Temple Shalom October 2005

Transcription

Saturday, October 1
Shabbat Morning Worship
and Torah Study 10 AM
Shabbat Service & Bat Mitzvah
of Sarah Rozman, 10 AM
Parshat Nitzavim
Deuteronomy 29:9 – 30:20
Monday, October 3
Erev Rosh Hashanah 6:30
& 9 PM
Tuesday, October 4
Rosh Hashanah Morning
Service 8:30 & 11:45 AM
Rosh Hashanah Children’s
Service 2:45 PM
Tot Rosh Hashanah
Service, 4:15 PM
Tashlich 5 PM
Wednesday, October 5
Second Day Rosh
Hashanah Service 10 AM
Friday, October 7
Family Service, 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 8
and Torah Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Shuvah
Parshat Vayelech
Minyan Service, 7 AM
Early Kol Nidrei 6:30 PM
Late Kol Nidrei 9 PM
Thursday, October 13
Yom Kippur Services
Morning Services, 8:30 &
11:45 AM
Study Sessions, 2:45-4 PM
Afternoon Service,Yizkor,
& Ne’ilah 4:15 PM APP.
Friday, October 14
Erev Shabbat Service with
the Shir Shalom Choir, 8 PM
Saturday, October 15
Shabbat Service & Bar Mitzvah
of Adam Hallberlin, 10 AM
Parshat Ha’azinu
Friday, October 21
Erev Shabbat Social
Concerns Service, 8 PM
of Madeline Ruvolo, 10 AM
Havdallah & Tot Sukkot
Service 6:00 PM PICNIC
6:45 PM SERVICE
Shabbat Chol Ha Moed Sukkot
Exodus 33:12 – 34:26
Friday, October 28
Erev Shabbat Service, 7 PM
of Pippa Friedman, 10 AM
Parshat Bereshit
Genesis 1:1 – 6:8
October 2005 • Elul 5765 – Tishrei 5766
Volume XLXII Issue I
www.templeshalom.net
YAMIM NORA’IM (DAYS OF AWE) 5766/2005
THE HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES
conducted by Rabbi Michael L. Feshbach, Rabbi Gerald Serotta,
Cantor Ramón Tasat and Educator JoHanna Potts
2 0 0 5
SELICHOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Saturday, September 24 at 9:00 PM
The climax of the Hebrew month of Elul comes during the service of Selichot, one of the most powerful moments of the entire Jewish year, an important exercise in spiritual preparation for the Days of
Awe. At midnight on the Saturday night/Sunday morning before Rosh Hashanah, Jews around the
world gather together for what is, truly, the first of the High Holy Day services, a brief but moving
experience during which the music and liturgy of the season is used for the first time. In the dark of the
night we begin to bare our souls, and plead for forgiveness.
This year at Temple Shalom our evening begins with drama. We open at 9 PM with a Stage Reading of
the award-winning play
“The Gates are Closing”
by Merle Feld
Featuring the 2005 Temple Shalom Players
Directed by Chris Wolfe
Followed Discussion and Refreshments
We return to the Sanctuary at 11:00 PM to the background melodies of the season, where the Tenth
Grade/Confirmation Class will lead us in Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) and
then in candlelight and to the midnight call of the Shofar, the actual service of Selichot begins. For the
first time this year our widely-respected Shir Shalom Choir joins us for the Selichot service,
adding depth and even greater power to our prayer as we enter into the spirit – and the sound – of the
High Holy Day season.
We are once again joining in our observance of Selichot by members of Farbrengan, and expect other
guests from the wider Washington Jewish community as well.
continued page 2
continued from page 1
Children at Temple Shalom Services:
Always welcome, but options provided during the High Holy Days as well.
Childcare will be available at early Erev (evening) services for
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and all daytime services for the
first day of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur, as well as for
the Yom Kippur Afternoon and Concluding Services. Children
are always welcome in the main Sanctuary at all services at
Temple Shalom (and, of course, in our new “Quiet Room” area
for those with particularly high energy at the moment) but we
know that some of our youngest children may be happier in a
play-oriented and supervised environment than they would be at
a Sanctuary service.
Childcare is provided by a neighboring Church Youth Group, and
supervised by their Youth Minister. All the children who are in our
child care programs are encouraged to return to the Sanctuary for our
fabulous Children’s and Tot’s services. For those who are ready to try
the Sanctuary service, but need a break, there will be Drop-In sitting
where parents may bring their children in and out.
ROSH HASHANAH
EREV ROSH HASHANAH . . . . . . . . . . . .Monday, October 3
Early Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6:30 PM
Late Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:00 PM
The Jewish calendar year turns with the setting of the sun on Erev
Rosh Hashanah. We welcome the new year of 5766 with hope and
prayer for a time of fulfillment and peace.
Child care provided at the early service only (see above).
Rabbi Feshbach will speak “Against a Sea of Troubles”
FIRST DAY ROSH HASHANAH . . . . . . . .Tuesday, October 4
Rosh Hashanah Tot Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4:15 PM
YOM KIPPUR
We welcome the new year in celebration and song, with spirit and stories for the youngest among us: this service is especially appropriate for
children ages two through five. The Tot service will be led by Rabbi
Feshbach, JoHanna Potts, Joyce Kammerman, and Carol Boyd Leon.
KOL NIDREI SERVICE . . . . . . . . . .Wednesday, October 12
Early Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6:30 PM
Late Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:00 PM
Story: “The Apple Tree”
Tashlich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:00 PM
Join us for the ancient rite of Tashlich, the symbolic casting off of our
sins into a body of water. We walk to a stream on Rosh Hashanah
afternoon, and throw bread crumbs into the water. By the act we
symbolically cast off our sins, and begin the new year with a clean
slate. Gather in the Temple parking lot following the Tot Service for a
brief walk to a nearby creek.
SECOND DAY ROSH HASHANAH . .Wednesday, October 5
Intimate Morning Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 AM–12:30 PM
For several years now our congregation has observed the Second Day
of Rosh Hashanah. Last year was the first occasion on which the
Second Day of Rosh Hashanah fell on a weekday (the previous two
years it had been on a Sunday). We were delighted to discover a
“growing” and appreciative congregation. This service is open to any
who want to attend, and we drew worshippers from other Reform
and even Conservative congregations, as well as other area Jewish
groups. This service offers an intimate, powerful and less formal experience of High Holy Day worship, as well as the chance to connect
with traditions and liturgy which, for reasons of time and “parking
lot” considerations, we eliminate from the service on the First Day of
Rosh Hashanah. This year for the first time our Shir Shalom
Choir joins us on the Second Day of Rosh Hashanah.
Congregational Morning Service
SHABBAT SHUVAH (The Sabbath of Repentance)
Late Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11:45 AM
EREV SHABBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Friday, October 7
Once again we help the community through our High Holy Day
Hunger Drive. Return the empty grocery bag we will provide, complete with items from the list enclosed with the bag. (The filled bags
should be brought back to the Temple on Yom Kippur itself. For security reasons we cannot accept bags brought in the intermediate days.)
Shabbat Evening Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7:30 PM
Rabbi Serotta will speak on “God’s October Surprise—Faith and
Politics in America”
Rosh Hashanah Children’s Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2:45 PM
We continue our celebration of the New Year with a joyous and
upbeat service, especially appropriate for children ages six and higher.
The Children’s service will be led by Rabbi Feshbach, JoHanna Potts,
Joyce Kammerman, and our new Songleader/Music Teacher, Carol
Boyd Leon.
The Shabbat in between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is one of
the most significant occasions in Jewish life: the liturgy contains references to and wording from the High Holy Days in a way which is
unique to this service. Traditionally rabbis delivered sermons lasting
several hours on Shabbat Shuvah. (Don’t worry! Because this is a
Family Service there will be a story instead of a sermon.)
SHABBAT MORNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saturday, October 8
Shabbat Morning Service and Study . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:00 AM
Our Shabbat morning minyan meets in the Chapel to worship and to
wrestle with the portion of the week, including the special liturgical
additions and prophetic selections for the Sabbath of Repentance.
Story: “It’s Never Too Late”
continued on page 3
2
Childcare provided at the early service only (see above).
Rabbi Serotta will speak on “And You Shall Proclaim Liberty
Throughout the Land”
YOM KIPPUR DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thursday, October 13
Congregational Morning Service
Early Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8:30 AM
Late Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11:45 AM
Babysitting and supervision provided as an option for children by a
local Church Youth Group; see above.
Marilyn Ripin will deliver the President’s Annual High Holy Day
message.
Rabbi Feshbach will ask “What's In A Name?”
Personal and Guided Study
One tradition in the observance of Yom Kippur is to remain in the synagogue, or engaged in Yom Kippur-related activities, throughout the
entire day. For those who wish to do so, there will be texts available for
self-study and exploration in the Temple library throughout the morning, so that someone attending the early service could study during the
late service, or the other way around. In addition, our Family Educator,
Rabbi Daniel Swartz will lead a discussion in the Chapel beginning at
Noon, so that those who attend the early service may have a chance to
join together in a group for spiritual exploration during the late service.
Yom Kippur Young Children Oriented Service . . . . . . .2:45 PM
Early Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8:30 AM
Childcare: see above.
The lights are dim and the haunting sounds of Kol Nidrei echo in our
Sanctuary. Once more, Atonement Day has come. We come together and
we face ourselves in a way which only this day can evoke.
We focus on the themes of the Day of Atonement through music and
liturgy appropriate for young children. This service will be led by
Rabbi Feshbach, JoHanna Potts, Joyce Kammerman, and Carol Boyd
Leon.
Story: “Magic Time”
Yom Kippur Mid-Day Opportunities for Adults
. . . . .2:45 PM
Jewish Journeys: come hear three generations of Temple members
share reflections on their own Jewish lives. This year we will hear
the spiritual stories of:
George Leventhal, Montgomery County Council Vice-President;
former Legislative Director for Senator Mikulsky; father of two
children in Temple Shalom Religious School
Anne Feinberg, currently Chair of Adult Education Committee
and former President of the congregation; recently received a
Master Degree in Jewish Education from GWU; Jew-by-choice
(as contrasted with Jew-by-birth)
Emma Hutchinson, Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation at Temple
Shalom, Senior at Montgomery Blair, recently returned from
Operation Understanding trip to the South with African
American and Jewish teenagers
Gaza: Making A Judgment on the Day of Judgment. Taught by
Rabbi Bruce E. Kahn
Is relinquishing Gaza a step toward security and peace or insecurity
and war? Wisdom or capitulation? Has Israel embraced the themes of
the Holy Days or made a terrible mistake? Is it right for us to judge?
