to explore the Summer 2016 Galim Magazine

Clergy and Leadership
Mishkon Clergy:
Rabbi Gabriel Botnick
Daniel R. Shevitz, Rabbi Emeritus
Executive Board:
Melissa Tarsky, President
Rena Panush, Vice President
Judy Gordon, Treasurer
Cindy Goldstein, Vice President
Michele Prince, Vice President
Dayna Greenspan, Secretary
Board of Directors:
Phil Bell
Jeff Fleck
Sandy Helman
Itai Klein
Russell Schwartz
Carol Felixson
Jeff Gornbein
Michael Kirschbaum
Johanna Schmidt
Rosalind Silver
Phil Bell, Adult Education
Peter Kunstler, Cemetery Plots
Carol Felixson, Communications
Miriam Barron, Hazak Group
Andy Bender, Kiddush
Johanna Schmidt, Preschool Liaison
Jeff Gornbein, Tephila
Rena Panush, Barbara’s Book Club
Cindy Goldstein, Communications
Marilyn Lewitt, Hazak Group
Shifra Raz, Membership Acquisition and Retention
Rena Panush, Kiddush
Michael Kirschbaum, Religious School Liaison
Committee Chairs:
Senior Staff:
Kelley Courtney, Executive Director
Elisa Coburn, Preschool Director
Mishkon Tephilo
201 Hampton Drive
Venice, CA 90291
Phone: (310) 392-3029
Fax: (310) 392-0420
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.mishkon.org
Serving Jewish communities
in Venice and Santa Monica
since 1917
The Galim Summer 2016
Welcome to Rabbi Gabriel Botnick!
We are delighted to welcome Rabbi Gabriel Botnick, his wife, Rose
Prevezer, and their daughter, Lev Ziva. We look forward to growing
together as a spiritual community.
Torah as a Blueprint
by Rabbi Gabriel Botnick
There’s a wonderful Midrash (rabbinic story) that tells of
the time God took Moshe to visit Rabbi Akiva’s Beit
Midrash (study hall). Moshe found himself confused, not
understanding a word that was being said. But at one
point, when a student asked Rabbi Akiva what was the
source of the laws they were learning, the teacher
responded that the law was given to Moshe at Sinai.
I love this story because it so beautifully describes the
journeys upon which we all find ourselves. We may very
well recognize our starting point, but the end so often
can amaze - if not confuse - us.
the world if the Torah wasn’t even written down until the
time of Moshe (if not later)? This is simple: Torah
encompasses so much more than the Five Book of
Moses. Torah is Divine wisdom - wisdom that is passed
down from generation to generation, teaching us how to
live right and how to find that Divine spark within all of
God’s creations.
Torah is eternal. If you look at the first letter of the
Torah, “Bet,” you’ll notice that it is closed on three sides
but opened on the left. Knowing that we read Hebrew
from right to left, the rabbis teach us to understand this
How did I get to be the rabbi of a quirky little shul in
secret of the Torah to mean that the future is open and
Venice Beach?! I know if God were to show my 15-year- that we should not worry about what came before the
old self this future (or present) reality, I would have been Torah. However, I believe that what preceded the Torah
shocked. But the one thing I know is that the path
may very well have been…Torah!
toward this reality all began with Torah - a love of, an
By now you’re likely wondering where I’m going with all
interest in, and a complex relationship with Torah.
this and what relevance it has to the theme of this
This shouldn’t really come as a surprise though, because
Galim: New Beginnings. Well, from where I’m sitting, I
we are taught to see the Torah as our blueprint - guiding
see our new beginnings as being rooted in Torah - not
us through our endeavors. In fact, the rabbis even teach
just the Torah from which we read three days a week but
that God used the Torah as a blueprint for creating the
the Torah that can be found everywhere we look and
world: ‫ֹלהים אֵ ת ַה ָּש ַמיִׁם וְּאֵ ת ָּהאָּ ֶרץ‬
ִׁ ֱ‫אשית בָּ ָּרא א‬
ִׁ ‫ְּב ֵר‬
within every person in this community and beyond.
