January 2013 high res.indd

Voice
January 2013
Tevet / Shevat 5773
From Our Rabbi
Threatened By Faith
The following piece recently appeared in the Los Angeles Times. edented, angry form of atheism.
Today’s atheism is different from the atheism of the 18th,
hristmas in Santa Monica has gotten a whole lot darker, 19th and 20th centuries. Nietzsche, Russell and Voltaire did not
and a whole lot less tolerant. For almost 60 years, Santa gloat over the presumed death, or non-existence of God. There
Monica’s Palisades Park embodied the Christmas spirit was no triumphalism in their assertions. While not enamored
with its displays depicting the birth of Jesus. Through the use of by organized religion, they did not view it as a singular force
large dioramas, the Christmas story unfolded chronologically, for evil.
based on the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.
Things have changed. Outspoken, angry 21st century atheThe life-size statues of baby Jesus, along with Mary, Joseph ists like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and the late Christopher
and others, added a visual reminder of our nation’s religious Hitchens have sought to eradicate God and organized religion
underpinnings. The nativity scenes were an impermanent from the planet; faith-based religion in any form is unacceptacknowledgement of the timeless role faith and organized reli- able to them. When studying these modern-day thinkers, the
gion plays for the residents of Santa Monica, and visitors alike. late Herbert Marcuse’s lament proves fitting and prescient:
No longer is that the case; the city has now prohibited the dis- “We, no matter the side, become fanatical in our own antiplay of these dioramas on public land.
fanaticism.”
Two factors are driving this unfortunate ban. The first is a
Today’s atheists hold that religion educates children and
paralyzing fear of lawsuits.
adults to hate in the name of their pious doctrines. Religion,
In 2011, as a compromise with those opposed to the nativity they tell us, encourages their followers to engage in Godscenes, the Santa Monica City Council commissioned a lot- directed slaughter and conquest of innocents. Its mission is to
tery system to appropriate the public land on which religious- convert skeptics—or worse, subdue non-believers—until the
oriented dioramas were displayed. By doing so, elected officials whole world buckles.
avoided bias toward any faith tradition. On the surface, it
The truth is, they’re partly right. There have always been
sounded reasonable. Most importantly for the city, it complied people who commit evil in the name of God and religion. They
with 1st Amendment dictates, and avoided the possibility of do indeed give religion and God a horrible name. Such behavlawsuits.
ior is perverse, inexcusable, and of course—sinful.
With the lottery, groups opposing the nativity scene could
But today’s atheists are as extreme in their convictions as
garner slots in Palisades Park to set up their own displays. the fire and brimstone believer. The resolute follower knows
Case closed right? No. Those opposing the nativity scenes won beyond any doubt that God exists, whereas the atheist knows
public space to do nothing more than distastefully convey mes- beyond any doubt that God is a figment of the imagination.
sages that were inflammatory about Christianity and religion; I’m reminded of the aphorism: To the believer there are no
messages that were the antithesis of the holiday spirit.
questions; to the atheist, there are no answers.
How did the Santa Monica City Council react? It closed
As a Jew and a rabbi—my speaking out in support of Christhe venue entirely—to everyone. No nuanced, sophisticated tians who wish to display a nativity scene on public land can
church-state remedies applied. No appreciation for historical potentially carry more weight than a priest or minister speaking
precedent considered. Just no religion-based displays on public out. The reason is simple: It’s not my religious narrative. More
land, period.
important, faithful Christians do not threaten me. If anything,
Ironic coming from the same city that sanctioned the beauti- I’m inspired by them. By definition, different people from diffully crafted statue of Santa (St.) Monica several hundred feet ferent faiths view God and religion differently.
south of where the nativity scenes were displayed. Farther south
In the meantime, Santa Monica, where I live and serve a
still, next to the civic center, sits another city-sanctioned piece congregation, is less festive, bright and accepting this Christbased on a Paul Conrad cartoon entitled, “Chain Reaction.” mas season. And given my city’s current municipal policy; one
The anti-war sculpture depicts a nearly three story-high atomic which forbids the use of public land for any outward religious
bomb’s mushroom cloud. That value-based—and controver- expression, even for something as non-threatening and temsial—message is acceptable when placed on public ground. The porary as a nativity scene, I suspect it will remain that way for
nativity, even when displayed temporarily—absolutely not!
a long time. Sadly, we are all—Jew, Christian, and yes, atheThe second factor driving this unfortunate ban is an unprec- ist—poorer for it.
C
2 • January 2013
The Cantor’s Voice
“
How do I bring light and joy into
my life and to the people I come in
contact with everyday?
H
anukkah/New Year: this time of the year is a great time
of the year. We all expect gifts (well, some of us do) from
our loved ones, and if you have the custom of one present
for each night of Hanukkah, well you have at least eight presents for Hanukkah and the new year—lucky you!
I remember I would come home from school in England
on a Hanukkah night; it was very cold and the house would
smell of latkes frying. We would light the candles, sing and
play draidal. It was a very warm and cozy feeling and it was my
favorite time of the winter.
This year I got to be a part of our Religious School Hanukkah play. I am not sure how I got the role of the wicked King
Antiochot, frankly, I don’t remember auditioning for that role,
however, somehow I ended up with it. The play was a lot of
fun, everyone had a great time, and so did I. (Check out the
pictures on the bulletin boards.)
The story of Hanukkah concludes with the Jews returning
”
after their victory in battle with the Greeks and finding the
Temple completely decimated. After restoring everything back
to the way it was before the war, they light the Menorah and
rejoiced for eight days.
