Congregation Agudath Jacob

CONGREGATION AGUDATH JACOB
November – Cheshvan/Kislev 5776
Rabbi: Gordon Fuller
Phone: 254-772-1451
Fax:
254-772-2471
[email protected]
www.agudath-waco.org
President: Jeff Wolf
Editor: Pearl Jacobson
Office Admin: Amanda Henson
[email protected]
This bulletin is published twelve times per year by Congregation Agudath Jacob – a non profit organization.
Founded in 1888 – Celebrating 125 years – Member of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
In place of the Rabbi’s article, this month we will be publishing our President, Jeff Wolf’s, Rosh
Hashanah address to the congregation.
Shana Tova! Looking out over this
audience, I see that most of you have been on
the board or are currently serving on the board.
With that in mind, you will all understand this
extremely short speech:
“Everything is about the same.” Let’s go
with the “about the same” theme for a while. If
you come to our weekly Shabbat Friday night or
Saturday morning services, to adult ed classes,
to visit your loved ones at the cemetery, to Bar
Mitzvah celebrations, to the annual Yom
Hashoah Holocaust remembrance day, you
might think everything is about the same. If you
come to our holiday services, if you have to bury
a loved one and use our chevra kadisha burial
society, if you assume the beautiful food
spreads following many services always
happen, if you see the well appointed memorial
wall, if you visit the cemetery and see the newly
planted and paid for trees lining the main road,
etc, etc, etc., you may think everything is about
the same. Friends, as far as our shul is
concerned, everything on the surface is about
the same. But, please, please, don’t assume for
one moment that about the same means that
everything is right and there is no struggle in
keeping things about the same.
Last year I talked about all of the people
who are instrumental in keeping everything
about the same. I want to publicly thank all of
you who continue making a huge effort to
keeping our doors open, our shul beautiful, and
our spirits up. I am only going to call out 3
people by name this year. This is not to say that
each and every other participant is not needed
and greatly appreciated. But these 3 men have
allowed for all of us to be heard today. They are
in no particular order: David Hoppenstein (May
he rest in peace), Stanley Hersh, and Rabbi
Fuller.
These 3 men are the reason why we
assemble here today. Without them, we would
have folded years ago or been down to a once a
month service with an occasional visiting Rabbi.
These three are the reason Congregation
Agudath Jacob appears to most of you, about
the same.
But let’s define about the same. Yes, we
have had almost 600 minyanim in a row. We
will have a special celebration in the very near
future when we surpass the 613th straight
minyan, signifying the 613 commandments that
we live by. This is approximately 4.5 years of
not missing a minyan. About the same means
you can always count on coming to Shul on any
Friday night or Saturday morning and know
there will be a place to pray, say Kaddish, or be
a part of the community.
Yes, we still provide all of the services
that you might expect from a much larger
Congregation and always have, so that is about
the same. And there has been no mandatory
dues increase in 7 years…..and all of you know
how much costs have gone up as our numbers
dwindle. Please join Colleen and me in taking a
voluntary 10% increase in dues. For most of
you that would be about $10 a month. Stanley
will be happy to accept your voluntary increase.
See him anytime during these High Holiday
services.
I think you get it. On the surface, we are
doing fine. However… does everything really
feel the same? To me, it does not. I feel that it
has never been harder to be a Jew. I often feel
very isolated, very threatened, very lonely. This
is not because I have fewer friends, not because
anything has changed at home, not because my
kids have abandoned me. And this is not just
about being Jewish. It all seems very hopeless.
Everything is not the same. I don’t want to talk
about the War with Gaza, I don’t want to talk
about ISIS, I don’t want to talk about the plight of
the Jews in France, or South America, or the
sudden acceptance of institutional anti
Semitism. What I want to do is not despair. I
want a new beginning for all of us in the tradition
of Rosh Hashanah. I want to rejoice at the
newest statistic that Israel just crossed over the
6 million Jewish citizens threshold, 6 million
being an obvious great and significant number
for Jews to celebrate. I want to celebrate that
the harshest condemnation of anti Israel and
anti Jewish rhetoric during the Gaza War came
from the chancellor of Germany. I want to
celebrate the pro Jewish demonstrations in of all
places, Calcutta, India. I want to celebrate that
this time around Israel has peace with Jordan
and Egypt and is probably on the cusp of peace
with Saudi Arabia and three of the other
countries that joined in the raids Sunday night
against ISIS in Syria. I want to be hopeful, I must
be hopeful and I think I know where to find this
hope. It’s back to looking into our small
Congregation.
