out!
Questions: [email protected] or
[email protected]
*We will be skipping October’s GNO due to
conflicts with tthe high holy day calendar.
6
sion. Each meeting starts with a little schmoozing and a
quick check around the room where each person gives a
short assessment of their impression of the book. We call
this the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” check-in. The
floor is then opened for more in depth discussion.
I have greatly enjoyed participating in Book Club on and
off over the years for many reasons. The most important
is that each month a member presents a few options for
books to read at our next meeting. After a brief summary,
the group chooses a new title. By participating in this
group I have read a far greater breadth of topics than I
would normally choose for myself. The discussions are
always lively and stimulating. By attending Book Club
I have broadened by TBA circle of friends. The group
attracts a wide age range of people, which enhances the
discussions and the fun. We are a very welcoming group
and look forward to seeing you for our next meeting:
The next Book Club meeting will be on Monday, October
20, at 7:00 p.m. in the TBA Baum Center. The book is
Jodie Picoult’s The Storyteller. For information about
The People of the Book Club please see the TBA website
or email Fifi Goodfellow at [email protected].
Sponsered by WTBA & Ruach Hadassah
An Introduction to the
Talmud & Midrash
Monday, October 20, 2014
On behalf of The Women of TBA (WTBA) and Oakland
Ruach Hadassah, we would like to invite all East Bay
Women to join our Rosh Chodesh group. The group
meets monthly on the Monday closest to Rosh Chodesh,
from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at rotating members’ homes. The
meetings are facilitated by members of the group.
This month, we will continue our study of the book
Taste of Text by Ronald H. Isaacs. This book is an
introduction to the study of talmudic and midrashic
materials. Rabbi Isaacs addresses sixteen topics of
religious and personal importance. The subject for
October is Ecology. The meeting will opens with a
short discussion about the significance of the month of
Cheshvan.
Questions? Contact Amy Tessler at abtessler@comcast.
net or (510) 482-1218 to obtain the reading materials
and get on the distribution list for the upcoming meeting locations.
JEWISH DAY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSES
Contra Costa Jewish Day School Invites You
Have you considered CCJDS for your child’s Kindergarten
– 8th grade education? Come learn why other TBA families
have chosen CCJDS!
We invite you to our upcoming Open Houses on:
Sunday, November 2, 4:30-6:00pm
Sunday, December 7, 4:30-6:00pm
We also welcome you to see our classrooms in action and
enjoy a hot kosher lunch on a special school tour on October
23, November 20, December 18 and January 15. Private
tours are also available by appointment. Kindly RSVP. Please
call Amy Wittenberg, Admissions Director 925-284-8288 or
[email protected] for further information! www.ccjds.org.
SCIENCE ALIVE!
Preschool Event
October 21
Tuesday @ 2:30PM
PRESCHOOL
ART WORKSHOP
December 16
Tuesday @ 3:00pm
RSVP to the admissions office
at [email protected]
or call 510-531-8600
Tehiyah Day School invites you to attend one
of our upcoming Open House events.
Tour our beautiful campus nestled in the El Cerrito Hills, meet
members of our exceptional faculty, learn more about our
award-winning, values-based curriculum, and discover our joyful, diverse community.
All-School Open House
Bridge-K through Eighth Grade
Sunday, November 2
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Bridge-K and
Kindergarten
Open House
Sunday, January 11,
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
www.tehiyah.org
K-8 Co-ed
Hebrew Immersion
Nationally Recognized
Art Program
High School Prep
Program
Diverse Bay Area
Community
7
COMMUNITY
High Holy Days Services Schedule 5775
YOM KIPPUR
Kol Nidre
Friday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Morning Service
Saturday, October 4 at 9:00 a.m.
Family Service (Children 2 yrs.-1st grade)
9:30 am in the Social Hall
Youth Service (Children grades 2-6)
9:30 a.m. in the Chapel
Yizkor Service, 10:45 a.m.
Study Session, 2:00 p.m.
Martyrology Service and Mincha, 4:30 p.m.
Neilah, 6:30 pm.
SUKKOT
First Day Service
Thursday, October 9 at 9:00 a.m.
Do you have
a simcha
to celebrate
or a
person to
remember?
Share this occasion
with your TBA family.
Call or send an email and Rayna,
who can help arrange this for you.
Rayna Arnold, Executive Director
[email protected]
(510) 832-0936
8
SHEMINI ATZERET
Shemini Atzeret/Yizkor
Thursday, October 16 at 9:00 a.m.
SIMCHAT TORAH
Erev Simchat Torah Family Service
Thursday, October 16 at 6:15 p.m.
Service to be followed by music and dancing
Simchat Torah
Friday, October 17 at 9:00 a.m.
High Holy Day Parking again available through the
generosity of the Oakland Unified School District.
The location is the Old Lakeview School at
746 Grand Avenue, look for the TBA welcome sign.
EARN FREE MONEY FOR TBA!
If you shop at Safeway or Piedmont Grocery or use
a credit card such as Visa, MasterCard, or American
Express you can earn free money for TBA with every
purchase you make. It’s easy to do through eScrip,
which contributes a percentage of your purchase
to the temple. If you’ve never used eScrip before,
you can create an account and register your cards
at https://secure.escrip.com/supporter/registration/
index.jsp. If you’ve already registered your Safeway
(or other) card and want to register a new one, visit
https://secure.escrip.com/jsp/supporter/authentication/password.jsp. You can shop through the eScrip
Online Mall (Target, Nordstrom, Macys, Toys R Us,
etc.) at www.escrip.com (go to eScrip Online Mall).
And, don’t forget the Amazon shopping link on the
TBA homepage! That earns money for TBA too.
Please contact Jessica Teisch with any questions or
help: [email protected], (510) 655-1927.
COMMUNITY
JOIN A NEW TBA CHAVURAH!
Do you want to be a part of a smaller, more intimate
group within Temple Beth Abraham? Forming or joining a chavurah could be what you’re looking for!
What is a chavurah?
From the Hebrew word for friend, a chavurah is a
group of people (singles, couples, families, or a mix
of these) who meet regularly (usually monthly in
each others homes) to experience Jewish life together.
Joining a Chavurah is one way to meet other TBA
members in a smaller, more personal setting.
What does a chavurah do?
Each chavurah is created to reflect the interests of its
members. There could be groups with any of the following interests: socializing, Jewish study, Shabbat
gatherings, social action, holiday celebrations, camping, hiking, music, sports, etc. The group could meet
with or without children. Each chavurah is completely
autonomous and can decide as a group when, where,
and how often to meet. It is important for all members
to be committed to working together toward building
the community.
How large is a chavurah?
A chavurah is generally made up of between 5 and 10
families or individuals. It could include members who
already know each other, or a mix of some old and
new friends or acquaintances.
How do I join a chavurah?