Repent: Lessons from Katrina for FEMA – and All of Us. Hurricane
Katrina offers many windows into repentance, as it revealed the
problems not merely in our disaster response and relief system, but
once again tore open the curtain that hides poverty and misery
from view. This session will be led by Temple members Alan Clive
and Suzanne Mintz. Dr. Alan Clive recently retired after twentytwo years as Civil Rights Program Manager for the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, and has been assisting FEMA
informally since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast.
Suzanne Mintz is the past co-chair of our Tikkun Olam
Committee, is from New Orleans, and will share her personal
reflections about evacuation preparation and relief efforts.
Afternoon Meditation: It is time to put the “finishing touches” on
the work of realigning our lives. On this day we devote ourselves to
the core questions that might arise at the end of a life: what is it
that my life is all about? How am I living this life? This afternoon
meditation session will provide an opportunity for silent reflection
on the themes of this day. In silence we can listen to the echoes of
our prayers, the sounds of our inner longings, and allow ourselves
to explore the inner dimensions of this powerful time. There will
be guided meditation, punctuated by silence. This is not a study
session and there will be no discussion, although some basic guidance and instructions will be offered for those for whom this is a
new experience. The session will be enhanced if we all begin and
end together. Led by Miryam Levy.
Am I My Brother’s and Sister's Keeper? A Discussion About the
Growing Crisis in Health Insurance. The number of people without
private health coverage in the United States has been steadily
increasing. At the same time, safety net programs such as Medicaid
are facing cuts. As health care costs continue to rise, Americans
must grapple with difficult questions. As a nation, do we have an
obligation to ensure that all Americans have access to basic healthcare services? Can traditional free market principles be reconciled
with the growing healthcare crisis in America? And, is the public
interest best served by covering certain types of conditions (e.g.
physical illnesses) at higher levels than other types of conditions
(e.g. mental illnesses)? Join Lynda and Ron Honberg, along with
Glenn Schneider from Maryland Citizens Health Initiative All for a
discussion about these and other issues concerning the growing
number of uninsured and underinsured in our country. Sponsored
by the Tikkun Olam Committee.
Our Traditional “Fast” Walk to Rock Creek Park, with Ken and
Audrey Kramer
Yom Kippur Afternoon Service, Yizkor and Ne’ilah . . .4:15 PM
We gather in the Sanctuary for a full Yom Kippur Afternoon
Service. This unique service includes the Grand Aleinu, a poetic
continued on page 4
3
FROM THE RABBI – Rabbi Feshbach
Remaking Ourselves
reconstruction of the history of our people, aspects of the traditional Avodah service (the moment when the High Priest of old
sought atonement for the entire people), the Eleh Ezkerah martryology, the reading of the Holiness Code from the Torah, and the
Book of Jonah as the Haftarah. The Yizkor Memorial Service
begins immediately upon the completion of the Afternoon service,
with no defined break. We estimate that Yizkor might begin at
approximately 5:30 PM; once again, this is not an exact time.
During the Yizkor service we will continue a custom introduced
last year. We will place a wicker basket in the center of the
bimah and, immediately before the Yizkor prayer itself, will
invite anyone who would like to do so to come forward silently to place a stone, a note, an object, anything that will help us
connect with the memory of a loved one. You can either leave
the objects there, or retrieve them at some point after Yom Kippur
If this approach is something that might be helpful to you, please
bring whatever item would mean something to you to this service.
The Ne’ilah Concluding Service begins immediately upon the completion of the Yizkor prayers. Please remain in the Sanctuary
through the conclusion of Ne’ilah. The final sounding of the shofar
will take place at approximately 7 PM. All children present in the
Sanctuary at that time will be called forward to participate in leading the congregation in a very brief ceremony of Havdalah, We
conclude our observance of the Day of Atonement together with
orange juice as we exit the Sanctuary.
Our Shir Shalom Choir joins us for the entire Afternoon of
Yom Kippur, through the closing call of the Shofar.
SUKKOT and SIMCHAT TORAH
EREV SUKKOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Monday, October 17
Outdoor Erev Sukkot Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6:00 PM
the Lulav, sing songs of praise (the Hallel Psalms), and hear the ancient
story of Sukkot. There will be an environmental theme to this service.
SHABBAT CHOL HAMOED SUKKOT . . . .Friday, October 21
We continue our observance of the Festival of Booths with dinner and services on the Shabbat during Sukkot, under the Sukkah (weather permitting).
Shabbat (Bring Your Own) Picnic Dinner . . . . . . . . . .6:00 PM
Erev Shabbat Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8:00 PM
Social Concerns Shabbat: “Spread Over Us Your Sukkah/Shelter:
The Crisis in Affordable Housing.” Speaker: George Leventhal
The service includes the participation of our Shir Shalom Choir
SHABBAT MORNING, CHOL HAMOED
SUKKOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saturday, October 22
Shabbat Morning Worship and Study . . . . . . . . . . . .10:00 AM
Shabbat Morning Service and the Bat Mitzvah
of Madeline Ruvulo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:00 AM
HAVDALAH and TOT SUKKOT . . . . . .Saturday, October 22
Picnic Dinner, Havdalah and Tot Sukkot Service . . . . .6:00 PM
EREV SIMCHAT TORAH SERVICE and
CONSECRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Monday, October 24
Erev Simchat Torah Service and Religious School
Consecration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7:00 PM
The end touches the beginning; the ancient words are new again.
Come celebrate the cycle of Torah as we welcome our youngest students into the circle of Jewish study on the occasion of their consecration, we hear the very last and the very first verses of the Torah, and we
dance with the scrolls through the synagogue and street.
Bring your lulav and etrog, or shake ours under the sukkah during Kiddush.
SHEMINI ATZERET/SIMCHAT TORAH FESTIVAL MORNING
and YIZKOR MEMORIAL SERVICE . . .Tuesday, October 25
Dinner Under the Sukkah (Bring Your Own Picnic Dinner &
Celebrate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7:00 PM
Joint Festival Morning Service of Temple Shalom, Temple Sinai
and Temple Emanuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:30 AM
3101 Military Road, Washington, DC
FIRST DAY OF SUKKOT . . . . . . . . . . . .Tuesday, October 18
The unique joy of Simchat Torah and festive celebration of the season, along with the remembrance of the past, through the traditional
memorial prayers of Yizkor. This service meets at Temple Sinai,
3101 Military Road, N.W., Washington D.C.
Joint Festival Morning Service of Temple Shalom,
Temple Sinai and Temple Emanuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:00 AM
10101 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD
We continue our recent custom of combined Festival services, this time
meeting at Temple Emanuel, 10101 Connecticut Avenue, to shake
We are Shir Shalom and our passion is making music.
We get to sing some of the most glorious Jewish music out there. This is thanks in part to the arranging and composing gifts of Hazzan
Tasat. The music ranges in style from the traditional to the just-written. We have been known to sing not only in Hebrew, but in Ladino,
Yiddish and even Zulu, too!
Shir Shalom unites its voices at Shabbat services on the second Friday of each month, from September through June (and third Friday in
October). It is our aim and joy to join the congregation in singing (and some dancing) their way through these evenings of spirited Jewish worship.
No auditions needed. No previous knowledge of Hebrew is necessary. Shir Shalom meets Thursdays at 7:15 PM
If you love music, add your voice to ours!
Overheard
in a café,
some time
ago, one
young
woman,
talking to
another,
exasperated.
“That? Really! That’s so six-months-ago!”
So we strive, it appears, always for the new,
always for the latest fad and fashion. We want
the excitement of new experiences, the rush
of freshness, the taste of the unexpected.
But that is only part of the picture. How,
otherwise, do we account for the retreads on
the silver screen, the shows and films of Baby
Boomer youth returned to us anew, in new
form. The Fantastic Four. Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory. Even movie versions of
older stories are, in a sense, not original: The
Lord of the Rings. Spiderman. Batman. The
Chronicles of Narnia.
We are witness this summer to a spate of
retread and remakes. It is, perhaps, a lesson to
learn, that we seek a fresh approach in the
familiar, that we are looking for something
new in the midst of the old. That we are willing to watch remakes. A lesson for the season,
when the time has come, to remake ourselves.
Maybe, after all, there is a new insight in
an old story. Maybe they didn’t get it quite
right the first time. Maybe, indeed, we didn’t
do it right ourselves, the first time around.
This is a season for returning, and trying
again. The very prayerbook we use goes by a
name which echoes forwards and backwards
in time: we call the High Holy Day prayerbook not a Siddur (the name for the Shabbat
and daily prayerbook, which means “order”),
but a “Machzor.” All Semitic languages have
the common feature of being built up from
what are essentially three-letter roots of core
meaning, and the word “machzor” comes
from the root ch.z.r, which means “return.”
The holidays are not a linear progression, not
an orderly march forward, but something we
return to, again and again. They are the
cycles, the seasons, the circles of our lives.
And so we return, to the same old prayers,
the same old words. What can they do, to
change our lives? What will be old, and what
will be new? How can a fresh look at ancient
insights touch us, move us, lead us to remake
ourselves? That is the question, and that is
the task, the feature length film of every
High Holy Day season.
We come this High Holy Days to a fresh
and still quite new Sanctuary. But it is the
balance we bring, the ability to see the familiar in the fresh, and new views on the old,
that is the key to our growth as this season
comes again.
It is time to come back. It is time to
return. Time to come home. And renew ourselves… in the embrace of ancient words.
On behalf of Julie, Benjamin, Daniel, and
Talia, may this new year of 5766 be one of
growth and renewal, connection and comfort, love and warmth and care.
