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

Volume 33, Number 7
the
March 2014
Volume 31, Number 7
Adar I/Adar II 5774
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.
Candle Lighting (Friday)
March 7
March 14
March 21
March 28
5:xx p.m.
5:xx p.m.
5:xx p.m.
5:xx p.m.
Torah Portions (Saturday)
March 1
March 8
March 15
March 22
March 29
Pekudei
Vayikrah
Tzav
Shemini
Tazriah
Mailing Address
336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610
Hours
M-Th: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 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 (x 218)
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
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
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
President
Vice President
Vice President
Vice President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Mark Fickes 652-8545
Eric Friedman 984-2575
Lynn Langfeld 769-6970
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
Web Site
Women of TBA
Youth
Steve Glaser & Aaron Paul
Warren Gould
Steve Grossman & Flo Raskin
Susan Shub
Herman Pencovic
Susan Shub
Cori Constantine & Rebecca Skiles
Rebecca Posamentier
Stephen Shub
J.B. Leibovitch
Ulli Rotzscher
Jeff Ilfeld
Rachel Dornhelm
Laura Wildmann
Lisa Fernandez
Eric Friedman
Lynn Langfeld
Marc Bruner
Anne Levine
Liz Willner
Jeanne Korn & Lori Rosenthal
Phil Hankin
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Women on the Move
Sunday, March 9
WTBA hikes happen the second Sunday of every
month. We meet at 9:45 and depart promptly at
10:00. Hikes end by 11:30.
We will meet at the Skyline
Gate on Skyline just south of
Snake and hike in Redwood
Regional Park. For details,
contact Deena Aerenson
at (510) 225-5107 or
[email protected].
Mah Jongg
1:00 p.m. after Kiddush in the Baum
Youth Center just come on by!!
March 8 for Beginners
March‚ 15 for Experienced players
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 semimonthly, 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.
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...
For more information, including Teen Scene dates,
please contact Devorah Romano, [email protected].
Please Save the Dates:
Sundays, April 20 & April 27
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Temple Beth Abraham will once again participate in
the annual Sukkot in April/Rebuilding Together (RTO)
Event.
We will be doing a variety of projects at the home
of a low income family in Oakland. This promises
to be a wonderful experience and we hope you will
consider helping out.
Each year, thousands of Rebuilding Together
volunteers come together for one or two weekends
in April to restore the homes of their low-income
neighbors. Skilled and unskilled workers are all
needed. As in past years, our project will be jointly
sponsored by Kehilla Community Synagogue and
Temple Sinai, so this is an opportunity to connect
to the larger Jewish Community of the East Bay.
Breakfast and lunch are provided. RTO provides all
materials. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old.
Please contact us with any questions and to sign up
as a volunteer.
See additional WTBA sponsored Adult
Education activities on page 6.
Rachel Goldstone & Gabriella Gordon
Volunteer Coordinators
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FROM THE RABBI
Jewish “Parody Central”
by Rabbi Mark Bloom
What do the songs Greensleeves, Pretty Fly for a White Guy, and The Chanukah Song have in
common?
They are all songs that have been parodied into “Jewish” over the years: Greensleeves becoming Sir Greenbaum by Alan Sherman, Pretty Fly for a White Guy becoming Pretty Fly for a
Rabbi by Weird Al Yankovic, and The Chanukah Song becoming a radio hit as an original parody-like song, written in three different versions by Adam Sandler.
As you might have guessed, Adam Sandler, Weird Al Yankovic, and the late Alan Sherman are
three of my favorite comedians of all time. Of course, there is a great history of Jews in comedy, from Milton Berle to Jerry Seinfeld, from the Borscht Belt to the Comedy Channel. But
to me, the ones who use music to make people laugh, the ones who parody well-known songs
using Jewish lyrics, are the most delightful of all.
In fact, they are the influence behind our annual “Rock and Roll Purim” that we do here every
year. I write most of the lyrics to the popular songs myself, from the Beatles to Brittany Spears,
from Englebert Humperdink to Eminem. Actually, I have never tried to parody Englebert
Humperdink; I just like saying his name and felt it somehow fit into this article. In any case,
we will continue to use this format for Purim as long as there are popular songs to poke fun at,
and that pretty much means forever.
I want to leave you with just a few of my favorite lyrics from the three aforementioned songs.
Sir Greenbaum by Alan Sherman
I chanced upon him one morn, when he’d recently rescued a maiden fair.
Why, why, are thou so forlorn, Sir Greenbaum is thy heart heavy-laden?
Said he: “Forsooth, tis a sorry plight, that engendered my attitude bluish.”
Said he: “I don’t want to be a knight, that’s not job for a boy who is Jewish.”
Pretty Fly for a Rabbi by Weird Al Yankovic
Our temple’s had a fair share of rabbis in the past
But most of ‘em were nudniks and none of ‘em would last
But our new guy’s real kosher, I think he’ll do the trick
I tell ya, he’s to dies for - he really knows his shtick
And all the people say I’m pretty fly for a rabbi
The Chanukah Song by Adam Sandler
David Lee Roth lights the menorah,
So do James Caan, Kirk Douglas, and the late Dinah Shore-ah
Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli,
Bowzer from Sha-na-na, and Arthur Fonzarelli.
You don’t need Deck the Halls or Jingle Bell Rock
Cause you can spin a dreidel with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, both Jewish!
Put on your Yalmulkeh, cause here comes Chanukah.
And a TBA original:
Purim Oakland Style, Oakland Style
A long time ago in a Kingdom they call Shushan
There lived a King Ahashveirosh who some thought was a moron.
There was a Queen named Vashti, and she didn’t like to dance.
Where do you think you are, Paris France.
continued on page 12
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
My Early Memories of Jewish Humor
by Mark Fickes
Although there have no doubt been Jewish comedians as long as there have been Jews in
America, I recently read that mainstream acceptance of Jewish comedy has its origins in the
Borscht Belt or Jewish Alps in the early 20th century out of the tradition of Yiddish Theater.
Many of the most famous Jewish comedians of the twentieth century launched their careers
there. From there, Jews gained wider acceptance in Vaudeville and then mainstream comedy
shows in the 1950s and 1960s.
My first memory of a Jewish comedian is Alan Sherman. When I was really young, my parents would play his album My Son, The Folk Singer. I still laugh when I think of sitting with
my family listening to his song parodies “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” and “Sarah Jackman,
How’s By You?” The Jewish contribution to comedy has been immeasurable. One of my
favorite comedians is Gilda Radner who died far too soon.
When I was in the sixth or seventh grade, my parents first gave me permission to stay up late
and watch Saturday Night Live. Although I still watch the show occasionally, it doesn’t come
close to being as funny as the years with Gilda Radner, Lorraine Newman and the others. Now,
if you are offended by inappropriate language or politically incorrect humor, I suggest you stay
away from Gilda. On the other hand, if you don’t mind Jews poking fun at themselves, I highly
recommend you take a look at one of her classics, the Jewess Jeans “ad.” The fake commercial
was a parody of the Jordache jeans commercial in the early 1980s. It featured Gilda playing
“Rhonda Weiss,” who was SNL’s resident “Jewish American Princess”. The parody featured
Radner with curly hair in tight jeans and lips with far too much gloss on them. She is smacking
her gum and leading chorus with lyrics like “She’s got a lifestyle that’s uniquely hers, Europe,
Nassau and wholesale furs…She’s got that Jewish look/She shops the sales for designer clothes/
She’s got designer nails/And a designer nose.” The camera cuts to a tight pair of jeans from
behind and a star of David is on both pockets. I understand why many will find this offensive
but when I first saw it in 1980, I thought it was one of the funniest things I had seen. I confess
that I still fall apart with laughter every time I see an Emily Litella or Rosanne Rosanadana
sketch.