The process of joining a chavurah is very simple. Just
fill out the questionnaire by October 15. Sometimes
it takes awhile to put together the right group, but it’s
worthwhile to wait for a group that’s a good fit. Hard
copies are also available in the office at TBA. https://
ccjds.wufoo.com/forms/temple-beth-abraham-chavurah-questionnaire/
How do I find out more?
If you have questions, contact Amy Wittenberg, our
chavurah coordinator, at: [email protected]
YOUNG PARENT
CHAVURAH
Calling all parents of babies and toddlers! Want to
connect with other parents of young children at TBA
for some low key schmoozing, fun baby-friendly
activities, and Shabbat luncheons? Then join our
Chavurah for some casual fun!
Our first meet-up will be on Sunday, October
5, from 10:30 a.m -12:30 p.m. We will meet at
Montclair Park (near Medau Place and Moraga Ave.
in Oakland) for some snacks, schmoozing, and playtime. Look for the blue and white balloons when
you get there.
On Saturday, November 8, we will have our first
Shabbat event. Join us at 2:30 p.m. for a post-nap,
dairy Shabbat luncheon hosted by Chavurah parents
Lauren and Matt Smith at their home in Montclair.
To sign up for an event or to get updated about
our future Chavurah happenings, please reach out
to Jessica Klein at [email protected] or Lauren
Smith at [email protected].
9
A FAMILY OF JEWISH BOOK LOVERS
Favorites from Jewish Book
Groups
submitted by Jessica Teisch
My mom started four book groups
and was at one time in five! (She
claims she can now barely keep
up with one). All have been on the
Peninsula (she lives in Burlingame)
and all have been Jewish in nature,
through Federation and Chabad;
we also had a mother-daughter
book group of all Jewish members, though we read more widely.
Growing up, we always had books
in our house. I remember as a child
reading way into the night, bringing
the book down to breakfast with me
the next morning, and then surreptitiously reading it under my desk at
school. I’m now managing editor of
Bookmarks magazine, a publication
about… what else, books. So books
seem to be in our blood.
Some Worthy Israeli Fiction
and Nonfiction Titles
by Fran Teisch, mother of TBA
member Jessica Teisch
Originally published in longer form
in Bookmarks magazine.
Suddenly, a Knock on the Door
Stories
By Etgar Keret
Keret, a native Israeli, grew up in
a home with no books. Instead, his
parents told stories. Keret, in turn,
became a master storyteller whose
themes are often quite Kafkaesque.
In these very short stories, many
humorous and irreverent, Keret has
his finger on the pulse of everyday life in modern-day Israel as he
explores its inhabitants’ attempts to
escape reality.
To the End of the Land
By David Grossman
Grossman’s son tragically died in
the 2006 Lebanon War while he was
writing this novel, which, ironically,
deals with an Israeli woman’s fear
10
of death. With a son in the army,
she and an estranged lover attempt
to flee any news of him. The novel,
heartbreaking and powerful in its
intense exploration of fear and loss,
reflects the mental state of Israel.
ers, of course, know the outcome.
This novel is one of Appelfeld’s
most accessible.
A Tale of Love and Darkness
By Amos Oz
Netanyahu led the 1976 raid in
Entebbe, Uganda, where terrorists
hijacked an Air France flight and
took Israeli and Jewish hostages.
Sadly, Netanyahu was the only person to die in this rescue. His nonfiction writings, which span many
years, demonstrate his metaphysical
connection to and love of the land
and people of Israel.
In this autobiography, the internationally acclaimed Israeli novelist
and arbiter for peace addresses his
own, and Israel’s, history. From his
childhood in British-ruled Jerusalem
to the formation of Israel, Oz takes
readers on an emotional ride as he
portrays the challenges faced by his
intellectual pioneer parents, immigrants from Eastern Europe; his
boyhood; war; and life on a kibbutz.
Open Closed Open
Poems
By Yehuda Amichai
If Israel had a poet laureate,
Amichai would certainly be it. In his
poetry, he transforms Jewish verse
and history and adds vivid images of
everyday life. An eloquent, masterful collection.
Sotah
By Naomi Ragen
Ragen’s books are relatively
lighter reads compared to other
books I mention, but they nonetheless explore hefty topics, including Israel’s Orthodox community,
women’s struggles with family, and
the conflict between religion and
tradition. Sotah, one of my favorite
novels, features a young woman in
Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox community who is accused of adultery.
Badenheim 1939
By Aharon Appelfeld
In 1938 in a Viennese resort town,
the first steps of the Holocaust are in
place. But the Jewish middle-class
vacationers are involved in their
own lives and oblivious to the ominous signs around them. The read-
The Letters of Jonathan
Netanyahu
By Jonathan Netanyahu
A Strange Death
A Story Originating in Espionage,
Betrayal, and Vengeance in a Village
in Old Palestine
By Hillel Halkin
Halkin based this nonfiction book,
a murder mystery, on the history
of Zichron Ya’akov, a Jewish town
founded in 1882. Set during the days
of Jewish settlement in Ottoman
Palestine, the plot involves a World
War I spy ring and the relationships between Jews and Arabs under
Turkish rule.
A Pigeon and a Boy
By Meir Shalev
Shalev is one of Israel’s most celebrated novelists, for good reason.
Through two intertwined stories,
he explores love during Israel’s
prestatehood days, its 1948 war
for independence, and the present
day. He depicts the power of love
in beautiful language and paints an
enchanting tapestry of Israel and its
struggles.
THE NEXT BIG THING UPDATE
“Next Big Thing Project” to Break Ground
Before High Holydays
by Leon Bloomfield
After months of planning, and almost as many months of
working our way through the city of Oakland’s permitting labyrinth, the “Next Big Thing” is preparing to break
ground before the congregation ushers in the new Jewish
New Year.
As you may already know, the centerpiece of this project includes the creation of a beautiful new courtyard
dedicated to the memory of beloved congregant Murray
Davis (z”l) who passed away unexpectedly in December
2012. The courtyard will be built between the current
social hall and the Baum Youth Center and will provide
the congregation with a fabulous new space where we can
gather to pray, play, celebrate and relax. In addition, the
current plans for the project include a renovated kitchen
for our many fabulous kosher caterers, enhancements to
the social hall which will, among other things, open it up
directly to the new courtyard, a water feature dedicated to
the congregation’s cherished Holocaust survivors, a deck
overlooking the courtyard, and new stairways and ramps
to improve access throughout the entire TBA campus.
We anticipate that the construction will take at least a
year to complete and cost approximately $3 million to
build. To date, we have raised over half of that amount
with the “seed” grant provided by the Applebaum,
Epstein and Ilfeld families, the generous $500,000 matching grant provided by the Schwab family in Murray’s
memory and contributions from numerous congregation
families through a silent campaign that started earlier this
summer. In addition, congregants and community members continue to make unsolicited donations earmarked
for the project.
