the Volume 32, 31, Number Number 6 7

MarchFebruary 2012 2013

TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAM AdarShevat/Adar / Nisan 5773 5772

R i Pu M directory Temple Beth Abraham Services Schedule is proud to support the Conservative Movement by Services/ Time Location affiliating with The United Synagogue of Conservative Monday & Thursday Judaism. Morning Minyan Chapel 8:00 a.m. Friday Evening (Kabbalat Shabbat) Chapel 6:15 p.m. Advertising Policy: Anyone may sponsor an issue of The Omer and receive a dedication for their business or loved one. Contact us for details. We do Shabbat Morning Sanctuary 9:30 a.m. not accept outside or paid advertising. The Omer is published on paper that is 30% post-consumer fibers. Candle Lighting (Friday) The Omer (USPS 020299) is published monthly except July and August February 1 5:14 p.m. by Congregation Beth Abraham, 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610. February 8 5:22 p.m. Periodicals Postage Paid at Oakland, CA. February 15 5:30 p.m. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Omer, c/o Temple Beth February 22 5:37 p.m. Abraham, 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610-3232. © 2013. Temple Beth Abraham. The Omer is published by Temple Beth Abraham, a non-profit, located at Torah Portions (Saturday) 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610; telephone 510-832-0936. It is February 2 Yitro published monthly except for the months of July and August for a total of February 9 Mishpatim ten issues per annum. It is sent as a requester publication and there is no February 16 T’rumah paid distribution. February 23 T’tzaweh To view The Omer in color, visit www.tbaoakland.org.

General INFORMATION Committees & organizations All phone numbers use (510) prefix unless otherwise noted. If you would like to contact the committee chairs, please contact the synagogue office for phone numbers Mailing Address 336 Euclid Ave. and e-mail addresses. Oakland, CA 94610 Hours M-Th: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Adult Education Steve Glaser & Aaron Paul Fr: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Chesed Warren Gould Office Phone 832-0936 Development Steve Grossman & Flo Raskin Office Fax 832-4930 E-Mail [email protected] Dues Evaluation Susan Shub Gan Avraham 763-7528 Endowment Fund Herman Pencovic Bet Sefer 663-1683 Finance Susan Shub STAFF Gan Avraham Parents Laura Kaplan & Rachel Teichman Rabbi (x 213) Mark Bloom Gan Avraham School Committee Rebecca Posamentier Cantor (x 218) Richard Kaplan Israel Affairs J.B. Leibovitch Gabai David Galant & Jay Goldman Executive Director (x 214) Rayna Arnold Membership Mark Fickes Office Coordinator (x 210) Virginia Tiger Men’s Club Jeff Ilfeld Bet Sefer Director (x 217) Susan Simon Omer Lori Rosenthal Gan Avraham Director (x 219) Barbara Kanter Personnel Laura Wildmann Bookkeeper (x 215) Kevin Blattel Public Relations Lisa Fernandez Custodian (x 211) Joe Lewis Ritual Eric Friedman Kindergym/Toddler Program Dawn Margolin 547-7726 Volunteers (x 229) Herman & Agnes Pencovic Schools Rachel Teichman Social Action Marc Bruner OFFICERS Torah Fund Anne Levine President Bryan Schwartz 814-1936 Web Site Liz Willner Vice President Mark Fickes 652-8545 Women of TBA Jeanne Korn Vice President Rachel Teichman 858-922-0145 Vice President Steve Grossman 834-3937 Youth Phil Hankin Vice President Laura Wildmann 601-9571 Secretary Flo Raskin 653-7947 Treasurer Susan Shub 852-2500 Cover Art by Joni Tanis. See page 23 for more on Joni. i what’s happening

Join us for a CD Release Preview Party Sha’a b’Matana (An Hour’s Gift) & Learning Session -- Help Celebrate Cantor Join us for: TBA Gala Treats • With Jing Piser Richard Kaplan’s New CD Thursday, February 7, from 7-9 p.m. Shirei Avraham TBA Social Hall Sha’a b’Matana (An Hour’s Gift) is a new series The Music of Temple Beth Abraham of monthly speakers, members of our TBA community, chanted by Cantor Richard Kaplan. who have volunteered to share their professional expertise with you in an intimate, informal setting. Wednesday, February 20, 2013 We hope you’ll come out, get some expert advice, and 7:30 p.m. in the Chapel. enjoy a relaxed evening with other TBA members. Join us as we learn and sing For future events please see page 9. several of the 18 songs on the CD including Shabbat, High Holydays and Festival music used in TBA services. TBA Blood Drive Sunday, February 10 in the TBA Social Hall 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Contact Charles Feltman for details The Teen Scene ([email protected]) Sunday, February 3 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Cal Basketball!!! Sunday, Feb. 17 Baum Center For more info see Men’s Club on page 7. Events begin with a light supper from Oakland Kosher. This month we continue with our Music programming. The final session is on February 17.

Please contact Devorah Romano with any Kindergym questions or to sign up: [email protected] Sunday PlayDays: or (510) 396-4285. 2/17, 3/3 and 4/7 10:30 a.m.- noon KINDERGYM SUNDAY PLAYDAYS with Dawn for UNDER 3s Women on the Move (per family: $9 members; $10 other); Sunday, February 10 Come join us with your baby and toddler as we climb, slide, WTBA hikes happen the second Sunday of every jump on our trampoline, rock on old fashioned horses, enjoy month. We meet at 9:45 and depart promptly at music, singing, play dough, water and rice play, painting, 10:00. Hikes end by 11:30. parachute, bubbles and so much more! We will meet at the Skyline Weekday classes too! Gate on Skyline just south I look forward to playing with your family!! of Snake and hike in Contact Dawn at: www.tbaoakland.org/kindergym Redwood Regional Park. or by phone at (510) 547-7726. For details, contact Deena Aerenson at (510) 225-5107 or [email protected]. See additional WTBA and other Adult Education activities on page 5.

1 from the rabbi A Tribute to the Leader of Band In one of the less kind responses to the congregational survey sent out last year, one of the general comments was “Purim has become too much of a karaoke party” or something of the sort. I know it wasn’t meant to be complimentary, but I took it as a compliment anyway. If our Purim band was able to produce something that sounded close enough to the songs we were spoofing to make it sound like karaoke, then that is quite a band. These days you can stick in a Karaoke CD, download a Karaoke mp3 of a song, or even watch Karaoke TV on your cable or satellite package, and the music will sound exactly like the song. We’re spoiled, in a way. But to reproduce something similar from a live band of synagogue musi- cians, that’s nothing short of amazing. I was recently listening to the top 50 songs of the last 10 years on some sort of countdown. I knew most of them, as it turned out, because we had parodied so many of them for Purim. Over the past decade we have told the story of Esther, Vashti, Mordecai and Haman to the music of Avril Lavigne, Green Day, Outkast, Bowling for Soup, Britney Spears, Jason Mraz, Daniel Powter, LMFAO, Maroon Five, Adele, Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga and many more, in addition to classics by the Beatles, Sonny and Cher, and the Troggs. I got the idea from Rabbi Gerry Walter of Temple Shalom in Cincinnati, who put together a similar band made up of rabbinical students when I was in school. I was one of the guitarists and singers, and since that time, I have formed a band in every congregation I have ever served. However, none of them have ever sounded quite like the Temple Beth Abraham Band. Jonathan Ring and Michael Aronson help me put the songs together each year, but this year, we will not have the musical gifts of one of our other collaborators, our lead guitarist and singer, the incomparable Murray Davis. There was nothing like watching him from the wings while he belted out Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. His crisp and lively guitar solos, soulful tenor voice, and even more amazing spirit behind the voice that went into that song caused us all to rejoice, which is what we are supposed to do on Purim. When Murray died of a sudden heart attack this past December, I knew we lost not only an important member of our congregation, but a good personal friend. Murray was a mensch. Murray was a terrific husband, a caring father, and a loyal friend. Murray was generous with his time, his pocketbook, and his spirit. Zecher tzadik livracha, may the memory of this righteous man be a blessing to us always. We will miss him greatly, especially on Erev Purim, when someone other than Murray leads the show off with the words “Several thousand years ago today…”

