Our Place(s) in the “Jewniverse”

Transcription

December2011
2013
December
Kesliv
/
Tevet
5774
Kislev / Tevet 5772
Our Place(s) in the “Jewniverse”
photo by Michael Fox
We call Temple Isaiah “Your Jewish Neighborhood” to emphasize
how wonderful it is to have a central Jewish gathering place in a
geographic region that lacks high concentrations of Jews living in
close proximity to one another.Within our synagogue walls, we and
our children meet a critical mass of “neighbors” who share a history, values, language, and a vision for the Jewish future. When we
join together in large numbers we are empowered to live Jewishly
with a strength, vitality, and joy well beyond our own as individuals.
Being part of a true community sustains and energizes us.
Sometimes we forget, or do not know, how linked we also are to
the hundreds, even thousands, of other Jewish “neighborhoods” in
the world-wide Jewish community. This month I and many of my
TI colleagues and lay-leaders will travel to San Diego to participate
in the bi-annual gathering of the Union of Reform Judaism/Women
of Reform Judaism. Every two years upwards of 5,000 Reform Jews
from North America (and some from beyond) meet to exchange
best practices, hear each other’s stories, pray together en masse
(nothing like it!), debate topical Jewish issues, find out what is “cutting edge” programming in the Jewish world, and, once again, to
know and feel a Jewish strength and a Jewish connection beyond
our own.
Religious School students learn the Chanukah ritual of lighting
the Chanukiah and reciting the blessings.
What are some of the other “neighborhoods” in our contemporary Jewniverse?
Close to home in the East Bay we can
learn about sustainable farming at Urban
Adamah, find a Jewish residential home
and progressive care for elders at the
Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living,
get counseling and a wide range of help
from the Jewish Family and Children’s
Services, and access cultural, educational, and social justice programs under
the auspices of the Jewish Federation.
Throughout the Bay Area, we can find
connections to Israel through organizations too numerous to list that provide
avenues for political advocacy, learning, philanthropy, social programs, and
travel.
As our circle widens, we think of the
national Jewish men’s and women’s
service organizations like B’nai Brith
and Hadassah, which have active local
chapters for adults and teens. The World
Union for Progressive Judaism is the
umbrella organization linking us at
Temple Isaiah to congregations large
and small throughout the world. When
next you travel abroad, go on their
website to find a place to pray in over
1,200 congregations, representing more
than 1.8 million Jews in 45 countries on
six continents. Be sure to make arrangements well in advance since in many
countries security around synagogues
is tight. Traveling closer to home? Make
part of your planning time to Google
local Jewish news online to find a synagogue for Shabbat, a Jewish deli, a JCC,
or a Jewish Museum. Chances are very
(Continued on page 2)
Rabbi Judy Shanks
We love having
you all part of
our TI Jewish
neighborhood,
but I urge you
not to deprive
yourselves
of the lively,
creative, vital
intersections
of Jewish life
throughout the
world.
TEMPLE ISAIAH
945 Risa Road, Lafayette, CA 94549
Temple Isaiah’s mission is to embody, enhance, and
perpetuate our Jewish tradition by providing a
welcoming spiritual home where the membership
gathers to worship God, study Torah, engage in acts of
Tikun Olam, participate in Jewish rituals and life cycle
events, and experience the joy of being a part of a
caring community.
Robert Goldberg
David Douglas
Tony Crea
David Bressler
Steve Lipson
Parliamentarian
Lisa Hirsch
Phone Ext
Rabbi
Roberto Graetz 308
Rabbi
Judy Shanks 308
Associate Rabbi
Alissa Miller 308
Rabbi Emeritus Shelly Waldenberg 308
Cantor
Leigh Korn 308
Executive Director Michael Liepman 301
Education Director
Rabbi Nicki Greninger 313
Gan Ilan Director
Liz Kaufman 108
Youth Director
Ira Rosenberg 311
Membership
Abby Seitelman 306
Facilities Rental Michaela Caughlan 303
Librarian
Melissa Gianotti 316
Clergy Secretary
Nina Jones 308
Education Asst.
Nathan Bellet 315
Communications Dir. Jen Boxerman 310
Hebrew Tutor
Joel Siegel 318
Office Staff
Sherry Tsai 300
Melissa Gianotti 304
Tonna Lusareta-Stevens 302
President
Vice President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Office (925) 283-8575
Fax
(925) 283-8355
Religious School (925) 284-9191
Gan Ilan Preschool (925) 284-8453
Gift Shop
(925) 284-4933
Website
www.temple-isaiah.org
Ruach Vol. 62, No. 4, December 2013
Ruach is published monthly except in July by Temple
Isaiah. Ruach is breath, wind, or spirit. It also means
soul. May it be a breeze of fresh Jewish spirit arriving
at your home.