As a Jew, but even more so as a cantor, I have always wondered what kind of music they would have played? What would
have it sounded like? Where would I have been at the time of
the concert? Would I have been part of the singers or part of the
audience? Not knowing the answers to these questions only makes
Hanukkah more personal and interesting for me. I find that every
year it is the same but also very new. How do I bring light and joy
into my life and to the people I come in contact with everyday?
Together with KM as a community after lighting the Menorah on the promenade, I sat down to a Hanukkah meal to celebrate the holiday of lights—I might have eaten one donut too
many. Although it is not that cold here in Southern California,
Hanukkah was still a warm and cozy experience.
Or L’ Olam
Or L’ Olam comes from the directive by God, via
Isaiah, “I the Lord have called unto you in righteousness, and have taken hold of your hand, and submitted you as the people's covenant, as a light unto the
nations” (Isaiah, 42:6).
Each class of the religious school discussed what
it means to be a light, example of righteousness and
compassion. We also talked about how singing is one
way to create, bring and share that light. The prefect
project—singing to raise money for worthy Tzedakah
projects by recording a CD.
Working closely with Dov Rosenblatt, our tefilah
and music teacher, we chose songs and prayers from the
curriculum that reflected the themes of light and peace
as Or L’ Olam, including Od Yavo Shalom Alainu, Or
Zarua, and Hallellu, with an original song by Dov’s
Band, The Wellspring, getting backup from our K1
class. The students added original lyrics to their songs
“Light to the World” would be our first ever KM
CD project, and our record label is KM2 (Kehillat
Ma’arav Kid’s Music!).
Students designed colorful original CD covers
with the concepts of light, world and peace in
mind- and some of them are also displayed on our
synagogue bulletin board.
The result is a joyful and inspired CD of four songs which reflects
the spirit that this CD was borne. We have copies to purchase in the gift
shop.
Masha Savitz
January 2013 • 3
From Our President, Brian Cohen
“
My father will be deeply missed
not only by his family, relatives and
friends but by his extended family
here at KM.
T
hank you all for your kind thoughts and wishes on the
passing of my father. He will be deeply missed not only by
his family, relatives and friends but by his extended family
here at KM. As most of you remember, he was very passionate in chanting Haphtorah and was a very engaging person to
”
anyone with whom he came into contact, old or young.
With the secular new year coinciding with approximately
the end of my Shiva period, I am reminded that life must move
on; another page turns. We should stay optimistic for our future
no matter how grim things sometimes appear. Happy 2013
Kehillat Ma’arav Men’s Club Activities
The KM Men’s Club sponsored “Rap with the Rabbi” event
was attended by 25 members on Sunday, December 2, 2012.
The questions asked of the Rabbi led to informative answers
and varied from anti-semitism, the Torah, philosophy plus life
and death issues.
The KM Men’s Club’s next event is our “Saturday Night
Live” Concert on Saturday night, January 12, 2013 at 7:30
pm. Please support our Synagogue and the KM Men’s Club
by attending. You can sign up for this event at the KM Office
(310) 829-0566.
4 • January 2013
Calling For Members
Now Is The Time For All
Good Men To Join Our
Men's Club
The Men’s Club has had a busy year in 2012 with events
such as a discussion of Sports in February; Kaballah in
April; and a focus on lsrael with a talk by AIPAC in May.
We hosted a concert by Julie Metz (professional violinist
and violist) in August; in September we sponsored a book
signing of Ira Fistell's new book, “Mark Twain—Three
Encounters;” Sandy Rosenblatt taught our club the fine
art of playing “Texas Hold-Em” Poker in October. We
finished off the year with a Men’s Club sponsored Sunday
Brunch at the Rabbi’s home on December 2nd, our socalled “Rap with the Rabbi.”
We already have many events sponsored for 2013,
starting with our “Saturday Night Live Concert” on January 12, 2013. There will be an update on Israel and the
Middle East by an expert in February. Please join and
help us with ideas for future programs. See you at the
Concert January 12. Further info: contact Steve Shapiro,
President of Men’s Club.
January 2013
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Tevet / Shevat 5773
TUESDAY
1
National Holiday
Office Closed
No Classes,
Winter Break
6
13
9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Religious School
9:15–10:15 a.m.
Education
Committee Mtg.
12:30–3 p.m.
Kadima Event
20
7
14
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Sisterhood Mtg.
6:30–8 p.m.
Membership
Committee Mtg.
21
National Holiday
Office Closed
8
3:45 p.m. Religious
School 2–7th Grades
4 p.m.
Religious School K1
15
3:45 p.m. Religious
School 2–7th Grades
4 p.m.
Religious School K1
6:30–7:30 p.m. KM
Café
22
3:45 p.m. Religious
School 2–7th Grades
4 p.m.
Religious School K1
WEDNESDAY
2
7–8:30 p.m.
KM Choir
9
7–8:30 p.m.
KM Choir
16
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Executive
Committee mtg.
7–8:30 p.m.
KM Choir
7:30–9 p.m.
Board of Trustees mtg.
23
7–8:30 p.m.
KM Choir
THURSDAY
3
12–1 p.m.
Lunch & Learn With
Rabbi Gotlieb
6:30–10 p.m.
Introduction to
Judaism
10
12–1 p.m.
Lunch & Learn With
Rabbi Gotlieb
6:30–10 p.m.
Introduction to
Judaism
17
12–1 p.m.
Lunch & Learn With
Rabbi Gotlieb
6:30–10 p.m.
Introduction to
Judaism
24
12–1 p.m.
Lunch & Learn With
Rabbi Gotlieb
6:30–10 p.m.
