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The Monthly Magazine of Temple Emanu-El of Tucson | 225 North Country Club Road, Tucson, AZ 85716 TEMPLE(520) 327-4501 TIMES www.tetucson.org Jane 2019 - Iyyar/Sivan 5779 Vol. LXVII No. 10 So Much to Celebrate in June YSaturday, June 8th, 8:00 pm - Tikkun L’eil Shavu’ot Festival Service, Torah Study and Ice Cream Social YThursday, June 13th, 7:00 pm - Celebrating 20 Years of Song: A Concert in Honor of Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg YFriday, June 14th - Seeking Shabbat Services in honor of Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg 5:00 pm - Noshes 5:30 pm - Seeking Shabbat Services 6:30 pm - Shabbat dinner YSaturday, June 15th, 10 am - B’not Mitzvah of Shishiniyot Ron Benacot and Rotem Rapaport Mazal Tov to our Confirmands: Ben Sargus, Malachi Fisher, Darian German, and Kyra Glassey (photo by Steve Shawl) FROM RABBI MUSICAL NOTES APPEL’S DESK It’s All About Me. Shavu’ot Music@Emanu-El Presents: 20 Years of Song th We reach the end of our counting Thursday, June 13 at 7:00 pm. of days and weeks this month with (520) 327-4501 the Festival of Shavu’ot. Beginning One of my colleagues at the Temple once the second night of Passover, we described my tenure here as a life sentence. have been counting up the days un- It might turn out that way: I recently calculated that I’ve til we reach the day that commemorates the giving been involved with Temple life for 38 years (!), but I’ve only of Torah at Mount Sinai. been the full-time Cantorial Soloist for about half that time. Because the focus is on the Ten Commandments, Temple Emanu-El is marking my 20 years as full-time Can- it is easy to think that the mitzvot/commandments th 2 torial Soloist with a special concert, Thursday, June 13 at on the two tablets were the only ones received at the 7:00 pm. I hope you will join me for what promises to be a moment of revelation. But rabbinic tradition em- terrific musical evening. Our featured musical guests include phasizes that all 613 mitzvot/commandments were www.tetucson.org Rachel Saul, violinist of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra given to us on Mount Sinai. We received all of Torah and one of my former students. She will play two new piec- in that moment. es, respectively written for this occasion by composer Lewis Saul and by Temple Emanu-El Music Director Robert The Torah has been likened to a ketubah, a marriage Lopez-Hanshaw. The program will also include former of contract, which can be helpful for Reform Jews Musical Director and accomplished pianist, Chris Tackett, when we consider the mitzvot/commandments. and wonderful pianist, Rouzbeh Tebyanian. And I’ll have Many of the mitzvot/commandments are not good deeds, but rather rituals as well as ethical behaviors. an opportunity to sing a couple of songs as well. One way to understand them is to see them as ob- ligations that arise from our relationship with God. Tickets are a bargain at $10. For more information on dona- Just as we have obligations in our relationships with tions, please contact Jill Rich at (520) 349-0174. others, e.g. call if you will be late coming home, we th have obligations to God. Friday night, June 14 , is a Seeking Shabbat service and dinner in my honor as well. Come for Noshes at 5:00 pm, We study Torah on Erev Shavu’ot to show our readi- and for Seeking Shabbat Services at 5:30 pm, and stay for ness to accept Torah again. This year we will be going Shabbat dinner at 6:30 pm. The delicious Shabbat dinner is Staff portraits donated by Jon Wolf Photography by Jon portraits donated Staff through a tour of all Five Books of Moses with our $15 for adults, $5 for children 4-12. Please call the Temple Torah Study Group. We will each present one of the office at (520) 327-4501 to sign up for dinner by Wednes- th five books, and then we will study our favorite texts day, June 12 . from those books. th B’not Mitzvah of Ron Benacot and Join us at 8:00 pm on Saturday, June 8 for our Tik- Rotem Rappaport, Saturday, June 15th kun L’eil Shavu’ot. We’ll have a brief festival service followed by about three hours of interactive learning We are beyond thrilled that Ron Benacot and Rotem Ra- fueled by a delicious Ice Cream Social. paport, our Israeli Shinshiniyot, will be called to the Torah at Temple Emanu-El, Saturday, June 15th at 10:00 am Shab- And consider going to Torah Study one Shabbat bat Morning Services. While both Ron and Rotem each morning. Torah Study meets