K olenu Our Voice THE BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF PENINSULA TEMPLE BETH EL “Hello – Goodbye1” Rabbi Dennis J. Eisner I remember the moment just So many of us will face the same emotional Iyar/Sivan/Tammuz like it was yesterday, but it was experience when we have to say goodbye to 5778 actually over 11 years ago. I was our beloved Rabbi Sara, and I know she will standing in the foyer of Wilshire feel the same as she says goodbye to dear May/June 2018 Boulevard Temple when a members of our congregation. I know that member whose daughters were when Rabbi Sara departs with her family to my bat mitzvah and confirmation Phoenix there will be great dissonance as we students and whose parents I wish her well in her new community and at Inside this Issue buried, broke into tears when she the same time contemplate PTBE without her 2 Construction heard I was leaving for San Mateo. compassion, her intellect, her voice, her sense Update We hugged and I promised her of humor, and her love. that we would stay in touch, which we have, 3 President's and that Rabbi David would be there to take At the very same time with great excitement Message & great care of her. All of these years later we and enthusiasm we will say hello to our new Schedule of Shabbat Services still miss each other but she is well taken care Assistant Rabbi Laura Rumpf. Rabbi Laura of by her new rabbis and I have found my 5 Shavuot & home here at PTBE. See Rabbi Eisner on page 16 Legacy Circle 6,7,10 Chai Giving Bonim B’yachad Campaign Update 8-9 B’nai Mitzvah By Lorna Siepser, Campaign Chair As I write this article, I’m happy to say that 9 PTBE Tots & the kitchen construction is almost done, Rosh Chodesh Sivan and will be done by the time you read this! We would like to thank everyone who has 11 Our Community contributed to this transformative effort for our temple community during the last nine 12 Confirmation years—from our generous donors to our hard- 13 Beth El Women working lay leadership, tireless PTBE staff to our visionary clergy! 14 Brotherhood Here’s what your campaign team is working 15 Senior Friendship on for our community during construction: Club 19 We are your Bonim B’yachad Answers Central Contributions for our donor members. We answer questions 21−22 Calendar of weekly regarding Naming Opportunities and Events additional giving desires. 23 Yahrzeits If you would like to make a pledge or increase your pledge, we are here to assist you. Any See Bonim on page 4 Zelda in Zelda Levin’s Kitchen CONSTRUCTION Iyar/Sivan/Tammuz 5778 Adar/Nisan/Iyar DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION UPDATE 5778 Scott Hartley, Design and Construction Co-Chair March/April 2018 KOLENU Published Bi-Monthly by Peninsula Temple Beth El 1700 Alameda de las Pulgas San Mateo, CA 94403 (650) 341-7701 Fax (650) 570-7183 www.ptbe.org Education Office (650) 931-0775 Gift Shop (650) 345-6563 A reform congregation affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism PTBE Staff Dennis J. Eisner Senior Rabbi Sara Mason-Barkin Associate Rabbi/Educator Lisa Kingston Associate Rabbi/Educator Elana Jagoda Kaye Cantorial Soloist Meredith Liron Director, Ganon Early Childhood Education Center Cindi Serbin Communications Manager Kitchen is done! Officers 2017-2018 President Lawrence Siegel 1st VP Drew Lieberman Our kitchen remodel is rounding third and approval of the Health Department and the 2nd VP Natasha Kehimkar heading for home (unlike our run-challenged growing needs of our temple community. Secretary Roger Feigelson Treasurer Jeff Hyman Giants). We now have a beautiful and efficient cooking and preparation space in our Providing food fulfills our ethical mission as Board of Trustees 2017–2018 bright new kitchen. The storage and cleaning we care for our members, community, and Jennifer Benelli David Pelzner areas, as well as the drain and piping are all the world around us. We are proud of the Roger Feigelson Jeffrey Sosnick wonderful work PTBE does to benefit people Judy Fisher Michele Stafford new and repaired. Our food preparation is Jonathan Fox Davida Talcove going to be streamlined and highly functional in need up and down the Peninsula. Our Julie Firestone as we move forward. Cabinets, windows, lovely and efficient kitchen will make this Garlikov Ex-Officio important work easier and more satisfying. Members and the final permitting process should be Marni Gerber Promoting the love of Torah and inspiring Aliya Gordon Jane Herzog, Beth completed very soon--possibly as you read Natasha Kehimkar El Women this. through study, prayer, and fellowship will be Jeff Lager Zara Jaffe, Senior made more pleasurable with the cuisine from Drew Lieberman Friendship Club The revamped kitchen will meet our needs, our reconstructed space. Sherry