April 2013 - the Congregation Beth Israel
Transcription
April 2013 - the Congregation Beth Israel
CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL “A Family of Families” April 2013 CALENDAR OF RELIGIOUS SERVICES >>> Bar Mitzvah of Sam Edwin Susser Monday, April 1st Yizkor Service @ 6:30 pm Friday, April 5th Shabbat Service @ 7:30 pm Lay Led Service *YOM HASHOAH OBSERVED Saturday, April 6th Friday, April 19, 2013 6:00 pm Saturday, April 20, 2013 10:00 am Shabbat Service @ 9:00am Friday, April 12th Shabbat Service @ 7:30 pm Saturday, April 13th Shabbat Service @ 9:00 am Friday, April 19th Shabbat Service @ 6:00 pm Bar Mitzvah of Sam E. Susser Saturday, April 20th Shabbat Service @ 10:00 am Bar Mitzvah of Sam E. Susser Friday, April 26th Shabbat Service @ 6:00 pm *Family Dinner to follow Saturday, April 27th Shabbat Service @ 9:00am Torah Study Saturdays @ 11:00am Sam is an honors student at Baker Middle School in the Athena Program. Sammy loves all sports…particularly Longhorn Football. He has grown up playing competitive golf and has recently achieved the "Champs Level" in tennis. He is an avid basketball fan and enjoys following his favorite team, the Miami Heat. He also enjoys skiing and collecting and learning about coins. His favorite place is his grandparent's home on Lake Toledo Bend where he likes to fish morning to night. Sam's parents are Catherine and Sam L. Susser. He has an older sister Sophie and a younger brother Eli. His grandparents are Pat and Sam J. Susser of Corpus Christi and Edna and George Gilbert of Houston. Sam will participate in the Shabbat Service Friday night, April 19th at 6pm. Sam will then be called to the Torah Saturday, April 20th at 10:00 am. Please join Sam and his family for services and Oneg Shabbat on Friday and a kiddush luncheon immediately following Saturday morning’s service. RABBI’S MESSAGE Dear Friends: Passover marks the beginning of a trek that our tradition says lasted fifty days, a journey from the shore of the Reed Sea to the foot of Mt. Sinai where the Israelites received the Torah. This period of seven weeks plus one day is called S’firat HaOmer, the counting of the barley sheaves, in recognition of the fact that this was a time when the first crop of barley was harvested in the fields of Judea. For the first month of the period, there was a lot of work to do – planting, tilling, weeding, all sorts of agricultural chores. But starting on the 33rd day of the cycle (Lag b’omer), there was little to do except wait for the growing plants to mature and produce a crop. According to tradition, it was on this day that weddings were held, since inactivity in the agricultural arena made this a superb time for a honeymoon. By the 50th day, it was time to go back to work! If you were not planning to get married, however, the prescribed activity for this time of the year was study, getting ready for the revelation of the Torah by planting seeds of knowledge. And this reality from our tradition reminds me of something that happened in midApril in the year 1770. Moses Lindo was a Jewish merchant in Charleston, SC. Not himself prosperous, he nevertheless responded to a fund-raising appeal by giving five pounds to the newly-established Rhode Island College (later renamed Brown University). Why did he do this? Because RIC had decided to admit students without considering their religious affiliation. When Lindo had been a young tailor in London, he had been blackballed from the Merchant Page 2 Taylors School because he had been Jewish; he did not forget that slight. So, when RIC assured him “that the children of Jews may be admitted into this institution and entirely enjoy the freedom of their religion,” that they would be exempt from attending Christian religious services and that they could establish their own Hebrew language program with a Jewish instructor, he was ecstatic. That latter proposal was never implemented because there were not very many Jewish students in Rhode Island; in fact, as the Revolutionary War broke out, the RI Jewish community was devastated by British attacks. But this does not diminish the importance of the original offer, which marked the first American proposal for collegiate Jewish studies. At other schools, Hebrew was taught as part of the Christian theological curriculum by ministers or Jews who converted to Christianity. So, here we