January 2016 - Temple Beth El, Utica, NY

The Temple Times
2710 Genesee Street, Utica, New York 13502
TBE 315/724-4751 TE 315/724-4177
Tevet / Shevat 5776
Vol.7.5 January 2016
Temple Beth El Service Schedule
KIDDUSH HOSTED BY THE
TEMPLE BETH EL SISTERHOOD
HAPPY
AND
HEALTHY
2016
Schedule of Daily Services
Monday Mornings
Thursday Mornings
Friday Shabbat Evening
Saturday Shabbat Morning
Sunday Mornings
8:00 A.M.
8:00 A.M.
5:30 P.M.
9:30 A.M.
8:45 A.M.
Dear Friends,
Please join us any morning, from the
schedule above, that you are available, to
help be part of a minyan. It is a mitzvah for
you and for our service.
Temple Beth El Office Hours:
Monday thru Thursday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Candle Lighting 5774
January 1st
January 8th
January 15th
January 22nd
January 29th
4:18 P.M.
4:25 P.M.
4:33 P.M.
4:42 P.M.
4:51 P.M.
Please notify Temple of any ADDRESS
CHANGES you may have for the winter
months, we need these address changes if
we are to continue sending the bulletin.
Thank You.
Page 2
Temple Beth El Organization
Cantor Kalman A. Socolof
Dr. Stanley Gerstein, Rabbi Emeritus
Officers
Ms. Marsha Silverman, President
Mr. Michael Silverman, Treasurer
Presidents
Mrs. Aliza Gerstein, Sisterhood Co-Pres.
Mrs. Mundy Shapiro, Sisterhood Co-Pres.
Mr. Charles Manning, Men’s Club
Mr. Stanley Shapiro, Minyanaires
Staff
Mrs. Mundy B. Shapiro, Executive Director
Mrs. Julie Cain, Secretary
Mr. Denny Pexton, Cemetery Caretaker
The Temple Times
Page 6
Message from Cantor Socolof
Living in Central New York has many
advantages and benefits. We have many
opportunities to enjoy the various aspects of
nature. We have a varied topography and, if
we don’t blink, we get to see the turning of the
seasons. The people, like the weather, are
generally moderate, with seasonal extremes.
One thing that living in Central New York
does not provide us is a climate evocative of
Israel’s.
In most cases, that is of little
account. They have their climate, we have
ours, zei gesunt. When we start talking about
and seeking to celebrate holidays that are
feasible in the Israeli climate, but not in ours,
it can prove puzzling. Perhaps none are
more prominent in this aspect than Tu
b’Shevat.
Tu B’Shevat is variously known as the new
year for the trees or Jewish Arbor Day. This
year, it coincides with January 25th.
A
resident of Central New York might well
wonder if this is some kind of joke. After all,
who would set a holiday celebrating plants
and agriculture in the middle of the winter?
Winter in Israel is a very different season than
what we experience. It is the rainy season.
As I write this, the high temperatures in
Jerusalem for the next few days should be
around 60, and for them that is winter
weather. Our rabbis observed that by Tu
B’Shevat, most of the annual rain had fallen,
so that any fruit produced after that was from
a new year.
It might help to understand that Tu B’Shevat
was not originally a celebration of horticulture
as we know it. Rather, it was set as a
practical matter to deal with a problem that
arose with trying to observe a Torah
command. The Torah tells us that we may
not use any fruit that grows on a tree in its
first three years. This fruit is called orlah and
the prohibition can be found in Leviticus 19.
We are further commanded that the fruit of
The Temple Times
the fourth year is holy; we are to bring it with
us to the Temple and eat it there. As of the
fifth year, we may do with the fruit as we
please.
The question this brings up is: when is a
tree’s birthday? Is it when it is planted? Or
perhaps when it sprouts? What about when it
is planted in the ground?
There are
arguments to be made for each of these
occasions. To clarify and standardize the
application of these mitzvoth, Tu B’Shevat
was set as the official new year for the trees,
effectively their birthday. As of that date, any
tree planted in the previous year was now
one year old. It is interesting to note that a
similar system is used to determine the age of
thoroughbred race horses, but their date is
January 1st.
In any event, it is customary to eat from the
fruit of Israel, especially a fruit you have not
eaten for a few months, so that you might
recite Shehechiyanu. The seven foods
mentioned in the Torah in this context are
wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates,
olives and dates (it actually mentions honey,
but the honey came from dates, not bees). If
you opt, instead, for carob or a Jaffa orange
you are still doing a mitzvah.