Thinking things are about the same. Yes,
we have been here for over 125 years. I am
sure that there were many more serious
challenges to our survival than the current ones.
I think hope is right in this room. There is no
more hopeful sight in the world as an arc full of
beautiful Torah scrolls. There is no more
hopeful sight than a congregation of peers and
friends, many of whose great grandparents
prayed at Agudath Jacob. Friends, it is our
obligation and my hope to keep things about the
same. We have kept things about the same for
125 years. We will be here for us and for our
children. Join us, pray with us, laugh, learn and
cry with us. I do not think you will regret one
moment of any effort you put into this
Congregation. We will certainly welcome you.
Shana Tova!
Jeff Wolf, CAJ President
As Agudath Jacob celebrates its 600th successive Minyan, it seems appropriate to revisit a column
written some ten years ago:
How is success measured at Agudath Jacob?
Do we define success by the number of attendees? By the level of enthusiasm? By the quality
of a given program or event? Is survival as a Congregation enough to label us successful? What are,
and what should be, our goals?
We must first kindle Jewish passion. Judaism is not theater with “actors” on the bimah and
“spectators” in the audience. Judaism cannot be a spectator sport. It requires that all be players.
Jews must be caring and compassionate. Synagogue ritual without implementation in our lives is
meaningless. Consoling a mourner, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, giving tzedakah, are not
supplements to Judaism…they are Judaism!
We must bring God into our lives. God may not be a comfortable subject for many of us, but
we have to understand that uncertainty and doubt are acceptable emotions for Jews. We are free to
harbor questions but we are not free to stop looking for answers.
Prayer is a cornerstone of synagogue life. We have to make it meaningful and to be so it must
be understood. Education can accomplish this. Attendance at services may initially be considered an
obligation to the synagogue but prayer can eventually come to be a source of personal enrichment and
connection to God.
We must motivate our congregants toward greater observance of Jewish law. Rules and traditions
are not suggestions. They are relevant and binding commitments to leading a truly Jewish life.
Lastly, we must accept the fact that Judaism is a way of life. It is not academic material to be
studied and discussed once a month as an intellectual exercise. There is a Jewish way to live and we
must incorporate it into our lives. Our role is not to make people comfortable with their current Jewish
practice. It is to convince them that Judaism can become even more meaningful with an increase in
their Jewish observance.
Agudath Jacob needs us all. Together we can accomplish anything and everything!
PROPHETIC WORDS!
Stanley Hersh
Friday, October 31
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
Candle Lighting
6:22 p.m.
Saturday, November 1
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
Shabbat Ends
7:17 p.m.
Friday, November 7
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
Candle Lighting
5:17 p.m.
Saturday, November 8
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
Shabbat Ends
6:12 p.m.
Friday, November 14
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
Candle Lighting
5:12 p.m.
Saturday, November 15
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
Shabbat Ends
6:08 p.m.
Friday, November 21
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
Candle Lighting
5:09 p.m.
Saturday, November 22
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
Shabbat Ends
6:05 p.m.
Friday, November 28
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
Candle Lighting
5:08 p.m.
Saturday, November 29
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
Shabbat Ends
6:04 p.m.
Food for Families – Feeding the Hungry
We will participate in the annual Food for Families drive co-sponsored by KWTX, Boy Scouts of
America, HEB, & the Texas National Guard. Please bring ANY non-perishable food items to our
baskets in the foyer and we will take them to the warehouse.
Get Well Soon!!
