Congregation Or Chadash
THE NEW LIGHT
Volume 21 Issue 9 September 2020
Join us online for 2021 High Holy Days Services 5781 Click here for schedule
L’shanah Tovah
May You and Your Family be Blessed with a Healthy and Sweet New Year! From The Board, Clergy, and Staff at Congregation Or Chadash
Our Rabbi
The New Light Dear Friends, The Newsletter for Congregation Or Chadash Most days I wake up feeling that COVID-19 is taking its toll on me, our community, and all of humanity. It Congregation Or Chadash affects every decision we make and has changed all A warm and welcoming Community where all Robert Weintraub Photography expectations of a return to normality in the very near can experience God future. As you can imagine, this has greatly influenced how we will embrace our High Holy Days this year. And I do mean “embrace.” There is no alternative to this besides to turn 3939 N. Alvernon Way Tucson, AZ 85718 away. And, that we will not do. The Holy Days – no matter what is www.octucson.org happening around us – are the time when Jews recognize the (520) 512-8500 importance of and our reliance on Jewish community. Together, let’s MISSION STATEMENT courageously step forward and embrace a shared unique experience To instill and foster Jewish identity and community, to perpetuate Judaism by being a for High Holy Days 5781. community of life-long learners, and to enhance the quality of life through the practice of Torah, Sunrise S’lichot Service, Sunday, September 13 at 6:00 a.m. Avoda (Worship), Gemilut Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness) and Tikkun Olam (Repair of Each year on S’lichot we prepare our souls for the High Holy Days. We the World) judge ourselves and God will judge us. On S’lichot, we also prepare our sanctuary. To help us change as we reach for holiness, we change our Thomas A. Louchheim Rabbi Janece E. Cohen Cantor Torah covers to white ones in order to signify purity and sanctity. As Rina Liebeskind Executive Administrator we “purify” our scrolls, we take this opportunity to purify ourselves. & Director of Youth Engagement Eileen Cook Executive Assistant This year, a few of us will gather for a service on our patio as the sun Jim Liebeskind Events & Facilities Manager Sarah Bollt Clergy Assistant rises over the Rincon mountains. As the new day dawns, we will Jim Neal Accounting Manager stream a live S’lichot service to you as we change our Torah mantles Jenifer Gold Religious School Assistant and symbolically change ourselves for the better. You may view this
Board of Directors live or when you awaken from your slumber. Elaine Jones President Gary Kippur First Vice President Rosh Hashanah, Friday & Saturday, September 18-19 Beverly Sandock Vice President Yom Kippur, Sunday & Monday, September 27-28 Steve Caine Secretary Mark Ross Treasurer We are looking forward to combining our services with Temple Emanu Benjamin Vogel Immediate Past President -El this year. While services will not be held in a sanctuary this year,
Dana Adler we have worked diligently to ensure that they will be spiritually Benjamin Goldberg uplifting. Each service will be approximately 1 to 1.5 hours long. Steve Groff David Markzon We are adding elements of “live” engagement between congregants Morris Riback Marc Sbar and our clergy from both congregations. We are looking forward to
seeing you then. AUXILIARY REPRESENTATIVES Laurie Kassman Sisterhood Tashlich, any day between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Steven Oscherwitz Brotherhood For many years we have gathered at the water’s edge at Fort Lowell
www.octucson.org Park to cast our sins (fish food) upon the waters. The ceremony includes the last verses from the prophet Micah (7:19), “He will take us back in love; He will cover up our iniquities. You will cast all their sins Office Hours: into the depths of the sea.” Water is symbolic of the creation of all life Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. and is the element that represents the cleansing of our souls. Gift Shop Hours: by appointment contact Laurie Kassman This year we cannot gather, but we encourage you to perform this [email protected] ritual within your own family unit. We will have a Tashlich Service or the office at 512-8500 Packet that you can use to aid in this ritual. Call the office to arrange to
pick up your packet.
