Bulletin - Congregation Beth Shalom
Transcription
Bulletin - Congregation Beth Shalom
Bulletin Janury 2015 10 Tevet/11 Shevat 5775 “The Community Synagogue in Southern Saratoga County” Founded in 1974 688 Clifton Park Center Road Clifton Park, NY 518-371-0608 Starting Jan 3, Saturday services will start at 10:00 am and end at noon. SHARING THOUGHTS WITH OUR RABBI This month I want to share with you excerpts from a remarkable article written by my colleague Rabbi Dr. Daniel Gordis that recently appeared in the Jerusalem Post. Please share this article with your family and friends especially with every Jewish college student you know. When the West returns to its senses, those kids who today cannot fathom what many of us are mourning for will finally see what a golden era looks like. Even in the darkness of these past few weeks, I believe the golden era can return. Perhaps it’s because I remember a world that not long ago was very different. When I was in high school and college in the 1970s and early ’80s, American Jewry was, in many respects, in its prime. Jews were moving to the suburbs, getting rich, building enormous synagogues, feeling at home in America in a way their grandparents could not have anticipated. The Jewish Catalogs, consciously evoking the hip Our Bodies, Ourselves and the crunchy Whole Earth Catalog, announced the arrival of a distinctly American, young, engaged, learned and searching American Judaism. The Chavurah Movement had taken off; Conservative Judaism was the largest movement in America. In the aftermath of the Six Day War, American Jews were having a love affair with Israel. It would have been hard to recall that less than two decades earlier, the American Jewish Committee’s Jacob Blaustein had threatened to cut off American Jewish support for Israel unless Israel stopped suggesting these Jews should make Aliyah. Israel was a rapidly changing, seemingly invincible, country. German reparations had gotten its economy off the ground. The IDF had tripled Israel’s size in six days, and even when taken by surprise in October 1973, managed to repel the Egyptian and Syrian armies so forcefully that never again has a standing Arab army attacked the State of Israel. From 1968 to 1971, American Jews made Aliyah in unprecedented numbers (though most returned after a few years). Yasser Arafat was despised almost everywhere as the murderous inventor of international terror. The notion that the Palestinians would be given a state without making peace with Israel would have been laughable. By 1978 and 1979, Israel would be in peace negotiations with Egypt, the most formidable Arab power on its borders. If Egypt was willing to sign, surely Jordan and Syria would follow. Peace was obviously eminently achievable. The American campus was a safe haven for Jewish students. In my years at Columbia University, I didn’t see or hear a single anti-Israel protest. Even after Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, campus remained quiet. In Europe, the Germans were doing their long overdue soul searching, and anti-Semitism was politically incorrect. We went to Europe, rode the metro in Paris and the tube in London wearing kippot; it never occurred to us there was a reason not to. Soviet Jewry was a cause that united Jews – and many non-Jews – across the globe. It was a wonderful time to be an American, an American Jew, and a Zionist. It was exciting but secure, and the future appeared bright. There was no real airport security. It was a golden era that today’s younger generation cannot even imagine. Today, that Jewish Catalog generation is gone. The 2013 Pew Research Center Survey of American Jewry documents the magnitude of the looming American Jewish sociological disaster. American college campuses are battlegrounds, but most of the kids we send there have literally never read a single book about Israel cover- to-cover. Then we wonder why they’re overwhelmed. Rabbis report that Israel is the one subject they cannot broach in the synagogues – it’s too controversial. Europe has turned and anti-Semitism is back in vogue. In our Jerusalem neighborhood, one hears more French with every passing week. Parts of London are too dangerous for Jews to walk in. In the Middle East, the West has still not decided to destroy what is clearly the greatest threat to Western civilization since Nazism. The US has put on the ground troops whose number, I