Paul Farmer
Steve & Lilia Schwarz
Stanley & Florence Hersh
Pearl Jacobson
Abbye & Susan Silver
Elayne Lynn
Elliot & Barbara Wolpo
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
Bruce Galanter
Arlene Kantor
Religious School
There will be no Jr. Congregation on Saturday,
November 1st. Also, ISJL fellow Ariel
Nissenblatt will be joining us for services &
school November 21-23.
HIGH HOLIDAY APPEAL
In his Rosh Hashanah speech, our President, Jeff Wolf announced that he and
Colleen were taking a voluntary 10% dues increase. There has not been an
increase at CAJ in seven years. Please join them in voluntarily increasing your
dues by calling Amanda (772-1451) at the office. Keep the Board from having
to raise your dues and help keep CAJ open for all of your needs.
Food from the Faithful
We will bring Cereals & pastas on an on-going
basis. Please bring packages throughout the year
and we will see that they are delivered to caritas
Aislinn Brooks
Brooks will be participating in
the Baylor Homecoming
Homecoming Parade with her
school’s dance team, The Harmony High
Steppers,
Steppers, on November 1st.
November 1
Benjy Bauer
November 4
Raylene Silver
November 5
Harold Kamenetsky
Congratulations to Mona Segal who
will officially be adopting her
grandson Cadin Farley on National
Adoption Day, November 21!!
November 16
Harriet Stupak
November 18
Jean Adelman
November 22
Dylan Rogers
November 25
Halyn Bauer
November 26
Joel Weissman
Thanksgiving Interfaith Worship Service
Sponsored by the Greater Waco Interfaith Conference
Monday, November 24, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
At St. John United Church of Christ
100 S. Robinson Dr.
This year will feature an interfaith children’s choir, and we are inviting your
congregation’s children, grades 1-6, to participate! Rehearsals, directed by Hannah
Powers, will take place at Central Presbyterian Church (9191 Woodway Dr.) on
Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. (10/27, 11/3, 11/10, & 11/17)
The entire congregation is invited
to celebrate the 613th consecutive
Minyan at 7:00 p.m. before the
board meeting, Wednesday,
November 12. Watch the weekly
announcements for further details.
In Honor of Bev & Harry Harelik
Dorothy Harelik
B’nai Mitzvah of Ashira & Benjamin
Wolpo
Elliot & Barbara Wolpo
Thank you
Thank you to Rabbi & Sharon for
sponsoring the Sukkot luncheon!
***
Thank you to Mike Stupak for
donating the produce for Break Fast!
***
Thank you to Steve & Lilia Schwarz
for donating all of the hand soaps &
holders for the bathrooms!
Jack Schaevitz
Alan & Wendy Schaevitz
Hugo Chavez
Steve & Lilia Schwarz
Harold Warren Israel
Frank Israel
Ethyl Cecile Israel
Nancy Israel
Estelle Goldfeder
Jeff & Lea Levin
Lorraine Hoppenstein
Hoppenstein
Marsha, Mike, Eric & Jordan Lev
November 13
Mr. & Mrs. Jay Rogers
November 25
Mr. & Mrs. Elliot Wolpo
Bernard Hersh
Linda Kowal
William Bell
Sarah Bell
Ruth Bell
Gary & Margie Bell
Elayne Lynn
Jake & Simone Bauer
Elliot & Barbara Wolpo
Carolyn Neuwirth
Judy Hersh
Naman & Esther Lipinsky
C
CEEM
ME
ET
TE
ER
RY
YR
REESSTTO
OR
RA
AT
TIIO
ON
NF
FU
UN
ND
D
Due to weather conditions and the passage of time, our CAJ cemetery has
suffered significant damage. We are committed to bringing the cemetery up
to “standard” and have set up a designated Cemetery Restoration Fund.
Trees have been replaced and we are now in the process of righting all
headstones. Generous donations have helped defray costs, but significant
expense still lies before us.
Thank you to the following for their donations:
Herbert Fred
Aaron Liberman
Mike & Marsha Lev
Pearl Jacobson
Office Closed
The office will be closed
Thursday & Friday, November
27 & 28 for Thanksgiving.
