Connections Beth Sholom Congregation Newsletter 1 Adar - 2 Adar - Nisan - Iyar, 5776 March - April - May, 2016 Volume 96, No
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Connections Beth Sholom Congregation Newsletter 1 Adar - 2 Adar - Nisan - Iyar, 5776 March - April - May, 2016 Volume 96, No. 3 PESAH SCHEDULE 2016 / 5776 Bedikat Hametz Thursday, April 21 after sunset Bedikat Hametz (search for leaven) is customarily done on the Night before Passover immediately after sunset. The “Kol Hamira” (“All the Hametz…”) formula for nullifying unseen Hametz is recited at this time; it can be found in the beginning of the Haggadah. Siyyum Bikhorim The Fast of the First-Born Friday, April 22 at 7:00 a.m. followed by breakfast A first-born (whether of the mother or the father) should fast on the day before Passover, in commemoration of the deliverance from Egypt. It is the custom for synagogues to make siyyum (the public completion of the large section of study) on the morning before Passover. Since the siyyum is followed by a seudat mitzvah, a festive meal that follows the performance of certain Mitzvot, a first born who is present may eat and having eaten need not fast that day. Biur Hametz Friday, April 22 at 8:30 a.m. sharp Biur (burn) Hametz at Beth Sholom -- and then roast some marshmallows! Beth Sholom’s 8th Annual Hametz Burning is a great way to start the holiday! Join us for a communal Hametz burning, public sale of Hametz, and roasting & eating marshmallows. Bring your Hametz, a stick and Passover songs. Location: Beth Sholom parking lot, weather permitting. Friends and family are welcome! Hametz may not be eaten after three hours (from sunrise) into the day, nor stored away / sold to a non-Jew / burned after four hours (from sunrise) into the day. This year, all Hametz must be eaten by 10:50 a.m. and stored away / sold to a non-Jew / burned by 10:50 a.m. The symbolic “burning of the Hametz” should CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 In Sholom Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin The Center for Spiritual Well-being (CSWB), a project of Beth Sholom Congregation, will mark its official launch this March. What, you may ask, is a Center for Spiritual Well-being? And what does such a Center have to do with being Jewish? The Center for Spiritual Well-being is made possible by Beth Sholom Congregation a generous donor to Beth Sholom’s capital campaign 8231 Old York Road who wishes to remain anonymous. The donor’s Elkins Park, PA 19027-1595 original insight was that individuals suffering from Phone: 215-887-1342 mental illness and their families could not easily find Fax: 215-887-6605 support and education in the Jewish community. After a series of conversations, David Glanzberg-Krainin our donor became convinced that mental health ought to be expanded to include Raymond & Ruth Perelman spiritual health and well-being. While synagogues often do wonderful jobs of Senior Rabbinic Chair creating opportunities for worship and learning, they often fail to meet the [email protected] spiritual needs of individuals who are struggling with larger existential questions: Andrea L. Merow, Rabbi What is the purpose of my life? How do I create a connection with God during [email protected] times of stress and loneliness? Now that my children are out of the house, what Hazzan Jeffrey Weber do I want to be the focus of my religious life? [email protected] These are just a few of the questions that the CSWB will begin to address. Harvey Friedrich, Executive Director [email protected] Some of the programs sponsored by the CSWB will take place at Beth Sholom Congregation; other opportunities will take place in the larger community. The Ana Apter Director of Experiential Education goal of the CSWB is to become a vehicle for those who may not easily fit within and Family Learning the normative structures of Jewish communal life, and is for individuals to find [email protected] opportunities for spiritual well-being and support in a community of like-minded Eileen Weingram, Director of Early Learning peers. [email protected] A number of programs have already taken place under the auspices of the Center Julie Glass, Director of Program and Membership Services for Spiritual Well-being. We have already been the site for the Myrna Brind Center [email protected] at Jefferson Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Class in the fall as well as a Karen Sandler, Facility Coordinator second cohort that began at the end of January; we have held several yoga & Administrative Assistant classes; we are hosting a monthly Healing Service that takes place on Shabbat [email protected] morning; we have hosted an alternative experience for the High Holidays. Rabbi Stacey Salsman, Administrative Dayle Friedman was invited to lead a seminar on the