TIKUNTemple Israel Kehilla U’Neshama Volume XIII Issue 2 November 2016 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5777 Tikkun Olam Begins with the Self Page 2 Religious School Gains Momentum Page 5 2 Opportunities to go to Israel! Page 6 Temple Israel Partnering with Building Heroes Page 7 Temple Israel Creating community Nurturing souls Repairing the world Rabbi Zinkow’s Message Tikkun Olam Begins with the Self Shimon Peres, of blessed memory once said that underway, but beginning right now - this year, we envision a the greatest gift that Judaism gave to the world “is community that learns, embodies, reflects, breathes and lives tikkun dissatisfaction! We are a nation born to be olam -- healing and repair. In everything we do, within these walls discontented. Whatever exists we believe can be and in the community. Naturally, we can only repair the ladder to changed for the better.” This is a cornerstone of heaven one rung at a time; we cannot attempt to repair and climb too Jewish belief; we call it tikkun olam, the repair of quickly. There is wisdom in identifying one or two broken rungs, the world…. one or two community or societal issues on which to focus our …2000 years ago, our great sage Hillel the Elder attention and our work in the next phase of our congregation’s famously asked, “Im ain ani mi, mi li? If I am not journey. God knows, there is no shortage. Poverty and economic Rabbi Misha Zinkow for myself, who am I?” Each of us is an entire justice? Race relations? Immigrant rights? Criminal justice olam, or, world in need of tikkun. Why not reform? Environmental justice? We will seek your input on where then, begin this day, this Rosh Hashanah, this first day of the new to direct our communal energy. You will have an opportunity to tell year, with an inward journey? Our tradition has an entire discipline us what you most care about fixing, about what keeps you up at night to help you recognize the gap between who you are and the person and about how you want to be engaged. Then we will stack hands you aspire to be. In Hebrew, we call this toolbox “Tikkun midot” (or) and begin our work together. “character development.” It is the mussar practice of improving If not now, then when? As we enter this new year 5777, I upon our own soul traits. It’s the idea that if we develop our urge you to step into the sacred work of tikkun olam. There are so personal midot, our character traits, then we will have a much firmer many needs, so much pain, so much brokenness, and most of us are foundation for moving outward to repair the broken world. Tikkun blessed with the resources, the time and the energy to make a olam begins with one’s self, recognizing and admitting that I have difference…in a dark corner of this creation, to be passionate, active plenty of room to be kinder, more generous, more patient and and relentless advocates for tikkun olam. I say relentless because compassionate, less critical of the ones I love and more loving toward another meaning of the word olam is, “forever.” Thus, tikkun olam them, less self-righteous, and a more understanding person. Every means effort and repair that last forever. It means that the work is step I take toward fulfilling my hope to be the person I desire to be is not completed on an August afternoon on the streets of San an act of tikkun olam, an act of repair and healing of my personal Francisco, or on one Shabbat or Sunday, or in a week, a month, universe. many summers at camp or even a year. The work is never complete, Hillel looked around his world and continued: “U’kshe ani but as the Talmudic sage Rabbi Tarfon taught, “it is not our duty to l’atzmi, mah ani? When I am only for myself, what am I?” Even as finish the task, but neither are we free to desist from trying.” We we’re working on ourselves, we can take the next step – we must -- taught our campers Rabbi Tarfon’s mantra, and that is why they are because the personal aspect of tikkun olam never ceases and never his disciples, still working in every corner of the world to repair it. ends, and we cannot wait to move outward. We cannot begin and We are not free to desist from the sacred task of tikkun, no end with ourselves. Take an inventory of the things you do matter how long it takes: This is work in the service of God, sacred personally to address brokenness in the world. Do you give tzedakah work. Whatever issue of justice we choose to pursue, I ask that you mindfully and meaningfully? Do you allocate a certain portion of take a firm grip with strong arms and an open heart, to fix and to your individual household budget for charitable purposes? Is there heal, to advocate and to change, through sustained, time consuming, an inequity in your world to which you invest time or money to frustrating, exhilarating action. Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Lion of Tzfat redress? Have you in the last year attended to the needs of someone who saw the world as mixture of liquid light and broken, blackened who lives on the margins? … vessels, was a learned student of the Zohar, Judaism’s central mystical …Wisely, Hillel demanded a sense of urgency, V’im lo text, which teaches that all of creation is connected in one great chain akhshav, ai’matai? If not now, then when? A full-bodied tikkun olam of being. God is not an entity above and apart from the world. God experience will quickly stimulate the congregation as a whole. We is present in all things, the spark of the divine is present in you and were so inspired by the hundreds who participated in last spring’s me, here and now. This means we are extraordinarily, divinely Tikkunapalooza day of service, that this year we are expanding the powerful. Every action, every deed we do reverberates into the program to include four Shabbatot that will be dedicated to action, cosmos. Imagine: we have the power to repair the world, to restore four additional opportunities for direct service to the Columbus the Garden of Eden. One person at a time, one mitzvah at a time, community. We have called these days “Avodah,” the ancient one reconciliation at a time, one healing at a time. Hebrew word for service. Your wisdom and your input helped the As people of faith, as members of this sacred community, Design Team identify the instrument with which our congregation and as citizens of this remarkable country, established with a vision of ought to distinguish itself -- we will be a center of social justice and decency and justice, let us then lift up holy sparks, and work for social action activity. In July, the Design Team wrote to tikkun, for lasting repair. I stand humbly tonight on the broad you: “rallying around Tikkun Olam will provide the focal point we shoulders of Hillel the Elder, and ask yet one last question, “What need to increase engagement and develop a unique footprint in are we, if not the builders of a better world?” Columbus.” Our congregation already has many tikkun olam initiatives Temple Israel TIKUN (USPS 537600) is published 11 times per year, monthly except July by Temple Israel 5419 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43213-1499. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address changes to Temple Israel Tikun, 5419 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43213-1499. 2 Temple Israel Shabbat November Service Schedule B’nai Mitzvah Friday, November 4 Avery & Lane Sharfin, daughters of Erev Shabbat Service .......................................................... 6:30 PM Ira Sharfin & Megan Cook, and Celebration Shabbat; November simchas recognized Pamela Romanoff, will be called to the Hava Nashira (youth choir) participating Torah on Saturday, November 5. They are the granddaughters of Paul & Myra Saturday, November 5 Sharfin, Sandy Romanoff & Joe Shabbat Service ............................................................... 10:00 AM Greenberg, and the late Noel Avery & Lane Sharfin will be called to the Torah Romanoff. They have an older sister, as B’not Mitzvah Samantha. Avery and Lane are 7th Avery & Lane Sharfin November 5, 2016 Neshama Minyan ............................................................ 10:00 AM graders at Columbus School for Girls. Friday, November 11 Lane enjoys playing tennis, snow skiing and competitive dancing Erev Shabbat Service .......................................................... 6:30 PM at Broadway Bound Dance Center. She also likes various arts SHIRjoy Band participating and crafts. Avery participates in competitive dance at Broadway Bound Dance Center, and she also enjoys snow skiing. They Saturday, November 12 have both been Pelotonia volunteers for the past three years. Shabbat Service ............................................................... 10:00 AM Liesel Goldfarb will be called to the Torah Through becoming a Bat Mitzvah, Lane has learned that it’s not as a Bat Mitzvah just about the actual (Bat Mitzvah) event, but the experience Friday, November 18 along the way. Avery feels that becoming a young Jewish adult is Erev Shabbat Service .......................................................... 6:30 PM more than learning a torah portion. It's also a process where you Adult Choir participating can learn a lot about yourself. Avery is donating a portion of her gift monies to Let Girls Learn, an organization started by Saturday, November 19 Michelle Obama to provide quality education for adolescent girls Shabbat Service ............................................................... 10:00 AM around the world. Lane is donating some of her gift monies to Tot Shabbat ..................................................................... 10:30 AM Bread for the City, an organization her cousin, Dr.