BeReishit Bara Elohim Et HaShamayim VeEt HaAretz.
For Mishkon Tephilo, the year 5777 brings a new rabbi, a
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
new model for the religious school, new office staff, and
This first line of the Torah might be better understood as
so many other new beginnings. I don’t know where this
“Through Reishit, God created the heavens and the
year - or the years ahead - with take us. But I can only
earth.” Here, “Reishit” can be understood as Torah, as
hope that five, 10, 15 years from now, we can all be
posited by the Book of Proverbs. In other words, God
blessed to feel like Moshe Rabbeinu sitting there in Rabbi
created the world through the Torah - that is, the Torah
Akiva’s Beit Midrash - amazed by the incredible world
was God’s blueprint for creating the world.
that came into existence through the guiding blueprint of
But how could the Torah serve as a blueprint for creating Torah.
A Message From the President
Miller Introduction to Judaism Program
by Melissa Tarsky
more often)? It can. I have a vision of
Mishkon where we have a minyan
early every Shabbat, where the
sanctuary is rocking by the time the
Torah reading starts and where we
have so many people who want to
participate in the service that we
have to remind people to take turns.
In mid-May, as many of you know,
my daughter, Elizabeth, became a
Bat Mitzvah. Mishkon was so full
that we ran out of prayerbooks. The
Shabbat coordinator that week
didn’t have to walk around to find
people for the honors; they were all
distributed beforehand. The Tephila
Committee didn’t have to find
someone to learn the Torah and
Haftarah portion, do Musaf or chant
the Torah service.
Wouldn’t it be great if that
happened all of the time (or at least
Kol Mishkon Choir Needs You for the
High Holy Days
Mishkon Chaverim: If you are a
spirited davener who enjoys singing out
loud in shul and hearing the sound of
your voice blend with your fellow
members to make heavenly music, we
welcome you to join the Kol Mishkon choir
for the High Holy Days.
Rehearsals are beginning for the summer
and will be held once every couple of
weeks. No musical background is
necessary, though it is a plus!! We are
looking for men and women, all vocal
ranges needed.
If you are interested, please contact
email Eugene Alper at
[email protected] or by text or
voice at (310) 702-5235.
My vision includes those who aren’t
big shul attendees, as well. I see
Adult Education programs during
Religious School so that that our
younger parents can learn along with
their children. I see child care during
Sunday morning Adult Education
programs so that everyone can
attend and the children can have fun
at the same time. I see holiday
events so big we fill the social hall. I
see new committees formed that
ensure that our building is kept in
good condition, that fundraising
events are creative and successful
and that our staff are happy and
receive the continuing education
they need. I see new members
joining with current members to
create new programs, services and
events.
Most of all, I see Mishkon as a center
for our members’ lives. Part of what
made Elizabeth’s service so special
was that my family knew virtually
everyone in the sanctuary.
Elizabeth’s first time at Mishkon was
at her baby naming, when she was
six days old. She felt the love in the
room.
My vision for Mishkon is that more
and more people feel the love that I
feel. Of course, I can’t make that
vision happen alone, but I feel
certain that a lot of people who are
members now and who are soon to
become members will share my
vision – or perhaps have their own
visions that will make Mishkon the
place we want it to be.
What’s your vision of Mishkon?
Mishkon has cemetery plots in our section of Eden Cemetery
available to members at a discounted price. Call the office at
310-392-3092 for more information.
The Czarina Reports
by Cindy Goldstein
The big news for the High Holy Days this year is our new spiritual leader, Rabbi
Gabriel Botnick. We all want to be supportive and help him as much as we can.
So if you have suggestions or concerns about services, please pass them on to me
so that I can review them with him and incorporate your contributions as much as
possible.
