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May/JunePAGE 2016 1 BETH ISRAEL JUDEANissan/Iyar/Sivan BULLETIN 5776

BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN

BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGE 2 WELCOME TO BIJ

BIJ Board of Trustees In This Issue: Officers Board of Trustees...... 3 Nancy Greenberg ...... Co-President Deborah Schweizer ...... Co-President From the Rabbi’s Study ...... 4 Joshua Goodman ...... Immediate Past President Shabbat ...... 5 Trustees Holidays ...... 6 Deborah Bouck Debra Braun Ian Brown John Fuchs-Chesney Adult Education ...... 7 Lori Ganz Johanna Gendelman Our Tree of Life ...... 8 Aimee Golant Barbara Hammel Gail Harden Matthew Lefkowitz Sisterhood—The Women of BIJ ...... 10 Lynne Rappaport Reeva Safford Spotlight / Tikkun Olam ...... 11 Sisterhood Representative B3 Youth & Family Education ...... 12 Michele Siegel Events ...... 13 Community ...... 14 BIJ Staff Donations / Volunteers ...... 15 Danny Gottlieb ...... Rabbi [email protected] / ext 22 Ricki Weintraub…………..Interim Cantorial Soloist [email protected] The BIJ Bulletin Rebecca Goodman ...... Director of Education The BIJ Bulletin is published in January, March, May, July, [email protected] / 415.625.3613 September and November each year by Congregation Beth Israel Sara Heckelman ...... Synagogue Administrator Judea volunteers. Original articles and reviews are appreciated, [email protected] / ext 25 but we cannot guarantee publication. Submit ideas by email to: [email protected] in simple Microsoft Word format or in the body Neil Bronstein ...... Security/Maintenance of your email. Deadline for the upcoming July/August is Friday, June 3. If you would like to help with bulletin Contact BIJ production, please contact Deborah at: 625 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco, CA 94132 [email protected] 415-586-8833 | www.bij.org | [email protected] 2016 © Congregation Beth Israel Judea All rights reserved. BIJ Community App Mission Statement Stay in touch with your BIJ Community with our Congregation Beth Israel Judea is a center for progressive, FREE app, available to BIJ members in both the egalitarian located in southwest San Francisco. Our Apple App and Google Play Store. Find it by multigenerational, participatory community welcomes all Jews and interfaith families along with their partners and friends. We searching: “congregation beth israel judea” in either value celebrations of the spirit, Jewish culture, our children’s store. education, and life-long learning, music, social justice and Tikkun Olam. Office Hours CLOSED Mondays Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10 AM to 5 PM Friday: 10 AM to 3 PM

PAGE 3 BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN BOARD OF TRUSTEES

From the Co -Presidents by Nancy Greenberg & Deborah Schweizer It is hard to believe that a full year has passed since we were holiday celebrations and privileged enough to be selected to serve as BIJ’s Co- worship, and life cycle events Presidents. The time has really flown by. Our term began such as b’nai mitzvot, funerals with great sadness, with the sudden passing of our beloved and weddings) that are so Cantorial Soloist David Morgenstern and our first “official meaningful to our community. act” to notify the members of our community of this There is more work to be done heartbreaking news. Despite our grief, we came together as as the desire of our community a community and during the months that followed we to engage in acts of spirituality, experienced the start of good things that strengthen us and education and world healing is ongoing. We will again be that we believe would make our dear David proud. asking each of you to consider giving us some of your time At our Annual Meeting last year, we announced that the and energy to help with a specific project or join a team of Board of Trustees was working on a Community interest to you. Our volunteer participants and lay leaders Participation Plan aimed at dividing leadership will tell you that lending a hand to a project or team is not responsibilities among more lay leaders and engaging more just about working, but it is an opportunity to learn about members of our community in the essential functions of the each other, make friends and have a good time while synagogue. The first step in implementing the plan was to performing a good deed, or mitzvah. obtain input from members of our community regarding As we reach the end of the first year of our term as your Co- what got them engaged with BIJ; what wishes they had for Presidents, we are proud of and grateful for all that has been BIJ; and in what ways they wished to be involved. We accomplished because of the faith, commitment, and obtained this input by conducting a series of Community generosity of all of you - our community members. Our Gatherings in members’ homes in the Summer and Fall. heartfelt thank you! We look forward to the year ahead With the information received, we formally embarked on knowing there is more work to do…but optimistic and implementation of the plan by (1) forming teams and enthusiastic because we know you are on our team! selecting Team Leaders to oversee the four main areas of the synagogue: Spiritual Practice, Education, Community Nancy Jane and Deborah Outreach and Development, and Community Operations; (2) recruiting volunteers to serve on the teams; and (3) setting priorities for tasks the teams would work on and OY YEA!! OY YEA!! complete over the succeeding six months. The response to the Community Participation Plan has been heartwarming and exciting. From a governance perspective, BIJ ANNUAL MEETING we have made great strides in shifting the work that was Sunday, May 1 at 10:00 am being done by three over-burdened people (Rabbi, Board President and Synagogue Administrator) to teams of lay Come One, Come All!! leaders working in collaboration with the Co-Presidents, Rabbi and Synagogue Administrator to see that the essential functions of the community are attended to: from hiring *Consultant Extraordinaire Jenni Mangel will contractors to repair the roof to making sure we continue to be our Guest Speaker offer the high quality religious, spiritual, educational and *Learn About Our Progress Implementing our social programs that are so important to us all. We have Community Participation Plan better defined the volunteer opportunities and successfully increased the involvement of non-Board members in making *VOTE! Elect New Board of Trustee Members sure we are able to produce the many programs, events and *Meet the Team Leaders rituals (including Shabbat services, Torah Study, Friday Night Feast, Shabbat in the ‘Hood, Shabbat Shelanu, Sacred *Hear about the State of the Synagogue Hebrew Chant and Drum, Adult Learning Opportunities, Light refreshments and plenty of opportunity to Lunch and Learn, Adult Hebrew, Rosh Chodesh, Mussar schmooze will be provided. Training, Tikkun Olam projects, B3, teen programming, BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGE 4 FROM THE RABBI’S STUDY