Introduction to
Judaism
FRIDAY
4
4:40 p.m.
Candle Lighting
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Shabbat Services
11
4:46 p.m.
Candle Lighting
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Shabbat Services
18
4:52 p.m.
Candle Lighting
25
Camp Ramah
Weekend
4:59 p.m.
Candle Lighting
SATURDAY
5
9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Shabbat Services
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Tot Shabbat
12
9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Shabbat Services
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Tot Shabbat
7–10 p.m.
Youth Event
7:30–10 p.m.
Concert Sponsored by
Men’s Club
19
9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Shabbat Services
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Tot Shabbat
10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Shabbat Unplugged
26
Tu B’Shvat
New Member Luncheon
9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Camp Ramah Weekend
9:30 a.m. Shabbit in 3D
Tu B’Shvat Seder
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Tot Shabbat
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Shabbat Club
27
International
Holocaust
Remembrance Day
Camp Ramah
Weekend
6:30–8 p.m.
KM Film Fest (#2)
28
29
3:45 p.m. Religious
School 2–7th Grades
4 p.m.
Religious School K1
30
7–8:30 p.m.
KM Choir
Shabbat Club
Shabbat Club meets each Saturday morning from 11 a.m.–noon. Designed
for students in grades 2–6, children have an opportunity to study Torah, play
games, perform skits based on the weekly Torah reading, and of course: enjoy
a snack! Come out and see what you’ve been missing.
31
12–1 p.m.
Lunch & Learn With
Rabbi Gotlieb
6:30–10 p.m.
Introduction to
Judaism
DAYS
Gillian Lyn Dunn
Jake Goldberger
Eva Kitra Jussim
Micah Shir Jussim
Jason Oberman
Lev Ricanati
Arielle Shnayder
January 2013 • 5
Religious School and
Youth Doings
Sharone Weizman
Director of Education
“
Shalom Chaverim,
This past month we celebrated two very successful Hanukkah events with our students and families. On Sunday, December 2 our family program brought over 85 children and adults
together to celebrate Hanukkah with our school; we even had
some unaffiliated families join our KM family. Participants
journeyed through history and met and learned about important Hanukkah characters who fought for religious freedom
and helped preserve Judaism while becoming Maccabees.
Our interactive family program began with a festival including Greek food and “Olympic” games, followed by a delicious
lunch including lighting candles, songs, latkes and sufganiot.
Please check out our KM website and Facebook for photos! We
are also creating a video montage of our event to place on our
website, YouTube and Facebook. On Tuesday, December 11
our classes ended early so our children could lead the Hanukkah candle lighting and songs at the Promenade which they
mastered beautifully. Following the Promenade candle lighting
our families joined the larger KM family for dinner and activities at Trastevere. You can also find photos of that event on our
KM website and Facebook.
This past month in honor of Hanukkah and the spirit of
giving our K–2nd Grade led the rest of the school in a wonderful Tikkun Olam gift drive and winter needs collection which
went to Ocean Park Community Center, a network of shel-
ters and services for low-income and homeless youth,
where our students delivered gifts and clothes personally
during Religious School.
I would like to thank Masha Savitz and Dov Rosenblatt for
heading up our wonderful Ohr L’Olam CD Tikkun Olam project. During Religious School our children have been recording
grade specific songs about providing light, love and peace to the
world while creating their own lyrics to the songs. The beautiful CDs were decorated by our students and are now on sale for
only $10. All proceeds will go to the Religious School Tikkun
Olam efforts and projects.
KM
needs
you!
6 • January 2013
Religious School enrollment is
still open; please tell your friends
about our exciting programming
and outstanding faculty!
”
Parents, your voice matters to us and we would love to continue to get your feedback throughout the year. We invite you
to join our Sunday morning monthly Education Committee
meetings which will be held from 9:15–10:15 am. Please mark
your calendars for our next meeting on Sunday, January 13. A
light breakfast will be served.
Our Shabbat morning experiences continue to be a pivotal
part of our Religious School program. Families, please remember that our students are expected to attend at least one Shabbat
a month as part of the Religious School experience.
Religious School enrollment is still open; please tell your
friends about our exciting programming and outstanding faculty! We welcome students to audit our school to ensure our
program is a good fit!
Please mark your calendars
January 2013
1 Tues NO CLASSES—winter break
5 Sat
Shabbat Club (11 am-noon)
8 Tues Religious School (K/1 4–6 pm,
2-7 3:45–6:30 pm)
12 Sat
Shabbat Club (11 am–noon)
13 Sun
Religious School (2–7, 9 am–12:30 pm)
Education Committee Meeting (9:15–10:15 am)
15 Tues Religious School (K/1 4–6 pm,
2-7 3:45–6:30 pm)
KM Café 6:30 pm
19 Sat
Shabbat Unplugged (10:30 am–noon)
22 Tues Religious School (K/1 4–6 pm,
2-7 3:45–6:30 pm)
25 Fri–Sun Camp Ramah weekend
26 Sat
Shabbat Club (11 a.m.–noon )
29 Tues Religious School (K/1 4–6 pm,
2-7 3:45–6:30 pm)
Any non-b
o
interested ard member
in serving
Board of T
on KM
ru
Committe stees Nominating
e
term, plea for our 2013–14
se contact
Brian Coh
President
e
Director K n or Executive
a
Annual m thie Rose. Our
eeting wil
l be held
Wednesd
ay
save the d , June 12. Please
ate.
SAVE
THE
DATE!
