BETH SHOLOM SYNAGOGUE Kol SHOLOM Issue II - Winter • December 2020 - February 2021 • Hanukkah 5781
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BETH SHOLOM SYNAGOGUE Kol SHOLOM Issue II - Winter • December 2020 - February 2021 • Hanukkah 5781 RENOVATION CAMPAIGN AN UPDATE ON REBUILDING OUR SYNAGOGUE A TRUE PARNAS AN INVALUABLE MINYANNAIRE IN A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY 1 In This Issue FEATURED ARTICLES 18 Gearing Up For 2021 Membership, online renewal and more 4 Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich 19 Kosher Food Bank Rabbi 6 Cantor Eric Moses Margaret Lindzon & Michelle Berman Aaron Flanzraich [email protected] 8 President 20 Upcoming Minyan Programs Abe Glowinsky Cantor Eric Moses 10 Executive Director [email protected] Stephanie Krasman LIFESTYLE Executive Director Stephanie Krasman 14 Programs & Education 8 Special Olympics Ontario’s [email protected] Alexa Abergel 2020 President’s Award Director of Programs & Education Evan Krofchick Alexa Rubin Abergel [email protected] 12 From Minyan to Hanukkah SHOLOM KIDS David Krieger Accounting Manager Tatjana Kacina 14 SholomKids Snapshots 13 A True Parnas: Jeff Green [email protected] featuring a write-up from Fargana Sarmasova 21 Donations Marketing, Communications & 15 Hanukkah Events Manager 22 Beth Sholom Community Deborah Bhonkar Dates and Programs [email protected] 15 Upcoming Programs 23 Family News Accounting Analyst Athena Kay 16 Bar and Bat Mitzvah Resources [email protected] 17 Tu B’Shevat & Purim Membership Engagement & High Dates and more! Holy Day Coordinator Victoria Mesihayev [email protected] Program & Education Coordinator CHESED & COMMITTEES Fargana Sarmasova [email protected] 11 THANK YOU! Ritual & Bookings Coordinator 12 One More Candle Vered Yalinewitz [email protected] Office Administrator Marnie Packman [email protected] Facilities Manager Jorge Hernandez [email protected] In-House Caterer Elizabeth Nawracaj [email protected] 2 3 RABBI AARON FLANZRAICH “Judaism is a tradition, built on community.” A quiet secret lies in the heart of the Egypt – he wondered aloud if any of them of worship,” but a “house of gathering.” Jewish calendar - it may not be Jew-ish in knew when it was dedicated? its roots. A (very!) brief history lesson will No one knew. Because I believe that human nature is help: in the mid-900’s BCE (almost 3000 immutable when the time comes and we years ago) King Solomon builds a Temple By the way, if you’re looking for points in take off our masks, we will rush into each in Jerusalem which today is known as Biblical Trivial Pursuit or a good ice breaker other’s arms. I believe community is not the 1st Temple. It is destroyed 400 years – the answer is the month of Nissan. only a deep existential need but a practical later by the Assyrian/Babylonian Empire one. Beth Sholom is a foundation in the resulting in a mass exodus of Jews out of Then he asked if anyone knew when Jewish lives of the many, many young the Land of Israel and into the Babylonian Solomon completed the First Temple? A Jewish families in our area who rely on us Empire. 70 years later it is rebuilt but only really important structure in Jewish history for childcare, family education and Jewish a small fraction of the exiled Jews return. – our love for the Western Wall is found celebrations. Our campaign to re-build our This rebuilding undergoes subsequent because this is the sole remaining piece of beloved Shul is in the greatest of Jewish improvements and revisions and is known that building. traditions, it is the power to re-dedicate to us as the 2nd Temple. It is destroyed by ourselves to the very strength that brought the Roman Empire in circa 73 CE (2000 Yet, when he asked the question not one us to where we are. years ago). person knew. For the record - it was completed on Sukkot. I hope you will take some time in the The exile of the Jews to Babylon had a coming days, when we are very much profound lasting impact but for the But when Rabbi Riemer asked when indoors and with the quiet of winter upon purposes of our conversation let’s just look was the Temple cleaned out and then us, to talk amongst yourselves to make a at one item, our calendar. In the Torah re-dedicated? To a person everyone knew gift to Beth Sholom. nearly all the months have no names that it was Hanukah. with perhaps the exception of one – the Everyone knew. Doing so will be a lasting lesson to your month of Pesach. Thereafter the months children of what mattered most to you in a are known by numbers…the months are Because as important as dedication is, it moment when so much seemed lost. numbered two, three and so on. It is only