Editor
Julie Candau
[email protected]
Photographer
Michael Fox
Copy Editors Ellen Baer, Miriam Cairns,
Jeanie Conneran, Beth Hoenninger,
Julie Magilen, Anna Marie Levy,
Carol Olmert
2 Temple Isaiah Ruach, December 2013
(Rabbi Shanks continued from page 1)
high you will connect easily with the people
you meet in that new “neighborhood,” and
they will be thrilled you have sought them
out. Play Jewish geography and everyone
will win.
Numerically, we are a small people, we
Jews, but we live in a Jewniverse that connects us quickly one to the other no matter
what the distance between our front doors.
We love having you all part of our TI Jewish
neighborhood, but I urge you not to deprive
yourselves of the lively, creative, vital intersections of Jewish life throughout the world.
Come back and tell us about the Jewish
neighborhoods you visit – near and far!
P.S. If you want a comprehensive guide
to Jewish life in the Bay Area, go to www.
jewishresourceguide.com.You can also
receive a hard copy of the information,
published by j. the Jewish news weekly of
Northern California. The j. is another valuable resource for connection with your local
Jewniverse.
Rabbi Judy Shanks
Documentary Film:
Blessed is the Match
Our next documentary film, Blessed is the
Match, will be shown on Sunday, December
22, at 4 p.m. Narrated by Joan Allen, Blessed
Is the Match is the first documentary feature
about Hannah Senesh, the World War II-era
poet and diarist who became a paratrooper,
resistance fighter and modern-day Joan of
Arc.
At age 22, Hannah Senesh parachuted into
Nazi-occupied Europe in an effort to save
the Jews of her native Hungary. She was
captured, tortured and ultimately executed
by the Nazis. With unprecedented access to
the Senesh family archive, and through interviews, eyewitness accounts, and the prolific
writings of Hannah and her mother Catherine
Senesh, the film recreates Hannah’s mission
and imprisonment, and explores her childhood against the backdrop of significant
historical events.The film will be shown in
our Adult Lounge on a big screen followed
by a discussion led by Cantor Korn.
Under One Tent: Jewish Book Festival
The Contra Costa Jewish Book and Arts
Festival continues with the following two
events sponsored by Temple Isaiah:
One Bay One Book: Discussion of
Dara Horn’s A Guide for the Perplexed
– Wednesday, January 15, 10:30 a.m. in the
Adult Lounge. Memories run deep through
Horn’s spellbinding new novel, A Guide
for the Perplexed, that combines a taut,
page-turning thriller with complex themes
of history, family, technology, and religion.
Intertwined with the contemporary plot
are the true stories of two historic figures:
Solomon Schechter — a Cambridge professor seeking a medieval trove of manuscripts
in 1896 — and Moses Maimonides, the
Thank You from the
Graetz Family
We would like to thank the overwhelming
support, warm messages, and delicious food
with which our Temple Isaiah community
lightened our load during the time our
grandson Aaron was getting stronger in the
NICU, and our mother and grandmother
Ruth died after a long and beautiful life. Your
presence held us up during this trying time
and for this we are grateful.
Rabbi Roberto and Evelyn Graetz
rabbi and physician who wrote the seminal
Guide for the Perplexed in the 12th century.
Admission is free.
Allan Sherman: The Life, The Hits, The
Lost Lyrics – Friday, January 24, 8 p.m., in
the Sanctuary. Join author Mark Cohen for
this lively “Library Shabbat” presentation of
his book Overweight Sensation: The Life
and Comedy of Allan Sherman. This biography chronicles the famous song parodist
who achieved worldwide fame in 1963
with “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh,” and
whose unapologetic Jewish comedy heralded an explosion in American ethnic pride.
Admission is free.
Temple Isaiah Teens
Recognized by NFTY
A recent article by the National Federation
of Temple Youth (NFTY) - the URJ’s national
youth movement - just reported that Temple
Isaiah had the sixth most participants attend
a NFTY event last year in the entire country!
We had a total of 64 participants attend an
event in the 2012-13 school year. To read the
article and see the impact that NFTY has
had around the country visit http://blogs.
rj.org/nfty/2013/10/28/a-look-at-nfty-bythe-numbers/.
for the latest information www.temple-isaiah.org
NEWS AND INSPIRATION
Israel in the World’s Press
The Israel and World Jewry Committee is proud to host Aryeh
Green, director of Media Central, a Jerusalem-based project
providing support services to foreign journalists based in or
visiting Israel, on Tuesday, January 7, at 7 p.m. in the Adult Longe.