Comedy plays such an important role in our lives. It offends, pushes boundaries, turns sorrow
into laughter and gives us a much needed break from the challenges of daily life. I don’t know
if the Alan Sherman album or the Gilda Radner skits are objectively funny. But, I do know that
comedy was a vehicle for my family to come together for an hour or two to laugh and forget
about the problems in the real world.
Please Join Us for
Morning Minyan
on Mondays & 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.
Learn Torah with Rabbi Bloom
and other Tba’ers
Each Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
at the Woodminster Cafe.
No knowledge of
Hebrew is required.
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EDITOR’S MESSAGE
Jews Teach That “Laughing Matters”
by Rachel Dornhelm
When I was in high school one of my favorite books was a humor anthology by movie critic
Gene Shallit called “Laughing Matters.”
In the decades since I always remembered the full title as “Laughing Matters: a Treasury
of Jewish Humor.” I loved the charm of Jack Benny’s (original name Benjamin Kubelsky)
sketches, the absurdism of Woody Allen’s written work, and the sardonic social commentary
of Fran Liebowitz.
I was surprised, then, to find out as I was writing this column that it was actually “Laughing
Matters: a Treasury of American Humor.” For years, the humorists that had most spoken to
me were Jewish - so much that I painted the whole book with that brush.
I don’t know if it was their subject matter or their presentation that marked them as Jewish
to me - or some combination of both. There is plenty debate on what makes Jewish humor
Jewish. But that seems as appropriate as all the other debates trying to categorize “Jewish.”
The Omer this month is a great overview of how wide the Jewish humor umbrella is: from the
Rabbi’s great lyrics parody, to a few curated cartoons from Barry Barnes, to Jueli Garfinkle’s
thoughts on finding joy everday through Jewish meditation and life.
Enjoy. And laugh!
Reading of the
Megillah
March 15
6:15 p.m.
APRIL Omer Theme: History of Temple Beth Abraham
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
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WTBA, OUR SISTERHOOD
Join us this month for WTBA’s
Girls’ Night Out
Thursday, March 6 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Baum Youth Center, 341 MacArthur
Special Guest: Ruth Teitelbaum
Art to Protect Us: A Night of Artistic Exploration
Hamsa comes from the hebrew word “hamesh”, which
means five. Hamsas are thought to protect us and bring
us happiness. Does the five represent the five fingers,
the five books of the Torah, the five senses that we use,
or something else? What helps protects you? Ruth will
lead an art exercise and guided lesson where we will design, draw, and paint our own mini hamsa painting using
pen and watercolors.
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: jessica.sterling@ymail.
com or [email protected].
THIS EVENT IS FREE sponsored by WTBA
Save the date: April 3, special guest Laura Gedulgig,
Master Certified Coach, speaks on Life Transitions
ROSH CHODESH
An Introduction to the Talmud & Midrash
March 3, 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 to 11:30 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 March is Honoring the Dead
and Comforting Mourners.
The meeting will opens with a short discussion about the
significance of the month of Adar II.
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.
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WTBA invites you to relax,
rejuvenate and refresh at our annual
VASHTI’S BANQUET
Sensual Treats to Pamper
Your Body and Spirit
In our “Harem Room”
Sunday, March 9
3:00 – 5:30 p.m. in the TBA Social Hall
v
Middle Eastern buffet with pomegranate martinis
and wine tasting
v
Celebrate and learn aboutYOUR innerVashti with
Rabbi Carol Caine
v
Relax with a chair or foot massage*
v
Enjoy a tension-relieving hand massage*
v
Refine your look with a hand massage or upper
lip and chin wax by Roberta Masliyah, a licensed
esthetician for skin care, hair removal & makeup
since 2006*
v
Adorn yourself with a henna tattoo or a hair braiding
v
Learn a brand new Israeli dance
v
Comfortable “harem-inspired” attire encouraged
*Visit our website at www.womenoftba.com for more
details and to sign up for these massages in advance.
Space is limited.
$18 for WTBA members, $30 for non-members
RSVPs appreciated but not necessary.
RSVP to Arlene at [email protected]
MEN’S CLUB
Drawing From Our Culture — Jewish Life in
the Comics
by Barry Barnes, TBA Men’s Club
When I set out to pick a few Jewish characters and
themes in comic strips of course I started where any good
research project starts nowadays - Google. Before you
do the same, please be advised that my search of “Jewish
Comic Strips” brought up a wide variety of “examples”
including more anti-semitic caricatures and themes than
you could ever imagine. After picking through one offensive example after another I would up narrowing the
search to everyone’s favorite mainstream one-panel comic
– the New Yorker.
SUPER BOWL SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS
1) 50 TBAers watching and hoping for a
competitive Super Bowl game.
2) Enjoying a side game to provide the excitement
the Super Bowl missed without our 49ers in it.
It’s not surprising to find tasteful and funny cartoons
reflecting Jewish life in the New Yorker – it’s the New
Yorker after all! Due to the many Jewish families that
subscribe to their weekly magazine, the New Yorker can
publish one-panel comics such as these without the necessity of explaining the context of Shabbos, Chanukah, or
other elements of our culture. Enjoy the examples below,
I’m sure many TBA members have family favorites of
your own from over the years.
Upcoming Men’s Club events:
March 13: 7 p.m. in the Baum Center, An evening of wine tasting, with a representative from
Hajdu winery bringing 5 wines to try and enjoy
while learning about kosher wine making.
March 20: 7 p.m. in the Social Hall
The March Madness Poker Game
March 22: Men’s Club Shabbat and oneg
April 6: 6 p.m. Warriors Jewish Heritage night.
Come to a kosher BBQ followed by the
Warriors vs. the Jazz.
May 8: 7 p.m. in the Social Hall
A celebratory Yom Ha’atzmaut Poker Game.
May, date TBD: Jews in Bad Shoes at AMF
Southshore Lanes in Alameda
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GOURMET GALA
8
GOURMET GALA
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HUMOR
Conversation with a Local Jewish Humor
Historian, Gerald Nachman
Gerald Nachman is an Oakland native and grew up going
to Temple Sinai. He has written and researched books
about comedians, including Seriously Funny: The Rebel
Comedians of the 1950s and 1960s. Nachman spoke with
Omer editor Rachel Dornhelm earlier this month.
Is there a way to trace Jewish humor back to its
roots? Yiddish theater in the US or in Eastern
Europe? Some cultural grounding?
It’s a subject I’m very interested in and when I was
researching one of my books I read up a lot on it… At
my book talks people would always ask “why are so
many comedians Jewish?” and I would say, “Because
they are funnier!” [he chuckles] But I do have some theories on that.
