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June 2014 / Sivan/Tammuz 5774

HEBREW SCHOOL SAYS GOODBYE TO HILLEL

Our Family Hebrew School wished Rabbi Hillel a fond farewell with a nice party and gifts following class on Sunday, May 18. We gave him a framed photo of the entire class, with signatures of parents, students and teachers on the matting. Nancy Levinsky also chose two wonderful children's books to donate to the library in his honor. Rabbi Hillel did a fabulous job directing the Hebrew school, and he will be very much missed by everyone.

RABBI HILLEL’S BLOG Rabbi Hillel has an online blog, for those interested in following his wonderful teachings after his departure from Temple Shalom. You can view it at http://divreihillel.blogspot.com/. This link is also available on the Links page of our Web site.

LIBRARY UPDATE FROM LI’EL Thanks to all who have donated money and books to our wonderful library! I have made many additions, and am starting a good collection of Jewish DVD's, so funds are getting a bit low. If you would like to honor a Yahrzeit or celebration with a gift to Temple Shalom, the library would be a great designation. And don't forget, our entire collection is available online at http://www.librarything.com/catalog/TempleShalom (this link is always available from the Library page of our web site). Thank you so much!

SOPHIE KAPLAN BECOMES BAT ! On May 3, 2014, Sophie Kaplan completed her bat mitzvah studies and officially joined the congregation as an adult. The service in the sanctuary was very well attended by a large number of friends and relatives, as well as Temple Shalom congregants. Sophie chanted her Haftorah portion beautifully (Ezekiel 44:15-44:31), and gave a nice d'var about God's requirement that we treat animals ethically. She was presented with a Chumash Etz Chayim (the Chumash we use for ) and a pair of pewter candlesticks, the latter engraved with her and bat mitzvah date, on behalf of Temple Shalom. The nice service was followed by a wonderful luncheon (complete with chocolate fountain!) and klezmer band. We thank the Kaplan family for generously sharing their daughter's bat mitzvah celebration with us, and hope Sophie will continue to pray and celebrate with us in the years ahead. Mazel tov!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE For this month's column I'd like to share the remarks I made at the Annual Meeting since only about 25 members were present:

Thank you all for coming tonight and showing your interest in the future of Temple Shalom. This third year as your President has been both troubling and exhilarating. Since I like to end on a high note, I'll start with the tsuris. Our finances are a constant concern. Yes, we need to do more outside fundraising, but I'd like to see our members step it up a bit too. Today is Lag B'Omer, which should remind us that on each of the 50 days between Passover and , it is written in the book of Leviticus, that God commanded us to make an offering of a sheaf of barley, or an "omer". Today, these, now monetary, donations are much needed to help support the Temple and our Jewish way of life. We should all feel this obligation, and do what we can. In October, Rabbi Hillel presented his resignation, asking to be let out of his contract a year early. His first book had just been published and he wanted to spend more time writing and teaching. We agreed, reluctantly, and immediately created a Search Committee. I personally, have been through this 3 times before so I was thrilled to see so many of our members volunteer for this task. I must name them: Malca Wilner, David Allen, Aaron Burke, Mara King, Bertha Bodenheimer, Joel Olstein, Fredda Wolf, Behzad Fakhery, Judy Abromson, Joel Salberg, Sarah Levine, Li'el Boudreau and me. Our first daunting task was how to attract someone to Auburn, Maine. When Rabbi Sruli Dresdner came up for his interview weekend, he actually told us that he liked how our community sounded in our ad, particularly how we accomplish so much with volunteers working together. For me, this was a defining moment. We had worried that he was from the 'big city', but it was apparent that he understood how a small rural Jewish community must survive, where each individual is an important cog in the wheel. So the shidduch was made. And this is what is so exhilarating. We have a new Rabbi and Rebbitzen starting in July. They are in the process of buying a home in Auburn. Their 5 year old twins will be starting kindergarten here in September. And they told us this is where they want to raise Charlie and Johnny through high school. I have said before that I can't imagine Auburn without a Temple Shalom. And now Rabbi Sruli and Lisa will be here to help ensure our continued prosperity. It was beshert that they were looking for a congregation at the same time we were looking for a rabbi. Yes, I have high hopes, and yes, I realize the Rabbi can't do it all. But I predict that there will be renewed drive and vitality amongst our members and beyond. Our community has changed throughout the years, and I'm proud to say that we pay attention to the needs of our congregants. This year Rabbi Hillel led an educational meeting on the subject "Who Is A ?" He put together an informational handout citing reasoning for both matrilineal and patrilineal descent. And after listening to the voice of our members, the board voted to accept both. Earlier this month, Sophie Kaplan became a Bat Mitzvah, born to a Jewish father and a Christian mother, and brought up in the Jewish faith. This is the face of our future. And it has a big smile on it! I'd like to thank my Board of Directors for leading us into the future. A thank you to all the committee chairs and all the volunteers who work so hard to keep every aspect of our Jewish community alive and vibrant. A huge thank you to Julie who is the glue that holds it all together. And of course, thank you Rabbi Hillel, for the 11 years you've been our spiritual leader. I hope you all will come out for his farewell party on the 28th. Todah rabah!

