April 2016 Adar II/Nisan 5776 Schedule of Services Let me begin by saying that on April 8, at 7:30 pm, Lesley Friday, April 1 Sachs, Director of Women of the Wall will speak at our Erev 6:15 p.m. Chadash Shabbat Shabbat Service. We are truly blessed to have her join us and thank Dinner you to the Temple Brotherhood and Sisterhood, and our own 7:00 p.m. Chadash Shabbat congregation for sponsoring her. Service Last month I wrote to you about Nashot HaKotel—Women of the Wall. They had won a great victory in getting the Israeli Knesset Friday, April 8 to vote affirmatively on a bill that would dedicate the portion of the 7:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service Western Wall area known as Robinson’s Arch for an egalitarian Sandy Adland is singing prayer space. Since then there have been three significant responses to this hard won victory: the Haredi head of the Kotel Friday, April 15 Plaza, archeologists, and a splinter group of the Women of the Wall. 7:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service Just recently, Rabbi Rabinowitz, the ultra-Orthodox Haredi Shelley Schweitzer is singing head of the Kotel Plaza area has now dialed back any support for the egalitarian space. Where many Orthodox Jewish leaders were okay Friday, April 29 with this new space, which is south of the current traditional area, 7:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service Rabbi Rabinowitz is not. He would rather see the fight continue then Shelley Schweitzer is singing allow for a positive compromise. Other Orthodox leaders believe that moving the Reform/Conservative population away from the traditional Stollen Moments site would diminish the tension and allow those who wish to pray as Saturday, April 2, 9, and 30 “Jews” be done without confrontation. Despite the fact that there is 9:30 a.m. Stollen Moments no tradition for the separation of men and women at the Kotel or any 11:15 a.m. Morning Service prohibition traditionally from women praying together there, this new Haredi leadership continues to do everything it can to promote separation and embrace control. NO Stollen Moments April 16 10:30 a.m. Matthew Garfinkle Bar Archeologists in Israel spoke about a different issue on the Mitzvah same problem. The area being considered for this egalitarian space (and, fyi, something is already constructed there, but it isn’t practical for larger groups) is the southwestern part of the wall and on the other side of the ramp leading up to the former temple mount. Archeologists wrote a scathing letter that anything done in this area If you would like a tax statement near Robinson’s Arch would destroy the integrity of the space. They for 2015 please call the Temple may be right, but I say this without seeing any plans. This area holds office and we will be happy to some important history for the Jewish people and if the sightline is send one to you. We send them blocked or degraded by any construction, it may hurt the site. I haven’t heard much more about the archeologists’ letter, but I am out when requested! sure it hasn’t been thrown away. Finally, when Women of the Wall began 27 years ago it Temple Israel has changed its wasn’t only made up of liberal Jews. There were many Orthodox email address to women who were a part of the founding of the group who were [email protected] fighting for the right to be observant women at the wall. Please change in your address books. (Continued on Page 2) TEMPLE BULLETIN April 2016 Adar II/Nisan 5776 (Continued from Page 1) They wanted to pray and sing and read Torah at this holy place. The Orthodox leadership of the Kotel forbade all of this to them. They have never backed down from their original demands TEMPLE ISRAEL and are not interested in moving to Robinson’s Arch. They view 432 - 30th Street NW the compromises accepted by the rest of Women of the Wall as Canton, OH 44709 sidestepping the original demands and accepting much less. The Phone: 330-455-5197 answer to all of this is the goal or goals of egalitarian prayer, Fax: 330-455-5268 women’s prayer, and archeology at the spiritual center of the Temple Office Hours: world. When Lesley Sachs is here with us, we should ask her and Monday - Thursday maybe she will teach us. