Temple Adath Israel Bulletin
December 2019 January 2020 Kislev/Tevet/Shevat 5880
FROM THE about sacred space, use of resources exercise. Expecting that we will and what we leave behind? To some somehow be better, perform better or RABBI’S STUDY degree the story is reminiscent of how do better is wishful thinking. There is the Prophet Elisha feeds the masses nothing wrong in wishing or praying David with loaves and fishes that could only for a miracle. What is wrong is to serve a few. The lesson seems to be mistake hoping for a miracle with Wirtschafter that the question before us is not one of making a plan. Moreover, it is resources but of faith. If God sees that irresponsible to rely on a miracle when our needs are legitimate and our people are counting on us to meet our intentions are good, then what seems obligations. insufficient will suffice. The issue is The miracle of the cruse of oil not scarcity of material but our teaches us that people are relying on What Hanukkah readiness to believe in miracles. what we leave behind. What story If only it were so. Rather, it seems would there be if those who fled the teaches about making that people prefer to rely on miracles Temple had not secreted away any oil things happen than to formulate plans. For better or at all? Someone had the composure worse, real life is not like the Torah or and foresight to think about what the According to the Talmud, when the Talmud. Coaches, instructors, teachers, redeemers of the Temple might need Maccabees reclaimed the Temple in mentors and friends impart different one day. Someone had to have faith Jerusalem, they found a cruse of oil articulations of the following lesson: that despite the military unlikelihood thought to contain only enough fluid to The best we can expect at game time, of it, the Temple would be ours again, burn for one day, but miraculously it performance time or test time is that and oil would be needed. Faith is not a lasted for eight. The tale is intriguing what we do then will be as good as our on so many levels. What does it teach best practice, rehearsal or preparation See RABBI, Page 2
What makes these menorahs special? Find out on Page 4
TAI Hanukkah Carnival Noon Sunday, Dec. 15 in the Social Hall Games! Prizes! Pizza! Latkes! Presented by Social Action Committee
Board of Directors for the 2020 21 fiscal year. Submit your FROM THE suggestions for the three openings to Jonathan Miller, past president, by Jan. 1, along with any questions about board PRESIDENT’S DESK service or the nominating process ([email protected]). * January Town Hall Meetings: Planning for the Future. Deborah Nelson Please come share your thoughts about TAI’s future and hear about changes under consideration for the temple building and bylaws. Meetings are planned for 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan.19, and noon Sunday, Jan. 26, at TAI. In preparation for our discussions about the building, I will be Planning for our future forming a building renovation task force to solicit ideas and share proposals with the congregation. The task force will It’s been a tremendously busy fall at the temple, bringing include current building committee members and other us annual favorites such as the great Lexington Jewish interested congregants with relevant experience. Please let Food Festival and new celebrations such as the community me know by Dec. 15 if you are interested in joining the task repair of our Turnov Torah scroll and the hosting of force ([email protected]). celebrity (but, oh, so hamish) chef Sara Bradley at Top I hope the end of this month finds you gathered around Nosh. Jewish life surges on weekly through events too the menorah with reflected light on the faces of your loved numerous to mention (see the Wednesday emails). Our ones. Before then, I hope you find time to share some building is getting a workout! holiday joy with us by eating latkes and savoring chaos at As the natural world around us is entering a dormant the Hanukkah carnival (Dec. 15), and gathering around our winter, we at Temple Adath Israel will begin planning for own Sabbath candles on Dec. 6 (pre Shabbat cocktail hour) continued growth and the fresh energy of spring: or Dec. 13 (Shabbat meal and Family Service). * It is time to begin the process of nominating members Happy Hanukkah to All! of our congregation to serve the temple as leaders on the Deb
expected us to do the same for those to generations, faced with the challenges of RABBI come. We cannot justify leaving only managing congregations, communities Continued from Page 1 enough breathable air and drinkable and indeed the world itself, will receive water to last a few years because we are little comfort from the knowledge that license to forgo responsibility to the counting on science and technology to we fervently prayed for a miracle. What future. Faith requires the commitment to make it last for centuries. “Maybe they is required of us is to take the difficult a better future even in the face of present will find solutions we cannot even measures and make the necessary circumstances and demands. imagine” is not a plan; it’s a cop out. sacrifices for our descendants to have an We cannot relegate the responsibility The story about the cruse of oil still has existence as good as, if not better than, of leaving a sustainable congregation, the power to inspire. Finding something ours. The Maccabees did not rely on a community, nation or planet to hopes useful amidst disaster is a theme worth miracle to save them. Through and prayers. Leaving behind insufficient employing to rekindle our efforts when remarkable efforts they achieved a result resources and utter messes for future morale is low. But the only practical way we call miraculous. generations is to break faith with those to leave enough oil for eight days is to Happy Hanukkah! who provided for us and rightfully provide enough oil for eight days. Future Rabbi David