Voice of Youth
Cindy Roth, Youth Director
tell you about the fun they had and how they cannot wait to go
again! My cup runeth over with joy! Attached are a few photos of the girls. I am also adding one
of my three best friends from Youth Group. We met last month
for one hour in Grand Central Station while all of them had
I
am sure as a parent when you send your child away for any
sleep over weekend, a million hopes and fears run through
your mind. Will my child be safe, will they be happy, do they
have the right clothes, will they sleep ok, be fed enough, and just
maybe they will come back with smiles on their faces instead
of tears in their eyes. On a super rainy Friday three parents did
just this. In “Youth Group they trust,” I packed three young
women in my Mini Cooper busting over with bags, sleeping
bags and pillow pets! Ok so they needed pillows so that's what
came along for the ride. The weather was bad and the car ride
seemed long, but the girls giggled, smiled, and sang all the way
to Temple Ner Tamid in the South Bay.
Before Shabbat we arrived just on time, the girls were greeted,
checked in and quickly changed in Shabbat clothes to join a huge
chapel filled with about a 100 boys and girls around the same
age. The kids were separated into ice breaker groups and with a
brief hesitation they parted from one another and the rest is history. Now this was only the beginning but it's all I was privy to
watch before I had to leave by Shabbat! I too felt like a proud
parent leaving my girls behind. The effort to get everyone on
board was huge, and was later received with many thanks on
what a wonderful weekend and Jewish experience the girls later
had. Together they celebrated Shabbat, met the host family, ate,
drank, had some informal and some formal Jewish learning. torah
study, pasha plays, and after a full fun Saturday evening program
that would put even the biggest Bar Mitzvah to shame on Sunday
they joined again for a huge Tikkun Olam program. Then at the
close of the weekend, tears are shed, hugs are shared, pictures are
taken, numbers are exchanged and hopes are fulfilled that they
will see their new friends at the” next one” and or at a weekend
at Camp Ramah or even a summer. Kadima and USY provide
so much informal education, bonds that last a lifetime. Please
don’t shy away from these opportunities. These three girls will
to run off to their families, jobs and busy lives and when I
get to NYC we do this every year although the visit is brief.
The guy on the far left David comes from a long line of Divisional, Regional and International USY Presidents. He and I
served on two boards together since we were 14. The guy on the
right ran the Kinas and later helped plan the Regional Convention, and the girl in the middle is just my own sweet friend who
lived an hr from me but we made time to see each other during
Kinnusim away! We are all in our 40s and the bond has yet to
break! I love my USY connections, we have so many memories,
reunions, and now park outings with their children who all
attend Kadima and USY in the New York area.
I hope we continue to build upon the excitement we have
started, at Chanukah I noticed a whole new generation of these
kids that I hope will continue to build our youth program.
Follow our email calendars and please join us for community
wide synagogue events.
Finally a huge aspect of our Youth Program is to raise money
for Tikkun Olam. In the first two weeks of February the kids
will be having a “bake sale and lemonade stand” at two locations in our community, run by the girls and boys of our Youth
program. We will let you know the where and when. Be there
to stop by and purchase some nosh to help support their efforts
to raise money for SATO. This idea came from the kids, and
the boys will engage in a friendly competition with the girls.
All the money will be donated to a charity that they choose
together. Details to follow!
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year filled with more
incredible programs for our children. B’Shalom
January 2013 • 7
Fourth Annual
Hanukkiah
Lighting
A
good time was had by all at our fourth annual Hanukkiah candle
lighting on the Third Street Promenade in December. Thank you
to our event coordinator Cindy Roth for chairing this fabulous
night, Kudos to Sharone Weizman, Masha Savitz, and Dov Rosenblatt.
They, along with Rabbi Michael Gotlieb and Cantor Sam Cohen, led
our kids and community in Hanukkah songs and prayers. We followed
it all up with a sold-out dinner for 82 at Trastevere. It was great!
Photographs by Brandon Wise Photography
8 • January 2013
January 2013 • 9
From Our Ritual Committee
I
n 1648, in Amsterdam, the first edition of Seyder Tkhines,
a compendium of Yiddish prayers specifically directed to
women, appeared. It might have been published by the
Menasseh ben Israel, the rabbi who successfully petitioned
Oliver Cromwell for formal Jewish re-admittance to Great
Britain.
The book demonstrates wide Yiddish literacy among women,
and the yearning of women to be participants in Jewish ritual
life, although confined to their feminine “private” space. Most
of the prayers in the book are anonymous, although the editor
and translator of a 2004 edition, Devra Kay, makes an effort to
identify such authors as she can.
There are prayers for the week-day, for the Shabbat, for the
holidays, for the fast days, for ritual immersion in the mikvah,
for child-birth, and for the formal, time-bound female mitzvot, such as lighting the Shabbat candles and the taking of the
hallah.
The name of the Shabbat loaves, hallah, comes from the
wheat offering made in the Temple (see Numbers 18:17-21).
Indeed, there is an entire talmudic tractate on the matter entitled, appropriately, Hallah. Traditionally, as one would make
the hallah, the baker would pinch off some dough and burn
it, to replicate, as close as one could, the temple proceedings.
Since women would bake their own bread, this was their
mitzvah.
Once kneaded, pinched and braided, the dough would head
to the oven, and the mistress of the household would utter
her own prayers. The prayer below has an appealing naïveté, is
grounded in concrete realities, like a wood burning oven with
no temperature control, and perhaps a “too-simple” faith. But,
for my money, it holds a blessed charm, and a corrective to our
contemporary hyper-intellectualized faith.
We might not all bake hallah anymore, but we might remember the sacred in both our eating and preparation of our food,
as did our foremothers.