Last year, services during the High Holy Days went smoothly. We could have used
cooler weather, but I don't get to control that. As always, there were complaints
about the microphones and speakers. Perhaps
this year, we can resolve those problems. Meanwhile, call me at (310) 820-8588 or email me at
[email protected] with your comments
and suggestions.
Always been curious about Judaism? Never paid attention in Hebrew school?
Thinking about joining the tribe? The Miller Program is an open and engaging
18-week experience geared toward both Jews and non-Jews who want to learn
more. Bring your questions, and explore the wisdom, depth and joy of Jewish
living.
This year, Kehillat Ma’arav of Santa Monica is hosting American Jewish
University’s “Miller Introduction to Judaism Program” on the Westside and
welcomes you to join in the learning and exploration. The course will meet on
Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., beginning October 27 and will be taught by the
Rabbis of Kehillat Ma’arav and Adat Shalom and Mishkon Tephilo’s own Rabbi
Gabriel Botnick.
Classes cover both Judaism’s biggest and most revolutionary ideas, as well as the nuts and bolts of daily Jewish living.
In addition, we’ll start with Aleph-Bet and teach you to read Hebrew or help you brush up on your skills.
The Intro Program is for both Jews and non-Jews, and it meets all the requirements for those considering conversion
to Judaism. For more information, please call (310) 440-1273, or check us out at intro.aju.edu.
We’ve updated and improved our Galim by streamlining the template to reduce layout time and costs.
And now we are using recycled paper, too!
Let us know what you think.
Farewell to Rabbi Dan - He has gone fishing!
In this issue of the Galim, we say farewell to our beloved Rabbi Dan,
who now takes emeritus status at Mishkon.
As our spiritual leader, he devoted 20 years to our needs, guiding
hundreds of adults and dozens of children as we found our Jewish path.
We appreciate his wit, his humility, his knowledge, and his wisdom.
We are grateful for his beautiful singing, inspired teaching, calm during
crises, leadership from the bimah, gentle counseling, musical talents
and constant friendship.
We are grateful that he is not leaving our community but will continue
to share his gifts with us. We look forward to seeing him at Mishkon
and to continuing to learn from and with him.
For his retirement, we wish him time to do the things he hasn't had
time for and time to do nothing at all.
Mission Statement
Mishkon Tephilo is a
participatory, egalitarian
congregation. We strive to
meet the religious,
spiritual, educational, and
social needs of a diverse
membership within the
framework of Conservative
Judaism.
The commitment and
participation of all
congregants is to be
nurtured with the
understanding that all
contribute value to our
community. We value full
participation, regardless of
gender, race, sexual
orientation, disability, age,
or marital status. We view
ourselves as partners in
God’s Mitzvot of Torah,
Avodah, and Gemilut.
We are bound together by
traditional Jewish
experience through the
following values:
Spirituality: Members
engage in prayer and
study experiences that
bring them closer to God
and to each other.
Community: We are bound
together by a Brit Tzibur of
providing celebration,
solace and support
throughout the Jewish
lifecycle. Torah: We are
an educational center for
the teaching and study of
Jewish texts, rituals,
practices and values.
Tzedakah and Tikkun
Olam: We understand our
obligations as Jews to care
for and support the Jewish
people, the State of Israel,
the community in which we
live.
Todah Rabah to Our Mishkon Donors
Mishkon Tephilo
Fun Fact!
Below is a list of those who have donated to Mishkon in the past quarter.
We at Mishkon thank them for their generosity.
Barron, Miriam
Beck, Laura and Loren
Bell, Phil and Chana
Bender, Andrew
Bennett, Sue
Brick, Ilene
Bronner, Deborah
Brookman, Daniel and Linda
Davis, Carol V.
Davis, Howard and Sternfeld, Janet
Enzer, Adrienne
Eule, Carole
Felixson, Carol and Jaduszliwer, Bernardo
Friedman, Lonnie
Geil, Ed and Michelle
Glosser, Ruth
Goldberg, Menucha
Goldstein, Cynthia
Gordon, Judith P.
