Beth El Bulletin
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Beth El Bulletin November 2018 Beth El Hebrew Congregation Heshvan/Kislev 5779 Worship Services Friday, November 2 Voter Erev Shabbat Service 7:30 pm Saturday, November 3 Shabbat Morning Service 10:30 am Hanukkah starts on Dec. 2 this year!! The WRJ Gift Shop Hanukkah boutique will be Tot Shabbat on Sunday, Nov. 18 from 9:30 am to 1:30 11 am pm in the foyer of Beth El. We will take Friday, November 9 over the lobby with tables galore of Erev Shabbat Service dreidels, Hanukkah candles and meno- 7:30 pm rahs, games, toys, crafts for kids, and deco- Saturday, November 10 rations to make your Hanukkah celebra- Shabbat Morning Service tion last for eight crazy nights!! Having a 10:30 am party? Stop by and pick up your paper Friday, November 16 goods and wrapping paper, as well as fun Erev Shabbat Service Hanukkah tableware. We will also be showcasing our newest Judaic jewelry that has 7:30 pm arrived in the shop. If you like a sale, we have a wonderful selection of jewelry that we have reduced by 50%. The whole family will enjoy shopping with us! Saturday, November 17 Shabbat Morning Service and Bat Mitzvah of Elizabeth Gans, daughter of Daniel and Laura Gans 10:30 am In this Issue Tot Shabbat Rabbi’s Remarks ............... 2 Congregational Kudos .... 8 Lifelong Learning/Adult 11 am Cantor’s Corner ................ 3 Beth El JCCNV 55+ Education ................... 16 Friday, November 23 President’s Point of View . 4 Events .......................... 9 Used Book Sale ............. 16 Erev Shabbat Service 7:30 pm ECLC News........................ 4 Special Hanukkah Chapel in the Woods .... 17 Saturday, November 24 Religious School Report ... 5 Shabbat Service ......... 10 Readers of Beth El ........ 17 Shabbat Morning Service Inclusion News ................. 5 Simply Mahj .................. 11 Beth El Archives ............ 18 10:30 am Brotherhood News........... 6 Beth El House ............... 11 Peter Pan Purim Spiel ... 19 Friday, November 30 Erev Shabbat Service WRJ Book Club ................. 6 Calendar .................. 12-13 Donations ..................... 20 7:30 pm WRJ News ........................ 7 Caring Community WRJ Social Action ............. 7 Committee ................. 14 ...and lots of tantalizing tidbits Member News ................. 8 ALIVE! ........................... 14 scattered throughout, B’nei Mitzvah ................... 8 Rabbinic Installation ..... 15 so don’t skip a page! Page 2 Rabbi’s Remarks Let Our Soul Stories Speak N EREV Rosh Hashanah, ing. I spoke of our inevitable mortality in the context of the we began with God’s first three keys to unlocking the High Holy Days: 1) Taking O question: “Where are responsibility for our ethical and moral failures; 2) the hope you?” Because the Bible is not only history but also desti- that, despite our failures we can make better choices and ny, because the Bible speaks to every generation including live better lives in the future; and, 3) as God was compas- ours, I posed the same question to us. “Where are you?” sionate to Abraham and as Rachel was compassionate to We respond to “Where are you?” with either our ego her unloved sister Leah, on the High Holy Days we call on story or our soul story. Ego story is our course of life, our God to be compassionate towards us. Then we call on each CV, a cogent chronicle of continuity confirming our com- other for compassion. And, hardest of all, we call on our- petency, clarity, and consistency. Our ego stories are what selves for self-compassion. we think they want to hear. They are real but not necessari- And then you all went home. I stepped off of this bima, ly true. and I went home. I watched a little football, but I also As we mature, we need our ego stories in order to de- thought hard about the past year. I searched for the places velop a sense of self and to navigate the world. But when in my life where I failed and where I needed to make teshu- we are mature, we understand that our stories that matter vah. I realized that I need to atone to you, our congrega- the most are not only those told from mountaintops with tion. I came to Beth El in my ego story as Rabbi David our faces turned toward the sun. The stories we tell while Spinrad, but I will never make it unless I am also in my walking through the valleys of shadow – our soul stories – soul story as “Dave.” How can I be your rabbi, how can I matter, too. encourage a community of authenticity, if I do not practice The psalmist confirmed the soul story’s value in the it myself? eyes of the Eternal when he affirmed God’s presence in