Dennis Gura
On behalf of the Ritual Committee
Lord of all the world,
The blessing of all things
Is in Your hands.
So I come to honor Your holiness
And ask You to bestow Your blessing
On this dough.
Send an angel to protect it,
So that it may bake well,
And rise well,
And not burn,
In order to honor
The holy Sabbath,
That You have chosen
As a day of rest.
So, I make this holy blessing
As You blessed the dough of
Our mothers, Sarah and Rebecca.
God, my God,
Hear my voice.
You are God
Who hears the voices
Of those who call out to You
With all their hearts.
You are beloved for ever.
(From Seyder Tkhines: The Forgotten Book of Common Prayer
for Jewish Women, translated and edited with commentary by
Devra Kay)
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10 • January 2013
A Few Words From
KM’s Membership
Committee
I
Leonard M. Solomon
Committee Correspondent
t has been a few years since I was granted the honor of authoring the monthly Membership Committee column in the
Voice. The stress of needing to meet each deadline was always
trumped by the knowledge that I was free to choose my own
topic. I could kvell or kvetch, ponder or pontificate, share or
solicit and sometimes even elaborate on synagogue activities.
This month, however, I need to get personal, as this will be
my last article for a while. My doctors have informed me that
I’ll need to undergo treatment including chemotherapy for
pancreatic cancer. I’ve a long row to hoe.
As it’s a tough subject to discuss for both the patient and
those around him, I’d like to share some thoughts. First, if you
are uncomfortable talking about it, don’t. I really won’t mind,
as there are plenty of folk, especially in the medical community
with whom I do plenty of talking. Second, I’m willing to look
the other way if you should inadvertently say, “How are you,”
when a simple, “Hi,” would have sufficed. I won’t elaborate
unless you explicitly ask me to. Third, if you wonder what you
can do to help, the answer is simple. Your thoughts and prayers
will be greatly appreciated.
While I’ve the opportunity, I wish to extend my sincerest
O
As it’s a tough subject to
discuss for both the patient and
those around him, I’d like to
share some thoughts.
appreciation to our own Rabbi Gotlieb. As is his nature,
he has been providing extraordinary support and unlimited availability throughout this crisis. This is hardly the
first time that my family has called upon our Rabbi for his
assistance. Over the years through thick and through thin,
whether it involved a simcha or tsuris, Rabbi Gotlieb has
always been there for us. He often dedicated an inordinate
amount of time, effort and energy guiding us. It is safe to say
that no one outside of my wife and I can truly appreciate the
full extent of the hours that he’s lovingly bestowed upon our
family. We can never fully repay him for all that he has done.
He’s a true mensch.
So please, if you should have a need, a question or an issue
that you think would benefit from rabbinic guidance, turn to
our Rabbi. He is a magnificent, knowledgeable and compassionate resource whose insight will help improve even the most
challenging situation.
On behalf of the Membership Committee, please continue
to enjoy the New Year festivities and consider making a resolution to engage more often in synagogue events and religious services. They will enrich your life and the lives of your loved ones.
The Sound of Music—KM Style n December 2, a concert was held at the home of
Michael Norman and Susan Greenberg. This special
event was made available to KM members at the last
dinner dance, with all proceeds going to the synagogue.
The soloist was Susan Greenberg, renowned concert flutist,
chamber orchestra musician, and recording artist, accompanied by her long-time musical collaborator, pianist Delores
Stevens. The delighted audience was treated to music for
flute, piccolo, alto flute and bass flute, including works by
Poulenc, Bolling, Faure, and even the non-classical music
favorite “The Pink Panther” theme. Havurah members of
the Norman’s also provided an elegant after-concert buffet.
Thanks to Sue and Paul Hoffman, Sherrill Kushner, Laurie
and Gary Samson, Susie and Marc Yuré, and Julia Weinberg
and Dan Zwitman.
Ann Harris
January 2013 • 11
A Day of Horror
T
he headlines in the LA Times of December 15, 2012,
screamed, “Evil visited this community.” Something
absolutely horrific visited Newtown, Connecticut, on
December 14, 2012. Adam Lanza, 20, broke into the Sandy
Hook Elementary School and shot 26 people, 20 of them children, and then killed himself. He apparently methodically and
mechanically shot the children, killing 18 of them on-site. Two
later died in the hospital.
The children were all six and seven years of age. One wonders how someone can so mechanically and coldly kill children
so young. Was this an act of wanton depravity? Had he had a
psychotic break? We may never know. The shooter is dead and
we can’t question him and his motives. As of this writing, there
is no indication that he had ever seen a psychologist of psychiatrist. Our only picture of this person is through anecdotal
evidence. People have described him a very bright, but a loner
who avoided social contact—to the extent that he would press
himself against a wall when others approached or turn around
and head in the other direction. There is speculation (probably
well-founded) that he had a personality disorder.
Our first reaction is that someone would have to be insane
or would have experienced a psychotic break to do something
as horrific as this. Although the investigation is still in the
early stages as of this writing, the early indications are that this
slaughter occurred very methodically, and seemed to be focused
on the children. What is especially disturbing about this is that
Lanza did not seem to seek out the principal (she died trying to
protect the children) or any members of the faculty. He seemed
to focus on the children. Why? Was there some evil intent? Was
this act an act of pure evil, mental disturbance, or a combination of both? What are the boundaries between evil and mental
illness? Can they or do they coexist in some people?
