The Messenger
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9 | E L U L 5 7 7 9 / T I S H R E I 5 7 8 0 THE MESSENGER The Official Newsletter of Temple Beth Sholom | Sarasota, FL WHAT'S INSIDE: Acknowledgements 25 Announcements 4 Azi! 21 Calendar 30 Community Day School 17 Continuing Education 12 Fashion Show 10 Shanah Tovah! September 14 Shmooze: Jewish Values & Issues, 12:45 pm Judaica Shop 10 September 21 Selichot Service & Dessert Reception, 8 pm Library News 11 September 28 Shmooze: Rosh Hashanah, 12:45 pm September 29 Rosh Hashanah Eve Service, 7 pm Life & Legacy 8 September 30 Rosh Hashanah Day 1 Services, 9 am Membership 29 October 1 Rosh Hashanah Day 2 Services, 9 am President's Message 3 Rabbi's Message 2 Sisterhood 15 Social Action 18 Visionary Society 19 Youth 21 RABBI'S MESSAGE It is no secret that we are approaching the High Holiday season, which is referred to in Hebrew as Yamim Noraim, the days of amazement. These days, as with all the Jewish holidays, are best experienced if one first does preparation to be ready for the day. This preparation, of course, includes physical preparation. We prepare special foods like round challah and honey and apples. Many people break out their good dishes and special family recipes. Some may even buy new clothes for the occasion. In addition to the physical preparations, there is spiritual and emotional preparation that helps one find more meaning in the days. To prepare for Rosh Hashanah we are expected to evaluate our behaviors from the past year and make amends to others whom we have harmed. This step is seen as integral to the process of change and needs to be carried out before we seek forgiveness from God. Even though our services on the Yamim Noraim are longer than normal, the preparations can, and should, take more time than the rituals themselves. This is made clear with the ritual of Tashlich. I often compare Tashlich to an archer shooting a bow and arrow. She pulls back the bow, steadies her arm, takes aim and then, when she releases the bow, the arrow quickly, almost instantaneously, hits the target. Tashlich is like this as well. We spend a good amount of time thinking about what we want to “cast away” and then when we finally engage in the act, at the edge of the water, it is a quick second and done. That act, however, would not have the significance it carries without the initial preparation. Tashlich, the symbolic casting away of our transgressions, misdeeds, and aspects of ourselves we wish to discard, has taken on various forms over the generations. Early on, there was a belief that the best way to win favor from evil spirits living in the water were to give them gifts. In the Babylonian tradition, people sent “sin‑filled” containers out into the water. Sometimes before Rosh Hashanah, people would grow beans or peas in a woven basket for each child in a family. Then, the basket, representing the child, was swung around the head seven times and flung into the water. Kurdistani Jews even threw themselves into the water and swam around to be cleansed of their transgressions. While some rabbinic opinions suggest not using bread, there is a prevalent custom to toss bread crumbs into a body of water to carry out this ritual. It is normally done on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah but can be done any time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This year, please join us at Siesta Key Beach on Sunday, October 6 at 6:00 pm for Tashlich. Bring a picnic dinner and some beach chairs (and of course some bread crumbs). We will do our preparations for the ritual and then head to the water’s edge to cast away our transgressions. We will also have the opportunity to enjoy the sunset and the Siesta Key Drum Circle. For our younger participants, this will coincide with a PJ Library event which will include crafts, some snacks, and PJ Library story time. We hope you and your families will join us. As you all go through your preparations for the Yamim Noraim, my family and I wish you all a Shanah Tovah u’Metukah, a sweet and good New Year. Shanah Tovah! Rabbi Michael Werbow TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM THE MESSENGER 1050 South Tuttle Avenue published monthly by Temple Beth Sholom Sarasota, Florida 34237 Telephone Number 941.955.8121 Rabbi Michael Werbow………………………………..……………..Rabbi Fax Number 941.365.4099 Hazzan Diane Nathanson…………………….....……Hazzan Emerita After Hours Emergency Number Nancy Hendricks………………………………...……..Business Director 941.548.7925 David Chaifetz………………………………...………….………...President Sheryl Glickman....……………………..….....…Sisterhood President OFFICE HOURS Lauren Rudd…………………………………...