The - Celebrating 60 Years By Rabbi Danny Gottlieb The Leo Baeck College – Celebrating 2 ‘P’s in a Pod 60 Years This past month saw the celebration of Purim and Pesach , and I This year marks the 60th year of the Leo want to take a moment to thank all of the volunteers and members Baeck College in , , and of the BIJ staff who came together to make the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the yahrzeit of these 2 P’s a memorable one. Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck, the great leader and Our Purim spiel and megillah reading was another testament to the teacher of European Jewry during and power and the success of our Southside Jewish Collaborative. after , after whom the More than 150 members of our congregations gathered together to College was named. The Leo Baeck share a meal and be entertained by our rabbis, cantors and College is where I did my rabbinic studies, educators, who appeared in various guises as the story of Purim and this year also marks the 36th anniversary of my ordination. was transported to Neverland, and then all were regaled by the Studying at the Leo Baeck College was a wonderful experience for reading of the Megillah with appropriate song and merriment. me, living and studying in England for four years, from 1976-1980. Only a few weeks later, we marked Pesach with two seders, a There was a great sense of community, the College was like an Feminist Seder (for women and men), led by Ricki Weintraub, and extended family, and it was a place of prayer and learning, personal our annual Community Seder. and spiritual growth, a place to discover Judaism and encounter And while Pesach celebrations are more serious than Purim God - all of the things that I hope are possible for us here at BIJ as celebrations, there is a connection between them. There is no well. mention of God in the Megillah. There is no mention of Moses in The College was founded in 1956 as the successor to the the Seder. We are delivered from Pharaoh as we are delivered from Hochshule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums in Berlin, with a Ahasuerus and Haman. Reluctant leaders, Moses and Esther, both mandate to train the rabbis and teachers who would help to rebuild of whom had heretofore led “secular” lives, accept the call to Jewish life in Europe after the destruction of the Holocaust. The identify with and save their people. We escape the fate that our College became a centre for the training of rabbis and teachers and enemies planned for us, and our enemies are destroyed in the end. a consultant agency for synagogue and day schools. It has also More Celebrations Ahead… served as a center for the development of Liberal and Reform Jewish community leaders, providing access to Jewish learning for The month of May begins with Yom HaShoah, the day set aside all and working with those of other religions to advance the cause each year to remember the Holocaust. We will mark this occasion th of , understanding and respect. with a special evening program on Thursday, May 5 featuring a dramatic reading of “Erased: Babi Yar, the SS and Me” and an In my years, the College was small. I graduated in a class of five honoring of Holocaust survivors from our Southside Collaborative students, only to learn that it was the largest rabbinic class at the congregations. On Saturday evening May 28th, we will celebrate College in more than a decade. Most years there are only two or Yom Ha-atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day – the 68th three rabbinic students. The majority of the graduates serve Anniversary of the State of Israel) with our friends at B’nai Liberal, Reform and Conservative congregations in the UK and Emunah. Details of both of these programs are found elsewhere in Continental Europe, but others like me, serve in the US, Canada, this Bulletin. and New Zealand, Israel and the Former Soviet Union. Over the years, the College has ordained more than 250 rabbis. Celebrating our Children’s Accomplishments th As you read this issue of the Bulletin, Ricki and I are just back Friday evening, May 13 is Confirmation. We begin the evening from London attending the European Rabbinic Conference which with a special Friday Night Feast honoring our Confirmands: Max was held to celebrate these important anniversaries and Braun, William Dukhovny and Logan Wolff. Then we continue achievements. The European Rabbinic Conference is an with a Shabbat service led by our Confirmation Class. During the opportunity for rabbis and scholars of the international progressive service we will mark the completion of the first year for all of the world to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities facing young people who have joined our school this year. We call this Jewish leaders and communities in Europe. This year’s conference brief ceremony “Kabbalat Torah” (Receiving Torah), and each provided an opportunity for graduates of the College to come back student will “receive a Torah” which we hope will remain with to London from all over the world and share their experiences and them for a lifetime of Jewish learning. We will offer a Tefillat learning. And it was an opportunity for me to be, once again, with HaDerech (prayer for the beginning of a journey) to our my teachers, classmates and friends—those with whom I shared graduating seniors who are off to college in the fall, and at the end my years at the Leo Baeck College. There were presentations by of the service a private blessing from the rabbi to the international scholars, discussion panels and workshops. And I Confirmands. was privileged to experience the fellowship that accompanies such I look forward to seeing you on these special occasions. Shalom, gatherings, and perhaps an occasional glimpse of the Divine Presence. Rabbi Danny Gottlieb PAGE 5 BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN SHABBAT

Shabbat Mornings: 2nd Friday: Shabbat in the ‘hood 8:45 AM Torah Study / 10:00 AM Service June 10, 7:30 PM, Bernal Heights Join Rabbi Gottlieb each Shabbat morning at 8:45 for an ac- On the second Friday of each month, we take our Shabbat cessible Torah study session, and then be right on time for service “on the road” to different neighborhoods in San Shabbat services led by Rabbi Gottlieb. (The first Saturday of Francisco and the Peninsula. Members host the chavurah- the month is led by Or Shalom’s clergy and are joint services style services in their homes, led by Rabbi Gottlieb and Ricki with Or Shalom. ) Weintraub. This provides an opportunity for our members to ******** ******** ******** enjoy an intimate service and invite neighbors who are not yet members of the BIJ family to meet and engage with us in an 1st Friday: Shabbat Shelanu informal way. If you are interested in hosting a Shabbat in the May 6 & June 3 ‘hood this year, please contact the BIJ Office. 5:45 PM Tot Shabbat Service 3rd Friday: No Service at BIJ 6:30 PM Dinner 7:15 PM Family Friendly Musical Service May 20 Shabbat Shelanu (Our Shabbat) is a time to celebrate Shab- We are invited to join one of two other services: bat, eat together and highlight the learning of our students. Or Shalom, Service and Speaker, 7:00 pm The speaker will be Or Shalom’s Rabbi Katie Mizrahi upon We celebrate together with our friends from Or Shalom and B’nai Emunah! Our Rabbis and song leaders guide us in a her return from sabbatical in Israel B’nai Emunah, Carlebach-style Erev Shabbat, 7:30pm fun-filled Shabbat and monthly birthday celebration! RSVP 3 http://bij.org/events-donations/registration Led by B teacher Andrew Nusbaum and Ken Mitchell, fol- lowed by a wine and food pairing.