assume, is roughly equivalent to the number of police who guard Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day. Continued on page 2 Sharing thoughts with our Rabbi Continued from page 1 Palestinians terrorists continue to slaughter rabbis at prayer in synagogues in Jerusalem and Europe rewards them by recognizing a state that does not exist. A deal with Iran is nowhere in sight. In large swaths of the Middle East, Islamic State still roams free. Yet, I do not believe the French will really let hundreds of years of French literature, art, music and philosophy be strangled by Shari’a. One day, the French will hear that yet another of their towns has caved in and when they sense that Paris is next, they’ll act. They’ll take France back. It’ll be very late, and the cost will be high, but the rest of Europe will heave a sigh of relief and follow suit. Does anyone really think Europe will commit suicide? I don’t. My fear is that one day, al-Qaida or Islamic State will hit the US. Then, somehow, a new leader like FDR or Churchill will find the will to fight back. One day, the West will remember that it was values that made our civilization great. It will say to radical Islam: “We do not plan to die, because we believe our values are better than yours. Your worldview, we believe, is a medieval cancer. You can join the modern world, stop oppressing women, stop killing gays and lesbians, respect a free press and the right of assembly, celebrate difference of opinion and free inquiry and erase the notion of the infidel from your lexicon. When the West returns to its senses, those kids who today cannot fathom what many of us are mourning will finally see what a golden era looks like. Our duty is to do whatever we can to draw it near, “speedily in our day.” Rabbi Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice President, Koret and Distinguished Fellow at Jerusalem’s Shalem College, Israel’s first liberal arts college. His latest book is Menachem Begin: The Battle for Israel’s Soul; he is now writing a concise history of the State of Israel. Shalom U’vracha, RABBI MARKOWITZ WILL DELIVER ON JANUARY 4TH AT 10 AM PART 2 OF A NOVICE’S TOUR OF THE WORLD TO COME A JEWISH VIEW OF LIFE IN THE HEREAFTER Did you ever wonder what happens to us after we die? Death did not frighten the pious Jews of old. Rather they had faith in the Talmudic contention that death was the transition from one life to another. What is the Jewish belief in the World to Come? Is there a heaven? Is there a hell? If so, what can we expect to find when we pass from this world to the next? Rabbi Markowitz will discuss selected Biblical, Talmudic and Kabbalistic sources on such topics as: Gan Eden, Gehenna, Ibbut, Dybbuk, Possession, Reincarnation and Resurrection. This lecture is open to the ENTIRE community. There is no fee for attending. For further information call the Beth Shalom office at 371-0608. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Well, I'm back from Israel - safe and sound! Steve Hayden and I had a truly meaningful and wonderful two weeks in Israel (Nov. 6-20) in the program Volunteers for Israel. If you want to hear about our time working on an Israeli Army base and our visits to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, come to the January 17th evening program at the synagogue. Our synagogue had a wonderful joint Hanukkah party with Congregation Agudat Achim. Much thanks to Rabbi Markowitz, Flo Miller, Linda Russell and her committee, Jeff Stein, and Mark Silverman. Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2015. Harvey EXECUTIVE BOARD President…………….…...….Harvey Finkelstein VP Administration…..………Linda Russell VP Membership…….….........Ray Franzone VP Fundraising……….…......Lin Guinipero Treasurer……………..….......Janie Garnett Financial Secretary………….Betsy Knorr Recording Secretary…......….Denise Smith Past president………………..Mark Silverman 399-8121 371-3641 877-6125 588-7775 357-8881 877-8957 348-0569 371-0256 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Richard Jacobs Doris Calderon Rob Schleifstein Dee Ann Coniglio Bob Silverman Sheila Alfasso BOARD OF ADVISORS Appointed Board members Men’s Club……………………….…Les Miller Cemetery……….………………..….Don Rubin Education……………………….…..Marla Sheffer House……………………..…….…...Mark Silverman Interfaith……………………….… Israeli Affairs……...…………..….....BJ Rosenfeld Publicity…………………………….. Reyut………..……………….