Continued on Page 3 September 2020 2
Our Rabbi Continued/Cantor’s Notes
Continued from Page 2 Sounding of the Shofar, Sunday, September 20 at noon around town We have added an additional community element to our High Holy Day observances this year. We have invited six of our finest shofar sounders (Ba-alei T’kiah) to provide an extra opportunity for us to hear the shofar “live”! There will be one at each of the parking lots at Temple Emanu-El and Or Chadash, and the other four will be scattered throughout the city. We will inform you of their exact locations soon. You are invited to those locations, remaining in your cars, so that you may hear the shofar blast. Kever Avot, any day between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur A special mitzvah for the Ten Days of Repentance, Kever Avot is our tradition of visiting graves of loved ones between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This observance connects us to the themes of renewal, repentance, reflection, and growth through the memories of our loved ones. Cantor Cohen and I will be recording the special prayers for this memorial that you will be able to download onto your mobile device and bring with you on your visit to the cemetery. Marcia and I wish you and yours good health, safety, and a Happy New Year 5781. Rabbi Thomas Louchheim
Cantor’s Notes clergy assistant Sarah Bollt, and our ever- fabulous High Holy Days committee. We Dearest Friends, barely had to think of logistics because Jim Liebeskind and his crew took care of all our Okay. I admit it. I was a little bit setup and sound needs. worried about how blending the So, I was concerned about how our hamishe (a musical traditions of Congregation Yiddish word for warm and welcoming) Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El congregation would react to the different would play out. I had always had musical stylings of another congregation. autonomy in the choice of music Would Marjorie and I be able to blend our that was included in Or Chadash’s High Holy Days styles into something cohesive, spiritual, and services. Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg and beautiful that would uplift the members of her musical director chose the music for Temple both of our congregations? Emanu-El’s services. I had no idea what it would be like to collaborate with someone whose musical Good news. I believe the answer is a style was different than my own. resounding yes! First of all, I had to remind myself that the members of Congregation Or I admit, I have also been spoiled in the complete Chadash have always impressed me with clergy partnership I have enjoyed with Rabbi their receptiveness to new music. While Louchheim. We have planned High Holy Days many cantors have complained that they are services, actually all worship services, together for rarely ever able to introduce new music to the last 20 years. Anything that had to do with their congregations, our community has music was left entirely up to me. My creative proven open to new experiences and styles. suggestions have been welcomed enthusiastically, The proof of this was how fully everyone and we worked together to craft spiritually accepted Friday Night LIVE! when we beautiful worship services with the help of our introduced this wonderful Klezmer service all choir, assistant choir director Trudy Haggard,
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Cantor’s Notes continued/News from our Joint Religious School Director
Cantor’s Notes Continued from page 3 those years ago. On Shabbat and holidays, I have introduced new melodies on a regular basis, always keeping in mind that people are comfortable with beloved familiar tunes as well.
Let me assure you that Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg and I have found kindred spirits in one anoth- er. While our styles are different, we believe that we have managed to blend those styles into a harmoni- ous whole that will uplift both of our congregations and will help all our prayers soar though the very gates of heaven. I fervently hope you will join us with that well-known open-mindedness that I brag about at every cantor’s conference that I attend!
Musically yours, Cantor Janece Cohen
Dear Religious School families, are meeting regularly to create meaningful rd th Welcome to our Joint Religious services geared for students in 3 through 8 School! We kicked off the school grade. They will also be looking to engage our year last week, and we are excited Religious School students in reading, singing, and pleased with the turnout! Since and performing parts of the service. Please early May, our Youth Education reach out to me if your student is interested in Task Force has been meeting participating - we will find them a part. In the coming days, watch for announcements Photo by weekly to help bring the Cathy Slatas Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El regarding the formats we will use to conduct Religious School communities together. I would our Tot and Youth Services. like to thank each one of the members of this Task We can persevere if we are together. Now, Force for a job well done! more than ever, we need you to be involved in We know that connecting with each other virtually providing a safe religious education for our is not ideal, but the safety of our students and staff children. I urge you to stay connected, read our remains a high priority for us. While we crave to updates, volunteer to be a Room Parent or a “go back to normal”, we must remain cognizant of member of the Youth Education Committee. If the scientific evidence of serious health risks to you have a talent, let me know, and I will find a all. We are diligently developing a plan that way to involve you. assesses the risks and establishes protocols to keep Wishing you and your loved ones a Shanah everyone safe once we come back together. Tovah, a Happy and a Healthy New Year, As you may know, over the summer our teachers I look forward to getting to know you better, and Madrichim were professionally trained by the staff at the World Center for Jewish Education to Rina Liebeskind use online educational tools to better serve our Joint Religious School Director students. Our staff is excited to implement some of [email protected] the tools they learned, and I am confident that our students will enjoy and benefit from these tools as well. We will continue to update you on developments on our Hybrid Plan, which is looking to combine in-person and virtual formats when benchmarks and other conditions are met. As the High Holy Days are right around the corner, we are also putting together both Tot and Youth Services. A group of our teens, led by song leader, Eva Turner,
September 2020 4
Synagogue Life
Most of the activity of the Finance Committee is focused on continuing to review the 2020-21 budget to determine if any modifications need to be considered. Even though the congregation passed the budget at the annual meeting in May, the pandemic has caused concerns in our income and expense areas, and we have been reviewing those areas to determine if adjustments are necessary. As we identify new income streams and reduction of expenses, we will continue to functionally reshape the budget. I have been working with my counterpart at Temple Emanu-El to amalgamate each of our budgets into a combined budget for the potential new congregation. This process has been very revealing, not only in understanding what each shul’s financial picture looks like, but also indicating areas we need to address with the boards, administration, and clergy so the consolidated figures properly represent our goals and direction for the future. As we move through this process, the figures become more concrete, giving us the confidence that when the final budget is presented to both congregations, it will be conservative, realistic, and defendable. Mark Ross, Treasurer
Order Your Lulav and Etrog Sets If you would like to purchase your own lulav & etrog, please place your order before Thursday, September 10th. Quantities may be limited. Call Eileen Cook, 512-8500, for more information.
