1 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775 The Israelight Congregation Beth of Media A Reconstructionist Jewish Community

RAZ GREENFAITH SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE WEEKEND Fred Scherlinder Dobb April 10 - 11, 2015

8:00 PM Friday April 10 Eco- I: What We Can Do as People; Why We Do It as 9:45 AM Saturday April 11 Green Davenning with Rabbi Linda and Rabbi Fred: Short Shacharit Sustainability Snippets 11:00 - Noon Religious School Hands-on Jewish Environmentalism

12:30 Saturday April 11 Lunch and Learn Eco-Judaism II: What We Can Do in Jewish Community, From This Lunch, Forward

Since his 1997 ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (alongside Rabbi Linda!), Rabbi Dobb has served as rabbi at Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda MD. He helped Adat Shalom (adatshalom.net) become a widely-acclaimed green spiritual center. Fred is active in interfaith, environmental, social justice and Reconstructionist movement leadership serving as chair of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL.org) and having served as chair of & Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light (GWIPL.org), and president of the Washington Board of . Fred received a Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in 2009. His ten- and six-year old children provide both impetus for, and limits upon, his ac - tivist rabbinate.

RUMMAGE SALE 3 Yahrzeits 8 How to help We remember them Yom HaShoa Table of Donations 9 Art as Memory, To Reconcile a Painful Past 4 Contents Thank you Religious Practice 5 Adult Education 10, 11 Treks, Rabbi Hirsh GreenFaith Food Justic Project 6 In the Community 12, 13 Report, April Collections Literacy Volunteers; Speaker on Greek Jews Fundraising 7 2015 14 Escrip news Picture gallery 2 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 President’s Message: Feeling Connected? Nissan/Iyar 5775 While navigating the black ice and frozen slush I often wonder if spring will ever arrive. Then, on occasion, I am able to see a sparrow and, if I am lucky, a random red bird. These sights are enough to remind me that spring cannot be too far away.

Spring is always a dynamic time of change within the walls of Beth Israel. At the February board meeting the Board of Directors started to discuss our values and goals for fiscal year 2015-2016. These values will, in turn, become the backbone for the budget for our next fiscal year.

Unlike previous years when we listed numerous goals, this year the Board decided to focus on the concept of connectivity. The strength of our congregation is dependent on the relationships we build and reinforce with each other. Many of us have experienced the long schmoozing that happens before and after services or classes. For many, it is during this time when friendships are made, strengthened, and reaffirmed. It is when you truly to know other people who you can count on and where your contributions are valued that you feel you are part of a community. Some ideas that have been circulating include: “unofficial greeters” at sporadic services and bringing members to- gether in smaller settings to rest and rejuvenate and deepen their connections with one another. If you have an idea about ways we can build connections at BI, please tell me about it.

As we plan for the upcoming year, please remember to fulfill all your outstanding balances for the current year. Your dues allow us to continue to fund the many programs that enrich our lives at Beth Israel. Equally important, your gifts above and beyond your membership commitment enable us to offer membership to all who seek to join our commu- nity regardless of their financial situation. Stay Warm, Jennifer

Rabbi’s Message This year marks my 18th year at Beth Israel and the last year of my current contract. When asked by the Board about my intentions for the future, I stated that I would be honored to continue as the rabbi of Beth Israel because I love and value the community and enjoy my work immensely. Yet, I have had a dilemma regarding how to balance the demands of this wonderful work with my roles as mother to my 10-year-old daughter and daughter to my 84-year- old mother. It has become increas - ingly difficult to be available to them within the confines of my current schedule. After much soul searching, I came up with a proposal I believe will work for me and serve Beth Israel well.

I am honored to continue as your rabbi and will meet my existing responsibilities, with one exception. In order to make my work more feasible, I requested that we bring on another rabbi to share the pulpit work for approx - imately two weekends per month. This will enable me to give my best energies to BI while devoting sufficient time to family obligations.

Our thoughtful Board asked probing questions as they explored what would be best for the community. I am pleased and grateful that they agreed to take BI in this new direction. As we move forward in this direction, BI will have the benefit of my leadership and of a second rabbinic service leader on a regular basis, using the resources from my com - pensation package.