L’shanah Tovah Tikateivu,
May you be written and sealed for a good
year,
Michael L. Feshbach
Rabbi
FROM THE RABBI EMERITUS– Rabbi Bruce Kahn
What’s In It For You?
I am either
going to
capture your
attention or
lose it all
together
with the
next sentence of this
Holy Day
article.
In an era of skyrocketing fuel prices, the
most important source of fuel for you is
plentiful, available and almost free. Your cost
is giving up some of that self-protecting
doubt that makes you feel less vulnerable.
Skepticism can indeed make one feel more
secure. Who wants to be vulnerable by opening oneself wholeheartedly to God and to
prayer? I do! So have I tripped some wire of
resistance and sent you fleeing from this
page, or are you still with me?
For the past four years I have been out of
the full time rabbinic saddle. Too young and
energetic to call it a day for my working
career, I ventured forth into that same world
in which you have always lived. I had to find
my way, earn a living, deal with all the overflowing diversions pouring into each day on
the job, just as you have always done. After
27 years in one place or another as a full time
cleric, 21 of those years at Temple Shalom, I
was ready to step aside from constant rabbinic service. I ventured forth into your
world. Now I see what you previously tried
so hard to get me to understand. What conclusions have I drawn about the place of religion and spirituality and God in everyday life
lived away from the synagogue?
More than ever God is my most important
source of fuel! More than gasoline or oil.
More than money! The availability of the fuel
God provides is constant. And this fuel is free
to anyone who will take off the gas cap of
disabling doubt and make oneself available to
receive what God has to give.
This may sound a bit irreverent, but I go
to God very much like I go to the gas station.
I put my churning life in park and turn off
the running engine of musts. Then I remove
the gas cap of disabling doubt. I am ready to
receive. God does the rest. In comes strength.
In pours insight. I am filled with understanding and guidance and more. The fueling
process even resets the moral compass on the
dashboard of my soul. That means that I am
able to orient myself much more ably. It
continued on page 6
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5
FROM THE ASSOCIATE RABBI– Rabbi Serotta
What’s In It For You?
from page 5
becomes more possible to see and aim for the
good as I navigate through each day away
from the Temple, out there with you.
When I seem to be having trouble finding
a place to stop and fill up, I open the prayer
book. Yes, of course, I have a copy of Gates
of Prayer (the Reform Movement
Prayerbook) and of the Tanakh (the Hebrew
Bible) at work, on the credenza behind my
desk. And I use them. They are priceless and
their wisdom and inspiration apply directly to
my general orientation to work and to lots of
specific decisions I make in the course of
each day. They free me to keep clear what
does indeed matter most in each circumstance. My faith and values are not abstractions out in space. They are present, to be
applied as I set my goals, explain my purposes, respond to provocations and the easiest
and toughest of challenges. What is right?
What is the way to follow? What larger task
Will It Be a Year of Recycling or Swimming?
am I serving with each decision? The answers
are there, clear, compelling, obvious, beautiful and they lead to real success. They put
meat of the flesh of the bones of truth and
right and just.
Our religion was not meant to be lived is a
few corners of daily experience. We have all
heard it a thousand times. Judaism is a way
of life. Well, after four years of being out
there with you all, I am more certain than
ever of the veracity of this ancient claim. My
work as the executive director of a nonprofit
civil rights agency is hard, and nothing is
guaranteed. As I go, God’s fuel leads me forward more than ever.
Look folks, this is all a lot simpler than we
might dare to believe. It is all so available:
your prayer book, your Tanakh, and receiving
God’s blessings. If you will it, you can
remove the fuel cap of disabling doubt. Then
you are set to receive refueling day by day
from God. Give yourself permission to let
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Susan Zemsky
I am so glad to
have the opportunity to wish
all of you a
healthy and
happy and prosperous year.
Last year we as a
community
embarked on “One New Jewish Thing” and
it inspired me to add yet another thing to my
life and I am grateful for having had the
chance to look inward and pick one new
thing. In the past several weeks I like so many
of us have been watching the Mississippi
delta’s tragic story unfold and I cannot help
but count my blessings. As one year closes
and the next begins the theme for me is
thanksgiving and volunteerism, what can I do
to better folks lives, even in small ways. I am
grateful for the things that define Temple
Shalom. I am ever impressed by the shared
commitment Jewish life and journeys by my
colleagues on the professional staff team, and
I thank them for their teachings which inspire
6
God’s power and guidance assist you when
facing the stresses, strains and pains, as well
as the achievements and glories of everyday
life. It is a matter of freeing oneself to do so.
The fuel supply never runs out and is basically free.
It is a new spiritual year. It is Rosh
Hashanah, the head of the year. It is the perfect time to get into one’s head and make the
necessary adjustments to take full advantage
of the presence of God and the availability of
God’s power fueling your journey throughout 5766. And if you do this and it works,
please don’t thank me. Thank God.
Shanah tovah, a very good year,
Bruce E. Kahn,
Rabbi Emeritus
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF
Education
JoHanna Potts
me. The lay leaders of Temple Shalom work
so hard to create community and encourage
activism and involvement. For their exemplary volunteerism one can only be inspired to
also do just a bit more oneself. So many
things happen in the way of programming,
education and social action because of their
efforts and I am grateful. Temple Shalom is a
thriving, active and very busy place. But many
of the wonderful things that happen at
Temple Shalom happen as a result of volunteer efforts by our congregants and it is my
honor to work with them. It takes the whole
congregation to conduct the business of the
Temple.
As we enter these days of awe it is my
hope and challenge that this year is one of
involvement and thanksgiving.
L’Shanah Tova, a happy and sweet year.
The holidays are “late” this year. We’ll have
had a month of school before we pause to
reflect on last year. But Rosh Hashanah will
be observed on the 1st of Tishrei as it always
is – even when the holidays are early. So what
is this early or late business? It is how the two
rhythms of our lives overlap – the rhythms
our American lives and the seasons with our
Jewish lives.
What are the opportunities that we can
take advantage of this year? We can participate
in study about the High Holidays so that we
can appreciate the prayers and music of the
services. We can take time to reflect on the
past year and what we want to make of the
year to come. We can commit to consciously
embarking on a journey of Jewish exploration
either as a family or as individuals within a
family, self designed or designed with the help
of a Temple staff member. We can make this
year the best year yet!
L’Shanah Tova,
Susan Goutos Zemsky
JoHanna Potts
New Year’s
Message for
5766
At least once a
year I become
intrigued with the
possibilities of the
Jewish tradition’s
obscure science of
numerology known
as Gematria. Using
an alpha-numerical code not unlike that which
many of us discovered as children, Gematria
matches up the letters of the Hebrew alphabet
with the corresponding number so that Aleph
(the first letter) = 1, Beit = 2, Gimmel = 3,
etc. From this we discover, for example, that
the Hebrew word, Chai, meaning life, is composed of letters that add up to “18,” leading
some of us to make charitable donations in
multiples of $18.
Accordingly every Hebrew word has a
numerical value, a number which can reveal a
hidden meaning if we calculate it correctly,
sometimes by rearranging the letters and
sometimes by replacing them with letters that
add up to the same number. So, too, the
Hebrew years are represented by numbers
and this year, when we mark the advent of
5766* on Rosh Hashanah, we are entering
the year designated as Tof, Shin, Samech,
Vov (totaling 766, since of course we assume
we are in the sixth millennium).
And so, too, every year I enjoy the challenge
of seeking out the meaning or meanings hidden
in the name/number of the year. Perhaps the
year will signal to us new directions in our personal and spiritual growth. This year it was a little sticky, no obvious answer until I realized
that 66 is twice 33 (lahmed gimmel or gimmel
lahmed) so we get the Hebrew word for the
year (with a little creative rearrangement) “shehtegalgel,” meaning possibly the year in which
“you shall roll along on a wave,” or perhaps
“recycle,” or even “revolve.” What could this
mean for us at Temple Shalom?
Perhaps it might refer to two very different
projects I hope that some, if not many of us,
can embark upon during this year. Over the
many years we have studied together from the
Tanakh (especially from Torah and the
Prophets), we have frequently noted that the
ancient Israelites, their sacrificial worship in the
Temple, and their understanding of God all
differ dramatically from the Judaism which we
practice, worship and believe. The main point
of transition was the era of the “Rabbis,” those
sages we meet in the so-called Oral Torah, the
locus classicus of which is the Talmud.
One image for Talmud study is utilized in
the title of a book published by the Jewish
Publication Society called Swimming in the Sea
of Talmud. So maybe this is the year for diving
in and “rolling along” on a wave of intensifying study. “Turn it over, look at it upside and
down,” said the Rabbis about the Talmud, “a
whole world is contained in it.” After many
requests we will, God-willing, begin a Talmud
Study Group, accessible to all, Sunday mornings this December and January. We’ll then
look for a time and format to continue.
There is another meaning hinted at in this
year of “gilgul,” recycling, perhaps one that
is a little more obscure for the more rationalist among us. Certain strands of Jewish mysticism posit a “gilgul neshamot,” a re-cycling
of souls, an opportunity to bring ultimate
closure and peace to lives of incompleteness
and disappointment. Perhaps this vision or
perhaps the deep sense of caring and compassion which is frequently in evidence within
our congregation (especially through our
Mitzvah Corps) may hint at an important
volunteer opportunity which may for some
lead to a whole new level of connection to
the mystery and sacredness of life. This year
at Temple Shalom we will, God-willing,
begin to explore expanding our Mitzvah
Corps’ purview through forming a Chevra
Kaddisha, a “Holy Community.”
The Chevra Kaddisha in the world of our
grandparents and great grandparents was
formed by those generous souls, both men
and women, who accepted the responsibility
(and the high honor) of attending to the
needs of community members who had died.
These included the needs not only of the
family in mourning, but also the traditional
Jewish funeral rites with respect to the
deceased loved one, such as accompanying
and keeping watch over the body (shemirah)
and the ritual washing of the body (taharah).
The Chevra Kaddisha does not replace the
work of the funeral home. Rather the presence of Chevra Kaddisha members makes
sure that the mitzvah of halvaat hameit,
attending to the loved one who has died, one
of those commandments whose rewards are
without measure, is done by caring community members, not just professionals.