Don’t worry if you have not had a chance to contribute
yet; everyone will get a chance to play a part in making
this a reality. Indeed, in the coming months, representatives of the Next Big Thing Committee will be reaching
out directly to every family in our congregation to discuss
the project and how you can best help.
In the meantime, watch for updates on the project and
enjoy watching the transformation of the TBA campus.
11
COOKING CORNER
B’tayavon: Kugel 101
by Faith Kramer
What’s the story behind kugel?
Well, it all starts with the cholent in medieval Germany.
Jewish housewives would mix up a batter and plop it
in their cholent pots. The covered pots would go to the
bakers and return for Shabbat lunch with the cooked
dumplings within. (The cooked dough was known as the
“Shabbos thief” since it would “steal” flavor from the
surrounding stew.)
Eventually, instead of directly in the stew, the batter
began to be cooked in a rounded earthenware jar known
as a kugeltopf – Middle High German for round or ball
(kugel) and pot or jar (topf) – placed within the cholent. Eventually the dish became known as kugel and it
morphed into an array of other savory and later sweet
dishes, eventually becoming the kugel we know today.
According to Gil Marks, rabbi, caterer, Jewish food historian and cookbook author, to be a kugel rather than a
casserole, the dish must have a starch base (noodles, potatoes, matzo, bread cubes, etc.), eggs (or egg substitute)
and fat (schmaltz, melted butter, oil, etc.) and not have
additional liquids.
Since the Middle Ages, Jews have bent those rules more
than a bit and added an amazing variety of ingredients
to their kugels and have found many ways to pronounce
it. Poles and Lithuanians tend to pronounce the dish as
“kugel,” the Germans as “koogle” and those from what
was known as Galicia (southern Poland, eastern Hungry
and western Ukraine) as “keegal,” according to Marks.
By the mid-19th century in America, kugels began to be
baked in separate, shallow casserole pans in home ovens
rather than stewed in kugeltopfs . The 20th century saw
the rise of the ultra-decadent dairy kugel that could be
brunch or dessert and not just a Shabbat luncheon accompaniment.
The word “kugel” also became a last name. Genealogists
say the name could have evolved for some out of a nickname for rotund when last names became widely adopted
in Germany in the 1500s.
South African Jews used the word “kugel” as slang for a
more secular young Jewish woman. Eventually the term
became a supposedly affectionate or fond South African
equivalent of Jewish-American princess.
The official Temple Beth Abraham cookbook (published
in 2007) had seven noodle kugel recipes in it with ingre-
dients as varied as Velveeta, cherry pie filling, and apricot
nectar. There was also a potato kugel recipe. The potato
kugel recipe in this article is adapted from Ann Rapson’s
Mr. Binky’s Potato Kugel. Her husband David created the
dish for Yom Kippur break fast.
Karen Bloom is often the go-to expert in the congregation. Her kugels are light and fluffy, tasty and varied. Her
cousin, Nina Yellin, has written several kugel cookbooks.
Bloom recommends whipping the egg whites separately
and folding them in last to keep kugel lighter. I took her
advice and made a fragrant and sweet Cinnamon Bun
Kugel. It was adapted from Yellin’s Kugel, Knishes, and
Other Tasty Dishes, Smylan Reed Books. Yellin’s selfpublished books are out of print and only available used.
Other TBA members have weighed in on kugel making. Bonnie Burt likes hers sweet. Shira Levine requires
a gluten free kugel (try using gluten free noodles, or
make a vegetable or rice-based kugel). Roz Aronson and
Elizabeth Simms like a potato or other vegetable kugel,
but both also like the sweetened noodle ones as well.
“With noodles, for me, the creamier the better . . . cream
cheese, sour cream, a little cinnamon sugar, raisins or
apples ...for dessert, crushed pineapple. It’s all good,”
commented Aronson.
One traditional noodle kugel without dairy products is
the Yersushalmi Kugel or Jerusalem Kugel, a combination of sweet, salty and peppery. It’s a Shabbat tradition
in certain Jerusalem neighborhoods. My version features
a caramelized onion topping and Moroccan seasonings.
My Spiced Jerusalem Kugel with Caramelized Onions is
a slightly spicier adaptation of a classic and makes a great
side dish.
In addition to writing for the Omer, Faith Kramer is a cooking columnist for the j. weekly. She blogs her food at
www.clickblogappetit.com. Send questions, suggestions or comments to [email protected]
12
COOKING CORNER
CINNAMON BUN KUGEL
Dairy
Serves 8-10
This recipe is based on one by Nina
Yellin. Use low-fat (not fat-free) dairy
products if desired. The kugel’s spicy
warm scent entices as the oozing cinnamon,
brown sugar and butter topping melts into
the creamy noodles.
8 oz. medium wide egg noodles
3 eggs, separated
½ pint sour cream
½ pound cottage cheese
½ cup milk
½ cup sugar
1 cup chunky apple sauce
1 ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
4 Tbs. butter
½ cup brown sugar
Heaping 1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/3 cup raisins
Cook and drain noodles. Preheat oven to
350 degrees. Beat yolks and mix with sour
cream, cottage cheese, milk and sugar.
Combine apple sauce with ¼ tsp. of cinnamon, add to egg yolk mixture. Mix in
noodles and combine. Beat egg whites until
stiff and fold into noodles.
Melt butter and pour into 8” x 8” baking
pan, being sure to fully coat inside bottom and sides. Scatter remaining cinnamon,
brown sugar, pecans and raisins on bottom of pan. Stir. Pour noodle mixture into
pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until kugel is
firm to the touch. Invert on serving platter to serve immediately, serve directly
out of the pan, or store in pan and warm
before inverting and serving.
MR. BINKY’S POTATO KUGEL
Dairy
Ann Rapson from Everyday to Holidays:
Favorite Recipes from Temple Beth Abraham.
Serves 24-30
This is a big kugel for a big crowd and
unlike some potato kugels it is dairy not
parve.
2 Tbs. butter plus extra for greasing
pans
10 russet potatoes (almost 5 lbs.),
scrubbed and unpeeled
3 onions, peeled
5 eggs, beaten
3 ½ cups sour cream
½ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter two
9” x 13” broiler-safe baking pans. Slice
potatoes and onion and put through the
grating attachment of the food processor
in batches. Press mixture and drain excess
liquid. Turn into large bowl, mix in eggs,
sour cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Place in baking pans. Dot with butter and
sprinkle generously with paprika. Bake,
uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to
375 degrees and bake another 45 minutes
until nicely browned. Place under broiler
for a minute or two for a crispy topping.