Occasionally during “We Are LOVED” values conver- them: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shad- sations and certainly several times from this bima and in ow of death I will fear no evil for Thou art with me. Thy our bulletin, from my ego story I shared my five core val- rod and Thy staff comfort me. Thou preparest a table be- ues with you. The five “Rabbi David Spinrad” values I fore me in the presence of mine enemies.” Our tradition shared are: Living with accordance to Jewish wisdom and teaches that God is with us most of all when we are in our in the Jewish rhythm; pursuing secular and Jewish lifelong soul story. “Thy rod” is our protection. “Thy staff” gives us learning; service, the giving of myself; generosity, the giv- something upon which we lean. Both offer comfort. And, if ing of my resources; and justice as an antidote to the un- there were ever any doubt that God is a Jewish mother, in fairness of life. the presence of what we consider our enemies – the ene- I really do value Judaism, learning, service, generosity, mies of change and doubt, failure and fear, loss and shame and justice. But those values are only part of me, and they – God sets the table for us. “Sit down, sweetheart. What are not quite the essence of who I really am. I told you only you are going through is hard. And you have a long way to what I thought you wanted to hear, and what I thought I go until you get through it. I made chicken and your favor- wanted Beth El Hebrew Congregation to be. When I spoke ite potatoes.” and wrote about those values, I left out my soul story. For- Ego stories play their part, but let there be no doubt that give me. It is not easy to come in as the new guy. I am go- soul stories complete us. They crack us wide open, but the ing to be myself from here on out. cracks are where the light gets in. And where the light gets This past week, I did what we do when Jews miss the in, we are more beautiful. mark. I owned it. I went back. I tried to do better. And I Because this sacred community values the soul story come to you tonight. This week, I printed out the same beneath the ego story, at our Rosh Hashanah moment of worksheet I sent to everyone who has so far participated in meeting, I took my first steps with you down the path of a LOVED conversation. I did the exercise again. Only this the soul story. time, I just did it as “Dave.” I did it more from the soul and As I concluded my Erev Rosh Hashanah remarks, I less from ego. Like you, on the worksheet, I circled twenty spoke of the many “We Are LOVED” values conversa- personal values. Then I cut it all the way down to five val- tions, the “We Are Living Our Values Every Day” one-on- ues. And then I placed them in order of priority: Five. Four. one and small group conversations we have shared since I Three. Two. And one, the value I hold most dear. began in July. As you shared your values with me, in many At this point in my life, I value humor, accountability to cases you shared soul stories as well, and each time we sat self, resilience, fairness, and most of all, I value family. I together you confirmed that Beth El is a House of God. love my family. Even though my responsibilities to you On Rosh Hashanah morning, I shared a different teach- mean I cannot always be there for them, my family comes Beth El Bulletin Continued on page 21 Beth El Hebrew Congregation Page 3 Cantor’s Corner We Have the Power of our Vote AM FILLED with pride with the incredible work and • Specific groups within the congregation, such as home- determination of all those who have participated in our bound members and college students, had a committee I Beth El Civic Engagement Campaign, led by our in- assigned to them to support their unique voting needs. credibly hardworking and determined leadership team, Ja- • Raising awareness of this campaign via social media net Garber, Patrice Gotsch, and Dorrit Lowsen. and with heightened publicity around the congregation In my personal capacity, I have participated with numer- — including a large VOTE NOVEMBER 6 banner in ous campaigns in the past, but I found particular meaning front of the building — and also by discussing the cam- and purpose in working within this non-partisan framework, paign at every Friday night service, starting this past ensuring that this campaign is a unifying experience based summer. on the values of our Jewish prophetic tradition. We have • We partnered with the NAACP and The Poor People’s been led by one overarching non-partisan goal — to in- Campaign in creating numerous phone banks through- crease the number of voters in the 2018 midterm elections.