DIVREI HARAV: WORDS FROM RABBI COHEN When I first entered

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P U B L I S H E D M O N T H LY N O . 6 LIGHTS
JUNE 2013
Divrei HaRav: Words from Rabbi Cohen
When I first entered the rabbinate, one of my elder
colleagues advised me, “To be a rabbi, it’s not enough
to love Judaism. You have to love Jews.” His advice has
stuck with me for my entire career. Judaism is about
relationships as much – if not more – than it is about
our traditions.
“How does one choose which synagogue to join?”
In Jackson, obviously there is only one choice. In
cities where “synagogue shopping” is a regular
pastime, the reasons that tempt a family to join a
particular synagogue have changed throughout the
generations. In the past, cultural roots and then
denominations and philosophy may have been
the determinant factors. Jews joined Ashkenazi or
Sephardi congregations, and later strongly identified
themselves as Reform, Conservative, or some sect of
Orthodoxy, with Reconstructionist entering the playing
field relatively recently.
Denominations lost some of their power when
rabbis became the central focus. People who liked
a scholarly rabbi went to one congregation; people
who liked a warm and fuzzy rabbi went to a different
congregation, and so forth. And if someone felt that
the rabbi hurt their feelings, they would congregation
hop until a new rabbi came to town.
Families also chose congregations based on the
quality of religious schools. Jewish life became all
about continuity, raising Jewish children, and Bar/
Bat Mitzvah as the final goal; religious school was
the ultimate concern. As Jews spread out from cities
into the suburbs, the new quality Jews looked for in a
congregation: location, location, location.
By now, everything has changed.
The answers above are inadequate
because the question is different:
“Why should I bother to even walk
through the doors of a synagogue?”
is the real question for many Jews
today. Denominations, philosophy,
rabbis, religious schools, location – none of these are
compelling reasons for belonging or even attending.
Recently, a friend of mine whose family had a long
history in a local Reform congregation decided to
become a member of a Conservative synagogue.
I was somewhat shocked. When I asked about it, I
discovered that he joined because he and his wife’s
friends attended there.
As human beings, we yearn to be in relationships.
This is true for introverts as well as extroverts, just
played out differently. Our synagogues then must be
places where meaningful relationships can be formed
and strengthened within the context of our Jewish
lives.
Throughout the next few months, our new
Congregational Engagement Task Force is seeking
to provide opportunities to form and strengthen
relationships throughout the Jewish community of
Jackson. When these opportunities arise, please
respond positively. We want to connect with as many
of our members as possible. Also, if you know of
Jews who are not members of our congregation, pass
along their information to us. The idea is to develop
relationships and to invite everyone in our community
to travel together on a Jewish Journey.
5315 OLD CANTON ROAD • JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39211 • PHONE 601-956-6215 • FAX 601-952-0895 • WWW.BETHISRAELMS.ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism, Serving Reform Congregations in North America
Welcome to Summer!
Shabbat Services
& Potluck Dinner
Shabbat Service
Honors
June 7th
@ 6:15pm
Informal Services
"Dinner Theatre Style"
in the Social Hall
Contact Charna & Sign-Up for either
an entree, side or a dessert.
Drinks will be provided.
Contact the Temple Office
if you would like to
volunteer.
RSVP by June 5th to Charna
[email protected]
[email protected]
601-956-6215
Meet our Summer Library Intern: Merrit Corrigan
Hello Beth Israel congregation! My name is Merrit Corrigan and I am a rising
junior at Millsaps College. I am double majoring in Religious Studies and
Anthropology and will be helping to organize and create a new library for your
temple this summer. At school I am involved with admissions, the First Year
Experience Program, and the Jewish Cultural Organization. I am originally from
Dallas, Texas, but love the welcoming Jackson community, and look forward to
meeting all of you soon.
Beginning on May 28th and throughout the summer,
the library will be a "work in progress."
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B E T H I S R A E L C O N G R E G AT I O N
Campaign for Kindness:
Congregant Spotlight
June Socials
Some of us know Jeannette
Briggs. When she is able to come
to temple, she sits on the aisle of the section
to my left, toward the back, and she hoots and
hollers in a Sephardic Moroccan style when the
Torah marches by. Jeannette was born in Morocco,
the daughter of a rabbi, and found her way to
Mississippi via some fascinating stories.
When Jeannette smiles, her face glows, and you
can’t help but smile back. She has endearments
for everyone, and will hug and touch your arm or
face sweetly if you are willing. This is one of the
ways she shows her kindness. When she walks
out of the room, her smile, her joy for life and her
perfume linger in a way that makes you smile for
hours in memory.
