Shofar Iyar - Tammuz 5778 • May/June 2018 In this issue...you can click on the Rabbi’s Message page you would like to read first. Acts of Tzedakah ....................................... 33 Israel @ 70 – A Dream in Progress Calendar .............................................34-35 Cantor ........................................................ 3 “When God returns the exiles to Zion, we will be like Community ............................................... 16 dreamers.” – Psalm 126 Confirmation ............................................ 11 The State of Israel is the fulfillment of a dream. As we sing in Congregational Meeting .............................9 “Hatikvah,” the modern return to Zion was a hope — a dream of 2,000 years! Cultural Arts .........................................17-18 Today, on Israel’s 70th birthday, it still seems like a miracle that a people could renew its national life after 2,000 years of living among the nations of Dinner Dance Recap ................................6-8 the world — an existence that was precarious and tenuous, and frequently Education Directors .................................. 10 disastrous. Jewish LIFE ............................................... 15 Continued on page 4 Legacy Circle ............................................. 14 Lifecycle (TBE Family News) ...................... 26 President’s Message ...................................5 Shavuot Rabbi’s Message..................................... 1, 4 Community Evening of Study and Discussion Renaissance ............................................. 21 Saturday, May 19, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Sholom (see page 2) Shavuot Recipes ....................................... 19 Sisterhood ...........................................22-23 Multigenerational Shavuot Experience Social Action (IHN) ................................... 25 Shavuot Service and Yizkor Sunday, May 20, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. TBE at the 4-H Fair .................................... 28 (see page 2) Welcome to the World ............................. 27 Worship Schedule ......................................2 Ceremony of Confirmation Yahrzeits ..............................................30-32 Friday, June 1, 7:00 p.m. Youth at TBE ........................................12-13 (see page 11) Youth Person of Honor ............................. 11 Volunteer Reception Monday, June 11, 7:15 p.m. Followed by congregational meeting at 8:00 p.m. (see page 9) Temple Beth-El • 67 US Highway 206 • Hillsborough, NJ 08844 • (908) 722-0674 • www.ourbethel.org Click here to return to Page 1 Worship Schedule MAY Friday, May 4 Saturday, May 12 Sunday, May 20 6:30 p.m. Israel Shabbat Pot-luck Dinner Parashat B’har - B’chukotai, Leviticus 25:1-26:2 / 26:3-27:34 Shavuot 8:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service Celebrating Israel 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Minyan Service and Torah Study 9:00 a.m. Multigenerational Yom Tov Shavuot Experience with Choir and the Tefillah Band with Yizkor and End of Year School Celebration Sunday, May 13 Saturday, May 5 Yom Yerushalayim Friday, May 25 Parashat Emor, Leviticus 21:1−24:23 8:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service and Torah Study with Friday, May 18 Bat Mitzvah of Allison Fischer 8:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service with NFTY Saturday, May 26 Parashat Naso, Numbers 4:21−7:89 Friday, May 11 Saturday, May 19 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Minyan Service and Torah Study 7:00 p.m. Family Shabbat Service with Yad Chazakah and Parashat B’midbar, Numbers 1:1−4:20 the Youth Person of Honor, Mitchell Friedman 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service and Torah Study with Bat Mitzvah of Amanda Brody Erev Shavuot 7:30 p.m. Community Shavuot Service, Study and Discussion at Temple Sholom, Bridgewater JUNE Friday, June 1 Saturday, June 9 Friday, June 22 7:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service with the Ceremony of Parashat Sh’lach L’cha, Numbers 13:1−15:41 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service Confirmation 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service and Torah Study with Bar Mitzvah of Aidan Torres Saturday, June 23 Saturday, June 2 Parashat Chukat, Numbers 19:1−22:1 Parashat B’haalot’cha, Numbers 8:1−12:16 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service and Torah Study with Friday, June 15 Friday, June 29 Bat Mitzvah of Rachel Geller 8:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service with Installation of 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service Officers and Trustees Friday, June 8 Saturday, June 30 8:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service Saturday, June 16 Parashat Balak, Numbers 22:2−25:9 Parashat Korach, Numbers 16:1−18:32 10:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service and Torah Study with Bat Mitzvah of Sofia Morales JULY Friday, July 6 Friday, July 20 Friday July 27 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service Friday, July 13 Sunday, July 22 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service Tisha B’Av AUGUST Friday, August 3 Saturday, August 11 Friday, August 24 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service Rosh Chodesh Elul 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Under the Stars, Dinner and Service at the JCC Friday, August 10 Friday, August 17 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service Friday, August 31 8:00 p.m. Summer Shabbat Service Torah Portions Shofar Submissions and Deadline You can read a Weekly Torah The next issue of the Shofar will be In the subject line, please use the following Commentary by visiting the Union of Sept.