Yes, why do you think that is?
I don’t know if it was always the case… But you know,
Jews tend to be intellectual, they tend to be curious and
ask question and somehow that often leads to humor or
comedy. You make connections and presto you have a
joke sometimes and something funny comes out of it.
Also, they were outsiders. That’s a lot of it I think, they
were kind of questioning a society they wanted to belong
to, to assimilate in. Now that we’re pretty much assimilated I think Jewish humor may be fading a little bit.
I mean the Catskills are no more, of course. So called
Jewish humor still exists, though. There was a show on
Broadway called Old Jews Telling Jokes. It closed, but
you can look it up on You Tube, it’s not professionals,
just old Jews telling jokes.
Sherman... he would do parodies using lots of Jewish
expressions and folkways, you know the song “Hello
Muddah, Hello Faddah.” He was the first to enter the
American pop cultural mainstream. He did a lot of
recordings. After that came people like Mel Brooks, and
Woody Allen. Those were all comedians who became
part of the mainstream and even when they didn’t talk
about it they were examples of funny Jews.
Also, Jews are kvetchers, complainers and that tends to
lead to humor as well.
In those days because of the war, Jews didn’t want to be
known as Jews. So a guy like Jack Benny, people knew
he was Jewish, but the more prominent Jewish comedians
were people like Milton Berle, Henny Youngman… they
had a whole cadence when they spoke of being Jewish.
They didn’t tell Jewish jokes necessarily, so that was all
masked in a way.
So those are my pet theories about Jews and comedy.
What about Yiddush Theater or vaudeville?
Well, yeah Jews have always been in entertainment. That
was a way in for Jews. They’re just natural performers in
a way. You go to a Jewish butcher in New York you’re
going to get a performance… or it’s going to be dramatic
at least. Jews tend to be performers I think, and so they
naturally gravitated to entertainment. So they became
songwriters and performers and comedians and singers.
So I think that is certainly a major part of it. We like to
express ourselves. We want to be heard. [laughter]
Let’s talk about some of the past Jewish comedians…
say Jack Benny. He was Jewish right?
Oh, yes, he was Jewish. But in his day, the 40s and 50s
he never talked about being Jewish. [Whereas] Alan
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As opposed to Jack Benny…
The Catskills of course were where a lot of it was
famously born and displayed. The Catskills were sort of
the safe haven for Jewish humor in the 30s, 40s and 50s.
Did comedians change their humor thinking they were
playing a Jewish audience versus another audience?
If they were in the Catskills or Miami beach they would
probably change it, tell more Jewish jokes. But on TV
they didn’t do it much. Most of the comedians on TV
in the 50s and 60s, people like Alan King, there was a
whole raft of them. They were pretty mainstream in their
HUMOR
subject matter. But their whole cadence, their speech and
manner and gestures were distinctly Jewish.
You wrote a whole book on comedians from the 50s
and 60s. Is there anything that stands out about
Jewish comedians in that era?
Not many identified themselves as Jews professionally.
Lenny Bruce he was probably the most Jewish of all of
them. He would use Jewish expressions. He was kind
of a rebel and didn’t care. It probably started with him.
He didn’t care whether gentiles understood what the
phrase meant. He would say schmuck, and that was bold
for the era.
But people like Jack Benny who were as mainstream
as you could get, did not really identify in their act,
they didn’t mention being Jewish and didn’t tell Jewish
jokes really. He had a character on his radio show called
Schlepperman. It didn’t last very long. And I think the
reason was that they didn’t want to draw attention to that
character.
You say there may be fewer Jewish comedians now
than in the past?
A good example is Seinfeld. They were all clearly Jewish
but it never came up. They were so assimilated, they
were New Yorkers and they were Jewish and no more
was made of it than that. All the humor was accessible
to everyone. But if you were Jewish you saw something
definitely Jewish in them. I did anyway. I think most
people did.
My Brother is the Funniest Person I Know
by Lisa Fernandez
My brother, Josh, is the funniest person I know. He
should have been a writer for Saturday Night Live. He
“trained” by watching A LOT of television when we were
younger. He could always mimic the characters, and can
quote key scenes from the Love Boat, The Hulk, Brady
Bunch and Seinfeld, even today. We would often have
laughing contests when we were kids, seeing who could
make each other laugh first and longest. It was never
even close. He’d win every single time. Once, I peed all
over the kitchen floor at dinner because he had me in
hysterics. (I think he was mocking my parents by pretending to be my mother flustered over something.)
Check out this Facebook post of him. He is obviously
mocking himself. He used to hang out with the preppy
Presbyterians at our school. And this is some upper-class
dance cotillion he must have gone to (just to drink in high
school.) He’s the one with the fluffy red hair.
I’m not a regular FB user, but I check in just to see his
posts for a smile. He once posted that he simply wants
to be a “trophy husband” for his wife, and that he has
a man-crush on a hunky character “Tim Riggins” from
Friday Night Lights.
My brother is the life of all our family weddings and bar
mitzvahs. He break dances under the nickname “Joshie
Fresh,” he tells jokes. He has all of our cousin in stitches.
I do have to say, he’s let Judaism slide as he’s gotten
older. Religion just isn’t his thing. But whenever my
mother asks him to help with the seders, he writes original cover tune songs (Rabbi Bloom style) to make everyone laugh. Last year, he wrote an Egyptian slavery/freedom song to the popular Hey Ho song by the Lumineers.
Sometimes, he conducts the seder completely in an oldschool European voice, complete with turning the “tavs”
into “s” sounds. He knows all the prayers as he and I
both went to an Orthodox Hebrew day school when we
were little. Everyone, even my mom, can’t stop giggling
when he leads Hallel in perfect, Ashkenazi pitch.
I can’t wait until the next bar mitzvah or Passover when
I’ll get to giggle with my brother again.
Be Happy, You’re in Adar
by Jueli Garfinkle
During the month of Adar, healing comes from joy and
laughter. That means the more you can laugh and enjoy
yourself this month, the better you’ll feel. This is true
on the most simple of levels and on the most profound.
Crack a smile and your whole situation may tilt toward
healing and enjoyment.
Josh Fernandez (red, bushy hair) circa 1980s at some
sort of preppy dance, now his Facebook profile photo.
Adar is one of the 12 months of the Jewish calendar.
Each Jewish month has a specific area of enhanced healing and intention. This year (5774) is a “leap year,” so
continued on page 12
11
HUMOR
Themed secion continued from page 11
there are two months of Adar (which conclude on March
31). That means we get a double dose of healing through
joy and laughter.
Ultimately, if you can smile and laugh more—both on the
inside and on the outside—you’ll reap the benefits of this
month’s healing energy.
Joy Is the Greatest Healer
You don’t have to “do” anything to be affected by this
month’s healing. Your actions are without hesitation and
without thought. They are immediate.
Your participation is likened to a deer. The Song of Songs
says, “Like a deer, I darted to you.” Don’t think. Don’t
ruminate about how you feel. Dart like a deer connected
to its environment. And say “yes” to that connection,
whatever it is.