We are going to schedule some
small get-togethers at the homes
of board members as a means of
getting to know one another better.
If you would like to join the fun, call
or email Meg at the office. We want
to be sure you are included in our
June Socials.
Jeannette is also the hand behind the
handwriting of the Yahrzeit cards we receive
every month. Almost 10 years ago, she asked if
she could volunteer her time for Temple, perhaps
something she could do from home - especially
something that would not require her to wake up in
the mornings, because Jeanette is a night person.
Never call or visit before 1 pm at the earliest (we
even have those instructions listed next to her
contact information in our computers).
President of the Union for
Reform Judaism
We discovered the perfect job for Jeannette:
filling out and addressing the cards to notify
members of their friends’ and family’s upcoming
yahrzeits. It is time-consuming, I have to imagine it
is monotonous, and yet it is an essential mitzvah
for our community. The anniversary of a death is
a significant moment twisted up with grief and
memories. Judaism teaches us to mark time, to
acknowledge the holiness apparent in each step of
life’s journey. When we remember our loved ones
on their yahrzeit, we reaffirm the meaning their life
brought to ours.
We could not mark these special moments
without Jeannette’s help. Yahrzeits would pass us
by. Her mitzvah allows us to fulfill our mitzvah. And
until now, I bet that almost no one knew whose
elegant script reminded us to honor our loved one.
Study with
Rabbi Rick Jacobs
Saturday, July 20th
Time: 3:30pm
Location: BIC
(more info to follow)
"Opportunities for questions about the
state of Reform Judaism in America"
A longtime and devoted creative change
agent, Rabbi Jacobs spent 20 years as
a dynamic, visionary spiritual leader at
Westchester Reform Temple (WRT) in
Scarsdale, New York. Prior to his tenure at WRT,
Rabbi Jacobs served the Brooklyn Heights
Synagogue, where he founded and co-directed
the first synagogue-based homeless shelter
in New York City. He was ordained in 1982
by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute
of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York, where he
received numerous excellence awards.
W W W . B E T H I S R A E L M S . O R G 3
The Sisterhood Spotlight
Operation
Understanding(OU)
Sunday, June 9th @ 11 a.m.
Please join us.
Everyone is welcome.
Our June selection is:
Black White & Jewish
by Rebecca Walker
Judaica Shop Book Sale
Students from Philadelphia, PA will be
in Jackson Thursday, July 25 through
Saturday, July 27. We have a long history
of providing home hospitality for these rising
high school seniors and their chaperones.
If you can welcome these students into your
home, the only meal you will have to provide
is breakfast on the two mornings.
Please contact Dana Larkin for more details:
[email protected] or (601) 291-7335
if you can host.
1/2 OFF
ALL BOOKS
* some exclusions do apply
Judaica Shop
Summer Special
Buy One Item, Get One Half Off
Meals on Wheels
Monday & Friday of the first week of the month!
We Need Volunteers to:
 cook or bring food
 prepare the plates
Now through August
* Excludes clearance and books
* Second item must be of equal or lesser value
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 deliver the meals
Please contact Charna Schlakman
954-629-1371
B E T H I S R A E L C O N G R E G AT I O N
Mazel Tov
to the 2013-2014
BITY Executive Board!
Kovi Katz
President
Jacob Schipper
Membership VP
Ashley Rubinsky
Programming VP
Mikaela Phillips
Financial VP
Nina Humphrey
Social Action VP
David Crystal
Historian
Alex Goldstein &
Lily Katz
Religious & Cultural VP
Katie Fijman
Ex-Officio & NFTY
Southern Regional
Religious & Cultural VP
Bet h Israel Preschool
Summer Camp
Beth Israel Preschool will host 5 camps in
July. Please reserve your spots today! There
is limited space available for extended care.
• All camps are from 8:30 am-11:30 am
• Open to ages 3-6 years old
July 1-5 (no camp on the 4th):
Soccer and Tennis and FUN!
July 8-12:
Computer Tots - Get a Clue!
July 15-19:
Soccer and Tennis and FUN!
July 22-26:
Dance and Movement with Ms. KellyLeaps & Bounds
Camp K’Tanim combines the
creative & innovative programming
of the Jacobs Camp’s overnight program
within a day camp setting.
A Day Camp Program
for Children Ages 4 - 6
Co-sponsored by Beth Israel Preschool
and the URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp
2013 Dates:
Monday, June 17 - Friday, June 21, 2013
Fee: Just $200
Visit our website to learn more and
complete an application:
July 22-26:
ComputerTots - What will I be when I
grow up?