I will continue to assume responsibility for the congregation with respect to the many diverse areas that I cover: - Providing guidance, vision and leadership to the community as a whole - Administrative - working with the Board, staff and lay leaders - Working with members, committees and outsiders to create, plan and execute programs - Planning and providing education for adults, teens, children and families - Working with the principal on the Hebrew School; leading HS services/assemblies - Planning and officiating at life cycle functions of all sorts - Pastoral - providing spiritual counseling, guidance, support and responses to members, to prospective members and to the wider community - Membership development and relationships continued on page 4 3 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775

le Sa e ag m M m P u 2 R – y M it A un 9 6 Drop off all items at the green house m 2 (across from the main building) om il l C pr Tuesday, April 14 and 21 4-6 PM or e A Sunday morning, April 19 from 9:30-12 ra y, Is da Or contact Joe to arrange a time for th un drop off 610-368-5671 Be S

We need: household items, small electronics(in working condition), small furniture, books, etc.... Also paper and plastic bags, plus newspapers for wrapping sold items DO NOT BRING CLOTHING*, TELEVISIONS, OR COMPUTERS *Please donate clothing to worthy charities. We need bakers to make, bag and label cookies, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, small breads etc and/or donations of donuts and soft pretzels . - also bagged and labeled for sale

Please contact Lynn Cashell [email protected] or Joe Deutsch at [email protected] We need help moving the items from the green house into the sanctuary the week before the sale. And we need LOADS of help the day of the sale! MONITOR THE FLOOR, CHECK OUT PURCHASES, HELP WITH THE REFRESHMENT STAND

This is a fund-raising event, so please support our community! 4 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775 Rabbi’s Message continued from page 2 - Liaison to the wider community - Jewish, Reconstructionist, Delaware County, Interfaith - Tikkun Olam work with members and in coalition with other groups - Creating and leading and holiday services and programs

Change is not easy and I know that in this moment- not yet having an associate rabbi in place - people are anxious. Know that we will be hiring an associate rabbi who is a good fit for our community, as we are committed to making this a win-win situation for everyone. Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions concerning this impending change. We are all committed to working toward an excellent outcome! Yours, Rabbi Linda

Mekom Torah and Congregation Beth Israel

in commemoration of Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day

collaborate to offer

ART AS MEMORY, TO RECONCILE A PAINFUL PAST

Sunday April 19, in the sanctuary at Beth Israel. Bagels at noon, program from 12:15 to 1:45pm.

Presenter: Tamar Hendel - Artist, Teacher, Art Therapist and Holocaust Survivor Introduced and facilitated by Rabbi Helen Plotkin

Appropriate for: Adults, and young people 6th grade and up.

Tamar’s Past: Tamar Hendel was born in Zagreb, in what was then Yugoslavia and is now Croatia. In 1941, she fled with her family to northern Italy, where they were interned and then went into hiding in Rome. After the liberation, in 1944, the family arrived in the and spent a year and a half interned at Fort Ontario, Oswego, NY, with about 1000 other refugees, before being given legal and permanent entry into the U.S.

Tamar’s Present: Tamar has been an artist all her life. She became a licensed art therapist in 1980, and she has lead “Art as Memory” workshops at child survivor conferences since 1988. These workshops, originally only for survivors, have recently been opened to the second and third generation as a tool for reconciling the legacy of trauma. Tamar’s book, entitled Life with Death, is a moving collection of drawings and stories from her workshops.

The Program: Tamar will talk about the power of art, using her own drawings and her own childhood memories as examples. She will show drawings by workshop participants and help us learn to discern their meaning. She will lead a hands-on session for those who wish to participate. In Tamar’s words, “This is not an art class! No art skill is required. We will not be judging anyone's art techniques. A few squiggly lines can have as much meaning to someone as the Mona Lisa.” (And, of course, nobody will be asked to talk about anything that they would rather keep private.)

The program will begin with a brief Yom HaShoah service, led by Rabbi Linda Potemken, including Mourner’s and an opportunity to light yahrzeit candles.

