December 2017 CONTACT INFORMATION

Adath Israel Tradition

Serving the Adath Israel Chavurah since 1904 Newtown, Monroe, Bethel, Brookfield, Southbury, Trumbull, Oxford, Danbury

(The Little Synagogue that Could: First building: 1919, First rabbi: 1923) Ritual: Conservative Social: Progressive Oneg Shabbats: Priceless

December 13 Kislev - 13 Tevet 2017 5778

https://www.facebook.com/ congadathisraelnewtown

In This Issue In Memoriam Announcements 1 Just For The Record 7 11 Contact Information From the Rabbi’s Study Donations 2 The Nezvesky School 8 12 President’s Message Hosting an Oneg / Kiddush From the Ritual Committee 3 Clubs and Committees 9 December Calendar 13 4, 5, Edwards Twins Concert Photos Community Programs & Events 10 6

From the Rabbi’s Study

November 29th was the 70 year anniversary of the historic vote that resulted in the establishment of the Jewish State of Israel. I would like everyone to be aware of this historic event.

This link is to the Israel Hayom Online Newspaper Article entitled “Israel to re-enact historic UN vote that led to its establishment “. http://www.israelhayom.com/?p=205251

~ Rabbi Barukh Schectman

President’s Message

Dear Congregants,

On November 10th, Florence and I had the pleasure of enjoying a very delicious Shabbat dinner with the upper grade classes, their families, and the veterans we were honoring that evening. It was an honor to stand with Rabbi Schectman and recognize those in our congregation who served in the armed forces. One of our congregants served in the Israeli army, defending the freedoms and tranquility that everyone is entitled to. We cannot and should not forget the sacrifices the families made while those who served were away. Letters and packages from home were most instrumental in lifting the morale of those servicemen. I also want to bring to your attention the people who care for our veterans when they come home. One of our congregants, Dr. Dan Federman, has been working with and caring for our veterans as a member of the Veterans Hospital in West Haven for over two dec- ades. Thank you one and all for your service. Please note that Charles Berger, a long-time member and veteran was not with us due to illness. We wish him a speedy recovery.

A shout out to Bonnie and Bob Goldstein for the job they and their team did in bringing us a wonderful night of entertainment on November 4th. They are already planning next year’s concert which will bring us great music. Stay tuned for more information.

Please look at our December calendar and be part of our Jewish Community services and programs. It is always my pleasure to greet you at the door to our beautiful synagogue.

Keep warm and stay healthy through these winter months.

With Blessings of Shalom, Bob and Florence Rubinstein

2018 CALENDARS WANTED

Do you accumulate too many calendars from various organizations and charities that you don’t need. If so, instead of throwing them out, please donate them.

We will be collecting them up until De- cember 20, 2017. A box will be in the lobby.

Thank you, The Ullmanns

From The Ritual Committee Memorial Service on the Fifth Anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting

Thursday Deceember 14 marks the fifth anniversary of the tragic shooting in a Newtown elementary school that left twenty children and six educators dead, and our town reeling in shock and horror. We will be holding our annual memorial service the following day, during our Friday evening Shab- bat service. This service is open to the public. Join us as we come together as a community to mourn the terrible loss and to remember this day that forever changed us. The chanting of El Malei (the Mourner’s Prayer) and other memorial readings will be part of this service. There will also be a reading of the names of all who lost their lives that day. This will include the name of Noah Pozner. Noah, one of the 20 children who died in the shooting, was the son of past congregants. His name is engraved on a Brass memorial board in our sanctuary. His name will be read during the service to mark his Yarzeit, along with the names of other congregants and family of congregants whose Yar- zeit falls during that week in the month of Tevet. We will all rise as a community and recite the Mourners Kaddish together.