are in the middle of the period of the Omer. No one of us has any sheaves of barley, so what does it mean to us. We are fortunate to have much the same kind of leisure that the farmers of ancient Israel had in the late Spring, and we can look forward as they did to the revelation of Torah on Sinai. We can look forward by immersing ourselves in the books and the magazines that help us understand what the biblical climactic moment has meant over the centuries. You don’t need to go to Brown or any of the other great universities where there are now Jewish studies programs; you have that availability right in your own home. Moses Lindo made a financial contribution to get the academic ball rolling. You don’t need to give a dime. All you need to do is open the book and start learning. Shalom, Kenneth D. Roseman, Rabbi Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter President’s Message Dear Members of CBI, CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL 4402 Saratoga Blvd Telephone:361.857.8181 Fax: 361.857.8227 Email: [email protected] Website: bethisraelcc.com Rabbi Kenneth Roseman Debbie Bustillo Office Administrator Susan Martin Corpus Christi Community Religious School Administrator President First Vice President Second Vice President Secretary Treasurer Past President Sisterhood President Adult Education Cemetery Co-Chairs Ritual Committee Co-Chairs Program Coordinator Membership Committee Chair Social Action Committee Chairs Dues Committee Co-Chairs Jim Gold Suzy Hilliard Gary Blum Julia Noble Ed Mange Maury Wolfson Robin Adams David Jacobs Robert Adler, Carl Kuehn, Gary Blum and Clara Braslau Andrew Sheinberg and Joe Loon Leslie Green Susan Martin Building Chair Jim Gold Ann Engel and Leslie Kane Bill Adams Grounds Chair Rikki Schmitchel Fine Arts Laurie Mintz and Ross Burney Webmaster We welcomed Spring with a wonderful and meaningful Temple Passover Seder in which Congregants participated by reading portions of the Haggadah and joyously recited a “Passover Rap.” I want to thank both Rabbi Roseman for providing us a festive, thoughtful and creative Passover service and Phyllis Roseman and the Sisterhood for the delicious Passover supper. Coming attractions for the Spring also include Rabbi Roseman’s Sunday morning lecture series, Yom Hashoa, Israel Independence day and Shavuot. Of course, we have Friday night services, Saturday morning traditional services, and Saturday morning Torah Study. All of these events are opportunities for each of us to separate from our hectic secular world and immerse ourselves in our Jewish heritage and traditions. I encourage you to join us to learn, participate in our Jewish traditions or to just meditate and think—whatever works for you. This spring members of your Board of Trustees with the leadership of Julia Noble and Richard Hausman also have been very busy in preparing for the important Town Hall meetings that will be conducted over the next few weeks. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of your ideas and opinions regarding the future of the Congregation. Through this process we will identify the activities and services you feel will meet our congregation needs over the next 5 years or so. Once that information is studied, the results will be used in three ways: 1. Through the Newsletter we will let you know what the Congregation members told us. 2. The Board of Trustees will be using the information both to support and improve current programs and create new programs and activities the Congregation feels we need in order to serve the diverse needs of our community. 3. This information will be used by the Rabbinic Search Committee to help complete our application and create a set of questions to be answered by prospective candidates. This will allow us to find the best Rabbi available to lead us in providing our congregants the religious, educational, cultural, social, social action, and interfaith activities and services we have identified as a community. We have a wonderful family of families, but like all organizations we need to see how we can get even better and ensure we are meeting the needs of our entire Jewish Community. I look forward to seeing all of you at one of the Town Hall meetings. Shalom, Jim Gold Jack Widder Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter Page 3 Strategic Planning Committee to host Town Hall