SPICED JERUSALEM KUGEL
WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS
Parve
Serves 8
This kugel is based on one by Gloria
Kaufer Greene in The Jewish Holiday
Cookbook. To make it a classic Jerusalem
Kugel, omit the onions, Moroccan seasonings and the ground red pepper. I specify
a Moroccan spice mix that is available in
some specialty and spice stores, but see
the note following the recipe for a substitute.
I haven’t tried it, but I think this would
work nicely by replacing the vegetable oil
(I used grape seed) with melted chicken
fat (schmaltz) or duck fat (which would
make this a fleishig or meat dish instead
of parve).
2 Tbs. plus ½ cup vegetable oil, plus
extra for greasing the baking pan
1 large onion (12-14 oz.), very thinly
and evenly sliced
¼ tsp. plus 1 tsp. salt
1 lb. very fine egg noodles or pasta
such as angel hair or capellini, broken into 2” lengths
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbs. ground black pepper (freshly
ground is best)
½ tsp. ras el hanout spice mix (see note
below for info and substitution)
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a large, heavy skillet.
Separate onion rings and add to pan when
hot. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp. salt. Stirring
occasionally, cook until onions have
reduced down, are a deep brown and very
soft. It can take 40-60 minutes for onions
to caramelize. Adjust temperature as needed. Be careful not to burn the onions. Set
aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain. Rinse
continued on page 23
13
GAN AVRAHAM
KINDERGYM
The Gan Reads, Thanks to Diverse Library
by Barbara Kanter
If you visit the Gan, you will almost always see teachers sitting with a small group of children reading a book. This is in
addition to a daily scheduled story time in each class. Reading aloud to children is one of the most important activities
that lead to building knowledge and success in reading. It creates a warm environment that leads to a lifetime of reading
and learning.
The PJ Library (created by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation) in association with the Jim Joseph Foundation and the
Jewish Federation of the East Bay is a wonderful source of Jewish themed children’s books to enrich your family at
home. Parents can create a special time with their children at home. Every month a book arrives at your home for your
child age six months to seven years. Register online at www.jfed.org/pjlibrary. The Gan even receives a book every
month to add to our library.
We are very lucky to have a rich and diverse library at the Gan. Families often honor birthdays or other special events
by donating a book to grow our library. Donated books receive a special commemorative stamp indicating the event
honored and the child’s name.
KINDERGYM SUNDAY PLAY DAYS
with Dawn for Under 3s
Temple Beth Abraham Social Hall
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
$12 per family
October 19
November 9
November 16
December 7
Come join our community of diverse families for our
32nd year for climbing, sliding, ball pit, fire engines,
water play, playdough, rocking horses, parachute,
songs, bubbles, and all of you will make new friends!
Priced per family; siblings under 3 welcome!
Please share this info with your entire parenting
community.
Contact Dawn with any questions at (510) 547-7726
Kindergym with Dawn for ALL families
No Youth Services in the month of October because of Sukkot.
Join us in the Sanctuary and the Sukkah for our wonderful celebrations.
Youth Services resume in November with Shabbat Mishpacha
and T'fillat Y'ladim. Mark your calendars!
14
BET SEFER
We Are Partners
by Susan Simon
V’shinantam L’vanecha – we recite these words every
time we chant the Shema and V’ahavta. “You shall teach
them diligently to your children.” What is it we should
teach? The V’ahavta tells us that we should teach “these
words.” Which words are referred to? The words commanding us to love Adoshem with all of our heart, with
all our soul, and with all our might. The V’ahavta places
an obligation upon everyone who is a parent to teach the
love of God to our children. Like many obligations, this
one is complex.
Is the idea of love of Adoshem a narrow concept? Can we
simply tell our children to love Adoshem every day and
we have fulfilled our obligation? I think not. It seems to
me to be a much broader obligation which includes the
ideas of a wide ranging education in Jewish law, thinking, history, language, culture and thought. Are we each
knowledgeable enough to succeed at that role of teacher?
Like with other obligations, there is wisdom in the actual
practice. We are obligated to circumcise our sons, yet
we typically hire a mohel to do the task for us. We are
obligated to do deeds of loving kindness, and many of
us do, but we also often donate money to organizations
that are better able to provide the kind of services that
are required. And we are obligated to teach our children
about our heritage and the rich and diverse wisdom that
has developed over the centuries. But as with many obligations, we need help in fulfilling it. Religious schools
save the day.
Or is it really saving the day? I would argue that without a true partnership between the family at home and
the synagogue school, you are unlikely to be successful in v’shinantam l’vanecha. If a child’s only exposure
to Jewish ritual, values, history, midrash, and language
occurs during the two to four hours of religious school
per week that the impact is likely to be small. If Shabbat
candles are never
lit, no amount of
teaching a child the
Shabbat blessings is
likely to remain in
his or her heart for
very long. If apples
are never dipped
in honey for Rosh
Hashana, no amount
of enjoying them at
religious school is
going to mean much
more than a sweet
snack. If Kaddish
isn’t recited at synagogue for a deceased
grandparent, what is the
meaning behind learning the Kaddish Yatom
(Mourner’s Kaddish) in
religious school?
I’m very proud of our
religious school. Our
wonderful teachers and
madrichim work very
hard to impart as much
knowledge as is possible
in our two to four hours
per week. But even eight
years of religious school
can’t take the place of
seeing and feeling that
their parents are also involved, that what they are learning is also being lived, that their learning is for a higher
purpose, not just an ordeal to be survived. Every time
you participate in a Jewish ritual or read a Jewish story to
your child, you are partnering with us and you are fulfilling the obligation of v’shinantam l’vanecha. Every time
you bring your child to youth services and either sit with
him or her or go to the main service, you are fulfilling
this obligation. Every time you put some coins in your
tzedakah box before Shabbat and then involve the child
in a decision of where to donate the money, you are partnering with your entire Jewish community.
Ben Zoma said “Who is wise? The one who learns from
all people, as it is written, ‘From all my teachers I gained
understanding.’” Parents are the very first and most
important teachers of their children. While it doesn’t
always feel like it, parents have the most influence over
their children, far more than any single school teacher
usually has. Do you remember your parents saying:
“do as I say, not as I do?” If you are like me you probably rolled your eyes when you heard that – it just rang
so false! The same is true for educating our children
Jewishly.
Your children will know if Jewish learning isn’t important
to you. I am so proud of the great number of families
here at TBA who show with their bodies the commitment that is in their hearts. I see families who bring their
children to services. I see families who somehow in their
hectic lives find time to show their children that doing
acts of loving kindness for others is a priority – families
who bring meals to people who are sick, families who
might give money to someone begging outside of a store,
families who go out of their way to visit a shiva house.
continued on page 16
15
ADULT EDUCATION
ADULT EDUCATION
Sundays, starting October 19
It's time to learn! Join us for Sunday morning classes with Nitzhia Shaked starting on
October 19. Cost for the series is $75 or
$15 per session. Sessions start at 10:00 a.m.
in the Chapel. Email [email protected]
to sign up. We'll be delving more into
Maimonides and his teachings.