Joy is the greatest healer. There are many months when
growth comes through more challenging emotions. In
the month of Adar, however, joy is the harbinger of healing. Be aware of joy these weeks of Adar: Smile more.
Laugh often. Connect with pleasure and delight. Joy is
your birthright, your natural state.
Adar always is the last month of the Jewish calendar.
That means, at the end of every year the overarching
energy is joy and laughter. Now that’s something to smile
about, right?!
Jueli Garfinkle is a TBA member and recently led a
meditation
at the WTBA
Membership
vision event.
An ongoing
Jewish meditation group
based on the
Jewish calendar months
meets in the
home of a
TBA member.
jueligarfinkle@gmail.
com.
Friday Night Lights, continued from page 2
There was a contest
For a new queen they wanted someone who was better
They found a Jewish girl whose given name was Esther
She was more beautiful and smarter than the rester, the Jewess Esther.
The Purim story it’s sure not boring
A real thriller hey in the Megila hey
We fill this big room and dress in costume
Like some guy hey, called Morde-Psy hey
Stomp out Haman, shake the gregger, make some noise, noise, noise.
Purim Oakland Style, Oakland Style
O, o, o, o, Purim Oakland style, Oakland style.
O, o, o, o, Purim, Oakland style.
Eh~ Boo for Haman, O, o, o, o, Purim, Oakland style
Eh~ Boo for Haman, O, o, o, o, TB a a a a a
An evil man named Haman wanted to kill all the Jews
But we had a guy named Mordecai who knew just what to do.
He wouldn’t bow to Haman, and he wouldn’t kiss his ring.
He sent Esther to tell the King.
Save all our people, from this evil, she went to the king and begged him please
He said I’ll give you all the land in Shushan, here’s the keys.
We will hear no more from Haman, we’ll bring him to his knees,
That I guarantee.
Purim Oakland Style, Oakland Style
O, o, o, o, o Purim Oakland style, Oakland style. O, o, o, o, Purim, Oakland style.
12
MUSIC
Calling all Musical Theater Lovers!
Get Tickets Now for these Highly Anticipated 2014 Shows
A portion of ticket sales will benefit WTBA
PIPPIN
October 19, Sunday at 2 p.m.
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theater. Loge Seats
Rows A+B ($105/ticket)
This captivating production features sizzling choreography in the style of Bob Fosse and breathtaking acrobatics by Les 7 Doigts De La Main. With
a beloved score by Tony Award nominee Stephen
Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) that includes the favorites “Magic to Do,” “Glory” and “Corner of the Sky,”
PIPPIN tells the story of a young prince on a deathdefying journey to find meaning in his existence. Will
he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk
everything for a singular flash of glory?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ONCE
June 25, Wednesday at 8 p.m.
San Francisco’s Curran Theater. Mezzanine Rows
C-F ($80/ticket)
Winner of Eight 2012 Tony Awards including
BEST MUSICAL. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, ONCE tells the enchanting tale of a
Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his
dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. Chemistry
between them grows, and his music soars to powerful new heights.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Make checks out to and send them to:
Lori Rosenthal
1868 Woodhaven Way
Oakland, CA 94611
Please include a self-address, stamped envelope
with your payment.Contact Lori Rosenthal with
questions: [email protected]
13
COOKING CORNER
Cooking Corner: What Spices Tell Us
About the Jewish Diaspora
by Faith Kramer
Did you ever wonder how cinnamon, from the bark of a
tree grown in Southeast Asia, became a staple in Eastern
European cooking?
Or try to figure out how eggplant spread from India to
become a staple in Italy and throughout much of the
Jewish world? In fact it became so important to Jewish
cuisine that it was once known as a Jew apple.
Well, I wondered those things and recently got the opportunity to share some of my research – and recipes – with
the Women of TBA at a First Thursday series.
Eggplant demonstrates how the Jewish diaspora, geography and local custom serve to flavor a food.
From its origins in India the eggplant (which is actually a
fruit, not a vegetable) spread to Persia, from there westward and then the Ottoman Empire spread it to Spain and
Eastern Europe. Sephardic Jews fleeing the Inquisition
brought it elsewhere, including Italy.
As it was bred to meet local conditions and tastes, eggplant changed from its beginnings as a small, white,
egg-shaped fruit. Now it is most commonly found in U.S.
supermarkets as large, oblong, and deep purple.
Once you have the food, local custom, trading patterns
and availability affected the choice of seasonings.
Jews in India seasoned theirs with green chilies. Those
in Iran used mint and cinnamon. Yemen’s Jews used
tomato, chilies and coriander. Turkish Jews mixed in
yogurt, Lebanese used tahini and Egyptian Jews liked
their eggplant salad with tomato paste as well as paprika
and cumin. Moroccan Jews also liked paprika and cumin
in their eggplant salad, while those of Uzbekistan went
for onions and salt. Romanians liked green bell peppers
and garlic.
How did these communities come to these flavor profiles? For some the answer is easy – it’s what grew
locally and was available. For others we have to look to
ancient trade routes and businesses.
For example, Yemenite Jews served as intermediaries to
the spice traders, many of which were Jewish, and they
had access to spices from India. Hence, far from the
Spice Coast of India they had coriander and other spices,
giving them a traditional cuisine filled with flavor and
spice.
Spices and seasonings were important to Jews such as
the Yemenites for two reasons. One was that seasoning added variety to cuisine (and in some cases acted as a
14
preservative). The more important reason was that trading was an accepted and profitable livelihood for Jews
prevented from working in many occupations or owning
land.
Jewish traders or connection with trading began with
Babylonians. Early records showed they participated
in Phoenician and Egyptian and Roman trade efforts,
including sailing on monsoon winds to the Malabar Coast
(known as the Spice Coast) in 72 CE. There are records
of Jews being among the earliest traders on the silk route.
Probably the most successful of the Jewish spice traders
were the Radanites who dominated the East-West routes
for 300 years, beginning about 700 CE.
These traders were not mere adventurers or businessmen. They were Talmudic students and the religious,
cultural and social liaison between the world wide spread
of Jewish communities. They brought queries to the
sages and returned with responses. They created the first
worldwide credit system. They carried out royal diplomatic missions.
The Radanites four main trade routes went by land and
sea and stretched from Europe into northern Africa and
Asia. They were made possible by a series of Jewish
communities all along the way from Spain and France
at one end through to Cochin (now known as Kochi) in
India and Kaifeng and other communities in China.
Local Jewish merchants provided common language,
commercial credit and reliable business partners.
These Jewish traders were allowed access through
Muslim lands where a Christian wouldn’t and through
Christian lands where a Muslim wouldn’t
As a result of the Radanite trade, Asian spices were
part of upper class European and Jewish cookery in
the early medieval period. The money they brought back
to their home cities along the Rhine also helped develop
early Ashkenazi settlements (and maybe explain how cinnamon got into noodle kugel).
By the end of the 10th century the Radanite monopoly
was ending. The merchants of Venice and later the
Crusades began to reopen the blocked trade routes, but
Jews remained active in the spice and related trading.
I’ve included two recipes this month. The first is a
basic eggplant dish adapted from the cookbook Monday
Morning Cooking Club (Harper Collins 2013). Try customizing it by adding fresh green chilies, cumin, paprika
or other seasonings to taste.