L’shalom,

Rabbi Mark Bloom

2 president’s message The Murray Davis Legacy for Purim Celebrations to Come By Bryan Schwartz One of my daughter’s first words was “Romemu.” At first, I couldn’t tell what she was saying every time we got into my car to drive to her day care. It sort of sounded like “meh-moo.” But, when the TBA Rock and Roll Shabbat CD started on my car stereo one morning, and she start excitedly shouting “meh-moo! meh-moo!” I realized that she was demanding to hear Murray Davis’ version of Romemu prayer, again. For a while, she would reach the brink of tantrum unless I played that one song, over and over again, until we reached the destination. Eventually it got to where she would at least let me play the whole CD. Whenever I saw Murray, Z”L, I would joke with him about being my daughter’s favorite rock star, curse him for making the CD that had been play- ing on repeat in my car for months (jokingly), and ask him to please, soon, make another album. Tragically, he won’t. In January, as I headed to my car to drive to Murray’s shiva memorial service, my almost five year-old daughter asked where I was headed, and I explained that Murray was gone. “Where?” she asked. “To the sky,” I answered. “But, who will lead Rock and Roll Shabbat now?” she said. “I hope someone else will try,” I said, “but no one will do it like Murray did.” “That is very sad,” she said. Sad indeed that the man is gone who could capture such joy in a song, who is remembered by so many friends, in so many parts of our community, for his sunny disposition that lit up our days. Murray was a person you would always look forward to seeing, whether as a fellow congregant, a neighbor, a youth sports team coach, or as a friend. But, this email is not for sadness, but for joy, because Murray’s legacy will live on and be well remembered. The last call I made to Murray, a few weeks ago, was to ask for his family’s help, again, on our synagogue’s courtyard project – a project I knew he strongly embraced, to bring a sunny, outdoor space to TBA’s members right off our social hall, to brighten our festive events, a place to run and play outdoors for our children. Murray was one of the first people I called, along with Joel and Jing Piser, to create the Piser-Davis match, to retire our debt from the last capital campaign, and start this new one. Now, the family of Murray and Virginia Davis (the Schwabs), in Murray’s honor, have pledged to help TBA realize, soon, the vision of creating this sunny courtyard, in Murray’s memory – the Murray Davis Courtyard. The family has pledged over $80,000 to assist in tearing down the house at 333 MacArthur that interrupts our campus, between the sanctuary and the Baum Center, and clearing the way for the Courtyard. This pledge completes the funding of the initial phase of the capital campaign that I announced at 2012 High Holidays, with the Epstein-Applebaum-Ilfeld matching campaign. And, Murray and Virginia’s family has pledged another $500,000, if we can raise a matching $500,000 toward building the fully realized, Murray Davis Courtyard. Please contact Rayna Arnold, [email protected], or call her at (510) 832-0936, to find out how you can help. Though nothing can replace a beloved parent, husband, son, and friend like Murray, this incred- ible generosity will ensure that his legacy lives on in a fitting tribute that brightens all our days together. There are few things I look forward to more than celebrating Purim in future years on the Murray Davis Courtyard at TBA, as we gather together with our children dancing around us, feeling the joy that Murray continues to bring us all. Thank you, Davis-Schwab family. Zichrono livracha – Murray’s memory will live as a blessing.

Please Join Us for Morning Minyan on Mondays and Thursdays Join the regulars at our Minyan service, each Monday and Thursday usually starting at 8:00 a.m. The service lasts about an hour, and is really a great way to start the day. As an added bonus, breakfast is served immediately afterwards. To use the old expression – try it, you’ll like it. If not as a regular, just stop in once or twice and see what it’s all about.

3 editor’s message On Jewish Humor and television matured, many of its most famous comedians, including Jack Benny, Sid (Borrowed Heavily from Wikipedia) Caesar, George Burns, Eddie Cantor, Jack By Lori Rosenthal Carter, Henny Youngman and Milton Berle, There is a long tradition of humor in Judaism were Jewish. The Jewish comedy tradition dating back to the Torah and the Midrash continues today, with Jewish humor much from the ancient mid-east. We are most entwined with that of mainstream humor, familiar though with Jewish humor that refers as comedies like Seinfeld and Curb Your to the more recent stream of verbal, self-dep- Enthusiasm indicate. recating, crude, and often anecdotal humor Types of Jewish Humor originating in Eastern Europe and which took root in the United States over the last hundred Religious humor years. Beginning with vaudeville, and continu- As befits a community to which religion is so ing through radio, stand-up comedy, film, and important, much humor centers on the rela- television, a disproportionately high percent- tionship of Judaism to the individual Jew and age of American and Russian comedians have the community. been Jewish.. Two Rabbis argued late into the night about Jewish humor is rooted in several traditions. the existence of God, and, using strong The first is the intellectual and legal methods arguments from the scriptures, ended up of the Talmud, which uses elaborate legal indisputably disproving His existence. The arguments and situations often seen as so next day, one Rabbi was surprised to see the absurd as to be humorous in order to tease other walking into the Shul for morning out the meaning of religious law. Another is services.”I thought we had agreed there was the egalitarian tradition among the Jewish no God,” he said.”Yes, what does that have communities of Eastern Europe in which the to do with it?” replied the other. powerful were often mocked subtly, rather than attacked overtly—as Saul Bellow once Assimilation put it, “oppressed people tend to be witty.” The American Jewish community has been Jesters known as badchens used to poke fun at lamenting the rate of assimilation and disap- prominent members of the community during pearance of their children as they grow into weddings, creating a good-natured tradition of adults. humor as a leveling device. Two Rabbis were discussing their problems After Jews began to immigrate to America with squirrels in their synagogue attic. One in large numbers, they, like other minority Rabbi said, “We simply called an extermina- groups, found it difficult to gain mainstream tor and we never saw the squirrels again.” acceptance and obtain upward mobility. The The other Rabbi said, “We just gave them newly-developing entertainment industry, all a bar mitzvah, and we never saw the combined with the Jewish humor tradition, squirrels again.” provided a potential route for Jews to succeed. One of the first successful radio sitcoms, The Or, continued on page 11 Goldbergs, featured a Jewish family. As radio the Omer March Omer theme: Passover We cheerfully accept member submissions. Deadline for articles and letters is the seventh of the month preceding publication. Editor in Chief Lori Rosenthal Copy Editors Jessica Dell’Era, Nadine Joseph, Richard Kauffman, Jan Silverman, Debbie Managing Editor Lisa Fernandez Spangler Layout & Design Jessica Sterling Proofreaders June Brott, Jessica Dell’Era, Charles Feltman, Jeanne Korn, Anne Levine, Calendars Jon Golding Stephen Shub, Susan Simon, Debbie Spangler B’nai Mitzvah Editor Susan Simon Distribution Fifi Goodfellow, Hennie Hecht, Herman and Agnes Pencovic, Gertrude Veiss Cover Joni Tanis Mailing Address 336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610 Help From People like you! E-Mail [email protected] 4 wtba, our sisterhood WTBA Shabbat Also in March, we will underwrite a parent education By Jeanne Korn evening with Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neuman. January 12 was our annual WTBA Shabbat, and what an I am particularly excited that these events are great not amazing service it was. From Psukei d’Zimra to Musaf, only for those in my age group, or older, but for women of from every single reading to the Hagbah, it was all female all ages, and that some of our younger women are joining powered beauty and spirituality. WTBA to help lead us in new directions. WTBA is open to ANY AND ALL new ideas. Since the service was a bit long (and perhaps also because I could NOT follow Alice Hale’s astounding drash!), I simply Your kids will leave you eventually, your parents will leave bullet-pointed my remarks as WTBA President. So below is you too, but your Sisters will always be there for you! So what I really meant to say that day: help keep WTBA strong and vital, so it will be there for YOU. Today, we celebrate four generations of TBA women leading us in prayer and learning. I extend my thanks and respect to these past presidents of Sisterhood on the bimah. Thank you all for coming today We actually celebrate the fact that women CAN daven and for all you have done for us. on the bimah! That was not always true, even during my lifetime, and we cherish and appreciate those women who A HUGE thank you to Amy Tessler and Lynn Langfeld fought for us to do so. Some of them are sitting right in this for coordinating today’s service, as well as Outi Gould who room. couldn’t be here today, and the rest of the board as well. You are all amazing to work with, a great team, and I appre- This year, we’ve done a lot of celebrating ciate you all. • We’ve learned and sung together in the Sukkah. Alice Hale, thank you for your amazing d’var Torah. • We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon Salon with the fabu- Thanks to Mary Odenheimer and Treya Weintraub for pre- lous Jennie Chabon. paring a delicious Kiddush luncheon. • We played, laughed, and shared over glasses of wine at And last but not least, thanks to the over 40 of you who Girls Nights Out. took part in today’s service. We have such an amazing pool • We supported the schools with the back to school cof- of talent in WTBA! Yasher koach to each and every one of fees and BBQ. you. Shabbat Shalom. • We partnered with Men’s Club for a hugely popular Erev Xmas Sound of Music singalong.

• We commissioned a beautiful new lectern to comple- ment our Torah table. Girls Night Out-Save the Date-March 7 For Girls’ Night Out in March, we are organizing an • We always provide chocolate at Simchat Torah; latkes outing to a local pottery painting studio so that every- at Chanukah; apples and honey at Rosh Hashanah; one can paint their own Miriam’s Cup for upcom- candlesticks to b’nai mitzvah students. ing seders. Not only am I really excited to be co- • Every woman taking part in this service is a member organizing my first WTBA event with Julie Katz but of WTBA. I’m excited about why. As a parent leaving the Gan • When you become a member, you help us put on all this year (after 9 years!!) I am finding that I will need those programs. new ways to stay connected to the awesome women I • You become part of the extra special something that have met during my (long) GAN tenure. I’ve had the TBA is about, and that we love about it. misperception, and I know some who share this view, that the WTBA group is primarily aimed at women So, I invite all of you to join us for Vashti’s Banquet on with kids in high school or even beyond. In no way March 3. It’s like a Middle Eastern spa day! You will NOT is this true and Julie and I are on a mission to change be disappointed! this viewpoint and make sure that all TBA women, Join us for Girls Night on February 7, when Jing Piser will whether single, married, with young or old kids feel lead us in preparing, and eating, some of her treats from that WTBA is a gathering place for them. So even if past Gala Gourmets. We are doing this in conjunction with you’ve never been to a WTBA event before, consider the new speaker series. joining us March 7 as we mix it up bring in many Join us for a special Girls Night in March. We will be cre- new faces to the WTBA scene. Details to follow. ating our own Miriam’s cups for our seder table at a local - Jo Ilfeld ceramics studio. 5 wtba, our sisterhood

SAVE THE DATE FOR WTBA’s 3rd ANNUAL VASHTI’S BANQUET Sensual Treats for Your Body and Spirit Is There Room In our “Harem Room” for New Rituals? On behalf of The Women of TBA (WTBA) and Oakland Ruach Hadassah, we would like to invite all East Bay Women to join our Rosh Chodesh group. The group meets monthly on the Monday closest to Rosh Chodesh, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at rotating members’ homes. The meetings are facilitated by members of the group. As a community of women, we explore the emotional and intellectual themes that live in Sunday, March 3 • 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Torah and connect to our lives. There is no cost to TBA Social Hall participate and it’s fine to come intermittently. Contact Jeanne Korn with questions We are studying the book, Lifecycles: Jewish at [email protected]. Women on Life Passages and Personal Milestones (Volume 1) edited by Rabbi Debra Orenstein. In her book, Rabbi Orenstein poses the question “How the Jewish community might be enhanced SAVE THE DATE FOR A SPECIAL if it fully incorporated women’s experiences and talents?” This month’s meeting is on February 11, when Girls’ Night Out we will discuss Chapter 6: Invisible Life Passages. Join us for a lively discussion as we focus on what Thursday, March 7 ritual and community can do to acknowledge and support us in facing challenges, such as weaning our children, terminal illness in ourselves or loved ones, and raising a child with special needs.