…….. Carol Davis Ritual………………………………...Joyce and Mel Toub Rob Schleifstein Sisterhood ……………….……….. Fern Hayden Gift Shop…………………………… Lin Guinipero Social Action………………..…….…Michael Weitzman Web ………………..………………..Chris Grossman COEJL……………………. . .………Lew Morrison Listserv………………………………Jackie Betters/Sandie Vipler Bulletin…………………………… .Diane Silverman/Jackie Betters The deadline for all articles for the bulletin is the 15th of the month prior to publication. Please email your articles to [email protected] or you can drop them off at the synagogue office. Rabbi Markowitz’s office hours for the winter: Tuesday through Friday 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM You can also reach him by calling his cell phone at 518-878-6299 or by sending him an e-mail at [email protected] January Birthdays Jan. 6 7 12 14 14 18 21 22 22 23 31 31 Melvin Toub Ellen Wexler Carol Chaykin Cindy Barnett Jo-Ann Levy Linda Gellman Rabbi Markowitz Miriam Cooperman Sherry Kearns Kenneth Margolius Fred Nauman Charles Silberman From the desk of Morah Tziporah Congregation Beth Shalom had a wonderful CHANUKAH celebration with our friends from Agudat Achim. It was filled with the joy of children singing, putting on a play, crafting & eating. A big THANK YOU goes to Fern Hayden, Linda Russell & their committees for doing all of the delicious food. TODAH RABBAH to Mark Silverman, Ray Franzone & their committees for schlepping tables & all they did to make this a wonderful event. TODAH RABBAH to our TEENS: Melissa Kearns, Joshua Sangaline & Rachel Sangaline for coming in to teach the children how to create their projects. THANKS to the parents who came to watch their children perform & stayed to help ******************************************************** TODAH RABBAH to our Torah & Haftarah chanters for the month of December: Stan Simkins & Sanford Roth. MAZEL TOV to Our Temple Family Harriett & Alvin Brown Karen & Brian Daniels 1/5 1/26 24th anniversary 26th anniversary A special THANK YOU goes to Cantor Stan for leading the Mussaf service on December 6h. A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU goes out to Janie Garnett for delivering the D’var Torah on December 6 th. Please, please come to shul on Shabbat mornings to become spiritually renewed and to support our congregants & friends who are chanting. We’re still collecting clean empty soda bottles, cans & water bottles for recycling and refunding. All money goes to the TZEDAKAH fund to support projects chosen by the Hebrew School. B’shalom, FLO Miller Director of Education DECEMBER MEN’S CLUB REPORT The Men’s Club wishes everyone a safe and healthy New Year. Mark Silverman Men’s Club President Sisterhood Winter Message We just had 2 successful events: Captain ‘Adopt a Family” had a tremendous response enabling us to provide much needed items for a 1 month old baby boy. The Latke/Chanukah dinner, where we hosted Congregation Agudat Achim, was a success and enjoyed by all who made the latkes and attending the dinner. A very special thank you to both BJ Rosenfeld for taking the lead on the Captain Adopt a Family event, and to Linda Russell for coordinating the Latke making and dinner, even as she was still recovering from her ordeal. Here is an update on future Sisterhood events: Let us have another look at our wonderful men who served or are serving in our Armed Forces. We should always remember the price we pay for the freedom we have. * Joint Sisterhood/Men’s Club event featuring our Volunteer for Israel participants: Harvey Finkelstein and Steven Hayden. Stay tuned for details. SAVE the DATE: Saturday Nite, January 17, 2015 * Joint Sisterhood/Men’s Club Shabbat: March 21, 2015 * Another Sisterhood Off Site dinner will be held June 10, 2015. Save the date and look for forthcoming details (perhaps at the vegetarian/Kosher Restaurant Terra, in Albany) *As Sisterhood represents a Jewish Organization, we request that whenever we have an off-site dinner meeting, please do your best to order Kosher Style* We have a few Entertainment Books left. Books are $25.00, with a check made out to Sisterhood. You may reserve your book by either contacting Janice Lyng at [email protected] or Fern Hayden at [email protected] Get involved! Help Sisterhood help our Synagogue, Hebrew School as well as the Community wide programs we now support. Together, we can succeed in helping Sisterhood sustain its vitality and well-being in