He will speak about “Missiles & Media Madness: Understanding
Israel’s Challenges in the World’s Press – A radically different
approach to improving Israel’s image.” Mr. Green grew up in San Francisco and made Aliyah in 1984.
As a policy adviser to Natan Sharansky, he was responsible for
contacts with Palestinian and other Arab democracy activists and
for relations with the ‘next generation’ of Jewish leaders. He also
spent over 15 years in business, mostly high-tech, performing
consulting work for several Israeli companies. Mr. Green continues to be active in the battle to combat anti-Semitism and in
Israel’s public diplomacy efforts, including serving in the IDF’s
Spokesperson’s Unit as well as in a number of initiatives promoting freedom and democracy in the Middle East. Please join us for a fascinating presentation on the challenges
facing foreign reporters in Israel and a follow-up discussion with
Mr.Green. RSVP to Marlene Thier at [email protected].
www.temple-isaiah.org for the latest information
Temple Isaiah Ruach, December 2013 3
COMMUNITY
Adult Eduation with Clergy
“Why Pray?”
Jewish prayer has been around since biblical times. With the
destruction of the second Temple in 70 CE, prayer became a more
formal way for Jews to offer “avodah” (worship/sacrifice) to God
as a community. That being said, many Jews find the experience
of prayer today to be alienating, frustrating, challenging, boring,
or all of the above. Come learn with Rabbi Nicki Greninger on
Sunday, December 15, at 11:15 a.m. in the CCJDS Makom, as
we address the philosophy and theology behind Jewish prayer
and wrestle with our own personal ways to answer the questions “Why pray (in general)?” and “Why pray as a community
with fixed liturgy at fixed times?” Free of charge. RSVP at www.
temple-isaiah.org/education/jewish-studies-hebrew-classes/.
Mazal Tov
■ To Lance and Cindy Gershen, on the birth of grandson,
Levi Griffin Stein, to parents Joe and Chelsea Stein, on
October 19, 2013.
“How the Torah Came To Be Written”
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative version of the Hebrew
Bible and the one that teaches Jews how the Torah is to be read.
Who were the Masoretes? How does our text compare to the
Greek and Latin translations produced centuries before our text
came to be? What was the battle all about? Come and learn a new
way to look at our sacred texts with Rabbi Graetz on Sundays,
January 5, 12 and 26, at 11:15 a.m. in the CCJDS Makom. Free
of charge. RSVP at www.temple-isaiah.org/education/jewishstudies-hebrew-classes/.
Yizkor Elohim
October 27, 2013
■ Ann Brott Schwartz, grandmother of Michael (Erin)
Bloom, great-grandmother of Matthew and Kennedy
Bloom. In Chicago.
October 29, 2013
■ Florence Speyer, mother of Carol (Dan) Altwarg, grandmother of Darcy and Brian.
November 1, 2013
■ Joan Abraham, mother of Donna (Seth Moldoff)
Abraham-Moldoff, grandmaother of David, Joshua, and
Phillip.
November 5, 2013
■ Ruth Graetz, mother of Rabbi Roberto (Evelyn) Graetz,
grandmother of Deborah (Eyal) Goldmann, Ilana (Ben
Yonas) Graetz, Sharon (Adam) Strater, great-grandmother
of Miriam and Aaron Goldmann and Noa Graetz-Yonas. In
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
November 12, 2013
■ Irene Ilse Lowen, mother of Temple member Elliott
(Mary) Lowen, Colette (Alan) Purdy and Vivienne (Steve
Redlich) Lowen, grandmother of Alexander, Elizabeth
and Rebecca Lowen, Marc and Evan Purdy, and Joshua
Redlich. November 15, 2013
■ Jon Moses, brother of Cheryl (Eric) Kohleriter.
COMMUNITY
What’s Happening at the Library
Have you heard of a good book but then can’t remember the title
a few months later? Technology is available that allows you to
keep track of books and see what your friends are reading! The
Temple Isaiah Library now has a profile on Goodreads.com – a
social networking site that allows the library to connect directly
with Temple Isaiah readers. Benefits of this technology: • Learning when books are added to the collection instantly
• Connecting with and seeing what other Temple Isaiah
readers are reading.
• Keeping track of all the books they have read, want to read,
or are currently reading.
• Recommending titles to friends and receiving recommendations from friends.
If you already have a Goodreads app on your smart phone or
a Goodreads profile on the web, just search for “Temple Isaiah
Library” in the friends search field. To join Goodreads, visit www.
temple-isaiah.org/about-us/library/. Need help getting started?