The meeting will open with a short discussion about the significance of the month of Adar.

The schedule for the upcoming year is as follows: Adar; March 8, Nissan; April 8, Iyar; May 6, Sivan; June 10, Tammuz MAKE YOUR VERY OWN Questions? MIRIAM’S CUP Contact Debbie Spangler at (510) 531-1105 or FOR YOUR PASSOVER TABLE! [email protected] to get on the distribution list for the upcoming meeting locations. Info to follow soon…

6 men’s club

The TBA Men’s Club presents: Night Out at a Cal Bears Game Sunday, Feb. 17

It’s time for family basketball! Come join the TBA Men’s Club for a great time at Haas Pavilion watching one of college basketball’s most promising teams! Come with your family (children included) and hang out with your TBA friends. Cheer on the Cal Bears as they battle USC in this PAC-12 Conference showdown. For our group, this game includes participation in the “High-Five Tunnel” for 7th graders and below

DAY: Sunday, February 17 6:40 High-Five Tunnel TIME: 7:00 Game Time

COST: $20/person, adults and kids. We have 60 seats; first come-first served

If there’s interest, we’ll meet at a nearby pub for snacks and drinks beforehand!

RSVP to Jeff Ilfeld: [email protected], or call (510) 685-1349

Make checks payable to: TBA Men’s Club and mail to TBA at: 336 Euclid Ave., Oakland, CA 94610, attention: Men’s Club

7 men’s club Men’s Club Purim Musings I have heard Purim and Chanukah mistakenly described By David S. Mendelsohn as minor Jewish Holidays. Did you know that after the Mashiach comes, the Jewish people will only celebrate two There are 613 Commandments/Mitzvot in the Torah. One holidays. Which two? You’re thinking Rosh HaShanah and would think that given the choice, we would all observe the Yom Kippur the two holiest days of the year right? Wrong. more enjoyable Mitzvot and leave the esoteric and difficult Then it must be Shavuot the holiday celebrating our receiv- ones for another day. Surprisingly, we leave the mitzvah of ing the Torah, and Pesach the holiday commemorating celebrating the best Jewish Holiday of the year to the chil- our redemption from Egypt and the birth as a nation, cor- dren. rect? Wrong. The two holidays we will celebrate after the Purim today for me is a crank of the grogger, listen Mashiach comes is Purim and Chanukah - the only two to a bit of Esther’s Megillah, nosh on a few too many post Torah holidays. Midrash Mishlei 9. Hamantashen, deliver some Mishloach Manot and then I’m A hint of the importance of Purim can actually be found done with Purim - back to business as usual. Now what in the Torah where Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, else was I supposed to do today? is referred to as Yom HaKippurim. The Zohar says that At the Yeshivot I attended, Purim was the pinnacle of by utilizing a different vowel (eh instead of ee) under the the Jewish Holiday circuit. How much better can it get Kaf the enunciation turns into Yom K’Purim - a day like when you and your friends enjoy a grand meal together, Purim. are allowed and encouraged to let your hair down and do ******* taboo things like drink adult beverages and be irreverent to the authorities. Without fear of reprisal, Purim Shpiels Purim is celebrated on Adar 14. We are commanded to contained great mocking of Yeshiva life and of the Rebbe’im increase our joy during the month of Adar. (Ta’anit 29a) who laughed at themselves just as hard as anyone else. Let’s get busy people! Fond memories. Chag Purim Sameach! ******* Top Ten Reasons for Celebrating Purim On Purim we are commanded to have a Seudah – a feast By Kenneth Goldrich – where we gather with friends to eat and drink to our mer- 1. Making noise in shul is a MITZVAH!! riment. In 2007 and 2008, the Men’s Club threw a Purim Seudah masquerade party in the TBA Social Hall. Clowns 2. Levity is not reserved for the Levites performed while guests bedecked in all style of costumes 3. Nobody knows if you’re having a bad hair day. enjoyed a lively cocktail hour. You can tell them it’s your costume The sumptuous sit down dinner was prepared and served by 4. Purim is easier to spell than Chanukah, I mean MC members and the entertainment was a Shul-wide tal- Hanukah, I mean, KHanukah, I mean Chanuka, I mean ent show with singers, musicians, dancers and comedians all the Festival of Lights. taking the stage. (Oy Vey what talent we had!) 5. You don’t have to kasher your home and change all the There were plenty of laughs and a tremendous feeling of pots and dishes. camaraderie. According to a Pew Research poll, the Men’s 6. You don’t have to build a hut and live and eat outside Club shot up as the most popular group at TBA until (but you could volunteer to build a new Purim booth for Pesach when the top spot was taken by the Chocolate Seder next year’s Carnival) people. 7. You get to drink wine and drink wine and drink wine Despite the tremendously successful and critically acclaimed and you don’t even have to stand for Kiddush (I guess “As good as the Gala but cheaper!” advertising campaign, you can’t!) the ROI on the Seudah party was insufficient to sustain itself and it sadly went the way of Haman and his sons. 8. You won’t get hit in the eye by a lulav ******* 9. You can’t eat hamantaschen on Yom Kippur 10. Mordecai - 1; Haman - 0!!!!

8 social action/community

JOIN A NEW Sha’a b’Matana TBA CHAVURAH! (An Hour’s Gift) Do you want to be a part of a smaller, more intimate group within Temple Beth Abraham? Forming or Join us for: joining a chavurah could be what you’re looking for! TBA Gala Treats What is a chavurah? From the Hebrew word for friend, a chavurah is a with Jing Piser group of people (singles, couples, families, or a mix of these) who meet regularly (usually monthly in February 7 from 7-9 p.m. each others homes) to experience Jewish life together. TBA Social Hall Joining a Chavurah is one way to meet other TBA members in a smaller, more personal setting. We will prepare and sample popular hors d’oeuvres from past Gala menus. Recipes What does a chavurah do? provided. Each chavurah is created to reflect the interests of its members. There could be groups with any of the Free childcare provided. following interests: socializing, Jewish study, Shabbat Please RSVP to [email protected] by gatherings, social action, holiday celebrations, February 1 to ensure there’s enough food to camping, hiking, music, sports, etc. The group could go around. meet with or without children. Each chavurah is completely autonomous and can Sha’a b’Matana (An Hour’s Gift) is a new decide as a group when, where, and how often series of monthly speakers, members of our to meet. It is important for all members to be TBA community, who have volunteered to committed to working together toward building the share their professional expertise with you in community. an intimate, informal setting. We hope you’ll come out, get some expert advice, and enjoy How large is a chavurah? a relaxed evening with other TBA members. A chavurah is generally made up of between 5 and 10 families or individuals. It could include members This event it co-sponsored by WTBA. who already know each other, or a mix of some old The rest of the lineup include: and new friends or acquaintances. How do I join a chavurah? March 4: Starting a Small Business (Rachel Teichman) The process of joining a chavurah is very simple. Just fill out the questionnaire by February 15. Sometimes April 8: Time Management and Productivity it takes awhile to put together the right group, but (Jo Ilfeld) it’s worth while to wait for a group that’s a good fit. May 6: Understanding Employment Law How do I find out more? for Employers and Workers If you are interested, email Amy Wittenberg, our (Bryan Schwartz) chavurah coordinator, at: [email protected] and she’ll send you a chavurah questionnaire which you June 3: Helping children play well together can fill out online. Hard copies are also available in (Tosha Schore) the office at TBA. Contact Tosha Schore directly with any You can also fill out the form ionline at: https://ccjds. questions at [email protected]. wufoo.com/forms/temple-beth-abraham-chavurah- questionnaire/.