First Saturday (or not) Film Series 6 p.m. dinner (pizza provided; bring salad or dessert to share, plus beer/wine), followed by screening and discussion with Professor Randall Roorda
Beth and Scott Schumacher have become grandparents two times over. Son Ben and his wife, Regina, welcomed a son, Aden Matthew Robert Schumacher, on July 6. On Nov. 3, Jessica Schumacher Holter and her husband, Justen, welcomed son Asher Scott Ryan Holter. Ben and Jessica, who grew up at TAI, both live in East Nashville, Tenn., just a few miles from each other. December 7 February 1 Volume 87, Issue 3 Page 2
FROM TAI FROM THE PRESCHOOL RELIGIOUS
Katherine Henry, SCHOOL Director Kristen Hoffman, Director
Greetings from the Preschool! November was another Jewish learning as a group. We have many fun things planned for December. busy month at Religious In December, our monthly We will be reading all of our favorite nursery rhymes, School. Thanks to all of our Tot Shabbat and Family talking about winter fun and celebrating Hanukkah. families who contributed to Service will be on the 13th. For our annual Hanukkah party with our families, the our Thanksgiving food drive; The first/second grade class children will make their parents a Ashland Elementary’s and Junior Choir will be special present that we will give them on our last day Family Resource Center was participating. Dinner will be of school before winter break. We will sing songs, able to give 10 families a at 6 p.m., with services at 7. play dreidel, and eat applesauce and latkes. Thanksgiving basket that Tot Shabbat will start at 5:30. We will come back to school in January and be included a turkey and side Please RSVP on Facebook or ready to start the second half of our school year. We dishes. This year, we also to [email protected]. will keep our fingers crossed for a mild winter and included some simple holiday The same weekend, our many fun days of playing and learning together at TAI! games and crafts for the kids, ISJL fellow, Ava Gadon, will See you in 2020! which was a great addition. be visiting Lexington and TAI students worked together participating in services and to donate the food and to Religious School. Please join assemble the baskets. us to learn more about the On Nov. 17, TAI students amazing organization that joined with their peers at creates and supports our Ohavay Zion Synagogue for curriculum. the annual Global Day of And finally, we are looking Jewish Learning. Our forward to joining in the fun students in pre K through at the Social Action fifth grades worked together Committee’s annual on curriculum developed by Hanukkah Carnival on Dec. the Goldring/Woldenberg 15 after Religious School. Institute of Southern Jewish Religious School will be on Life, while our middle and winter break Dec. 22 Jan. 5, high school students joined returning on Jan. 12, with our the communitywide program next Tot Shabbat and Family and then their peer groups for Service on Jan. 24. age appropriate discussions. Thank you so much for all It was great to spend this of your support! Please feel In November, Fayette County Deputy Sheriff Cunningham collaborative time with our free to get in touch about any was a special guest reader for story time. He also brought the OZS peers, forming Religious School questions or children badges and coloring books. friendships and enjoying feedback.
Friday, Dec. 13 and Jan. 24
Tot Shabbat, 5:30 p.m. Dinner at 6 Family Service at 7
For dinner, please RSVP to the Temple office (269-2979 or [email protected])
Volume 87, Issue 3 Page 3
Memorable menorahs We asked congregants to share their favorite menorahs and tell us what makes them special. Here are some of their prized hanukkiahs:
My granddaughter, Addison, made the menorah above, so it is very special to us. My The silver mom made me the menorah, menorah at left 20 years above, was ago. — Debbie Masters used by my From the front page: My family as I was grandpa made this menorah for growing up; my mom and my aunt when my mom gave they were little. I always light it it to me when my daughter Sylvia was on nights one and eight to born. The ceramic menorah was celebrate my family history and made by my first grandchild (Adam bring back great memories. Suhl) when he was little! — Jan Cerel — Rich Ornstein
This menorah was a wedding present when Trevor and I got married; it’ll be 25 years in May. — Laura Creamer
What makes this menorah so special to me is I purchased it Our menorah was a gift from my a few weeks ago during my first parents when we moved into our first visit to Israel. I wanted to bring house. This was one of the first pieces home a meaningful piece of of true art that we had. We use it Judaica and could not think during Hanukkah, then it goes back of anything better than a on display. — Elissa Weinstein menorah. Now, every year when I light my candles I will From the front page: This remember my visit to Israel. — Dan Liebman menorah was a wedding present from my sister-in-law, Irene, and her sister, Eva, z”l. — Eve Podet
This was my parents’ hanukkiah. We used it every year in Columbus, Ohio, and continue to use it here in My young daughter decided that we I love these two large menorahs. My mother Kentucky with our family. It has a needed a different kind of menorah. gave them to us for Hanukkah when we first got music box in the bottom that plays — Marty Solomon our home. — Kae Schennberg “Rock of Ages.” — Betty Nigoff
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