Contact Librarian Melissa Gianotti at 925-283-8575 ext. 316.
Check out these new releases available at our Temple Library:
Fiction: The Lion Seeker, by Kenneth Bonert.
This thrilling immigrant saga follows the
life of Isaac Helger, the son of Lithuanian
Jewish immigrants, to pre World War II
Johannesburg, South Africa. Set against the
rich and turbulent history of South Africa,
this coming-of-age story explores survival
amidst the freedom of the new world and
the responsibility to tradition.
Nonfiction: Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers
Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation, by Yossi Klein
Halevi.
Journalist Yossi Klein Halevi follows
the lives of seven members of the 55th
Paratrooper Reserve Brigade, the unit
responsible for restoring sovereignty to
Jerusalem. Tracing the history from the SixDay War to present, Halevi explores how
this diverse group of men and conflicting
ideology contributed to modern Israel.
Welcome New Members
October 17 to November 13, 2013
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Temple Isaiah Family Trip to Israel
Experience the holiness of Jerusalem’s Old City. Explore the
sites you have only read about in the Bible. Float in the Dead
Sea. Discover Jewish mysticism in Safed. Celebrate Shabbat in
Jerusalem and Chanukah in the land where the miracle happened. Connect with other Temple Isaiah families.
Your family can experience all this and more on a trip to Israel
with Rabbi Alissa Miller. The trip, December 21-31, 2014, will be
geared to families with children from kindergarten-12th grade,
but it is open to all ages. Children who will be between 12-14
years old at the time of the trip, can chose to become a bar/bat
mitzvah on the trip. Contact Rabbi Miller if you are interested in
this option.
For information about the trip including itinerary, costs, logistics, etc., go to www.temple-isaiah.org/israeltrip. If you have
questions, contact Rabbi Miller at [email protected].
Registration is now open.
The Marriage Artist
Join our welcoming book group Wednesday, December 18,
10:30–11:45 a.m. in the Adult Lounge for a lively discussion of our
next book: The Marriage Artist, a powerful book of contemporary Jewish fiction, by Andrew Winer.When the wife of renowned
art critic Daniel Lichtmann plunges to her death, she is not alone.
Lying next to her is her suspected lover, Benjamin Wind, the very
artist Daniel most championed. Dedicating himself to uncovering
the secrets of their relationship, Daniel discovers a web of mysteries leading back to pre-World War II Vienna. Ambitious, haunting, and stunningly written, The Marriage Artist tells a universal
tale of a family dramatically reshaped by the quest for personal
freedom in the face of inherited beliefs, public prejudices, and
the unfathomable turns of history.
COMMUNITY
Tu B’Shvat Seder
Not to be missed if you love Israel and trees. On Saturday, January
11, at 10:30 a.m., we will observe Tu B’Shvat or the “New Year of
the Trees” with a potluck seder following Torah study in the Beit
Knesset. The Israel and World Jewry Committee is sponsoring
the event. Tu B’Shvat is a holiday that combines an opportunity
to symbolically connect with Israel through eating foods found
there and Jewish Arbor Day, when many purchase trees to be
planted in Israel. In recent years, Reform Judaism has embraced
its social justice themes of preserving natural resources, expanding environmental programs, and greening our movement. If you
would like to attend and bring foods to share, please contact
Melody Howe Weintraub at [email protected].
Opportunities at Winter Nights
Literacy Tutor Training
For several years, Temple Isaiah has had a thriving volunteer program at Coronado Elementary School in West Contra Costa providing literacy and math tutors, as well as a full-fledged art program. More recently, we have begun to build a volunteer cadre
at Fair Oaks School in Pleasant Hill. In addition, Temple Isaiah
volunteer tutors are essential to the after-school Homework Club
at Contra Costa Interfaith Housing. But as much as we are already
doing, still more needs to be done to support the schools, particularly in the face of budget cuts and staff layoffs.
Tutoring can require only one to two hours a week and is one
of the most rewarding efforts we experience: to see children
“grow.” Just sign up at www.jclread.org for free tutor training to
be held at Temple Isaiah on Monday, December 9, 6–9 p.m. In
the three-hour program, you will learn the basic skills to teach
children how to improve their reading ability. Techniques are
presented to help you “get started” and help with one-on-one
tutoring, word recognition, etc. Notebooks are provided for reference as you work with the students, and experienced teachers/
trainers are available for continued support.
For more information about this project please contact Dick
and Barbara Lemyre, Temple Isaiah’s liaisons to the Jewish
Coalition for Literacy at 925-930-6526, or [email protected].
