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Shir Notes The Official Newsletter of Congregation Shir Ami Volume 9, Number 2, February 2011 Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Events Rabbi’s Column of the Month We had just two photographs. Two pictures depicting Bonnie's mom with her family standing next to a Around the Rabbi’s Tisch tombstone of a relative. Thursdays Feb. 3, 10, 17, and 24 at 7:30 pm They seemed to take a lot of tombstone-and-family pictures around the turn of the century (20th, that is). In Our popular series of weekly this case, there is a photo of a big, elaborate tomb- discussions, led by Rabbi Vorspan at stone, almost as tall as the family standing around it. his home, continues. For more information call Rabbi Vorspan at Our plan was to visit the cemetery where Bonnie's mother's (818) 888-9817. family was buried in Belarus, each of us armed with the two ------------------------------------------ pictures of the tombstone, locate it and then have our own Shabbat Services picture taken standing next to it. at Temple Ner Maarav This was last summer. Bonnie, her brother and his wife, Saturday, February 5, 10:15 am and I went on a 7-day tour of Jewish Poland. After this Birthday Shabbat and Social Action Linen Shabbat organized tour accompanied by another two women from See flyer for items to be collected the east coast, we hired a separate guide to lead us through for Domestic Violence shelters the detail of going to Belarus, visiting Bonnie's father's birth city (Pinsk) Saturday, February 12, 10:15 am and her mother's (Sherashev). Saturday, February 19, 10:15 am Saturday, February 26, 10:15 am Sherashev was our last stop, but the one we looked forward to the most. Anniversary Shabbat The idea of finding these substantial tombstones was exciting. The thought Extended kiddush followed by of having our picture taken at the exact spot next to these markers where presentation by Rabbi and Bonnie Bonnie's family stood a century ago made this the fitting conclusion of a Vorspan of their trip to Poland remarkable journey visiting our roots. last summer to visit family and Jewish historical sites. We documented the visit with film and photos. Upon our return, I used ------------------------------------------ some professional editing software to create a 20 minute "travelogue" Shir Ami Lecture Series which we've been showing to our family. at Temple Ner Maarav Bonnie and I will be sharing this with the congregation after Shabbat Tuesday February 22 at 1:00 pm services on Saturday, February 26. Vincent McCormack, Supervisor of Adult Protective Services at the Los It's worth viewing, if only to see what happened in our search for those Angeles County Van Nuys field office tombstones! will discuss Elder Abuse. This series is free to all. See flyer with Shir Notes Rabbi David Vorspan or call Helga at (818) 340-5751. Presidents’ Day Save the Date: Sunday, March 20, 2 - 5 pm February 21 for our annual free Ice Cream Social Congregation Shir Ami will once again have a party for its members with ice cream sundaes, Visit our website: entertainment, and lots of fun. This year we will have an afternoon party to avoid driving www.shirami.com after dark. Mark your calendar and be part of the fun! page 2 February 2011 President’s Report December Lecture: Scams Targeting Seniors by Helga Unkeless Shalom my friends, December 28th we enjoyed our fourth lecture in our We have had a guest from Temple monthly lecture series Discussions with Professionals Ner Maarav at most of our monthly About Many of our Senior Concerns. We were board meetings. This way we have fortunate, indeed, to hear Bob Richardson, Director the opportunity to get to know their of Operations for the Better Business Bureau, speak officers and staff, and they can meet the members of to us about scams that especially target seniors. Bob our board. At our January board meeting we had the came with a wealth of information and lots of handout pleasure of hearing Cantor Linda Rich tell us about literature. We walked away with more knowledge and herself, and her amazing family. Did you know that a better feeling of how to avoid these scoundrels who Cantor Rich was the first woman cantor in the th are only after our money. Conservative movement? Cantor Rich is the 4 generation Cantor of her family, and now her daughter This month we will welcome Vincent McCormack, is the fifth generation. Isn’t that awesome! She was so Supervisor for LA County Adult Protective Services gracious in revealing her personal history, and we are who will speak to us about Elder Abuse. There are so grateful to her. Do try to attend some of Temple many different kinds of abuse and we need to know Ner Maarav’s services on the days that we don’t have how to recognize them and report them. It will take any and come under her spell too. place, like all our lectures in the series, at