There are a handful of such Holy
Communities in the Washington area and some
of our Temple Shalom members who have
requested their participation as part of the funeral preparations, have availed themselves of their
services. Unfortunately this past year we had a
death in our congregation and none of the communities was available. This has stimulated an
interest and motivated us to attempt to create
our own. There are now a small number of
Reform congregations who have formed
Chevraya (pl.) Kadisha in this country, but we
would be the first, the pioneering congregation,
in the Washington area. On Tuesday, November
1, we will be joined by Bob Hausman, Chair of
the Washington area Jewish Funeral Practices
Committee at 7:30 PM as we explore together
this new avenue of spiritual service.
So at the turning of the New Year we look
forward to new challenges and new opportunities for growth and learning together. The
world outside, the olam (realm of time and
space) of politics is in deep need of tikkun
(repair), but so is our inner world of heart
and spirit, tikkun halev and tikkun nefashot
(soul and mind repair and growth). I hope we
don’t just roll along in this upcoming year of
gilgul, 5766, but rather find living waters in
which to swim and paths for true recycling
and revolution which return us to our destiny
as world repairers and soul searchers. May it
be that kind of gilgul for all of us.
Our family wishes you and yours that you
will be written in the Book of Life for a year
of peace and blessings.
(Rabbi) Gerry Serotta
*I am frequently asked to explain the significance of the
number of the Jewish year. This date, 5766, traditionally
marks the number of years since the creation of the world as
described in Genesis. Were we to take this literally we would
all be in favor of both creationism and intelligent design.
Especially this year it is important to note that the rabbis and
philosophers of Judaism have long recognized two deeper
truths: first, that a “day” of God as described in Genesis
does not necessarily correspond to the human scale of 24
hours and could well have lasted for billions of human years;
and second, human beings who discern the miraculous
working of God’s design such as Copernicus or Darwin do
not contradict or challenge our beliefs but rather illuminate
them. We see absolutely no contradiction between a belief in
creation and intelligent design, both of which we affirm, and
the ability of scientists (or poets and musicians) to seek to
understand and represent that design. We want our kids, on
the other hand, to be able to distinguish between beliefs and
science, not to be bombarded by Biblical literalists who insist
that the first supersedes the second.
7
29
Shabbat Morning
Worship and Torah Study,
10 AM
Shabbat Service and Bat
Mitzvah of Pippa
Friedman, 10 AM
28
27
Lunch with the Prophets
26
Wednesday Morning
Minyan, 7 AM
Hebrew School, 4:30 PM
E V E N T S
Shabbat Morning
22
Worship & Torah Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Service/Bat
Mitzvah of Madeline
Ruvolo, 10 AM
Picnic under the Sukkah 6 PM
Havdalah and Tot Sukkot
6:45 PM
21
20
19
Wednesday Morning
Minyan, 7 AM
A N D
•
S E R V I C E S
•
U P C O M I N G
•
Shemini Atzeret/
25
Simchat Torah Festival
Combined Reform Festival
Morning Service and
Yizkor Memorial Service,
10:30 AM (at Temple Sinai)
No school
24 Erev Simchat
Torah Service and
Consecration
7 PM
23 Rel.Sch. 8:45 & 11:15 AM
Consecration Reh.
30
10:45 AM
Reli. Sch
3rd grade
8:45 &
Family
11:15 AM
Ed
Kindergarten
Family Ed
6th grade B’nai Mitzvah
brunch 11 AM
Bar & Bat Mitzvah Reh.1:30 PM
Confirmation Class 6:30 PM
Post Confirmation
Program Meeting 6:30 PM
Chai School 6:30 PM
C A L E N D A R
•
O F
31
18
Combined Reform
Sukkot Festival Morning
Service, 10 AM
at Temple Emanuel
No School
17
Erev Sukkot Service 6 PM
Picnic Dinner under the
Sukkah 7 PM
Sukkah Building and 16
Family Ed. 10–12 NOON
Celebrations 2:30 PM
No Confirmation Class
Post Confirmation Prog.
Meeting 6:30 PM
Religious Sch.–Evening
Session 6:30 PM
Erev Shabbat Service,
7 PM
•
15
Shabbat Morning
10 AM
Shabbat Service and Bar
Mitzvah of Adam
Hallberlin, 10 AM
14
Shabbat Pot Luck Dinner,
7 PM
Erev Shabbat Service
with the Shir Shalom
Choir, 8 PM
Yom Kippur
13
Morning Services 8:30 AM
& 11:45 AM
Study Sess.12-2:30 PM
Family Service 2:45 PM
Afternoon Study 2:45-4 PM
Afternoon Service, Yizkor,
& Ne'ilah, 4:15 PM APP.
Erev Yom Kippur
12
Morning Minyan Service 7 AM
NO HEBREW SCHOOL
NO CONFIRMATION CLASS
Early Kol Nidrei Service
6:30 PM
Late Kol Nidrei Service 9 PM
11
Women’s Torah Study
Group, 7:30 PM
Rel.Sch.8:45 & 11:15 AM 9
Early Session Religious
School Open House, 9:30 AM
7th Grade Family
Education Program
Late Session Religious
School Open House, 12 PM
2
Religious School 8:45 &
11:15 AM
Hebrew Marathon, 9 AM
10
6
Lunch with the Prophets,
12:15 PM
Shir Shalom Choir
Practice, 7 PM
Board of Trustees
Meeting, 7:30 PM
5
Wednesday Morning
Second Day Rosh
Hashanah Service, 10 AM
NO HEBREW SCHOOL
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Evening Services,
6:30 PM & 9PM
3
4
Services, 8:30 AM & 11:45 AM
Tot Rosh Hashanah
Service, 2:45 PM
Children’s Rosh Hashanah
Service, 4:15 PM
Tashlich 5 PM
NO HEBREW SCHOOL
Erev Shabbat Social
Concerns Service, 8 PM
10th Grade Trip to NY
8
Shabbat Morning
10 AM
7
1
& Torah Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Service and Bat
Mitzvah of Sarah
Rozman, 10 AM
saturday
friday
thursday
wednesday
tuesday
monday
sunday
OCTOBER
The TaSTY Bite
“Temple Shalom Youth GroupsThey’re not just good…….. They’re TASTY”
Alex Gold, TaSTY President
Dear Members of the Temple Shalom Family,
I once again have the honor and privilege of working as your Director of Youth Activities.
This year will bring many opportunities for our kindergarten through 12th graders to come
together for social, social action, and spiritual events. Our TASTY Tots (K-third grade),
TASTY Kids (fourth and fifth grades), and TASTY Junior (sixth and seventh grades), will be
seeing some of they’re favorites (how many of you thought, “Yay! Chocolate Seder!”?), as
well as some new, sure to be awesome, events.
I am pleased to announce that congregant Bev Cohen has joined the ranks as co-advisor
to our wonderful Dan Sikowitz for TASTY Senior (eighth- twelfth grades). I’m sure that
TASTY Senior will continue to wow us with their ruach (spirit) and commitment to wonderful, engaging programs for our teens. As we enter 5766, I want to wish you all a sweet,
happy New Year. I am truly looking forward to working with your wonderful children.
From my family to yours- Shanah Tova.
L’shalomJoyce Kammerman
YOUTH GROUP
As the Days of Awe approach, it is time for all of us to reassess what we have done over the
past year and try to improve in the coming one. The Senior Youth Group had a wonderful
year, last year but we intend to top it in the coming year. We have the largest Youth Board
that Temple Shalom has ever had and we have added Bev Cohen to help me as Co-Advisor to
the Group. We look forward to new programs that will include all of the 8th–12th graders
and we hope that all of them will take part in at least one of these activities. Teens, please
commit to joining us for a single activity and you will see why this coming year will be the best
year that the Youth Group has ever had.
Dan Sikowitz
As summer comes to a close, all too quickly for those of us heading back to school,
another part of my year begins when I leave
for NFTY-MAR’s (North American
Federation of Temple Youth- Mid Atlantic
Region) Summer Kallah at the URJ Harlam
camp. As always, where there’s NFTY, there’s
TaSTY (Temple Shalom Temple Youth). Last
year was a great year for TaSTY. We had bigger and more spirited representation at NFTY
conferences than ever before, including the
national convention in LA (which we were
able to attend largely thanks to the generous
donations of congregants and clergy). TaSTY
events were also bigger than ever, and all who
attended had a great time. With that momentum from last year still in mind, TaSTY is
starting off this year charging forward and
moving upward. With a nine-person board,
enough to support a much larger TYG
(Temple Youth Group), we’re planning some
great events for this year. It’s never too late to
get involved with TaSTY, and we LOVE new
members. Any of our events are great fun,
even for someone who’s never been to a
youth group event before and if you or your
children have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me or any other member of
the board. Although out calendar hasn’t been
fully planned out yet, we have some great
ideas for events, including going snow tubing,
canoeing, night bike riding in DC, going to
concerts, movies and other great events, in
addition to doing some social action and
learning along the way. Like last year, you’ll
also be seeing us every Sunday morning selling bagels during Sunday school. We on the
board are looking forward to a fantastic
TaSTY year. Be on the lookout for TaSTY Tshirts coming out sometime early in the year.
If there is anything you’d like to see from
TaSTY or any questions that you have please
call or email me at 301-565-2651 or
[email protected]
FROM THE BROTHERHOOD
On behalf of the Temple Shalom Brotherhood
I would like to wish our Congregational Family a
very wonderful holiday. May your family enjoy a
year filled with health and happiness. Let us
remember to keep in our prayers the less fortunate who have been victims of the recent tragedy
in the Coastal Area. May they know that our
thoughts and prayers are with them.
Myles R. Levin, President
9
Toot Your Own Horn
Sisterhood
Start the New Year out right, by joining the newly
Prepare Your Own Soul
Shofar Blowing Workshop Demonstrations and
Musical/Spiritual Preparation for the
High Holy Days
re-organized Temple Shalom Sisterhood! If you are
looking for a way to meet people, do good work, try
new things and HAVE FUN, then this is for you. We
are in the process of forming our steering committee,
so if you want to be included and have some ideas
about what you would want to see the Sisterhood get
Learn or Just Listen—
Shofar Blowing:
Sundays, September 18 and 25,
10:45-11:15 AM
Tuesdays, September 20 and 27,
7-7:30 PM
involved in; this is your chance to get in on the
ground floor. We will be holding a Coffee and Kugel
tasting event on Sunday, November 6 at from
10:15–11:45 AM and again from 6:30–7:30 PM.