5 Volume 38 No. 8 Religious Practice April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775 Oneg and Kiddush hosts are listed on page 8

Community Passover & Potluck Dinner! Saturday, April 4, 2015 5:30 pm Seder items, vegetarian matzah ball soup, hard boiled eggs and gefilte fish provided. Please bring a kosher-for-passover dairy or vegetarian dish to share. If you can help with food prep and/or set up, please contact Moriah at [email protected] and everyone can help clean up at the end. RSVP by March 26, 2014 (610) 566 - 4645 or [email protected]!

from Rabbi Linda I am looking forward to leading the Beth Israel seder the second night of Pesach. Please let me know if you would like to lead a part of the evening or if you care to bring a reading, song or discussion question to the evening.

Passover Seder Matchmaking “Let all who are hungry, come and eat.” Do you have room at your Passover seder? Do you need a place to go for a Passover seder?

First Passover seder is Friday, April 3, 2015. Community Passover seder is Saturday, April 4, 2015 (RSVP. See flyer for more details.)

If you have room or need a place, please contact Rabbi Linda (610) 566-4645 or [email protected] 6 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 FOOD JUSTICE Nissan/Iyar 5775 from Lynn Cashell - Our first 3 food drives in December, January and February were delivered to grateful recipients. For in - stance, the December collection was taken to the Second Harvest Food Bank in Media. My car’s trunk was filled to capac - ity with your donations. As the volunteers at the food bank thanked me over and over, while the recipients lined up for their food, I was reminded again of Barbara’s words, “ There is enough food to go around, we just need to redistribute it.” (She coordinates the food bank.)

On Saturday, January 31, the Springfield churches had a “Souper Bowl of Caring” and collected food throughout the neigh - borhoods. Since there were drop off points at the local churches, I took our collection to the Princeton Presbyterian Church were my friend is the pastor. As the food was taken in the front door and sorted, those in need were filling up bags and boxes. Pastor Pam was delighted by our donation and thanked me for the generosity of our community. So, food justice, social action, and interfaith collaboration all came together. My cup (or bowl) runneth over.

This year’s food drive is a project of our Greenfaith effort with support from the Social Action Committee. The Hadracha class (our 8th graders) have taken on the responsibility for planning the theme for each month’s food drive and to offer suggestions for other ways we can influence inequities in the food delivery system in this country. Thanks to their teacher, Amit Schwalb, for guiding and supporting them in this work. April: Great need, two great opportunities to help

In the Gan: In honor of the coming of spring and our getting started in our gardens, the April can drive theme is In the Gan . The Hadracha class encourages our friends and families to bring cans of fruits and vegetables to the Beth Israel food collection.

In addition, we encourage folks to sign up with Repair the World Philadelphia in order to receive updates about opportunities for volunteering with Philadelphia urban farms: https://werepair.org/our-local-work/our-cities/philadelphia/.

gailsaseen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/backyard-vegetable-garden.jpg

Sheb’khol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa’am ehat; halailah hazeh, shtei f’amim On all other nights we don’t dip our food even once, and on this night we dip twice

PASS OVER THE FOOD The Social Action Committe is asking everyone to “Pass Over the Food” in April. It’s a great time to clear out all the chametz as you prepare for the Passover holiday. Please remember to only bring in sealed, unused canned and boxed goods. Bags will be available in the lobby prior to Passover. Watch for further notices in the Beth Israel lobby, on the website and in the Israelight. 7 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Shop Away! Nissan/Iyar 5775 Your Shopping Spree Benefits Beth Israel Even your Everyday Purchases Benefit Beth Israel

With eScrip, Beth Israel will receive up to 5% of your everyday purchases. eScrip contributions come from a variety of merchants - from thousands of restaurants to over 800 participating grocery, apparel, housewares, books, electronics and travel retailers. The list is growing and includes top names such as Amazon, Expedia,Nordstrom, iTunes, Gamestop, Crate & Barrel, Bed Bath & Beyond and beyond.

Whether you shop on-line or at the store, donations are easy. No need to remember membership cards or coupons.

