Lifecycles 2018/5779
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LifeCycles 2018/5779 CLERGY AND STAFF Jeffrey K. Salkin D. Min .............................................................Senior Rabbi Ext. 103 | [email protected] Robert P. Frazin, D.D. ...........................................................Rabbi Emeritus Ext. 112 | [email protected] Israel Rosen, D. M ...................................................................................Cantor Ext. 121 | [email protected] Frida Ziegler-Yahya .....................Director of Business Administration Ext. 109 | [email protected] Fran Mishler ........................................................ Religious School Director Ext. 106 | [email protected] Chen Ben Shabbat-Levi ................................. Youth Group Coordinator Ext. 104 | [email protected] Anita Lorenz ..........................................................................Clergy Assistant Ext. 102 | [email protected] BOARD Executive Board Board of Directors David Topping Melissa Ackerman President Bunny Blattner Jeffrey Blaze Dr. Jason Adler Judge Jason Bloch Immediate Past President Joyce Bloch Gina Korda Sylvia Blutstein Vice President Fundraising Peter Bober Arieh Davidoff Jennifer Chase Vice President Membership Nikki Glantz Walter Hollander Rich Goodman Financial Secretary/ Treasurer David Gottlieb Dr. Scott Lewis Dr. Stephanie Jofe Recording Secretary Jonathan Kane Bruce Kassman Nicole Millman — Sisterhood Ruth Kornbluth Daniel Matlow — Brotherhood Linda Margolis Jodi Medow Dr. Michael Roberts Marc Rubin Dr. Robb Wilentz LIFECYCLES 1 The Clergy, Board & Staff of Temple Solel wish th Congregation a Happy & Healthy New Year LIFECYCLES 2 Arabbi Message salkin from One of my favorite writers is the New York Times columnist, David Brooks. I always learn something from him, even when I disagree with him, and he frequently inspires me. This is what he has to teach us, believe it or not, about Temple Solel. Brooks teaches us about thin organizations and thick organizations. Thinness and thickness have nothing to do with relative size; they have everything to do with the kinds of commitments that their members make to them. His words: “Some organizations are thick, and some are thin. Some leave a mark on you, and some you pass through with scarcely a memory.” How do you know the difference between thick and thin organizations? It basically comes down to this. A thin institution makes no real claims on you. Think: a gas station. No relationships there; it's just you, your credit card, and the pump. More than that: thin instructions are places that have only one stated purpose, and once that purpose has been fulfilled, you're done. You graduate from high school; that's it — it’s over. You need shoes? You go to the shoe store, buy the shoes — and you're out of there. But, thick institutions are different. Brooks writes: “A thick institution is not one that people use instrumentally, to get a degree or to earn a salary. A thick institution becomes part of a person’s identity and engages the whole person: head, hands, heart and soul. So thick institutions have a physical location, often cramped, where members meet face to face on a regular basis, like a dinner table or a packed gym or assembly hall.” In such thick institutions, there are collective rituals — again, Brooks: “fasting or reciting or standing in formation. They have shared tasks, which often involve members closely watching one another, the way hockey teammates have to observe everybody else on the ice.” You can probably guess what kind of place I want Temple Solel to be. I want our congregation to be a thick institution. I want us to have layers upon layers of meaning and connections with each other, our ancient and ever-renewing tradition, and God. I want us to connect to Temple Solel through head (learning); hands (social activism); heart and soul (worship, ritual, and prayer). Not everyone will do all three equally well, or at all. Most people will major in one, minor in another, and live comfortably with the assurance that someone else will fulfill the third, missing piece. During these Days of Awe, let us recommit ourselves to making Temple Solel the thick institution that it needs to be. Shana tova — may it be a good, sweet year for all of us, our families, our people, our nation — and the world. Shalom, Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin LIFECYCLES 3 Arabbi Message frazin from My dear friends, I was born on July 10, 1937, before television, penicillin and polio shots, before frozen foods and Xerox and plastic and contact lenses and Frisbees. I was born before radar, credit cards, laser beams and ball point pens, dishwashers, clothes driers, electric blankets, air conditioning, microwave ovens, and before men walked