SEPTEMBER 2019 Elul 5779/Tishri 5780

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SEPTEMBER 2019 Elul 5779/Tishri 5780 SEPTEMBER 2019 Elul 5779/Tishri 5780 VOLUME 77 NUMBER 1 STAY CONNECTED facebook.com/groups/BnaiIsraelCong/ www.bnaiisraelcong.org UPCOMING High Holiday Information & Registration UPCOMING See pages 8–11 for information. lel` ELUL 30 DAYS OF PREPARATION It isn’t often that the secular and Hebrew months line up exactly, but that is the case with September 2019/Elul Shabbat Magic Opening Day 5779. As we make our way through the month, we are also making our way closer to Rosh Hashanah. Therefore, MAGIC SHOW September/Elul is a month of restoring our relationships with the Divine and with each other. And it is a month Saturday, September 7 of preparation, spiritual and otherwise, for the important See page 6 for details. days ahead. Inside B’nai Mitzvah .....................................................................2 Rabbi's Message .............................................................. 3 Highlights by Cantor Ilana Wolpert ........................ 4 HIGH HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS p. 8 HINEINI ............................................................................... 5 Leadership Message .......................................................5 SELIHOT p. 8 Shabbat Magic ................................................................. 6 Lessans Adult Learning Institute ................................7 High Holiday Workshops ...............................................8 Selihot.................................................................................. 8 Cemetery .......................................................................... 9 High Holiday Service TImes ...................................... 10 High Holiday Adult Learning ..................................... 11 Sukkot Celebrations ..................................................... 12 Early Childhood ............................................................. 13 Youth & Education ........................................................ 16 Shabbat Magic Youth Services ................................ 16 Youth Events ................................................................... 17 Israel Corner .................................................................... 18 Social Action ................................................................... 19 Blumberg-Zalis Family Library ................................20 Sisterhood ........................................................................ 21 Men's Club ....................................................................... 22 Mazal Tov ......................................................................... 23 Members in Mourning ................................................. 24 For details see page 17. Donations ........................................................................ 25 B’NAI MITZVAH devn ipa Bobby Cohen Austin Cooper Abigail Needleman September 7 | 9:00 AM Weiss September 21 | 9:00 AM Bobby Cohen, son of Jodi September 14 | 9:00 AM Abby Needleman, daughter and Scott Cohen, grandson Austin Weiss, son of Sheri of Jill and Scott Needleman, of Sonia and Mark Polsky, Steisel Weiss and Andrew granddaughter of Hilliary and Dorothy and Robert Weiss, grandson of Marilyn and Harvey Needleman, (z”l) Cohen, is a 7th grade and Dr. Harold Steisel, and and Sandra and William student at Herbert Hoover Artemis (z”l) and Arnold Sroka, is a 7th grade student Middle School. For his Weiss (z”l), and Zita Steisel at Cabin John Middle School. For her mitzvah mitzvah project, Bobby is collecting gently (z”l), is a 7th grade student at Tilden Middle project, Abby is donatingCAMP money toRAMAH the Camp used soccer equipment to donate to Next School. For his mitzvah project, Austin is Louise Awesome Fund, so every Jewish child Level Soccer. collecting sports equipment and volunteering be given the opportunity to enjoy summer at the headquarters of Leveling the Playing camp, regardless of their ability to pay. Also, Field. Too often the expense of sports Abby bakes birthday cakes for Birthday Samuel Isaac Wenk equipment make sports like baseball cost Cakes 4 Free, a national, organization that September 7 | 9:00 AM prohibitive for needy families. delivers free birthday cakes for financially Samuel Wenk, son of and socially disadvantaged children and Jennifer and Dr. Jonathan seniors. Wenk, grandson of Alice Savannah Entin and Dr. Edward Marion, September 14 | 12:30 PM and Cheryl and Dr. Robert Savannah Entin, daughter WELCOME Wenk, is an 8th grade of Cindy and Jared Entin, student at Charles E. Smith With the new school year, we are granddaughter of Carol excited to welcome three new staff Jewish Day School. For his mitzvah project, and Lawrence Schulman, members to the B'nai Israel family. Sam will be volunteering with Leveling the and Eileen and Elliot Entin, Feel free