9 mishloach manot israel erev xmas sing-a-long Purim Food Baskets February 24, please contact Amy Tessler at abtessler@com- cast.net. Deadline for the Purim Food Baskets is February 8 - Please help support the TBA Schools Do you want to donate food for this year›s baskets? One of the many mitzvot for the holiday of Purim is We are putting together 625 baskets for this year›s Mishloach Manot, or the sending of gifts of food to friends. Mishloach Manot. If you or a group of your friends want The Parents of Bet Sefer and Gan Avraham are once again to donate a snack or provide funds towards one of the offering you a wonderful way to send Mishloach Manot. items, then please contact Steve Grossman at yoale@aol. For Purim we are preparing a kosher package, filled with com or (510) 435-5885. tasty sweets, snacks and surprises for you to send to your Do you have a college student and want a Mishloach Manot fellow congregants in your name. Forms were sent to basket sent to them? your house a couple of weeks ago. If you have not yet sent We have a lovely tradition at TBA where we send Mishloach in your completed form, please do so by February 8. If Manot to all college students whether they live at home or you have misplaced or did not receive your form and want are away. It’s a great way to remind our students that we, at another, please email Steve Grossman at [email protected]. TBA, are thinking of them. Please let us know where your All baskets will be delivered on Purim, Sunday, February 24. college student will be the week of February 24. If they Volunteers needed on February 24 to prepare and deliver live with you or will be home on break on that date, we Mishloach Manot baskets will deliver their basket to them at your home; if they will We need over 60 volunteers on Sunday February 24 to help be at college, please send their address to Debby Barach, assemble and then deliver food baskets to all TBA mem- [email protected], by February 15. The baskets will be bers. It’s a wonderful mitzvah that is a highlight for many shipped out on Monday, February 25 by priority mail. each year. Basket creation will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Any questions about the college Mishloach Manot pro- Social Hall and deliveries will start around 10:00 a.m. If gram? Call: Debby Barach at (510) 482-9399 or email: you would like to help make and/or deliver food baskets on [email protected].

Israel Tidbitis World Health Organization reports) in the developing By June Brott world who have no access to an effective method of birth control. Here is some technology and human rights news from Israel: Hervana founder, Rachel Teitelbaum, says Hervana (her Total Boox nirvana) is a non-invasive, long-acting, low cost, convenient With digital books, you pay first and read later. An Israel contraceptive free of health risks and medical procedures. entrepreneur wants you to not only read first but to pay Tikkun Olam – A Boarding School for African Teen Refugees only for what you read. After being captured, tortured, and enslaved by Bedouins, Yoav Lorch developed his latest startup, Total Boox, a radical and then slipping past trigger-happy Egyptian soldiers, rethinking of the electronic reading model. Total Boox tracks a number of boys escaping from Eritrea and Sudan have the number of pages a reader views and tells whether you’re found a safe home in Israel. Some 50 African teens live at skimming, then charges only for content actually read. Due Tikkun Olam, a special boarding school for African teen to launch in early 2013, Total Boox is a mobile app with an refugees at Nitzana, an Israeli kibbutz near the Egyptian Android version in beta and one for Apple on the way. border. Until age 18, they receive housing, food, and edu- Hervana cation. Bill Gates recently gave a million dollars to an Israeli firm Yair Amir, Tikkun Olam Director, says student couldn’t for creating a breakthrough contraceptive suppository that grasp the concept of democracy or presenting differing will be used by some 220 million women (according to opinions. On the eve of the US election, one boy asked, “If Obama loses, will they shoot him?” 2nd Annual Erev Xmas Sing-a-Long On December 24, over 125 congregants and friends of all ages gathered in the Social Hall and sang along with The Sound of Music. While singing, we enjoyed a luscious lasa- gna dinner prepared by Treya Weintraub and Steve Glaser. Danny DeBare even led a group of fellow teens in a rousing Do-Re-Mi! Todah rabbah to volunteers David Weintraub, the DeBare family, Barry Barnes, Billie Gentry, Rick Heeger, Judy Klinger, Hugo Wildmann, Ellen Kaufman, and the Korn family, Jeff Ilfeld, and also to WTBA and Men’s Club for sponsoring this fun evening! 10 purim continued from page 4 In Chelm, the shammes used to go around waking every- one up for minyan in the morning. Every time it snowed, The rate of Jewish intermarriage is a serious problem. the people would complain that, although the snow was Scientists estimate that unless something can be done to beautiful, they could not see it in its pristine state because stop intermarriage, in 100 years, the Jewish people will be by the time they got up in the morning, the shammes reduced to a race of gorgeous blondes. had already trekked through the snow. The townspeople decided that they had to find a way to be woken up for Tales of the Rebbes minyan without having the shammes making tracks in the Some jokes make fun of the “Rebbe miracle stories” and snow. involve different hasidim bragging about their teachers’ miraculous abilities: The people of Chełm hit on a solution: they got four volunteers to carry the shammes around on a table when Three hasidim are bragging about their Rebbes: “My rebbe there was fresh snow in the morning. That way, the is very powerful. He was walking once, and there was a shammes could make his wake up calls, but he would not big lake in his path. He waved his handkerchief, and there leave tracks in the snow. was lake on the right, lake on the left, but no lake in the middle.” To which the second retorted, “That’s nothing. Or, rebbe My is even more powerful. He was walking once, The town of Chełm decided to build a new synagogue. and there was a huge mountain in his path. He waved So, some strong, able-bodied men were sent to a moun- his handkerchief, and there was mountain on the right, taintop to gather heavy stones for the foundation. The mountain on the left, but no mountain in the middle!” men put the stones on their shoulders and trudged down Said the third, “Ha! That is still nothing! My rebbe is the mountain to the town below. When they arrived, the Shabbos the most powerful. He was walking once on (on town constable yelled, “Foolish men! You should have which it is forbidden to handle money), and there was rolled the stones down the mountain!” The men agreed a wallet crammed full of cash in his path. He waved his this was an excellent idea. So they turned around, and Shabbos handkerchief, and it was on the right, Shabbos on with the stones still on their shoulders, trudged back up Shabbos the left, but not in the middle!” the mountain, and rolled the stones back down again. Eastern European Jewish humor American Jewish humor A number of traditions in Jewish humor date back to stories About Religion and anecdotes from the 19th century. Stories from Chelm, a town reputed in these jokes to be inhabited by fools, are One common strain of Jewish humor examines the role of among the most popular. Chelm jokes were almost always religion in contemporary life, often gently mocking the reli- centred on silly solutions to problems. Some of these solu- gious hypocrite. For example: tions display “foolish wisdom” (reaching the correct answer A Reform Rabbi was so compulsive a golfer that once, by the wrong train of reasoning), while others are simply on Yom Kippur, he left the house early and went out for wrong. a quick nine holes by himself. An angel who happened Chełm tales were told by authors like Sholom Aleichem and to be looking on immediately notified his superiors that Isaac Bashevis Singer. A typical Chełm story might begin, a grievous sin was being committed. On the sixth hole, “It is said that after God made the world, he filled it with God caused a mighty wind to take the ball directly from people. He sent off an angel with two sacks, one full of the tee to the cup — a miraculous shot. wisdom and one full of foolishness. The second sack was of The angel was horrified. “A hole in one!” he exclaimed, course much heavier. So after a time it started to drag. Soon “You call this a punishment, Lord?!” it got caught on a mountaintop and so all the foolishness Answered God with a sly smile, “So who can he tell?” spilled out and fell into Chełm.” Jokes have been made about the shifting of gender roles (in Here are a few examples of a Chełm tale: the more traditional Orthodox movement, women marry at a young age and have many children, while the more liberal Conservative and Reform movements make gender roles more egalitarian, even ordaining women as Rabbis). The Reconstructionist movement was the first to ordain homo- sexuals, all of which leads to this joke:

continued on page 18

11 cooking corner community Focus on TBA Caterer Steve Glaser He took a break from his financial career in the early 1990s By Faith Kramer and started a catering company called A Tasteful Affair, but found cooking for a living wasn’t what he wanted to do and This is the fourth in a series featuring the talented folks who decided to focus on cooking at home and later at Temple plan, shop and cook for the Temple Beth Abraham Kiddush Beth Abraham. luncheons. He watched the original Julia Child cooking shows growing Cooking Saturday after- up in Boston where they originated, but says his own cook- noon Kiddush luncheons ing style, which he describes as “great ingredients messed just adds up for Temple with in a minimal way,” was influenced more by northern Beth Abraham member California’s Alice Waters. Steven Glaser. Glaser, “I like to garden, grown and eat stuff I grow,” he said. He who has had a career in likes to feature vegetable, grains and “healthful foods” in his accounting and finance Kiddush luncheons and says he thinks his soups are prob- and is now a financial ably the most popular items he makes for TBA luncheons. planner and life insurance One of his newest soups is a roasted butternut squash recipe agent, finds making the developed by his cousin, TBA member Doree Jurow Klein. meals a “labor of love” which connects his past, Glaser mostly caters “regular” Saturday luncheons for the his congregation and his 100 or so members who attend (he does not usually do community. catering for hire). Like many of the volunteer congregant caterers at TBA, he worries not just about having enough Glaser and his wife, food (he did run out once) but also about having too much. Deena Aerenson, joined His solution is to make a little more than he thinks he’ll TBA about a decade ago need and donate any leftover unserved food to the Cityteam and Glaser has been feeding temple members his “very hai- Oakland food program. He says other TBA caterers also mish approach to cooking” for the last four or five years, but donate leftovers whenever possible. this is not the first time he has fed a synagogue crowd. “We can get fresh leftovers served that night or the next “When I was a kid I had an aunt who was a caterer. She day” to help feed the hungry, he says. Glaser encourages did Friday night bat mitzvah oneg shabbats and Shabbat TBA members to eat what they want, but not put more on lunches and I would be running those things at the ripe old their plate than they can eat. “If you put it on your plate, age of 12,” he recalls. we can’t donate it.”