We are in awe of the way our community is answering the call
for volunteers and donations for Winter Nights. Thanks to you,
we can all look forward to providing warm shelter at the Temple,
great homemade food, and lots of holiday joy to our 30 guests –
all members of homeless families with children – from December
16-30.
That being said, we still need many more volunteers. If you
haven’t signed-up yet, please make it a Chanukah present to
yourself; those who help with this major mitzvah often feel
they receive far more from the experience than they give. To
register online, simply go to the Temple Isaiah homepage (www.
temple-isaiah.org), and click on the “Volunteer for Winter Nights”
box in the bottom-left corner.
There are hundreds of jobs, from essentials like setting up,
cooking, dishwashing, and supply shopping, to special treats like
reading to the kids, wrapping gifts, designing arts and crafts, singing, and driving to weekend outings. If you’ll be away, please consider donating money for food and supplies, basic needs items
like new toiletries and winter clothing, or meaningful Christmas
gifts for the kids.
If you’ll be with us, you’ll have the support of a terrific
Leadership Team: Kevin Assael and Elaine Kaufman (breakfasts),
Fabio Baum (showers), Peter Bluford (overnights), Jen Boxerman
(communications), Judy Carney (Mt. View Shelter meals), Joani
DeVries and Brian Landes (dishwashing), Lisa Hirsch (Christmas
party), Jonathan Klein and Nadav Rave (setup/takedown), Sarah
Magliaro (special events), Brooke Miller and Pat Reyes (evening
programs), Sharon Noble (thank yous), Susan Radke (dinner
crews), Mark Rossi (music), and Sherry Rowen (supplies).
We’re very grateful, too, for the Interfaith Council of Contra
Costa County, which sponsors and manages Winter Nights
Rotating Shelter, and the caring assistance of Jasmine Tarkoff and
Casey Sasner, co-chairs of ViA Isaiah’s social action program.
Please look for more Winter Nights details in upcoming blogs,
e-mails, and announcements. If you have any questions, contact
us at [email protected]. Thanks so much for your
amazing commitment to Winter Nights.
Joanne Peterson and Neal Modelevsky,
2013 Winter Nights Coordinators
COMMUNITY – WOMEN OF ISAIAH
Putting Ideas into Action
One of the things we enjoy most about being part of the Women
of Isaiah leadership team is having members of our congregation
and clergy come to us with ideas for new projects or programs
and giving them the support they need to get these programs
started.
Lynn Gitomer, who began our Women’s Torah Study group
several years ago and is currently a member of our programming
committee, recently suggested we start a monthly drop-in mah
jongg game at Temple Isaiah. We agreed it was a wonderful way
to bring a diverse cross section of Temple women together to
get to know each other and build community while having fun.
We were excited to help Lynn launch “Mah Jongg Mondays,” and
we invite all you mahjong players – pros and beginners alike – to
join us.
We likewise were thrilled when Vivian Poettgen, our Women
of Isaiah Membership Outreach Chair, and Temple Membership
Coordinator, Abby Seitelman, proposed an engaging new program for young Jewish adults in our community. We jumped
at the chance to help kick-start this program through a grant
from our Ma’agal Tzedakah charitable giving fund. “Mitzvot
& Merlot” will be an opportunity for young adults in their 20’s
and 30’s to get together at different times during the year for an
evening that combines socializing and a social action project. Led
by the dynamic Valerie Poettgen, our Communications Chair and
Women’s Seder Co-Chair, the “Mitzvot & Merlot” committee is
already busy planning their first event. Watch for details soon!
Women of Isaiah is also happy to help
sponsor some of the innovative new
approaches to Hebrew education that
Rabbi Nicki Greninger is bringing to our
religious school. We are providing support
for the new one-on-one Hebrew tutoring
offered to our sixth-grade religious school
students, made possible by the many kind
donations received in memory of our
beloved past president, Barbara Kaplan, of
blessed memory, including a generous gift
from Barbara’s husband, Roy. Educating
and nurturing Jewish youth was a cause
very dear to Barbara’s own heart. It means
so much for us to be able to honor her
memory in this way.
It truly is a pleasure to be part of the
dynamic group of women that make up
our WOI leadership team, and we are
grateful for every opportunity to make a
positive impact on our Temple community. Later this month, 17 members of our
current board will travel to San Diego for
the Women of Reform Judaism Centennial
Assembly. We hope to bring back new
learning and enthusiasm to share with
our entire congregation as we continue
our commitment to creating programming
that reaches all members of our synagogue
and strengthens our Jewish community.