Sunday, November 16, 12:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
We are fortunate to be able to present a
different type of learning activity to those of
you who enjoy hands-on learning. Our very
own and very talented Harlan Simon will be
teaching a one day class on the history of
glass making and the role of Jews in this
process. In addition to learning about the
history, each participant will learn to make a
glass bead under Harlan's tutelage. This is a
wonderful opportunity, not to be missed.
The learning and crafting will take place at
the Studio One Art Center in Oakland. We
are limited to 16 participants, age 16 or older.
The cost is $30 per person. Snacks will be
provided.
We already have five spots filled so email
[email protected] for information or to
register.
Bet Sefer, continued from page 15
Every heart is swelling with joy and hope when we
see the children on the bima at the end of our Saturday
Shabbat service and each child rushing off to get candy
knows that their parents care about that this.
As we begin this new school year, as we begin this new
Jewish year, it is a good time to ask ourselves how we
can fulfill our end of the v’shinantam l’vanecha obligation. Can we do a little more? Can we keep the words
of the Shema and V’ahavta in our hearts and in the hearts
of our children and grandchildren? Nothing about raising
children is particularly easy, but maybe we can try to find
a bit of time and sense of need to make sure our children
learn from all of the wise people in their lives.
16
YOUTH EVENTS
Keflanu
Shabbat Fun and Games
We would like to invite 3rd – 6th graders to
join their friends in the Baum Youth Center
following Shabbat services
Dates coincide with Junior Congregation:
September 20, November 11,
December 20, January 17, February 21,
March 21, April 18, May 16
After the service, join together for Kiddush
in the social hall. Enjoy Lunch and then have
your parent walk you over to the Youth
Center and check in with the Chaperone!
Have fun with Shabbat appropriate
games and activities…
basketball, board games, jump rope,
foosball, ping pong, or even just shmooze
PARENTS:
➢Drop off: When children arrive they should check
in with the chaperone at the Youth Center.
➢Parents can enjoy the Kiddush, please stay on
campus while your child is at Keflanu.
➢Pick up: parents should pick up their child at the
Youth Center. Just let the chaperone know your
child is leaving. Please pick up by 1:15 p.m.
La’atid If you are a 4th-7th grade parent this
year, your child is automatically a member of
La’atid “To the Future”. We have monthly
events which tend to be both social and socially
conscious.
To RSVP or questions, contact your trusty advisors, Dina & Phil Hankin at [email protected].
Next event: October 19
LA’ATID
First Event of the Season for TBA Youth
Phil and Dina Hankin lead the first La’atid youth group
of the year to the San Ramon Olympic Pool and Aquatic
Park.
Photos by: Joni Tanis and Milah Gammon
17
B’nai Mitzvah
LIFE CYCLES
Eli Kleinmann, October 18, 2014
My name is Eli Kleinmann and I am a seventh grader at Willard Middle
School in Berkeley. My favorite subjects are math and science because
I really enjoy thinking about and using numbers. In my free time, I
like to play sports (baseball and soccer), watch college and professional
sports (especially the SF Giants), and travel with my family. I like
spending time with my family and I’m lucky to have so many of them
living nearby. I’ve been at Bet Sefer since kindergarten and I’ve made
a lot of friends.
My Torah portion is Bereshit which comes from the book of Genesis.
It is about Adam and Eve eating from the tree of good and evil and
getting banned from the garden of Eden. In my drash I will be talking about whether or not G-d lied to Adam and Eve. I hope to see
you there.
Mayer Goldberg, October 25, 2014
My name is Mayer Goldberg, and I am in the eighth grade class at the
Contra Costa Jewish Day School. When I’m not in school, I do martial
arts. The particular art that I do is called Poekoelan Tjimindie Tulen.
Poekoelan, (pronounced Pookalaan) means “a series of returning strikes
from the hands and feet.” Tjimindie means “beautiful flowing waters,”
and Tulen means “complete.”
I also enjoy carpentry, computers, and boy scouts (especially camping).
I really like Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Battlestar Galactica.
For my Bar Mitzvah, the Torah portion is Noah. Since this is the second
triennial portion, it takes place after Noah’s big story about the ark.
Lanie Goldberg, August 23, 2014
My name is Lanie Goldberg and I am a seventh grader at Black Pine
Circle. My favorite subjects are math and English. In my free time I
enjoy playing sports, particularly baseball and basketball. I also like
playing the saxophone and hanging out with friends.
My Torah portion is Re’eh and comes from the book of Deuteronomy,
Chapters 11-12. Re’eh is about rules and laws. For my drash I am talking about Chukim and Mishpatim which are types of rules – some of
which can be quite surprising.
Editor’s note: due to my error Lanie’s write up about her Bat Mitzvah
was left out of the September Omer. Mazel Tov, Lanie and my apologies
for the omission. - RD
Mazel Tov
18
Mazel tov to Loren and Elise Perelman on the birth of their son August Jakob, born
on Saturday, September 13.
Mazel tov to Rebecca Lesser and Joshua Kayman on the birth of a daughter, born on
Thursday, September 18.
LIFE CYCLES
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS
1
8
17
23
Jacob Lorber
Edward Marcus
Len Nathan
Janet Lai
Charles Levine
Leah Liron
Edie Mills
Micah Ross
Ricardo Collaco
Fredric Hoffman
Lon Moore
Juanita Villa
3
9
Judy Berkowitz
Ayla Bukofzer
Nicole Joseph-Goteiner
Jan Kessler
Sophie Marinoff
Andrea Sarber
Jenna Tessler
2
Yarden Feiger
Lauren Quittman
Sheldon Schreiberg
4
Lena Sloan Freid
Isaac Frierman
Sandra Rappaport
5
Zachary Seth Binder
Yael Gordon
Julie Kotovsky
Marshall Langfeld
Josh Rego
Andrew Rose
Arianna Leya Zatkin
6
Mia Lynn Bricker
Charles Feltman
Ruby Klein
Benny Krantz
Barbara Oseroff
Michael Oseroff
Miriam Reichenberg
Benjamin Skiles
7
Jennifer Eisenbud-Sawle
Rachel Firestone
Eli Kleinmann
Rachel Bernstein
Rachael Rothman
10
Noah Adams
Rinat Fried
Janna Lipman Weiss
11
Kate Flick Garcia
Maya McLean
Ana Schwartzman
12
Shirley Margolin
Mikhail Partsuf
13
Dan Engel
Cole Matsuzaki
14
Eden Bruner
Andy Campbell
Stephen Pollack
15
Jason Binder
Beth Glick
16
Anita Hannah Engel
Eliana Polon
Gary Smith
18
Jennifer Berg
Aaron Goldberg
Dan Halperin
Sophie Hodess
David Morris
Misia Nudler
Mary Odenheimer
Michael Rose
Anna Schacker
Sheli Schacker
Lurio Siegel
19
Alicia Cernitz-Schwartz
Danielle Glick-Scroggins
Michael Zapruder
20
Gabriella Gordon
Stuart Liroff
Will Sparks
Treya Weintraub
21
Talia Rotman
Gilles Tarquin
22
Benjamin Ring
24
Sophie Hankin
Martin Kharrazi
25
Eli Mailman
Devorah Margolin
David Weiner
26
Jordan Carey
David Coltoff
Michael Kubalik
Cara Plumhoff
27
Emanuel Novak Hartsock
Richard Odenheimer
28
Arielle Albert
29
Julia Hamilton
30
Keith Dines
Nathan Kruger
Freya Turchen
31
Julia Bersin
Eden Goldstone
Amy Tessler
Matthew Waitkus
Debra Weinsteinº
Is your birthday information wrong or missing from this list? Please contact the TBA office to make corrections.
