WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TEMPLE BULLETIN Volume 99, Number 8 • August 1, 2012 My Most Profound Jewish Moment hat makes a profound Jewish moment? Were it not for my experiences at Camp Hess Kramer WWorking at camp I remember many discussions about and Gindling Hilltop Camp, I might not have recognized God; and I remember discussions with friends in college that moment as a Jewish moment. comparing religious values and traditions. I was never sure Camp defined my identity as a Jew. Judaism was infused about my own personal belief in God, however. Not until I into the deep connective moments I shared with other was teaching middle school. people. Celebrating together, singing together, impacting I was on a bus with my middle school students. It was others lives and having their lives impact mine. That my last year working with them, but they didn’t know that. moment at Yosemite brought it all together. That was the We were on a weeklong trip to northern California, and on epiphany. It was not an accident that it happened on a bus our way to Yosemite. I was sleep deprived, as were the other with children around chattering, similar to camp. It was a chaperones. It was an El Niño winter so we were expecting parallel experience I would not have recognized the same way to see some falls that had not had water in many years. The had I not participated in song sessions, lit Shabbat candles, kids were noisy and excited as we came around the bend and experienced Havdalah or closed my days for 17 summers by saw the magnificent valley of Yosemite—El Capitan jutting saying the sh’ma. My communal Jewish experiences informed out majestically in the foreground, and half dome in the that one personal, profound moment. background. With the blue sky, and rainbows formed by Rebecca Nudel the sun shining on the falls just perfectly, I no longer heard Longtime Temple staff member and congregant the kids chatter in the background. What I beheld literally took my breath away. In that moment, time stopped. In that moment I knew, there was no question, there was something out there—call it God or nature or the universe. This was no accident. This article is the first in the series “My Most Profound Jewish Moment” Save these dates BREAKING BREAD Teen Programming Outdoor AND BREAKING BARRIERS Info Session A Muslim-Jewish Iftar Break Fast ShabbatShabbat Joy • Shabbat Services Peace • Shabbat Light Fridays, till August 24 Thursday, August 9 Wednesday, August 29 Irmas Campus Westside JCC Irmas Campus 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Torah Portion Torah Online: www.wbtla.org Great Expectations V’Etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) arshat V’Etchanan tells the story of Moses as he begs one perfect job, partner, home or overflowing bank account. last time for God to let him enter the Holy Land (Moses After God tells Moses he already has more than enough, he wasP forbidden from entering the land of Israel as punishment commands him to ascend the top of a cliff, raise his eyes in all for disobeying God earlier in the Torah). After Moses’ plea, directions and take in everything that surrounds him. Then God responds: “rav lach.” Like so many Hebrew phrases, this Moses can see that he has already arrived, it’s just different term can be defined in two ways—either “it is too much for than he had envisioned. Summer allows us moments to stop you” or “there is so much for you.” Rabbi Shefa Gold believes and take stock of our lives. Before our busy schedules pick up God is telling Moses he has so much already. How often do again, take some time to look around and notice the Promised we need the same reminder? We already have enough; our Land that already surrounds you. blessings are in front of us and around us, but we are unable Rabbi Lindy Davidson to see them because of our narrow vision. It’s easy to be blind to the gifts in our lives when we have a preconceived idea of what our success must look like. Maybe it’s the Plugged In Share With Us his month, we are beginning a series of Bulletin Tcover stories on the topic “My most profound Jewish moment.” We are interested in learning more about our staff, clergy and congregants’ personal Jewish experiences. This includes yours. Do you have a story to share? Was there a pivotal moment in your life where Judaism became a defining part of your being? Please email us your story— we’d love to share it on our website or maybe even in the Bulletin. All ages and members welcome. Be sure to read this month’s cover story written by longtime congregant, camper, teacher and staff member Becca Nudel, where she describes her most profound Jewish moment. Email us your most profound Jewish moment at [email protected] 2 Tikkun Olam Save A Life ou can save