Children and young adults have been targeted for slaughter a number of times during the last 75 years, and it has not
always been due to mental illness. During the holocaust, the
Nazis deliberately and methodically murdered children in the
concentration camps. From 1974 through 1978, Palestinian terrorists conducted raids into Israel that resulted in the
deaths of many children who had been taken hostage. Even
today as Hamas fires rockets and missiles indiscriminately into
Israel, the lives of Israeli children are threatened. The difference between what is happening now and the raids in the 70s
is that the earlier raids specifically targeted children. Today, as
these weapons rain down randomly on Israel, children become
the victims of chance. That hardly makes it better. The perpetrators in these instances were not necessarily mentally ill. In
general, they were (or are) seemingly otherwise rational people,
immersed in hatred, whose mission was (or is) extinction of an
ethnic group of people.
There will surely be an exhaustive investigation of this massacre, and as an editorial in the December 15, 2012, Wall Street
Journal pointed out, we may learn more than what we really
want to know. Let us hope that we can learn what some of the
precipitating factors were, and learn how we can prevent or
minimize events like this from ever happening again.
Manny Baker
Gift Shop
Break Tradition
Give the ultimate one-of-kind wedding gift.
•
•
•
•
•
The Glass Kiddish or Celebration Cup
The Glass Wedding Mezuzah
The Glass Wedding Picture Frame
Glass Candlesticks
The Glass Suspended Light Menorah
The glass vessel and satin bag makes a wonderful shower gift. Bring
the broken glass from the ceremony and we’ll have it suspended in the
stem of the Kiddish Cup, Candlesticks, Mezuzah, Menorah, or on the
sides of the Picture Frame for you to give the happy couple. Imagine—
that magical second when the glass is broken—frozen in time—forever!
Come in and see the samples in the
front case in the Synagogue. Special
engraving is available.
Wishing you and your family
a Very Happy New Year.
Evelyn Berger & Judy Shapiro The Gift Shop is open Tuesday
afternoons 3:30–6:30 p.m. Any time
the synagogue office is open or to
meet with your Personal Shopper, call
Evelyn at (310) 458-5565 or email
bubieevey@ aol.com.
12 • January 2013
O
KM Choir
ur KM choir continues to be busy singing. On November 2, the
choir joined Cantor Cohen and Rabbi Gotlieb in a Friday
night service. We always enjoy taking part in these services
and are glad to add our contribution to the service.
On Sunday, December 9, the choir once again sang for the
residents of Vintage Westwood Horizons. This was a Hanukkah
program, complete with candle lighting and dreydl spinning.
Rabbi Gotlieb and Cantor Cohen joined us as well. The residents there are very appreciative of us coming to perform and
are a wonderful audience.
Our Wednesday evening rehearsals are fun and relaxed. There
are lots of jokes, especially by the bass section, visits by members’ dogs (very well-behaved!) and lots of warm comradery. If
you are free Wednesday evenings 7–8:30, come give us a try.
Men are especially needed, but we would love to have some
more women, too.
Judy Gottesman
Choir Director
SARIES
Mazel Tov to Our
January Celebrants
Milton and Shulamit Dolnick Ash, 64th anniversary
Stephanie McColgan and Moshe BenDayan,
15th anniversary
Lee and Toby Brannen, 17th anniversary
Jackie Kosecoff and Robert Brook, 31st anniversary
Jeff and Judy Gottesman, 25th anniversary
Leon and Sharon Janks, 29th anniversary
Area and Jonathan Kramarsky, 11th anniversary
Sid and Carole Meltzner, 41st anniversary
Neville and Fay Pimstone, 50th anniversary
KM needs YOU!
On April 28, 2013, KM will be celebrating Lag B’Omer
and Israel’s 65th birthday with our biggest fundraiser of the
year. This multi-generational event will feature activities
for kids of all ages and adults. We need creative people to
volunteer in the planning of the event which will feature
a Bonfire, Israeli Dancing, Live and Silent Auctions, Virtual Ad book, Israeli Street food, a Shuk, Monster Slide
and more. Our next meeting is at KM on January 10 at
1 pm. Contact Sharon Krischer if you want to be in on
the planning of this exciting event. [email protected]
January 2013 • 13
DECEMBER
T RIBUTES
A Donation
• Susan and David Oberman
Mazel Tov to
• Charley Goldsmith in honor
of his 70th Birthday by Forrest
and Marsha Latiner
• Irena and Richard Gibson on
Ricky’s Bat Mitzvah by Mimi
Klein, Sandy and Stan Ziegler
• Pat and Len Solomon on the
birth of their grandson by
Beverly and Bernie Bienstock,
Brana and Ron Hall, Carol