2nd Friday: Special Kabbalat Torah, 3rd Friday: Friday Night Feast Confirmation and Off to College June 17—Honoring our Donors & Volunteers A free, catered Shabbat feast! Welcome Shabbat with table- Friday Night Feast and Service side blessings, then enjoy delicious fare and each others’ com- May 13, 6:30 PM pany. After birkat hamazon, the grace after meals, a special This special evening will celebrate milestones on the life program for the adults takes place; children retreat to the journeys of our children. The evening will begin as we wel- Fireside Room for supervised activity. Invite friends who come Shabbat together, with a free catered Shabbat dinner, have never been to BIJ! This monthly event is a wonderful followed by a special service. Please join us in celebrating as opportunity to introduce your friends to our BIJ Community. a community! Our speaker will be BIJ member Stephen Talsky, who 6:30 pm Catered Dinner will talk about his experiences teaching world religions to 7:30 pm Erev Shabbat Service middle school students in San Francisco. RSVP by May 6 to [email protected] or on www.bij.org This will be a special Feast, when we will honor this year’s Kabbalat Torah BIJ donors and volunteers. We will also present the Rabbi We will honor students who have com- Morris Scholarship Awards funded by Sisterhood—The pleted their first year in our B3 Youth Women of BIJ. Education Program in a Kabbalat Torah RSVP to [email protected] by June 9 or on www.bij.org (receiving the Torah) ceremony. 4th Friday : Confirmation Our special Erev Shabbat Service will Sacred Hebrew Chant and Drum PM include Divrei Torah (words of wisdom) May 27 & June 24, 7:30 from our Confirmation Class of 5776/2016. They will lead BIJ is joined by Or Shalom for this unique Sacred Hebrew the service and read the Ten Commandments, affirming Chant and Drum service. Our joyful band of vocalists and their commitment to Jewish life and learning. drummers lead us as we welcome Shabbat in an uplifting evening, layered with harmonies and rhythms, Off to College creating a sacred space. A potluck Oneg Shab- bat and schmooze follows. Please bring a treat This will be our opportunity to congratulate our children who are graduating high school and beginning college in the fall. to share. Tell a friend – all are welcome!!! BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGE 6 HOLIDAYS

Yom Hashoah - Honoring Holocaust Shavuot, June 11-13 Survivors in Our Community Tikkun Leyl Shavuot May 5, 7:30 PM Saturday Evening, June 11th, 7:30 PM AT BIJ Please join us, together with our friends from B’nai Emunah, Join with our friends from B’nai Emunah, Ner Tamid and Ner Tamid and Or Shalom, as we mark Yom HaShoah Or Shalom for a potluck dairy dessert, Havdallah, Torah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) with a special program spon- Service and Learning with Rabbis Gottlieb, Levin, Melamut, sored by our Southside Jewish Collaborative. The evening and Mizrahi: will feature a dramatic presentation of “Erased: Babi Yar, the Early Session – Our Rabbis will talk about their personal be- SS and Me,” written and performed by Or Shalom’s Corey liefs about God and Commandments. Weinstein, and a brief memorial service, in which those in our Later Session – We welcome Rabbi Katie Mizrahi back from community who escaped and survived the Holocaust will be her Sabbatical, and learn from her experiences in Israel during honored. the past year. Counting the Omer Festival and Yizkor Service May 12, 8:45 PM June 13, 9:45 AM The Omer Project will gather to count the Omer on different We will join with our friends at B’nai street corners in the Sunset and Richmond districts of San Emunah on the second day of Shavuot Francisco. There are 49 numbered streets in those neighbor- for the Festival Service, including Hallel, hoods, in perfect correspondence to the 49 days of counting as well as Yizkor. the Omer from Pesach to Shavuot. (Was G-d on the City Planning Commission, or what?) We will gather on the streets of the Sunset and Richmond districts in San Francisco to count the Omer, meeting on evenings at the numbered ave- Marking the First Yahrzeit of nue that corresponds with the Omer number of that day. For more information, go to www.omerproject.com Cantor David Eli Morgenstern z”l Rabbi Gottlieb will lead the gathering on the eve of the May 21, 7:30pm 20th day of the Omer, at 20th Avenue/Wawona. Join us!!!! Please join us for a Havdallah service in Yom Ha-atzmaut memory of our dear May 28 at B’nai Emunah Cantor David z”l Join us as we celebrate Israel's Independence Day with our friends from B’nai Emunah - with food, drinks, All are welcome to come for the entire day, or pick and choose from the stories & music. If schedule. you have a fond 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM – Shabbat service (Note: There will be memory of David Torah study and Shabbat morning services as usual at BIJ in addition to the service at B’nai Emunah - your choice!!) that you'd like to 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM – Israeli-style kiddush lunch & singing share and give a 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM – A reflective walk at Ocean Beach toast, we welcome it 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM – Mincha meditation 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM – Relax and schmooze with open hearts! 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM – S'eudah Shlishi (3rd meal) and Sushi RSVP to Ariela with our scholar, Eran Kaplan Morgenstern at [email protected] 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM – Israeli music sing along with Rabbi Danny Gottlieb and Ricki Weintraub, havdallah and dancing or on the BIJ website All events take place at Congregation B’nai Emunah, www.bij.org/events-donations/registration 46th and Taraval, San Francisco. Thank you to the Jewish Community Federation and Endow- ment Fund for full support of this day's program PAGE 7 BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN ADULT EDUCATION