Or Chadash and PJ Library are teaming up to provide your youngsters with a fun activity kit for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur.
Try these fun activities to Kits can be picked up at familiarize children with the the office with advance sounds of the shofar in the lead- reservations between up to Rosh Hashanah. 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, KAZOOS AS SHOFARS September 14th-16th
Use kazoos to learn and make the different One bag per family blasts of the shofar:
• Tekiah - one long blast • Shevarim - three medium blasts • Teruah - nine short blasts • Tekiah Gedolah - a final very long blast, as long as you can hold your breath!
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Brotherhood/Sisterhood
The virtuous Brothers of Greetings:
CHAD ASH have As we still find ourselves 6 feet apart continued to meet and eat and behind masks, we are becoming together virtually this more and more comfortable with new Summer. Our meetings continue via the ways to connect to one another. If only congregational Zoom account. We have the I had the foresight to have invested in ZOOM usual business and social interaction under technology! the leadership of our President Steven Well, we are finding ways to do what seemed Oscherwitz. The physicians in our group impossible not that long ago. Everything from virtual provide monthly coronavirus updates. They talent shows, Shabbat services, district board meetings, have been personally on the frontlines bringing their healing touch to those who High Holy Day Services, and even political conventions. We are finding ways to be seen and need it most right now. heard. Sisterhood is certainly no different when it Men’s Night Out continued as Men’s Night In comes to finding new ways to reach out to you. when Rabbi Louchheim invited us all over for We have some fun and innovative events scheduled – a Mens Night In Cocktail Hour in July. 27 of us please mark your calendars and join us for: enjoyed the hour that evening. The theme was schnapps & nosh of our choice with informal Linda Ronstadt Tribute & Outdoor Concert conversation. We invited Temple Emanu-El’s O.V. Gaslight Thursday, Sept 10th 7:00 p.m.
Men’s Club as our guests, and rabbi was a Breast Cancer Shabbat wondrous MC and host. For August we were Zoom Friday, October 30th 6:30 p.m. their guests at their equivalent, Wet Wednesday - a similar format. Cooking Class with Special Guest Chef Zoom Sunday, November 15th 2:00 p.m. Before the pandemic and throughout last year we gathered for fun, food and education. Our Chanukah Party th Wet Wednesday Mens Club Zoom Wednesday, December 16 7:00 p.m. first with the was at Trident Restaurant. Six of us met with nine of Check the eblast for all the details, or you can contact them. We went to a breakfast meeting with Adrian Flynn, our Program Chair, directly at them featuring a medical speaker, latkes, and [email protected]. Adrian and her committee are hamantaschen, at their original Stone Avenue doing a fantastic job coming up with interesting and location, now the Jewish History Museum. interactive programs. Do you have an idea for an Men’s groups from several congregations event? Let us know, we would love to hear from you. joined in that day. We also participated in a Thank you to all who have sent in your Sisterhood breakfast at Anshei Israel. registration already. Your support is overwhelming You guys who are missing out on the fun are and very much appreciated. If you have not yet welcome at all our functions, contact me at returned yours, don’t wait – send it in today. [email protected] to find out how you Let your friends and family know that you are thinking can participate. of them on their special day. Send them a Mazelgram Ken Sandock, Secretary to let them know you care. Watch your email for the monthly calendar, simply follow the directions, and Stay safe and healthy and remember, we are Sisterhood will take care of the rest.