Turetsky, Evelyn and Herb
Berger, Gail and Irv Rosenfeld,
Judy and Manny Baker, Mimi
Klein, Sandy and Stan Ziegler,
Shirley Strom, Sue and Paul
Hoffman, Susie and Marc
Yuré, Tammy Steinsapir
• Sally Wolin on her 99th birthday
by Donna and Gil Simon
Thank you to
• Elliott Goldberg by Shirley
Strom
• Rabbi and Jill Gotlieb for
having us for a wonderful
Shabbat dinner by Judy and
Mitch Blake
In memory of
• Abe Ballonoff, father of Lynn
Beliak by Lynn and Rabbi
Haim Beliak
• Anny Cronheim, grandmother
of Linda Zwang-Weissman
by Linda and Barry ZwangWeissman
• Audrey Klein, mother of Mimi
Klein by Mimi Klein
• Baby Krantz by Judy and
Manny Baker
• Bernard Cohen, father of
Brian Cohen by Beverly
and Bernie Bienstock, Carol
Turetsky, Dorita and Eugene
Gotlieb, Judy and Les Eber,
Judy and Mitch Blake, Judy
and Manny Baker, Judy and
Lou Zucker, Judy and Richard
Ross, Laurie and Gary Samson,
Leah Mendelsohn, Lily
Muller, Linda and Jack Topal,
14 • January 2013
Lolly Bennett, Lori Mendez
and David Packer, Lynn and
Rabbi Haim Beliak, Marsha
and Forrest Latiner, Miriam
Apsel, Paul Muller, Sandy and
Loana Rosenblatt, Sandy and
Stan Ziegler, Sharon and Joel
Krischer, Shirley Strom, Sue
and Paul Hoffman, Susan and
Richard Ross, Susie and Marc
Yuré, Tammy Steinsapir
• Charles Morris, father of
Donald Morris by Donald
Morris
• David Frankel, father of Judy
Gottesman by Judy and Jeff
Gottesman
• David Haber Warshawsky,
father of Beth Ricanati by Beth
and David Ricanati
• Dinah Posternack, mother of
Elaine Olken by Elaine and
Sherwin Olken
• Estelle Levin, mother of Sandy
Sostrin by Rachel Berg and Ira
Fistell
• Harry Molberger, father of
Cookie Valente by Cookie
Valente
• Harry Segal, grandfather of
Lolly Bennett by Lolly Bennett
• Izak Silon, father of Steve Silon
by Steve and Audra Silon
• Jack Bloom, father of Marlene
Bernstein by Marlene and
Stuart Bernstein
• Jeanette Gleich, mother of Ann
Harris by Ann Harris
• Milton Rothenberg, father of
Shelley Gould by Shelley and
Mark Gould
• Morton Sabath, uncle of David
Packer by Judy and Manny
Baker, Evelyn and Herb Berger
• Sarah Bloom, mother of
Marlene Bernstein by Marlene
and Stuart Bernstein
• Sarah Kraft, grandmother of
Dorita Gotlieb by Dorita and
Eugene Gotlieb
•
as of December 17
• Scott Mitchel Olken, son of
Elaine and Sherwin Olken by
Elaine and Sherwin Olken
• Selma Greenberg, grandmother
of Sharon Krischer by Sharon
and Joel Krischer
• Seymour Kramer, father of
Beverly Schwartz and Dorine
Kramer by Beverly Schwartz,
Dorine Kramer and Nicholas
Mitchell
• Seymour Nemeroff, brother of
Eileen Goldberg by Eileen and
Lew Goldberg
JERRY ROGOWAY
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
A donation by
• Marsha and Forrest Latiner
In memory of
• Bernard Cohen, father of Brian
Cohen by Mimi Klein
RABBI’S
DISCRETIONARY FUND
A donation by
• Matthew Maibaum
Thank you to
• Rabbi Gotlieb with our deep
appreciation by the Goldstone
family
• Rabbi Gotlieb for helping
make Zachary’s Bar Mitzvah
such a success by Dan
DeHovitz
CANTOR’S MUSIC FUND
Thank you to
• Cantor Cohen for helping
make Zachary’s Bar Mitzvah
such a success by Dan
DeHovitz
USY FUND
A donation by
• Marian and Charley
Goldsmith
Pick up the Phone or
Send Us an E-mail
To assure that clergy make visits to congregants in the hospital, extended
care facilities and hospices, please contact the office at Kehillat Ma’arav: (310)
829-0566 or email us at [email protected]. In an effort to comply with
the new patient privacy laws, health-care facilities may not release the names of
their patients, so it is imperative that you provide the name of the member, the
facility name, patient’s room number, length of anticipated stay, your relationship to the patient and a number where you can be reached if further information is needed. Share the happy news too—we might not know about a
marriage, birth or other simcha unless you tell us!
ZEITS
“
The memory of the
righteous is for a blessing.
–Proverbs 10:7
Kaddish will be recited on
January 5, 2013 for:
Tevet 23, 5773 (1/5/2013)
Kaddish will be recited on
January 12, 2013 for:
Shevat 1, 5773 (1/12/2013)
Morris Davidson
uncle of Judy Baker
Morris Horwitz
father of Susie Yuré
Robert Kohler Osterman
father of Kathie Rose
Henry Latiner
father of Forrest Latiner
Gabriel Rosenthal
father of Marian
Goldsmith
Tevet 24, 5773 (1/6/2013)
Shevat 2, 5773 (1/13/2013)
Bernard Samson
father of Gary Samson
Abraham Gross
grandfather of Shelly
Vedres
Tevet 25, 5773 (1/7/2013)
Shevat 3, 5773 (1/14/2013)
Solomon Gerber
father of Denise Gerber
Ellen Karoll
sister of Donna Bayer
Simon
Aaron Osterman
grandfather of Kathie
Rose
Sigmund Posner
