Rabbi Jackson's Message "People Often Avoid Making Decisions out of Fear of Making a Mistake
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January 2019 - 24 Tevet - 25 Shevat 5779 Rabbi Jackson's Message "People often avoid making decisions out of fear of making a mistake. Actually the failure to make decisions is one of life's biggest mistakes." – Rabbi Noah Weinberg. Welcome to 2019! If your mailbox is anything like ours, last month it was filled with requests for donations. Probably from organizations to which you have donated in the past, perhaps some new ones which share mailing lists and maybe even some which buy mailing lists. And you had to look at their envelopes and decide yes or no—if yes, how much. I hope you also asked yourself if your checkbook matched your value system. Now that we are faced with a new secular year, we can look at our Agudas Israel envelopes. I am asking you to see if your values match your activities. I’m not talking financially—but Jewishly. Here at Agudas, we have so much to offer each other in structured and unstructured ways. Perhaps one of your values is learning. Are you then involved with our Lunch n Learn class on Wednesday, or “The Forward” magazine discussion on Thursdays, or Torah study on Saturdays? Do you sit on a committee, will you? How about a leadership position in our (continued page 2) Agudas Chai Lites page 2 January 2019 (Rabbi continued from page 1) President's Message congregation—either with one of the auxiliaries or the Our Congregational Chanukah Dinner on December board of trustees itself? 7th was a big hit thanks to Teri Nadler-Thorz and her Maybe your Jewish values lead you to tikkun olam. large team of volunteers, who worked hard to make this And you can ask yourself if you are engaging with the happen and to Sisterhood and Brotherhood for their congregation on MLK day or Mitzvah day or Mountain contributions to underwrite this event. After the delicious Jewish Festival. You can also check out our meal was concluded, we were able to fulfill one of our involvement with the Boys and Girls Club or any other goals for Community Involvement by Feeding the myriad of organizations we support. Hungry and donating all of the leftover food to the We are a Jewish community and we need to make Hendersonville Rescue Mission, (who were filled to sure that our individual actions and communal actions capacity in lieu of the big snowstorm and cold weather). align with our values. Congregationally, we believe we This act of Tzedakah was very much appreciated to warm are doing that in conjunction with the strategic plan and the bellies of those less fortunate then ourselves. the efforts of all our committees. My question then goes The C.I.T.’s (Community Involvement Team) are to you—how do you know that you are living your beginning to work together to achieve the Long Range values? Plan. Consider joining this group of volunteers who want As we face the secular New Year, I want to leave to improve the lives of others. you with this poem about what it can feel like to face With the cold weather upon us, Agudas Israel will the future. continue to have the Warm Clothing Drive to for IAM. Warmly and with many blessings, They are looking for new or gently used coats, sweaters, Rabbi Rachael Jackson scarves, hats, and gloves. There is a huge need for boys wear ages 8-14 (or small men’s sizes). So far we have A New Year delivered 23 bags of coats and winter clothing…Please By Rabbi Annie Lewis continue to bring more to the synagogue and we will deliver it to IAM. “I am running into a new year . .” The Mountain Jewish Festival planning is underway [—Lucille Clifton] for June 23rd. Co-Chairs of the event, Karen Murray I am running now and Randye Unsell, are busy getting all of the teams into a new year. lined up. Fundraising Chairs, Sam Gess and Linda How it hurts Perkel, are also beginning to sell ads and are looking for to run into something, donors for food tables and more. Please answer their call even to walk into it to help make this event another huge success. instead of passing it by, Wishing you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year to pause here and Shalom, at this doorway Bonnie Cooper, President in time, [email protected] age-old and brand new, to stand in this arch and cry out to the dome of the universe, to break through the ceiling with song. Follow the light through the cracks now and find your way back to the Source. Agudas Chai Lites page 3 January 2019 From the Board Room The social events committee is looking for people interested in working on In an effort to keep our