December 2017/January 2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TEMPLE B’NAI JESHURUN 5101 Grand Avenue Founded in 1873 Des Moines, Iowa 50312-2199 Tel: 515.274.4679 No. 2 December 2017/January 2018 Rabbi’s Message Last year at this time, in my Bulletin article, I cited the note resolve, we simply exile the exasperated question asked by an acquaintance, “Can musician playing it. anyone cite something good that happened in 2016?” No few people are asking the same thing about this past For the good of our communities year. On the world stage, 2017 has been a year that has and for the good of our nation, we seen 2016’s problems deepen and new ones arise. need to expand our tolerance and seek to understand those who BNAIJESHURUN We enter the season of “peace on earth and good do not agree with us. Only then WWW.TEMPLEBNAIJESHURUN.COM. will toward humankind” as it is often described by our can we have the necessary con- AT Christian friends with both seeming distant and even versations about how to address many of our commu- laughable concepts to expect. This year, the themes of nity, state, or national challenges, much less to achieve Chanukah seem more appropriate than usual: a holiday functional and effective solutions. WEBSITE of light amid the darkness, hope amid despair, courage at a time of fear, and standing up for one’s beliefs at a time May our doors be wide enough to admit those who OUR of persecution. 60,000 nationalists marched in Poland do not think as we think. ON recently, no few proclaiming anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim May our ears be open enough to listen to words sentiments and calling for pure blood. that we may not wish to hear. May our eyes see not only difference, Closer to home, too many people spend their days in but commonality. — WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLE DOWNLOAD May our hearts allow us to be compassionate harmonious echo-chambers shunning dissonance, only willing to hear agreeable opinions, while seeing and tolerant. FOR challenging ones as evil instead of simply different. May our minds put our wisdom to the work Tolerance and respect for difference often only extends of understanding. FACEBOOK to those within our echo-chambers. We’re willing to May we make our world a better place. ON tolerate hearing different notes as long as they maintain AVAILABLE Rabbi David Kaufman our desired harmony. And too often, staying with the musical analogy, rather than trying to help a dissonant NOW LIKE US IS Join us on December 24th! We’ve made reservations at Hibachi Grill BULLETIN & Supreme Buffet (1801 22nd Street In THE West Des Moines) for December 24 at 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP to the Temple Office ([email protected] or 515.274.4679 or Wendy Beckerman ([email protected]) if you plan on coming so we know how many to expect. Hope to see you there! WORSHIP SCHEDULE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22 FRIDAY, JANUARY 19 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 6:00 p.m. Family and Classic Shabbat 6:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service 6:00 p.m. Family and Classic Shabbat - Beit Sefer Shalom at Service 7:00 p.m. Sisterhood/Brotherhood 7:00 p.m. Shabbat Dinner and Potluck SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23 Game Night 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service SATURDAY, JANUARY 20 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study 5:30 p.m. Dinner at Hibachi SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 Grill & Supreme Buffet SUNDAY, JANUARY 21 2:00 p.m. Youth Group Board Meeting 4:00 p.m. Rabbi’s Symposia at 4:00 p.m. Hanukkah Happening FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29 515 Brewery Taproom 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8 6:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service FRIDAY, JANUARY 26 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 6:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30 6:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service SATURDAY, JANUARY 27 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study FRIDAY, JANUARY 5 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study 6:00 p.m. Talent Show 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 6:00 p.m. Family and Classic Shabbat FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 7:00 p.m. Shabbat Dinner and Potluck 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 6:00 p.m. Family and Classic Shabbat 6:00 p.m. Hanukkah Music SATURDAY, JANUARY 6 7:00 p.m. Shabbat Dinner and Potluck Shabbat Service 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 7:00 p.m. Sisterhood / Brotherhood 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Game Night 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16 FRIDAY, JANUARY 12 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Social 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service 6:00 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study SATURDAY, JANUARY 13 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17 9:00 a.m. Weekly Text Study 4:00 p.m. Youth Group to sponsor 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Service meal at Homeless 10:35 a.m. Rabbi’s Torah Study Youth Center It’s beginning to look a lot like Hanukkah! 2 President’s Comments Volunteering for Shabbat Myself, Vice President Gabrielle Callistein and our strategic planning consultants will be facilitating the Over the past several months, sessions. Your input will provide the insights needed to I’ve had the privilege of effectively create our strategic planning initiatives. meeting and visiting with many of you at our wine and The following three sessions will take place in the cheese receptions before Social Hall. Babysitting is available for the Sunday, Shabbat services and am December 10 Forum only. thrilled in getting to know you • Monday, December 4, at 7 PM on a first name basis. You may • Wednesday, December 6, at 10 AM have started to notice our Temple Board members • Sunday, December 10, at 5 PM volunteering as Shabbat greeters and announcers. This is just the first step in being more welcoming to all who Please RSVP to one of the sessions by contacting visit Temple. Erin Plank. If you require babysitting for the Sunday, December 10 Forum, please inform Erin. Erin can be Other ideas will start to take surface as well. When you reached at [email protected] or by enter the Social Hall, our greeters will be standing to calling 515-274-4679. greet you and ask you to fill out a name tag. For those visiting for the first time, a guest card will be filled out If you are unable to attend, you may forward your so we can gather basic information about who is visit- comments to myself ([email protected]) or to ing Temple. A table will also be placed where one can Gabrielle Callistein ([email protected]). find details about membership, basic information and complimentary copies of our Bulletin. I encourage you to participate and look forward to seeing you! I’m excited to extend an invitation to all of our congregants to volunteer as Shabbat greeters. A new B’Shalom, link on our website has been added for our congre- Alan Adato gants to sign-up. The link will direct you to SignUp.com, a website used by Temple to coordinate volunteer opportunities. This is just the first of many volunteer opportunities you will be seeing on our website. If you don’t have access to our website or are having difficulties in using the electronic sign up, please don’t hesitate to contact Erin Plank in the Temple office for assistance. RSVP To Attend One of Our Vision Forum’s in December Over the past several months, the Temple Board and I have been working on the beginning stages of our Iowa Trip to Israel strategic planning initiatives which gives us the The Temple community has been invited to join opportunity to evaluate how our Temple performs at Temple Judah of Cedar Rapids for an Iowa trip all levels. It is now a perfect time to receive your input to Israel. Rabbi Todd Thalblum of Temple Judah about Temple: what is working, what is not working and and Rabbi Kaufman plan to go on the trip which what are your dreams for the future. will take place June 9-18, 2018. The trip is designed to be an introductory trip to Israel, visiting the major I invite you to take part in one of three Temple sites. Please feel free to reach out to Rabbi Kaufman Vision Forum sessions taking place in the month of at [email protected] for more information.