-Oct. 2018. PLEASE NOTE: The deadline naming convention: Shofar Month/Shofar/ Reform Judaism’s web page: for submissions is August 15. Committee Name or Professional Staff Name. www.reformjudaism.org/learning/ Submit articles via email to: Temple Calendar Webpage torah-study [email protected]. http://www.ourbethel.org/luach-beth-el Temple Beth-El Shofar 2 Iyar - Tammuz 5778 Click here to return to Page 1 A Note From Our Cantor by Emily Wigod Pincus Yad Chazakah — Thanks to our Torah Readers We are happy to announce that the fifth round of Foundation, which was established beautiful yadot will be presented from our Yad Chazakah by their children, Larry and Len program during Shabbat services Friday, May 11 at 7:00 Epstein. For the past several years, p.m. we have been most privileged to have Yad Chazakah started in September 2012, and has been Larry Epstein as tutor to our b’nei mitzvah wildly successful in revitalizing the practice of chanting students, and we thank him for having made this possible! Torah in our congregation. Anyone who has chanted three Contributions to the fund in honor of special occasions times beyond bar/bat mitzvah will receive a special yad such as a celebration of b’nei mitzvah, observance of to commemorate this achievement. The award was made yahrzeits, or other life cycle or educational events are possible through a grant from the Sam and Beatrice Epstein always gratefully accepted. Todah Rabah to the 59 adults and students post b’nei mitzvah who have chanted or who will chant Torah this year. Grace Amodeo Max Cooper Norah Holler Marissa Osofsky Hillary Angeline Jordan Curau Hannah Hopson Katrina Papierman Joey Angeline June Curau Leslie Kass Kristen Rodrigues Lauren Angeline Karen Donohue Jim Lavranchuk Marcy Rosenfeld Joy Auerbach Michelle Engler Josh Lavroff Talia Rubin Jared Bendavid Allison Fisher Jay Lavroff Alex Russo Rachel Berger Sarah Friedman Adam Leach Vicki Schwartz Jude Bergman Shayna Friedman Ariel Lerner Dhani Skole Beth Borrus Jonathan Funaro Harold Levin Justine Smith Derek Boxer Rachel Geller Ed Malberg Sam Stark Alec Brandman Abigail Goldman Matthew McCloskey Yael Tuckman Allison Brenner Matthew Goralnick Samantha Morales Aidan Torres Amanda Brody Chelsea Harris Sarah Morales Cory White Kyle Cartmell Arielle Heimberg Sofia Morales Ella Wolkofsky Nate Cohen Julie Hirsch Robin Osman CELEBRATE SHAVUOT Community Tikkun Liel Shavuot Yom Tov Shavuot An Evening of Study and Discussion A Multigenerational Shavuot Experience Ruth or Ruthless? — The “Stranger” in Jewish Life Sunday, May 20 Saturday, May 19 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at TBE 7:30 p.m. at Temple Sholom, Bridgewater 9:15 – 10:00 a.m. Parallel Sessions Students Adults learning and projects Spiritual reflections on gratitude in class and remembrance (Yizkor) In the sanctuary 10:00 a.m. All Gather in the Sanctuary Joyful song • pre-summer food drive • ice cream truck, and more! Temple Beth-El Shofar 3 Iyar - Tammuz 5778 Click here to return to Page 1 Rabbi’s Message, continued from page 1 The founding of the State of Israel was an extraordinary thousands of ultra­Orthodox men receive draft exemptions turn of history — a new lease on life for a people to study Torah, while others put their lives on the line to decimated by the Shoah. A bleak outlook for our future defend them and their country — a fact that is a source became one filled with promise, albeit amidst continued of outrage to a majority of Israel’s Jewish citizens. As if all great uncertainty. The early years were marked by an exis­ this weren’t enough, both the Arab and the ultra­Orthodox tential struggle with hostile neighbors who were numerous populations rank prominently among the poorest of Israel’s and better armed, and of the challenge to create the citizens, with all the complications that brings. human and physical infrastructure to sustain, govern, After decades of humanitarian leadership around the and manage a diverse population, most of whom arrived world, including always being among the first to send just as the state was born, or shortly thereafter. Most of advanced medical and relief teams to sites of natural these immigrants were either survivors of the Holocaust disasters like Haiti and Turkey, the government of Israel or refugees from Arab lands that, with the founding of the has hardened its heart to 40,000 asylum seekers from Jewish State, had suddenly turned hostile to Jews. Africa, claiming that they are illegal immigrants and Today, one has to marvel at what has been accomplished opportunists who should be deported. A significant in just 70 years. The physical reality of Israel is that of proportion of Israelis, many of whom are Holocaust an impressive modern nation with economic and military survivors who cannot accept the idea that the Jewish strength and world­class cities.