stronger together. Watch future eblasts for some beautiful featured items
Yours In Sisterhood, from our gift shop. We are here to help with all your Judaica needs. Laurie A. Kassman Sisterhood President [email protected] 520-603-9241 September 2020 6
September 2020
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3 4 5
9:00 AM 7:30 AM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 10:00 AM Joint Executive Fundraising Meeting Sisterhood Board Zoom Virtual Friday Night Virtual Shabbat Committee Meeting Meeting Shabbat Service Service
4:14 PM 11:15 AM 4:30 PM Hebrew School Virtual Kiddush Torah Study Lunch 6:00 PM Taste of Judaism
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
No Religious Labor Day School
4:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM
Torah Study Sisterhood Program Fundraising Meeting 6:30 PM Virtual Shabbat Meeting Zoom Service 10:15 AM 5:30 PM Virtual Friday Night Introduction to Shabbat Service Executive 11:15 AM Judaism 4:00 PM Committee Meeting Hebrew School Virtual Kiddush Lunch
6:00 PM Taste of Judaism
6:30 PM Sisterhood at Gas Light Music Hall
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
9:15 AM 7:30 AM 10:00 AM Religious School Joint Executive Rosh Hashanah Committee Meeting 9:00 AM 7:30 PM Main Service Fundraising Meeting 9:30 AM Erev Rosh Brotherhood Meeting 4:30 PM Zoom Hashanah, 11:30 AM Torah Study Main Service Youth Service (3rd- 11:00 AM 4:00 PM 8th Gr.) Taste of Judaism 5:00 PM Hebrew School Tot Service (through Jewish Community 12:15 PM Awards 2nd Gr.) All day Introduction to Judaism 5:30 PM 1:00 PM Finance Torah Reading & Committee Meeting Study
20No Religious 21 22 23 24 25 26 School 9:00 AM 10:00 AM
Rosh Hashanah Fundraising Meeting Virtual Shabbat 7:00 PM Zoom Service 12:00 PM Board Meeting 4:30 PM Torah Study 11:15 AM City-wide Shofar 4:00 PM 6:30 PM Virtual Kiddush Blowing Hebrew School Lunch Virtual Shabbat Service
No Religious 10:00 AM 27 28 29 30 School Yom Kippur Main Service 7:30 AM Joint Executive 11:30 AM Youth Service (3rd-8th Committee Meeting
Gr.) 7:30 PM Tot Service (through 2nd Erev Yom Kippur Main Service Gr.) All day 12:15 PM Torah 4:30 PM Reading & Study 4:00 PM Torah Study
Afternoon Service 5:00 PM
Torah Reading & Study 5:30 PM Yizkor
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HIGH HOLY DAYS 5781
High Holy Days Information
Sunrise S’lichot Service - Sunday, September 13th Kol Nidre - Sunday, September 27th 6:00 a.m. - 6:45 a.m. Sunrise S’lichot Service 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Main Service
Erev Rosh Hashanah - Friday, September 18th Yom Kippur - Monday, September 28th 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Main Service 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Main Service 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Youth Service Rosh Hashanah - Saturday, September 19th 12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Expanded Torah Reading 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Main Service & Study 11:30 a.m.- 12:15 p.m. Youth Service Any time Tot Service 3rd - 8th grade Children through grade 2 Any time Tot Service 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Afternoon Service children through grade 2 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Expanded Torah Reading 1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Expanded Torah Reading & Study & Study 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Yizkor
Drive-by Shofar Blowing - Sunday, Sept. 20th Erev Sukkot Shabbat - Friday, October 2nd Noon Around the city 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Evening Service
Tashlich - any day before Yom Kippur Sukkot Shabbat- Saturday, October 3rd 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Morning Service Kever Avot - any day before Yom Kippur Erev Simchat Torah Shabbat - Friday, October 9th 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Evening Celebration
Sh’mini Atzeret Yizkor - Saturday, October 10th All High Holy Day Services are virtual except 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Sh’mini Azeret/ where indicated. Simchat Torah Yikor Morning Service
September 2020 8
Synagogue Life
Hello friends,
As you might imagine, fundraising for any organization can be challenging. It is hard to invent new ways to raise money every year. So, why should this be any different for Or Chadash? But this year is special ... and for a very important reason! This year, Or Chadash is celebrating its 25th Anniversary… and that's quite an achievement! So, when we thought about the best way to commemorate this significant milestone, we decided to create a Tribute Book that would not only help raise money but would also serve as a special keepsake that would be cherished by the entire Congregation. Our goal is to fill this book with milestones - the names and faces of everyone in the Congregation. Hopefully, we have priced tributes so that everyone is able to participate and no one is left out! Tribute books are typically produced for special events ... like the one distributed at the "Divinity Dinner" in honor of Rabbi Louchheim receiving his Doctor of Divinity for 25 years in the rabbinate. In the past, events like this have helped our Congregation raise a significant amount of money. But this year, the pandemic has changed all the rules. Social distancing makes hosted dinners and other large social gatherings virtually impossible, which means this year, we are relying on the 'Milestones Tribute Book' to help support the Congregation. Please help us celebrate this significant milestone. Visit the Congregation's website to learn more and choose the tribute level that is right for you and your family: https://orchadash -tucson.org/tribute/ or call Jen at the Or Chadash office at (520) 512-8500. Thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail and for supporting Or Chadash! Please don't delay. Send us your tribute today.