We really are stronger together!
Karen Goldberg and Judy Lipson
WOI Co-Presidents
Judy Lipson,
Women of Isaiah
Co-President
Karen Goldberg
Women of Isaiah
Co-President
WOI has started a monthly drop-in Mah Jongg game. Beginners
or long-time players welcome.
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
December 2013
Sunday
1
2
Monday
Kislev — Tevet 5774
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
9:15am Ganeinu
6:30pm Grief Support
Group
7pm WOI Board Meeting
4pm Religious School
Chanukah:
5th Night
Chanukah:
6th Night
7pm Mervyn Danker
6:45pm Noar Night
Chanukah:
7th Night
Chanukah:
8th Night
8
9
10
11
Religious School
Adult Education Classes
10:30am Women’s Torah
Study
11am Anat Hoffman
3pm P’tach Libeynu
15
Saturday
8:45am Torah study
10:30am Shabbat Service
(Adult B’nai Mitzvah)
12pm Talmud Study
1:15pm TEX Torah Study
6pm Shabbatarama
7:15pm Anat Hoffman
12
13
14
9:15am Ganeinu
9:15am Torah Study
9:30am Tot Shabbat
with potluck
1pm WOI Writing
Workshop
6pm Literacy Tutor
Training
7pm Sacred Chant and
Healing Circle
7pm Committee Night
6:45pm Noar Night
6:45pm Engaging Israel
16
17
18
19
20
21
Winter Nights Shelter
10:30am Jewish Book
Group
9:15am Ganeinu
8:45am Torah Study
(Bar Mitzvah:Brian
Berryhill)
8pm Shabbat Service
followed by Oneg
Religious School
Adult Education Classes
12:30pm Mah Jongg
11:15am Clergy Course
with Rabbi Greninger
3pm Affordable Care Act
Presentation
6:30pm Grief Support
Group
7pm Anshei Isaiah Board
Meeting
7pm Knitting and
Handiwork
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Office Closed
9:15am Torah Study
with potluck
6pm Happy Half Hour
Oneg
6:30pm 3rd Shabbat
Service with Mizmor
band
6:45pm Noar Night
1:30pm WOI Writing
Workshop
4pm Documentary Film
7pm P’tach Libeynu
30
31
Religious
School
t’filah.
29
8pm Shabbat Service
followed by Oneg
YOUTH AND EDUCATION
Building a Community of Parents of Teens
At Temple Isaiah, we have many programs that engage our teenagers in Jewish learning, community building, social action, and
leadership. Many teens spend so much time here that they joke
that Temple Isaiah is their “second home.” But what about the
parents of teenagers?
A few years ago we started the Teen Advisory Group, a group of
Isaiah parents and/or professionals that work with teenagers to
help guide our vision of teen programming at Isaiah. We quickly
realized that while we had many avenues for our teens to connect with their peers, it wasn’t the case for their parents. As children move past the age of becoming b’nai mitzvah, they begin to
engage in Judaism (and other aspects of their life) on their own
and often leave their parents “behind.” This trend could be seen
as a problem, but we took it as an opportunity to help parents of
teens find a connection to Isaiah and Judaism beyond their children. For the last few years, we have offered parents to drop-off
their children at Noar Night and then “Schmooze at (Uncle) Yu’s”
with other parents, a parents-only progressive dinner, and this
October we had our first day-long retreat. Here is a reflection of
our first “Retreat from Parenting” from Jeff Mann, board member
and chair of the Teen Advisory Group:
At our first Temple Isaiah “parents’ retreat” at a retreat center
in Alamo, our goal was to spend a day focusing on our individual
selves, by temporarily leaving behind the daily activities of being
a parent.The 36 participants spent Shabbat
together, beginning with Torah study and
ending with Havdalah. In between, the parents participated in group discussions, getting a chance to meet other Temple members and deepen relationships with our
Temple friends. The participants also had
time to ride bikes on the Iron Horse trail,
hike in nearby Las Trampas open space,
play music, and meditate under the beautiful oak trees. Rabbis Miller and Graetz
facilitated discussions, and several Temple
Rabbi Alissa Miller
members led activities, all of which helped
us to think about our values above and
beyond our lives as parents.
Often times, as a parent, I feel that I spend all my physical and
emotional energy on my kids, either transporting them from place
to place or dealing with their controversies. I wanted to attend
the retreat to take some time for myself, to reflect on the type
of person I have become while raising my kids. I also wanted to
contemplate my relationship with my spouse and how this might
change once our kids leave the house. The family retreat allowed
me to reflect on both of these personal issues, with both structured and non-structured time. From the retreat I realized many
other Isaiah parents are struggling with similar issues who want
to take the time and engage in conversation. With these issues
as a backdrop, I made new connections with old acquaintances,
made new friends, and came away from the retreat knowing the
Temple Isaiah community will be able to help me cope with this
major challenge in my life.