Respectfully submitted, Lesli Weiner President of the Board of Directors

REMINDER - NO SERVICES IN JUNE Rabbi Hillel will be leaving Temple Shalom on May 31, and we wish him success and happiness in his journey. Following his departure, we will not be offering Shabbat services for the month of June, a period of traditionally low attendance (note: the Thursday morning service will continue). Shabbat services will resume in July.

PERSON OF THE YEAR The person of the Year Award always goes to someone in our community who has been particularly devoted to making Temple Shalom a better place for all our members. This year's recipient does just that in her quiet, joyful, way. On the program committee, when Paula says we need someone to pick up the latkes or to design the invitations for Hillel's party, this year's recipient is the one who quietly says, "I can do that." She is the go-to person whenever we need something planned for our children, like games at or decorations for the Chanukah party. Yes, I'm so pleased this is going to one of our younger members, the mother of two of our Hebrew School children. Oh wait, she actually teaches in the Hebrew School, extending a tradition at Temple Shalom of a parent stepping in to ensure Jewish instruction for their children, which benefits all of us. She is also the chair person of the Nursery School Committee providing that bridge to the secular side of our building. I am in awe of her gentle manner in finding solutions to any problem that comes her way. And I am sure she will continue to be active in Temple Shalom for many years in the future. Yes, this is the mother of Andrew and Olivia. She's the wife of Peter, the swim coach at Bates. I'm so pleased to name Allyson Casares as the Person of the Year...... lesli

NICKY'S FAMILY RECAP Viewing Jewish themed movies remains a favorite program amongst our members. A good crowd gathered around the Temple's flat screen TV to watch the documentary Nicky's Family on April 27. It was an emotional telling of Sir Nicholas Winton's organized rescue of 669 Czech and Slovak children just before the outbreak of World War II. This selfless act is being paid forward as thousands of children in many countries have decided to follow in his footsteps and do something 'important.' They think up various charity projects and even help in the saving of lives of undernourished and sick children in Cambodia and Africa. Winton, now 104, has been reunited with dozens of the 'children' he saved and their subsequent families. And those of us who showed up for this exclusive showing of the movie were able to sign the petition to award Winton the Nobel Peace Prize. A slice of history! That, coupled with a slice of Mike Gagne's delicious quiche, made for a delightful Sunday brunch. Glad to see you looking so well, Mike. A full and speedy recovery to you!...... lesli

MAINE CONFERENCE FOR JEWISH LIFE The first annual Maine Conference for Jewish Life will be held on June 3-5, 2014! This three-day conference will bring together from across the region to celebrate , learning and history. If you are interested in attending, you can register online at http://web.colby.edu/mainejewishlifeconference/registration-and-cost/ and you can like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MaineJewishLife.

MAZEL TOV! To Eli Cohen who graduates from Mt. Blue High School on June 7th, and is in the top ten of his senior class. And--he got into and will attend New England Conservatory (in Boston) for Jazz Drum Set Performance.

FAMILY HEBREW SCHOOL NEWS

Miss Ally's Class We have been very busy working hard on our Alef Bet. We just finished learning the Hebrew Letter Mem. To practice, Abby Stevens brought in a great homemade Alef Bet memory game. Thank you to and Abby for sharing with us! It helped us practice our letters and also work on our memory skills. To go along with the letter Mem, we talked about the importance of the . We read a wonderful PJ Library story called The Shema in the Mezuzah. We traveled around the searching for all the . We noticed how they were all different in style and maybe color, but one thing that was the same was the shin on each one. So we made our own mezuzahs out of coin holders and they came out beautiful! Our scrolls are safe inside. I hope the students put their mezuzahs up in their homes so when they enter and leave they will remember the teachings of the Torah. We can't believe our last class is the next class on June 8th!

