Temple Israel Invites Community to “Welcome Home”
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August 26-September 1, 2016 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume XLV, Number 35 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK Temple Israel invites community to “Welcome Home” celebration By Linda Salomons to see and hear services,” said Jon Weiss, After a two-year rebuilding period, Tem- a Temple Israel Board of Trustee member, ple Israel has reopened its doors. It closed as well as a TI member since childhood. after heavy snow collapsed the roof through “Though smaller than the former temple, two levels of the original building. Now, the rebuilt temple is far more attractive and Temple Israel will welcome the community accommodating. Both the sanctuary and the to celebrate returning home. social hall feature windows that allow outside The “Welcome Home” celebration will light to illuminate the interior. The HVAC sys- be held on Sunday, September 25, from 4-7 tem works efficiently and, more importantly, pm, at 4737 Deerfield Place, Vestal. Tickets the new sound system is a vast improvement for the dedication program cost $45 per over the old one, especially for those with person, and will include hors d’oeuvres, The community has been invited to the “Welcome Home” celebration hosted by Temple hearing impairment,” said Melvyn Dubofsky. refreshments and dessert. Jan DeAngelo Israel on Sunday, September 25, from 4-7 pm. Other features of the temple include glass will provide music on the piano and evening enclosed meeting and conference rooms, casual dress will be preferred. space during the interim period. Temple Rozen. The temple boasts many new fea- two new kitchens (one for meat and one for Reservations can be made by calling Israel had been housed at the Jewish Com- tures and spaces, including an entry hall dairy) and a newly designed administration Temple Israel at 723-7461 by Thursday, munity Center and Hillel Academy had been with glass walls, high ceilings and modern wing for office and rabbinical staff. September 15, or by e-mailing titammy@ at Temple Concord. lighting concepts, a chapel for minyans, In addition to the temple space, there is a stny.twcbc.com. “When I first saw our new temple, it was a sanctuary that features new ergonomic brand new wing that houses Hillel Academy, The collapsed roof forced both Temple so much more beautiful than I imagined,” seating and a new sound system. with a private entrance and security features. Israel and Hillel Academy to find temporary said longtime temple member Beverly “It’s designed for congregants of all ages “We are beyond thrilled to move into a brand new, bright and updated space,” said Randy Friedman, father of three daughters who attend Hillel Academy. “Temple Israel Operation Thunderbolt topic of Piaker has included us in their construction plans, at great expense. We hope that the new space will help us continue our success at recruiting new families to Hillel Academy.” lecture on Sept. 8 Friedman added, “[My wife] Brenda and I Guest speaker Sasson “Sassy” the history of the Israel Defense Uganda, where the hijackers and additional are thrilled to have our daughters learning in Reuven will relate his first-hand Forces: Operation Thunderbolt, terrorists let most passengers go, holding a gorgeous new school building attached to a account of Operation Thunder- a counter-terrorist hostage-res- the Israeli and Jewish passengers hostage great synagogue that is right across the street bolt on Thursday, September cue assignment at Entebbe at the airport along with the 12-member from the JCC.” The facility also boasts state- 8, at 7 pm, at this year’s Piaker Airport in Uganda. flight crew. of-the-art classrooms for science and other Memorial Lecture. His talk will A week earlier, an Air France The Israeli government, after unsuc- STEM classes, as well as a private cafeteria. be “Failure was not an option.” plane on its way from Tel Aviv cessful negotiations, decided to send 140 Longtime member Donald Zelter said, “It While Americans were cele- had been hijacked by two mem- commandos on a 2,500-mile journey to carry brings back memories of our former shul. brating the American bicenten- bers of the Popular Front for the out a nighttime rescue operation that freed With the stained glass, as well as other items nial on July 4, 1976, about 140 Liberation of Palestine and two 106 hostages in 90 minutes. Four hostages from our former home, I feel we have come Israeli commandos were under- members of the German Rev- were killed, as well as all the terrorists. Four back, almost whole. The beautiful sanctuary taking a mission considered to Sasson “Sassy” olutionary CZ Cell. The plane Israeli commandos were wounded and one, in our new building allows for both old and be “one of the most daring” in Reuven was flown to Libya and then to See “Piaker” on page 5 new to be merged together beautifully.” Tenth annual “We