Congregation Gates of Prayer
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Congregation Gates of Prayer 4000 West Esplanade Ave., Metairie, LA 70002 www.gatesofprayer.org (504) 885-2600 Volume 52 No. 1 Tammuz/Av 5778 July 2018 Summer am writing this first bulletin article on a laptop in a Worship Inew house, in a new city, surrounded by seemingly endless boxes that are yet to be unpacked. As we are in the middle of a life-changing move, Jewish communities all over the world are in the middle of reading the Book New Orleans Reform of Numbers, or in Hebrew--Bamidbar. Bamidbar doesn’t actually mean “numbers.” It is a Hebrew word that Community Shabbat means “in the wilderness.” When you think about it, the entire Torah could Worship will be held at be titled “Bamidbar.” Despite a clear focus on the Promised Land, nearly Touro Synagogue during the the entire Torah takes place either in the desert or in Egypt. “Bamidbar” month of July. could also be a great title for the history of the Jewish people. Of the Friday night services will be 5778 years of our history, fewer than half have actually been spent in the at 6:00 pm and Promised Land. Saturday morning services While it may seem unfortunate that at times we have gone millenia will be at 10:30 am. without control or access to our homeland, it is actually the secret to our longevity and continued survival. Gates of Prayer will host It wasn’t until we were in the Sinai Desert for forty years following the August Worship. Our first Exodus from Egypt, that God gave us the Torah. With the Torah came instructions to build the portable sanctuary known as the Mishkan, as well service on August 3rd, will as laws for keeping Shabbat and our fixed times and seasons. be a wonderful opportunity Our desert-dwelling ancestors did not spend the entirety of their forty for our community to get years asking “are we there yet?” (though they did kvetch from time to time). to know Rabbi Gerber. They set up a communal place for worship, gathered with their families on holidays, and began the practice of Judaism as we know it today. Make plans now to join us Our ancestors taught us that despite years of wandering and centuries for this special evening. of exile, we never have to feel as if we are without a home. Whenever we are surrounded by family, faith, and community, we need not search for a Promised Land--we have already found it. On behalf of my wife, Lauren, and our children, Paige and Tessa, I can say that before we even moved here, we have felt part of this community. We have studied the history of Congregation Gates of Prayer and know that “Come Into God’s it is dedicated to faith and fellowship. Though we may still be surrounded by boxes and rooms without furniture, it is clear to us that we are home. Presence With Thank you for making us feel like part of the CGoP family, and we hope to Rejoicing” share many blessed years together in our sacred community. Kol Tuv, Rabbi David Gerber Upcoming Events to Welcome Rabbi David Gerber and His Family to Our Congregation We are planning a variety of events over the coming months to welcome Rabbi Gerber, Lauren and their daughters, Paige and Tessa, to our community. Shabbat Services in August Gates of Prayer is hosting Shabbat services in August. Come to CGoP for Shabbat on any Friday night or Saturday morning and welcome Rabbi Gerber as our new Senior Rabbi. Our first Shabbat service in August is Friday, August 3rd, at 8:00 pm with a special Oneg to follow. Get to Know Rabbi Gerber over Coffee or Wine! Rabbi Gerber will be holding “out-of-office” hours to meet congregants. Tuesday, July 3rd and Tuesday, July 10th he will treat you to a cuppa at Caffe Caffe on Clearview and West Esplanade at 9:30 am or on Tuesday evening, July 24th at Oak Wine Bar, 8118 Oak St at 8:00 pm. Come Spend Time with Rabbi Gerber (light hors d’oevres served) There will be two receptions in August to welcome Rabbi Gerber. The first, Wednesday, August 8th, at 7:00 pm will be at the home of Jill and Lee Plotkin. The second, Wednesday, August 22nd, at 7:00 pm will be at the home of Betty and Harry Lazarus These events are open to the congregation, but room is limited so that everyone has the chance to spend time with Rabbi Gerber. Only the first 50 RSVP’s to the Temple Office for each event will be accepted. The deadlines for RSVPs are: Friday, August 3rd for the August 8th event and Friday, August 17th for the August 22nd event. If you miss one of these opportunities, don’t worry! More to follow! RABBI NATHANIEL SHARE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Registration is live for the 2018-2019 Religious School Year You can register online by clicking HERE or going to www.gatesofprayer.org and clicking through on Religious School. You can always come by and pick up a registration in the Temple