a life in the span of a single day, this clinic Yone day. Far beyond brings help and hope to thousands. the walls of Cedars-Sinai Join our Wilshire Boulevard and UCLA, beyond the Temple Team at this year’s Care care and comfort of our Harbor Clinic. Whether you’re a physicians’ offices lie the nearly three million people in Los healthcare professional or not, we Angeles who lack access to healthcare. On September 30th we need you! In addition to medical will make a difference—we will save lives. and dental professionals, there Again this fall, nearly 10,000 of the most needy in our city are hundreds of volunteer opportunities to get everyone and will descend on the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena for the anyone involved, and to make a huge difference. Sign up, be Care Harbor Free Health Clinic. This year, Wilshire Boulevard a part of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Care Harbor Team, Temple is teaming up with Care Harbor to save lives. and save a life. The Care Harbor Clinic Rabbi M. Beaumont Shapiro provides free care on a massive scale—everything from dental fillings, cleanings and extractions to eye exams and prescription glasses; medical exams and procedures to Sign up by contacting Denise Magilnick at immunizations and screenings. In [email protected] or (424) 208-8930 TEMPLE CAMPUS IRMAS CAMPUS Adult Opportunities Art, Music, Movies, Books ow important is Jewish culture to our identity as The good news? More cultural programs are coming HJews? In a recent study, researchers discovered that to Wilshire Boulevard Temple this fall and winter. From participation in Jewish culture is more wide-spread than any lectures from the UCLA Nazarian Institute of Israel Studies other form of participation in Jewish life in the U.S. to an international Jewish film series; a world famous master For example, over 90% of Jews in the Bay Area attend Jewish storyteller and klezmer concert to a music of Leonard some form of Jewish cultural activity, with film, music and Cohen Shabbat service; a book club, classes and much lectures ranking highest on the list. In addition, a majority more. Please check our upcoming Experience Brochure for of them expressed interest in attending more Jewish cultural more information. There are many ways to be Jewish. Find programs—specifically, film, art exhibits and theater. something that speaks to you. Besides the 92nd Street Y in New York City which offers Susan Nanus dozens of Jewish cultural programs, did you know that there Director of Adult Programs are World Jewish Music Festivals in Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco? A Jewish Kultur Festival in Boca Raton, Florida? There is a Jewish Art Fest in Washington State, Jewish film festivals and klezmer festivals all over the country, as well as several Jewish orchestras, one of which recently played at the Visit our website, www.wbtla.org Kennedy Center. for upcoming events Brawerman Elementary School Brawerman Sports Day–Olympians All he colors, the banners, the anticipation, the excitement—it Twas all there as Brawerman Elementary School East and West students became Olympians for Sports Day 2012. Students from all grade levels united into Teams Haifa, Tel Aviv or Jerusalem and proudly marched to Gold Field in their brightly colored shirts to invoke this year’s words to compete by: honesty, poise, trust. Sports Day Chairs Mark Berman, Steve Green, Chareen Kossoff, Stacy Lifton and Patty Tarica led an incredible group of parent volunteers in carrying out the meticulous planning that went into this beloved Brawerman tradition. Events ranging from the Falafel Run (races on scooter boards in the gym), to the soccer relays, to the new Inflatable Race were fun-filled and fantastic. As students gathered in the Marcia Israel Chapel/Auditorium for an inspirational message from Coach Barry Schapira and closing ceremonies, more than one student proclaimed, “This is the best Sports Day yet!” Religious School Meet the Super Lemonade Brothers everal months ago, there for many years. Sean wanted to be sure that children like SSean Botansky, Religious School his friend Dylan would have new and entertaining things to do 3rd grader, stopped into my office and while they were bravely working at getting better. asked: “Can my friend Dylan and I On Big Sunday, Sean and Dylan were irresistible, running have a lemonade stand at Big Sunday?” around in their yellow capes and singing their anti-cancer Sean knew that our school played a song (Watch here: wbtla.org/enews/anchors/RS_bigsunday. large role in planning with the Temple’s mov). They helped to raise many hundreds of dollars, which we Tikkun Olam Committee for L.A.’s Big combined with funds from 1st and 2nd grade tzedakah from Sunday activities.