Please plan to drop by, meet us, share your thoughts
and try assorted types of kugel.
If you have a fabulous kugel recipe to
share, need more information,
or have questions—
please contact Susan Stamm at
301-588-4339
or email to [email protected]
The Meaning of the Shofar
and the
Liturgy of the Holy Days
with Rabbi Serotta and Cantor Tasat
Tuesdays, September 20 and 27,
7:30-9 PM
THE FOUNDERS
Temple Shalom – Greetings from the Founders
In June 1959 a group of 39 enthusiastic
families decided to break ranks with another
Reform congregation in order to found a new
synagogue that they visualized as a vehicle for
their hopes and aspirations to gain a meaningful religious experience. Following a fractious
period prior to the formation of their new
organization, the Founders felt the need for a
respite of calm and peace. Hence, by unanimous agreement, the Founders named their
new home Temple Shalom. At the outset, the
group embarked on a program of religious
services, education of the children in their religious heritage, and participation in the affairs
of the Jewish and local communities.
Friday evening Shabbat services started
immediately. At one of the initial services, the
lay leader delivered a D’var Torah, based on
the weekly Parshah, which seemed to startle
the congregants who were not expecting a
“sermon.” It was on this occasion that our
revered first president, Mr. Oscar Felker, stated this principle: “Temple Shalom will always
have freedom of the pulpit”. In the words of
our first historian, Mr. Joseph H. Caro, the
Temple was to “to serve to the full extent of
our tradition as a Bet Hatfillah (House of
Prayer), Bet Hamidrash (House of Study)
and Bet Haknesset (House of Gathering).”
The Temple hired its first rabbi, Edwin
Friedman, who officiated at the Temple’s first
High Holiday services at a local church in
September 1959. The early officers, boards
of trustees, brotherhood, sisterhood, Sunday
school teachers and volunteers labored energetically, devoting unsparingly of their time
and financial resources to keep the Temple
functioning and viable. In the early years the
Temple operated in some areas by improvisation, and it lived the life of a hermit crab
using various houses and Montgomery
County public schools for temporary shelter.
This situation changed when the congregation built the current building and moved in
permanently in December 1965.
As time progressed the Temple attracted
many new, talented, committed congregants
to fill the void created by the natural attrition
among the founding members. As the congregation prepares to welcome the year
5766, we can be grateful that the Temple
continues to pursue the vision and the aspirations of the Founders. We are fortunate in
many respects and have much for which to
be thankful. We have outstanding rabbis; an
excellent school and teachers headed by a
charismatic professional director of education; a renowned cantor who has enriched
the musical environment with his vast liturgical repertoire and his nurturing of the talents
of the Temple choir; capable and efficient
current and former executive directors;
devoted Temple officers, Board of Trustees,
committee chairmen and members; an active
adult education program; involvement in
community activities; a committee for long
range planning to maintain the momentum;
and a newly renovated sanctuary.
On behalf of the current Founders of
Temple Shalom and those of Blessed
Memory, we want to wish the Congregation
of Temple Shalom a Healthy and Joyful
5766.
L’Shanah Tovah Tichateyvu,
may you be written for a good year.
Ed and Jean Beeman
Dear Friends,
As we usher in 5766 we have time to reflect on the year that has passed and contemplate the time ahead. The High Holy Days offer us an opportunity to look inward
on how we led our lives in the year that is ending and decide how we would like to
live them in the year ahead. Tradition teaches us that this opportunity for renewal is
achieved through prayer, repentance and charity.
At this time I ask each of you to also reflect on the role Temple Shalom played in
your lives in the year that passed. I hope that the Temple community was there to
support you when you had joys and sorrows, simchas and disappointments. I hope
that when you looked for a place to worship, to do acts of lovingkindness and a place
to educate your children and yourselves you turned to the Temple.
Now we are turning to you. We are a family---your Temple family--- and we need
your hands and help to help make Temple Shalom the wonderful place that it is.
This year we will be emphasizing volunteering and as you think of the year ahead
please consider what you can do to contribute to the growth and well being of our
community.
May all of us be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year in which we and
all the peoples of the world experience the blessings of peace.
Barrie and I wish you Shanah Tova—a year of blessing and peace.
Marilyn Ripin
President, Board of Trustees
11
10
MITZVAH DAY IS
ALMOST HERE
TIKKUN OLAM
Thanks to the incredible spirit and efforts
of the Temple Shalom community, Tikkun
Olam (Repairing the World) is a vital and
rich part of our congregational life. We have
a wide array of ongoing projects, and many
new exciting opportunities to become
involved in community service and advocacy
activities. Here's just a sample:
Ongoing Projects
Rosh Hashanah Baskets:
On Sunday, October 2, holiday baskets
will be delivered community-wide to recent
immigrant families. The families will receive
Shabbat candles, challah, honey cake, wine,
candles, gefilte fish, apples and honey. We
need volunteers to pick up baskets at Ohr
Kodesh on the morning of 10/2 and deliver
to a few local families. Please contact me if
you're interested in participating in this
rewarding and fun project.
MANNA on Yom Kippur:
The MANNA truck will be at Temple
Shalom on Yom Kippur again to collect nonperishable food items. We'll need volunteers to
staff the truck for a shift of a couple of hours,
and, of course, we’re counting on our usual
overwhelmingly generous turnout of support
from the entire Temple Shalom community.
Social Concerns Shabbats:
These monthly Shabbat services focus on
various social action issues. Israel, affordable
housing, and healthcare are just a few of the
ideas already pending, and new ideas for topics and speakers are very welcome.
Chai School Class on Social Justice:
Back by popular demand, Scott Schneider
and Rabbi Serotta are organizing a class on
Jews and Social Justice for the Chai School.
Feel free to share your recommendations for
speakers and topics.
Healthcare Reform:
Lynda Honberg and Liz Dayan are taking
the lead to explore how Temple Shalom can
expand our social action efforts to include
healthcare reform issues.
Darfur:
We are planning new programming to call
attention to the genocide in Darfur thanks to
the efforts of Barry Sasscer.
NARAL Panel:
Rabbi Feshbach and Suzanne Mintz have
begun planning a November or December
interfaith panel on pro-choice issues.
Mitzvah Day:
Organizer Karen Safer is looking for team
leaders and volunteers to help with planning
for the annual congregation-wide community
service day scheduled for November 6th.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO
NEXT?
Silver Spring Inter-Faith Housing
Coalition:
Join the team of mentors helping a local
family transition from homelessness to independent living.
There are lots of options to get involved
for a few hours on a short-term project or
participate in a longer term initiative. You
can participate on your own and meet some
spectacular like-minded Temple Shalom
friends, or gather your family to work together to do your own “tikkun olam—repairing
and healing the world”. Look over the list of
projects and find something that suits your
interest or your schedule. You’ll get plenty
of support, and your involvement is crucial
for making these worthwhile projects a successful part of Temple Shalom life.
Shepherd's Table:
Temple Shalom members volunteer
together monthly to serve meals at this community-based homeless shelter in Silver
Spring.
So Others Might Eat (SOME):
Share your special talent for cooking by
helping a group of volunteers provide meals
to this regional hunger organization.
AtOne Network:
Temple Shalom continues to participate in
this multi-congregational effort focusing on
advocacy for affordable housing in D.C. and
Montgomery County.
12
New Projects
Volunteer to help!
If you have questions about these projects,
or ideas for others,
please feel free to contact me,
Caryn Anthony at (301) 588-9214 or
[email protected].
It’s almost time to drop everything and volunteer. Temple Shalom’s 12th annual Mitzvah
Day falls on Sunday, Nov. 6 this year. As in
years past, Mitzvah Day will take the place of
the temple religious school’s classroom program so that families can volunteer together.
But temple members of all ages – married or
not married, with or without children – are
encouraged to participate in Mitzvah Day. It’s
not just for families any more!
So even though it may seem like a long
way off, now’s the time to start thinking
about what activities you want to choose, and
what items you can bring in to help others.
This year, in addition to the traditional performance of deeds of loving kindness, there
will be a new emphasis on advocacy. You’d
be amazed at how sometimes a few letters
can make a difference in swaying politicians
on an issue. We plan to have several (about
6) letter writing stations. Each station will
highlight a single issue. Background materials
will be available on that issue and sample letters. If the issue interests you, volunteers will
help you draft letters and send them (regular
mail or e-mail) to political figures whose
decisions are crucial. Some issues will be local
ones, focused on the Montgomery County
Council and County Executive, affordable
housing, for instance. Some, such as the
Living Wage in Maryland, will be statewide.
Others will be national in scope. Participants
can pick 2–3 issues they feel strongly about
and write/send letters/emails. If we have 20
people each sending 3 letters/emails, 60 letters will be generated to help move politicians to act.
But we’re still going to be focused on
our traditional commitment to helping
those in need.
Don’t forget the following:
If you have an old bicycle you no longer
use, bring it in to be refurbished for Pedals
for Progress (www.p4p.org), which sends
them to developing countries. There they are
sold at low cost to people with no other
means of transportation. (No rusty bikes
please!) The group asks that you make a $10
donation to help pay for shipping overseas.
Donation and bike value are tax deductible.
Prepare to bring in toiletries and shoe
boxes for “move-in’’ boxes for Greentree
Shelter—a temporary residence for families
coping with abuse situations. In recent years
continued on page 16
13
Introducing Temple Shalom’s newest Chavurah
TÇwÜxt `tÜ~
The
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“Young, Fabulous and
Jewish”
gxÅÑÄx f{tÄÉÅ YtÅ|Äç
to join her
as she reads Torah in celebration of the anniversary
of her Bat Mitzvah
group
Friday, October 28, 2005
Special Oneg to follow services.