Meetings As you know, the Strategic Planning Committee has scheduled three Town Hall meetings. One has already convened. Please make every effort to join us for one of the next two meetings either on: Thursday 4/11/13 at 7:00 – 8:30 Sunday, 4/14/13 from 3:00-4:30 These meetings are designed to gather information and opinions that will be given to the Rabbinic Search Committee as they begin to look for our next rabbi. Town Hall meetings are designed for the discussion of your ideas, hopes and dreams for our congregation. We shall be discussing ideas like: What kind of community do we want our congregation to be? What should our future look like? What are the most pressing needs in our congregation? The answers to these questions and others must come from you. To gather useful and relevant data about ourselves most effectively, we need a group that is diverse in mindset and experience. This is your chance to be part of the process. We invite Jews who are not members of Congregation Beth Israel to join us in this process as well. We ask you to participate, collaborate and join together in generating the ideas that will inform the Rabbinic Search Committee, whose work will be to select the very best religious leader to match our idea of who we are and who we wish to become. Julia Noble and Richard Hausman Sponsor an Oneg Shabbat We are seeking sponsors for the Friday Night Oneg Shabbats. The Temple will provide the drinks while the Sponsor(s) will provide the cakes, fruits and other Oneg snacks. We believe this is a wonderful way to honor people for special days in their lives or to memorialize loved ones on their Yahrzeits. If you wish to participate, please call Debbie at the CBI office and tell her the date you wish to reserve. Several families can share each Oneg. The only dates not available are the monthly Family Dinner dates and B’nai Mitzvah dates. April Oneg Dates Friday, April 5, 2013 - 7:30 pm Friday, April 19, 2013 - 6:00 pm – Bar Mitzvah of Sam E. Susser Friday, April 12, 2013 - 7:30 pm Friday, April 26, 2013 - 6:00 pm- Family Dinner to follow Page 4 Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter Miriam Zoe Laska Academic Top 10 Student Carroll High School graduating Class of 2013 Miriam will attend The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business Mazel tov! We know how hard you worked for this! We are so proud of you. From Mom and Family RELIGIOUS SCHOOL CLASSES GOT FOOD ?? WE NEED SOME Sundays It is not to late to bring your donation of food to CBI. I will be collecting can goods and more until the end of April 15th. Your help is needed. April 7, 14, 21 & 28 Dear Friends ... Also, if you choose to donate money, keep in mind that a little as $11.00 will feed 77 meals. Hebrew School 9:15am—10:15am Makes checks payable to: Food Bank of Corpus Christi Sunday School 10:15 am—12 pm Neil Levens 1002 Sudan Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78412 Confirmation Class 12pm—1pm And, mail to: Peace ... Neil Levens Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter Page 5 Shabbat Shalom Y'all, Hope you all had a very Happy Pesach and survived a week of matzah!! It always warms my heart to come together and share the 2nd night of Passover with all of you. A big thank you to Phyllis Roseman and all those who helped make this dinner a great success. We appreciate your hard work and dedication each year … as well as your dee-licious matzah candy!!! Our LAST Family Shabbat Dinner will be on Friday, April 26th at 6 pm. Come and bring in Shabbat with your friends and family and enjoy an evening off from cooking. Let's load up our dessert table for this last dinner; you can help by bringing a yummy dessert to share! SAVE THE DATE: Our 2nd annual Mother's Day Brunch will be on Sunday, May 12th at 10:00 am. We had a wonderful turnout last year and would love for you to join us again! Please call Debbie to make your reservation. Do you like to cook? Have some free time during the day? I could always use some extra hands in the kitchen … Give me a call if you would like to help with either of these meals. Leslie Green Programming Director (804) 334-5662 A MITZVAH OPPORTUNITY On Saturday, June 15, 2013, CBI is going to partner with a number of local churches to package meals for hungry children and their families. Here’s how it works. A production line will be set up at the