19
LIFE CYCLES
OCTOBER YAHRZEITS
May God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
TISHREI 7-9
October 1-3
Arthur Adler
Emma Bolton
Samuel Shapiro
Minnie Teverov
Joseph Catarevas
Bernard Lutz
Nathaniel Ranzer
Simma Leson
Frances Piser
Mary Plotkin
Harvey Steinberg
TISHREI 10-16
October 4-10
Allen (Al) Davis
Sam Grant
Mathilda Kahane
Bertha Rosenstein
Mary Weinstein
Lena Zubkoff
Isedore Isenberg
Rose Kastel
Gary Rosenfeld
May Landowitz
Elizabeth Rosenberg
Rabbi Morris Schussheim
Anna Hammerman
Harry Horwitz
Abraham Maltzman
Florence Dines
Leah Goldberg
Ellen Goldstein
Jack Lorber
Faye Selinger
Solon Weiner
Evelyn Gluck Bandel
Samuel Burge
Maurice Goldberg
Arthur Kaplan
Rose Wasserman
TISHREI 17-23
October 11-17
Fradel Darling
Sam Epstein
Minnie Gershenson
Iris Leve
Harold Nudler
Sam Sarver
Melvin L. Simon
Bernice Katz Zywotow
Benjamin Davidson
Leah Dorfman
Sylvia Elber
Dorothy Maccabee
Minnie Markovits
Jack Tessler
Eleanor Davis
Benjamin David Gaynor
Toba Goldenhar
Max Goldstein
Emma Rothenberg
Reba Schechtman
Celia Bierman
Edith Kaplan
Beke Schechtman
Fannie Arenbart Sieff
Rebecca Diamond
Max Fass
Albert Kravitz
Rose Semendoff
David Belzer
Seymour (Cy) Cernitz
Hy Goteiner
Nathan Levine
Miriam Kestenblatt
Renner
TISHREI 24-30
October 18-24
Joseph Cohen
Emanuel Diamant
Udel Kontrovich
Howard Krachman
Daniela Rath
Abraham Wishnoff
Bernard Stuart Horodas
Joseph Novack
Abraham Rabinowitz
Donald Rapson
Errin Berkowitz
Annette Biatch
Sarah De Vorin
Sadie Goodman
Elsa Kraus
Labe Shikevich
Abraham J. Weisbrod
Sidney Samuel Hertz
Isaac Kessler
Fannie Sussman
Sadie Weiser Brinner
Hyman Cohen
Louis Huberman
Fannie Landy
Bety Paul-Katz
Ben Rust
Edwin Ames
Morris Kuff
Harry Winchell
Maurice Klevens
Dorothy Lutz
Mike Marshak
Nachman Schleifer
Jeanette Baim Stern
CHESHVAN 1-7
October 25-31
Alice Klein
William Joseph Craig
Emil Goodman
Lewis Herskovitz
Samuel Platoff
Simon Sanders
Jeanette Somers
Ann Usef
continued on page 21
Recent Deaths in Our Community
Peter Finnegan, stepfather of Joanna Berg (Dan
Finkelstein) and Jenny Berg (Ray Plumhoff)
June Matthews, mother of Joan (Steve) Jacobs
Norman Kagan, father of Susan Kagan Waitkus
(Matthew Waitkus)
Irving Louis Berg, father of Joanna and Jenny Berg
20
Samuel Langberg, father of Mark (Judy) Langberg
LIFE CYCLES
New Members:
Julie and David Berman
compiled by Sharon Alva
Julie and David Berman came from New York to Oakland four years ago. Their neighbors introduced them to TBA and
this summer they joined the congregation with two year old Oliver and seven month old Max. Oliver is squarely in his
train stage and loves the swings. He is attending Gan Avraham. Max is a super easy-going baby who is just happy to get
a moment of attention when Oliver and the dog aren’t causing some kind of ruckus.
David is an enforcement lawyer at the securities and exchange commission in San Francisco, and Julie is a former New
York City public school teacher (grades 3-5) and currently does private tutoring in the east bay.
They all like the New York football Giants, Oakland As, Indian food, swimming and hiking. Oliver also likes drawing
on furniture and throwing food on the floor.
Welcome
New Members
continued from page 20
Sam Garfinkle
Siegfried Sanders
Dave Siver
Morris Triebwasser
Ben W. Wisott
Sam Fox
Maurice Freimark
Joshua Kayman & Rebecca Lesser. Daughter
Alden Cohen & Sabrina Berdux. Daughter Naomi Whittle
Cherryne Kravitz. Daugter Avivah
Jonathan Carey & Amy Schoenblum. Daughters Jordan and Sasha
Josh Weiss & Janna Lipman Weiss. Daughters Maya and Simone
Sheldon Kahn & Sarah Liron
Craig Palmer
Mae Rosen
Hanna Tsifrin
Harry Diamond
Lisbeth Gross
Su Huang
Samuel Kaplan
Robert Schechter
Cover artist: Gabriella Gordon
Gabriella studied her Masters of Fine Art at
Konstfack, or University College of Arts, Crafts and
Design in Stockholm after three years of of art studies in Paris, France. Her work is usually mixed media
depending on what she feels she want to express.
Gabriella usually worka with abstract pieces. She has
worked in glass, ceramics asphalt, cement, silicone,
video nylon stockings, and fabric and acrylic.
MEMORIAL PLAQUE
Anyone wishing to purchase a memorial plaque,
please contact Pinky at the synagogue office at
extension 229.
If you do not know the location of a Memorial
Plaque for your loved one, simply find the
Memorial Plaque binder located on the back table
in the Sanctuary. This book lists all Plaques in
alphabetical order by the last name of the deceased
and will be updated as new Plaques are hung.
Please do not remove the binder from the
Sanctuary.
21
DONATIONS
Charity is equal in importance to all the other commandments combined.