The second recipe is for a kugel inspired by one created
by Karen Bloom’s cousin, a noted kugel expert and cookbook author Nina Yellen.
COOKING CORNER
BUBA’S EGGPLANT
Serves 6-8 as a side dish
2 large eggplants (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
Salt to taste
1 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 small onion, diced
Cut eggplant into slices about 1/3” thick.
Lay on paper towel and lightly sprinkle
both sides with salt.
Leave 10 minutes then wipe the slices dry
with a paper towel. Heat 1/4 cup olive
oil in saucepan on medium heat. Add
onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft
and translucent. Add garlic and cook for
another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes with juice. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30
minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8 x
12" baking dish with 1 Tbs. of oil. Heat
remaining olive oil in a large frying pan
3 Tbs.
1 Tbs.
2-14.5
Ground
finely chopped fresh garlic
tomato paste
oz. cans of diced tomatoes
black pepper to taste
and fry the eggplant slices in batches on
both sides until just golden. (Add additional oil as needed.) Drain on paper
towels. Reserve 2/3 cup of sauce. Spread
a third of the remaining sauce on bottom
of prepared baking dish. Layer eggplant
on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spread another third of the sauce on top
and repeat for a second and third layer.
Spread the reserved 2/3 cup of sauce on
top. Bake for 50-60 minutes until top is
browned and eggplant is meltingly tender.
Cool slightly and spoon off any excess
oil. Allow to cool. Serve at room temperature.
CINNAMON BUN KUGEL
8
3
½
½
½
½
oz. medium wide egg noodles
eggs, separated
pint sour cream
pound cottage cheese
cup milk
cup sugar
Serves 8-10
1 cup chunky apple sauce
1 and ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
4 Tbs. butter
½ cup brown sugar
Heaping 1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/3 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and drain noodles. 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”x8” 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 out of pan, or store in pan
and warm before inverting and serving.
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]
15
GAN AVRAHAM
YOUTH EVENTS
Purim at the Gan
by Barbara Kanter
Purim’s here, Purim’s here (almost). It’s a happy time of
year…. as the song goes. At the Gan, we will prepare for
and celebrate Purim with the exciting characters and story,
the special symbols and traditions, yummy hamantaschen
and spirited songs. Young children are not as focused on the
comedy and/or silly drunken behavior associated with the
holiday as adults may be. The children do easily relate to
the king and queen and good and evil behavior in our slightly modified version of the Purim story. We try to emphasize
the strengths of Mordechai and Esther and concentrate less
on what happens to Haman in the end.
Our school celebration culminates with our Purim play and
songfest on Friday morning, March 14. Children come to
school in costume with their groggers. All of our families
are invited to enjoy our silly performance (the comedy
aspect) featuring the Gan Avraham teachers and a special
performance by Rabbi Bloom.
Keflanu: Shabbat Fun and Games
Special happening for 3rd - 6th Graders
We would like to invite 3rd - 6th graders to join their friends in the Baum Youth Center
following Shabbat services on the 1st and 3rd Shabbat of the month
Dates coincide with Junior Congregation: March 1, April 5, May 3
After the service, join together for lunch in the social hall. After lunch check-in at the Baum Youth Center!
Have fun with Shabbat appropriate games and activities...
basketball, board games, jump ropefoosball, ping pong, or even just shmooze
• 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 1:15pm.
Please Join Us for TBA’s Youth Services
Shabbat Mishpacha
for preschool-aged children
and their families.
Kitah Gimmel classroom.
March 1, 10:15 a.m.
16
T’fillat Y’ladim
for children in Kindergarten,
1st & 2nd grade
and their families.
In the Chapel.
March 15, 10:15 a.m.
Junior Congregation
for children in 3rd - 6th grade.
In the Chapel.
March 1, 10:15 a.m.
BET SEFER
LA’ATID
Purim in Disneyland!... and Other SeasonAppropriate Humor
Underpants!) and rock out to the sounds of the TBA Band
and hear the Megillah reading. It’s a mitzvah not to be
missed! March 15th, 6:15 pm. Be There!
As I write this article I know that while our 7th graders
are enjoying the Museum of Tolerance and Beit T’shuva
in Los Angeles with Rabbi Bloom and their brave parent
chaperones, what they are really looking forward to is
running wild in Disneyland, which explains why I have
Disneyland on the brain. It got me to thinking, how is
Purim celebrated in Disneyland and how might that be
different from the way we celebrate here in the East Bay?
So I did a little research, and amazingly enough, I found
authoritative and very helpful information.
(The real meat of this article was brazenly stolen from
Rick Dinitz who wrote this in 2000 and who I don’t know
which is why it was so easy to steal. If you want to read
the entire piece check out http://www.jr.co.il/humor/
purim07.txt)
by Susan Simon
Did you know that in Disneyland, on the Shabbat closest to Purim, the dwarves get all of the aliyot, and that
Sleepy insists that he is a Kohein, despite evidence to the
contrary?
Did you know that while dwarves are entitled to aliyot,
they are never permitted to act as the Shaliach Tsibur
(the person who leads the service), because they cannot
stop themselves from whistling while they work and this
makes following their davening nearly impossible?
Did you know that Disney synagogues also count mermaids in the minyan, but that since they have no feet,
they cannot stand for the Amidah?
Did you know that they have a m’chitza in their sanctuary (a separation traditionally used for separate gender
seating), however mermaids, crickets, mice, ducks and
wooden boys all sit on the same side? And that it can
sometimes be hard to get a minyan for the mincha (afternoon) service, so in addition to the other characters, they
even count singing tableware and kitchen implements?
Finally, they change the well-known words of the
Mousketeer song for Purim in Disneyland. It goes something like this: M-I-C (see you in costume!), K-E-Y
(why? Because it’s Purim!), M-O-U-S-E.
Almost makes me wish I could spend Purim in
Disneyland this year, but really, there’s no place like
home, there’s no place like home, there’s…
Really, there’s no place like TBA on Purim, no better
place to dress up, act goofy (or Sneezy or even Captain
La’atid
And now, I can’t resist sharing some real stinkers with
you (also stolen from Rabbi Google):
It’s not widely known, but ancient Persia was the origin
of eastern mysticism, and it’s thought that Mordecai (of
the Book of Esther fame) was the person responsible for
bringing these beliefs into the Jewish mainstream. After
Mordecai learned of the plot against King Ahasuerus and
fingered the would-be assassins, he became very afraid
for the safety of Queen Esther so he began praying for
her, fasting five days a week, going barefoot, and wearing
sack-cloth. When he did eat, he only ate grains and certain vegetables. Since Susa (Shushan) was located in the
foothills of the mountains, the ground was fairly rocky
so Mordecai developed an impressive set of calluses on
his feet. His constant fasting soon made him quite frail
and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. So
Mordecai had become... (wow, this is so awful that it’s
great) ...a super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
And finally, on a cultural note, I learned that in Germany,
torches containing gun powder are lit and these torches
explode during the Megillah reading. And doll shaped
cakes called Haman were baked and when the children
ate them, they first bit off the heads. And in the same
vein, in Persia, the children would make a huge Haman
and fill its clothes with gunpowder – they would throw
oil on the Haman and light it. Children also burn Haman
in Tunisia – children make little Hamans out of paper or
rags and they throw them into a huge bonfire which they
beat with sticks that they prepare just for Purim. And in
Libya children threw little Haman dolls into a fire and
then competed by jumping over the fire to see who could
jump the highest. I’m thinking that I’m growing fonder
and fonder of shouting, drinking and carnivals. How
about you?