Tu B’Shevat offers us a chance to recognize
and celebrate the importance of all forms of
life on our planet. While we tend to focus on
animal life, the Torah reminds us that the
members of the plant kingdom deserve their
due as well. Like all life, it is remanded to our
care. We should endeavor to treat it with
care and respect.
Cantor Kal Socolof
The Temple Times
Page 7
Temple Beth El President’s Message
Our community lost a remarkable woman in
2015. I was honored to have Helen Sperling as
my friend. We spent many hours together and I
feel blessed I had that time with her.
Another friend sent me the following that I
would like to share with you:
On Friday nights, a husband chants the
words to Ayshes Chayil--A woman of valor who
can find. She is more precious than jewels. It
ends with, “Her children rise up and make her
happy:” her husband praises her, "Many women
have excelled, but a woman who fears the
Lord--she shall be praised. Give her credit for
the fruit of her labors and let her achievements
praise her at the gates” (NCSY Bencher).
Helen Sperling was a true Ayshes Chayil
because she was a woman of valor and indeed
she was more precious to the community than
jewels. In fact, she was often described as a
jewel.
As we all know Helen Sperling has shared
her story of Nazi Germany with thousands of
people, mostly young people. She told the
story of how she left the Ghetto to call her very
best friend, Barbara, on her birthday.
She
used the phone at the bakery to call Barbara,
who in turn said, "Don't ever call me again you
dirty Jew.” We know this devastated Helen.
Years later, her daughter Fran, who was in 5th
grade, came home in tears because someone
had called her a “dirty Jew.” This was the
beginning of Helen's life-long journey to make
sure as many people as possible knew about
the Holocaust. She was astonished that hatred
and anti-semitism had followed her to the
United States. In fact hatred, anti-semitism,
and bullying exists still today in epidemic
proportions. Helen, along with her husband
Leon, began the Leon and Helen Sperling
Holocaust Memorial Lecture series, so that
yearly, the community would gather together in
a standing-room only space "to never forget",
"to never be a bystander" and to teach the
lessons of the Holocaust.
The prayer ends by telling us that her
children rise up and make her happy. Not only
did Helen get "nachos" joy from her own
children and grandchildren, but she had a
special place in her heart for the thousands of
school students whose lives she touched. For
every time she spoke, she would end her
talk by having each student come up and give
her a hug and, she in turn, would give them a
hug. As of late, she also gave them each a
bracelet that said "Thou shall never be a
bystander." The prayer continues by saying her
husband praises her. Leon and Helen loved
each other unconditionally and were each
other's best friends. Without the love and
support of Leon, Fran and Paul, Helen could
not have reached out and touched as many
people as she did.
The prayer continues with, "Many women
have excelled," and indeed Helen Sperling
excelled. This was best exemplified by the
numerous awards she had received, as well as,
the many leadership roles she served in the
community. But a woman who fears the Lord,
tells us about the strong belief and sense of
pride Helen had in being Jewish. She was
actively involved in the Jewish community and
during the time she spent in the Holocaust, was
proud of her heritage and stood up against the
forces of evil telling them they will never own
her. The verse continues with, “She shall be
praised. “ Helen Sperling saw the good in
everyone and never allowed hatred to rule her.
Maybe she strongly disliked Nazi Germany, but
she was stronger than Nazi Germany because
she lived to be 95. She had a good life.
Lastly, it says, “Give her credit for the fruit of
her labors and let her achievements praise her
at the gates. “ The only way in which we can
honor Helen and Leon, their lives, and give her
credit for her life-long quest to educate people
about the Holocaust is "to never forget.” Don't
be a bystander and watch what is going on.
Stand up against the forces of evil. Helen's
achievements will be praised at the gates and
throughout the community, if we "never forget.”
Her memory will be a blessing for all and she
will have achieved her ultimate goal of us never
being a bystander. If you always remember the
lessons of the Holocaust that Helen taught us,
then Helen will live forever in our hearts and
minds.
Marsha Silverman
Page 8
The Temple Times
Temple Beth El Executive Director’s
Message
As we start the New Year 2016 we will go
back a bit and say Todah Rabah to the many
ladies who worked on the Chanukah dinner.
