THE MENORAH the Rabbi’S Voice a Message from Our President
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September/October 2018 ADAS YESHURUN SYNAGOGUE Elul 5778/Tishrei-Cheshvan 5779 THE MENORAH The Rabbi’s Voice A Message From Our President It’s almost time! High Holy Days are coming! A student once asked Rabbi Akiva, since As you know, they are always early or late, your God loves the needy so much, why never “on time”. This year they are early! doesn’t he care for them Himself? Preparations have been underway for a The sage replied that: “Our God, Father of rich and poor alike, wonderful High Holiday Season at AYS. Take a look at the back of wants his children to help each other. The Lord desires a world our synagogue and you will see our fresh paint, just in time for of love.” the holidays! Thank you, Fred Daitch, “House Committee Chair” Over the years, thousands of people have passed through our and the AYS Board of Governors. We have improved upon our humble little shul. They enter our doors seeking the touchstone trial year of our new High Holiday seating plan. Once again, our of existence. We too, come back to the shul to reclaim our sense whole congregation will join for services, sitting together in the of being, and to renew our purpose. main sanctuary. Reserved seats are still available; $50 will buy you your choice of seat for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If In every congregation, there’s drama that moves from an idea you do not prefer to make the much-appreciated contribution into a fully functional reality. Making things happen and bringing for a reserved seat, you will be graciously seated by our volunteer dreams to life is a bit like a marriage, people touching people. ushers in the main sanctuary. That’s wonderful, but, our purpose should never be to merely Perhaps you have always celebrated the High Holy Days with survive. We have celebrated s’mchot that require great your family? preparation. We honor families who are grieving and show them our support. We enjoy the warm friendships that develop with Days preceding the High Holy Days are perfect for reflection. regular Shabbat or weekday service attendance. There’s a time As a child, I recall holiday meals with my parents, brother, grandparents and great aunts. As time passed, our family to sing and dance. There’s a time to gather for a shiva minyan. celebration grew smaller, so we invited friends to restore them We remember when our kids were little and spilled wine on the to be large and lively. When my brother and I moved away and carpet. Some of those stains are still around, and remind us of had families of our own, our holiday celebrations changed again. those days, even now. Some of them are now grown and have Depending on where we are and who we are with our holiday kids of their own! Think back, and recall the Friday night dinners, celebrations may vary from time to time, but the beautiful the High Holy Days, the relationships made, all of the wonderful annual cycle of our Jewish Holiday celebrations allows us to programs. Within the walls of AYS, we’ve celebrated disputes and plan. Our Jewish heritage and family traditions provide a wealth peace, love and forgiveness. For over 125 years, our organization of knowledge from which we may draw inspiration to “flavor” has functioned as a sacred place where love and forgiveness have our celebrations with meaning. If your traditional guests are been recycled endlessly. It’s a lot like a marriage, and that’s what no longer available, consider new guests! Family members a community does. are often who we think of first, but friends and acquaintances Rabbi Akiva was right. “God, Father of rich and poor alike, wants are wonderful additions, as are those who may be new to our HIS children to help each other. The Lord desires a world of love.” community, looking for an inviting individual or family with That is our charter, to be there for one another, as we have been whom they may celebrate the holiday. If you are open to making throughout the ages. I look forward to the coming year, working a new friend over this High Holy Day season, please call the hard with all of you to continue this sacred task. May we know synagogue office to let Jenna McRae, our AYS Administrator peace in this New Year and be blessed with kindness and love. know that you have a seat or two at your holiday table for some guests. You will be glad you did. Rabbi David Sirull Robyn S. Budenstein DAILY SERVICE SCHEDULE Monday & Thursday Morning - 7:15 am / Saturday Morning - 9:30 am Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday Evening - 5:30 pm Saturday Evening - 7:00 pm Board Actions at the July/August Meetings: • Approved a motion that a letter be sent to Mr. Bo Bovard that AYS has no objections to the