on the moon. I certainly was born long before Mars explorations, the iPhone, laptop computers, hashtags, emoji’s, heart transplants, yogurt, and guys wearing earrings. In my generation, you got married first and then lived together. When I was ten years old, made in Japan meant junk. Pizza, McDonald’s, instant coffee, and Kuerig, coffee machines were unheard of. I was born before fast foods, house husbands, gay rights, computer dating, dual careers, and commuter marriages. I first heard about FM radio when I was little boy. I received my first portable tape recorder, which was the size of a small table, when I became a Bar Mitzvah. In my day “time sharing” meant togetherness, “chip” meant a piece of wood, “hardware” meant tools and “software” wasn’t even a word. When I was a little boy, there were five and ten cent stores where you could buy things for five and ten cents. For a nickel, you could make a phone call or buy a Pepsi, or buy a stamp and two post cards. You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for six hundred dollars and gas was only eleven cents a gallon. In my youth, cigarette smoking was fashionable. More doctors smoked Camels than any other cigarette. In my day,” grass” was mowed, “coke” was a cold drink, “pot” something you cooked in and “rock music” was a grandma’s lullaby. Yes, I was born in a simpler time. An age of innocence, when you could have control over your own life and how it was defined. Today we are often overwhelmed by the stress we experience every day. We must make decisions quickly. We may feel ourselves losing control. Now at age 80, I am delighted that I grew up in that simpler time. When I first became a rabbi, I thought age 80 was really old. Except for my back problems, I don’t think it’s that old, if you are young at heart. Judaism is my stress buster. I look forward to the High Holidays, a time of reflection. It is a time when I can reflect in the synagogue upon my eight decades of life. When the New Year has passed, I shall be able to continue the review of my life on each Shabbat. You don’t have to be 80 in order to do that. Each Shabbat can enable all of us to reflect and look to the future. My dear family of Solel, savor each day, treasure good health and enduring strength, save the fire of your spirit, save endurance for stormy days. Save all of these, for you will need them. I pray for a very long time in walking in the path of life, experiencing G-d’s ultimate blessing, the blessing that is Shalom, the blessing that is peace. Happy New year, Rabbi Frazin LIFECYCLES 4 Acantor Message rosen from This New Year, we must pray for Shalom, for peace and understanding and tolerance for all citizens of the world. It is a time of tremendous change and we must stand up against all hatred. May we find ways to do Tikkun Olam — to repair our world and make it a better place for future generations. I want to wish our congregation a Sweet and Happy New Year. May peace dwell within each of our hearts and within the souls of our families and may you be sealed in the Book of Life for the coming year. Cantor Israel Rosen davidA topping, Message president from Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you! That’s how I want to start my message this year! Thank You to our wonderful Staff and Clergy at Temple Solel for the hard work and dedication they have shown to ensure Temple Solel runs smoothly and that we are ready for the excitement of the upcoming year as we head toward our 50th Anniversary. Thank You to our fantastic Board of Directors who worked diligently during the past year and volunteered many extra hours. I am truly inspired by their commitment. Thank You to our religious school students. I love watching the kids on Sundays and Tuesdays as they run into the synagogue, their spiritual home, to get ready to learn and to have fun. Thank You to our adult students who have made such an impact on our Temple’s commitment to education. Thank You to those that care for our environment and show their commitment within the walls of Solel, in our local community and around the world. And, Thank You to all of the congregants, for it is our Family of Solel that is most important. Please become more engaged this year. Volunteer in our Temple office, contact our Sisterhood and Brotherhood Presidents to get involved, assist us with organizing our many events that we have planned this year. We need you and want you! If you know of a family that would be interested in learning about Temple Solel, please let us know. We would love to meet with them and discuss what we have to offer. As I mentioned last year, YOU are our best resource to get the word out about our synagogue, so please talk us up! And lastly, I want to personally thank all of you for allowing me to be your President again this year.