SPEEDY RECOVERY We pray for refuah sh’leimah – the full and speedy recovery of Tom Bailey, Meghan Derosier, Leo Friedman, Harriet Magee, Sandy Miller, Tom Pelletier, Hector Rosquette, Joel Salberg, Esther Shapiro, Neal Weiner and all others who are not well at this time. We like to hear good news! Whenever you request that a name be put on this list, please let us know when that name can be removed

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOK GROUP NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!. On May 12 we had a smaller-than-usual group to discuss a bigger-than-usual subject. Attending were Helene Perry, Babs Shapiro, Judy Abromson, Adele Silverman, Margie Goldberg, Malca Wilner and me, Lesli Weiner. The book was The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan. This was a non-fiction accounting of one Palestinian, Bashir Khairi, and his conflicted relationship with one Israeli, Dalia Eshkenazi, who had been brought up in the house Bashir's family had vacated during the Israeli War for Independence. So many sensitive issues are raised, such as right of return or reparations for the Arabs versus the right of a Jewish homeland and security for the . Some felt the book was slanted toward a Palestinian point of view because Dalia was so empathetic. But I felt this only confirmed my belief that the Jews, as a people who have been ousted and unwelcome in so many countries, understand what the Palestinians are feeling and are willing to compromise, whereas the Palestinians are not. I'm not saying this is true of every Israeli or every Palestinian, just that this is the feeling I got from this story. And while some reviews said that the friendship formed between Dalia and Bashir "holds in its framework a hope for true peace and reconciliation for the region," I had trouble seeing past the fact that she offered to share her house with Bashir and find ways for Arabs and Jews to live together, and he resorted to terrorist acts and telling Dalia the Jews who settled in the Arab homes should go back to where they came from. The good news is that the house itself is now called The Open House and is "a center for peace and reconciliation between Israeli Arabs and Jews. The house was dedicated by the two families who have called it home to the work of building a better society, with peace, equality and dignity for all...... Bashir now lives in Ramallah where he practices law. Dalia now lives in and is active in the work of The Open House." This is a very interesting book to read, and if nothing else, you'll learn a lot about the remarkable circumstances that saved 47,000 Bulgarian Jews from . I hope I have piqued your interest. Our next book is A Guide to the Perplexed: A Novel by Dara Horn. I won't print a synopsis here because it all sounds too, well...... perplexing. I'll just give you this quote from the book description: "The incomparable Dara Horn returns with a spellbinding novel of how technology changes memory and how memory shapes the soul.....An engrossing adventure that intertwines stories from Genesis, medieval philosophy, and the digital frontier, A Guide for the Perplexed is a novel of profound inner meaning and astonishing imagination."

There was some confusion as to the order of our next few books, so I am listing them below. Please note them in your calendars. June 9...... A Guide for the Perplexed: A Novel by Dara Horn July 14...... The Attack by Yasmina Khadra August 11...... Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller September 8...... The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanah

Keep on reading...... lesli

SOUP KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Sunday, June 22 at 1:30 p.m. (meals are served starting at 1:45 p.m.) Trinity Church Soup Kitchen 247 Bates Street, Lewiston

YAHRZEITEN If you are observing a yahrzeit and are planning to come to Thursday morning minyan to say , we urge you to contact Bob Laskoff ([email protected]) and let him know so that he can include that information in his weekly reminder email. It is your responsibility to call friends and neighbors to make sure there are enough people for the minyan.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Bonnie & Laurence Faiman June 5 Margaret & Henry Meyer 6 Shepard & Betty Cortell 13 Arthur & Donna Silverman 18

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Margaret Meyer June 1 Charlene Goodman 2 Li’el Boudreau 3 Ellen Burke 7 Melissa Burke 8 William Zidle 11 Arthur Silverman 13 Linda Isaacson 14 Molly Platz 14 Matthew Zidle 15 Joseph Platz 16 Karen Calloway 24 Elizabeth Barter 29 Shelley Rau