Please come!
Are you new to Temple Shalom?
Looking to meet other hip young Jews in the area?
Join us for our first adventure…
Saturday October 1st at 7:00 PM
Refuah Sheleimah
(A complete recovery wish to...)
Kecia Hill,
Assistant to Rabbi Feshbach,
who was in an automobile accident in late July.
If you have missed her friendly voice on the phone lately, it is because she is still at home recovering. Cards are
welcome to her home address of 130 Kentucky Avenue
SE, Washington, DC , 20003 but she prefers not to
receive too many calls at this time.
She was scheduled for surgery in late September and
will be, hopefully, on the road to recovery by the time
you read this.
Mongolian Barbeque, Bethesda
Directions and parking information at:
www.bdsmongolianbarbeque.com/map_bethesda.html
Please RSVP to:
Jill and Matt Kanowith at [email protected].
We would like to make this a semi-regular social group for young couples
and singles in their 20’s and 30’s.
We hope you can join us!
14
15
“The Israel That I Believe In"—
Mizvah Day
Reflections of Israel's Most Recognizable TV Anchorman,
Channel One's Chaim Yavin
from page 13
we’ve gone gangbusters on boxes, but have
come up a little short on toiletries. So
remember shoe boxes AND toiletries, all
kinds. (Greentree Shelter insists on full-size
toiletries, so save those hotel-size shampoos
for another occasion.)
(known as "Israel's Walter Cronkite")
Kicking off our year of "Seeking the Peace of Jerusalem—
A Temple Shalom Study and Pilgrimage Year."
About Chaim Yavin:
For the last 40 years, Chaim Yavin has enjoyed a distinguished career in broadcast news covering a wide range of topics, including Israeli society and politics, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the
peace process. He helped found Israel’s Channel One in the late 1960s, and he became the first
anchorman of “Mabat,” the evening news program on that station, a position that he has held for
most of the last 30 years. In addition, he has served as an overseas correspondent in the U.S. and
Europe, as editor-in-chief, news bureau head, and director-general of Israel TV. He received the
Israel Prize in 1997. Not surprisingly, Mr. Yavin has become an Israeli cultural icon, sometimes
referred to as “the Israeli Walter Cronkite.” Besides his news broadcasting experience, he has
directed approximately 80 documentaries to date, including films on American Jewry, Soviet
Jewry, the Oslo peace process, Jerusalem, Gaza, the Jordan Valley, Ramallah, and Gush Katif.
Go through your closet and pull out children’s clothes, towels and sheets for the
Interfaith Clothing Center of Community
Ministry of Montgomery County, which distributes to those in need. The clothing center folks say they are particularly interested
in extra-large-sized clothing, either gender.
Please store all your items at home and
BRING THEM IN
ON MITZVAH DAY!
If you have a bike to donate,
please bring it to the Temple parking lot
on Mitzvah Day along with your
$10 donation.
Mitzvah Day and Tikkun Olam tee-shirts
will be on sale in the Temple lobby.
Sunday, October 23
7:30 PM
followed by reception in the Sukkah
Your full cooperation guarantees
Mitzvah Day’s complete success. That
includes getting your Mitzvah Day signup forms in on time. If you are not able
to participate, please consider sending in
a donation to offset Mitzvah Day’s costs.
ARZA
L’Shanah Tovah from ARZA
Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy, Sweet New Year and one of peace.
Reminder! Please Register to VOTE in the 2006 World Zionist
Congress elections on line at—
http://votereformjudaism.com
HEBREW MARATHON
Learn To Read Basic Hebrew
The Alephbet
Simple phrases and useful words
Relaxed learning environment
$36, Includes Lunch!!
9:00 am -3:30 PM
Sunday, October 2, 2005
Call Temple Shalom Office at
301-587-2273 to sign up
16
or by picking up a registration form at the Temple Office. Have a
voice in decisions that affect you and your Reform Judaism. The campaign has started; Register today! Please call ARZA Chair, Joan Kalin
301.593.7758, or the Temple for additional information.
Some background from Rabbi Stanley Davids, President of ARZA.
“An election campaign that will determine the voting strength of
American Zionist parties in the World Zionist Congress will be convened in Jerusalem in June 2006. Every available indicator tells us
that there is but the dimmest of awareness regarding what an
American Zionist Party is, why such organizations exist and why any
of us should care about the constituency of the WZO Congress. But
for those who care about guaranteeing that the State of Israel continues to evolve into a fully democratic and pluralistic country,
wherein the civil and human right of all its citizens are accorded the
highest of protections and that embraces the reality that it is the only
place on earth in which the teachings of prophets and sages have the
opportunity to interact with and influence the policies of a contemporary nation-state, the stakes in the forthcoming election are very
high indeed.
Under the banner of ARZA, liberal and progressive Jews have won
major victories in recent WZO Congress campaigns, victories that not
only have been translated into the opening up of long-denied funding
for our rapidly growing Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism
(IMPJ), but which have served as well to drive home, in circles where
our voice has been far too often ignored, that Reform Judaism has
embraced a mission to help craft Israel into an instrument both of
Jewish survival and of Tikkum Olam. Our victories in this process
have been historic: the challenges we yet confront are daunting.”
ARZA and our Reform/Progressive affiliates in Israel need our
help. The decisions of the Congress influence hundreds of millions of
dollars in funding, of which the IMPJ currently receives $2,000,000 a
year. The Congress will help define the leadership of the major Jewish
organizations, policy and financial matters.
WITH YOUR HELP WE WILL SUCCEED!
Every VOTE Makes A Difference!
17
Liturgy And Music
For The
Days Of Awe
Two Tuesday’s
September 20 & 27
at 7:30 PM
The Mahzor, the prayerbook we use
during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is
filled with words – some of which are
familiar, some of which are unique to the
Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe). But for
most people, they are foreign words –
whether in English or in Hebrew. They are
words from an alien conversation. They
are words not from the marketplace, media
or other public arenas; but rather words of
the heart and spirit, language which is
sometimes deeply personal and sometimes
communal. Sometimes we will find great
comfort in the familiarity of many of these
words; sometimes we will stumble with
unfamiliar texts, Always, we will encounter
words that are especially powerful and
meaningful.
Is it possible that, just by connecting to
one word, we can transform ourselves and
the world around us? According to the
Hasidic masters the whole world was created and could be transformed even through
one letter.
We invite you to find the connection to
yourself, to your mahzor, to your community, searching for one point of connection
at a time.
Find key words–
Barukh, Melekh, El Ha rahamim, Sefer Ha
Hayim, Kadosh, Yom ha Din.
Look over the translation and
context.
What did it mean to the Rabbis to
include this word in the text at
this point?
What does it mean to me?
Does it describe something about
God?
18
Religious School
Not Just the PTA…
Dear Temple Shalom Member, Parent and
Friend,
During last year’s “Back to School” session in early fall, among the several items I
shared with you, was the thought that our
Temple Shalom Religious Education committee existed much as the PTA does at their
local school, and in part, I think this was correct. I was mindful of the various activities
we engage in as parents supporting our children’s religious education, and these do
include things like supporting fundraisers,
putting out bagels and pencils on tables for
brunches and open houses. But, I was more
recently reminded that…we are more than
the PTA, too. Although the Director of
Education runs the program smoothly, and
has not only her own insights, the history of
Temple practices, and the Reform movement
to rely on to guide the direction of programs
here…it is also the case that she looks to the
parents for important input to determine the
way that our children’s education takes shape.
Reform means not only that we can make
a choice, as we know, but that we can make
an informed choice. I think that the typical
turn on this idea is that we are informed by
Halacha, the sources and interpretations that
are associated with it, and with this information in hand, we choose how to live our
lives, and in the case of parents, how to raise
our children. Information can have other
aspects as well. Last year, on a more ambitious turn, we elected to read periodically
together a book by Joel Grishaver, subtitled:
“Parenting Tips for Raising ‘Good Enough’
Jewish Kids. A favorite piece within it was
called: “Shirley – Just bring home a Pizza.”
The idea there was that, frustrated by not
being able to make the kind of Shabbat
Shirley might have wanted to have, the book
was encouraging in the notion that, rather
than throwing out the baby with the bathwater, the essence of Shabbat can be main-
tained with the simple offering of a pizza,
should a more elaborate Sabbath meal be
neither possible or even desired. So, perhaps
in the same way, as we as parents may be
more closely in touch with the kinds of
choices we determine to make, we can be
available to the Temple so that an understanding can be shared about what does and
does not work for us, in ways that we regard
as practical.
At the same time, as we are involved in
assisting with Religious Education, in both its
“PTA” aspect, as well as the aspects in which
our getting involved in policy issues that may
be of concern….if we are open to it, there is
an excellent chance that our own ideas of
what may or may not be good “policy” for
our own family can be taken into review.
After all, in the ideal case, our involvement
with Temple Shalom and Religious School is
not just for our children, but our whole family. And so, as our children become informed,
our family can also be engaged in the full
educational process afforded to us at the
Temple. In this, the window of your involvement in Temple Shalom’s Religious
Education committee becomes a “three way”
street, where the Temple’s programming can
benefit, you can benefit, and the whole
approach to the way Judaism is lived can be
revisited altogether for the range of practices
your family partakes in.
Your involvement in both the policy development for Temple Shalom’s Religious
Education Program, and also, your assistance
in helping us “putting out pencils” at a variety of events is most welcome. Look for the
“window” of participation that makes sense
to you, to include becoming a room parent, a
part of the committee, or a volunteer of one
sort or another that you can detail at “Back
to School” day. We’re glad to have you here.
Ira Zukerman & Debbie Koop, Co-Chairs
Temple Shalom members gather with Rabbi Serotta and occasionally with other teachers
over a “brown bag” lunch every Thursday, Sept 15 through June from 12:15–1:15 PM in the
chapel. We intend to read together, God-willing, all 34 of the Biblical books which follow
after the Torah (“Five Books of Moses”). So far in three years we have completed the books
of Joshua, Judges, First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, and have begun the book
of Isaiah. No prerequisites or previous knowledge necessary. Bring intellectual curiosity and
feel free to drop in occasionally or join us every week.