Community Menorah Lighting to Celebrate the Last Night of Chanukah

Tuesday December 19

Chanukah is almost here!! It begins this year on Tuesday evening December 12. A week later, on the eighth night of Chanu- kah, at 6 pm, we will join together outside in front of our synagogue to light a large menorah. We will sing the traditional Cha- nukah blessings and songs and share choc- olate gelt. Afterwards, come in to the warmth of our building for a latkah, a jelly doughnut and some hot cider. Spread the word—this is a public event. All are welcome. Bring your friends to this celebration. CEMETERY PLOTS AVAILABLE

FOR FAMILIES OF CAI MEMBERS Have an opinion? Like to write? Adath Israel Cemetery (a division of B’nai Israel Cemetery) Newsletter contributions are always

472 Moose Hill Road, Monroe, CT welcome…

Information packets are available. Please contact Have family or student news you would like to Susan Rubin at [email protected] share? Contact: [email protected] or call 203-426-5188.

Setting up for our Annual Fundraising Concert

Fundraiser Set-Up Committee

Thank you to everyone who helped to make the Edwards Twins Concert a success!

The Edwards Twins entertained with an amazing show!

Saturday November 4

Shop for everyone on your gift list this holiday at smile.amazon.com/ch/06-1365965 and Amazon donates to Congregation Adath Israel.

JUST FOR THE RECORD Lesser Known Jewish Recording Artists

~ Contributed by Charles Berger Quite a few notable people have attended or graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in the East New York section of Brooklyn NY. Among them are Steve Lawrence, Danny Kaye and Charles Berger (ha,ha). Sanford Irving Beresofsky, professionally known as Sandy Baron is one of them and is featured this month.

Sandy was born on May 5, 1936 in Brooklyn to house painter Max Beresofsky and waitress Helen Beresofsky. He re- ceived a scholarship and graduated from Brooklyn College. He changed his name to Baron while a student in college, tak- ing the name from a nearby bookstore called Barron's. He worked in the Catskill Mountains as so many other comedians did.

His career in the theater began in 1962 in "Tchin-Tchin" and in the mid 1960's in the fairly successful comedy "Generation". He played Lenny Bruce in " Lenny" in Hollywood in 1972 and replaced Cliff Gorman in New York later on in his last appearance on Broadway.

Sandy had many roles on TV. He made appearances on "That Was The Week That Was" (1964), "Hey Landlord" with Will Hutchins in the mid 1960's and in a recurring role on "Seinfeld" in the 1990's as Jack Klompus. His film roles started with "Sweet November" in 1968, "If It's Tuesday It Must Be Belgium" in 1969 and he played himself in Woody Allen's opening scene of 1984's "Broadway Danny Rose". His final movie was in " The Hi-Lo Country" in 1998.

He was also a song writer and two of his biggest hits were as co- writer of "The Writing On The Wall" by Adam Wade in 1961 (Top 5 in Billboard) and as a co-writer of "A Natural Man" by Lou Rawls in 1971 (#17 in Billboard). He made about a dozen comedy albums and extended play and singles from 1960-1977. Featured is "The Kid" from the 1964 album "The Race Race" in which he comments on race relations at that time. Note that his birth name of Beresofsky appears on the label under "copyrighted by Beresofsky-Skolnik Inc."

He never had children although he had been married and divorced three times - Geraldine Crotty (1962-1967), Mary Jo Webster (1970- 1975) and Stephanie Ericsson (1976-1980). Sandy suffered from em- physema for many years and died from the disease in January 2001 in a Van Nuys CA nursing home, survived by a sister Roz Asherman. A memorial celebration in Hollywood was held in July of that year.

Sandy Baron's career has been overlooked by many. However, his career in movies, TV, theater, music and nightclubs indicates that he was quite a notable performer in so many endeavors.

THE NEZVESKY SCHOOL

We held our upper school dinner on November 10 and invited veterans from the congregation to share our dinner and come to services. It was a successful dinner and our new 4th and 5th grade students were welcomed with a special ceremony.

December will be a very special month because we have our annual Chanukiyah contest and a Chanu- kah program including music by the Glazer and Arena families on Sunday, December 17 as well as a community candle lighting after Hebrew School on Tuesday, December 19. We look forward to see- ing you all at both of these events.

In January we're looking forward to the Lower School potluck dinner on January 5th at 5:00 PM, just before Shabbat Before Bedtime.