Gornbein, Jeff and Martin, Fredricka
Gourarie, Hadassah
Grebler, Rene
Greenspan, Dayna and Schwartz, Robert
Haber, Elaine and Darren
Harelik, Richard and Joan
Hershkowitz, David and Helena
Hoehler, Dan and Robin
Horn, Susan Fox
Kadish, Sheldon and Rosenfeld, Mary Ann
Kalis, Murray
Kamman, Andrew
Lindau, Susan
Lipsky, Allan and Marilyn
Louria, Ken and Bilson, Meredith
Mansdorf, Bruce and Rebecca
Mashaal, Joy and Nuss, Matthew
Milstein, Hymie
Mollin, Peggy
Ohta, Hiram and Joan
Osser, Patricia and Irving
Panush, Rachel and Grant, Will
Panush, Rena and Richard
Paris, David and Cowen, Nancy
Podus, Deborah
Portnoy, Caryl
Prince, Michele and Jeffrey
Raz, Shifra and Rubinstein, Benny
Rieger, Jane Luna
Safran, Sandra and Gerson
Samuel, Yael and Jacob
Schrag, Morton and Lorraine
Schreck, Rhona and Ira
Schwartz, David and Effros, Barbara
Schwartz, Russell and Goland, Susan
Shepnick, Ira and Ninette
Sherman, Cynthia
Smith, Cassandra
Sneh, Louis
Sorter, Thomas and Phyllis
Stein, David and Carole
Tarsky, Melissa and Brian
Tepper, Robert and Anita
Tishman, Roberta
Wilson, Stephen and Claudia
Yomtob, Abraham
Zlotolow, Miriam
Mishkon’s Articles of
Incorporation, dated
February 13, 1920 listed
the original name as
Congregation Mischchan
Tephilo, a California
Corporation. In 1992,
under the presidency of
Dennis Gura, the name was
amended to Temple
Mishkon Tephilo.
Members here enjoyed our annual Yiddish Collage event in June with a filmed interview
with Yiddish writer and humorist Yossel Birstein and a live performance by Klezmer Juice,
a Los Angeles band led by clarinet player Gustavo Bulgach.
Adult Education
Who knew!
Abbot Kinney Festival
by Phil Bell
The Adult Education AKCESS (After Kiddush Cultural, Educational, and Spiritual
Shiurim) program at Mishkon will be expanding this year to include Rabbi Botnick.
He will teach two AKCESS shiurim a month. The first Shabbat of the month, he will
focus on the Parsha or other spiritual topics. The third Shabbat of the month, he will
discuss the new siddur Lev Shalem or other educational topics.
Jeff Fleck will continue to do "Chug Rashi - A Rashi Moment" on the second
Shabbat of the month. He uses Rashi's commentary on the parasha as a springboard
for discussion.
Help us show off our
wonderful Mishkon
community at the
Abbot Kinney Festival! We
are looking for volunteers
to take two-hour shifts to
staff our booth, give away
honey sticks for a sweet
Other guest teachers will do shiurim on the last Shabbat of the month. In the past, we
have had Rabbi David Stein, Rabbi Matt Marko, Rabbi Jeremy Szczepanski (our rabbinic
intern last year) and Carol V. Davis, a Mishkon member who is a Fulbright poet.
year, and, if you can, blow
Adult Education programs and classes during the year will include the Sunday Series,
the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival, the Hartman Lecture Series, and Prayer Book
Hebrew taught by Jeff Gornbein.
invite your friends and
If you would like to be on the Adult Education Committee, please contact me, Phil Bell,
chairperson of Adult Education, at [email protected].
chairs will be provided.
the shofar once an hour.