support of our Synagogue. We’d love for you to experience Congregation Beth Shalom Sisterhood for yourself. We truly need all of you! If you have any suggestions for programing or events, please contact me at [email protected]. Lt. Colonel Shapiro with CBS vets Your bulletin editors Diane and Jackie Remember: Everyone is welcome to attend our monthly planning sessions. The schedule for our planning sessions (thru May 2015) is shown below. Reminders will be sent out 1 week ahead of the meeting date. Monday, January 19, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue Monday, February 23, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue Wish you all a Monday, March 23, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue Happy & Healthy New Year Monday, April 20, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue Monday, May 18, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue Shalom Fern Hayden Sisterhood President Member Jan. A B B/L C D D/L F F/L GF GM H 1 1 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 8 9 11 12 12 12 12 13 14 15 18 20 20 22 22 22 22 23 25 26 27 27 27 27 27 29 30 30 31 Tevet Shevat 10 10 12 12 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 17 18 20 21 21 21 21 22 23 24 27 29 29 2 2 2 2 3 5 6 7 7 7 7 7 9 10 10 11 JANUARY YAHRZEITS Deceased Ruth Goldstein Fern Hayden Stephen Gellman Howard Vipler Paula Weiss Carol Kohan Colleen Kohan Silverman Michael Weitzman Judie Nauman Gary Weiskopf Sherry Kearns Susan Daisak Steven Hayden BJ Rosenfeld Wendy Pyle Laurence Shapiro Colleen Kohan Silverman Roberta Boss Karen Baum Mark Cury Flo Miller Elaine Lowenberg Linda Guinipero Fern Hayden Hana Mondelblatt Phyllis Morrison Ellen Markowitz Raylene Jacobs Lauren Weinberg Bruce Kopf Anne Ross Harriet Brown Alvin Brown Fern Hayden Leslie Miller Janet Daniels Lewis Morrison Nancy Cury Toby Elman Roberta Boss Karen Hamerling Alexander Daniels Wendy Pyle Janet Daniels Joseph Galperin Henrietta Weisenfreund Marion Gellman Samuel Vipler Lydia Weiss Hyman Kohan Hyman Kohan Max Weitzman Amelia Deutch Albert Weiskopf Albert Weiskopf Oscar Albert Ben Hayden Sid Lessne Anita Lieberman Ernest Shapiro Kathleen Wixson Goldie Boss Jacob Bogatz Theodore Cury Mollie Segal Morris Yanovitz Harold Weinstein Leona Salkind Ezra Tepel William Ackerman Gertrude Extein Ann Levine Lillian Edwards Bernard Kopf Benjamin Krever William Simmons Louis Brown Bernard Weisenfreund Simon Miller Hyman Friedman Jeanette Morrison Leo Samen Esther Gellman Scher Stephen Sedlik Marcella Lichter Esther Davidovits Mannie Lieberman Bertha Friedman Relationship F M M F M F F/L U A F F F F F M F S M/L GF F M F U GM B F GM M M F F F F F U F M F M B M M F M ****************************************************************************** aunt M mother brother M/L mother-in-law brother-in-law N niece or nephew cousin S sister daughter S/L sister-in-law daughter-in-law W wife father father-in-law grandfather grandmother husband What better way to remember loved one(s) than to have a plaque placed on our Memorial Wall in memory of them. For more information on purchasing a plaque you can call the synagogue office 371-0608 and speak with Jackie. The cost for each plaque is $250.00 *************************************************************************************** Remember that special date with either a leaf or an acorn or even a stone on our Tree of Life. Congregants and interested public may celebrate a mitzvah (happy occasion) or commemorate a memory by purchasing one or more of the following: Leaves - $180 Acorns - $500 For further information regarding purchasing a leaf, acorn or stone for the Stones - $1500 Tree of Life, please contact Jackie at 371-0608 We gratefully acknowledge these contributions General Fund in memory of Reyut Continued Harry Bloch by Paula Bloch Helaine Hornstein by Barbara & Richie Bergman Al Ernst by Barbara & Richie Bergman Fred Silverman by Colleen & Bob Silverman Edward Casey by Colleen & Bob Silverman Blanche Rothman by the Vipler Family Howard Horowitz by the Vipler Family Rose Viplich by the Vipler Family Lillian Ziperstein by Leslie Finkelstein Sara Folkman by Ricardo Dobry Howard Feinman by Carol Wolk Well wishes to Annie Friedman by Sandy & Don Rubin Peace Garden in memory of Al Rosenfeld by Annie & Larry Friedman Al Rosenfeld by Sandy & Don Rubin Peace Garden in honor of The 50th anniversary of Harriet & Mike Weitzman