First United Methodist Church on Shoreline Blvd. The United Way of the Coastal Bend is supplying all the food and packaging materials, so there is no cost to any participant. The activity will be sponsored and organized by Outreach-Kids Care, a national philanthropic organization that runs such programs all across the U.S. The bagged meals will then be distributed to local food pantries. All that is required is that our volunteers show up for a two-hour shift, walk around tables and put dried food into plastic bags and share in the joy of doing a mitzvah with an interfaith coalition of like-minded folks. We expect to package 100,000 macaroni and cheese meals in two two-hour shifts. Our shift, since this is the Shabbat, will be from 12:00 noon until 2:00 P.M. This is an activity that is open to people of all ages, grandparents to grandchildren. It is especially suitable for families. Please call the CBI office at 857-8181 to tell us that you’ll join our crew and help the hungry. Page 6 Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter CHANGE OF SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY LECTURE SERIES Due to a calendar confusion, the lecture by Rabbi Roseman originally scheduled for Sunday, April 7 will not be held on that date. Instead, the entire series will be pushed back a week, and the fourth lecture will be held in early May. We apologize for the need to correct this schedule and look forward to seeing you on Sunday, April 14 for the start of the series. The course will be entitled CHALLENGES IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN RELIGION and will deal with some of the most difficult issues and challenges that all American religions confront in the twenty-first century. Here is the tentative schedule of his lectures. Sunday, April 14 This day happens to be Yom HaShoah, so Rabbi Roseman will be dis cussing the difficulty of maintaining faith in the light of both scientific challenges from the last two hundred years and the Holocaust. Does this difficulty play out differently among Jews and among Christians, or are the issues the same? Can a Jew remain Jew and, at the same time, declare himself/herself to be an atheist or an agnostic? Sunday, April 21 In philosophical circles, scholars talk about epistemology, the study of how one acquires knowledge. Religious people also have enquiring minds, and they want to know what to believe, what is true and what is false. Rabbi Roseman will probe with us the question “How does anyone know anything?” In this regard, he will also talk about how liberal Jews use the classic texts of the Jewish tradition to make judgments about contemporary issues. Sunday, April 28 Rabbi Roseman calls this lecture “Barefoot and Pregnant – or That’s How It Used To Be.” Not just among Jews, but across the American religious spectrum, the role of women in religious activities has changed radically in the last fifty years. Some even suggest that American religion has become a matriarchate. Have men been pushed to the sidelines? What’s going on? Rabbi Roseman will explore this subject with us in this talk. Sunday, May 5 A number of contemporary religious issues have been adjudicated by the nine black-robed priests in America’s highest temple of justice, the Supreme Court. In this final lecture of the series, Rabbi Roseman will help us understand some of the issues that the justices have dealt with and how they have justified their decisions based on constitutional law and, especially, the first amendment. All of these sessions will take place in the Grossman Auditorium at 10:30 AM on the designated Sundays. Everyone is cordially invited, including guests of members of CBI. Light refreshments will be available at 10:00 AM. Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter Page 7 RABBI LAWRENCE TROSTER TO LEAD TRADITIONAL SERVICES FOR HIGH HOLYDAYS We are very pleased to announce that Rabbi Lawrence Troster of Teaneck, NJ will be leading our traditional services for the High Holydays in September of this year. Here is just a little preliminary information about him. Rabbi Troster was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City and spent most of his pulpit career in his home town of Toronto, Canada. After more than twenty-five years, he moved to the New York area, where he continues to teach and to work with various organizations involved in relating Jewish values to the environment. He is a wellpublished author in the field of Jewish ethics and philosophy. Rabbi Troster is married, and his wife and he will remain in Corpus Christi during the entire holyday period. Their children are married and will not be accompanying them. NEW LEADERSHIP FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Susan Martin has announced her resignation as head of the CBI religious education program. We are enormously grateful to Susan for the many ways in which she has enriched the entire congregation and, especially, our young people. Her dedication and devotion to the responsibilities of this position have been exemplary. We are very pleased to announce that this position will be filled by Jana Zager, beginning officially in June. In fact, Jana and Susan have already been collaborating to assure a smooth and effective transition and to create an even more dynamic program for next year. Please congratulate Jana when you see her. More important, please tell her ways in which you might be able to help strengthen the educational program that we offer to our youth. We can really use your help. Page 8 Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter PERPETUAL YAHRZEITS Sabbath of April 5th *Betty Wiener Blum *Pearl S. Blum Gil Cavazos *Ida Deborah Glanz *David N. Grossman *James Harris *Sherry Katz Hilton Ethel Horner *Rachel Katz *Jack Kaufman *Sweetie Kins *Anna Liedeker Brian Lee *Esther Mack *Ben D. Marks *Jacob "Yakov" Marks Dorothy Miller Maurice D. Nast *Harry Postrong *Ida Solka *Mae Weil Sabbath of April 12th Frank Androski *J.W. Castroll *Isabelle Davis *Melvin Davis Ben Ferrell *Sadie Finkelstein *Eva S. Goltzman *Sam Goltzman *Howard J. Goodman *Blanche Gordon *Sadie Herz Hirsch *Rose Lieberman Freda Marks *Yetta Nelson *Maurice Rednick *Esther Ruth Schlader *Simon Sklar *Minnie Trodlier *Albert Veenik *Frances Wasserman *Michal Wisznia Morris Wasserman Rabbi Stephen Elliott Weisberg Sabbath of April 19th Sabbath of May 3rd *Harold Zeitlin Dobrer *Nettie Eisenberg *Frieda Falk *Howard Greenberg *Max Katz *Samuel Kins *Irving Lepow Sara Reingold Charles Schwartz *May Grossman Spitz *Benjamin Zane Curtis F. Alward *Dave Bergman *Dave Berman *Sam Braslau *Leo Braun *Robert R. Brodkey Ida Elzweig *Max Engle *William Frank *Arthur Haas *Ronald Buck Hausman *Philip Levy Chinke Lieberman *Jesse Lieberman *Leon Sigfried Loeb, Sr. *Julian Mandelstamm *William Worth Nance Gershon Rosenwasser *Morris Rosenwasser *Harry Samuels Philip Sands *Juliette Susan Scott Clara Simpkins Mary Trevino *Tina Adrian Wisznia Sabbath of April 26th *Rosa Alexander Arch H. Allen *Louis Blair *Bertha Brand *Hannah Levinson Braslau *Julius Brownstein *Edna Ducler *Mose Franklin *Otto Heffler *Dwight Marshall Lebowitz *Joseph A. Maizel *Harry Maltz Edith Mange Henny Mosbach *Martin Nelson Rose Primack *Ida Racusin *David Roberts Celia Roosth *Jacob Samuels Melville Samuels Jay Schlaikjer *Max Schmidt Jennie Spear *Eugene J. Steiner Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter Page 9 The Congregation thanks you for the following contributions Yahrzeit Donations Hebrew Rest Fund In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Recovery of--------------------------------------------------- From Ebba Spector Richard Leshin Leon Loeb Laura Spector Heinzel Adam Spector Frank Androski Carol & Don Feferman Mildred Chafetz LA & Rona Train Mort Finkelstein Rebecca & Maurcie Schmidt Roslie Roberts Pamela & Lawrence Grassedonio Dorothy Jessel Mitzvah Fund Meredith & David Ryan Otto Kuehn Chris & Carl Kuehn Philip Lieberman Dorothy Jessel Susan & Bill Martin Ann & David Engel Esther Allen Dora Wolfson Leslie Simon Scholarship Fund In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Andy Mange Serene Lowry Schmidt Dorothy Schwartz Elizabeth & Jerry Susser In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Rose Garza Mille Zalim Recovery of--------------------------------------------------- From Richard Leshin Leslie Kane Iris & Andy Lehrman Gloria Wolfson Oshman Family Fund Roslyn & Maury Wolfson Shirley Liedeker Morris Liedeker, Jr. Jerome Levy Les Levy Gerda Yaffe Alan Yaffe Recovery of--------------------------------------------------- From Richard Leshin Oshman Family Rabbi's Discretionary Fund Max Yaffe Rabbi Gerald Kline