Day Camps are $145 per week
Registration is a one time fee of $35.00.
Make checks to Beth Israel Preschool.
Extended Care rates are an additional $50
per week. Priority will be given to returning
Beth Israel Preschool students.
For more information,
please call 601-956-6216
or visit our website:
www.BethIsraelPreschool.com.
jacobs.urjcamps.org/register/
W W W . B E T H I S R A E L M S . O R G 5
AAnnouncements
nnouncements || B
Birthdays
irthdays &
& AAnniversaries
nniversaries
From The Office
• Contributions processed after June 10th will be included in the August issue of ChaiLights.
• Reports and articles for the July issue of ChaiLights are due Monday, June 10th. Submissions can be
e-mailed* to [email protected]. Submissions received after the 10th will be included on a spaceavailable basis. *Please note in the subject line “(July 2013) ChaiLights submission.”
Dates to Remember
6/5
6/7
6/9
6/16
Brumfield House Meal, 4:00pm
Shabbat Services & Potluck Dinner, 6:15pm
Book Club, 11:00am
Father's Day
Happy Birthday to...
6/2
6/4
6/6
6/6
6/6
6/6
6/8
6/8
6/9
6/9
6/10
6/10
6/15
6/15
Jacob Shute
Robert Briggs
Gino Giammarco
Mark Johnson
Art Salomon
Aaron Trubman
Erica Abeles
Malcolm Barham
Howard Roffwarg
Elizabeth Springer
Kelly Haber
Casey Smith
Jim Goodman
Caroline Norris
6/16
6/18
6/19
6/19
6/20
6/21
6/21
6/21
6/22
6/22
6/22
6/23
6/29
Roger Rosenfield
Amanda Winer
Nelle Cohen
Paul Dampf
Claire Newman
David Grishman
Sarah Printz
Lynne Rosenfield
Isaac Burr
Michael Jacobs
Ian Paul
Jo Ann Gordon
Leo Mermelstein
Happy Anniversary to...
6/7
6/10
6/11
6/11
6/12
6/12
6/13
6/15
6/17
6/18
6/19
6/20
6/21
6/21
6/22
6/24
6/25
6/26
6/29
6/30
Helene and Mark Johnson
Bernice and Steve Silberman
Carey and Robert Emmich
Melanie and Louis Newman
Rachel and Gavin Brannan
Julie and Ian Paul
Suzanne and James Freedman
Melissa and Ralph Daniel, III
Kay and Philip Pollack
Jennifer and Clifton Tucker
Judy and Joshua Wiener
Gail and Bob Dellar
Cheryl and Howard Katz
Eugenia and Marcelo Ruvinsky
Marla Harbor and Erik Hearon
Deborah and Clay Crystal
Mindi and Eric Phillips
Ellen and Shawn Alexander
Sherrie and George Glass
Anne and Donald Sawyer
Finance Corner
We Need Your Help!
We only have 61 families registered
for the Kroger Community Rewards
Program.
You can register today!
Go to www.kroger.com/community and attach
your Kroger card to Beth Israel Congregation.
6
B E T H I S R A E L C O N G R E G AT I O N
In Honor of the 100th Birthday of Vera Davis
By Dr. and Mrs. Richard Wayne to the Cemetery Fund
In Honor of the 2013 Beth Israel Bazaar
By Carol Kossman to the Capital Fund
In Memory of Lena Pritikin
By Dr. Aaron Trubman to the Cemetery Fund
By Amy and Arty Finkelberg to the Cemetery Fund
By Helen Greenberg to the Cemetery Fund
By Emilie Thost to the General Fund
In Memory of Walter Lipsich
By Helen Leighton to the Cemetery Fund
To the General Fund
By Theresa and Steven Fox
In Memory of Myron Gavant
By Richard Gavant to the General Fund
In Memory of Laurence Gavant
By Richard Gavant to the Rabbi’s
Discretionary Fund
In Memory of Jill Gavant
By Richard Gavant to the Cemetery Fund
In Memory of Elaine Crystal
By Judy and John Chew to the Cemetery Fund
In Memory of Leah Grossman Kantor
By Helen Greenberg to the Cemetery Fund
In Memory of Gerry Crystal
By Melanie and Mike Roach to the General Fund
By Amy and Arty Finkelberg to the Cemetery Fund
By Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC to the
General Fund
By Dr. Aaron Trubman to the Cemetery Fund
By William Crim to the General Fund
By Melanie Dobel to the Cemetery Fund
By Mozingo/Quarles PLLC to the General Fund
By Mary and Ted Kendall to the General Fund
By Helen Ridgway to the General Fund
By Suellen and Roger Friou to the General Fund
By David McNair to the Cemetery Fund
By Tri-Miss Services, Inc. to the General Fund
By Lynne and Roger Rosenfield to the Cemetery Fund
By J. Paul Breazeale to the Cemetery Fund
By Mr. and Mrs. Scott Miller to the General Fund
W W W. B E T H I S R A E L M S . O RG By Janice and Buddy Blumenthal to the Caring
Committee Fund
By Judy and Joshua Wiener to the Cemetery Fund
By Dana and Jonathan Larkin to the Tikkun Olam Fund
By Mr. and Mrs. Gene McRoberts to the General Fund
By Cris and Eddie Guillot to the Cemetery Fund
By Deborah and Clay Crystal to the Cemetery Fund
By Sheila and Adam Spitz to the Cemetery Fund
By Lynda Ann Costas to the Cemetery Fund
By W.D. Mounger to the Cemetery Fund
By Gilda Hesdorffer, Mr. & Mrs. Jay Hesdorffer and Dr.
