The Shofar October, 2019 Congregation House of Israel 2 Tishri - 2 Cheshvan, 5780 Happy Sukkot 5780-2019 Complete schedule of High Holiday Services on Page 4 The Shofar Thank You Published monthly by: Congregation House of Israel PO Box 20802 We would like to thank the following donors (as of August 20, 2018) 300 Quapaw Hot Springs, AR 71903 General Fund In memory of Herman “Imy” Marcus (501) 623-5821 Mr. & Mrs. D. Cooley Website: http://hschi.org Wayne Ranson Audrey Zapletal Editor: Shelly Kleinman Stuart & Kay Fleischner Webmaster: Shelly Kleinman Yossi & Kim Baron Editorial Assistance: Anita Williams Elaine Gartenberg Email to: [email protected] Michael & Sharon Waxler Submissions due the 15th of the prior month. Lynda Kass Distributed free to members, prospective members, local clergy and other interested parties. Betty Kleinman Mark & Patti Fleischner Kristen & Gretchen Kaufman Ron & Jan Wehmann In honor of the Bar Mitzvah of Mac Casteel, grand- son of Mary Klompus Jackson House Michael & Sharon Waxler Canned and Non-Perishable Food Drive Hal & Sue Koppel This year, as in years past, we are taking this Shelly & Carol Kleinman opportunity when we come together as a community to worship at High Holy Days to collect food for those less fortunate. We will be Sissterhood collecting food from Rosh Hashanah through Jerry & Fran Rephan Yom Kippur. Please bring those things you In loving memory of Edward I. Rephan - father wish to donate and leave them on the stage in of Jerry Burgauer Hall. Jackson House is able to use the food we bring to give to families who do not have food to eat. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to begin the new year with a Mitzvah. Thank you in advance for your gifts of canned goods, dried goods, cereal and other non perishable foods. Page 2 The Shofar A wonderful piece of Talmud provides us a Reb Shelly’s Desk glimpse into the hereafter and into ultimate Jewish values. In the tractate Shabbos, A peddler walking God asks the deceased in their first hour in through the countryside heaven the following four questions: came upon a little bird lying on its back with its • Did you conduct your business affairs honestly? feet in the air. • Did you set aside time to study Torah? • Did you work at having children? “And what do you think • Did you look forward to the world’s redemption? you are doing?” asked the peddler. The questions asked by God are not philosophically grand nor mysteriously cosmic in nature. The “Well, I heard that the questions asked at the Pearly Gates, that explore the sky was soon going to fall” replied the bird. deeds of a lifetime are directed at a person’s decency, at a person’s integrity, at his righteousness, at his “And you thought you could hold it back with your soul. feet?” cynically quipped the peddler. We are not asked – “Have you amassed a great “I do what I can,” said the little bird. fortune?” We are not asked – “Have you painted a The peddler’s sarcasm and doubt is shared by us all. masterpiece?” We are creatures not often driven by modest deeds, We are not asked – “Have you built great by humble achievements, by the anonymity of the skyscrapers?” shadows but rather by a complex of perfection, of We are asked – “Were you honorable?” “Were you drama, of trophies. We misunderstand our humanity, caring?” “Were you a mensch?” thinking every endeavor of life must be a flawless We are asked – “Were you the best you could be?” show-stopper. When we come to realize that we are not divine, only then will we become more human. A mother took her young child to a piano recital of Ignacy Paderewski at Carnegie Hall. From their How many of us in the privacy of our day lament seats near the stage the beginning piano student the cars we drive, the jobs we have, the routines we had a clear view of the jet black, grand Steinway. follow, the clothes we wear, the houses we own. How The mother became absorbed in conversation with many of us long for more, not because we really want another adult and didn’t notice that her son had it, but because we believe it validates us as being a better human being? Continued on page 9 can bring a sweet, please send a quick e-mail to Sisterhood [email protected]. L’ Shannah Tovah! All participation is needed AND appreciated! Our October meeting will be Monday October 7th, when Our New Year is just around the corner and during we will have a short business meeting and lunch. our August meeting, your Sisterhood membership Afterwards, for those who can stay