The parents’ retreat was a great success, and the participants
look forward to another retreat next fall. In the meantime, watch
out for parents-oriented activities run by the Temple’s Teen
Advisory Group, including Wednesday night social gatherings or
discussion groups that take place during Noar Nights, and the
second progressive dinner. If you have questions or want to get
involved, please contact Jeff Mann or Rabbi Alissa Miller.
Rabbi Alissa Miller and Jeff Mann
Edot class students designed a
“Chanukah Around
the World” poster
showing how Jews
in Kurdistan were
so poor that they
had to use eggshells
as oil holder cups
for their
chanukiyot.
YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE – SPECIAL GIFTS
Special Gifts October 1 - 31, 2013
Angel Network Fund
In appreciation of:
The Angel Network, from John Hoskins and Dennis
Ybarra
For the yahrzeit of:
Julius Cohen, from Barbara Knibbe
Michael Knibbe, from Barbara Knibbe
Gail Stolback, from Charlotte Stolback
Anshei Isaiah Fund
In memory of:
Joan Abraham, from Sandy and Dave Anderson
Cantor’s Music Fund
In appreciation of:
Cantor Korn, from Aliza and Peter Metzner
High Holy Days Services, from Ivor and Beryl
Silver
In honor of:
Steve Glazer’s candidacy for State Assembly, from
Dvora and Eric Citron
The birth of Aaron Peretz Goldmann, from Karen
and Larry Goldberg
In memory of:
Fannie Klash, from Irene and Arthur Korn
Ethel Korn, from Irene and Arthur Korn
Robert Sutton, from Steve Sutton
Jacob Domnitch, from Arlene and Yale Downes
John Goldeen, from Jeanie Goldeen Conneran,
Michael, Ben, and David Conneran
Tudy Routman, from Lois Green
Cantor Ted Cotler Library Fund
Anne Black, from Cindy Silver
Mildred Melvin Radin, from Lorraine Force
Charles Emold Fund
Rosalind Almond Lepawsky, from Lucy and
Anthony Di Bianca
Daniel Baron Feed the Hungry Fund
In honor of:
The birth of Aaron Peretz Goldmann, from Donna
Kaulkin
Daniel Baron Feed the Hungry Fund Cont’d
Herbert (Bobby) Baron, from Allen and Anna
Baron
Joey Lott, from Shirley Nankin
Jack York, from Trudi Gardner
Project Hearth for the Homeless Fund
In memory of:
Fred Katzburg, from Lillian and Deborah Katzburg
Selma Gitomer, from The Gitomer-Weiner Family
Elaine Siegel, from The Gitomer-Weiner Family
General Fund
A donation from:
The S. and K. Weinstein Family Fund at the East
Bay Community Foundation
In appreciation of:
Temple Isaiah, from Bernard Fineman
In honor of:
Dr. Mark and Yvonne Rubenstein on the occasion
of Levi Stein’s bri’t milah, from Lance and Cindy
Gershen
Sandy Goldberg’s birthday, from Aliza and Peter
Metzner
Adam Peterson’s birthday, from Dan, Courtney, and
Zoey Rose Wasserman
Herman Kaufman, from Larry and Arlene Kaufman
Charlotte Kohleriter, from Eric & Cheryl Kohleriter
Irving “Bud” Leiber, from Doris Leiber
Lawrence May, from Ken, Nora, Scott and Julie
Fishbach
Lotte Melamed, from Howard Melamed
Dolores Moses, from Eric and Cheryl Kohleriter
Jacob M. Tarkoff Gan Ilan Fund
Al Simon, from Belinda Simon Harris
Memorial Plaque Fund
A donation from:
Ronnie Gorelick
In memory of:
Evelyn H. Kennedy, from Bonnie and George
Kennedy
Garnett L. Kennedy, from Bonnie and George
Kennedy
Prayer Book Fund
In memory of:
Lou Seidman, from Sally Rubinstein
Philip Seidman, from Sally Rubinstein
Max Feldman, from Aliza and Peter Metzner
Rabbi Graetz’ Discretionary Fund
A donation from:
Ivor and Beryl Silver
In appreciation of:
Rabbi Graetz, from Aliza and Peter Metzner
In honor of:
Steve Glazer’s candidacy for State Assembly,
from Dvora and Eric Citron
The birth of Rabbi Roberto and Evelyn Graetz’
