Rabbi's & President's Messages
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Rabbi’s & President’s Messages The Challenge of Joy President’s Message Purim is upon us! And with Purim comes the Dear Temple Israel Family– call, “Mi shenich’nas Adar marbim b’simcha! Whoever enters into the month of As we enter the final phase of our Adar should be happy!” I recently spoke to a friend of the campaign, we continue to be congregation who told me that if I noticed this encouraged by the generous person’s more frequent absence from activities, it participation of this congregation. If you is because of the deep sadness this person has have completed your commitment, I been experiencing lately. The last few years for Rabbi Sharon Mars Patti Shorr, offer you my sincere gratitude on behalf this person’s life has been riddled with family Temple Israel President stresses and mental health struggles. So much of this person’s time of the building committee, the Board of and resources have out of necessity needed to be poured singularly Trustees of the the Temple and the into making sure that their children were okay and their marriage Temple Israel Foundation. Your generosity is stayed afloat. “That’s why you haven’t seen me in synagogue, inspirational and will benefit our members and future Rabbi,” this person said. “And even if I could manage to muster the members!. We have accomplished great things with this energy to come to shul, I don’t think I could be around other people’s joy, or they could handle being around my sadness.” Shuvu campaign, including gifts from over 200 member Happiness can be hard to come by in this life, and households. although Judaism provides many avenues toward joy and many others to handle life’s pain, what can we do when life seems We continue to be very hopeful that we will achieve overwhelmingly difficult? We may find ourselves at different 100% participation from all our member families. If troughs in life feeling like we are constantly “saying Kaddish” for the losses we mourn: relationship struggles, health obstacles, you haven’t yet, and are interested in participating in the employment issues, and so on. What does our tradition have to campaign, please reach out to our executive director, offer us for these pervasive and consuming real-life problems? Jennah Scher at 614.866.0010 ext. 115. It is never too One answer is to regularly engage in a spiritual late to be a part of this important project. The Building practice. Whether praying with Siddur in hand or sitting in silence, Committee is enthusiastically beginning to plan a the mere act of setting aside time and space to connect internally and externally can be a powerful gift we give ourselves. A Jewish groundbreaking event, and look forward to sharing best practice is to pray in community, but sometimes that can be details with you soonI would also like to take a moment daunting for us when we feel engulfing sadness. “What if I cry the to offer my gratitude to our member Lynne Garfinkel whole time?” My answer: Tears are good. Let them flow! And let us who has been our consultant over the past several as a community grow our sensitivity to know that a loving touch on months on the Shuvu Campaign. Lynne has made a the shoulder is sometimes even more potent than any words to acknowledge loss. And Jewish meditation is another good option, as great difference in what we have achieved with this there is always time set aside to share about one’s experience with mighty campaign. Lynne has offered her counsel, expert the practice and how it makes one feel. guidance and supported the detailed work of keeping Another very Jewish way to work through one’s internal our small committee working and planning together. pain is to do mitzvot for others. Dedicating some time to helping On behalf of the committee, congregation and others in need - even a simple act like buying extra diapers to give to a children’s organization like Moms2B - can help transform one’s leadership past and present, thank you to Lynne for sadness into joy, a joy that can be experienced by another person sharing and dedicating herself to this effort of our because of you. “Doing unto others” can be transformative and coming home campaign. healing. May we take up the challenge of increasing Simcha this Warmly (and please stay warm), month of Purim, taking care to grace each other with sensitivity, light, and the joy of being part of a loving community! We don’t always realize the gift of mere contentment while we’re experiencing it - it’s only when we experience the poles, pure joy or raw sadness, that contentment can feel like that “happy Patti Shorr medium.” Temple Israel President Temple Israel TIKUN (USPS 537600) is published 11 times per year, monthly except August by Temple Israel 431 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215-4004. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address changes to Temple Israel Tikun, 431 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215-4004. 2 Temple Israel Shabbat February Service Schedule B’nai Mitzvah Jake & Sophie Lichten, children of Rachel Friday, February 1 at JCC & Jason Lichten, were called to the Torah as Celebration Shabbat ................................................... 6:00 PM B’nei Mitzvah on Saturday, January 12. They are the grandchildren of Josh Gordon and Saturday, February 2 at JCC Gail Lichten, and they are the younger Jewish Meditation .................................................... 10:00 AM Tot Shabbat .............................................................. 10:00 AM siblings of Sam. Jake and Sophie attend the Columbus Academy where they are in the Friday, February 8 at JCC 8th and 6th grades, respectively. Jake is a Jake & Sophie Lichten January 12, 2019 Erev Shabbat Service ................................................... 6:00 PM madrich for Temple Israel’s Religious School 4th grade class. Sophie participated in two seasons of Girls Saturday, February 9 at JCC on the Run. The Lichten family created and chaired the 5k Bat Mitzvah Service .................................................. 10:00 AM to Cure Psoriasis in Columbus for 8 years. The event has Leah Levin will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah raised over $150,000 for psoriasis research. Jake recently completed the Columbus Half Marathon, and Sophie has Friday, February 15 at JCC placed for the last several years at the Hackman Piano Erev Shabbat Service ................................................... 6:00 PM competition. Jake plays soccer and was the captain of his Bimah Guest: Whitehall Mayor Kim Maggard (see below) school soccer team this year. He is currently wrestling. Adult Choir participating Sophie plays lacrosse and runs. She also plays piano, flute, and takes voice lessons. They have both spent the past several Saturday, February 16 at JCC summers at Emma Kaufman Camp; Jake has been going for 5 Jewish Meditation .................................................... 10:00 AM years and Sophie for 4. Jake and Sophie collected hundreds of board games to donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Friday, February 22 at JCC Columbus. Some will stay there and others will become Erev Shabbat Service ................................................... 6:00 PM birthday or holiday gifts for the siblings of the patients. They went there and hosted a board game event with the families. Saturday, February 23 at JCC They are donating a portion of their gift monies to the Neshama Minyan ..................................................... 10:00 AM Ronald McDonald House. Leah Levin, daughter of Shana & Michael Tot Shabbat Levin, will be called to the Torah on The Ten Commandments Saturday, February 9. She is the Saturday, February 2 granddaughter of Vicki and the late Mike Canter, Candi Shoor, and the late Jay Shoor. 10:00 AM She is the older sister of Avner and Ethan. at the JCC Leah is a 7th grader at Bexley Middle School. She has volunteered at the JCC camps and at Join Cantor Moses and friends as we learn Leah Levin Hilltop Community Worship Center. Leah February 9, 2019 about Moses and the Ten Commandments! enjoys playing volleyball, soccer, skiing, We will sing songs, have a story, share a snack and make a fun craft! RSVP to Cantor wakeboarding, art and traveling. She likes to spend her free Moses at [email protected]. time with family and friends. For her Mitzvah project, Leah is establishing a memorial and inspirational rock garden in Bimah Guest the Zusman Hospice patio to honor her grandparents and great-grandparents who spent their final days in the Whitehall Mayor Kim Maggard wonderful care of Zusman Hospice. She hopes that the Friday, February 15 messages of love, peace, hope and memories will be 6:00 PM meaningful for patients and their loved ones. Leah received at the JCC her early Jewish education from the Columbus Jewish Day School and continues her learning through the Temple Israel As part of Temple Israel Social Justice Team’s ongoing series on the issue of Ohio's opioid crisis, Whitehall Mayer Kim Maggard will Religious School. She enjoyed preparing for and speak about the opiate problem in Whitehall and their efforts to understanding her Torah portion, Terumah, and what it improve the situation. means to be a part of the Jewish community. Temple Israel 3 Education Religious School Although it is only February, Purim is just around the corner! It’s not too early to start getting happy! Please join us this year for our most spectacular Purim celebration yet! All Purim events will be combined into one grand Purimagination extravaganza that is designed to entertain, amaze and delight every age. Bring your entire family to this amazing event, taking place directly after Religious School on Sunday, March 10. All proceeds go to the Religious School.