longer, we will set completed most of the planning needed to embrace up Burgauer Hall for our Break-fast on Wednesday our High Holiday activities. evening. Ruth Sedler and Betty Kleinman once again treated Many hands make light work, so we should have our us to a delicious free luncheon! For those unable temple ready for Yom Kippur in record time while to attend, there are still High Holiday volunteer also having fun! Thank you in advance for all of opportunities available. Desserts that can be easily your assistance! picked up for serving are needed for both the Rosh Hashanah Oneg Sunday evening and the following week’s Wednesday evening Break-fast. If you Patti The Shofar Page 3 Page PB The Whole Megillah High Holiday Service Schedule Kver Avot * Sunday October 6 11:00 a.m. Kver Avot Service, Jewish Rest Cemetery Yom Kippur Services Tuesday October 8 7:30 p.m. Kol Nidre Wednesday October 9 10:00 a.m. Yom Kippur Morning Service 3:30 p.m. Yom Kippur Afternoon Service 4:30 p.m. Yizkor Service 5:30 p.m. Neilah Service 6:00 p.m. Havdalah & Break-the-Fast Sukkot Friday October 18 6:00 p.m. Oneg Shabbat and service in the sukkah Simchat Torah Friday October 25 6:00 p.m. Simchat Torah celebration * Kever Avot (literally “Grave of the Fathers”), the tradition of visiting the graves of our parents and loved ones between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, can evoke a wealth of emotions and memories. In these moments, many of us yearn to feel connected to a com- munity. Whether your loved ones are buried with us or far away, we invite you to join with us as we pray together, support one another, and honor the memory of those who have passed at our annual Kever Avot Memorial Services. Jewish Rest Cemetery is loacated at the intersection of Spring Street and Albert Pike Road, in Hot Springs. Page 4 The Shofar Page PB definitely the best possible outcome, but let’s not hold our breath. ARZA - World Union This week the people of Israel got a second chance and have chosen their leadership. Sort of. “When you enter the land that Adonai your God is They rejected the radicals, exited the extremists, giving you as a heritage, and you possess it and reside pulled in the polarities, maintained the mainstream, in it.” (Deut 26:1) and solidified the center. If 80% of success in life is showing up, then Israelis came pretty close with a The 15th-century rabbi and commentator Don 1.5% higher voter turnout than in the last election, Yitzhak Abarbanel teaches that the weekly Parsha and a considerably higher turnout in the Arab sector. of Ki Tavo begins here in order to separate light from With the official results almost all tallied, many are darkness. It’s a clear break from the previous week wondering why we wasted time and money for anoth- in which we ended with our arch-enemy Amalek – er round of elections with annoyingly similar results. darkness – and we now come into the Land - light. Despite being similar, there are noticeable differences He’s offering us a clean start, a fresh look and a new that are important to point out and even celebrate. beginning upon entering the promised land. And too, this week, those who inherited the Land, got a second Winners and Not-Winners chance. A do-over repeat election to determine what society will look like for all those living in the Land The results of the election, while underwhelming, did that God gave us. In the book of Deuteronomy, we produce some key victors and losers. Let’s examine are told upon entering the Land to bring “every first some of the winners: fruit of the soil, which you harvest from the land that • Kahol Lavan, the large centrist party made Adonai your God is giving you, put it in a basket and up of three parties and a mishmash of political free- go to the place where your God will choose to estab- lancers without a clear ideology other than ousting lish God’s name.” We would recite a simple three- PM Netanyahu, won the highest number of man- word formula “My father was a fugitive Aramean”) dates with 33. One can consider them to be the win- followed by a shared narrative of going down to ners, but without a clear path to forming a coalition, Egypt, suffering, and eventual redemption in the their victory is somewhat mitigated. Land of Milk and Honey. It was the closest thing we • The Joint List of Arab parties came together had to true unity. Of course, we come from different with an impressive showing of 13 mandates, up from tribes but at the moment of entering the Land, we 10 in April.