Lipson Darin Leviloff, Erik Nierenberg Brotherhood our budget, and the requirements of the Health and Safety Code. The Design and Thanks to the patience and hard work of Construction Committee has worked hard to 2 be sure that our new kitchen meets with the See Kitchen Done on page 4 MESSAGES May/June 2018 Reflections of My Presidency Lawrence Siegel, President Passover and the beginning of Spring launch a temple leader were noticed and matter to us into new periods of growth while giving them. us the opportunity to reflect on our past and find guidance for where we wish to go and L’dor v’dor (from generation to generation)… what we seek to accomplish. A great joy has been developing ever-stronger relations with our clergy, our staff, our As I look forward to the future of our leadership, our PTBE members, the Union community, I am grateful to have had the for Reform Judaism, and the many other opportunity to serve as president. Each of us organizations and individuals with whom who have been president of our temple has we share common interests and cares. I faced challenges and opportunities particular am grateful to know so many bright and to the time. I feel especially fortunate to have caring people. While I admit to receiving benefited from the outstanding work of prior a few strange phone calls over the past presidents in building and guiding PTBE. two years, I am most impressed with the My family has been a great support to me and it makes me happy to see that my efforts as See President on page 4 Schedule of Shabbat Services Friday, May 4 Friday, June 1 Evening of Appreciation for Rabbi Sara 6:30 PM Erev Shabbat Service 5:30 PM Tree of Life Service Saturday, June 2 7:15 PM Shabbat Hallelu 6:30 PM Shabbat Morning Service, Saturday, May 5 Anna Berman and Emily Gruber become 9:00 AM Tot Shabbat b'not mitzvah 10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Helena Friday, June 8 Cohen becomes bat mitzvah 6:30 PM Shabbat Hallelu Friday, May 11 Saturday, June 9 6:30 PM Erev Shabbat Service, 10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Confirmation & Senior Blessing Rebecca Rosenberg becomes bat mitzvah Friday, June 15 Saturday, May 12 6:30 PM Erev Shabbat Service 9:00 AM This Shabbat Rocks! 10:45 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Saturday, June 16 becomes Jacob Lager bcomes bar mitzvah 10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Ella Zander becomes bat mitzvah Friday, May 18 Friday, June 22 6:30 PM Erev Shabbat Service 6:30 PM Erev Shabbat Service Saturday, May 19 Saturday, June 23 10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Theo (No Morning Service) Ebersman becomes bar mitzvah Friday, June 29 6:30 PM Friday, May 25 Erev Shabbat Service 6:30 PM Erev Shabbat Service Saturday, June 30 10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Ava Saturday, May 26 Litvak becomes bat mitzvah 10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Esti Morning Minyan - Tuesdays at 8 am Smith becomes bat mitzvah 3 MESSAGES Iyar/Sivan/Tammuz 5778 President from page 3 Kitchen Done from page 2 depth of character that runs throughout our staff and members, our synagogue our community. You all have made this continues to be a vibrant and joy-filled space effort personally rewarding for me and in throughout construction. many ways easier than one might imagine. I encourage all of you to consider how The larger remodel project continues to you might deepen your involvement and progress through the pre-construction phase, engagement with our community in ways that getting bids for work that will begin in the will help you grow and find meaning. summer. When we complete our project, we will have a beautiful, new chapel to supplement our main sanctuary for intimate PTBE’s Annual Meeting gatherings and celebrations and entering Tuesday, May 15, 7:30 pm PTBE will be an inspiring experience. Our All members are invited. Ganon wing will be inviting and beautiful and our roofs throughout will be repaired • Learn about the progress of our and replaced as necessary. The Fellowship community. Hall will be refreshed and other space will be • Honor our Congregant of the Year and created to allow for even more meaningful recipients of the Or HaTorah award. contemplative study and joyous festivities. • Elect our new slate of candidates for Please feel free to reach out to Scott the Board of Trustees and thank our Hartley at [email protected] outgoing board members. or 415-699-3094 or Kim Beauchamp in • Dessert reception and kitchen tour. the temple office with any questions or comments. RSVP to Judith at [email protected] or 341-7701. Bonim from page 1 we’ve added a Construction-Only E-NewZ Blast for real-time updates as we move additional money raised will be used for our forward in construction.