The latkes were delicious, as always the
Latka Ladies did a great job. The potato
peelers enjoyed visiting while they peeled, the
“shoppers” had everything ready to go for the
caterers and the ladies that set the tables
along with the students that made the lovely
decorations made the room look warm and
festive.
None of this could have been done without
the tremendous help of Sead, and the caterer
and the staff of the Moveable Feast.
A lovely evening was enjoyed by all.
As is so often the case life is a mixed blessing
– after our lovely, fun dinner our wonderful
Helen Sperling came to the end of her days;
leaving memories for all of us. I would like to
share some of my thoughts with you.
Helen Sperling
I met Helen over 50 years ago at a preschool meeting, in those days it was nursery
school, at the old JCC on Genesee Street.
Our sons were the same age and Stan and I
had the privilege of knowing Helen and Leon
for all those many years.
Helen was a little lady but only in stature;
she was a woman of great strength and
amazing intellect, she was determined, she
could be stubborn when she thought she was
right but she was kind and caring and always
ready to help. Helen could not have lived to
95 had she not been a determined fighter.
She survived the horrors of the Holocaust,
losing her parents, spending three years in a
hospital recovering from beatings in the
concentration camp.
Helen came to the U.S., she met and
married Leon and they ended up in Utica, NY,
to our great luck. They were parents to
Franny and Paul and our community was the
beneficiary of a woman of greatness. So
many of our children had the opportunity to
learn Helen’s story, our community and so
many far reaching communities had the great
good fortune to learn history from a survivor
of one of history’s great atrocities. Learning
from Helen was learning with love, with her
message “Thou Shall Not Be A
Bystander”, being her lesson in few words.
Let us never forget Helen and her
message, and let us always appreciate what
a very special friend we had.
Peace and happiness.
Mundy
It is with sadness that I write about our
friend of many years, Helen Sperling, but it is
also with great appreciation that we had the
opportunity to know Helen, and to benefit
from her caring and desire to share her past
with all of us.
Page 9
The Temple Times
Temple Beth El Donations
THE VICTOR H. FLAX FUND
In Memory Of: Merwin Greene
Given By: Norm and Ann Siegel
In Memory Of: David Lowitz’s mother
Given By: Marsha Silverman; Bob and
Adele Sossen; David and Sharon Goldenson
In Memory Of: Judy Vogel’s daughter
Michele
Given By: Marsha Silverman
In Honor Of: Marian Freeman’s great
grandson
Given By: Norm and Ann Siegel
For the Recovery Of: Ernie Berkowitz
Given By: Murray and Diane Kirshtein
Reminder
from
TEMPLE BETH EL
SISTERHOOD
Sisterhood will sponsor a
THRIFT SHOP
in March 2016.
Items may be brought to the
Temple after the first of the year.
More information will follow.
THE CEMETERY CARE FUND
In Memory Of: The Yahrzeit of Arthur
Wasserman
Given By: Audrey Lewis
In Memory Of: The Yahrzeit of Barbara
Galinn Schneider
Given By: Irving Schneider
In Memory Of: Neville Barnett
Given By: Ruth Dresher Cohen
In Memory Of: Judy Vogel’s daughter
Michele
Given By: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Manning
In Memory Of: Helen Sperling
Given By: Murray and Diane Kirshtein;
Harold L. Klein
HADASSAH JNF
CERTIFICATES
$12.00
PLEASE
Call Marsha 737-7665
Temple Beth El Religious School Celebrating Chanukah at Sitrin
The ENTIRE Jewish Community
is invited to join us
as we continue our Winter / Spring
Lunch and Learn Series
on Jewish Ethics
Saturday, February 6th
12:00 PM
Cantor Socolof will be the speaker
Please RSVP to either
Mundy at Temple Beth El 724-4751 or
Rita at Temple Emanu-El 724-4177
and
will pay Temple Beth El
for you to buy your groceries!!
Fill out the coupon below
with your check payable to Temple Beth El
and mail it to 2710 Genesee St., Utica, NY 13502
We will send you a gift card for the same amount!
You have not spent an extra penny and in return Temple
Beth El received a percentage from PriceChopper
and Hannford.
Name ________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
PriceChopper
$25. $50.
$100
Hannaford
$25. $50.
$100
Thank You!!!