grandson Aaron Peretz Goldmann, from
Mel and Barbie Bacher, Wendy and Frederick
Dorband, Elaine Highiet, Shirley Maccabee,
Gloria and Robert Schiller, Steven Weinzimmer
and Karen Maas, Martha Ann and Sandy
Wishnev
Dan Greenberg’s special birthday, from Marge
Sterns
Jan Trzesniewski, from Anonymous
In memory of:
Florence Speyer, from Sandra and David Anderson
For the recovery of:
Linda Waldroup, from Elaine Highiet
Roy Kaplan, from Phyllis and Ed Miller
Hal Wolf, from Elaine Highiet
Harold Langert, from Steven Weinzimmer and
Karen Maas
Stanley Levene, from Steven Weinzimmer and
Karen Maas
Morty Marks, from Steve and Gail Koff
Pauline Muller, from Sandy Rudnick
Sarah Orisman, from Charlotte Stolback
Zelma Roter, from Mark Roter
Samuel Snider, from Julie Magilen and Dick Snider
Freda Trafton, from Frank Trafton
Louis Wine, from Edward Leibson
Sylvia Wine, from Edward Leibson
Rabbi Miller’s Discretionary Fund
In honor of:
Fred Kahn, from Gary and Andrea Cohen
YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE – SPECIAL GIFTS
Rabbi Shanks’ Discretionary Fund
Rabbi Shanks’ Discretionary Fund Cont’d
In appreciation of:
Rabbi Shanks, from Aliza and Peter Metzner
Rabbi Shanks’ Ketubah signing ceremony for
the Dubins-Baer Family, from David Baer and
Linda Dubins
For the yahrzeit of cont’d.
Max Feldman, from Rose Michaels
Aaron Frydman, from Bert, Rosemarie, Tamara, and
Michaela Frydman
Morty Marks, from Steve and Gail Koff
Charlotte Meyer, from Merle Manning
Greg Renberg, from Sandy and Dave Anderson
Miriam Rose, from Howard Rose
Myra Rose, from Howard Rose
Samuel Snider, from Julie Magilen and Dick Snider
Louis Wine, from Edward Leibson
Sylvia Wine, from Edward Leibson
In honor of:
The marriage of Talia Shanks Gracer and Todd
Michael Ryan, from Norman and Bobbie
Schoenfeld
The wedding of Jennifer Schick and Vincent
Cataldo, from Dan and Dori Schick
In memory of:
Hadele Groman, from Norman and Bobbie
Schoenfeld
Herman Beitch, from Gary Beitch
Robert Copperstein, from Carol Copperstein
Religious School & Youth Fund
A donation from:
Alexandra Weiss
Social Action Fund
In appreciation of:
Roger Lamm, from Penny Kermit
Ofra Weiss, from Penny Kermit
In honor of:
Sandy Anderson, from Mark and Kim Drucker
Stanley and Rebecca Harris Memorial Lecture Fund
Leonard Preskill, from D.P. Slotsky
Winter Nights Project Fund
In memory of:
Ruth Brager, from Geno and Gail Brager
Lila Lapa Green, from Ruth and Benson Joseph
Laszlo Tibor Gyongyosi, from Martin and Anna
Lackner
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
Shabbat
Worship Services
Friday, December 6
6:00pm Shabbatarama Family
Service, followed Dinner and
Oneg
7:15pm Anat Hoffman Lecture
followed by reception
Paid
945 Risa Road
Lafayette, CA 94549
(925) 283-8575
Lafayette, CA
94549
Permit No. 30
Address Service Requested
Saturday, December 7
8:45am Torah Study
10:30am Shabbat Morning Service
Adult B’not Mitzvah
Vayigash, Genesis 44:18-47:27
Friday, December 13
8:00pm Shabbat Service
followed by Oneg
9:15am Torah Study
9:30am Tot Shabbat
followed by Potluck
Genesis 47:28-50:26, Vaychi
Friday, December 20
6:00pm Happy Half Hour Oneg
6:30pm 3rd Shabbat Service with
Mizmor Band
8:45am Torah Study
Brian Berryhill, Bar Mitzvah
Ex. 1:1-6:1, Shemot
Friday, December 27
8:00pm Shabbat Service,
Followed by Oneg
9:15am Torah Study
followed by Potluck
Vaera, Exodus 6:2-9:35
Ti m e ly i nfo r matio n EN C LOS ED: P lea se d eliv er b y DE C em b er 1

Our Place(s) in the “Jewniverse”

Transcription

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