Visit http://www.escrip.com and follow these 3 simple steps: Fill in your information Select: Beth Israel of Media Congregation Register your loyalty and credit cards

Once you’ve signed-up, shop at participating retailers and use your registered card. For most vendors, it’s that easy. You may even donate to Beth Israel without realizing it! There are a few on-line retailers (Amazon, Home Depot, Target) that require you to click on their site from the escrip on-line mall https://shopping.escrip.com

Note, eScrip’s systems meet the strict requirements of participating merchants (from bank cards to national retailers) in the area of security, safety and confidentiality. They’ve earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Here’s how one family vacation earned a $50 Beth Israel donation: • Plane tickets purchased on Expedia ($850 *1.8% = $15.30) • Budget rental car ($400 * 2.4% = $9.60) • 5 nights Best Western Hotel ($600 * 3% = $18.00) • Books, games, and snorkeling gear on Amazon ($200 * 1.2% = $2.40) • Bathing suits, sun hats and flip flops at Kohl’s ($200 * 2.4% = $4.80)

You’re already spending. Why not let your buying benefit Beth Israel? 8 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Yahrzeits Nissan/Iyar 5775

Mourner Mourned Relationship Yahrzeit Date 2015 Yahrzeit Date 5775 Stuart Isaacs Howard Isaacs* Father April 02 13 Nisan Henrietta Mudrick David Mudrick Husband April 02 13 Nisan Meira Pitkapaasi Eleanor Adelman Grandmother April 02 13 Nisan Arnie Schwartz Charles Silverstein Uncle April 02 13 Nisan The congregation Moishe Rubenstein* April 02 13 Nisan Robert Colman Jack Colman Father April 03 14 Nisan Suzanne Simenhoff Philip Lehrfeld* Grandfather April 04 15 Nisan Stuart Pittel Lee Pittel* Mother April 05 16 Nisan Stephen Platt Felice Ruth Platt Mother April 05 16 Nisan Natalia Zhukovskaya Zinaida Zhukovskaya Grandmother April 05 16 Nisan John Greenstine Sylvia Edelberg Aunt April 06 17 Nisan Meira Pitkapaasi Jonah Elliott-Adelman Son April 12 23 Nisan David Wasser Amy Keller Sister April 12 23 Nisan David Markman Shirley Markman* Mother April 13 24 Nisan The congregation Jeffrey Deitch* April 15 26 Nisan The congregation Rhina Kirschbaum April 21 2 Iyyar Helene Gumerman Samuel Abrams Father April 22 3 Iyyar Amy Fantalis Rhoda Fantalis* Mother April 23 4 Iyyar Stan Sklar Rhoda Fantalis* Sister April 23 4 Iyyar Alan Soffer David Soffer* Father April 24 5 Iyyar Ralph Kaufman Dorothy Kaufman Mother April 25 6 Iyyar Christopher Pragman Robert Pragman Father April 27 8 Iyyar Randy Tiffany Marjorie Yudkin Wife April 28 9 Iyyar Shira Tiffany Marjorie Yudkin Mother April 28 9 Iyyar Talia Tiffany Marjorie Yudkin Mother April 28 9 Iyyar Mel Drukin Libby D. Schiff* Sister April 30 11 Iyyar