proposed plan for improvements to his property at 921 2018 -2019 AYS Board of Governors Littleton Street as shown in architectural plans dated 7/17/18. Rabbi David Sirull – 706-736-8788 • Approved a motion for the expenditure of $8,365 for the purchase of green [email protected] rubber mulch from RubbeRecycle for the playground. (July) Administrator Jenna McRae – 706-733-9491 • Approved the individual complimentary membership of Daniel Chejfec, [email protected] Executive Director of the Augusta Jewish Community Center and the Augusta President Robyn Budenstein - 706-831-0793 Jewish Federation. [email protected] • Approved the associate membership of Audrey & Dr. Louis Falk. Vice President/House Fred Daitch – 706-829-8002 • Approved a motion to spend up to $500.00 for the painting of the shed to [email protected] include cutting the bushes between the brick wall and the shed that impede Treasurer painting the rear of the shed. Steven Nathan – 706-951-1380 [email protected] • Approved the individual membership of Daniel Weintraub. Recording Secretary/Cemetery Susan Steinberg – 706-951-4086 • Approved a motion to amend the decision to purchase rubber mulch and [email protected] investigate the cost of wood playground mulch. (This motion was the result Cemetery of a discussion of the additional expense to install the rubber mulch.) MJ Weintraub – 706-755-9175 [email protected] Communications Constitution-Bylaws Membership: Stephen Davis – 706 863-6127 [email protected] We welcome to our membership Daniel Chejfec, our new Executive Director Education of the Augusta Jewish Community Center and the Augusta Jewish Federation, Paula Schwartzman – 706-831-5197 and our associate members: [email protected] Daniel Weintraub Dr Louis Falk and his wife . The and who moved Jennifer Wood – 706-401-7608 Audrey Andrew Friedman Family Rae & Paul Wallach [email protected] from Augusta to Texas and Indiana respectively have chosen to remain part Members at Large of the AYS family through Associate Memberships. Richard Epter – 706-495-4989 [email protected] Loretta Levi -706-951-3876 Introducing Daniel Chejfec [email protected] Daniel Chejfec was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina Rhea Markowitz – 706-294-3148 where he became active in his Jewish community at [email protected] an early age. He attended the Sholem Aleichem Day Tina Weinstein – 404-580-1547 (CORNED BEEF) [email protected] School, a Zionist oriented Day School sponsored by Personnel the Labor Movement. As a teenager, he participated Jewell Johnson – 706-825-9834 in the Youth Zionist Movement, “Dror”. [email protected] Ritual (non-board member) While living in Argentina, Mr. Chejfec earned two Bernie Edwards – 706-831-2461 [email protected] Masters Degrees. The first was in Educational Sciences from the John F. Kennedy Argentinean University and Mens’s Club Board Representative Scott Walkowitz – 706-733-2679 later he earned a Master in Sociology from the Latin American School of Social [email protected] Sciences (FLACSO). While pursuing his college degrees, Mr. Chejfec continued to Sisterhood Board Representatives be active as a volunteer and as a professional in the Jewish community and served Jewell Johnson - 706-825-9834 [email protected] on the Board of the Argentinean Association of Jewish Communal Workers. Paula Schwartzman – 706-831-5197 [email protected] In 1989 Mr. Chejfec came to the United States to pursue the Double Master’s Immediate Past President Program in Social Work and Jewish Communal Service offered jointly by the Ed Kahal – 706-869-7526 University of Southern California and the Los Angeles School of the Hebrew [email protected] Union College. After earning both degrees, Mr. Chejfec served as CRC Director in Atlantic City, and went on to serve as Federation Executive Director in Lexington (KY), Poughkeepsie (NY) and El Paso (TX). He recently joined our community as Executive Director of the Augusta Jewish Federation and the Augusta Jewish Community Center. 2 Menorah Sponsorship: CURRENT EVENTS This is our second edition of the Menorah for this fiscal year. We thank our current Menorah Sponsors, AT AYS (see below) for their generous contributions. It is not Listed below are the events at AYS during the too late to become a sponsor! Menorah Sponsorships months of September and October. They have help defray the ever rising costs of publication and been moved from WHAT’s AHEAD to the front of mailing of the Menorah. We desire to maintain a the so that readers will have ready first-class publication that is of exceptional quality. If Menorah you have been a sponsor, and have not yet renewed, access to upcoming events. please consider contributing once again to this cause by September 1 Selichot Shalosh Seudos, returning your form or by calling the office.