office. Gates of Prayer Louise Hayem Manheim Nursery School C A M P WATER DAY!! Hurricane Preparedness July Reminder We are still in the midst of Hurricane Yahrzeits season. Please make sure that the Temple office has the most up to date contact information for you. Should evacuation become necessary, you can always log on to July 6-7 www.gatesofprayer.org for *Ray Welsch Aschaffenburg, Sonya Baer, *Betty the latest information. Wexler Berlot, *Wolf Botnick, Leigh Burstein, Julia CHILDREN’S TREE OF LIFE Villner Finger, George Garfunkel, Joseph Gluck, William Goldstein, Dian Gordon, Susan Two leaves for the Children’s Tree Hirsch, *Samuel Klinger, Eileen Pulitzer Latter, of Life have been purchased by *Rea Raitman Leopold, *Stanley H. Levin, Bella Levy Marcuse, Anna Michelle Morvant, Michael Davidson in honor of Scotty Joshua Perla, *Joseph S. Phillips, Marian Lupin Rose and Berk Davidson. If you are Condolences Rosenzweig, Sidney Shalett. *Meyer Singerman, interested in having your child or To Marvin Opotowsky on the death of Manuel C. Slipakoff, *John Smith, Jeanne Wolff grandchild’s name inscribed on the Sommer, Sylvia Weiner, *Geraldine Levy Zoller. his mother, Gloria Opotowsky. Children’s Tree of Life, located on the July 13-14 wall in the Education Wing, please Julius Abramson, Anne Aratchofsky, Lillian Hawes contact Sisterhood@gatesofprayer. Atherton, *Mollie Momberg Bernstein, Ray org or make the payment using the Silverman Bowsky, Victor D. Dembrow, Henry Finger, *Carrie Fisher, Lupu Granet, *Sophie Bloch donation envelopes found in the Himmler, Marvin Jeffer, Henrietta Feitel Levy, Temple office. *Ida Feldman Manheim, William Mimeles, Peter Molnor, *S. Cahlman Polmer, Allene Price, Beulah Pulitzer, *Sara Pulitzer, *Mendel Simon Rau, Harry Rosenberg, Simon Rosenberg, *Augusta Mayer Rosenthal, Isaac Irving Salomon, Jack Sands, Helen Dvorkin Schwarcz, Rabbi Morris Sessler, Mollie King Soll, Eugene H. Straus, Donald B. Thank you to all for your Strauss, *Tillie Streiffer, Jose A. Vazquez, *Stanley Ray Washofsky, *Othniel S. Wolfson. donations. Our Congregation, Sisterhood and Brotherhood July 20-21 Thank you to the Gary D. Allan, Albert Benjamin, Sam Blum, Aron Adele Cahn Family Trust Funds all help to make our Campell, Florence B. Cohn, Osias Diamond, *Chester S. Falk, Robert Feinberg, *Gottschalk for a significant donation synagogue run smoothly. Feitel, Jules Felix, *Fannie Katz Finkelstein, *Gilda to the Finkelstein, Esther Friedenberg, Marks Goodman, We are deeply appreciative Lester Lowell Green, Dora Hirschfield, Roberta Rabbinic Endowment Fund of your generosity. Taylor Hirsu, Philip Kahn, David Ari Krassenstein, in honor of *Augusta R. Leopold, *Alyse Lippman, Jerry Meldon, *Lee Meltzer, Molly Laufer Miller, Rabbi Robert Loewy *Joseph Moss, Mathilde Heller Moss, *Naomi Barkoff Pesses, Sylvia Copeland Pulitzer, *Mollie Barton Roig, Julia S. Roseman, *Norman Sams, Vivian Schneider, Samuel Schudmak, Jr., *Rabbi Nathaniel S. Share, *Moritz Streiffer, Dr. Mervin Tatar. July 27-28 To Rachel & Brad Taquino on the birth of their son Jarrett Taquino. *Morris N Aronowitz, Nathan Bergman, Mina Levy Blum, Nancy Varon Cody, Erwin Fried, To our members, Mindy & Bob Caplan on the birth of their grandson, Seth Caplan. *Winifred Fox Fried, Maria Kahane Granet, Irene Parents are Sara & Matt Caplan. Weiss Grossman, Louis Aaron Grossman, Billie A. Hammond, *Sarah H. Holtzman, Rose F. Kahn, Betty Ann Siegel Kane, David Klau, John To our members JoAnn & Larry Katz on the birth of their grandson Daniel Colledge E. Kushner, Beulah Levy, Max Levy, *Selma H. O’Leary. Parents are Mari & Jim O’Leary. Levy, Sidney S. Light, Harry Pollock, Howard I. Popper, Rabbi Arthur B. Rosenwasser, Marilyn To Debbie Schlackman on her retirement after 24 years of serving as the Librarian at Latter Serpas, *Joseph E. Slobotzky, *William Communal Hebrew School and Jewish Community Day School. Steckler, Arkady Solomon Vizelberg, *Irving B. Warshauer , *Ralph M. Washofsky, *Max I. Wexler, To our members, Morris & Cathy Bart and Jerome & Sandra Kanter on the birth *A. Melville Wolfson, Marcia Wolfson, *Cecile Goldberg Wolzinger. of their grandson and great grandson Maxwell David Goehring. Parents are Michelle & John Goehring. Rabbi Emeritus Discretionary Fund The Fund for the Louise Hayem Manheim In Honor of: Nursery School N’davot Rabbi Robert Loewy In Memory of: Contributions Linda & Richard Zoll Troy Douglas Campbell, Jr. Laurie & Alan Diamond The Ladies of CGoP Nursery School The General Fund Edye & Kenny Mayers Margaret Baumsten In Memory of: Sue & Harold Singer Vicki & Jacob Karno Sharyn Silverstein Traci & Ripley Roane Solomon Teles Loel & Larry Samuel David & Judy Bell Benjamin Pushker Stanley Sherman Barbara & John Prins John Trettin Becky, Joel & Susan Lourie Leslie & Brett Tatar Gloria Saltz Samuel S.