Bring your family, and
neighbors to stop by. The
booth will be shaded, and
Barbara’s Book Club
Preschool Corner
by Rena Panush
Mishkon's Book Club is very active and going strong.
Started several years ago by Mishkon member Barbara
Wiesenfeld, the group was renamed Barbara’s Book Club
in her memory. The group meets every four to six weeks
in the home of one of the participants. We read books of
Jewish interest, both fiction and non-fiction. We read
about Israel, the Holocaust, Jews in the Diaspora (Egypt,
Iraq, England, Argentina, and the American Jewish
Experience). A few years ago, we began what has become an annual tradition of having local authors come to
a meeting to talk about their books.
Our discussions are always lively because our members
have varied life experiences and professions and, of
course, opinions! Apart from providing intellectual
stimulation, the book group has provided its stalwart
members with an added, priceless benefit: the creation
of a family within the family of Mishkon. This year, the
book club is working on a service project to repair
Mishkon’s chumoshim. Help is welcome, whether or not
you are a member of the book club.
Voice Coach
Did you know that one of our board members is a voice coach! Contact Rena Panush
using the contact information in the ad, and she can assist you with a variety of prep
and production needs.
Kiddush Club
by Andy Bender and Rena Panush
by Elisa Coburn
As we bid Rabbi Dan farewell and wish him the very best in his new role as Rabbi
Emeritus, we thought we would tell you just how much he means to our youngest
members by sharing some fun quotes, memories and stories:
Arielle, age 3: “Mom, I sat next to God today at Shabbat.”
Mom: “Which one is God?”
Arielle: “You know, the one who plays the accordion.”
“I love the music.” Judah, age 3
“I remember when I was in preschool, every Shabbat Rabbi Dan was there ready to play his accordion. It was for fun,
but I always liked it more than just a way where it was pleasant music. It was a way of praying, but the little kids liked
it. I think it is cool that Rabbi Dan did this, because it was getting 2-year-olds interested in religion. We all loved him
and said hi whenever we saw him in the hallways, even when we were supposed to be quiet or we were doing an
activity. We still do. At Hebrew school as well, he doesn’t play his accordion, but he sings along with us, as if we are the
whole congregation, and it doesn’t matter how well we sing, we all sing the same song.” Sarah, age 11
“My favorite Rabbi Dan memory is when he was teaching me my Bat Mitzvah stuff. Along with helping me with the
verses from the Torah, we also had many discussions about the meaning and purpose of that particular passage.
Sometimes, we would get a little distracted and start talking about other things, but that was fun, too. I know I will
really miss Rabbi Dan; he has been a constant in my life.” Elizabeth, age 13
“I love when he plays the aquarium.” Ethan, age 4
“I loved the stuffed Torah in the temple. I loved throwing it in the air during temple. Rabbi Dan bought me a stuffed
Torah. I sleep with it in my bed.” PJ, age 4
At the core is a small but dedicated crew nicknamed the “kiddush elves,” volunteers who do everything from
shopping to preparation, serving to cleanup. Prime time is Friday mornings, for a fun hour or two of cooking and
kibbitzing. We hope you’ll come join us one day – we can always use an extra pair of hands!
This is only a sample of the many wonderful moments, memories and stories we shared
with Rabbi Dan. From singing “Joy to the World” on the beach during Tashlich to dunking
him in water during the Purim carnival to every other holiday and special event in
between, Rabbi Dan has made a permanent imprint on our hearts and in our lives. We
are so thankful that he will remain in our community and continue to be involved in our
programs.
Alternatively, many members donate to Mishkon’s one-of-a-kind Kiddush Club. Each month, members celebrating
birthdays and anniversaries are invited to contribute a modest amount (suggested donation: $75) toward
the Simcha Kiddush, and the donations are pooled for an extra festive lunch with ice cream and cake, fresh flowers
and good times. Having many co-sponsors keeps the cost low for everyone, and leftover funds go toward other
kiddushim with no special sponsor. When a volunteer from the Kiddush Committee contacts you about
co-sponsoring the simcha kiddush, we hope you’ll say yes.
