December 2015 Kislev / Tevet 5776 Issue Highlights From the Rabbi # Not In My Name Cantor’s Voice Hanukah Music President’s Message Hardships Bring Blessings into Focus B’nai Mitzvah Profile Salome Goldberg Save the Dates Friday, December 4 @6 pm Family Shabbat Dinner followed by Family Shabbat and Annual Campership Service @7 pm Sunday, December 6 @10 am Journey Through the Bible with Rabbi Rick Schechter "The Original Game of Thrones: David and Saul" The return of Shabbat in the Round (during Hanukkah) Thursday, December 10 @12 pm Lunch and Learn with the Rabbi A New Shabbat Experience at Temple Sinai Sunday December 13 @5.30 pm Friday, December 11 at 7:30 p.m. Hannukah Dinner and Party in the Social Hall Saturday, December 19 @10 am Celebrate the 6th night of Hanukkah and Shabbat! Tot Shabbat Bring your favorite menorah and candles for lighting. Latkes and sufganiyot served In This Issue General Information From Our Leaders Judaica Shop News - Page 14 # Not In My Name - Page 4 from the Rabbi The Scribe Publication Policy – Page 19 Hanukkah Music– Page 6 Morning Minyan Page 23 The Cantor’s Voice Hardships Bring Blessings into Focus - Page 7 Oneg Thank Yous, November-Page 26 The President's Message Flower Thank Yous, November-Page 25 Messages from the Sisterhood - WRJ - Page 9 Notes From Brotherhood - MRJ - Page 10 Calendar – Page 29 Features B’nai Mitzvah Profile Events & Flyers Salome Goldberg – Page 16 Hanukkah Dinner & Party - Page 8 What's Nu? - GTY Happenings - Page 17 Social Action Committee - Page 8 Announcements Family Night Shabbat Dinner Jan.. - Page 11 Caring Community Committee – Page 18 New Members - Page 19 Night before Christmas – Page 12 Donations – Page 21 Journey through the Condolences – Page 21 Bible with Rabbi – Page 13 Flower Fund – Page 26 SOVA Hanukkah Food Drive – Page 15 Birthdays - Page 26 Yahrzeit, November - Page 26 Senior Book Club – Page 20 Tot Shabbat – Page 22 Mommy, Daddy & Me - Page 24 Shabbat 150 – Page 27 Drum Circle – Page 28 December / January Torah Readings Parashah Haftarah December 4 – 5 Vayaishev Genesis 37:1−40:23 Amos 2:6-3:8 December 11 – 12 Mikeitz Genesis 41:1−44:17 Zechariah 4:1-7 December 18 – 19 Vayigash Genesis 44:18−47:27 Ezekiel 37:15-28 December 25 – 26 Va-y'chi Genesis 47:28–50:26 I Kings 2:1-12 January 1 – 2 Sh'mot Exodus 1:1−6:1 Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23 January 8 - 9 Va-eira Exodus 6:2−9:35 Ezekiel 28:25-29:21 Have Something for library hours The Freedman Library is open after services on Fridays from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday mornings when there is T o submit an article, flyer, or any Religious School. other material for The Scribe: T E M P L E S I N A I Everyone is encouraged to use 1) All submissions must be O F G L E N D A L E the library and check out a book. received no later than midnight on the deadline listed in the Announcements section of The Scribe. Submissions Advertisers are welcome as 1212. N. Pacific Avenue by email are preferred, but if you do sponsors of our newsletter. Ads not have email access a hard copy Glendale, CA 91202-1697 must be “camera ready” and fit (paper) will be accepted if received within the sizes below. Sizes shown by the Temple office no later than www.temple-sinai.net are for the outside border. All ads 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date listed Tel 818.246.8101 must be accompanied by payment in the Announcements section of The Scribe. Fax 818.246.9372 before they will run. The cost of ads listed is for three issues. Include a 2) The email must be addressed to phone number where you may be [email protected]. Please reached if there are questions. identify the article in the email Rabbi Rick Schechter Formats: pdf, tif, jpg, gif. subject line (i.e. Sisterhood, Brotherhood, etc., and no simply Cantor Steve Hummel Rates: Scribe Article). The article must have a title. President Donna Baar Business Card (horizontal only) 3) Be sure to include your name and 3 ½” W x 2” H………………$30 a phone number at which you may be Quarter Page reached if there is a question about the article. 3 ½” W x 5” H………………$65 4) Please note that the deadline is Half Page firm. Late articles cannot be accepted, 7 ½” W x 5 H as this would delay The Scribe being The Scribe is a monthly publication of received by our members. 