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].
CALENDAR
March 30 Chocolate Seder
May 4 End of the year event
17
MIDRASHA
Berkeley Midrasha: Midra-Shabang
by Diane Birnbaum
So, what if Midrasha gave a party and everybody came?
Well, we’re hoping that is exactly what is going to happen. Midrasha in Berkeley would like YOU to join us at
this year’s Midra-Shabang, our annual fundraising dinner
extraordinaire, on Sunday, March 23 from 5-9 p.m.
This year’s Midra-Shabang will be a bittersweet one for
me since it will be not only our regular super-fun annual
party but a retirement party for me as well, which is why
I especially want you to be there. We’ll start with the
fun of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a magnificent Silent
VOLUNTEER BULLETIN BOARD
Auction, followed by a delicious Kosher dinner catered
by Janice MacMillan and a Live Auction and then the
event organizers have some surprises for me, so I can’t
tell you now what will come next. You’ll have to be
there to find out.
You can RSVP by going to http://midrashabang.eventbrite.com or calling the Midrasha office at 843-4667 for
a paper invitation. You can also access the on-line registration from the Midrasha website: www.midrasha.org.
RSVPs are due by March 1 and we do expect the event
to sell out so don’t delay sending in your RSVP. I really
hope to see all of you there.
We want YOU at this year’s Midra-Shabang,
our annual fundraiser and FUN party.
Sunday, March 23, 2014 from 5-9 p.m. • Congregation Beth El.
Tickets will be available on-line at an e-address not available at press time, so e-mail Midrasha in Berkeley. An extra, added
attraction (for me at least) is that this year’s Midra-Shabang will also be a retirement celebration for me, Diane Bernbaum, and
I’d really love it if many of the people who have meant so much to me during my 33 years at Midrasha were there.
Contact: [email protected] or go to our website: www.midrasha.org and we will send you details as they become available.
Give a new parent an hour to
shower A perfect mitzvah for those with
daytime flexibility. Volunteers needed to provide short daytime sits free of charge to our
new moms and dads allowing them to shower, get a
haircut or just take a walk.
Interested sitters should
contact us at womenoftba@
tbaoakland.org.
18
Welcome a
New Member
Do you have
time to help
deliver TBA’s
new member
baskets?
If so, please
contact Virginia
at virginia@ tbaoakland.org
LIFE CYCLES
Welcome New Members
Ben Siegel and Juanita Villa.
Two-year-old son Lurio
New Member Bio
New member profile was compiled by Sharon Alva
Juanita Villa and Ben Siegel (a native Oaklander)
returned to the Bay Area five years ago. They met in
Texas where they were both students. Ben is a Labor and
Employment Attorney and Juanita is caring for their two
year old son Lucio, who will be starting at Gan Avraham
in the fall. With a daughter on her way, Juanita has found
time to be a contributing writer for the 510Families website (http://www.510families.com/). Ben is no stranger to
TBA, as his parents had been members and his younger
brother attended Gan Avraham. Juanita and Ben think
TBA will be a great fit for them and look forward to getting more involved in the Jewish Community.
Mazel Tov
To Ben and Juanita Siegel on the birth of a baby girl,
Paloma Margarita Siegel.
A NOTE TO NEW MEMBERS:
We would like to introduce you to the TBA community in an upcoming newsletter. Please send a short
introduction of you and your family, with a digital photo, to [email protected]. Thanks!
19
LIFE CYCLES
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
1
Paz Avidor
2
Hilary Altman
Mark Beilock
Isaiah Goldstein
Jeffrey Rothman
Lisa Sadikman
Ori Sasson
3
Ilan Breines
Oona Grace Swartz
Sara Ur
4
Leah Kaizer
5
Debra Barach
Amanda Brown-Stevens
Lowell Davis
Rachel Lorber
Sandy Schotland
6
Howard Maccabee
7
Nancy Berger
Benjamin Bernstein
Ward Hagar
Anthony Kay
Mark Langberg
Julian Ring
8
Linda Arons
Denise Bostrom
Mark Fickes
Amy Maidenberg
Julia Mendelsohn
Adam Miller
Janice Reisman Prystowsky
Chris Wike
Victoria Zatkin
9
Joanna Berg
Jeremy Bruner
10
Karen Glasser
Keren Nathan
Anya Wayne
11
Madeline Garber
Jon Golding
David Mendelsohn
Noah Stiegler
12
Michelle Schubnel
Hannah Sosebee
13
Noa Sara Bernstein
Harvey Blatter
Katara Shea Dinkin
Rickie Shea Dinkin
14
Naomi Bernstein
Isadora Blachman-Biatch
Sarah Broach
Ayla Ruth Rosenblum
Naomi Rosenblum
15
Samuel Bowers
Lloyd Silberzweig
Vicki Weller
16
24
Lydia Adams
Katie Anna Kaizer-Salk
Elya Prystowsky
Aaron Sunshine
Rebecca Glick
17
Jonah Kunis
18
Elliot Gordon
Brettel Graves
Esther Pinkhasov
Rebecca Posamentier
Joan Rubin
20
Jennifer Kopp
Felice Newman
Hana Rotman
21
Kaila Robb
22
Penelope Hagan
Talia Hagan
Daniel Klein
Sophie Levin
David Paulson
23
Kenneth Cohen
Aaron Feldhammer
Oliver Goldman
Mala Johnson
Susan Kagan Waitkus
David Lindenbaum
Betty Ann Polse
Sanjiv Sanghvi
Ariela Simon
Elon Simon
Daniel Sosebee
Jessica Teisch
25
Rayna Arnold
Hannah Govert
Sara Govert
Aya Krantz
Stephanie Mendelsohn
Sandy Schwarcz
26
Kathryn Burge
Ellen Collaco
Susan Cossette
Daniel DeBare
27
Endre Balint
28
Constance Clare-Newman
Svetlana Partsuf
Jill Rosenthal
Barbara Rothblatt
29
Jennifer Goodman Abrami
Barak Albert
Deborah Kahane Rego
Kirk McLean
Yuval Wolf
30
Tosha Schore
Ilana Share
31
Adin Ilfeld
Madeleine Leibovitch
Susan Truss
Is your birthday information wrong or missing from this list? Please contact the TBA office to make corrections.