Best,
Howard Paley & Beverly Sandock Milestones Co-Chairs
Sunrise S’lichot Service Sunday, September 13th, 6:00 a.m.
As the new day dawns, we will stream a live S’lichot service to you as we change our Torah mantles and symbolically change ourselves for the better. You may view this live or when you awaken from your slumber.
Click here to watch video
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September 2020 10
Donations/Life Cycle
Acknowledging donations made since our last publication And the work of tzedakah shall bring peace. – Isaiah 32:17 No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. Aesop Please consider making a donation to honor friends or family members celebrating a simcha or in memory of a loved one.
GENERAL FUND CARING CHAVURAH FUND September Birthdays Offsets the ongoing operational cost of your Aids in reaching out to those who have experienced Continued synagogue both simchas and sadness
In loving memory of: In loving memory of: 20 Elaine Jones My father, Daniel Phillips by Rochelle Roth Michael Levin Terri Freed by Sylvia Paley Norman Rosenfeld My husband, Arthur Goldberg by Ann Arthur Goldberg by Roz Stein Goldberg Cathy Slatas Richard Adler by Joan Morris 21 Katherine Cohen My husband, Jerome Buren by Adele Buren Lanny Colton In appreciation: In honor of: 22 Ira Adler Sandra Del Casale The birth of Marley Rose by Hans & David Levin Todd Rockoff Donna Moser 23 Bruce Ault Steven & Jill Rosenfeld Lionel Faitelson SPECIAL NEEDS INCLUSION Steven Zadorozny RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND FUND 24 Barry Abrahams For charitable and education purposes, and for Strengthen resources for inclusive programming for Rachel Jacobson synagogue programming all individuals. Cindy Weintraub 28 Frances Schonwit In loving memory of: In loving memory of: Terri Freed by Roz Stein My father, Clark McClain, by David McClain My mother-in-law, Deanna Henderson by
Scott Krasner My father, Bob Lewkowitz by Fran Katz September
In honor of: Birthdays The wedding of Mimi Algazi and Wayne Anderson by The Empty Nester’s 1 Yetta Dritch September Anniversaries Chavurah Rick Friedman
Bob Kessler 2 Robert & Sharon Dahm In appreciation: Morris Riback Linda & Samuel Yalkowsky 5 Shelly Abell & Dan Weisz 2 Charlene Mendoza 7 Steve & Roberta Breton For a lovely ceremony by Norman & Judy 3 Rhoda Braun Rosenfeld 12 Anastasha & Bruce Lynn Fran Katz Jody Fisher Williams & John Williams Tom & Adrian Flynn Marlene Louchheim Sandra Del Casale 15 Leslie & Michael Cohen Elizabeth Weintraub 17 Christian & Jamie Yoder Terrie Sherman 4 Merle Schoolman 26 Beverly & Ken Sandock 6 Aaron Fisher
CANTOR’S DISCRETIONARY 8 Marisa Bragoni Gail Schwartz FUND Ian Shalek Provides music, material, equipment & special musical 9 Benjamin Singerman programming 10 Renee Adelstein In appreciation: Grace Louchheim Tom & Adrian Flynn Lauri Marks 13 Rebecca Hanley In loving memory of: Heather McGregor My mother, Helen Mandel by Linda 14 Denise Grusin Yalkowsky Diane Kerrihard My mother-in-law, Deanna Henderson by Carol Sack Scott Krasner 15 Rachel Sattinger 16 Martin Zeldin SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND 17 Terry Fortunato 18 Evan Adelstein In loving memory of: 19 David Goldstein My father, Abe Olitzky by Lee Olitzky Brenna Lacey Scott Sheftel In appreciation: Tom & Adrian Flynn
ABT SCHOLARSHIP FUND
In loving memory of: My father, Albert Bilgray by Dave Bilgray
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Casino Night 2017 Rollin’
Photo by Amelia Cramer
September 2020 12