Remember that our Pre-school playgroup will be happening on Sunday December 10, from 9:30 to 10:30. It's available to all children 3-5 including non-members, so tell your friends!

David Smith Education Chair [email protected] 203-770-1685

Free Jewish themed books and music CD’s for children ages 6 months through 8 years.

CLUBS & COMMITTEES

SISTERHOOD

The Sisterhood Annual Food Drive will be extended to mid-December. There is a bin in the lobby for all donations. Please... Non-perishable items only.

"A little from us could mean so much to them!"

Bonnie Goldstein [email protected]

Next meeting: December 21

MAH JONG MEN’S CLUB Join Today! MADNESS

Contact Steve Vine Mondays [email protected] 7:00 PM at Adath Israel New Club & Program Ideas Always Welcome

For both experienced and Let us know what interests you! beginner players Contact [email protected]

Adath Israel Community Care and Share Committee Update Women’s Book November was a fairly quiet month for the Communi- Club ty Care and Share Committee. Several cards were sent out to our members. In addition, we reached out The next meeting of the Adath Israel Book Club will be to a congregant whom we thought might benefit on Monday December 18th at 7:30 P.M. at the home of from our services. As of now, no assistance is need- Katherine Kohrman. We invite all members to join our ed. Our committee would like to be made aware of any Mitzvah’s as well as when a congregant is in club. We choose a variety of genres of literature to dis- need. Please let us know if anyone has anything to cuss. The current book we are reading is: share. Although we meet a few times a year, we are in constant communication with each other and want Once We Were Brothers to support our congregation in any way we can. Our By Ronald H. Balson committee would like to wish the congregation a very Happy Chanukah. Please contact Susan Morse at Even if you haven’t read the book, consider joining us [email protected] if anyone knows a congre- and helping to choose our next book. We usually meet gant who would benefit from our services. bimonthly. If interested, please email Amy Greenfield at Susan Littlefield [email protected]. Secretary

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS & EVENTS

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For reservations, please email [email protected]. For additional information, please visit www.jgsct.org.

IN MEMORIAM Yahrzeits: December 2017 CONTACT INFORMATION

1 Dec 13 Kislev Moisey Shifrin, Grandfather of Marina Arena Office Phone: 203-426-5188

4 Dec 16 Kislev Janice Weisblat, Aunt of David Smith Rabbi Barukh Schectman [email protected] 5 Dec 17 Kislev Florence Nezvesky, Mother of Janis Schertzer and Joel & Jay Nezvesky Administrative Assistant: Susan Rubin 7 Dec 19 Kislev Charles Agines, Father of Bernice Ullmann [email protected]

8 Dec 20 Kislev William Berger, Father of Charles Berger 2017 – 2018 Officers of the Board 10 Dec 22 Kislev George Rebb, Father of Mark Rebb President: Bob Rubinstein 11 Dec 23 Kislev Iris Weiner, Mother of Madalyn Henry [email protected] 12 Dec 24 Kislev Joseph Levy, Father of Rosalind Berger Vice - President: Amy Greenfield 14 Dec 26 Kislev Agathe Glaser, Mother of Meyer Glaser Vice - President: Susan Littlefield 16 Dec 28 Kislev William Getman, Grandfather of Jodi Bialik [email protected]

18 Dec 30 Kislev Albert Chiprut, Uncle of Jack Nahmias Treasurer: Dan Greenberg [email protected] 21 Dec 3 Tevet Lillian Gruber, Mother of Arthur Gruber 24 Dec 6 Tevet Louis Lifshey, Grandfather of Joanna Rosen Secretary: Jim Arena [email protected] 25 Dec 7 Tevet Marvin Bamberg, Father of Steve Bamberg Member at Large: Lauren DiMartino 26 Dec 8 Tevet Devira Brown, Grandmother of David Rosen Member at Large: Matthew Krichmar 26 Dec 8 Tevet Ina Leona Cohn Abo, Grandmother of Jodi Mar- Member at Large: Jessica Sachs kowsky 2017 – 2018 Committee Chairpersons 26 Dec 8 Tevet Joseph Baulsir, Father of Edmund Baulsir Birthday Books: Mardi Smith 29 Dec 11 Tevet Ruth Nillman, Mother of Bill Hillman 31 Dec 13 Tevet Helen Blau, Mother of Alan Blau Education Chairperson: David Smith [email protected]