Ner Maarav Tuesday, February 22 at 1:00 pm. Come and bring Congratulations to our 2011 board members. I look your friends, as these lectures are free and open to forward to a stimulating and exciting year for Congre- the community. See the flyer in this Shir Notes for gation Shir Ami. more details. Helga Unkeless, President Congregation Shir Ami Upcoming Events Saturday, February 5 Linen Shabbat Saturday, February 26 Summer Trip Presentation following Shabbat Service with the Vorspans Sunday, March 20 Ice Cream Social at Ner Maarav Sunday, April 3 Celebration of Jewish Life at Temple Aliyah Sunday, April 10 Jewish World Watch Walk at Warner Center Park Sunday, May 1 Early Bird Movie & Dinner Congregational News at Betty and Harvey Cohen’s rec room Get well wishes rafuah schleimah to: Sunday, June 5 Walk Around Lake Balboa at Lake Balboa Bernice Lipschultz recovering from a fractured bone in her hip Sunday, June 26 BINGO Sandy Cooper at Ner Maarav May they be blessed with a complete recovery in body and spirit. page 3 February 2011 Birthdays & Anniversaries DONATIONS Congregation Shir Ami wishes to Birthdays acknowledge the following donations: $ Nancy Scharf .................................... 2/1 Yahrzeits Carol Koransky .................................. 2/2 Howard Teichman..... ........................ 2/3 Ann and Isidore Goldfarb for Minnie Berman Madeline Cooperman......................... 2/4 Lori and Ed Orens for David Orens Michael Easley................................... 2/5 Esther Perez for Samantha Perez Esther Perez...................................... 2/7 Nancy and Lonny Scharf for Sally Brucker Bette Delman..................................... 2/9 Jacquie and Marshall Gordon for Joseph Gordon Lorraine Simansky............................. 2/10 Ethel Granik for Sarah Goldberg Jacob Sipos....................................... 2/11 16th Rabbi and Bonnie Vorspan for Leonard and Sime Meshul Sherry Dollins..................................... 2/12 Doris Beck Sima Schuster ................................... 2/13 Morris Nimovitz for Debby Nimovitz Talia Gnessin.................................... 2/14 15th Shirley Esko for Rose Esko Frances Black.................................... 2/21 Marcie and Steve Spetner for Sarah Lurie Philip Cramer..................................... 2/23 Linda and Harvey Tapper for Ruth Tapper and Elanor Rubin...................................... 2/28 Nathan Josephy Clara and Stan Rosenbluth for Sadie Rosenbluth Rae and Armand Wazana for Fifyne Henderson and Paul Kroop Myrna Gold for Meyer/Jean Victer Fran and Sam Kobulnick for Rose Suckman Mailbox Birthdays Congregation Shir Ami Dear Leon Nachenberg, Lonny Scharf Jerry Gort We are thankful for your support. Your Jacquie Gordon donation of 216 backpacks and school supplies on Fiona Taylor 11/7/2010 provides the gift of education to so many Sara Rose and Adam Joshua Kobulnick Eliot Louis Blank homeless students. We are grateful that because of you, a kindergartener can learn to read; because of you, a fifth grader will be able to go to school Our Condolences because she now has a uniform and a brand new backpack; because of you, a high school student We regret to inform the congre- can discuss and solve a complex problem with his gational family of the passing of very own tutor. longtime member Wolf Schlesinger and Charles Altman, father of Your generosity has done so longtime member Carol Koransky. much for the homeless children of our communities. May God comfort Jo and the Schlesinger family We celebrate this time of and the Koransky family during this time of their giving thanks and are grateful bereavement. for everything you do to sup- port School on Wheels. Correction to 2011 Shir Ami Roster Thank you most of all for the hope you have given to our homeless students that Gale and Jay Cohen they too can have a chance for success through 22907 Bassett St. education. West Hills, CA 91307 Catherine Meek Phone: (818) 346-3841 Executive Director Email: [email protected] School on Wheels page 4 February 2011 Social Action Committee We ask each of you to participate in as many mitzvah projects as you can during these difficult times. Together Here it is, the month we have all been waiting for! It we can make a difference! Together we have made a is finally February and we will be having our annual huge difference in our community. On behalf of all the Linen Shabbat on Saturday, February 5 at our people we have helped, I personally want to let you Shabbat service. I know from past experience that know that you are truly amazing and very much many of you attend to hear our speaker(s) from the appreciated. Family Violence Project which is in charge of the Domestic Violence Shelters we help sponsor. This Shalom, year we are truly in need for all of you to attend Fran Kobulnick, Social Action Vice President once again to support our Linen Shabbat.