Harmon Marks
Dean & Jackie Fuller
Shabbat Donations
September 27
October 11
Shemini Atzeret/October 18
Stanley & Florence Hersh
Jeff & Lea Levin
Stanley & Florence Hersh
Ilsa Burns
Abbye & Susan Silver
Brent & Dianne deMoville
Jake & Simone Bauer
Jeff Wolf
Rabbi & Sharon Fuller
Jeff Wolf
Stanley & Florence Hersh
Jeff & Lea Levin
David Levy
Ilsa Burns
Abbye & Susan Silver
Pearl Jacobson
Pearl Jacobson
Inez Bonneville
Steve & Lilia Schwarz
Steve & Lilia Schwarz
Pearl Jacobson
Steve & Lilia Schwarz
HOW TO OBSERVE THE YAHRZEIT
It is traditional to kindle a Yahrzeit Candle in the home on the evening Yahrzeit begins. It should remain lighted until
sunset the next day. Possible prayer before lighting a Yahrzeit candle: Eternal God, I/we light this candle in
memory of (name) _________, my/our beloved (relationship) ___________. The light of the flame rekindles all the
warm memories of the moment we shared together, and reassures me /us that a piece of his/her soul dwells in
my/our heart(s) forever. May his/her soul be bound up with the bonds of eternal life. Amen. Candles are available
at the Gift Shop. Every effort should be made to say Kaddish at congregational services. It is meritorious to
perform some Mitzvah or to contribute to the synagogue in commemoration of the deceased.
Kaddish will be read on October 31
Maynard (Sonny )J
Kislev 4
Eva Adler
Cheshvan 7
Willie Lipinsky
Wizig
Secil Chazanow
Louise Busch
Cheshvan 20
Abe Lowich
Cecilia Fleischman
Kaddish will be read on November 14
Cheshvan 8
Daniel Adams
Geraldine Harelik
Cheshvan 21
Kittie Heineman
Esther Hoffman
Ethel Koppman
Max Schwartz
Solomon Shifrin
Kislev 5
Esther Blinderman
Cheshvan 23
Mrs. Dave Adams
Yaakov Belove
A.M. Bierman
Ida Goldreyer
Cheshvan 9
Mrs. Max Harelik
Morris Giniger
Carl Meyers
William Ellis
A.J.Goldberg
Cheshvan 24
Ephraim Levin
Cheshvan 10
Bill Ellis
M. Roman
Gershon Epstein
Mrs. Ruben Gandler
Elmer Smith
Betty Rosen
Kaddish will be read on November 28
Cheshvan 11
Louis Lipsitz
Cheshvan 25
Al Budin
Kislev 6
Pauline Koss
Cheshvan 12
Esther Beerman
Anna Korsch
Edith Koss
Betty Greenbaum
Mayer Lipsitz
Mrs. Toby Novich
Bettylee Greenberg
Cheshvan 26
Joseph Levine
Kislev 7
Arthur Schwartz
L. Rosen
Kislev 8
F. Jennie Chazanow
Joe Harry Lewis
Hyman Rosenberg
Mollie Roberts
A.D. Goldfine
Mrs. Max Siegel
Max F. Starr
Isaac Goldstein
Cheshvan 13
Max Beerman
Cheshvan 27
Nathan Feldt
Rose Ellis
Morris Comer
Jennie Rubin
Kislev 9
Sophie Blank
Helen Fred
Kaddish will be read on November 21
Mrs. Isaac Feldt
Ann Frindell
Cheshvan 28
Hyman Lyons
Sarah Holste
Sarah Hoppenstein
Harry Smith
I. Israel
Mrs. Toby Novich
Cheshvan 29
Hyman Wolf Fink
Wm. Petchesky
Kaddish will be read on November 7
Sara Smolensky
Dora Sackett
Cheshvan 14