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rabbi Adland The staff’s direct phone numbers are listed below their email addresses Rabbi Jon Adland Jonas Honored as Lifetime Trustee [email protected] 330-445-2406 Article VI of Temple Israel’s Constitution provides for the process Rabbi Emeritus John H. Spitzer by which a Lifetime Trustee is nominated and elected. [email protected] In accordance with the procedures regarding this process, a letter Nancy Shimer was sent to all Past Presidents, current Lifetime Trustees, and the current Temple Israel Executive Committee members requesting Director of Life Long Learning any candidates for consideration. The letter included a 330-445-2853 recommendation of Dan Jonas for consideration by those polled. [email protected] That recommendation was generated by a committee chaired by Temple Office Chelle Cohen, Co-chairperson, of the current Long Range Planning and Leadership Committee. [email protected] 330-445-2852 At the Board of Trustees meeting held on March 15, 2016, Dan Jonas was unanimously approved as our newest Temple Israel Temple Brotherhood Lifetime Trustee. [email protected] Dan joins other currently active Lifetime Trustees: Temple President—Dr. Ron Gelb Robert Friedman, Bev Gross, Eldy Gross, Martin Jacobson, Sidney Savage, Robert Schwartz [email protected] Dan has made our “Congregation his life and has contributed Temple Israel website above and beyond the norm to the well being and growth of www.templeisraelcanton.org Temple Israel.” Dan will be given all privileges of a Board member except the right to vote. Dan will be honored at Temple Israel’s Annual Meeting on June 24th, 2016 as a Lifetime Trustee. Mazel Tov,Dan! Ron Gelb President The Temple president may be contacted at: [email protected] 2 TEMPLE BULLETIN April 2016 Adar II/Nisan 5776 wonderful Mishloach Manot bags in Chadash Schedule in April and May Chadash News fulfillment of one of the mitzvot Please note the following days off and associated with Purim. A special thank- special events in April and May: The Shoe Box tzedakah project ends you to Lee Karelitz and Fishers Foods Passover Break: no classes on Sunday, on April 7. Chadash has been collecting for providing the ingredients for the April 24, Monday, April 25, or personal items for residents of the hamantaschen; to Ellen Shankle and Wednesday, April 27 Domestic Violence Women’s Shelter. her 7th-9th grade students, who baked Confirmation: as noted above, all For the first week of April (the last the hamantaschen and assembled the students will report to class at 9:30am on week of the drive), we are bags; and to Amy Lakritz for Sunday, May 1; Confirmation service will emphasizing cash contributions so providing the bags and the other be at 10:45am and will be attended by all that we can purchase the specific goodies and fun things that went into students. Religious school dismissal will needed items that we have not yet the bags! be at the regular time of 12:00, and there received. Chadash families and other will be Hebrew class that afternoon at the members of the Canton Jewish Confirmation usual times. community can bring in cash or checks, The entire Canton Jewish community is Mothers Day: no classes on Sunday, payable to Chadash, and drop off the invited to attend this year’s Confirmation May 8 contributions at the Chadash office or the service on Sunday, May 1, at 10:45am, Last Day of Class/Chadash Picnic: main Beit Ha’am office (please check to be followed by a reception sponsored Chadash students and families will be with Patti or Lori). The Chadash by the parents of the confirmands. marking the end of the 2015-2016/5776 students have been participating by (Please note that all other Chadash school year on Sunday, May 15. There decorating the collection box (located students should arrive that morning at will be special presentations, a quiz bowl, near the Chadash office), organizing the the usual time of 9:30am but should and displays of student projects collected items, decorating the plastic go directly to their 1st period throughout the morning, culminating in a shoe boxes, and packing up those boxes classrooms instead of the large lunch-time cook-out provided by the for delivery to the shelter. Thank you for worship space.) This year’s Shaaray Torah Men’s Club and the your help! confirmands are: Molly Altman, Noah Temple Israel Brotherhood. Charlick, Alexandra Goldman, Abigail Thank you for a very successful Hervey, and Shira Weiner. The students Chadash Mishloach Manot Gift Bag have been working with Rabbi Adland Nancy Shimer project! The project brought in over and Hazzan Braun on preparing the $600 for our school and for the Director of Life Long Learning service, which they will lead. We Community Harvest anti-hunger congratulate this year’s Confirmation program! And, of course, the project class! provided the opportunity for members of the community to send one another the Please join us for this year’s Chadash Confirmation service Sunday, May 1 at 10:45 a.m.