School Parent Coordinator: Sara Barnes … and let us not forget [email protected]

2 Dec 14 Kislev Jerome Maxwell Goosman Teen Volunteer Coordinator: Matt Krichmar 2 Dec 14 Kislev Louis Chernoff Care & Share Committee: Susan Morse 4 Dec 16 Kislev Joseph Bernard Gottlieb 4 Dec 16 Kislev Minnie Fitzig Fundraising: available [email protected] 6 Dec 18 Kislev Max Melzer 9 Dec 21 Kislev Sylvia Bernstein Honorarium: Susan Rubin [email protected] 19 Dec 1 Tevet Noah Samuel Pozner 20 Dec 2 Tevet Jayson Rome House: Mark Silverman [email protected] 20 Dec 2 Tevet Yetta Nezvesky 23 Dec 5 Tevet Jacob Moses Block Membership: Leah Newman [email protected] 24 Dec 6 Tevet Morris Torow 28 Dec 10 Tevet Janice Aronowitz Men’s Club: Steve Vine [email protected] 29 Dec 11 Tevet David Kaufman 29 Dec 11 Tevet Hannah Frankel Newsletter: Susan Rubin [email protected] 30 Dec 12 Tevet Ida Stoller Terry Programs: Jodi Markowsky [email protected]

Publicity: Karen Klein BRONZE MEMORIAL [email protected]

NAMEPLATE Ritual: Katherine Kohrman [email protected]

If you wish to install a memorial nameplate in the sanctuary, Safety: David Wiener [email protected] please contact Susan Rubin at 203-426-5188 or by email [email protected] Sisterhood: Bonnie Goldstein [email protected]

DONATIONS HOST

We gratefully acknowledge the following contributions to temple funds: AN ONEG General Fund OR KIDDUSH Jill Rabin Susan & John Littlefield in memory of June Greller Gilda & Jay Slomka in memory of Janis Slomka Hosting a Friday Oneg or Saturday Kid- The Rubenstein & Brault families in memory of Solomon Rubenstein dush is performing a Mitzvah for our Bob & Florence Rubinstein in memory of Bernard Savitch community. After services is a time Bernice Ullmann in memory of her father, Charles Agines when we have a chance to slow down Jay & Gilda Slomka in memory of Esther Slomka and catch up on the weekly events with our fellow congregants. Building Fund It’s not only a Mitzvah, but a way for Meyer Glaser in memory of his mother, Agathe Glaser you to celebrate an event in your fami-

ly and share the good news with our Caring Community Fund congregation. Many people host to Charles & Rosalie Newman in memory of Mary/Miriam Newman commemorate birthdays, anniver- saries, engagements, awards, gradua- Fundraiser tions, victories and other happy occa- Dan Greenberg sions. You may also host in memory of Susan Morse a loved one. Of course, you don’t Ann Basso need a reason to host and you may Eric Vine—proceeds from sea glass jewelry sales also buddy up and host with a friend.

High Holiday Donations If you wish to participate in this Mitz-

Daniel Block vah or for more information, please Mark Rebb e-mail the office at: [email protected]

Friday Oneg Dates Available

THANK YOU December 1, 8, 29 TO OUR NOVEMBER ONEG SPONSORS January 5, 12, 19, 26 February 9, 16, 23 Friday, November 3 March 2, 16 The Littlefield Family April 6, 13, 20, 27 May 4, 18, 25 Friday, November 10 June 8, 22, 29 The Upper School Families August 10

Saturday Kiddush Dates Available

“LEAVE YOUR LEGACY ON THE TREE OF LIFE” December 9 · January 27 March 17 · April 7

A great way to honor past and present family members and friends Do a mitzvah! Large Leaf—$1800. each; Small Leaf—$180. each Sponsor an Oneg or Kiddush this year. Order forms available at the synagogue or Reserve your date now! by emailing [email protected]