*after a name indicates that there is a plaque. Yahrzeit begins at sundown the evening before the date shown. 9 Volume 38 No. 8 February Donations Thank you! April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775 BIMAS Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund Carol Cowan Marcia and Steve Plotkin To: Selene Platt – (Chorus) To: The Schachner Family In memory of your mother, Florence Silverman. In memory of Helen Schachner, who along with her husband, Joe, May her memory be a blessing. was a lifelong dedicated friend of our . Theresa and Michael Citrenbaum Amy Strauss Thank you for the wonderful music played To: Lisa Schachner and family at Shane’s Bar In memory of Helen Schachner Selene Platt Prayer Book Fund To: The Beth Israel Community Alison Manaker My heartfelt thanks to the BI community for their outpouring of Thank you, Arlene support for my mother’s passing. Special thanks to Rabbi Linda, Marion and Larry Hamermesh, Rabbi Helen Plotkin and Steve Social Action Fund Smith, for conducting a beautiful shiva service. I am blessed to be The Nash Family a member of such a caring community. To: Lisa Schachner In memory of your mom, Helen Schachner, The General Fund who is missed by all of us at Beth Israel. Susannah and Steve Friedman Radian Matching Gift Program The Eliana Andersen Fund Marmorstein-Gottlieb, Moriah and David Gornstein, Mark Cary and The Golden Book Anita Weber, Bruce and Anne Thomas, Jackie Gelman and Samuel Rabbi Linda Haber, Adam Kozin, Jane and Ken Laffend, Joe Horwitz and Katie To: Juliet Spitzer Sibley, Candy Berlin and Ralph Kaufman, Amy Strauss, Amy In memory of your amazing mom, Judy Spitzer. May her memory Sepinwall and Andy Siegel, Elaine Wasekanes, Alison and Scott be a blessing to you and yours. Manaker, Sylva Baker, Kevin, Elan and Randi Raskin Nash, Richard To: Nancy Skoler and Alex Strauss and Eleanor Strauss, Jean Fleschute and Eugene Kroch In memory of your lovely mother, Randee O’Donnell. With grati - tude for her wonderful presence at Beth Israel over the years. May Candy Berlin and Ralph Kaufman her memory be a blessing and a source of comfort. To: Selene Platt and family To: Lisa Schachner In memory of your mother, Florence Routhenstein Silverman In memory of your awesome mother who built this community Alison and Scott Manaker over the decades. Her memor is a source of blessing and inspira - To: Ellie Fund Committee tion to so many people. May you find comfort and strength as you Thank you for a wonderful festival! walk this path of mourning. Kevin, Elan, and Randi Raskin Nash To: Selene Platt To: Ellie Fund Committee In memory of your mother, Florence Routhenstein Silverman. May To support another wonderful Ellie Festival. her memory and her paintings be a blessing to you. Wishing you strength as you walk the path of mourning.

Sending you blessings for healing: Naomi Sav, Dottie Jenkins, Ron Romoff, Andrew Kelly, Mel Drukin, Alan Fink, Burt Cohen, Karen Giglio, Ray Rosenberg, Linda Cohen

Thank you to our Oneg and Kiddush Hosts If you would like to choose a date to host, please contact Laura Lee Blechner ([email protected])

Friday, April 3 Passover seder at home Saturday, April 4 No morning service, community Passover seder at night Friday, April 10 Jennifer Lenway (Raz Greenfaith Scholar in Residence, Rabbi Fred Dobb) Saturday, April 11 RPC & Adult Ed (Raz Greenfaith Scholar in Residence, Rabbi Fred Dobb) Friday, April 17 Dumoff – Lefkowitz family Saturday, April 18 Available Friday, April 24 Available Saturday, April 25 Available

10 Volume 38 No. 8 ADULT ED April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775

Torah Treks : The Writings, Year 1 In the Rabbi’s Study

Eicha Ruth Ecclesiastes Esther Song o Tuesdays 4:15 - 5:45 f m

i S

r 4/14, 5/26 i o h n s

g is a Jewish spiritual practice that is an approachable and a Mussar s h

practical set of teachings for cultivating personal growth and spiritual r L i a h

m realization in daily living. The ultimate goal is to help us to achieve S

e r

n greater wholeness and goodness. e t h a t t s Prerequisite : Participation in a previous mussar group or i o E

n permission of instructor; please contact R. Linda. t s

e l R e

u Thursdays 12:00 – 1:30 h t h o 4/16, 5/14 6/11 Q Lunch & Learn Join us for a lively session as we share ancient and The Five Megiloth contemporary texts, brown bag lunch, and one another's good com - April 18 Eicha R. Nathan Martin pany. No RSVP needed.

photo: http://www.theignorantfishermen.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

YES! I shop at Acme or Giant and I’m happy to purchase gift cards through BI! (for every card purchased, BI receives $5 - it adds up and makes a difference!) # of Giant cards [email protected] # of Acme cards ____ @100.00

Total: $______

Name: ______

Phone #: ( ) ______

___ I will pick them up on this date: ______

___ Please call me to make other arrangements to pick up the cards.

Mail this coupon with your check, made out to: Congregation Beth Israel 542 S. New Middletown Road Media, PA 19063