Mindfulness Meditation Golden Thursdays: Lunch & Learn with Friday Mornings, 8:30-9:30 AM Rabbis Gottlieb, Levin, Melamut and Mizrahi Mindfulness meditation is a spiritual prac- PLUS Sandwich Making tice that allows us to create for ourselves May 19, 12:00 NOON at Ner Tamid an extended period of silence, in which to June 16, 12:00 NOON at BIJ/Or Shalom focus on our inner self without the distrac- Designed for people with flexible schedules who would tions of life’s constant noise. It is a gift that we can give to ourselves, for getting in like to come to the synagogue for a bite, learn with the touch with our inner self and strengthening rabbis, and socialize. The Lunch & Learn sessions take our spirit. We allow time to sit together quietly in silent Jew- place the third Thursday of the month, are led by Rab- ish practice, before heading off to our work or daily routine. bis Gottlieb, Levin, and Melamut* and rotate among all three locations. A light lunch is provided, followed by Sunday Study Circle sandwich making at 1:30 pm for Hunger Relief Project. May 8 & 22,June 12 & 26 10:00 AM-12:00 NOON Learn the Torah Tropes On the second and fourth Sundays Has it been a while (years?) since you last read from the To- of each month, join the Sunday rah? Perhaps you never learned to read the Torah but would Study Circle for an ongoing study like to do so? Would you like to occasionally read the Torah of the Tanach. The group is led by publicly on Shabbat mornings? What about being able to members of Or Shalom. The chant an aliyah when your child or grandchild is celebrating group will meet in the Fireside their Bar/Bat Mitzvah? If so, then consider joining our up- Room during the summer months, coming adult Torah trope class. Although the starting date when B3 is in recess. is yet to be determined, please let the BIJ office know of your interest. Women’s Rosh Chodesh Group May 11 & June 8, 7:00 PM Chant a Torah Portion for Shabbat! The Women of BIJ Rabbi Gottlieb is looking for Torah and Haftarah readers for celebrate the new Shabbat mornings throughout the year. IF YOU ALREADY moon each month on a KNOW HOW…You are invited to Wednesday eve- learn a few new verses to leyn for ning. Led by Ricki any Shabbat. Or, chant the maftir Weintraub, we begin or your Haftarah on the anniversary with a short ritual wel- of your Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Give coming the new moon followed by discussions, activities Rabbi a call at 415.586.8833 or send and meditations that help us find ways to connect more him an email at r a b - deeply to Judaism, ourselves, our lives and each other. [email protected] to schedule and discuss the details. Adult Hebrew Class May 12 & 26, June 9 & 23 Craft & Schmooze 6:30-7:30 PM May 15 & June 5, 1:00-3:00 PM This is an intermediate Hebrew course, where we are working Do you enjoy making friends, making or learning crafts or on improving reading skills, developing the building blocks of maybe a little knitting? Then join us for a Hebrew grammar and increasing our vocabulary. We meet bi- fun afternoon of schmoozing, crafting, ar- weekly. ($10/session. Contact Ricki Weintraub for more in- tistic and spiritual exploration. We meet on formation: [email protected] a monthly basis on Sundays.

BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGE 8

BIJ ACKNOWLEDGES ITS 2015-2016 DONORS Our Synagogue is the Tree that represents the Life of the community. We are acknowledging all our donors for investing in our community through Membership Commitments, our Annual Fund and all other contributions as tiers on this Tree. The foundation of the Tree is its roots, supporting the main trunk which then branches out. And on those branches form the leaves, buds and flowers which finally bear fruit. The top tier represents the Tree as a whole. PAGE 9 BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN Ilan/Tree: $25,000 or more Joshua Goodman & Karen Kerner Payrot/Fruit: $15,000-$24,999 Nancy Greenberg Deborah Schweizer Perach/Flower: $10,000-$14,999