Rebuilding Together in Oakland 2013 Thank you to all who came out last year to make this proj- By Bella Gordon and Rachel Goldstone, ect such a success. We want to thank the Board of Trustees Volunteer Coordinators and the Mollie Hertz Interfaith Outreach Fund for making this year’s project possible. We hope to see many of you We need your help on April 21 and 28! joining us for this rewarding community project! Come join us in Tikkun Olam, repairing Oakland and repairing the world one home at a time! Temple Beth Abraham has been a long time supporter of Rebuilding Together Oakland (RTO). We are happy to participate dur- ing this milestone year, RTO’s 20th anniversary. Temple Beth Abraham will again join forces with Kehilla and Temple Sinai to work together on a house project, helping a low-income family in Oakland. We will be working on two Sundays, April 21 and 28. Work on the home involves painting, both interior and exterior, a total bathroom remodel, a new kitchen floor, new furnace, and extensive removal of blackberry vines in the back yard. We need workers at all skill levels--unskilled workers are welcome. Participants must be 14 years old. Please consider volun- teering to work one or both days. If you can’t work at the site, you might consider assisting in other ways such as food pickup/drop-off.

12 cooking corner Doree Jurow-Klein’s Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (Adapted from a recipe by Steve Glaser) Serves 8-10

4 lbs. whole butternut squash 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 garlic (1 or 2 depending on weight) 1 tsp. red pepper flakes cloves, minced ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 6 Tbs. plus 2 Tbs. olive oil Ground black pepper, to taste 3 Tbs. honey 6-7 cups vegetable stock ¾ cup of milk or half and half 1 tsp. salt plus additional to taste Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds and fibers. Place squash halves cut side up on a baking sheet. More than one sheet may be required. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, 1 tsp. salt, red pepper flakes, thyme, and 6 Tbs. olive oil until they emulsify and are well combined Brush squash with marinade. Roast squash, brushing with extra marinade every 10-15 min. After 30-35 minutes, turn squash halves over to con- tinue cooking cut side down for another 10-15 minutes until slightly soft. Remove and let cool before removing skin from squash. May be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated until needed. Heat remaining olive oil in a stock pot. Add onion and garlic. Cook 6 minutes or so until golden. Add squash and stock. Cook over a medium flame uncovered about 30 minutes. Let cool and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in blender. Return to pot. Add milk. Gently reheat. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, reduce down any leftover mari- nade and drizzle on top of individual soup bowls before serving.

Steven Glaser’s Chocolate Macaroons Makes about 2 dozen

Butter or oil for greasing cookie sheet ½ cup sugar 6 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate 1 package (14 oz.) Baker’s sweetened, shredded coco- 2 egg whites nut 1/8 tsp. salt ½ tsp. vanilla Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet with butter or oil. Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Using an electric mixer, beat egg white with salt and slowly add the sugar until the eggs form stiff peaks. Gently fold in coconut and then vanilla. Fold in the melted chocolate. Use a tablespoon to drop batter on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Macaroons store well in the freezer.

Steven Glaser’s Guacamole with Mint Serves about 16 as a dip

4 ripe avocados Juice from 2 or 3 limes 2 to 4 jalapeno or serrano peppers, minced with seeds Handful of fresh mint, chopped ½ cup of cherry tomatoes, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste 1 Tbs. finely chopped shallot Peel and mash the avocados and leave at least one pit in the bowl to prevent the guacamole from browning. Mix in chopped peppers, tomatoes, shallots. Stir in lime juice. Mix in mint. Taste and add more peppers if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove pit just before serving. Faith Kramer blogs her food at www.clickblogappetit.com. Her cooking column appears twice a month in the j. weekly. You can contact her directly at [email protected]. volunteer bulletin board Give a new parent an hour to shower A perfect mitzvah for those with daytime Welcome a New Member flexibility. Volunteers needed to provide short Do you have time to help deliver TBA’s daytime sits free of charge to our new moms new members baskets? and dads allowing them to shower, get a If so, please contact Rebecca Skiles haircut or just take a walk. at [email protected] Interested sitters should contact us at or (510) 836-7407. [email protected].

13 gan avraham bet sefer midrasha What’s Happening at the Gan in February Bet Sefer: A Very Busy Place By Barbara Kanter By Susan Simon Our spring holiday season begins a bit early this year. We We have so much going on at Bet Sefer these days that I’m will celebrate Purim in February with the exciting charac- thinking of simply moving into my office. Here’s a bit of a ters and story, the special symbols and traditions, yummy recap on what has been going on. hamantaschen and spirited songs. Young children relate School resumed after winter break on January 8. The next to the king and queen and good and evil behavior in our day, our 5th graders began the process of selecting dates for slightly modified version of the Purim story. We try to their bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies. On January 10, our emphasize the strengths of Mordechai and Esther and con- 7th graders concluded their study of friendship with a lovely centrate less on what happens to Haman in the end. dinner with their families where we were all privileged to Our celebration culminates with our Purim play on Friday hear the mishnayot (teachings) that the students created morning, February 22. Children come to school in cos- about friendship. Then on January 11, our 2nd grade fami- tume with their groggers. All of our families are invited lies celebrated with their Share A Shabbat service where we to enjoy our silly performance featuring the Gan Avraham learned about Parasha Vaera, followed by a yummy potluck teachers and a special performance by Rabbi Bloom. dinner. In February our teachers attend the East Bay Jewish Early The following week, our 6th grade students celebrated their Childhood Conference. The Jewish Early Childhood completion of their unit on Sifrei Kodesh (holy books) Educator Council of the East Bay (the directors of the East where they demonstrated their new knowledge of the Bay Jewish preschools) plans this annual conference. Over Tanakh, Mishna, Talmud and Shulchan Aruch, preceded, of one hundred early childhood educators from the East Bay course, by dinner. Jewish preschools gathered for a day of learning. This day And to continue on with the eating theme, the following of learning for teachers contributes to and stimulates our Tuesday, our 5th graders celebrated the end of their unit on professionalism. Our faculty’s commitment to and concern Kashrut by cooking dinner for their parents in our annual and involvement with our own professional growth contrib- and much anticipated yearly cooking experience. Finally, ute to our high quality program. on January 31, our 4th graders and their families celebrated February is also the beginning of enrollment for the coming the end of their unit on the Shema and V’ahavta with won- school year. We complete enrollment for the returning chil- derful activities demonstrating their new fluency with and dren and begin enrolling new children for the 2013-2014 understanding of the prayers. And yes, we also ate dinner. school year. If you or anyone you know is interested in Now on to our preparations for Purim! enrolling at Gan Avraham, please contact me soon.

Midrasha in Berkeley’s Annual Fundraiser Midra-Shabang Sunday, March 10 5-8 p.m. at Congregation Beth El, Berkeley Drinks, dinner, music, and bidding.

Join us to launch our Hineni Campaign. We’re shooting for the stars with a $100,000 fundraising campaign as we build an innovative retreat and experiential education program for all East Bay Jewish teens. This year really IS different from all other years. Information is on the Midrasha website, www.midrasha.org, or call the Midrasha office, (510) 843-4667 or e-mail [email protected].

14 pesach candy order We are now taking orders for Pesach candy! Sure, Pesach seems far away, but it’s time to start planning. Our schools are selling BARTON’S CANDY for Pesach. Placing your orders through our schools raises money for our students. There are two easy ways to order. You can fill in the order form on the back of this flyer and return it and your payment to the Euclid Avenue office no later than February 22. Your candy will be delivered to the school and we will notify you when it comes in. Or you can place your order online at www.misschocolate.com. If you order online click on the online store and for the student ID put in our school code – 703571 – all of your purchases will be credited to Temple Beth Abraham schools. Online orders will be sent directly to your home. Thanks for your support! ~ Susan ([email protected])

Want to sponsor a Kiddush?

Share your simcha with the congregation by sponsoring a Shabbat Kiddush.

Contact Executive Director: Rayna Arnold for available dates. [email protected] or call (510) 832-0936.

15 youth programs

Please Join Us for TBA’s Youth Services Shabbat Mishpacha is for T’fillat Y’ladim is designed for Junior Congregation is preschool-aged children children in Kindergarten, designed for children in and their families. 1st & 2nd grade 3rd through 6th grade. This service is held on the and their families. This service is held on the first Shabbat morning of each This service is held on the first Shabbat morning of each month (except February this third Shabbat morning of each month. Build your child’s year). It is parent-led and there month and will bridge the gap sense of community, reinforce are snacks following the age- for those students who are too what they learn in religious or appropriate service. old for Shabbat Mishpacha day school, and foster their In Kitah Gimmel classroom. and too young for interest in Jewish practice Junior Congregation. by making youth services February 16, 10:15 a.m. In the Chapel. a regular part of your Upcoming dates are: Shabbat schedule. February 16, 10:15 a.m. - March 2 In the Chapel. - April 6 February 2, 10:15 a.m. - May 4 - June 1

Keflanu: Shabbat Fun and Games for 3rd - 6th Graders We would like to invite 3rd – 6th graders to join their friends in the Baum Youth Center following Shabbat services on the 1st and 3rd Shabbat of the month. Upcoming dates: February 2 & 16

After the service join together for lunch in the social hall. About 20 minutes after motzi, the Rabbi will announce the chaperone is ready for check-in at the Baum Youth Center! Have fun with Shabbat appropriate games and activities… • basketball • board games • jump rope • foosball • ping pong • or even just shmooze Parents: We ask that an adult accompany the child/children to the Baum Youth Center – the chaperone will sign your child in and an adult pick-up at the Baum Youth Center – For the safety of the youth, we ask that they not leave the site on their own.

16 la’atid Skating with La’atid By Lisa Fernandez TBA’s youth group bundled up in hats and gloves on Jan. 13 to enjoy another fun-filled La’atid event, this time at the Oakland Ice Center. More than two dozen kids skated ‘round and ‘round, with no real bumps or bruises to report. Instead, there was lots of fun and friendship. Thanks again to Phil and Dina Hankin for organizing and leading our youth.