11 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775 RABBI RICHARD HIRSH Please remember to donate school supplies, toiletries Decoding the Concept of "Revelation" (toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, soap), bath in Modern Jewish Thought towels, wash cloths, etc. for the Community Action SAVE THE DATES: Agency of Delaware County. Collection box is the blue bin in the lobby. A complete list of needed items is on Thursdays May 7, 14 & 21 7:15 - 9:30 the bin. Thank you. Jewish tradition makes a variety of claims about the nature of the Revelation of Torah with coordinate implications for the degree to which Jewish law, commandments and be - liefs are obligatory or optional.

At one end of the spectrum is the claim of orthodoxy that the Torah as we have it is verbatim transmission from God through Moses. At the other end is the contemporary his - torical perspective (embraced by Reconstructionism) that the Torah is a composite collection of texts of human ori - gin. Across the spectrum are various attempts to root Torah in revelation while acknowledging the human hands that have shaped the Torah.

As we prepare for , the holiday that commemo - rates the giving of the Torah (which the Torah itself seems not to know about -- one curiosity among others that we will examine), we will look at contemporary approaches to the problem of revelation and how the Torah tradition might remain sacred even if secular.

Rabbi Richard Hirsh is the interim associate rabbi at Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood for the 2014-2015 year.

12 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775 Become Part of the Tradition Delaware Counttyy Literacy Council...celebrating 40 years!

Call Melina at 610-876-4811 or visit wwwww.delcoliteraccyy.org

Tutor an Adult in Reading & Writing

Volunteer Now as a Literacy Tutor! i Receive 12 hours of free tutor ttraining i Work one-to-one with an adult learner at convenient times and locationss i Next tutor trainings in Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Laanguage: ABE: Saturdays, April 25 & May 2, 2015, 9 am³2:30 pm and Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 6:30³8 pm

ESL: Saturday, May 2, 2015, 9 am³2:30 pm, Monday & Wednesdaay, May 4 & 6, 2015, 6:30³9 pm and Tuesday, May 26, 2015, 6:330³8 pm

i All trainings held at DCLC, 2217 Providence Avenue, Chesster, PA 19013

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13 Volume 38 No. 8 The History of the Romaniote Jews April 2015 Comes to Life in Wilmington Nissan/Iyar 5775

In April, Congregation Beth Emeth of Wilmington, DE will astation of the became the image host filmmaker and author Isaac Dostis, founder of New of in many minds. However, this York’s Kehila Kedosha Museum, as Scholar-in-Residence. tragedy also befell the Jews of . Almost all Mr. Dostis will share his knowledge of the Jews of of the remaining 1,950 Jews were murdered by the and in particular his heritage as part of a little Nazis in 1944, after being rounded up and sent to known subgroup known as the Romaniotes. On the the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau. At evening of Friday April 17 and the morning of present only about 35 Jews remain in Ioannina. Sunday April 19, Mr. Dostis will offer films and discus - The old synagogue is opened only for high holidays, sions about the Jews of Greece and their tragic connec - special occasions, and tours. The Jews of tion to the Holocaust. Both events are free and open to were similarly decimated. Only one Romaniote syn - the public. agogue remains in the Western Hemisphere: in . Raised in New York City, Mr. Dostis now lives in Ioannina (pronounced “Yanina”), a city in northwestern Greece Join the community at Congregation Beth Emeth for which once had one of the largest populations of Ro - two Scholar in Residence events to learn more maniote Jews in the region. Some claim that there have about the current existence and fate of Romaniote been Jews in Greece since 300 BCE. The Romaniotes Jews. On Friday April 17 at 8 pm, there will be an spoke a Greek-Hebrew dialect called Yevanic, which is no abbreviated Shabbat service followed by Dostis’ 23 longer spoken today. Some of their customs were unlike minute documentary “The Lost Synagogue of Ioan - those of Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews. Their syna - nina,” about how one of the two in the gogues are built in a different formation than we com - town survived Nazi desecration, while the other did monly see, with the ark and bimah on opposite walls. not. On Sunday April 19 at 9 am, Dostis will screen Their liturgy was rich in poetry called piyyutim. Until the his film “Farewell My Island,” detailing in real time 20th century, there was a thriving Jewish community in the 22 minutes during which the Nazis rounded up Ioannina. The Romaniote Jews lived amicably alongside the residents of the Greek island of Corfu, including their Christian and Muslim neighbors. The population seven members of his family, in June 1944. A dis - fell sharply in the turmoil of the Balkan wars, with ap - cussion and refreshments will follow both events. proximately 1,950 remaining at the eve of World War II. For more information, contact: The effect of the Holocaust on the Jews of Greece is not Susan Detwiler at [email protected] well known in North America. Because of the influx of Eastern European Jews in the mid-20th century, the dev - 14 Volume 38 No. 8 PURIM: NOT QUITE The Princess Bride April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775