Then there’s Fisherman Phil (a.k.a. Phil Bell). Phil goes on regular deep-sea fishing adventures and brings back an
amazing catch of high-quality fish, which he flash-freezes and gives away to Mishkon members. All he asks in return
is a donation to the Kiddush Fund. Most important, if you haven’t been to a Kiddush in a while, come join us!
Anyone is welcome at any kiddush, and the Simcha Kiddush, usually the third Shabbat of the month, is a good place
to experience the ruach of our fabulous community.
For more information, to volunteer, donate or sponsor, please contact the shul office, Andy Bender
([email protected]) or Rena Panush ([email protected]). Fisherman Phil Bell can be reached at
[email protected].
We update our website
calendar daily, and you can
always check it for the latest
events. No need to wait for the
weekly newsletter or to call the
office!
RSVPing to events is now easy!
Just find the calendar date on
our website, and click the red,
RSVP tab. You can even pay
online, too!
You can donate to funds and
pay for membership and events
online. Just log on to our
Website, and click the donate
tab on the upper right. Simply
scroll down to choose a fund and
we will take it from there!
"I like Tu B’Shevat because Rabbi Dan tells us about the dry fruit." Emma, age 5
Mishkon’s Magical, Mystical Kiddush Elves! A shul does not run on prayer alone - it needs nourishment, too! And
prayer alone doesn’t make that food appear. At Mishkon, the hard-working Kiddush Committee provides lunch
after Shabbat morning services to keep us all nourished physically as well as spiritually. Just as important,
kiddushim are a great way to build and bond our community.
Of course, none of this would happen without our generous sponsors. We are so grateful to members who sponsor
a kiddush in honor of a simcha or in memory of a loved one. There are a variety of kiddush packages starting at
around $180, or we can help you design your own. Check out the shul’s website, or contact the office or one of us
for further information.
Did You Know?
“Singing the blessings with the accordion, it’s like a little Kipa, but it’s not. It just makes little noises. He holds it side to
side and puts it wide and closed, wide and closed.” Talia, age 4
“I really loved how Rabbi Dan came to Shabbat every Friday and to all of the holiday celebrations.” Isaac, age 7
Thank you, Rabbi Dan, for everything. We love you.
Looking for a venue for your next event? We have a beautiful sanctuary, social
hall, chapel, and full-service kosher kitchens for rent. Check our website for
capacity and rates, or call the office at 310-392-3029 for more information.
Religious School Update
by Julie Yannatta
As chair of the Religious School Director Search Committee, I am pleased to report that
the committee has been hard at work this summer. Rabbi Botnick, Aliza Wine, Janet
Davis, Rebecca Mooney and I have interviewed several candidates for the position. We
hope to make our announcement by the second week of August.
Given the challenges of hiring during the summer months, Religious School parents
should not be surprised if we kick off our Religious School year later than regular school,
because our new director will need time with the Rabbi to prepare.
We offer lovely and thoughtful
Mishkon tribute cards that we
will mail or email for you to
people you want to honor. You
can choose what the card should
say, and we will do the rest! You
can even order and pay online!
You can return your pushke/
tzedakah box to Mishkon any
time of the year when you fill
it. We will empty it for you and
return it to you to be refilled.
And you will have made a
wonderful contribution to your
synagogue!
You can honor the memory of a
loved one by purchasing a
memorial plaque. It will
displayed in the rear of the
sanctuary on a beautiful,
engraved format. You can call
the office for an order form, or
simply download it from our
website sliding banner.
Kiddush donations are always
appreciated for sponsoring a
kiddush, contributing to the
monthly simcha kiddush or
buying freshly caught fish from
Phil Bell, the proceeds of which
Phil donates to pay for
kiddushim. These are great
opportunities to gather after
services and get to know more
Mishkonians.