La’atid A Youth Group For 4th-7th Graders! Save these dates! Get on the mailing list for up to date program information today! February 10 • March 24-Chocolate Seder • April 21 • May 19 We look forward to another great year with TBA’s La’atid group!! To RSVP or if you have questions, contact your trusty advisors, Dina and Phil Hankin at [email protected].

17 purim continued from page 11 Or, this haiku on parenting: Is one Nobel Prize At an Orthodox wedding, the bride’s mother is pregnant. At a so much to ask from a child Conservative wedding, the bride is pregnant. At a Reform wed- after all I’ve done? ding, the rabbi is pregnant. At a Reconstructionist wedding, the About Christianity rabbi and her wife are both pregnant. Many Jewish jokes involve a rabbi and a Christian clergy- Often jokes revolve around the social practice of the Jewish man, exploiting different interpretations of a shared textual religion: background. Often they start with something like “A rabbi A man is rescued from a desert island after 20 years. The news and a priest...” and make fun of either the rabbi’s inter- media, amazed at this feat of survival, ask him to show them his pretation of Christianity or (seeming) differences between home. Christian and Jewish interpretation of some areas. “How did you survive? How did you keep sane?” they ask him, A Catholic priest says to a rabbi, “It seems to me that, since the as he shows them around the small island. Creator made pork, He must have made it for some purpose. “I had my faith. My faith as a Jew kept me strong. Come.” He Therefore, it must be a sin not to use it, don’t you think? So, leads them to a small glen, where stands an opulent temple, will you finally eat some pork?” made entirely from palm fronds, coconut shells and woven The rabbi replies, “I will try some — at your wedding, Father.” grass. The news cameras take pictures of everything — even a torah made from banana leaves and written in octopus ink. Israeli humor “This took me five years to complete.” Israeli humor featured many of the same themes as Jewish “Amazing! And what did you do for the next fifteen years?” humor elsewhere, making fun of the country and its habits. “Come with me.” He leads them around to the far side of the island. There, in a shady grove, is an even more beautiful tem- Israelis’ View of Themselves: ple. “This one took me twelve years to complete!” An Israeli, a Brit, a Russian, a Vietnamese, and an American are “But sir” asks the reporter, “Why did you build two temples?” sitting in a restaurant. A reporter comes by and asks, “Excuse “This is the temple I attend. That other place? Hah! I wouldn’t me, but can I get your opinion on the recent grain shortage in set foot in that other temple if you PAID me!” the third world?” The Brit asks: “What’s a ‘shortage’?” About Jews The Vietnamese asks: “What’s ‘grain’?” Jewish humor continues to exploit stereotypes of Jews, both The Russian asks: “What’s an ‘opinion’?” as a sort of “in-joke”, and as a form of self-defence. Jewish The American asks: “What’s the third world?” mothers, “cheapness”, hypochondria, and other stereotyped The Israeli asks: “What’s ‘excuse me’?” habits are all common subjects. Frugality has been frequent- Israeli Personal Ads: ly singled out: Shmuel Gabbai, 36. An old Jewish beggar was out on the street in New York City with his tin cup. I take out the Torah Saturday morning. “Please, sir,” he pleaded to a passerby, “could you spare seventy- Would like to take you out Saturday night. three cents for a cup of coffee and some pie?” Please write POB 81. The man asked, “Where do you get coffee and pie for seventy- three cents in New York? It costs at least a dollar!” Couch potato latke in search of the right applesauce. The beggar replied, “So who buys retail?” Let’s try it for 8 days. Who knows? Or, POB 43. What did the waiter ask the group of dining Jewish mothers? “Pardon me ladies, but is ANYTHING all right?” Jewish male, 34, very successful, smart, independent, self-made, looking for girl whose father will hire me. Or, about traditional roles of men and women in Jewish families: POB 43. A boy comes home from school and tells his mother he got a part in the school play. “That’s wonderful!” says the mother, “Which part?” “The part of a Jewish husband,” says the boy, proudly. Frowning, the mother says, “Go back and tell them you want a continued on page 19 speaking role!” 18 life cycles Irene Partsuf, February 16 Hi, I’m in the seventh grade at Oakland Hebrew Day School. I love going to school. At my school, we not only learn general subjects, but also Judaic subjects. Some of my favorite classes are English and Social Studies, and the Jewish classes that I enjoy learn- ing the most are Hebrew and Chumash. At OHDS is also where I first established my sense of Judaism. As I learned different prayers, Hebrew, Jewish history, about the state of Israel, and all about Jewish holidays, my Jewish identity only grew stronger.

Bat MitzvahBat Being in a Russian-Jewish family is another part of my life. Because of this I have been introduced to Russian culture, literature, music, Russian food, and many amazing people I wouldn’t have known otherwise. I love listening to all kinds of music, from Taylor Swift to Green Day. I also like to play tennis, swim, draw, hang out with friends, and read. My Bat Mitzvah parasha is Terumah, from the book of Shmot. This parasha is about the building of the Mishkan. It talks about the Mishkan’s measurements, which materials to use, and the details of putting it together. I hope you will come to my Bat Mitzvah on February 16 to hear me talk about the significance these details have on our Jewish lives.

A note to new members: Welcome New Members We would like to introduce you to the TBA Rebecca Sternberg & Gary Bernstein. Their children community in an upcoming newsletter. Please send Nathaniel, Jordan & Asher Bernstein a short introduction of you and your family, with a digital photo, to [email protected]. Thanks!

continued from page 18 “Don’t worry about it Mom, I’ll send Air Force One to pick Jokes you up and take you home. And a limousine will pick you Submitted by Charles Feltman up at your door.” “I don’t know. Everybody will be so fancy-schmantzy, what The Christians have Halloween (or All Saints Eve). on earth would I wear?” They all dress up as characters for that event. “Oh Mom, replies Susan, “I’ll make sure you have a We only have a Purim imitation (I stutter). wonderful gown custom-made by the best designer in New York.” Did you hear about the Jewish dairyman who tried breed- “Honey,” Mom complains, “you know I can’t eat those rich ing new cattle varieties? foods you and your friends like to eat.” He crossed a Gurnsey with a Holstein and the offspring was The President-to-be responds, “Don’t worry Mom. The a Goldstein. entire affair is going to be handled by the best caterer in As a result instead of saying “moo” it said “nu?” New York, kosher all the way.” “Mom, I really want you to come.” The First Jewish President!!!! So Mom reluctantly agrees and on January 20, 2017, Susan Submitted by Fran Weiner (Lori Rosenthal’s Mother) Goldfarb is being sworn in as President of the United The year is 2016 and the United States has elected the first States. In the front row sits the new President’s mother, woman as well as the first Jewish president, Susan Goldfarb. who leans over to a senator sitting next to her. “You see that She calls up her mother a few weeks after election day and woman over there with her hand on the Torah, becoming says, “So, Mom, I assume you will be coming to my inau- President of the United States??” guration?” The Senator whispers back, “Yes I do.” “I don’t think so. It’s a ten-hour drive, your father isn’t as Mom says proudly, “Her brother is a doctor.” young as he used to be, and my arthritis is acting up again.”

19 life cycles February Birthdays 1 10 17 Miriam Ilfeld Sarah Bookin Eric Jones Ann Rapson Sherry Marcus Maya Sherne Hannah Reback David Sasson 18 Nancy Rose 11 Roslyn Aronson 2 Joanne Goldstein Loryn Hudson Elise Hannah Schleuning Rebekah Kharrazi Benjamin Kaplan Lisa Tabak Lauren Manasse 19 Liam Sondreal 3 Daniel Harvitt Joni Tanis Carolyn Bernstein Victoria Reichenberg 12 Arjun Bornstein 20 Amy Friedman Julie Katz Jacob Liron Max Gochman Art Nieto Leah Hagar Jessica Sterling 21 Jing Weng Hsieh 13 Joseph Charlesworth Jacob Raskin Rita Frankel Larry Miller 4 Ward Spangler 14 Akash Bornstein 22 Paul Diliberto Maya Marcus Judith Klinger Mira Gellman Jason Prystowsky Debbie Spangler Allan Gordon 5 Karen Klier 23 Dan Maidenberg Mark Liss Aaron Bornstein Sarah Marcus Jake Moore Amit Bornstein 6 Elizabeth Satz Ari Goldberg Jesse Teichman Nicolas Louis-Kayen Julia Johnson Dawn Margolin 15 25 Susan Sasson Alexander Finkelstein Joshua DeBare Jeremy Weiss James Kleinmann Stuart Zangwill Yonathan Wolf 26 Philip Hankin 7 16 Oren Jacob Tonia James Avi Eliahu Mia Lowell Steve Fankuchen 27 Barbara Rose Eliav Feiger Gabriel Acevedo-Bolton Cecile Schlesinger Allison Hagey Julian Goldstein 9 Deren Rehr-Davis 28 David Rosenthal Michael Falco Marc Bruner Josh Sadikman Noah Kincaid Paula Hamilton Ari Rosenblum Jonathan Ring Isabella Scharff Is your birthday information wrong or missing from this list? Please contact the TBA office to make corrections. Mazel Tov Ila Rosalie, daughter of Jereme and Summer Albin