JUNE 2014 YAHRZEITEN June 1 Lillian Rosen Sivan 3 2 Aaron Krakower 4 3 Jack Kaduson 5 4 Goldie Isaacson 6 9 Barry Traister 11 10 Bernice Lacy 12 15 Lillian Cohen 17 16 May Tetenman 18 18 Milton Burke 20 18 Milton Krasner 20 20 Evelyn Levine 22 22 Jack Schnitzer 24 24 Sara Fishman 26 24 Alan Levenson 26 27 Rose Bell 29

FEDERATION ALLOCATIONS

The L.A. Jewish Federation campaign for 2013 started last November and was completed prior to the finish of the year. The end result was somewhat disappointing as the total sum raised was only $13,390 compared a few years ago when totals were in the vicinity of twenty thousand dollars and higher!

However, with unused funds carried forward from the previous year and a small part of a substantial sum in trust from the estate of Eli Isaacson a total of $16,375 was allocated as follows:

ADMINISTRATION: (Temple staff, postage, audit, office supplies, etc) $1575 JEWISH FEDERATION of NORTH AMERICA (formerly UJA) $4000 JEWISH NATIONAL FUND (trees/ecology/water, in Israel) $100 MOGAN DAVID ADOM (Israel Ambulance Service) $200 BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL (Free Jewish youth trips to Israel) $100 ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE $100 CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America) $100 NATIONAL HILLEL (Jewish college campus organizations) $100 NATIONAL BOOK CENTER (Preserves Yiddish books) $100 HOLOCAUST HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER (Augusta, Maine) $750 TEMPLE SHALOM (To assure a continued Jewish Life in L-A) $8500 FAMILY ASSISTANCE $500 PROGRAMS/CONTINGENCY $250

The final two items, Family Assistance and Programs & Contingency, are maintained if emergency needs should arise in our community, but are generally forwarded to the following year's allocation.

TOOT TOOT CHUG CHUG LETS ALL ON THE TRAIN OF PROSPERITY FOR TEMPLE SHALOM

Each year the Temple has a deficit during the summer months. It would be to your benefit, as well as the Temple's, if you would set up a dues payment plan with your bank to send (X) number of dollars to the Temple each month. This would ensure that the Temple has a continuous flow of money throughout the year. Hopefully by budgeting this way, members could increase their monetary support of the Temple. On a personal note, I have started this plan with my bank. The outcome was amazing to me. By doing this, I have increased my contribution to the Temple by 1/3. You can too. Try it, you'll like it!

Aaron Burke Temple Secretary

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MaChadash/What’s New is published monthly CALENDAR SPONSORS by Temple Shalom, Synagogue-Center. Temple ------Shalom is an independent congregation and a Judy Abromson member of the Lewiston-Auburn Jewish Agren Appliance Federation. Albert & Burpee Funeral Home Andrucki & Associates The mission of Temple Shalom, Synagogue- Auburn Savings Bank Center is to foster a strong and Dr. & Mrs. Mitchell Auster an active Jewish Community. Berube’s Auto Care

Cameron Tire & Service, Inc. Rabbi Center for Advanced Dentistry

Center Street Auto Service Office Manager Julie Waite Center Street Cafe

Charlie’s Motor Mall C.L.H. & Sons, Inc. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Stuart Cohen & Carmen Comeau President Lesli Weiner Collette Monuments, Inc. Vice President Cross Insurance Secretary Aaron Burke Dunkin Donuts/Center Street Treasurer Lewis Zidle Harriet & Behzad Fakhery Board Members Judy Abromson David Allen Falcon Printing & Graphics Bertha Bodenheimer Fiddlehead Environmental Consulting Behzad Fakhery Dorothy Fishman Laurence Faiman Gamache & Lessard Company Joel Goodman Goodman Wiping Cloth Elliot Katz Great Falls Security Mitchell Ross Hilton Garden Inn Morris Silverman Isaacson & Raymond Isaacson/Simonds Family Israel Book Shop COMMITTEE CHAIRS Ritual Larry Faiman Jim’s Auto Sales Aaron Burke Rabbi Hillel Katzir Membership/Outreach Robert & Jackie Laskoff Budget/Finance/Endowment Harvey Bell Lee Auto Mall Stan Tetenman Lawrence Levy, D.M.D. Cemetery Morris Silverman Nason Mechanical Systems Lewis Zidle Sheri & Joel Olstein Hebrew School/Education Harriet & Steve Passerman Personnel Platz Associates Programming/Social Action Phyllis Graber Jensen Paula Marcus-Platz Poirier’s Market/Donald Allen Nursery School Allyson Casares Poland Spring Golf Course Fund Raising Elliot Katz Rowe Fordland Estelle Rubinstein Sam’s Italian Shoppe Temple Shalom office hours are Sherman Shapiro & Family 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday-Thursday Roy I. Snow, Inc. Stan & Cathy Tetenman Telephone: 207-786-4201 Lesli & Neal Weiner Fax: 207-786-4202

www.templeshalomauburn.org E-mail address: [email protected]