Nitzan/Bud: $6,000-$9,999 Blair & Sue Horst Jeffrey Kallman & Ann Morgenstern Martin Segol Alim/Leaves: $3,000-$5,999 Bruce Alberts Anne & John Fuchs-Chesney Richard & Anne Marie Ruben Kenneth & Felicia Aron Lori Ganz & Peter Wolff, Jr. Reeva & Andrew Safford Gerald Bernstein & Kathleen Chaikin Bernstein Philip & Diana Hartman Risa Salat-Kolm & Steve Kolm Debra & Benjamin Braun Harold Kahn & Lisa Ludwig Kahn Lisa Weinberg & Hernan Espinoza Alexander Dukhovny & Yevgeniya Malamud Edward Kavalerchik & Danelle James Daniel & Beth Weisberg Michael & Betsy Dybbs Carol & Robert Mills Jonathan Frank & Lynne Rappaport James Morgenstern Anaf/Branch: $1,000-$2,999 Barry & Evelyn Adler Harry Huberman & Lee Greenholtz Huberman Edgar & Talia Pierluissi Ronald & Faith Appel Gabriel Isaacs & Sara Lopez-Isaacs Joseph & Nancy Radovsky Eleanor Aronovsky Alyssa Jenkins & Daniel Elefant Eric & Susanne Raynard Gary & Judy Bader Bruce & Rhona Kabakoff Joel & Janet Reves Sandra Berger Jonathan Kaplan & Jacqueline Wong Stephen Roditti Michael Castleman & Anne Simons Margaret Kaplan Paul & Sherrie Rosenberg Amy Cohen & Guy Zuzovsky Shel & Remi Klein Geoffrey Rothman & Beth Yarnelle Edwards Randall Dick Corinne & Jennifer Kopatz Richard & Niki Rothman William & Diane Ehrlich Quentin & Mara Kopp Zevika & Helen Salles Janet Endelman & Marshall Newman Louis Landman Lori & Garrett Smith Katherine Favetti Matthew Lefkowitz & Ann Comoglio Lorraine Smookler Jane Field Daniel & Evelyn Levin Ronald Sosnick Johanna Gendelman Stella Lorvan Cassandra Spacek Apollo Gerona Yvonne Lorvan Jeffrey & Lin Stillman Deborah Gitin & Ian Brown Stephen Ludwig Stephen & Melanie Talsky Sarah Glew Michael & Diana Mason William Tarran & Deborah LaTorre-Tarran Jeffrey & Lynn Glick Natalie Melendez-Ortiz Michele Tuman Rabbi Danny Gottlieb & Ricki Weintraub Myrna Melgar Stanley & Carolyn Wiener Steven & Amy Gottlieb Sandra Mills Carole K. & John D. Winston Eric & Barbara Hammel Judy Morris Lisa Wolf & Yehuda Golani Gail Harden Melvin & Pearl Mosk David & Shirley Zeff Alfred & Myra Herpe Bonnie Orendorff Gezah/Trunk: $500-$999 Beth Alberts & Gordon Atkinson Michael Hylton Valerie Rudee Robin Attia Lisa Isenstein & Timothy Brand Alla & Yuri Rykov Gennadiy Blinder & Valeriya Pasynkova Paul & Carol Kameny Susan Schneider Jeffrey Ebstein & Cynthia Becker Igor Kleyner & Marina Fastovskaya Meyer Segal Edward & Edna Egert Jonathan Koolpe Damon Schreibstein Donald & Trude Fineman Marge & Robert Levy Susan B. & Paul M. Shensa Benjamin Gelb Lori Lievore Gina Silverman & Reagan Richey Aimee Golant Casella & David Casella Michele Mozelsio Alisa Sosnick Sharon Grossman Harvard Robbins Marilyn Wacks & Nathan Blau Shoresh/Roots: $1-$499 Ruth Amber Stacey Herrera Rachel Rappaport Fred Angress Sandra & Alan Himelstein Elaine Reynolds Josef Anisimov Leon & Michele Hylton Julie Robbins-Cinti & Bob Cinti Hugo & Jane Beckerman Ralph & Judith Jacobson Ruth Rosenbaum Beth Berkowitz-Dutton & Raymond Dutton Gwen Kauffman Sandra Salat Herbert & Harriet Bloom Arielle Klein Meyer Segal Deborah Bouck Ruby Levin Jocelyn & Doron Shapira Irving & Pam Boxerbaum Terry A. Levy Millicent Shelton Jeanette Bronstein Hannah Lima Michele & Gary Siegel Neil Bronstein Howard & Janet Lockshin Claudia Bravo & Alan R Silverman Richard & Myrna Brown Miriam Menzel Al & Sonia Simon Beverly Flaum & Sharon Duque Claire Mikowski Robert Slater & Sherri Miller-Slater John & Joan Friedlander Lynn Miller Alice Sobel Susan Greenspan Inara Morgenstern Adele Tarran Rose & Richard Greenspun Regina Pasynkova & Ilan Erenstein Francine Ullrich Sara Heckelman & Elie Aharon Tatyana Pasynkova & Boris Pasynkov Marvin Zukor & Vivian Rain-Zukor BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGE 10 SISTERHOOD—THE WOMEN OF BIJ

Sisterhood - The Women of BIJ By Sherrie Rosenberg, President Rabbi Morris Scholarship Thank you all for allowing me to serve as your Co-President with Sarah Glew for two years and as your President on my is awarded own for two more. With your help, these four years have Sisterhood is pleased to announce allowed us to grow, be welcoming, and hold wonderful the recipients of the Rabbi Morris events for our community. It has been my pleasure to serve Scholarship. you and the BIJ community. As a result of generous donations I am excited to move on to the role of Immediate Past Presi- dent and I hope to help Sisterhood – The Women of BIJ to augmenting the Sisterhood Fund, continue to grow, to serve BIJ, and to provide fun events. two students will receive the 2016 We have a great leadership team, taking office in June, led by scholarship: Terry Levy as President. We have wonderful things planned. Ben Siegel, son of Michele and One thing that Terry is working on is having BIJ participate Gary Siegel in Jewish Heritage Night at the San Francisco Giants. Please see Page 13, and let Terry know if you would like to be part Elise Villa, granddaughter of of it. Valerie Rudee Since Terry is our president elect and she was our Hanukkah The scholarships will be awarded Fair chair, we need someone to fill this important position. on June 17 at the Friday Night Please think about it and let us know if you would be able to Feast. continue as the leader of this important BIJ tradition. We thank the donors this year: My involvement at BIJ started when I joined the book club that Barbara Hammel formed. Then, I took a Read Hebrew Judy Morris America class taught by Rabbi Rosalind Glazer. That led to Judy Bader eight of us having a Nashot Mitzvah on June 18, 2011. Our group is still very close. We are Simcha Greenspan, Gail Lynne Rappaport Harden, Myra Herpe, Terry Levy, Yvonne Lorvan, Sherrie Yvonne Lorvan Rosenberg, Jocelyn Pascoe Shapira, and Robin Winburn- Woll z”l. All of us have been very involved in BIJ. It is excellent being part of such a vibrant community. I look forward to seeing you at BIJ events.

L’shalom, Sherrie [email protected] or 415.902.8293 Next Sisterhood - Women of BIJ Clothing Swap Meeting with our New Officers! May 15, 10:00am Start your Spring Cleaning and save President - Terry Levy your wearable adult and children's Vice Presidents - Sarah Glew, clothing and small items like belts Myra Herpe, Natalie Melendez- and scarves to be swapped. Ortiz, Michele Siegel Refreshments will be served and there will be a small entrance Secretary - Sandie Spacek fee. Invite all your friends to join Treasurer - Yvonne Lorvan us and clean out their closets. Details to follow! June 5 @ 10:30am

PAGE 11 BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN SPOTLIGHT TIKKUN OLAM