Please join us as we
Celebrate the Life
of
Helen Sperling
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
JCC
2310 Oneida Street, Utica
More details to follow
Page 20
The Temple Times
Temple Beth El December Simcha Grams
February 2016
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
Lisa Zeidner
Marsey Rosenblum
Tara Jonas
Roz Lemel
Adam Oster
Charles Manning
Victor Pearlman
Susie Zeidner
Elsie Feiner
Jerome Socolof
Shona Rosenblum
Norman Neslin
Elaine Brown
Abbe Nathan Gross
Judy Nathan Schomer
Joshua Foote
Bob Stern
Date
03
07
08
08
08
13
16
16
17
18
19
21
22
23
23
24
29
FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES
Gary and Lisa Philipson
Edward and Melissa Kowalsky
Date
7/1987
20/2007
Enclosed is $1.50 per name that I have indicated. I have enclosed a check made out to the Sisterhood of
Temple Beth El for $__________ for ______ (#) of Simcha Grams
Mail to:
Rae Rosenfeld
3008 Oneida Street
Sauquoit, NY 13456
Due by the 15th of the month
I have printed my name and date as I wish it to appear on the Simcha Gram.
Name:
Telephone Number:
Please call the Temple Office 724-4751, if you wish to add any names to the list
The Temple Times
Page 21
Temple Beth El January Yahrzeit Record
The following Yahrzeit will be observed during the week of January 9 to 15, 2016
28 Tevet to 5 Shevat 5776
These names will be read from the pulpit on Friday January 8, 2016
Leonard Bartnick*
Bernard Kowalsky*
Milton Richards*
Louis J. Toffler*
Nathan Kowalsky*
Sophie Rubin
Samuel Tumposky*
David Berger*
Philip
A.
Lewis*
Edward
I.
Shapiro*
Hinda Tumposky*
Henry Berger*
Edith Lorig*
Jacob Sitrin*
Yetta Wolfe*
Max Brooks*
Shaina Damsky*
Adelaide G. Lumberg*
Samuel J. Smith*
Anna L. Wolfe*
Sara Gennis*
Milton S. Manning*
Edward Smith*
Morris Woloshin*
Pincus Grossman
Joseph S. Mintzer*
Charles Sumberg*
Morris Baker*
Emma Jacobson*
Ruth Movsh*
Elka Targer*
Herman Philipson*
Barnet Kirshtein*
George Nusbaum*
Rachel Toffler*
Sarah Wolf*
The following Yahrzeit will be observed during the week of January 16 to 22 2016
6 to 12 Shevat 5776
These names will be read from the pulpit on Friday January 15, 2016
Anne Alderman*
Max Benjamin*
Beretha Blumberg*
David L. Cohen*
Ida Cramer*
Dorothy Dumain*
Charles Finer
Regina C. Friedlander*
Jewel Friedlander*
Rachel Goldenson*
Harry Greene*
Irving Greenfield*
David Gross
Harvey Harris
Harry Kamino*
Herbert B. Kopel*
Anna Schneider Kossof*
Mary J. Levenson*
Sarah Levine*
Fanny Lindey*
Samuel Meyers*
Milton M. Osber*
Ethel G. Philipson*
Max J. Philipson*
Frances Katzman Revitch*
Lena Rosenthal*
Anna Schwartz*
Saria Singer*
Ben Slater
Rose Taylor*
Meyer Taylor*
Anna E. Tumposky*
Rebecca Weinstein*
Hyman Wertheim
Louis Wineburgh*
Eliyucum Wineburgh*
Samuel J. Wolfe*
The following Yahrzeit will be observed during the week of January 23 to 29, 2016
13 to 19 Shevat 5776
These names will be read from the pulpit on Friday January 22, 2016
Elizabeth Bartnick
Carol Brown
Frances Winnick Cohen
Harvey N. Fink
Dora M. Freedman
Bessie N. Freeman
Hiram Goldenson
Anna I. Goldman
Dr. Edmund Goldstone
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kirschstein
Robert Kowalsky
Florence Kurtzman
Rae LaVine
Abraham Levine
Aaron David Levy
Bessie G. Manning
Daniel Meyers
Louis G. Payne
Israel Perlman
Max Philipson
Dr. Judith A. Resnik
Harry Shapiro
Mollie Sherman
Solomon Simon
Samuel L. Simon
Helen Simons
Hymen P. Snyder
Gertrude Frankel Stahl
Solomon Stayman
Lillian Sugarman
Sarah Tapper Gossis
Edward I. Weiss