every Saturday at 8:30 had a Bat Mitzvah party when they turned 12 - the custorm am for an in-depth and lively discussion of the To- for girls-neither of them had the opportunity to be called rah portion of the week. Torah Study is open to the public, there is no charge, and there is no prior expe- to the Torah until now. We hope that you will join us and rience or knowledge of Hebrew required. the whole Jewish community in celebrating with them, and staying for the Kiddush lunch afterwards. If you would like Chag Shavu’ot Sameach! to help with the Kiddush lunch, please call Donna Beyer at (520) 327-4501. The service is free, and all are welcome. Rabbi Batsheva Appel Marjorie Hochberg Cantorial Soloist President’s MG: What are you looking forward to the most in your Message upcoming year as president? SA:Riding in Air Force One. No, seriously, I look An Introduction forward to hearing the life stories of our congre- gants, and the role that Temple plays in their search There are no degrees, skills, or work expe- for meaning and fulfillment. We have a big job ahead of us, to keep a firm grasp on what makes us riences that are required to become Tem- (520) 327-4501 ple President. However, being passionate strong as a temple and to explore new territory of about seeing the best for our congrega- collaboration within the larger Jewish community. tion will ensure a successful presidency. Having worked While we plan and experiment, life will happen … with Scott Arden on the Board, both prior to becoming and and that’s the best part. while being President, I have seen his passion to always do what is in the best interest of the congregation with an eye Mona L. Gibson toward the long-term success of Temple. I am confident that President our transition will be smooth and that we will continue from 3 strength to strength. My interview with Scott follows: Membership Committee Mona Gibson: Tell us about your background. www.tetucson.org st th Scott Arden: My early years from 1 through 12 grade This will be my last Member- were in Salem, New Hampshire. At age 18, I decided to ship Committee article as I’m “go west” to California. I earned a BS in Mechanical En- stepping down as Membership Committee Chair as gineering at Stanford University in 1986, and an MBA at of June 30th. It has been an honor to be the Chair of Columbia Business School in New York in 1992. Sue and I this important Temple committee for the past three met at Columbia. We had a great Jewish wedding in 1994 in years. When I took on the position I had a dynamic her home town of Marquette, Michigan. In 1996, I started Co-Chair, Jane Schlamowitz. Jane did a tremen- an unforgettable experience as a medical-device product- dous job until she had to resign due family obliga- development team leader at Becton Dickinson in Franklin tions. When we took on the Co-Chairmanship we Lakes, New Jersey. Joshua was born in 1998. We bought didn’t know each other at all, however, as luck would our first house in Scarsdale, New York when Josh was 1 year have it, we became close and dedicated friends. old. Miriam came along in 2001. After that, I worked at Merck Manufacturing Division, and we moved the family Over the past three years, many committee mem- to Doylestown, Pennsylvania. We came to Tucson in 2007, bers have come and gone. I would like to thank each joined Temple Emanu-El that same year, and enrolled Josh one: Gretchen Britain, Marcy Tigerman, Sallie and Miriam at the Kurn Religious School. Tofel, Jill Rich, Brie Feingold, Fran Haggerty, Mona Gibson, Amy & Seth Ruskin, Ron Schnei- MG: What do you do when you are not at Temple? der, Scott Arden, Janet Kenigsberg, Rita Stolzen- SA: Currently, I work as a Development Project Manager berg and Liz Shallenberger. at Ventana Medical Systems (a Roche company). For fun, I enjoy skiing, music (from rock to classical), reading (business or science fiction), French television, and Frost gelato. The Seeking Shabbat Dinners will continue on most Friday nights during June, July, and August. MG:What are the highlights of your experiences since joining The next dinner will be on June 21st at Opa’s Best Temple? Greek American Food, 4590 E. Broadway Boule- SA: The early days of the Men’s Club were exciting. My vard. Volunteers are needed to host these dinners. role was small, helping to organize a social-action event; but I’ll continue to coordinate the dinners; just call me it was gratifying to be a witness as Norm Dritch (may his if you would like to volunteer.