19
New Bethesda Exhibit of
Shelley Lowenstein’s
Paintings Set
Temple Shalom Renaissance Group
Monet’s London:
Artists’ Reflections on the Thames, 1859-1914
R
E
N
A
I
S
S
A
N
C
E
10 Art Museum Drive, N.Charles & 31st Sts.
Join the Temple Shalom Renaissance Group for a docent-led tour and discover the allure of London’s
bridges though the eyes of Monet, Derain, and other European and American artists.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
1:00 PM
Please reserve by sending a check payable to Temple Shalom for $12.00 per person
by Sept. 25th to:
Francine Simons
311 Farragut Ave, Rockville, MD 20851
301-838-9530
An optional brunch, at an additional cost, will be arranged at the museum restaurant prior to the tour.
Details to follow.
On August 14th, about 40 members of the Temple
Shalom Renaissance Group attended a performance of
the Tony-winning musical, Hairspray, at the Kennedy
Center. Many of us gathered at the Café at Kennedy
Center for dinner just before the show. Our group had
excellent seats in the center orchestra, and from all
accounts, we had a wonderful evening.
The Annual Meeting/Ice-Cream and Dessert Social
was held this year on Sunday evening, September 25th, at
the Temple. Our speaker, Rabbi Menachem Youlus, of
the Save-A-Torah Foundation, discussed his work rescuing endangered Torahs. The Steering Committee was
introduced, and a tentative schedule of Renaissance
Group activities was presented.
On October 16th, we will visit the Baltimore Museum
of Art for a docent-led tour of the exhibit, Monet’s
London: Artists’ Reflections on the Thames, 1859-1914.
Brunch at Gertrudes’ Restaurant at the museum is being
arranged for those that are interested.
A visit, including a guided tour, to the National
Archives is planned for November 20, followed by an
optional lunch at a nearby restaurant. Further details for
this event appear in this issue of the Shofar.
As always, your ideas and suggestions are welcome.
For further information about the Renaissance Group,
contact Francine Simons at [email protected],
301-838-9530. Also, please let her know if you wish to
be added to the Renaissance Group’s email list. If you
already have asked to be on this list but have changed
your email address in the last six months, please forward
your new address to her.
The Temple Shalom Renaissance Group is for Temple
members over 50 who want to join other members in a
variety of social activities.
20
Chevy Chase, MD, August 30, 2005—
The Baltimore Museum of Art
Temple Shalom
Renaissance Group
Tour of the National Archives
9th St and Constitution Ave., N.W.
Join us for a Docent led tour of the National
Archives. We will meet there at 9:45 AM at the
Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue
Following the tour we will have lunch in
Chinatown (lunch is on you)
Sunday, November 20, 2005
The tour will be led by Stacey Bredhoff who is a
member of Temple Shalom. Stacey is on the
exhibits staff, and is curator of the exhibition in
the Rotunda. The tour will include the 2 major
exhibitions at the National Archives:
• The newly renovated Rotunda for the Charters
of Freedom, where the original Declaration of
Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights is
on display, flanked by the exhibition, “A New
World Is at Hand.”
• The permanent exhibition called “The Public
Vaults,”–a highly innovative and interactive permanent exhibition that opened last fall.
We will also view a short (11 minutes) orientation
film about the National Archives.
Note: The tour will be limited to 30 people.
To reserve, send your check for $5 per person,
payable to Temple Shalom, by Nov. 11, 2005 to:
The latest works of Temple Shalom member,
Shelley Lowenstein, whose oil paintings have
been shown at The Touchstone Gallery in
Washington, DC and The Yellow Barn
Gallery at Glen Echo Park, will be shown at
The Gallery at River Road Unitarian Church
in Bethesda, MD. The show runs October 2
through October 30, 2005. A reception for
the artist is scheduled for Sunday, October 2
from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.
Lowenstein’s work is attracting increasing
attention. One of her paintings was recently
accepted into a juried show entitled “The
Human Form” judged by the assistant curator
of the National Portrait Gallery for the
Touchstone Gallery in Washington, DC.
Touchstone is well known for exhibiting the
work of many of the area’s emerging artists.
“I am excited about this latest exhibit and
am grateful to the Church’s Fine Arts
Committee for accepting my work,” said
Lowenstein. “Since last year’s Yellow Barn
show, I continue to explore what I call
“abstract realism,” an effort to simplify what
I see.”
Lowenstein’s prior show was dominated by
landscape paintings. The upcoming event still
includes many of the colorful and vibrant
landscapes that were so popular at
Lowenstein‘s Yellow Barn show last year, but
there are also more figure paintings.
“I love watching people doing everyday
things,” Lowenstein said. “In these new paintings, I’ve worked to capture figures in moments
of time, each one with a story to tell.”
One thing which hasn’t changed is
Lowenstein’s fondness for color that make the
canvases come alive with energy and intensity.
“There is plenty of dullness out there so when
I paint landscapes and figures I want them to
shout at viewers that we live in an incredibly
colorful world,” she explained.
River Road Unitarian Church is located at 6301 River Road, Bethesda (at the
corner of River Road and Whittier
Boulevard). Gallery hours are Monday
through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and
on Sundays following morning services
Alan Lewis
1829 Parkside Drive, NW
For more information,
contact: 301.229.0400.
Temple Shalom Book Discussions in the Coming Year
By Heidi Coleman
D
o you like to read? Interested in
reading some worthwhile books
with Jewish content and discussing them with others in your Temple
community? Then, plan to participate in one
on this year’s book discussions at Temple
Shalom.
Five book discussions will take place this
year, and two of our discussions will be
enhanced by participation of our Rabbis.
Mark your calendars now. The books we will
read and the dates of the discussions include:
Sunday, September 18
(2nd day of Religious School)
“The Plot Against America: A Novel” by Philip
Roth—this book imagines what would have
happened had Charles A. Lindbergh defeated
FDR for the Presidency. Lindbergh had captured the country’s imagination by flying solo
across the Atlantic in 1927 in the Spirit of St.
Louis, but he was also a rabid isolationist, Nazi
sympathizer, and a crypto-fascist. (Rabbi
Serotta will participate in the discussion.)
Sunday, November 20
(weekend before Thanksgiving)
“A Thread of Grace” by Mary Doria Russel—
takes place in Italy during WWII. (Doria
Russell also wrote “The Sparrow.”)
Sunday, January 15
(Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend)
“Apples from the Desert: Selected Stories (The
Helen Rose Scheuer Jewish Women’s Series)” by
Savyon Liebrecht, Marganit WeinbergerRotman (Translator), Makhon Le-Tirgum
Sifrut Ivrit (Israel), Jeffrey M. Green
(Translator), Barbara Harshav (Translator),
Gilead Morahg (Translator), Riva Rubin
(Translator)—collection of 12 short stories
published in Israel between 1986 and 1992. It
accentuates (mostly from the female point of
view) the human side and nuances of the many
people who live in Israeli—religious, secular,
Ashkenazi Sephardic, Arab and Jew.
potentially dry scholarly inquiry into a lively
detective story. (Rabbi Feshbach will participate in the discussion.)
Sunday, May 21
(last day of Sunday school)
Discussion of which books to select for next
year. More information to follow.
Book discussions have been hosted at
Temple Shalom since 1998, and we have discussed more than 30 books. The books
we’ve covered are quite varied, and include
such titles as “The Color of Water,” “The
Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,”
“Bee Season” and “The Red Tent.” Even if
you’ve never attended before, don’t let that
stop you. There is not a fixed “book group.”
All are welcome to come and participate in
the discussions.
Book discussions are scheduled to take
place during early session of religious school
on the first four dates listed above (9–10:30
AM). On the fifth date (in May), it will take
place during the Unisession (10:15–11:45
AM). (If there is sufficient interest in a late
session, as well, that session can be reactivated. Please contact Heidi Coleman, if you
wish to attend and would prefer to come
during late session.)
Come for the bagels and coffee.
Come for the stimulating
discussion. But just come.
For further information,
contact Heidi Coleman at
301-588-1173.
Sunday, March 26
(4th Grade Wedding)
“Who Wrote the Bible” by Richard Friedman—
considered perhaps the best written popular
book about the question of who wrote, edited
and compiled the Five Books of Moses. Based
on a careful review of the clues available in the
text and biblical archaeology, the book turns a
21
IN THE COMMUNITY
The Foundation for Jewish Studies
Downtown Lunch & Learn
Will meet Thursdays, October 27,
November 3, 10, 17 with Aviva Tessler,
Educator, studying “Complex Relationships
in the Torah and Today”, at the Historic 6th
& I Street Synagogue, 600 I Street, NW
(Chinatown metro stop on Red Line).
Brown bag, dairy/pareve lunch at 12:15 PM
and study 12:30–1:30 PM. Bring a Bible; no
previous Bible study necessary. Fee: $25.
Checks payable in advance to The
Foundation for Jewish Studies, 6101
Montrose Road, Suite 206, Rockville, MD
20852. Information: 301-770-4787, or visit
our website at foundationjewishstudies.org
The Foundation for Jewish Studies
Fall Scholar-in-Residence,
Professor Raphael Jospe,
Bar Elan University, Hebrew
University and the Jerusalem Center
for Near Eastern Studies of Brigham
Young University
Begins his series of lectures in the
Washington area on Thursdays, October 27,
November 3, 10, 7:30 PM, Agudas Achim
Congregation, 2908 Valley Drive, Alexandria,
VA. Prof. Jospe will speak about “Faith &
Reason” in three lectures: “Faith & Reason:
The Controversy Over Philosophy in
Judaism”; “Torah & Democracy: Are They
Compatible? Moses Mendelssohn on
Religion & State”; “Reading the Bible
Philosophically”. No fee. 703-998-6460.
Professor Jospeill speak at a Shabbaton,
October 28–29, at Congregation Olam
Tikvah, 3800 Glenbrook Road, Fairfax, VA,
on “Chosen People and Religious Pluralism:
Are They Compatible?; “The Significance of
Jerusalem in Jewish Thought”;
Fundamentalism: A Jewish Perspective”. No
fee. 703-425-1880.