Sophie Levy
A.L. Torchin
Beatrice Siegel
Sophie Rosen
Kislev 1
Max Ellis
Minnie Wise
Cheshvan 15
Abe Cohen
Mrs. J. Kuttner
Jack Goldberg
Daniel Stuart Eskow
Frank Lipinsky
Kislev 10
Joe L. Reed
Jennie Greenberg
Sam Raphael
Sol Siegel
Sam Reed
Sarah Rubel
David Sornin
Cheshvan 16
Joseph Lebowitz
Kislev 2
George Cohen
Hannah Udashen
Rabbi Max Zucker
Kislev 3
B. Kaplan
Kislev 12
Sam Gelber
Cheshvan 18
Aaron Esserman
Rachel Lachman
Mina Parven
Jack Shaw
Charles Handelman
Mrs. Goldye Solomon
Cheshvan 19
Elaine Berman
Minnie Meinstein
Snapshots
from Kever Avot
&
Cemetery
Tree dedication
November 2014
8 Heshvan 5775 - 8 Kislev 5775
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
8:45AM/7:40PM
§8:25PM
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
8 Heshvan
Yevamos 28
2
7:46AM/6:39PM
3
9 Heshvan
Yevamos 29
9
7:47AM/6:38PM
4
10 Heshvan
Yevamos 30
7:52AM/6:33PM
10
7:53AM/6:33PM
7:47AM/6:37PM
5
7:48AM/6:36PM
11 Heshvan
Yevamos 31
11
7:53AM/6:32PM
6
12 Heshvan
Yevamos 32
12
7:54AM/6:31PM
7:49AM/6:36PM
16
17 Heshvan
Yevamos 37
7:58AM/6:29PM
17
7:59AM/6:29PM
18 Heshvan
Yevamos 38
18
7:59AM/6:28PM
13
19 Heshvan
Yevamos 39
19
8:00AM/6:28PM
7:55AM/6:31PM
20
8:01AM/6:28PM
23
24 Heshvan
Yevamos 44
8:04AM/6:27PM
Rosh Hodesh
Beginners Hebrew Class
9:30 a.m.
ISJL Fellow Ariel
Nissenblatt Visit
1 Kislev
Yevamos 50
30
24
8:05AM/6:26PM
25 Heshvan
Yevamos 45
25
8:06AM/6:26PM
26 Heshvan
Yevamos 46
26
8:06AM/6:26PM
GWIC Interfairth
Thanksgiving Service
7:00 p.m.
2 Kislev
Yevamos 51
8:07AM/6:26PM
Office Closed
Thanksgiving
3 Kislev
Yevamos 52
4 Kislev
Yevamos 53
14
7:56AM/6:30PM
¡¡6:12PM
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
5 Kislev
Yevamos 54
7:51AM/6:34PM
§7:19PM
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
Guest Rabbi
Michael Gisser
15 Heshvan
Yevamos 35
15
21 Heshvan
Yevamos 41
21
8:02AM/6:27PM
¡¡6:09PM
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
ISJL Fellow Ariel
Nissenblatt Visit
27 Heshvan
Yevamos 47
27
8
14 Heshvan
Yevamos 34
20 Heshvan
Yevamos 40
Beginners Hebrew Class
9:30 a.m.
23 Heshvan
Yevamos 43
7:50AM/6:35PM
¡¡6:17PM
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
13 Heshvan
Yevamos 33
CAJ Board Meeting
7:30 p.m.
16 Heshvan
Yevamos 36
7
22 Heshvan
Yevamos 42
22
8:03AM/6:27PM
§7:12PM
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
ISJL Fellow Ariel
Nissenblatt Visit
28 Heshvan
Yevamos 48
28
8:08AM/6:25PM
¡¡6:07PM
Kabbalat Shabbat
6:00 p.m.
Office Closed
7:57AM/6:30PM
§7:15PM
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
29 Heshvan
Yevamos 49
29
6 Kislev
Yevamos 55
8:10AM/6:25PM
8 Kislev
Yevamos 57
[¡¡Candle Lighting, §Observance End, Printed October 28, 2014/4 Heshvan 5775 for Waco, TX]
8:09AM/6:25PM
§7:10PM
Shacharit
9:30 a.m.
7 Kislev
Yevamos 56