……Men’s Club President Monday, TBS Office is closed Lex Calaguas….....Marketing & Communications Coordinator Tuesday - Thursday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Phyllis Weitzner…………………..……………Messenger Coordinator Friday, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Page 2 President's Message As we have been doing almost every Saturday morning since the beginning of my term as President of Regarding future programming, I As a reminder, tickets for the TBS TBS, Edith and I attended services want to call your attention to the Concert at the Opera House yesterday at the Temple. It was an Scholar-in-Residence program that featuring Cantor Azi Schwartz will inspiring experience. In the summer TBS will be sponsoring on the week- be on sale to TBS members when our attendance is down somewhat end of November 8-10. You may say you receive this issue of the from what it is during the “season,” it’s a little early to be thinking about Messenger. TBS members are but it is very respectable. I would November, but I want you to put getting the first opportunity to buy guess there were between 80 and this one on your calendar now. Our tickets, but ticket sales will be open 100 people in the chapel. Almost all Scholar will be Dr. Kenneth Stein, to public purchase in early of them stayed after the service for a professor of contemporary Middle September. So do not procrastinate. delicious Kiddish. Eastern history, political science, Call the Opera House Box Office at and Israeli studies at Emory (941)328-1300, buy on line at Those who come on Shabbat University. Ken has taught at www.sarasotaopera.org, or visit the morning, just as those who attend Emory since 1977. He is the Opera House Box Office in person. the morning minyan every day, and Founding Director of the Emory those who attend Friday evening Institute for the Study of Modern Finally, as a reminder, please Shabbat services are like a family. Israel. He will speak at Friday night remember to send in a generous When someone is not there, they are Shabbat services, Saturday morning contribution to our Kol Nidre missed and people get concerned and during the service, after the Kiddish fundraising appeal. As you know, wonder if they are OK. Our at the schmooze, and on Sunday this is our largest fundraising community cares and looks out for morning in conjunction with the campaign and our balanced annual each other. Men’s Club breakfast. More details budget depends heavily on its will follow in coming months on the success. It would be wonderful to The service was very spiritual and topics to be covered. have 100 percent participation in musical. Every week, people come this effort. over to tell me how wonderful our Our Continuing Education team led services are and how they enjoy by Al Treidel, Rabbi Ed Weinsberg, I look forward to seeing you at the being part of the Temple Beth Eric Faerber, and their committees Temple soon. Sholom community. Occasionally, we are putting together an exceptional get a special treat as we did this array of programming for the David Chaifetz week with a musical duet sung by coming year that will enhance our Cantor Neil and Saranee Newman. knowledge of many Jewish subjects We also took the opportunity this and will entertain us with Klezmer week to say goodbye to Cantor and Israeli music as well. Keep an Aaron and Shoshana Marcus who eye out for the program schedule. are leaving Sarasota and moving to Maryland to be closer to their family. You may recall that Cantor Marcus was wonderful in leading our High Holiday services last year. We wish them well as they start the next chapter of their life experience. Page 3 ANNOUNCEMENTS From the TBS Office Mazel Tov! Are you ready for the High Holidays? Lewis & Irma Amsel became the proud High Holiday Packets for members have grandparents of been mailed. Keep an eye out in your mail Molly Rose Amsel, for the envelope from TBS. daughter of Jeffery Amsel & Jenny Cizner Amsel, on Your High Holiday Tickets are enclosed. Everything you need to know for the July 9. holidays along with a schedule and a ticket for each adult member. Coffee Bar Rosh Hashanah Day 1 & Day 2 We will again have FREE Valet Parking The TBS Governance Committee is looking Rosh Hashanah Day 1 & Day 2 for candidates to be elected to the Kol Nidre congregation’s Board of Directors at the Yom Kippur annual Election Meeting on December 15th. Child Care & Youth Programming Anyone interested in contributing their time September 30th: 9 am—1 pm and energy to manage the congregation’s October 1st: 9 am—1 pm business and help TBS to continue to grow is October 9th: 9 am—2 pm encouraged to apply using the form available for submission on our website homepage or in *Parents, please register your child or the office.