Samuel L. Wolfe
Abraham H. Wyner
(Continued on Page 22)
Page 22
The Temple Times
Temple Beth El January/February Yahrzeit Record
(Continued from Page 21)
The following Yahrzeit will be observed during the week of January 30 to February 5, 2016:
20 to 26 Shevat 5776
These names will be read from the pulpit on Friday January 29, 2016
Bea Abrams*
Harold Alpert
Dr. Harold B. Arlen*
Julia Simon Aronson*
Dorothy Berkowitz
Abraham Block*
Hyman Brooks*
Benjamin Brown*
Sarah Cohen*
Tema Cramer*
Jack Daniels*
William Edelstein*
Sari Emas*
Joseph Y. Freeman*
Michael Gilbert*
Joseph Glick*
Ida Goldstein*
Maxine R. Kall*
Milton P. Kayle*
Emma W. Kowalsky*
Ruth Ben Kroll*
Saul Shepard Lasher*
Charles Manning*
Carrie Nedell*
Rita H. Osber*
Morris Pollack*
Victor Pressler*
Florence Sarah Rabinowitz
Nathan Rebeck
Bertha Birdye Rizika*
Ruth S. Rosenblum*
Belle Rossky*
Nathan Samuels*
Abraham Schecter
Ryfka Schecter
Lena Schmuckler*
Dr. Gerald Segal*
Ida R. Seld*
Ann Perlman Seldin*
Mose P. Silverstein*
Benjamin Simon*
Jacob Moses Smith*
Minnie I. Smith*
Max Stone*
Theodore Stone*
Sora Blume Wineburgh*
James L. Wolfe*
The following Yahrzeit will be observed during the week of February 6 to 12, 2016:
27 Shevat to 3 Adar 1 5776
These names will be read from the pulpit on Friday February 5, 2016
Richard Edward Arlen*
Herman Berger*
Cantor Martin Bodanoff*
Morris Bonnett*
Fannie Burger*
Morey Cummins
Ann Fosberg Demell*
Anna Fink*
Rabbi Joseph Gerstein*
Gabriel Harris*
Idelle Herman*
Jennie Horowitz*
Anna Hymes*
Nathan Jacobson*
Dr. Sol E. Kantor*
Reuben Kaplan*
Anita Krohn*
Minnie Krohn*
Julius Manning*
Annette G. Mansky*
Hyman Mittleman*
Dorothy Nathan*
Sydney Oberman*
Simon D. Parker*
Bertha Rabinowitz*
Col. Ilan Ramon*
Vilmos Reisner*
Rubie H. Root*
Jennie E. Rosen*
Edward Silverman*
Harry Weiss*
Jonathan Lodge, No. 944 – I.O.O.F.
Consider Joining
A community-based fraternal organization that supports many state,
national, and international projects & charities, is accepting new members.
Open to men and women. College scholarships are available for children of
members.
For more information, contact:
Terry Reich • (315) 735-0504
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SYSTEMS IN HAIR
3993 Oneida Street
New Hartford, NY 13413
Phone 797-5670
Hair Designers:
Arthur Nole
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STAR BAKERY
Fresh Kosher Baked Goods
2 LOCATIONS • Tuesday - Sunday
1212 Catherine Street, Utica, NY
7 a.m. to 2 p.m. 733-6603
103 Main Street, Whitesboro, NY
6 a.m. to 1 p.m. 768-1462
"Quality and Freshness Make the
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BREMER’S WINE & LIQUOR
4684 Commercial Drive
New Hartford, NY 13413
Savings : Selection : Service
(315) 768-6400
Mohawk Valley Monuments, LLC
Ben Morgan, Owner
(315) 724-7629
2270 BROAD STREET, FRANKFORT
(Just beyond Main Post Office)
Purveyors of Wine and Spirits
Bentz Funeral Service, Inc.
Mark C. Bentz
13 Oxford Road, New Hartford, NY 13413
40 Main Street, Whitesboro, NY 13492
(315) 724-2731
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.bentzfuneralhomes.com
Temple Beth El
2710 Genesee Street
Utica, NY 13502-6194
Temple Beth El
A Conservative Congregation Established for
the Worship of God, the Study of Torah and the Practice of Righteous Deeds
2710 Genesee Street, Utica, NY 13502
315/724-4751
Fax 315/724-6883
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: tbeutica.org
Cantor Kalman Socolof
E-Mail: [email protected]