father of Judith Shapiro
Tevet 26, 5773 (1/8/2013)
Hannah Goldsmith
mother of Charles
Goldsmith
Louis Gross
father of Shelly Vedres
Karl Peterson
father of April Peterson
Pauline Taube
aunt of Stan Ziegler
Margaret Ash
mother of Milton Ash
Morris Goldberg
father of Elliot Goldberg
Theodore Negrin
husband of Marsha Negrin
Joe Weomberg
grandfather of Donald
Morris
Tevet 27, 5773 (1/9/2013)
Lisa Hall
daughter of Ron Hall
Nathan Landgarten
remembered by the KM
Congregation
Gertrude Lowis
grandmother of Roslyn
Menitoff
Tevet 28, 5773 (1/10/2013)
Gisela Gessert
mother of Barbara
GessertSchmalz
Lea Kramarsky
mother of Jonathan
Kramarsky
Yehudit Soltz
mother-in-law of Michael
Wyte
Tevet 29, 5773 (1/11/2013)
Abe Ballonoff
husband of Edith
Ballonoff, father of Lynn
Beliak
Eva Kramer
mother of Dorine Kramer
and Beverly Schwartz,
grandmother of Andrea
Jussim
Shevat 4, 5773 (1/15/2013)
Joel David Cohen
grandfather of Nathalie
Hoffman
Shevat 5, 5773 (1/16/2013)
Shevat 6, 5773 (1/17/2013)
Atida Levine
mother of Judi Levine
Ethel Menitoff
mother of Rabbi Michael
Menitoff
Samuel H. Sheplow
brother of Bernice Stein
Shevat 7, 5773 (1/18/2013)
Shirle Fleck
aunt of Kathie Rose
Benjamin Reff
father of Albert Reff
Kaddish will be recited on
January 19, 2013 for:
Shevat 8, 5773 (1/19/2013)
Hy Baker
brother of Manny Baker
Isaac Stein
grandfather of Nathalie
Hoffman
Arthur Swerdloff
father of Lauren Swerdloff
Shevat 9, 5773 (1/20/2013)
Cecille Glance
mother of Barbara Levy
Arnold Kurtz
brother of Maurice Kurtz
Lillian Turk
remembered by Shirley
Strom
Shevat 11, 5773 (1/22/2013)
”
Samuel Bortnik
father of Rozalye
Averbukh
Esther Gura
mother of Dennis Gura
Roberta Kaplan
aunt of Hannah Ganezer
Meyer Simon Olken
father of Sherwin Olken
Shevat 12, 5773 (1/23/2013)
Helma Halpern
mother of Toby Brannen
Rhia Wolfe
mother of Lolly Bennett
Shevat 13, 5773 (1/24/2013)
Morris Bram
father of Rosalyn Senkfor
and Edith Ballonoff,
grandfather of Lynn Beliak
Eugene Erdley
father of Hal Erdley,
grandfather of Alyssa
Ganezer
Goodwin Glance
father of Barbara Levy
Beatrice Olifson
stepmother of Rochelle
Olifson
Sam Stover
grandfather of Gaylen
Grody
Shevat 14, 5773 (1/25/2013)
Rose Barnett
mother of Ron Barnett
Mamie Brody Cohen
mother of Bill Cohen
Raffi Sabban
husband of Sonia
Sabban Kaddish will be recited on
January 26, 2013 for:
Shevat 15, 5773 (1/26/2013)
Frank Messinger
grandfather of Rabbi
Miriam Hamrell
Rose Rose
mother of Stan Rubin
Hilda Seidel
aunt of Stan Ziegler
Shevat 16, 5773 (1/27/2013)
Alfred Bono
father of Michael Bono
Stanley Greenberg
uncle of Tammy Steinsapir
Fannie Senkfor
mother-in-law of Rosalyn
Senkfor
Judith Augusta Zeff
mother of Marcia Minsky
Shevat 17, 5773 (1/28/2013)
Magda Kovacs
aunt of Thomas Vedres
Leon Kurtz
brother of Maurice Kurtz
Leonard Mitchell
father of Nicholas Mitchell
Shevat 18, 5773 (1/29/2013)
William Barnard
husband of Sara Barnard
Rebecca Bortnik
mother of Rozalye
Averbukh
Benjamin Brook
father of Robert Brook
James Leon Dubrow
father of Miriam Cohen
Samuel Somekh
father of Carmella Pardo
Shevat 19, 5773 (1/30/2013)
Gesya Averbukh
remembered by Rozalye
Averbukh
Joshua Eisenstein
nephew of Marian and
Charles Goldsmith
Beatrice Horwitz
mother of Susan Yuré
Murry Weber
father of Sarah Weber
Shevat 20, 5773 (1/31/2013)
Sylvia Atkins
sister of Rosalyn Senkfor
and Edith Ballonoff, aunt
of Lynn Beliak
Thelma Perlmutter
sister inlaw of Ed Baizer
Pauline Stein
mother of Nathaniel Stein
Shevat 21, 5773 (2/1/2013)
Jack Landis
step-father of Sonya
Sultan
Howard Speigel
father of Gary Spiegel
MAZEL TOV
Pat and Len Solomon
on the birth of their
grandson, Eli Samuel
Bader, born Monday,
November 19.
CONDOLENCES
Brian and Eileen Cohen
on the passing of Bernard
Cohen, Brian’s father,
Thursday, December 6, in
London.
January 2013 • 15
The KM Voice
1715 21st Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 829-0566
Fax: (310) 453-8358
www.km-synagogue.org
Rabbi
Cantor
Executive Director
Director of Education
Vice Principal
Youth Advisor
Administrative
Assistant
President
Executive VP
Bookkeeper/
Business Mgr.
Editor
Kehillat Ma’arav
The Westside Congregation
1715 21st Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Michael Gotlieb
Sam Cohen
Kathie Rose
Sharone Weizman
Masha Savitz
Cindy Roth
Rose Piccirilli
Brian Cohen
Manny Baker
Roy Morris
Roy Morris
Newsletter deadline is the first of the
month prior to publication
Newsletter Layout and Design by
Bill Sharpsteen
Purim is coming!
Saturday Night, February 23!
Great prizes! TWO $1800 CASH prizes!
iPAD Mini! Restaurants! Gifts! More fun stuff!
6 pm—Dinner $5 per person
7 pm—Festivities begin
7:30 pm—Traditional Megillah reading