3 ½” W x 10” H……………$100 TEMPLE SINAI OF GLENDALE 5) The editorial committee reviews Full Page the right to review, edit, and approve any and all material submitted for 7 ½” W x 10” H……………$175 Editorial Committee inclusion The Scribe. December 2015 The Scribe P a g e | 4 From Rabbi Rick Schechter # Not In My Name Levent Akbarut is a Muslim American whose I think all of us gathered that family is originally from Turkey. Two of his night immediately understood three sons are Marine officers in the United the pain and shame that States military. Levent is a member of the Levent and the Muslim Islamic Congregation of La Cañada. I have community feel about the known him for close to 10 years and deeply reprehensible, murderous actions of those who value his friendship. have twisted the teachings of Islam to fit their violent and oppressive ideology. Indeed, most This summer when I learned that Levent was Muslims mourn and condemn this senseless invited to speak at the annual Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, sponsored by violence, fanaticism, and taking of human life the Glendale Religious Leaders Association just as non-Muslims do. (of which we are both members), I Extremism is found in all religions, immediately replied that I would like Temple regrettably. Violent extremism is not limited Sinai to host the event. I thought it profoundly to Islam. Judaism has had its share of violent important to have a Muslim speaking from radicals and extremists. Just 20 years ago last our bimah as well as to invite the Muslim month, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin community of our area to our Jewish was murdered by a Jewish extremist who community—for warm embrace and considered Rabin a “traitor” for making peace friendship, along with Christian and other with the Palestinians. One year prior to that, a faith communities of the Glendale/Foothills Jewish radical walked into a mosque in area. Hebron, Israel, which is attached to the Jewish holy site of the Cave of the Patriarchs (where As it happened, the annual interfaith gathering occurred less than one week after the horrific Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah are purported to be buried), Paris terrorist attacks, which took the lives of and he gunned down 29 innocent Arabs at at least 130 people and injured over 350 prayer and wounded 125 others. others. As we got closer to the event, I wondered if and how Levent would address Most in the Jewish world were shocked and the tragedy in his remarks. He did not outraged—and condemned that horrific disappoint. His remarks were thoughtful, violence. moving, and eloquent. Speaking to the Obviously prerequisite for any religious ongoing ruthless violence perpetrated on community’s skillful response to violence and innocent civilians around the world by Islamic abuse in its midst are honesty, reflection, and extremists, Levent paused and said, “Not in actions to transform the situation. my name. Not in my name. Not in my name.” Continued December 2015 The Scribe P a g e | 5 From Rabbi Rick Schechter that somehow they can kill innocent people While in Turkey, President Barack Obama and that that is justified by religion. And to wisely said soon after the Paris attacks, “To some degree, that is something that has to the degree that anyone would equate the come from within the Muslim community terrible actions that took place in Paris with itself. And I think there have been times the views of Islam, those kinds of stereotypes where there has not been enough pushback are counterproductive. They’re wrong. They against extremism. There’s been pushback— will lead, I think, to greater recruitment into there are some who say, well, we don’t terrorist organizations over time if this believe in violence, but are not as willing to becomes somehow defined as a Muslim challenge some of the extremist thoughts or problem as opposed to a terrorist problem.” rationales for why Muslims feel oppressed. And I think those ideas have to be “Now, what is also true,” President Obama challenged.” Challenged and transformed. then said, “is that the most vicious terrorist organizations at the moment are ones that This month, as we enter the Jewish festival of claim to be speaking on behalf of true lights with Hanukkah—and Christmas for Muslims. And I do think that Muslims around Christians, Kwanzaa for African Americans, the world—religious leaders, political leaders, and Diwali, the festival of lights for Hindus, ordinary people—have to ask very serious Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists which occurred questions about how did these extremist last month—I pray that all people help light ideologies take root, even if it’s only affecting up this darkness of hatred, intolerance, and a very small fraction of the population. It is irrational fear of the other (xenophobia) with real and it is dangerous. And it has built up the illuminating glow of understanding and over time, and with social media it has now wisdom, justice and compassion, and human accelerated.” respect and dignity.