to reach out and offer a Playing Field. An avid baseball player and is a 7th grade student at personal welcome yourself. athlete, Sam wants to make sure that all kids Cabin John Middle School. have the equipment they need to participate For her mitzvah project, Savannah is doing and succeed at their chosen sport. “Kindness in Caring” by performing random SARAH BOLTS acts of kindness to brighten peoples’ days. Associate Hazzan/ Music Director Marc Aaron Sussman cantorbolts@ September 14 | 9:00 AM Gideon Shai bnaiisraelcong.org Marc Sussman, son of Leshner Bluma and Dr. Jeffrey September 21 | 9:00 AM Sussman, grandson of Gideon Leshner, son of Terri and Gary Sussman, Johanna and Michael and Dr. Nechama Liss- Leshner, grandson of RACHEL LEVINE- Levinson and Dr. William Agnes and Alan Leshner, HYMAN Program Associate Liss-Levinson, is an 8th grade student at and Susan and Joel Cohen, Cabin John Middle School. For his mitzvah is a 7th grade student at rachel@ project, Marc is collecting used sporting Julius West Middle School. For his mitzvah bnaiisraelcong.org equipment to donate to Leveling the project, Gideon volunteered with Lucky Dog Playing Field, so that all children have the Animal Rescue to help dogs housed at kill opportunity to participate in team sports. shelters find permanent homes. Gideon also volunteered at the Interfaith Works Women’s Center, regularly making and serving meals NETTA ASNER for residents. Congregational Shlicha (Israel Emissary) netta@ bnaiisraelcong.org 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 as has become our practice in services throughout the year. The translation refers Welcome to the Newest to God as “God,” “Sovereign,” or simply “Adonai,” instead of the masculine “Lord,” Members of Our “King,” or “Him.” There are versions of B’nai Israel Family Hineni, the cantor’s introduction to Musaf, (July 13–August 7, 2019) that are appropriate for either a male or female service leader. The “Mi Sheanah” prayer for Kol Nidre eve, which praises New Members . God for answering our people’s prayers throughout history, now references the DR. MORTON ALTERMAN Hebrew midwives, Miriam, and Daughters of Zelophehad alongside Joseph, Moses, ADI KLEIMAN & ADI BEN MEIR Aaron, and Phineas. RABBI'S MESSAGE MARION & ANDREW by RABBI MICHAEL SAFRA There are other changes too. Mahzor Lev HABERMAN Shalem restores a number of piyyutim, as well as the traditional liturgy of the Avodah STEPHANIE & ADAM LENKIN service for Yom Kippur, which had been Among the changes you will notice at the omitted from the previous mahzor. New SHERYL & BRADLEY High Holidays this year, we will be using material has been added to the Martyrology SCHWARTZ a new prayerbook. Mahzor Lev Shalem service. We don’t have to recite every piyyut has been the authorized mahzor of the (and our services are not getting any longer), Conservative movement since 2010 and JAMIE & DANIEL SUSSKIND but I am excited for the option to try new is used in nearly all the Conservative things. Brukhim habaim! The entire congregation congregations in our area. shares our joy in welcoming you into our Change is exciting, and also difficult. Some B’nai Israel family. It is an adjustment to switch to a new book, will notice favorite stories and readings and there are surely features that will take that are no longer included. Our clergy time to appreciate. On the whole, however, I team is working as hard as ever to construct am confident that we will enjoy the change. services that are meaningful and engaging for everyone. The biggest difference is in the philosophy of what it means to participate in a But there is one thing that is not changing. service. Mahzor Hadash, which served Mahzor Lev Shalem will carry the same The Synagogue offices our congregation well for 17 years, was dedication to Rabbi Jeshia and Hilde designed as a tool for a frontal sanctuary will be closed on Schnitzer as our now-retired prayerbooks. service. It did not include many instructions Monday, September 2 When the new mahzor is dedicated on the or explanations because it assumed that first evening of Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi for Labor Day. would come from the bima. The rabbis in our Schnitzer will have an opportunity to services will still intersperse anecdotes and talk about his parents and the values they commentary into our service, but Mahzor Minyan will take place at bequeathed to him—and through him, to Lev Shalem opens up a new avenue for 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM. us. We are grateful to Rabbi Schnitzer for personal exploration. Each page is lined his support of this transition. with explanations about the meanings of particular prayers, as well as contemporary Page 8 of this Scroll describes a series of pieces to complement the traditional liturgy. holiday workshops to help us prepare. One Worshippers who are inspired
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