20
LIFE CYCLES
MARCH YAHRZEITS
May God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
ADAR I 29-ADAR II 5
March 1-7
Barbara May Benjamin
Boris Carasick
Maurice Veiss
Cora Coulter
Marjorie Kauffman
Mabel Stevens
Sara Goldberg
Milton Weintraub
ADAR II 6-12
March 8-14
Arnold Liss
Ida B. Edelson Riskind
Florence Brettler
Bernice Ring
Phyllis Zangwill
Edythe Schultz
ADAR II 13-19
March 15-21
Ann Krause
Daniel King
William Miller
Olga Banks
Charles Marcus
ADAR II 27-29
March 29-31
William Goldfine
Eileen Kessler
Michael Lasar
Esther Morofsky
Arleen Shub Robinowitz
ADAR II 20-26
March 22-28
Edith Gruber
Abraham Silverman
RECENT DEATHS IN OUR COMMUNITY
Shirley Gould, mother of Rabbi Art Gould
(Carol Robinson)
Fran Prager, mother of Anya Wayne
Meregildo “Mike” Carrillo, father of Ernestina Polon
Raymond Chun, father of Judy Chun (JB Leibovitch)
MEMORIAL PLAQUE
Anyone wishing to purchase a memorial plaque,
please contact Pinky at the synagogue office at extension 229.
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!
21
DONATIONS
Charity is equal in importance to all the other commandments combined.
Centennial Match Fund
Mark Fickes & William Gentry
Philip & Dina Hankin
Davis Courtyard Match Fund
Randall & Jan Kessler, in honor of Sy David Schwartz’s birth
Randall & Jan Kessler, in memory of Howard Cohen
Steven Rosenthal & Ailsa Steckel
Jeri & Marvin Schechtman, in memory of Jessie Kasdan
David & Treya Weintraub, in honor of Sy Schwartz’s birth
Sheldon & Barbara Rothblatt
Curtis & Adi Schacker
Garrett Schwartz & Caren Sencer
Maurice & Barbara Weill, in memory of Joseph SIngerman
Vera Zatkin, in memory of Gertrude Kingston
Vera Zatkin, in memory of Joseph Zatkin
Kiddush Fund
Annie J. Schwartz Strom, in memory of Samuel Jaffe
Annie J. Schwartz Strom, in memory of Jesse Kasdan
Jeanette Jeger Kitchen Fund
Minyan Fund
Norman & Jo Budman, in honor of Bryan & Alicia Schwartz’s
new baby
Norman & Jo Budman, in loving memory of Ruth C. Roth
Ellen Beilock
Daniel & Anne Bookin, in memory of Sheba Bookin
Fifi Goodfellow, in memory of Moshe Haggar
Bet Sefer Discretionary Fund
Camper/Scholarship Fund
Steven Rosenthal & Ailsa Steckel, in Susan Simon’s honor
Elinor DeKoven
Jessica Sacher, in memory of Etty Bernstein
High Holy Day Appeal - General Fund
David Avidor & Tosha Schore
Cynthia Berrol
Bruce & Alicia von Kugelgen
High Holy Days Appeal - Endowment Fund
David Avidor & Tosha Schore
Cynthia Berrol
Bruce & Alicia von Kugelgen
General Fund
Tasia Melvin, in memory of Irwin Weintraub
Susan Gundry, in memory of Louis Kasdan
Joel Biatch & Shosh Blachman
Harvey & Fran Blatter, in memory of Frieda Blatter
Leonard & Helen Fixler, in memory of Howard Cohen
Steven Glaser & Deena Aerenson
Louis & Lisa Goodman, in memory of Pearl S. Goodman
Stanley & Joan Gross, in memory of Howard Cohen
David Lenik
David & June Marinoff, in memory of Bob Kruger
David & June Marinoff, in memory of Howard Cohen
Larry Miller & Mary Kelly, in memory of Howard Cohen
Larry Miller & Mary Kelly, in memory of Karen Bloom’s father
Howard Cohen
Larry Miller & Mary Kelly, in memory of Shelden Bereskin
Ilya & Regina Okh, in memory of my brother David Okh
22
Rabbi Discretionary Fund
Sheila Yudenfreund, in memory of Howard Cohen, Karen
Bloom’s father
Herbert & Harriet Bloom, in memory of Mailda Bloom Holzman
Michael & Kathryn Burge, in memory of Howard Cohen, Karen
Bloom’s father
Lawrence Dorfman, in memory of Joseph and Shirley Dorfman
Martin & Evelyn Hertz
Alison Heyman
Dr. Booker Holton & Elaine Gerstler, in memory of Howard
Cohen
Paul Silberstein & Karen Glasser, in memory of Dorothy Glasser
Ronald & Vicki Weller
Davis Hunger Fund
Celia Somers, in memory of Charles Somers
Endowment Fund
Randall & Jan Kessler, in memory of Robert Krueger
Larry Miller & Mary Kelly, in memory of Robert Kruger
Herman & Agnes Pencovic
Hertz - Israel Scholarship Fund
Gerald & Ruby Hertz
Hertz Interfaith Fund
Gerald & Ruby Hertz
DONATIONS
It is a Jewish tradition to give contributions to commemorate life cycle events and other occasions. Are you celebrating a birthday, engagement, anniversary, baby naming, Bat/Bar Mitzvah or recovery from illness? Or perhaps remembering a yahrzeit? These are just a few ideas of appropriate times to commemorate with a donation to Temple Beth
Abraham. These tax-deductible donations are greatly appreciated and are a vital financial supplement to support the
wonderful
variety of programs and activities that we offer.
Thanks again for your support! We could not do it without you!
TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAM FUND CONTRIBUTION FORM
This contribution of $ ___________
is (check one) ___in Memory of
___ in Honor of:
(name) ________________________________________________________________
Contribution _______________________________ Acknowledge________________________________
From: _____________________________________ To: ________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________ Address: ___________________________________
Please credit the fund checked below:
mGeneral Fund–Use where most needed
mCentennial Building Fund
mLeonard Quittman Endowment Fund
mRabbi Mark S. Bloom Discretionary Fund
mLeo and Helen Wasserman Fund–Funds guest speakers at
TBA
mKiddush Fund
mCelia and Morris Davis Hunger Fund
mDanielle and Deren Rehr-Davis Teen Fund
mHarold Rubel Memorial Music Fund
mHerb and Ellen Goldstein Memorial Jewish Education Fund
mHerman Hertz Israel Scholarship Fund
mJack and Mary Berger Fund
mJeanette Jeger Kitchen Fund
mMinyan Fund
mMollie Hertz Interfaith and Outreach Fund
mPrayer Book Fund
mWomen of TBA (WTBA)
mTBA Men’s Club
mCantor Kaplan’s Discretionary Fund
mCampership/Scholarship Fund
mRose Bud Silver Library Fund
mSam Silver Playground Fund
mYom Hashoah Fund
mOther: __________________________________
Thank you for your generosity. Please make checks payable to
Temple Beth Abraham and mail to: 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610
23
24
2
9
10
23
30
24
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
29 Adar II
31
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
22
Adar II
25
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7:30p TBA Board Meeting
1p-7p Blood Bank will be at TBA
23
Adar II
11
4
18
4p-6p Bet Sefer
16
Adar II
4p-6p Bet Sefer
9
Adar II
4p-6p Bet Sefer
2
Adar II
26
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
24
Adar II
19
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
17
Adar II
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
12
20
27
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
25
Adar II
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7p Men’s Club Poker-March Madness
7p Parent Program-Bathea James
speaking about Sibling Rivalry
18
Adar II
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7p Wine Tasting by Convenant Wines-Pesach Edition
ta’anit eSther
13
11
Adar II
10
Adar II
6
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7:30p WTBA Girls Night Out-Art
Night with special Guest Ruth
Teitelbaum, member & art instructor
5
4
Adar II
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
12-4:45p Jewish Coalition for
Literacy Tutor Training (Baum YC)
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
3
Adar II
7
14
21
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
28
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
6:15 Kitah Dalet Share-A-Shabbat
7p East Bay Minyan (Baum YC)
26 '' 7:12p
Adar II
19 '' 7:05p
Adar II
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
9:15am Gan Purim Celebration
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
12
'' 6:59p
Adar II
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
6:15 Bet Sefer Kitah Gimmel
Share-A-Shabbat
5
'' 5:52p
Adar II
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
Vayikra
8
Tzav
15
22
29
6-10p BBYO Beau/Sweetheart Dance
8:13p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Shabbat haChoDeSh
Tazria
27
Adar II
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Waserman Speaker
Rabbi Steven Wernick
8:06p Havdalah (42 min)
Shabbat Parah
men’S Club Shabbat
Vayakhel
20
Adar II
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
10:15a T’fillat Y’ladim
1p Mah Jongg@Baum YC
experienced players
6:15p Purim Megillah Reading
8:00p Havdalah (42 min)
Shabbat ZaChor
13
Adar II
6:53p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
1p Mah Jongg@Baum YC
beginners welcome
6
Adar II
6:46p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
Bar Mtizvah of Joshua DeBare
10:15a Junior Congregation
10:15a Shabbat Mishpacha
12p Keflanu-play together grades 3-6
Shabbat Shekelim
Pekudei
29
Adar 1
March 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
La’atid Chocolate Seder
10a-Adult Education w/Nitzhia Shaked
28 Adar II
10a-Adult Education w/Nitzhia Shaked
6p Teen Scene: Baum Youth Center
21
Adar II
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
17
Mishloach Manot delivery
15
Adar II
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
8
Adar II
ShuShan Purim
16
3
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
9:30a Rosh Chodesh-Adar II
(off campus)
roSh ChoDeSh
1
Adar II
Purim
14
'' 6:57p
Adar II
9:45a Women on the Move: Hike in
Redwood Regional Park
10a Adult Education with Ken Cohen
- Gospel of Matthew-last session
3p WTBA Vashti’s Banquet
Daylight SavingS time beginS
7
Adar II
10a-12p Adult Education- Longevity
Revolution program at TBA
10:30a Sunday Kindergym
roSh ChoDeSh
30
Adar 1
Adar II 5774
25
6
14
27
28
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
Yom hashoah
28
Nisan
Office and Gan Closed
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
Pesach VII
21
Pesach I
15
8
1
2
9
16
Nisan
Pesach II
16
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
9
Nisan
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
2
Nisan
22
29
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7:30p TBA Board Meeting
7:45p Community Yom HaShoah
at Temple Sinai
29
Nisan
9a Eighth Day of Pesach Services
with Childcare
No Bet Sefer / Office & Gan Closed
8:33p Havdalah (42 min)
Pesach VIII (YIzkor)
earth DaY
22
Nisan
30
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
rosh choDesh
30
Nisan
23
9a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Cafe)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
23
Nisan
No Weekly Text Study /
No Kindergym / Office & Gan closed
6:15pm Confirmation Class
with Rabbi Bloom (BYC)
No Bet Sefer / Office and Gan closed
7p BBYO-AZA and BBG
9a Pesach 1st Day Service
with Childcare
15
Nisan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8
Nisan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
rosh choDesh
1
Nisan
3
10
Pesach III
17
24
No Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
24
Nisan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
No Kindergym / No Bet Sefer
17
Nisan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
10
Nisan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7:30p WTBA Girls Night Out-Life
Transitions with Special Guest Laura
Geduldig, Life Coach
3
Nisan
4
11
18
25
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
25 '' 7:36p
Nisan
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
7p East Bay Minyan (Baum YC)
No Kindergym
Pesach IV
18
'' 7:30p
Nisan
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
11 '' 7:23p
Nisan
9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a
Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
4
'' 7:17p
Nisan
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.
Metzora
5
19
26
8:37p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Bat Mitzvah of Sara Zimmerman
26 Kedoshim
Nisan
8:31p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
10:15a T’fillat Y’ladim
1p Mah Jongg@Baum YC
experienced players
Pesach V
19 Pesach Day 5
Nisan
8:24p Havdalah (42 min)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
1p Mah Jongg@Baum YC
beginners welcome
shaBBat haGaDol
12
Achrei Mot
12
Nisan
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
Bat Mitzvah of Leah Sarber
10:15a Junior Congregation
10:15a Shabbat Mishpacha
12p Keflanu-play together grades 3-6
8:18p Havdalah (42 min)
5
Nisan
April 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
with Nitzhia Shaked (chapel)
27
Nisan
Pesach VI
20
21
Nisan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
20
'' 6:57p
Nisan
ta’anIt Bechorot
ereV Pesach
14
Nisan
Gan Closed/Office Closes at 1pm
13
7
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
9:30a Rosh Chodesh-Nisan
(off campus)
7
Nisan
9:45a Women on the Move: Hike in
Redwood Regional Park
10a Adult Education
with Nitzhia Shaked (chapel)
13
Nisan
Young Adults-Jewish Heritage Night
with the Warriors
6p Teen Scene
6
Nisan
Nisan 5774
Temple Beth Abraham
327 MacArthur Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94610
PERIODICALS
POSTAGE
PAID
Oakland, CA
Permit No. 020299
MISHLOACH MANOT
One of the many mitzvot for the holiday of Purim is “Mishloach Manot,” or the sending of gifts of food to friends.
TBA is once again offering you a wonderful way to send Mishloach Manot. We will have 24 unique items in the basket
this year and every single one was donated by a congregant or company. This year’s basket would retail between $75$100. The very special kosher package, filled with many healthy snacks and other food and beverage items includes:
•Whole Foods Reusable Shopping Bag
•Peets Coffee
•Trader Joes Kettle Corn
•Traditional Medicinal and Numi Tea
•Clif & Builder’s Bars
•Wild Planet Sustainable Tuna
•Red Vines
•Fresh Tangerines
•Hershey Kisses
•Semifreddi Biscotti
•Grand Bakery hamentashen
and a whole lot more.
Please, get your forms into the office and donate to help our schools and Mazon, a Jewish organization to help
those that our hungry!
WHAT’S INSIDE
TBA Directory...................... i
Gourmet Gla...................... 8
Midrasha......................... 18
What’s Happening.............. 1
Humor.............................. 10
Volunteer Bulletin Board.... 18
From the Rabbi................... 2
Music............................... 13
Life Cycles........................ 19
President’s Message............ 3
Cooking Corner................ 14
Donations......................... 22
Editor’s Message................ 4
Gan Avraham News......... 16
Calendar.................... ......24
Community......................... 5
Youth Events..................... 16
Mishloach Manot.............. 26
Women of TBA................... 6
Bet Sefer News................. 17
Men’s Club......................... 7
La’atid............................. 17