20 life cycles February Yahrzeits

May God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem shevat 21 Pearl S. Goodman Nancy von Kugelgen February 1 Melissa Anne Powers Milt Weiner Thomas W. Cain Cora Coulter Phyllis Goldberg David Okh Marjorie Kauffman Lloyd Silver Joel LaLone Gertrude Yarman Adar 13-18 Ruth Roth February 23-28 shevat 22-28 Mabel Stevens Sheba Widlan Bookin February 2-8 Matilda Bloom Holzman William Groskopf Bernice Righthand Marion Morris Celia Kessler Erwin Barany Daniel Shuster Ann Krause Harold Tott Frankel Milton Weintraub Langeld Shirley Gertrude Kingston Harry Simon Irwin Weintraub Daniel King Adar 6-12 Al Rothman Martin Polon Allan Stone February 16-22 Sidney Jerome Zywotow Joseph Gould Sara Goldberg Olga Banks Samuel Aaron Grinberg Celia Goldstein Shirley Handloff Bernard Pollack Leonard Baum Rachel Levy Irving Goronkin Sylvia Hertz Isador Margolin Sam Wolf Samuel Jaffe Edith Gruber Joseph Zuckerberg Arthur Yarman Latifa Naggar Charles Bernard Bernstein Ury Rath shevat 29-Adar 5 Arnold Liss David Roach February 9-15 John Miller William Tenery William Brinner Phyllis Zangwill J. Leon Bloch George Fankuchen Sue Kraft Saadia David Dorothy Glasser Elaine Reisman Charles Marcus Joseph G. Kay Edythe Schultz Goldie Brody Helen Aldeff Willliam Miller Morris Lerman Eric Baum Lilly Shoehalter Ida B. Edelson Riskind Tillie Elsenberg Jacob Saidan

Recent Deaths in Our Community Rose Dancer, mother of Linda (Fred) Knauer Murray Davis, husband of Virginia, father of Corey, Milo, and Max

MEMORIAL PLAQUE Anyone wishing to purchase a memorial plaque, please contact Pinky at the synagogue office at extension 229.

21 donations

Charity is equal in importance to all the other commandments combined.

Centennial Project Fund Sheldon & Barbara Rothblatt Noah Goldstein & Jenny Michaelson Ronn Berrol & Joan Korin, in honor of Karen Schoonmaker Warren & Outi Gould Avshalom Berrol’s Bar Mitzvah Bryan Schwartz & Alicia Cernitz-Schwartz Eric & Linda Horodas Ronn Berrol & Joan Korin, in memory of Wendy & Marvin Siver, in honor of Avshi Randall & Jan Kessler Barbara Korin Berrol’s Bar Mitzvah Phillip & Andrea LaMar Ronn Berrol & Joan Korin, in memory of Wendy & Marvin Siver, in memory of JB Leibovitch & Judy Chun Sheldon Berrol George Hochman David & Angelina Levy Steven Glaser & Deena Aerenson Cindy Sloan Stuart Liroff Bryan Schwartz & Alicia Cernitz-Schwartz Rebecca & Will Sparks Elan & Roberta Masliyah Centennial Match Fund Mark & Lori Spiegel Kelsi & Drew Perttula Ben Stiegler & Barbara Gross Charles Bernstein & Joanne Goldstein Betty Ann Polse Jesse & Rachel Teichman Mark Fickes & William Gentry Larry & Deborah Reback Steven & Victoria Zatkin Philip & Dina Hankin Joan & Richard Rubin Jonathan & Joy Jacobs Gan Class of 1997 Memorial Joseph & Bernice Sender Robert Klein & Doreen Alper Garden Fund Judy Shalev Paul & Florence Raskin Joshua & Allison Bernstein Gary Sherne & Sandra Frucht Paul Silberstein & Karen Glasser Elizabeth Simms HH Day Appeal - General Morris & Audree Weiss Alan & Cheryl Silver Jereme & Summer Albin Howard Zangwill & Stacy Margolin Pavel & Jennifer Slavin Michael & Liat Bostick David & Judith Stein Jeanette Jeger Kitchen Fund Gene & June Brott Ben Stiegler & Barbara Gross Norman & Jo Budman, in memory of Edith Kenneth & Julie Cohen Martin Stone & Jan Leuin, in memory of Budman Renat Engel Murray Davis Fifi Goodfellow, memory of Becky Singer Scott & Danielle Gerber Freya Turchen Peter & Helen Loewenstein Peter Gertler Ronald & Vicki Weller Misia Nudler, Annie Swartz birthday & Noah Goldstein & Jenny Michaelson General Fund recovery wishes to E DeKoven daughter Warren & Outi Gould Misia Nudler, in memory of Miriam Nudler Eric & Linda Horodas Anonymous Barbara Oseroff, in memory of Nathan Randall & Jan Kessler Anonymous, in honor of Gabriel for Bar Mitzvah & Outi Gould for tutoring Denenberg Phillip & Andrea LaMar Anonymous, in honor of Misia Nudle JB Leibovitch & Judy Chun 333/Courtyard Project Fund Rayna & Saul Arnold Stuart Liroff Richard & Naomi Applebaum Barry Barnes & Samantha Spielman Elan & Roberta Masliyah Barry Barnes & Samantha Spielman Herbert & Harriet Bloom, Ben Nathan Barbara Oseroff David Bassein Yahrzheit Kelsi & Drew Perttula Judy Berkowitz Kenneth & Ann Cohn, Rose Rosenberg Betty Ann Polse Joshua & Heidi Bersin Yahrzeit Larry & Deborah Reback Leon & Judy Bloomfield Jeremy Goldman & Eliza Hersh, in Susan Daniel & Anne Bookin Joan & Richard Rubin Simon and Dawn Margolin’s honor Aaron Bukofzer & Julie Rubenstein Joseph & Bernice Sender Rabbi Arthur Gould & Carol Robinson, in Robert DeBare & Esther Rogers Judy Shalev memory of Joe Gould and Louis Robinson Barry & Cheri Feiner Gary Sherne & Sandra Frucht Steven & Penny Harris, in memory of Reuven Glick & Marci Gottlieb Paul Silberstein & Karen Glasser Evelyn Harris David Goldstein & Sharon Shoshani Alan & Cheryl Silver Alison Heyman Fifi Goodfellow Pavel & Jennifer Slavin Alfred & Anne Hyman, in memory of Rabbi Arthur Gould & Carol Robinson David & Judith Stein Marres Gelfand Steven & Penny Harris Ben Stiegler & Barbara Gross Alice & Leslie & Jan & Randy Kessler, in Eric & Linda Horodas Freya Turchen memory of Leslie Kessler Jeff & Johanna Ilfeld Ronald & Vicki Weller Seymour Kessler James Kleinmann & Lara Gilman HH Days Appeal - Endowment Adele Mendelsohn, in memory of Al Mendelsohn Phillip & Andrea LaMar Jereme & Summer Albin Adele Mendelsohn, in memory of Carolyn Charles & Edna Levine Barry Barnes & Samantha Spielman Lichtenstein David & Stephanie Mendelsohn Michael & Liat Bostick Adele Mendelsohn, in memory of Harvy Ron & Adele Ostomel, in memory of Pola Gene & June Brott Steinberg and Sam Silver Kenneth & Julie Cohen Alan S. & Eve O. Rosenfeld, Hannukah gift Josh & Rebecca Posamentier Peter Gertler in honor of Lynn & Marshall Langfeld

22 donations Bryan Schwartz & Alicia Cernitz-Schwartz Camper/scholarship Fund Bernard & Sterna Kasdan Josephine Schwartz, in honor of Vera Esther Novak & John Chendo C. J., M.D. Leidner Zatkin’s 90th birthday Jesse & Rachel Teichman Lucienne Levy, in memory of my sister Martin & Roberta Schwartz Vicky Misan Playground Fund Andrea Share Lauren Manasse & Matthew Smith, thanks Wendy & Marvin Siver, In honor of Kiddush Fund to Rabbi for help in their wedding Charlie Levine’s Bar Mitzvah Barry & Hana Rotman Leonard & Helen Fixler, in memory of Rabbi Discretionary Fund Judy Shalev Miriam Nuder Hennie Hecht, happy anniversary Harley Herbert & Harriet Bloom, in memory of Cantor Discretionary Fund Ben Nathan & Wendy Hecht William & Sharon Ellenburg, in memory Sidney & Ethel Shaffer, in honor of Anne Herbert & Harriet Bloom, memory of of Arthur Braverman Mark S. Bloom Strow Birthday Harlan & Pearl Kann, in memory of Jonathan Carey Minyan Fund Meyer Kranz Lawrence Dorfman, in memory of Joseph Freya Turchen, in memory of Geraldine Etoile Stella Campbell, in memory of and Shirley Dorfman Turchen Raphael, Zotlra and David Benistry Justin Graham & Victoria Reichenberg Fifi Goodfellow, in memory of Herb Booker Holton & Elaine Gerstler, in Hertz Interfaith Fund Goodfellow and Raymond Naggar memory of Booker Holton Sr. Gerald & Ruby Hertz, in memory of Sally Jessie & Susan Kasdan, Yahrzeit Simon

“How wonderful it is that no one need wait a single moment to start to improve the world.” Anne Frank

A Legacy Gift Lasts Forever Include TBA in your Estate Planning so that your message to your family is loud and clear: The existence of Temple Beth Abraham is important to me and for the future of Jews in Oakland. Contact TBA’s Executive Director Rayna Arnold for further details (510) 832-0936 or [email protected]. You are never too young to plan for the future! Thank You to our Legacy Donor, Steve Glaser.