Davis Courtyard Match Fund
Steven Grossman & Jill Rosenthal, in memory of
Eileen Grossman
Jerrold & Anne Levine, in memory of Charles Levine
Klaus Ullrich Rotzscher & Jessica Siegel, in memory of
Leonard Leibel, founder of Mazon
George & Lorri Zimmer
Jeanette Jeger Kitchen Fund
Norman & Jo Budman, in loving memory of Arthur Roth
Richard Leavitt & Mary Kelly, in memory of Morris
& Mary Leavitt
Gertrude Veiss, in memory of Sid Shaffer
Steven & Victoria Zatkin, in memory of Gertrude Bleiberg
Minyan Fund
Marjorie Brenton, in memory of uncle Sid Shaffer
Martin & Evelyn Hertz
Yom Ha Shoa Fund
Helen Fixler, in memory of Alan Fixler
Bet Sefer Discretionary Fund
Tonda Case, in memory of Louis Vaughn Edvardo Tate
Camper/Scholarship Fund
High Holy Day Appeal – General
Elinor DeKoven, in honor of Shirley Silver’s 91st birthday
Elinor DeKoven, wishes for a speedy recovery for Deena Aerenson
Andy & Marcia Wasserman
Rabbi Discretionary Fund
High Holy Day Appeal – Endowment
Martin & Evelyn Hertz
Angelina Levy
Andy & Marcia Wasserman
General Fund
Stephen H. Abel, in memory of Bernice Glick
Jack & Diane Fass, in memory of Michael Fass
Jay Goldman & Mona Goldfine
Martin & Evelyn Hertz
Randall & Jan Kessler, in memory of Fannie Kessler
Herbert & Harriet Bloom, in memory of Ina Nathan
Doris Weiner Gluckman, in memory of E. Kushner
& Joseph Weiner
Douglas Moss, in memory of Edith Moss
Larry & Deborah Reback, in memory of Leah Levine
Cantor Discretionary Fund
Joshua Wittenberg & Jennifer Kopp, in memory of Jerry Kopp
Endowment Fund
Sophie Casson, in memory of Arthur Casson
A Legacy Gift Lasts Forever
Include TBA in your Estate Planning so that your message to your family is loud and clear:
“The existence of Temple Beth Abraham is important to me and for the future of Jews in Oakland.”
Contact TBA’s Executive Director Rayna Arnold for further details
(510) 832-0936 or [email protected].
You are never too young to plan for the future!
22
CONTINUATIONS
Change, continued from page 2
or second call does not provide coverage. Some people
can’t commit several weeks ahead but will read if it turns
out that they are in town.
Any bit of advice is welcome, Joan said, who has agreed
to take over because she simply “loves reading Torah and
Change, continued from page 13
thoroughly with cold water. Drain well.
Thoroughly dry out pasta pot. Put on medium-low heat. Add ½ cup oil and stir in
sugar. Keep stirring until sugar melts
and is browned (about 5-10 minutes). Be
careful not to let it burn. (The sugar
will stay separate from the oil). Leave
on stove and quickly stir in well drained
pasta until covered with the sugar and
oil. Stir until any crystalized bits of
sugar melt into the pasta. Remove from
heat. Stir in 1 tsp. salt and the black
pepper, ras el hanout (or substitute) and
red pepper. Let sit until lukewarm (about
20-30 minutes).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an
approximately 8” x 11” baking pan with
oil. Mix the eggs into the noodles until
well combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
Top with caramelized onions. Bake for
75-90 minutes or until top is golden and
very crisp. Let cool a few minutes before
slicing.
Note: Ras el hanout is considered a mix of
the “best” of what a North African spice
shop might offer. There are many variations of it. It offers a complex range
of tastes and may contain as many as 30
ingredients. To make a substitute for this
recipe, use 1/8 tsp. each ground cardamom,
ground dried ginger, ground cinnamon and
ground allspice. You may also want to use
a dash more black and red pepper.
find it very meaningful to help the synagogue with anything related to Torah.”
Joan hopes others find the mitzvah meaningful, too. She
doesn’t really want to have to “nag people to get congregants to sign up to read.” Joan sees Torah reading as a
“communal responsibility.”
VEGAN STRAWBERRY KUGEL
Parve
Serves 6-8
A good dessert kugel after a meat meal or
a vegan brunch entrée. To keep this vegan,
be sure your bow ties do not have egg as
an ingredient. Medium to wide noodles can
replace the bow ties.
8 oz. uncooked butterfly or bow-tie noodles or pasta
Oil or oil spray
1-14 oz. container of soft tofu (fresh,
not vacuum packed), drained
2 cups soy vanilla-flavored yogurt
1/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 and 1/2 cups quartered fresh strawberries
1 Tbs. non-dairy margarine
Cook and drain noodles as per package
instructions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use oil or oil spray to grease an approximately 8” x 11” baking pan. Press on
tofu to squeeze out moisture and then let
drain. Crumble tofu into a large bowl so
it resembles small curds. Mix with yogurt,
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, sugar and salt. Combine
with drained noodles. Mix with strawberries and pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle
top with remaining cinnamon. Cut margarine
into small bits and scatter on top. Place
in oven and bake until browned and bubbly,
about 40 minutes.
23
24
5
19
20
27
26
Tishrei
3
Cheshvan
7
14
21
28
27
Tishrei
4
'' 6:43p
Cheshvan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
sukkot VI
20
Tishrei
4p-6p Bet Sefer
4p-5:50p Bet Sefer field trip to
Grocery Outlet - 5th grade
Lulav and Etrog
available for pick up 9a-6:15p
13
Tishrei
26
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
4p-6p Bet Sefer
1
8
15
22
29
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
5
Cheshvan
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
28
Tishrei
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
No Kindergym this week
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
sukkot VII (hoshana Raba)
21
'' 6:30p
Tishrei
No Kindergym this week
No Weekly Text Study
No BBYO-AZA and BBG
5:30p Gan Supper in the Sukkah
eReV sukkot
14
'' 6:40p
Tishrei
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
No Kindergym this week
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
7
Tishrei
2
9
sukkot II
16 '' 6:37p
Tishrei
3
10
6:30p Kol Nidre Service
No Kindergym this week
Office closes at 1p
eReV yom kIppuR
9
'' 6:48p
Tishrei
sImChat toRah
23 '' 6:27p
Tishrei
17
23
30
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6
Cheshvan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
29
Tishrei
24
31
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
halloween
7
'' 6:10p
Cheshvan
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
Rosh Chodesh
30 '' 6:18p
Tishrei
9a Simchat Torah Services
9a Shmini Atzeret Services
Office & GAN Closed • No Kindergym
Office & Gan Closed • No Kindergym
• No Bet Sefer
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
6:15p Erev Simchat Torah Family Service
16
shmInI atzeRet (yIzkoR)
eReV sImChat toRah
22
Tishrei
Office & Gan Closed • No Kindergym
9a Sukkot 1st Day Services
Office & Gan Closed • No Kindergym
6:15p Kabbalat Shabbat with
6:15p Dedication of the New Gate
GleeBA!