In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Maurice Giller Harry Marks Ruth & Joe Sheinberg Andy Mange Mary Sinclair In Honor of-------------------------------------------------- From Adult Education In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Sara Reingold Harriett & Dee Diaz Ann Engel on her continuing efforts on behalf of CBI Rosalyn & Maury Wolfson Recovery of--------------------------------------------------- From Recovery of--------------------------------------------------- From Richard Leshin Rebecca & Maurice Schmidt Cemetery Endowment Fund In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Abraham I. Blum Richard Leshin Rosalyn & Maury Wolfson Rabbinical Endowment Fund In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Andy Mange Ann & David Engel Delano Lockhart Lois & Gary Blum Rabbi Weisman Memorial Fund Andrew Mange Delano Lockhart In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Rose Hauer Endowment Fund Phyllis Weisman Seaside Beautification Fund In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From Pearl Unger Ada L. Leshin Robin & Bill Adams Yetta & Marvin Leshin Ida M. Levinson Don’t forget . You can remember a friend or relative with a minimum contribution of $5.00 to one of our many funds. These funds support camp scholarships, education, cemeteries, fine arts, library, & building improvements, to name a few. An acknowledgement card will be sent to the honored person or family. Please make checks payable to CBI and specify the fund. Call the CBI office with any questions. Page 10 Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter April 2013 Sun Mon 1 Tue 2 Wed 3 Thu 4 Yizkor Service for end of Pesach @6:30 pm 7 8 Fri 5 6 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 9:00 am 7:30 pm Lay Led Service 9 10 11 Hebrew School 9:15 am *YOM HASHOAH OBSERVED Torah Study 11:00 am 12 13 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 9:00 am 7:30 pm Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm Torah Study 11:00 am Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 14 Sat 15 16 17 18 Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm 19 20 Shabbat Service 6:00 pm Shabbat Service 10:00 am Sam E. Susser Bar Mitzvah Sam E Susser Bar Mitzvah 26 27 Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 21 22 23 24 25 Family Services Shabbat Service 6:00 PM 9:00 am *Shabbat Dinner To follow Torah Study 11:00 am Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 28 29 30 May 1 2 Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter 3 4 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 9:00 am 7:30 pm Torah Study 11:00 am Page 11 CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL 4402 SARATOGA CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78413 L’Dor VaDor Judaica Shop Call Clara to set an appointment at 854-6798 April 2013 Sun Mon 1 Tue 2 Wed 3 Thu 4 Yizkor Service for end of Pesach @6:30 pm 7 8 Fri 5 6 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 9:00 am 7:30 pm Lay Led Service 9 10 11 Hebrew School 9:15 am *YOM HASHOAH OBSERVED Torah Study 11:00 am 12 13 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 9:00 am 7:30 pm Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm Torah Study 11:00 am Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 14 Sat 15 16 17 18 Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm 19 20 Shabbat Service 6:00 pm Shabbat Service 10:00 am Sam E. Susser Bar Mitzvah Sam E Susser Bar Mitzvah 26 27 Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 21 22 23 24 25 Family Services Shabbat Service 6:00 PM 9:00 am *Shabbat Dinner To follow Torah Study 11:00 am Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 28 Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am– 12 pm Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 29 30 May 1 2 3 4 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 9:00 am 7:30 pm Torah Study 11:00 am Family Shabbat Dinner Friday, April 26th Shabbat Service at 6pm Family Shabbat dinner to follow Bring your appetites and a dessert to share, Can't wait to see ALL of you and break bread together again Leslie Green Programming Director phone: (361) 452-1902 SAVE THE DATE Our 2nd annual Mother's Day Brunch will be on Sunday, May 12th at 10:00 am. We had a wonderful turnout last year and would love for you to join us again! Please call Debbie to make your reservations