About Our Cover Artist Joni Tanis is the artist for the cover of this month’s Omer. Her passion lies in making sculpture, and Joni has exhibited her work in San Francisco, Oakland and most recently in Sacramento. In addition to sculpture, she has been working on a series of modern floral drawings available in limited edition Giclee prints. These prints were recently shown and sold in a Rockridge artisan show and Joni donates them to our annual Schools auction each year. She has a BFA in sculpture from SUNY at Purchase and an MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. For her livelihood Joni has been catering and party planning and selling her artwork. She also enjoys gardening, floral arranging, home organizing and interior decorating. Joni, her husband Alan O’Neill, and their son Harry joined Temple Beth Abraham in 2007 when Harry began Bet Sefer. He is now entering fifth grade.

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P Yitro rev T’rumah e T’tzavveh Mishpatim Havdalah (42 min) Havdalah (42 min) Havdalah (42 min) habbat habbat Megillah Reading s s

6:15p Rock n Roll Purim 6:31p 6:23p 6:15p 6:38p Havdalah (42 min) 9:30a-12p Shabbat Service 10:15a Shabbat Mishpacha 9:30a-12p Shabbat Services 9:30a-12p Shabbat Services 10:15a Junior Congregation 9:30a-12p Shabbat Services Bat Mitzvah of Irene Partsuf Bat Mitzvah of Irene Bar Mitzvah of Micah Bloom 12p Keflanu-Get together grades 3-6 12p Keflanu-Get together 13 Adar 6 Adar 22 Shevat 29 Shevat

1 8 22 15 February 2013 www.tbaoakland.org

5:37 p 5:22 p 5:14 p 5:30 p Kindergym Kindergym Kindergym Kindergym ' ' ' ' Unplugged Service 9:15a Gan Purim Play 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a (one class today) 9:30-10:30a 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat Bet Sefer Gimmel Share A Shabbat A Bet Sefer Gimmel Share 7p East Bay Minyan (Baum YC) 7p East Bay Minyan (Baum 12 Adar 5 Adar 28 Shevat 21 Shevat 7 21 14 28 sther e

o F

ast 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer F 7:30p Girls Night Out 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 6:15p Zayin Dinner Class

10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 18 Adar 11 Adar 4 Adar 27 Shevat 6

27 20 13

Cantor Kaplan! (Woodminster Cafe) (Woodminster (Woodminster Cafe) (Woodminster (Woodminster Cafe) (Woodminster 9a Weekly Text Study Text 9a Weekly 9a Weekly Text Study Text 9a Weekly 9a Weekly Text Study Text 9a Weekly 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 6:15-7:15p Confirmation Class 6:15-7:15p Confirmation Class 6:15-7:15p Confirmation Class 7:30p-9p Music CD Release by 7:30p-9p Music CD Release 6:15-7:15p Confirmation Class 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 9a Text Study (Woodminster Cafe) Study (Woodminster Text 9a 17 Adar 10 Adar 3 Adar 26 Shevat 5 26 19 12

6:43 p ' 4-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 16 Adar 9 Adar 2 Adar 25 Shevat 4 ntact

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are produced 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from the TBA Administration Staff. This calendar is also available at our website the TBA 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from produced are d

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9:30-10:30a osh hushan resident s r P Gan and office closed Gan and office 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 9-10a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) Elliot Lenik Bar Mitzvah Elliot Amy Tessler for location) Tessler Amy Always check the Congregational E-mail or the Weekly Shabbat Bulletin for more up-to-date information. Please note any corrections care of Rayna Arnold at the TBA office. Arnold at the TBA of Rayna care up-to-date information. Please note any corrections Shabbat Bulletin for more E-mail or the Weekly Always check the Congregational Rosh Chodesh Celebration (c o Rosh Chodesh Celebration 15 Adar 8 Adar 1 Adar 24 Shevat 3 Calendars in The Omer 24 10 17

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P osh r F eeding the hungry 5p CityTeam in Oakland – 5p CityTeam 5:30p Teen Scene (Baum YC) Scene (Baum Teen 5:30p 10:30a-12p Sunday Kindergym 10a-12p Adult Education program 10a-12p Adult Education program 10a-12p Adult Education program Blood Drive 10a-12p Adult Education program 14 Adar 7 Adar 30 Shevat 23 Shevat Shevat 5773 / Adar 5773 Shevat 5773 / 24

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lub hel/P’kudei e S a C h • Tzav Pesach P Va-yikra C Ki Tissa S Havdalah (42 min) Havdalah (42 min) Havdalah (42 min) habbat ’ habbat S en habbat S

S m Va-yak Bat Mitzvah Batya Jaffe Bat Mitzvah Batya 8:12p Havdalah (42 min) 6:52p 7:59p 6:45p 8:05p Havdalah (42 min) Bat Mitzvah Maya Marcus 9:30a-12p Shabbat Services 9:30a-12p Shabbat Service 10:15a Shabbat Mishpacha 9:30a-12p Shabbat Services 9:30a-12p Shabbat Services 9:30a-12p Shabbat Services 10:15a Junior Congregation 12p Keflanu-Get together grades 3-6 12p Keflanu-Get together 19 Nisan 12 Nisan 5 Nisan 20 Adar 27 Adar

March 2013

1 8 22 29 15 www.tbaoakland.org 4

7:04 p 5:51 p p 7:11 5:44 p e S a C h 6:58 p P Kindergym Kindergym Kindergym Kindergym ' ' No Kindergym ' ' ' Dalet Share A Shabbat

9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 9:30-10:30a & 10:45-11:45a 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat 7p East Bay Minyan (Baum YC) 7p East Bay Minyan (Baum 18 Nisan 11 Nisan 4 Nisan 26 Adar 19 Adar 7 21 14 28 3

e S a C h P No Bet Sefer No Kindergym 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 7:30p Girls Night Out 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 17 Nisan 10 Nisan 3 Nisan 25 Adar 6

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e S a C h P No Kindergym (Woodminster Cafe) (Woodminster (Woodminster Cafe) (Woodminster (Woodminster Cafe) (Woodminster 9a Weekly Text Study Text 9a Weekly 9a Weekly Text Study Text 9a Weekly 9a Weekly Text Study Text 9a Weekly No Weekly Text Study Text No Weekly No Confirmation Class 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 7p BBYO-AZA and BBG 7p BBYO-AZA 8:09p Havdalah (42 min) 6:15-7:15p Confirmation Class 6:15-7:15p Confirmation Class 6:15-7:15p Confirmation Class 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 10-11a & 11:15a-12p Kindergym & 11:15a-12p 10-11a 16 Nisan 9 Nisan 2 Nisan 24 Adar 5 26 19 12

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6:43 p C e S a C h P ' o S h No Bet Sefer 4-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer 4p-6p Bet Sefer R 15 Nisan 8 Nisan 1 Nisan 23 Adar 4 ntact

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are produced 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from the TBA Administration Staff. This calendar is also available at our website the TBA 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from produced are i RS tbo R n e S a C h F 7:07 p P the

R ev 9:30-10:30a o F ' e

Rachel Teichman a S t 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) 8a-9a Minyan (Chapel) F Amy Tessler for location) Tessler Amy Gan Closed through Pesach Always check the Congregational E-mail or the Weekly Shabbat Bulletin for more up-to-date information. Please note any corrections care of Rayna Arnold at the TBA office. Arnold at the TBA of Rayna care up-to-date information. Please note any corrections Shabbat Bulletin for more E-mail or the Weekly Always check the Congregational -Starting a Small Business with Office Closes at 1p (through Wed.) Closes at 1p (through Office Rosh Chodesh Celebration (c o Rosh Chodesh Celebration 14 Nisan 7 Nisan 29 Adar 22 Adar 7:30-8:30p Professional Presentaiton-

3 Calendars in The Omer e G in S 24 10 17 b 31

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5:37 p e S a C h G avin P S ' Vashti’s Banquet Vashti’s La’atid Chocolate Seder Rabbi Karlin-Neumann G ht ayli d 10:30a-12p Sunday Kindergym 7-8p Parent Education Speaker-- 10a-12p Adult Education program 10a-12p Adult Education program 10a-12p Adult Education program 5p CityTeam in Oakland-feeding the hungry 5p CityTeam 13 Nisan 6 Nisan 28 Adar 21 Adar 20 Nisan Adar 5773 / Nisan 5773 Adar 5773 / 25 Temple Beth Abraham Periodicals 327 MacArthur Boulevard Postage P A I D Oakland, CA 94610 Oakland, CA Permit No. 020299

TBA SCHOOLS AUCTION Save the Date May Hola TBA! Por favor, save the date for our next Schools Auction, to be held on May 5. Our theme, what else? Cinco de Mayo! If you're wondering how to get involved or how to help be part of a 5 fantastic community event that raises money for the Gan and Bet Sefer, please contact auction chairs, Lauren Kaplan at [email protected] or Jenny Michaelson at [email protected].

what’s inside TBA Directory...... i Community...... 10 Bet Sefer News...... 14 What’s Happening...... 1 Israel...... 10 Midrasha...... 14 From the Rabbi...... 2 Erev Xmas Sing-a-long...... 10 Pesach Candy Order...... 15 President’s Message...... 3 Purim...... 11 Youth Programs...... 16 Editor’s Message...... 4 Cooking Corner...... 12 La’atid...... 17 Women of TBA...... 5 Community...... 12 Life Cycles...... 19 Men’s Club...... 7 Volunteer Bulletin Board...... 13 Donations...... 22 Social Action/Community...... 9 Gan Avraham News...... 14 Calendar...... 24