is nothing compared to re-dedication. in Babylon where the calendar of the Jews As important as building is, it is nothing Chag Orot Sameach! finds names for each of their months by compared to re-building. The strength to taking the names the Babylonians used start something is nothing compared to Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich • for their calendar. The month I am writing the energy to renew what is already there. this to you is the month of Marcheshvan, Why? Because so many would think once known traditionally as a ‘bitter month’ done we should turn to other things. Or, because there are no celebrations all 29 what is there is good enough. But every days of it, but mostly because this month generation is commanded - as Hannukah is the gatekeeper to the start of winter. teaches us – to re-dedicate what has come Which is something we know about, right? before us in order to make it ours. Winter time finds us with cold days, with us living inside more than outside. Winter With this in mind, I wish to report our finds us with short days and long evenings. B’koach renovation campaign is, thank G-d, alive and very well. Despite the It is in the very heart of this moment we shutdowns the pandemic has wrought celebrate Hannukah. At the peak moment our committee work continues, plans are of darkness our faith asks us to bring light before the city permit authorities, and to the world. pledges and donations are being fulfilled and committed. A colleague of mine, Rabbi Jack Riemer, wrote years ago of a conversation he had Because “this” will end and when it does we with his congregation. He asked them if must be ready. Judaism is a tradition, built there was anyone who knew when the on community. Some important prayers, Mishkan – the portable tabernacle the Jews including the kaddish can be said only worshiped in as they wandered through when at least ten people are present. In the Sinai desert after being liberated from Hebrew, a synagogue is called not a “house 4 5 CANTOR ERIC MOSES THE PURSUIT FOR KNOWLEDGE I was born on Rosh Hashana – October career as a Hazzan, although it is still on 1, 1970, which corresponded to the 1st my bucket list to become a CFA (Chartered As I see it, the goal of obtaining “smicha” is of Tishrei, 5731. In the middle of dinner Financial Analyst). symbolic of a lifetime devoted to learning. on Erev Rosh Hashana, my mother was It is just the beginning, as I will always rushed to the hospital, and I was born Earlier this year, I strive to reach new several hours later at approximately 3 wrote about my heights. In so doing, am. On hearing the news, my Mexican experience in Poland one diploma doesn’t grandmother proclaimed that I would last January, where eradicate the need to become a Rabbi. Fifty years later, who I attended the pursue another. Just would have ever guessed that she was 75th anniversary like a doctor can’t be almost correct in her prediction! of the liberation of a specialist in every Auschwitz. On that area of medicine, When I was a child, my dream was to trip, I visited the the same goes become a doctor. Although famous Yeshivat for the rabbinate, I loved playing with my Chachmei Lublin for the third time. It is where there are so many different areas to doctor’s kit, which included there that Rav Meir Shapira established concentrate your studies. the amazing instruments the Daf Yomi study program in 1923 and that doctors use, I soon the opening of the Yeshiva in 1930 with As the pandemic drags on through the discovered that I could not ten thousand people dark days of winter, what will you do to stand the sight of blood. I “...my dream from around Poland and further your own pursuits for knowledge grew up in a home where the abroad in attendance. and seize this unique opportunity? In pursuit of knowledge was an was to become The Daf Yomi (page of the words of our sages, Rabbi Hillel says: important discipline. It did the day) program unifies “Do not say ‘When I am free, I will study,’ not have to be formalized a doctor.” Jews in a daily regimen for perhaps you will not education, but it had to lead of learning the same become free.” (Pirkei Avot to a successful goal. For daf each day in all parts 2:6). As a kid who grew instance, my mother was of the world. It takes up in Sudbury (not exactly my music teacher. I never outgrew this approximately a hotbed of Jewish life), I for a formalized program because none seven and a half always felt there was too was better. She would teach me, and years to complete “...When I am free, I much to learn and more every year I would take my next Royal the entire cycle questions in my mind Conservatory of Music exam.