Remember You” Project under way By Paula Rubin Concord, Hillel Academy, the Jewish Com- In addition, a kosher chicken, apples and the week,” said a program representative. Boxes have been placed at locations in munity Center and Hillel at Binghamton. honey, and a challah will be added to each “There are no family members and no the Greater Binghamton area to receive The food items donated should be ones box, along with a holiday card made by a holiday foods to make these days special.” non-perishable food items for the 10th annual people would wish to put on their own student from one of the Hebrew schools For those who prefer to make a mone- “We Remember You Project.” Once again holiday tables: soup, canned fruits or veg- or Hillel Academy. The new boxes will be tary donation, checks can be sent to Jewish this year, Jews in the area are being asked to etables, gefilte fish, pasta or desserts. The delivered on Wednesday, September 28. Family Service, 500 Clubhouse Rd., Vestal, donate non-perishable food items by placing boxes of food will be picked up on Sunday, “For most of us the holidays are syn- NY 13850 and marked “We Remember You” them in the marked boxes at Beth David September 18, and reassembled into 15 onymous with good times, but, for some, on the memo line. Funds collected will be Synagogue, Temple Israel, Chabad, Temple boxes, or one for each recipient family. these times are just like any other days of divided among the recipient families. Spotlight TC scholar-in-residence to explore Jewish wellness By Michael Nassberg His first program, “Can I be Jewish, resources for those interested in Jewish Wellness Center of North As Temple Concord’s Solis-Cohen Religious AND Spiritual (And Do I Have further study. Finally, Perlmeter Jersey, explained his practices Scholar-in-Residence, Rabbi Rex Perlmeter To Be?)” will be integrated into Shabbat will discuss “Staying Connected and beliefs, and discussed how he will speak from Friday-Sunday, September services on September 9. He will present When Living and Loving Hurt: developed them in an interview 9-11, at Temple Concord, 9 Riverside Dr., on the weekly Torah study on September Teachings and Reflections on the with The Reporter. His idea of Binghamton, on subjects related to Jewish 10, discussing “Shoftim through the lens of Spiritual Significance of Suffer- wellness combines four essential wellness. Reservations have been requested early Chasidic commentaries.” He will then ing and Loss” at a joint Temple aspects: physical, emotional, for programs on Saturday, September 10, offer an “Introduction to Jewish Mindful- Concord and Temple Israel Adult intellectual and spiritual. For and Sunday, September 11, so enough ma- ness Practices” at 8 pm on September 10, Education Brunch at 10 am on those interested in attending the terials will be available. To make a reserva- which will include “mindfulness-based September 11. The cost for the programs, he assured that “all tion, contact 723-7355 or templeconcord@ meditations” located in the context of Jewish brunch will be $5 per person. of the teachings will be based stny.rr.com. teaching and practice. He will also share Perlmeter, the founder of the Rabbi Rex Perlmeter See “Scholar” on page 11 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Uman, Ukraine Tackling water shortages News in brief... Special Sections A Beth David luncheon talk will A Ben-Gurion U. research institute An Orthodox shul in Jerusalem Legal Notices ................................... 4 look at the annual Chasidic looks for solutions to water issues hires a female spiritual leader; Book Review .................................... 4 pilgrimage to Uman, Ukraine. facing developing countries. Honduras gets Israeli tech; more. Back to School .............................. 6-7 ........................................Page 3 ........................................Page 6 ...................................... Page 12 Classifieds ..................................... 12 Page 2 - The Reporter August 26-September 1, 2016 Opinion The Temple Beth El windows By Neisen Luks It is interesting to note that when Beth El closed in as we replaced them with glass. So now we felt like the dog You have all no doubt read about the success of the 1991, the two subsequent owners did much to maintain chasing the car – we caught it, but what do we do with it? Temple Beth El window acquisition and placement with- the integrity of the windows. The most recent owner was a Our first task was getting quotes from experienced in the local community. This is one of those rare events producer of children’s shows for Middle Eastern youngsters. window persons. Unfortunately, most commercial window whereby almost everything worked as planned, no issues The windows were covered with plywood and two inches companies in town have no experience with such a task, and happy recipients and donors. It was sort of a “perfect, of foam board for the room decorations.