congregants informed and be congregational more transparent, we will run this column with pertinent Shabbat dinners like the pot-luck dinners information that occurred at the Board meetings. we've had in the past year. At our monthly Board meeting on Tuesday, December Right now, we need folks who have 18, 2018, the following dates have been set: ideas for dinners on: March 29 MITZVAH DAY – Sunday, April 7 and May 31 BROTHERHOOD YARD SALE, Sunday, April 28….mark your calendar and watch for publicity on both If you have good ideas and would like to help, please contact of these important events for our synagogue. Phyllis Bentley [email protected], or call (828)551-6869. The C.I.T.’S (Community Involvement Team) will be working to secure Mitzvah Day projects that are in line with our Long Range Plan Objective: focusing on the needs of children, hunger and homelessness in the greater Henderson County Community. PASSOVER SEDER, Saturday, April 20…we are looking for a chairperson(s) for the Congregational Seder on the second night of Passover...please contact me if you are interested. Planning for the MOUNTAIN JEWISH FESTIVAL, scheduled for June 23, is underway…Co-Chairs Karen Murray and Randye Unsell are meeting with the captains and each department head to get the wheels in motion. Sam Gess and Linda Perkel, Fundraising Co-Chairs are BIMAH HONORS beginning to sell ads and secure event and table donors. Please volunteer for the area that interests you, place an When you think ad in our guidebook, tell your friends and neighbors… about the sanctuary at we need everyone’s help on this monumental Agudas Israel, what undertaking. features are most The SECURITY TEAM, headed by Vice President prominently in your David Monoson, is doing an outstanding job protecting mind? What draws our congregants and our synagogue. New cameras, front your eyes as you recite office window, shades for social hall windows and the Barchu,or welcome the Shabbat bride? Where is the doors, and policies are in place. We appreciate your Ark, home to our Torah scrolls, covered and curtained cooperation in keeping us safe and ask that you wear until, reverently or joyfully, they are taken down for the your nametag during services and events. ancient text to be read? The answer is the Bimah, the With the cold weather upon us, Agudas Israel will most sacred place in the sanctuary. And it is the custom continue to hold the WARM CLOTHING DRIVE to of our synagogue to extend the honor of representing be donated to IAM during the month of January. Please the congregation on the Bimah to one or more members bring to the synagogue and we will deliver them to IAM. for every Shabbat service. Just as a Board member is A new BRONZE MEMORIAL TABLET has been given the honor every week, a member of our Agudas ordered thanks to a generous donor for the sanctuary. family is also honored. Watch for the opportunity to purchase nameplates in Now. That being said, as the person who has of late memory of a loved one or to reserve a space. been the one to offer this honor, I must acknowledge the Contact me if you have any questions … reasons given for refusing the honor. And given the Thanks, Bonnie Cooper, President number of times the honor is refused, one might wonder why we persist. Permit me to explain. Because it truly is an honor to sit/stand/daven/sing/BE on the Bimah. If you are a new member, representing the congregation on the Bimah introduces you to those (Continued on page 6) Agudas Chai Lites page 4 January 2019 Karen's Korner wonderful Chanukah celebration dinner on Friday December 7th. A message from our Sisterhood President As I mentioned last month Jerry Salatino , Ron Weintraub The Sisterhood had an amazing December. The Hanukkah and their activities group has planned an outing to the Blue Luncheon was attended by 35 women. I think that’s an all Ridge Log Cabin manufacturing facility in Jan or Feb. time record. The Congregational Appreciation/Hannukkah More information will be available soon as to the exact day Dinner was outstanding. We hosted over 110 members and and time. Anyone interested can contact Jerry or Ron. guests. I want to thank the Brotherhood for setting up the Jan 21 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and every year tables. It’s a monumental effort to cover the chairs, set the Agudas volunteers to participate in doing charitable services tables, and decorate, let alone prepare the side dishes and at a local church in Hendersonville. I encourage our desserts. I want to THANK everyone for lending a helping Brotherhood and others to help in this important event.