CONTRIBUTIONS David & Anne Allen GENERAL FUND To Sheri & Joel Olstein in honor of a Babs & Michael Shapiro grandson In memory of Wilfred Goodman LIBRARY FUND Cathy & Stan Tetenman Bob & Jackie Laskoff To Sheri & Joel Olstein in honor of a In memory of William Leavitt grandson NUSSINOW NURSERY SCHOOL FUND Funds are used to support the Temple Shalom Nursery/Preschool Natalie Cohen Adele & Morris Silverman In memory of Bertha Deane Speedy recovery to Donald Allen In memory of William B. Cohen To Sheri & Joel Olstein in honor of a Bonnie & Larry Faiman grandson To Sheri & Joel Olstein in honor of a Harriet & Behzad Fakhery grandson To Sheri & Joel Olstein in honor of a In Honor of Rabbi Hillel Katzir grandson Marianne Miller Marilyn Simonds Continued recovery to Michael Gagne Speedy recovery to Michael Gagne Kaplan Family Estelle Rubinstein In honor of Rabbi Hillel Katzir In memory of Murray Rubinstein Marcy Plavin Amy & Scott Nussinow In memory of Leonard Plavin In memory of Jean Renard Paula Marcus-Platz & Tom Platz In memory of Anita Koss Continue recovery to Michael Gagne RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Jon & Linda Kaplan Jennifer & Jerry Cohen In honor of Sophie Kaplan’s bat mitzvah In memory of Lillian Cohen Lesli & Neal Weiner SHIRLEY GOODMAN MEMORIAL FUND To Sheri & Joel Olstein in honor of a For interior decoration and maintenance grandson Joel Goodman In honor of Sophie Kaplans’ bat mitzvah In memory of Wilfred Goodman Speedy recovery to Charlie Dresdner ABROMSON FUND Helene & Lewis Perry BELL MEMORIAL CHAPEL FUND Speedy recovery to Harriet Passerman CEMETERY FUND BODENHEIMER PASSEROVER FUND COHEN/LEVOY GARDEN FUND Bertha Bodenheimer ENDOWMENT FUND To Sheri & Joel Olstein in honor of a EVE & GEORGE SHAPIRO MEMORIAL grandson FUND To Ally Casares in honor of receiving the FAMILY HEBREW SCHOOL FUND Person of the Year award MARCUS MEMORIAL GARDEN FUND To Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Spitalny in honor MINYANAIRES FUND of their 60th anniversary MITZVAH FUND PULPIT/PRAYER BOOK FUND RABBINIC RETENTION FUND RANDALL SILVER LIBRARY FUND YOUTH FUND

Temple Shalom, Synagogue-Center Non-Profit Organization 74 Bradman Street U.S. Postage Auburn, ME 04210-6330 Auburn, ME Permit #4 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

DATED MATERIAL JUNE 2014

JUNE AT TEMPLE SHALOM

Wednesday, 6/4 9:30 am Service for Shavuot, includes Yizkor and lunch – Please RSVP! Office Closed Thursday, 6/5 7:00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfast Saturday, 6/7 NO Service for Shabbat Sunday, 6/8 10:00 am Family Hebrew School, last class & picnic Monday, 6/9 4:00 pm Book Group Thursday, 6/12 7:00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfast Saturday, 6/14 NO Service for Shabbat Thursday, 6/19 7:00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfast Saturday, 6/21 NO Service for Shabbat Sunday, 6/22 1:30 pm Volunteer at Trinity Church Soup Kitchen Monday, 6/23 7:00 pm Board Meeting Thursday, 6/26 7:00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfast Saturday, 6/28 NO Service for Shabbat

Shabbat services will resume on July 5th!