The Southside Jewish Collaborative Tikkun Olam Ten Year Anniversary at BIJ! program has had a successful year. The focus on hun- Neil Bronstein, head of ger relief has made a difference in our local community. Security and Maintenance, Over 60 volunteers made 3,000 meals that were distrib- celebrates ten years at BIJ at uted to those in need. Our B3 religious school and Or the end of May. In 2006 he Shalom’s school assured that the children in our com- answered an ad on Craigslist munities had the opportunity to perform the mitzvah and was interviewed by then of Tikkun Olam, adding an additional 800 meals. Not -Administrator Linda Park. to be outdone, the volunteers who help out at our A licensed haircutter since monthly visit to the Food Bank assured that THOU- the age of 18, he was ready SANDS of pounds of food were ready to be trans- for a change. ported to soup kitchens, shelters and family tables. He started with 15 hours a We will be continuing our focus on hunger relief, but week – Friday night and Sat- plans are underway to provide volunteer opportunities urday morning (Shabbat), and Sunday. The former cus- in the areas of saving our environment, supporting indi- todian, Randall, trained Neil in three days, especially in viduals and families in need and social justice actions. “how to run Shabbos.” Eventually his hours were ex- New volunteer opportunities will be introduced in the panded. Fall and continue through the coming year. We hope Raised in a Jewish home in the Sunset, Neil became bar you will join us. mitzvah at Ner Tamid and attended Lincoln High Steve Roditti and Lori Ganz School. He had a group of Jewish friends, including Jeff Greenberg, youngest son of Cantor Henry Greenberg Upcoming Events: z’l. When they were 14, the boys tried to attend High Lunch & Learn – you are welcome to come to lunch Holy Day services at a local temple, only to be turned and learn with the Rabbis or to help with the hunger away at the door for lack of tickets. “I’d lost touch with relief efforts or BOTH!!! all my Yiddishkeit,” says Neil, following that incident. In May 19th – 12:00 Lunch and Learn at Ner Tamid his job at BIJ, Neil takes particular pleasure in warmly 1:30 – Lunch sack preparation welcoming all newcomers into the building, especially June 16th - 12:00 Lunch and Learn at BIJ/Or Shalom young people. 1:30 – Lunch sack preparation Neil’s favorite holiday at BIJ is Hanukkah. “It’s so fes- tive and really uplifting. I love how the lights are dimmed and all the hanukkiot are lit. It’s hugely impres- sive to see the sanctuary space. The fire extinguishers San Francisco/Marin are ready! I get a lot of love from the kids, and love the Food Bank homemade chocolate pretzel sticks that Jeff Kallman 900 Pennsylvania Avenue makes.” Another favorite memory is of Cantor David San Francisco Morgenstern z’l chanting “Avinu Malkeinu” during the May 29tth 9:00 – 11:00 High Holidays. June 26th 9:00 – 11:00 What does Neil hope for BIJ? “…to see continued RSVPs are not necessary, but we like to know you’re growth and vibrancy, not only in numbers but also in coming, so we can find you in the crowd. the richness that being part of a community and a syna- Please contact Lori Ganz at 415.606.8727 or gogue provides for all of us.” [email protected] The BIJ Community congratulates and thanks Neil for ten years of exemplary service. Yasher Koach!!!

BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGE 12 YOUTH & FAMILY EDUCATION - B3

Todah Rabbah—Thank You Very Much By Rebecca Goodman, RJE; Director of Education I have so much for which to be thank- Asir todah, ever so thankful, to Rabbi Mark Melamut from ful! I am thankful for my family, my two Congregation B’nai Emunah, my “partner in crime” in children, my colleagues and the families B3. He made sure that the entire program ran smoothly in the B3 program. while I was on maternity leave. He is a sounding board, a source of great ideas and support for me and our faculty Of course the year would not have been each week. He leads tefillah, sits with students 1:1, visits possible without our fantastic faculty! I classrooms for “Ask the Rabbi” and always has a smile am immensely thankful for their dedica- on his face! It’s always a pleasure to brainstorm new ideas tion to our students and Jewish learning. together! The school runs smoothly only in part due to my work behind the scenes. The real work is done each week by our teachers Our classroom education comes to a close on May 1, but and madricha, planning and implementing wonderful lessons there are always more opportunities to learn at the fol- for our students! I am thankful for their dedication. When you lowing important elements of our educational program. see each of these fabulous individuals, please take a moment to We hope everyone will join us for the end-of-year festivi- say todah rabbah (thank you very much) for their devotion to ties: Jewish education. May 6, 6:30pm – Shabbat Shelanu & Teacher Jennie Dahl, preK, K & 1 Appreciation Shiloh Atkinson, Madricha, preK, K & 1 Shabbat Shelanu – Our Shabbat with final class presenta- Mark Katz, grades 3-5 tions of the school year. Each of our classes, Judaica and Keren Ehrlich, grades 6 & 7 Hevruta Hebrew, will participate and present something Andrew Nusbaum, grades 8-10 about what they’ve learned this year. Each one of our Ricki Weintraub, fabulous music! students has been preparing in class and will have a spe- cial role. We will also honor our faculty by showering We are concluding our third successful year of our combined them with thanks and tokens of our appreciation for all educational program of BIJ and B’nai Emunah. We continue to their hard work and dedication all year. You won't want work well together, our most recent field trip took us to the SF to miss it! Food Bank where we organized more than May 13, 6:30pm – Confirmation, Kabbalat Torah & 30,000 pounds of or- College Student Sendoff anges! This special Erev Shabbat service will include Divrei Torah (words of wisdom) from our Confirmation Class of There is a group of dedi- 5776/2016. They will read the Ten Commandments and cated parents that I want the events of the revelation at Sinai, from the Torah. We to especially thank this will also honor new students to our B3 Youth Education year! Our B3 Parent Advi- Program in a Kabbalat Torah (receiving the Torah) cere- sory Group has been mony. Finally, our graduating high school seniors will hard at work all year receive a special blessing from Rabbi Gottlieb as they thinking about the educa- embark on this next phase of their journey. Please join us tional program, what’s in celebrating with: working and how to get the word out to others so that they can join us in the future. I also want to thank Johanna Gendelman, CONFIRMATION who made sure that our Hevruta Hebrew students were safe Max Braun, son of Deb and Ben Braun during lunch and picked up at the end of the day; she deserves William Dukhovny, son of Yevgeniya Malamud and an extra special thank you! Alexander Dukhovny Logan Wolff, son of Lori Ganz and Peter Wolff, Jr. Rabbi Danny Gottlieb, Ricki Weintraub, Sara Heckelman and KABBALAT TORAH Neil Bronstein are assets to the education of our youth - todah Samuel and Zachary Kaplan, sons of Jackie and Jona- todah, thank you thank you - for all of their dedication and assis- than Kaplan tance in helping attain a successful year! PAGE 13 BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN

3 B continued EVENTS

Jadyn and Logan Tuman, daughter and son of Michele and Seth Tuman Noam Attia, son of Robin Attia Joshua Koolpe, son of Jonathan Koolpe and Nyla Tam Leo Mozelsio Beahan, son of Michele Mozelsio Eve Isaacs, daughter of Sara Lopez-Isaacs and Gabriel Isaacs GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS: Seth Siegel, son of Michele and Gary Siegel, will be heading to Brandeis University in Waltham, MA Come join your BIJ family and friends for the SF Giants Evan Isenstein-Brand, son of Lisa Isenstein and Tim “Jewish Heritage Night” Baseball Game. Brand, is deciding between the University of Oregon, This is a BIJ-hosted event—all are welcome to attend. or San Jose State University, or one of a number of Tickets are selling fast for this event! other options. Contact Terry Levy by May 10th to reserve your ticket; Wyatt Stillman, son of Jeffrey and Lin Stillman payment due by May 15th. Price will depend on the size Sunday, May 22, 2:00-5:00pm – Lag b’Omer Picnic of our group. Please specify if you want a ticket in an Our fantastic year concludes with a late afternoon picnic at accessible area. Ocean Beach in San Francisco. In keeping with our theme of For more information and to get your seats, email Terry Tikkun Olam for this year, our picnic will include a beach at [email protected] (preferred) or 415.334.1005 cleanup. We’ll commemorate the traditional fires of Lag *********************************************** b’Omer while we roast marshmallows and make s’mores. Please bring a snack/dessert/side dish to share and any sports Jewish Coalition for Literacy equipment you’d like to use. Tutor Training Workshop June 3-5 – Camping Shabbaton May 25, 1:00 pm at BIJ If you have not signed up, we hope you’ll join us for the Can you read this? … day… at our third annual joint congregation camping trip at Then you can help a child who can’t. Del Valle Campground in Livermore. The ability to read fluently is essen- REGISTRATION for 2016-2017 / 5777 tial for success in life. Yet, nearly Registration for next year will be online again this year and three out of four children who with a new “filled-in” form with data that we already know complete third grade in California about your family! This should make re-enrolling easier and public schools struggle to read at faster for those with no changes from one year to the next. grade level. Starting in mid-May, check your email, the BIJ app, and the BIJ website for more information. Limited literacy means limited opportunity for too many California students. But this is an issue we can tackle. To- L’shalom, gether, we can lift those children up. Join the Jewish Coa- Rebecca Goodman lition for Literacy (JCL) as a volunteer reading tutor in a local public school and share the wonder of the writ- ten word, the magic of books, and the excitement of Todah Rabbah - Thank you! reading. We are deeply grateful to the JCF Catalyst It only takes one hour a week to participate in a re- Initiative for the Synagogue School Scholar- warding tikkun olam project that will open up a child’s ship support. This award was made possi- world. JCL welcomes all members of the community to ble by the Jewish Community Federation participate in the lives of at-risk children, providing them and its Endowment Fund, through a grant with the confidence and strategies that will enable them to to the Synagogue Partnership. For more become successful readers. information, visit www.sfjcf.org. To sign up for our upcoming training session and learn more about JCL, visit jclread.org/sign-up or call 415-977-7436. BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGE 14 COMMUNITY

Community Observance of Growing Up Interfaith: First Person Stories, Yom Hashoah Current Findings, and Best Practices May 1 after the BIJ Annual Meeting May 22, 1:00 pm—5:00 pm 1:30 pm—6:15 pm Join Lehrhaus and Building Jewish Bridges for the Growing Out of the Shadows: Rediscovering Artists, Up Interfaith conference at Temple Sinai in Oakland. Arrive Musicians and Poets at 12 pm for a tour of the photo exhibition, This Is Bay Area JCCSF, 3200 California St, SF Jewry. You are invited to the San Francisco observance of Holo- Since the advent of the term "interfaith," the Jewish focus caust Remembrance Day. This year’s program, Out of the has been on the intermarried couple. Research has not ex- Shadows: Rediscovering Artists, Musicians, and Poets, in- plored the experiences of the children of these couples. This cludes a screening of Blessed Is the Match: The Life and conference will be a forum for these previously unheard Death of Hannah Senesh, a documentary about the young voices. Keynote speaker Dr. Bruce Phillips will discuss his in Hungarian poet; five workshops, including eyewitness testi- -progress study of adults from interfaith families, and the mony from a Holocaust survivor; and a memorial ceremony workshops and a panel discussion will add to our under- featuring the compositions of Gideon Klein, and much more. standing. Admission is free, but pre-registration is en- This community-wide event is free and open to the public. couraged at lehrhaus.org. You are welcome to attend all or any portion of the pro- gram. Presented in partnership by: JFCS Holocaust Center, ********************************************************************* Lehrhaus Judaica, JCCSF, and the JCRC. URJ Pride Weekend Pre-Registration is recommended. Register online at: http:// For the third year in a row, join the URJ yomhashoahsf2016.eventbrite.com. San Francisco Bay Area Community to *************************************************************** march together in the San Francisco Yom Ha’atzmaut Community Event Pride Parade, Sunday, June 26, 2016. May 11, 6:00 pm Reform Jews from across the Bay Area will march together as one united group to show our solidarity with the Pride Join us as we celebrate Yom movement, proclaim our support of civil and human rights, Ha'Atzmaut (Israeli Independ- ence Day) with a reading of the and demonstrate our own strength in numbers. Megillat Ha'Atzmaut (the Israeli ********************************************************************* Declaration of Independence) by community leaders and a special Biblical Botanist Dr. Jon Greenberg acoustic performance by world June 30, 7:00 pm renowned musician Matisyahu. Noah’s wine vs Pharaoh’s Beer Congregation Emanu-El As we sample historical and modern wines, beers and 2 Lake Street, SF honey mead, Biblical and Talmudic botanist Dr. Jon Green- Pre-registration required! www.jnf.org berg will explain how the culture conflict between the an- This community event is organized by the Jewish Na- cient wine-drinking Israelites and beer-drinking Egyptians tional Fund and the Consulate General of Israel to the played out in the stories of the Exodus and Passover, and Pacific Northwest, in partnership with Congregation set the stage for much of later Jewish history. We’ll also Emanu-El, the Jewish Community Federation and En- enjoy snacks that trace the pathways of Jewish life from dowment Fund, and the Jewish Community Center of ancient to modern times, from the Middle East and central San Francisco. Asia to Europe and the Americas. JCCSF, 3200 California Street, SF www.jccsf.org Grief & Growing Bereavement Weekend August 26-28, Santa Rosa This is a weekend program for adults, children, teens, extended families, and friends who are experiencing grief from recent or past losses in their life. Give yourself time to reflect and renew in a loving and caring Jewish community. All families and genders are wel- come. Grief and Growing is professionally guided by grief-care specialists, providing a supportive Jewish environment where people of all ages and backgrounds can meet, learn and explore with others who have experienced similar losses. For more information or to register, call Bay Area Jewish Healing Center at (415) 750-3436, visit www.jewishhealingcenter.org Offered by Bay Area Jewish Healing Center, Jewish Learning Works, and Sinai Memorial Chapel. PAGE 15 BETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN DONATIONS VOLUNTEERS