No Bet Sefer
sukkot I
15
Tishrei
4p-6p Bet Sefer
4p-5:50p Bet Sefer field trip to
Grocery Outlet - 6th grade
No Kindergym this week
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
8
Tishrei
Always check the Congregational E-mail or the Weekly Shabbat Bulletin for more up-to-date information. Please note any corrections care of Rayna Arnold at the TBA office.
4
Sukkot
11
18
25
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Bar Mitzvah of Mayer Goldberg
1-2:30p Mah Jongg
for Experienced players
6:59p Havdalah (42 min)
No•ach
1
Cheshvan
7:08p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Bar Mitzvah of Eli Kleinman
Bereshit
24
Tishrei
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
1-2:30p Mah Jongg for Beginners
5-9p Parents Night OutChild Care by BBYO
7:18p Havdalah (42 min)
sukkot III
17
Tishrei
9a Yom Kippur Service
9:30a Family Service (Social Hall)
9:30a Youth Service (Chapel)
10:45 Yizkor • 2p Study Session
4:30p Martyrology/Mincha • 6:30 Neilah
7:28p Havdalah (42 min)
yom kIppuR
10 Yom Kippur
Tishrei
October 2014
Calendars in The Omer are produced 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from the TBA Administration Staff. This calendar is also available at our website www.tbaoakland.org
5-7p TBA serving at CityTeam
10a Adult Education
with Nitzhia Shaked
2
Cheshvan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
East Bay Tikkun Olam Chessed Day
4p-6p 3rd graders to Lake Merritt
La’atid event
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
for kite flying
9:30a Rosh Chodesh-Cheshvan
10a Adult Education
(Contact Amy Tessler for location)
4p-5:50p Bet Sefer field trip to
with Nitzhia Shaked
Grocery Outlet - 4th grade
10:30a-12p Sunday Kindergym
7p Book Club Meeting—
4:30-7p
WTBA Taco Tues at Lake Chalet
6-7:30p Teen Scene-Kick Off!
THE STORYTELLER by Jodie Picoult
25
'' 6:57p
Tishrei
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
13
9:30a-12pWTBA Sukkot program
19
Tishrei
sukkot V
Columbus day
12
6
Lulav and Etrog
available for pick up 9a-4p
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
12
Tishrei
sukkot IV
18
Tishrei
10:30a-12:30p Young Parent Havurah
(Montclair Park)
11
'' 6:25p
Tishrei
Tishrei / Cheshvan 5775
25
2
16
9
23
30
10
17
24
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
9:30a Rosh Chodesh-Kislev
(Contact Amy Tessler for location)
2
Kislev
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
24
Cheshvan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
17
Cheshvan
18
25
No Bet Sefer this week
3
'' 6:43p
Kislev
4
11
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7:30p Board Meeting
25
Cheshvan
No Bet Sefer
Veterans Day
18
Cheshvan
Kitah Zayin in l.a.
Kitah Zayin in l.a.
eleCtion Day
TBA is a voting location
for local prescient
4p-6p Bet Sefer
3
11
Cheshvan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10
Cheshvan
5
12
19
26
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
No Kindergym this week
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
4
Kislev
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
26
Cheshvan
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
19
'' 6:30p
Cheshvan
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
12
'' 6:40p
Cheshvan
6
13
14
27
9a Minyan (Chapel) followed by
EGGS-Mit-ONIONS
Thanksgiving Day breakfast
Office and Gan closed
No Kindergym/Bet Sefer this week
thanKsgiVing
5
Kislev
28
Office and Gan closed
No Kindergym this week
6:15p-7:15p
Kabbalat Shabbat UNPLUGGED
6
'' 4:32p
Kislev
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
21
4p-6p Bet Sefer
6:15p Bet Sefer Zayin Class Dinner
28 '' 4:35p
Cheshvan
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat ShabbatRock n’Roll Shabbat
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
21 '' 4:39p
Cheshvan
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
20
7
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
5:45p Bet Sefer Mechina Share A
Shabbat
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
14 '' 4:45p
Cheshvan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
27
Cheshvan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
20
Cheshvan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
13
Cheshvan
Always check the Congregational E-mail or the Weekly Shabbat Bulletin for more up-to-date information. Please note any corrections care of Rayna Arnold at the TBA office.
1
8
22
29
5:34p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Vayetzei
7
Kislev
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Bat Mitzvah of Yael Berrol
1-2:30p Mah Jongg
for Experienced players
5:35p Havdalah (42 min)
Toldot
29
Cheshvan
15
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
10:15 Junior Congregation
12:30p Keflanu-play together grades 3-6
5-9p BBYO-Parents Night Out
6p Gan Share a Havdallah
5:39p Havdalah (42 min)
22 Chayei Sara
Cheshvan
5:44p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
Wasserman Speaker
Father Michael Barber
1-2:30p Mah Jongg for Beginners
Vayera
15
Cheshvan
6:51p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
10:15a Shabbat Mishpacha
10:15a T’fillat Y’ladim
Lech-Lecha
8
Cheshvan
November 2014
Calendars in The Omer are produced 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from the TBA Administration Staff. This calendar is also available at our website www.tbaoakland.org
10a Adult Education w/Nitzhia Shaked
8
Kislev
No Adult Ed. • 5-7p CityTeam
rosh ChoDesh
1
Kislev
Adult Education - Glassmaking with
Harlan Simon - TBD
La’atid event - Q-zar - off site
10:30a Sunday Kindergym
6p Teen Scene
23
'' 6:57p
Cheshvan
10a Adult Education
with Nitzhia Shaked
16
Cheshvan
Kitah Zayin in l.a.
10a Adult Education
with Nitzhia Shaked
6-7:30p Teen Scene
Daylight saVing time enDs
Fall BaCK one hour
9
Cheshvan
Cheshvan / Kislev 5775
Temple Beth Abraham
327 MacArthur Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94610
PERIODICALS
POSTAGE
PAID
Oakland, CA
Permit No. 020299
WHAT’S INSIDE
TBA Directory...................... i
What’s Happening.............. 1
From the Rabbi................... 2
President’s Message............ 3
Editor’s Message................ 4
Community......................... 5
Women of TBA................... 6
Jewish Day School
Open Houses...................... 7
Bet Sefer News................. 15
Community......................... 8
Youth Events..................... 17
Books............................... 10
Next Big Thing Update...... 11
Cooking Corner................ 12
Gan Avraham News......... 14
Adult Education................ 16
Life Cycles........................ 18
Donations......................... 22
Calendar.................... ......24