Grandpa reads to his sick grandkid Rabbi Linda leads the congregation while Mom goes to an RPC meeting. in a “very serious?” service before Larry Hamermesh, Elissa Pragman Reisa Mukamal and Steve Smith chanted the Megillah The secrets of Esther’s (Randy Tiffany) transformation revealed.

The King can’t sleep. The quiet servant reads to him Mordecai eavesdrops from the annals about the time Mordecai saved his life. as Inigo Montoya tells Westley of his plot against the King. Larry Hamermesh, Elissa Pragman, Chris Pragman & (Karen Vesely, Moriah Gornstein, Debbie Wile) Marion Hamermesh

Mordecai (Karen Vesely) refuses to bow to Haman (Rachel Pragman) Live long and prosper Pictures by Mark Cary and Scott Gilbert The cast honors the memory of Leonard Nimoy. April 2015

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 … No Hebrew School … No Hebrew School April Fools Day … Shabbat and First Seder … Passover Seder … BI Book Club - DQUOTE- at Home Henna HouseDQUOTE at home of Sylva Baker

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Easter … Hebrew School … Shabbat Services with … Shabbat Services and … Mekom Torah Prayer by Rabbi Linda - Guest Speak- Hebrew School with RLP - … No Hebrew School Prayer 7 at BI er Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Guest Speaker Rabbi Fred Dobb

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 … No Hebrew School - HS … Hebrew School Tax Day … Lunch and Learn with … Young Family Shabbat … Shabbat Services with attends 4-11 SS … Mussar Group with Rabbi Rabbi Linda and Dinner with Rabbi Lin- RRC Student David Eber … Mekom Torah High LInda … Board Meeting … Mekom Torah Prayer da - Gimmel-Gan-Aleph … Potluck Lunch before TT School at BI Book Hebrew 12 at Ohev Hosts … Torah Treks with Rabbi Nathan Martin

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 … Hebrew School … Hebrew School Earth Day … Shabbat Chavurah … Shabbat Services - Con- … Family Ed - Dalet Hay gregant Led - Laura Lee … Yom HaShoah Speaker Blechner and Program … Rummage Sale Prep … Marriage Renewal of Vows Ceremony, Coleman- Gilmore

26 27 28 29 30 1 2 … Rummage Sale … Hebrew School … Mekom Torah Prayer … Shabbat around the table … Shabbat Services with … Hebrew School Book Hebrew 13 at Ohev with Rabbi Linda including Rabbi Linda Potluck Shabbat Dinner

Page 1/1 16 Volume 38 No. 8 April 2015 Nissan/Iyar 5775

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Congregation Beth Israel of Media A Reconstructionist Jewish Community 542 South New Middletown Road Media, Pennsylvania 19063-2240 Ph 610-566-4645 Fax 610-566-2240 http://www.bethisraelmedia.org

President Jennifer Lenway Rabbi Linda Potemken Editor, Content Sharon Kleban Editor, Production Marion Hamermesh Editor Contributions List Arlene Benz

The Israelight is published on the first of each secular month. All submissions must be received by the editor by the 1st of the preceding month to guarantee inclusion. Articles may be submitted by mail to the Wishing everyone synagogue office or by email to: [email protected] A Zissen Pesach Next Issue May 2015