& Mrs. Paul Solomon to the General Fund
In Honor of Lou Shornick’s 95th Birthday
By Reva and Ellis Hart to the Rabbi’s Discretionary
Fund
By Bea Gavant to the General Fund
By Janice and Buddy Blumenthal to the Caring
Community Fund
By Kathryn Wiener to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
By Syril Portnoy to the General Fund
By Dana and Jonathan Larkin to the Tikkun Olam Fund
For the Recovery of Bette Shornick
By Reva and Ellis Hart to the Rabbi’s Discretionary
Fund
In Honor of Rabbi Valerie Cohen
By the 2013 Confirmation Class to the Rabbi’s
Discretionary Fund
By Steven Goodman to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
By Rene Lehrberger to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
In Memory of Suzanne Marie Goodwin
By Rose Mary Foncree to the Beautification Fund
Mazel Tov
Jacob Craig has been accepted to
The Mississippi School for Mathematics and
Science as an incoming High School Junior.
Jacob is the song of Becci and John Craig, the
grandson of Sheila and Ira Rubin and the
great-grandson of Sidney Rubin.
7
5315 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS 39211
Phone: 601.956.6215 Fax: 601.952.0895
We R emember
Alan Fields*
Michael Lasky
Rosalie Rotwein
Samuel Roffwarg
David Shornick*
Edith Stone
Jonathan Blumenthal*
Raymond Maurice Oppenheim*
Morris Erlich
Bruce Sutton*
William Ettinger
Florence Wiener
David Salomon
Sarah Beckerman
Tony Sharp
Mark Benjamin Hesdorffer* Herbert Julius Grief
Bernard Weiss*
Lee Ross
Joe Goldstein
Jimmie R. Jacobs
David Gordon*
Jerel Price
Mitchell Pollack
William Jerome Rabin*
Ruth Schwartz
Joseph Elfassy
Melvin Stein*
Friedel Nash
Mae Robbins
June 14-15
May 31 – June 1
June 7-8
Juliet Kossman
D .H. Orkin*
Harry L. Ades
Charles Hendrix
Fannie K. Wilenzick*
Harry Praver
Barbara Sandler
Jack Avins
Marshall Edelston
Chalom Charles Elfassy
Natalie Goldberg
Eldora Earlycutt Judlin
Goldie Kweller
Michael LeBlanc
Myer A. Segal*
Minnie Wolff
Julia Hart*
Ida Muskin*
William Rosenblatt
Yahrzeits for June 2013
Hillel Sloan
Leo Sonnabend
Peter Ziman
Paul Silberman
Isaac Simon Ascher*
T. Stanley Orkin*
Gertrude Schwartz
Charlotte Crystal*
Elsie Neveleff Mesirow
Charles Miller
Nathaniel Bloom
Bernard Finkelberg*
S. E. Kossman
Lona Freedman Cohen*
Bill Krock
Morris Neveleff
June 21-22
Steve Braver
Homer Benson
Tillie Friedman
Rhea Hubal
Ralph Katz
Mayer Robbins
Irving Rosen
Earl Solomon
Esther Frayda Draft
James Gibb
George Davis
Minnie Hart Dreyfus
Helen Lasky
Dena Eisenberg
Celia Falk*
Ella Goodman
Rose Rosenberg Lovitt*
June 28-29
Bessie Balkin
George Bloom
Marvin Cohen*
Lena Kahn
Anita Mittleman
Isadore Beckerman
Walter Berman*
Shirley Kreisman
Edwin Ascher*
Davera Goldstein
Gussie Roffwarg