by Annie & Larry Friedman General Fund in honor of The 45th anniversary of Doris & Marty Calderon by Annie & Larry Friedman Rabbi’s Disc. Fund in memory of Wishing Don Rubin a speedy recovery by Annie & Larry Friedman Jean Franzone by Marcie & Ray Franzone Morris Zamlong by Stuart Zamlong Endowment Fund Louis Scher by Toby and Arnie Elman Reyut fund in memory of Live Music Fund: Anna Rose by Ellen & Irwin Finch Sara Davis by her loving family Chumashim Fund A leaf on the Tree of Life was purchased in memory of David Tymon by Paula Snyder Various programs at Congregation Beth Shalom Are generously supported in part by Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY THREE fundraisers with NO NET COST to you SCRIP The list includes hundreds of businesses nationwide—retail stores, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, rental cars, pharmacies, movie theaters, i-tunes, Amazon… to name just a few. VENEZIA’S Enjoy great pizza, salad, eggplant, and other delicious food – dine-in or take-out. HANNAFORD Purchase gift cards through the synagogue Sisterhood and use when you grocery shop. Congregation Beth Shalom receives a percentage of the gross value of your scrip, Venezia’s, and Hannaford purchases and you get to spend the full face value!! Shop for your own everyday needs and give as gifts. This is a painless way for you to support our fundraising efforts!!! Please contact Lin for additional information or to place an order. Lin: [email protected] or call 518-588-7775 Do you have a special event coming up that you would like to share with your family, friends and synagogue family? Why not sponsor an Oneg or Kiddush? Sponsoring a Kiddush is honoring, celebrating, memorializing, and congratulating any individual/s or event. A Kiddush is a wonderful way to bring people together and begin to celebrate the Sabbath too. For more information you can call the synagogue office and speak to Jackie at 371-0608 or call Linda Russell at 371-3641 Various programs at Congregation Beth Shalom Are generously supported in part by Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY Jewish Film Festival FOOTNOTE Sunday, January 11, 3:30 PM optional supper at 5:30 Israel Academy Award Nominee Best Foreign Language. Prof. Mark Muraven will lead a discussion Supper menu: minestrone soup, bagels, cream cheese/lox, roasted vegetables, tossed salad, dessert kugel, fruit and coffee. $10 by January 8th.Call 377-8803 for credit card payment or mail your check. Film cost: $9, $5 Member, $3 Student. The JCC of Schenectady is located at 2565 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, 377-8803, www.schenectadyjcc.org Robert & Dorothy Ludwig Schenectady Jewish Community Center All Are Welcome to a Community Lunch Nurturing the Body & Soul Come join us to enjoy a warm meal, or just to socialize with fellow Southern Saratoga area neighbors on Wednesday, January 28th at 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM St. Edward the Confessor Church Social Hall 569 Clifton Park Center Road. Desserts to share are most welcome. RSVP…. Please due to limited seating: 371-7372 ext 227 Hosted by St. Edward’s Church and Congregation Beth Shalom “Future Wednesday meal dates” February 25th March 25th April 29th May 27th June 24th Mah Jongg News We are looking for experienced players who would like to substitute in our game. We meet Wednesday afternoon from 12:30 to about 3:30. Please contact Eve Kaufman @ 343-6420 or Carol Chaykin @ 383-4417. We would also like to hold learning sessions for those interested at another time. CLIFTON PARK PODIATRY Richard C. Berkowitz, DPM, FACFAS Medical and Surgical Care of the Foot 1673 Route 9 Halfmoon, NY 518-383-3338 Remember that special date with either a leaf or an acorn or even a stone on our Tree of Life. Congregants and interested public may celebrate a mitzvah (happy occasion) or commemorate a memory by purchasing one or more of the following: Leaves - $180 Acorns - $500 Stones - $1500 For further information regarding purchasing a leaf, acorn or stone for the Tree of Life, please contact Jackie at 371-0608 HALFMOON MOBIL Courteous, Quick and Clean Route 9 and Sitterly Road (across from Hewitt’s) Clifton Park, NY Locally Owned and Operated PREMIERE TRANSPORTATION GROUP David J. Brown, President 456 North Pearl Street Albany, NY 12204 518-459-6123 Professionally Chauffeur-driven Sedans, Limousines, Vans, and Coaches