Sundays, October 30 and November 13,
7-8:30 PM, Prof. Jospe will speak at Temple
Beth Ami, 14330 Travilah Road, Rockville,
MD, on “ Fundamentalism: A Jewish
Perspective” and “Metamorphosis: The New
Anti-Zionism and the Old Anti-Semitism”.
No fee. 301-340-6818
Jewish Healing Network
The Washington Jewish Healing Network's
spiritual support group for
those who have lost a loved one will resume on
September 6.
This year we will be meeting twice a month at
Adas Israel Congregation on
Quebec Street, N.W.,
at 7:30 PM on the following dates:
September 6 & 20,
(no meetings in October because of the high holidays),
November 1 & 15, and
December 6 & 20.
Each session will be led by a therapist and a Rabbi.
The therapists are either
Carol Hausman, Ph.D. or Mary Schwartz, MSW,
and the Rabbis are
Phil Pohl or Gilah Langner.
Tools of Jewish healing are used in each session,
and the discussion is stimulated by a piece
of ancient or modern Jewish text that is relevant to the
topic of bereavement.
Whether one’s loss occurred recently or in the past,
all are welcome.
The group is co-sponsored by the Greater Washington
Jewish Funereal Practices Committee.
For further information please contact
Carol Hausman at
202-966-7851
or [email protected]
Our Bookkeeper
Lois Simpson is
Retiring from Temple
Shalom
Nineteen years ago, I was a vice-president
of the congregation, a volunteer with responsibility for the office. We needed a bookkeeper, and Lois Simpson applied. I interviewed
her in my living room, or was it my dining
room? I hired her on the spot. (Well, at least
immediately after she had a conversation with
Rabbi Kahn.)
For 19 years, Lois has been the backbone
or right hand or left hand of every Financial
Secretary, every Treasurer, every Executive
Director, every vendor that Temple Shalom
deals with, even the mailmen. Lois has been
a good friend to so many congregants, and I
am happy to count myself among them.
Lois came to us as the incoming Regional
President of District 8 of the Mid-Atlantic
Region of the Women of Reform Judaism.
She went on to serve on the Mid Atlantic
Council, the Regional arm of the Union for
Reform Judaism. There she became an expert
on interfaith issues, and led standing room
only workshops at regional and national conventions. As a Vice President of the MAC
board, she chaired regional biennial conferences. Throughout, Lois has been a leader of
her own congregation, Temple Emanuel,
where she served on the Board, the Executive
Committee, and indeed, as Financial Secretary.
All this expertise in one staff member
helped the leadership at Temple Shalom in so
many ways, (including helping us write memorably funny songs,) and we have all been
enriched by her presence.
Lois also has a wonderful family. Born and
raised in the DC area, she followed her parents and other family members in leadership
roles in the local Jewish community. Her
husband, Harry, recently retired as a key
member of the US Trade Representative
Office. Her three children have grown up
and married in the time Lois has been at
Temple Shalom – first Mark, to Jennifer,
whom he met at NFTY events. Then
Michelle married Ron Halber, and Judy married Dan Goldstein. And then there are the
grandchildren: Alex and Larissa belong to
Michelle and Ron, and are local. Carolyn and
newborn Adam live with their parents, Mark
and Jennifer, in Charlotte, NC, requiring
some travel time from Lois and Harry.
Having had the first interview with Lois, I
22
claimed the right to have the sort of last, as well.
I asked Lois why she wanted to work at
Temple Shalom in the first place. She replied
that at the time, it was a part time job, and she
was very involved in regional volunteer work
for the Women of Reform Judaism, and Temple
Shalom was happy to accommodate the changing hours that went with that responsibility.
When asked to identify the most rewarding
part of her job, she quickly identified the
work with congregants and with leadership.
She said that the experience she brought as a
former Financial Secretary herself allowed her
to quickly relate to our congregants and
establish a level of trust so that she could help
those who were experiencing difficulties. Her
many friends at Temple Shalom surely will
attest to this. And so very many leaders
passed through her tutelage in financial matters. (KL Note!)
And finally, I asked Lois why she was retiring now. She pointed out that Harry recently
retired, that there are now 4 grandchildren to
visit and help with, plus they want to travel,
so she no longer wants to work full time.
So Lois has a lot to look forward to when
she leaves Temple Shalom.
We will miss her.
To all those who want to say “goodbye,”
please stop by the office before October 28,
Lois’ last day, or drop her a note, or pick up
the phone and ask for her. She’d love to hear
from you.
Lois has touched so many of our lives.
We wish her the best.
She will always be a friend to Temple
Shalom and to me.
Karen Lowe
23
High Holy Day Services
Gift Shop
Please, come visit the Gift Shop!
Come see our beautiful,
new selection of cards and gifts for the
Fall Holiday Season.
In the “just arrived” category, we are happy to
announce that we now have “Precious Heirloom
Tallit.” These beautiful Tallit are available for
boys and girls.
Our windows show sparkling, new Judaica gift
items, jewelry and Kippot. Our shelves are filled
with new music CD’s and soon, more wonderful
books.
Also, watch the Shofar for a special “Feature of
the Month.” We hope to begin this in October.
Also, in October, we will begin our focused
attempt to support small, Jewish businesses and
artists in Israel. There are exciting surprises ahead
that I hope you will enjoy and use.
2005 - 5766
Selichot
“How could I leave my
family with such a burden?”
It’s not easy thinking about death. Especially your
own. But, as a parent, you have an obligation to
consider how your family would be affected.
We can help you make informed choices about funeral
and burial arrangements that are in accordance
with Jewish values and your personal preferences.
When you plan now, you spare your family an
additional burden at a time that will be very difficult
for them. No matter when it occurs. Call Susan
Zemsky today at (301) 587.2273, ext. 101.
Remember, you may browse through our
extensive collection of catalogs for items not
found in the shop and we will order them for you.
Coming soon, our merchandise will be available
on line on our website.
Invite your young Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidate
to meet with me in the Gift Shop. I will be happy
to set up a gift registry of his or her own personal
choices so family and friends can make selections
from the list. We will even gift wrap the items
and provide a gift card.
For all your Simcha gift needs, please visit our
shop as well as for the following:
Shabbat/Havdallah candles, herbal teas and
soothing lotions, sukkot and Shabbat soup mixes,
scone recipes.
Beginning November 3:
Herbal Tea Tasting/Scone Tasting
—in time for Thanksgiving and
Chanuka, Gift Basket orders
—Bring your own vase and have Roses
from Israel arrange for your special occasion – even Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations.
(We’ll provide vases for large Sumcas)
eight weeks’ notice needed.
www.gardenofremembrance.org
Saturday, September 24
Yom Kippur Afternoon
Study and Discussions
Selichot Program 9:00 PM
2:45-4:00 PM
Service 11:00 PM
****************************
Rosh Hashanah Evening
Services
Monday, October 3
6:30 PM and 9:00 PM
****************************
Services
Tuesday, October 4
8:30 AM and 11:45 AM
To Lois Simpson
On Her Retirement
We thank Lois for giving us 19 years, she has been
the backbone or right hand or left hand of every
Financial Secretary, every Treasurer, every Executive
Director, every vendor that Temple Shalom deals
with, even the mailmen.
Thanks Lois,
Temple Shalom
(and even the vendors)
will miss you and we wish you a happy
retirement.
4:15 PM (approximate start of Yizkor
~ 5:30 PM)
****************************
Sukkah Building Around
Town
Sunday, October 16
Sukkot Family Education, 10:00 AM
to NOON
Erev Sukkot
Rosh Hashanah Children’s
Service (age 6+)
Monday, October 17
2:45 PM
Erev Sukkot Service 6:00 PM
Rosh Hashanah Tot Service
(age 2-5)
Picnic Dinner under the Sukkah
4:15 PM
****************************
Tashlich
5:00 PM
Best Wishes
Yom Kippur Afternoon
Service, Yizkor, and Ne'ilah
7:00 PM
Sukkot
Tuesday, October 18
****************************
Combined Reform Sukkot Festival
Morning Service
Second Day Rosh Hashanah
Service
10:00 AM at Temple Emanuel
10:00 AM
Picnic under the Sukkah 6:00 PM
****************************
Havdalah and Tot Sukkot 6:45 PM
Kol Nidrei
****************************
Erev Simchat Torah &
Consecration
6:30 PM and 9:00 PM
****************************
Yom Kippur Morning
Services
Thursday, October 13
8:30 AM and 11:45 AM
Yom Kippur Study Sessions
in Chapel and Library
12 NOON–2:30 PM
Monday, October 24,
7:00 PM
****************************
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat
Torah Festival
Tuesday, October 25
Combined Reform Festival Morning
Service and Yizkor Memorial Service,
10:30 AM
Yom Kippur Family Service
(at Temple Sinai)
2:45 PM
****************************
27
****************************
Sukkot
Tuesday, October 18
Combined Reform Sukkot Festival Morning Service
10 AM at Temple Emanuel
Rabbis:
Michael L. Feshbach
Gerald Serotta
Rabbi Emeritus:
Bruce E. Kahn
Cantor:
Ramón Tasat
Cantor Emeritus:
Saul Rogolsky
Executive Director:
Susan Goutos Zemsky
Director of Education: JoHanna Potts
President:
Marilyn Ripin
Picnic under the Sukkah 6:00 PM
Havdalah and Tot Sukkot 6:45 PM
****************************
Erev Simchat Torah &
Consecration
Monday, October 24,
SHOFAR DEADLINE
for the Holiday/October issue
is September 12
Submission should be on a computer disk,
preferably in a Microsoft Word (.doc) format or
a text (.txt). Please use no left or right justification, no hard returns, underlines, etc. Also
please attach a separate hard copy of instructions as to where you wish centering, bolding
etc. to appear. Email submissions will be gladly
accepted, send to:
[email protected].
A HARD COPY MUST BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH
ALL SUBMISSIONS.
7:00 PM
****************************
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah
Festival
Tuesday, October 25
Combined Reform Festival Morning Service and Yizkor
Memorial Service
(Location and Time To Be Announced)
****************************

Temple Shalom October 2005

Transcription

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