Annual Fund Music & Cantor Fund Josef Anisimov Theresa McDonald Gerald Bernstein and Kathleen Chaikin Bernstein Rabbi Morris Fireside Room Fund Bonnie Orendorff Pearl and Mel Mosk Martin Segol In memory of Sarah Mosk Care & Concern Fund Stephen Talsky Wilma, Tony and Marissa Bass In memory of Harriet Gordon In memory of Jorge Aucar Rabbi Gottlieb Discretionary Fund Elijah Fund Barry and Evelyn Adler Anne and John Fuchs-Chesney In memory of Francis Adler Geoff Rothman and Beth Edwards Lynn Miller In memory of Anna Miller Friday Night Feast In memory of Jimmy Miller Sisterhood – The Women of BIJ In memory of Muriel and Sidney Miller General Fund ******** ******** ******** Anonymous THANK YOU to all our volunteers, and a special Jan Batlin THANK YOU to our members who give of their In appreciation time, energy and skills: Deb Braun and Family In honor of Michele Siegel’s 50th birthday Bulletin Lori Ganz Faith Appel In appreciation of Shabbat Shelanu Judy Bader Apollo Gerona Lynne Rappaport Amy and Steven Gottlieb In memory of Rose Tiegel Office Myra and Al Herpe Faith Appel In memory of Nathan Jackimowicz Judy Bader In honor of Michele Siegel’s 50th birthday Amy Gottlieb In honor of Yvonne Lorvan’s 80th birthday Gail Harden Gabriel Isaacs In appreciation of Shabbat Shelanu Seder Sacks Margaret Kaplan Elias Albertson Deb Braun In memory of Fred Kay Rebecca Kallman Lynne Rappaport Shel and Remi Klein Adam Safford Lily Siegel In memory of Ralph Klein Matthew Lefkowitz and Ann Comoglio Sisterhood—The Women of BIJ In memory of Benjamin Lefkowitz Friday Night Feast Stacey Leyton Barbara Hammel In appreciation Lynne Rappaport Valeriya Pasynkova Sherrie Rosenberg In memory of Inna Petcherikhina Richard and Anne Marie Ruben A Feminist Seder for the New Millennium In memory of Harry Ruben Ricki Weintraub Meyer Segal and Arleen Katcher Will Durst Comedy Event In memory of Abraham Segal Terry Levy Natalie Melendez-Ortiz One More Very Important Thank You Lynne Rappaport 3 Sherrie Rosenberg The B Family Education Program is deeply And many other wonderful volunteers grateful to Sisterhood—The Women of BIJ for your ongoing support, providing additional Please forgive us if we inadvertently omitted your name.

funding for our programs. Donations received after April 19 TODAH RABBAH! will appear in the next bulletin. Non-Profit Org. CongregationBETH ISRAEL JUDEA BULLETIN PAGEU.S. Postage 16 PAID Beth Israel Judea Permit No. 137 625 Brotherhood Brotherhood Way Way Daly City, CA San Francisco,Francisco, CA CA 94132 94132 T 415.586.8833 | F 415.586.9013 [email protected] Service | www.bij.org Requested

MUNI Route 57 Park Merced bus now stops at BIJ!

Erev Shabbat Schedule OY YEA!! OY YEA!! 1st Friday: Shabbat Shelanu (Our Shabbat) 5:45 PM Tot Shabbat BIJ ANNUAL MEETING 6:30 PM Table Blessings and Dinner 7:15 PM A musical family-friendly service. Our Sunday, May 1 at 10:00 am Rabbis are joined by our song leaders. Potluck Come One, Come All!! dessert Oneg Shabbat follows. RSVP. 2nd Friday: Neighborhood Shabbat *Consultant Extraordinaire Jenni Mangel will 7:30 PM BIJ goes “on the road…” be our Guest Speaker 3rd Friday: FREE Friday Night Feast 6:30 PM Tableside Shabbat Blessings & Community *Learn About Our Progress Implementing our Dinner. Includes program for adults. RSVP. Community Participation Plan 4th Friday: Sacred Hebrew Chant & Drum 7:30 PM Soulful singing, joyful rhythms and *VOTE! Elect New Board of Trustee Members meditative worship. Potluck Dessert Oneg Shabbat follows - please bring goodies!! *Meet the Team Leaders Weekly BIJ Saturday Morning Services *Hear about the State of the Synagogue 8:45 AM Torah Study

10:00 AM Shabbat Services Light refreshments and plenty of opportunity to Light Kiddush follows schmooze will be provided.