spiritual possibilities Service Coordinator of the aging process. And this March, we will host our inaugural educational [email protected] program on Normative Life Crises featuring well-known psychotherapist and David F. Tilman radio personality, Dr. Dan Gottlieb. Hazzan Emeritus The vision of the Center for Spiritual Well-being is that our most deeply felt needs Officers of the Board 2015 - 2016 and aspirations can find a home when we are surrounded by those who share Arthur Frankel, President June Feith, Vice President our deepest yearnings. Please feel free to contact either Rabbi Merow or me to Michael Ferman, Vice President share your visions of how the CSWB can bring support and spiritual well-being Jeffrey Gordon, Vice President to your life. Jay Bornstein, Treasurer Robert Cohen, Assistant Treasurer Larry Cutler, Secretary Emma Raymont, Assistant Secretary Richelle Hittinger, Esq., Immediate Past President Connections Julie Glass, Editor Proofreaders Sylvia Pomerantz Karen Sandler Page 2 In Blessing Rabbi Andrea Merow Normative Crises: Growing Through Life’s Changes and Challenges “We’ve all had the experience of waking up one day and the world is different. A loss, a diagnosis, a divorce---we’ve all experienced that kind of crisis. And we suffer.” These are the words of Dr. Dan Gottlieb*, anticipate that some of these groups virtually everyone at one time or highly respected clinician, teacher, may want to continue meeting on a another. and renowned radio host of WHYY’s regular basis in-person or online and Please join us for this inaugural lecture “Voices in the Family.” On Sunday, The Center for Spiritual Well-being and workshop. We may not escape this March 13th at 9:30 a.m., Dr. Dan will facilitate future opportunities for life unscathed, but together, we can Gottlieb will join us at Beth Sholom to affinity groups to meet. The day will make the journey through life better. teach us how to move from a broken conclude with remarks from Dr. Dan This program is open to all. Please heart to an open one. Gottlieb. share this with friends, family and The program, entitled Normative We are certain that many of us co-workers. Crises: Growing Through Life’s can identify with the often-quoted *Dr. Dan Gottlieb is a teacher and Changes and Challenges, is the statement, “no one leaves this life supervisor of psychiatrists, psychologists inaugural lecture of The Center for unscathed.” We recognize that many, and clinical social workers. He has taught Spiritual Well-being. This exciting many people struggle with serious at Hahnemann University, been a host lecture is geared to all adults, and we and long-term mental health issues of “Voices in the Family” on WHYY encourage you to bring friends and and The Center for Spiritual Well- 90.9 FM, published many books and has family from the larger community to being looks forward in the coming delivered over 1000 lectures all over the share in this important morning of years to educating about these world on a variety of topics affecting learning and growth. important issues that affect so many of our loved ones and ourselves. This the well-being of people, families and the At one point or another in our lives, year for our inaugural lecture we larger community. most of us will deal with normal life are engaging with issues that affect issues, some happy and some sad, that may leave us feeling as though we are in crisis. Our congregant, psychologist Dr. Steve Goldberg, teaches that even SHABBAT UNDER THE STARS normal, happy life events can leave people feeling sad, depressed, or PESAH EDITION anxious. These events can include Celebrate Shabbat and Pesah with your friends at Beth Sholom happy times like the welcoming of a Friday evening - April 29, 2016 new child, becoming an empty-nester, Service with the Neshamah Band: 6:00 pm - Dinner: 7:00 pm purchasing a home, or even taking a new, good job. Other life events Enough with Passover cooking! are inherently sad, such as illness, Come relax at Beth Sholom: Kabbalat Shabbat with the Neshamah Band at 6:00 pm. disability, death of a loved one, loss Casual Pesach dinner at 7:00 pm. Bring your friends and enjoy this delightful evening. of a job, loss of friends and loneliness, Dinner is $16.00 for everyone 12 and over, $12.00 for everyone 11 and under. and feeling a lack of meaning. Many Questions? Contact Julie Glass times an individual can deal with one [email protected] - 215.887.1342 ext. 216 of these events and move through Please RSVP by Monday, April 20, 2016. to the next phase of their lives. We had wonderful turnout last year, so your early RSVP is needed. We may not be Sometimes, however, these happy or able to accommodate you after this RSVP date. sad times can turn into bouts of crisis. Feel free to bring Kosher for Passover wine to enjoy with your dinner.