VOICE The Voice of Beth El Congregation • August 2013 • Av/Elul 5773 • Volume 60 • Number 6 WINNER OF THE 2009 USCJ I NTERNATIONAL GOLD AWARD FOR BULLETINS & P UBLICATIONS IN THIS ISSUE : THE WATERS THAT CAN 3 Bereavement Group CHANGE YOUR LIFE 4-5 High Holidays 12 Get it while it's hot! Island Shabbat CD By Rabbi Dana Saroken f you peek behind the cur - Itains, you will see our beau - Make a Difference tiful, newly renovated mikveh. Immersing in a mikveh is a tradition that dates back By Rabbi Steven Schwartz thousands of years. Historically, the mikveh was used to help lease. It is a small word, but a signifi - people purify themselves emo - Pcant one. One of the first words we tionally, spiritually and physical - teach our children, reminding them to ly. In recent years, our Beth El use it again and again until it becomes sec - mikveh has been used by brides ond nature. In Hebrew the word is bʼvakasha, and grooms before their wed - a word many of us are familiar with from our ding day, for conversions and on Hebrew school days, when a teacher might special occasions. We have remind the class to be quiet by saying “sheket recently renovated our mikveh in bʼvakasha — QUIET! — please. The word is order to broaden its use and constructed from the root that means to ask appeal – to make our ancient or seek for something. Its use is not only traditions new again. Come use polite, not only proper etiquette, but also a the healing waters of the mikveh reminder to be grateful for all of the gifts that as a vehicle to help you find we ask for when they come to us. wholeness, peace, to mark We want you to know that we are grateful important milestones and transi - — truly and deeply grateful — for your partici - tional moments in your life and pation in the Annual Appeal each year. We to provide you with the opportu - should all be proud of the number of families nity to begin anew. in the congregation that participate — this A quarter of a century ago past year, over 1,000 of our families gave to Rabbi Mark Loeb, of blessed the Annual Appeal. As a percentage of the memory, had the vision of a congregation this is virtually unprecedented in mikveh at Beth El that would be synagogue giving around the country. This a resource for the entire com - speaks of the sense of community that people munity. With the support of syn - find at Beth El, and of how they care about agogue leadership and the gen - their shul, its needs, and each other. erosity of Susan and Elliot Weinstein and Joan and Dr. Immersing in our mikveh can be a magical place and way to begin Michael Schultz the congrega - THIS PAST YEAR , anew. It can be used to mark these important moments and experi - tion established the Schultz ences. OVER 1,000 OF OUR FAMILIES Ritual Bath housed in the Susan and Elliot Weinstein Mikveh. We GAVE TO THE ANNUAL APPEAL . ... are forever grateful to Rabbi THIS SPEAKS OF THE SENSE Loeb and to the Weinsteins and the Schultzs for you are about to be married or enduring a diffi - cult break up or divorce, we have a special OF COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE creating this sacred space and mikveh. This past March, an incredible group of prayer for you as you begin a new stretch of life FIND AT BETH EL, AND OF HOW women came together as a mikveh task force or you can bring your own prayer and use the THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR SHUL , and together, we envisioned what our mikveh waters to help you transition to a new part of had the potential to be in todayʼs world. With your journey. If you have a child becoming a bar ITS NEEDS , AND EACH OTHER . Dale Kahnʼs incredible design skills and a team or bat mitzvah, we have a meaningful ceremony of dedicated volunteers, staff and lay leaders, that will enable family and close friends to share we began our renovation and I can proudly say their love and pride before the big day. And if that we have created something extraordinary: A you are struggling to conceive or about to give birth come use the waters as a space to ask This year our needs are greater than beautiful and peaceful space that is there for us God for what you need and to express your ever. Fewer members are able to pay full to use in the times when we feel most grateful, hopes and dreams and yearnings. Immersing in dues. More of our families need help with at the times when we feel most vulnerable or our mikveh can be a transformative experience tuition assistance so their children can come broken or at any moment in between. In our and a way to begin anew. Special customized to the Berman Lipavsky Religious School to busy world, our mikveh is a place where you prayers and blessings are available for every life receive a quality Jewish education. It is a poli - can come to pause and reflect, express appreci - moment imaginable. cy that we will never turn someone away from ation for our blessings in life or express your As the high holidays quickly approach, our our doors because of financial reasons. The innermost yearnings and needs, to find clarity mikveh will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Annual Appeal ensures that people will have on what you need in order to endure whatever for children, teenagers, men and women of all a place to educate their children, to celebrate the future may bring. ages between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. the sacred days of our people, and to join in If you are celebrating a milestone birthday – As our tradition encourages us to re-create our - community during times of need and also whether itʼs your 21st or 80th, consider coming with your loved ones to our mikveh for a special selves, to let go of the old self and to re-create Continued on page 13 intimate ceremony and a private immersion. If Continued on page 13 THE VOICE 1 OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO: MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES: Mrs. Estelle Balachow on the loss of her beloved sister, Wendy & David Berman on their 10th Y Bessie Levenson. Kerri & Robert Cohen on their 10th Mrs. Esther Berelowitz on the loss of her beloved brother, Wanda & Jeffrey Fink on their 10th Ellis Fader. Hedy From & Michael Rubenstein on their 10th Ms. Mona Berman on the loss of her beloved sister, Joyce Tracee & Kevin Fruman on their 10th Kutner. Shari & Alan Grabush on their 10th L Mr. Mark Chodak on the loss of his beloved father, Morris Stacie & Scott Koppel on their 10th Chodak. Jocelyn & Elliot Steelman on their 10th Mrs. Lore Cohn on the loss of her beloved husband, Ann & Jeffrey Pritzker on their 15th Ulrich Cohn. Amy & Benjamin Cohen on their 20th I Mrs. Diane Cole and Mr. Scott Cherry on the loss of their Suzanne & William Keeney on their 20th beloved husband and father, Richard Cole. Ilisa & Albert Nigrin on their 20th Mrs. Denise Franz and Mrs. Marcia Katz on the loss of Eileen & Harry Brafman on their 25th their beloved mother, Blossom K. Friedman Ilene & Kenneth Schwartz on their 25th Mr. Stanley Holzman on the loss of his beloved mother, Barbara & Seymour Bernstein on their 30th Ruth Lazernick Zemel. Amy & Gary Cohen on their 30th Mr. Steven Katz on the loss of his beloved mother, Mildred Suanne & Daniel Goldberger on their 30th MKatz. Nancy & Marc Medin on their 30th Mrs. Ann Robinson and Mr. Richard Caplan on the loss of Susan and Hal Hackerman on their 35th their beloved mother, Wendie & Keith Berenson on their 40th Norma Caplan. Sherry & Steven Berlin on their 40th Mr. Herman Rosenthal on the loss of his beloved father, Mindy & Ronald Fishkind on their 40th Louis Rosenthal. Jill & Ronald Greenwald on their 40th A Mr. A. Ronald Rubin on the loss of his beloved brother, Marsha & Alan Kaplan on their 40th Richard Rubin. Roslyn & Howard Kurman on their 40th Mr. Albert “Al” Shapiro on the loss of his beloved wife, Abby & Stephen Lazinsky on their 40th Florence “Flos” Shapiro. Merle & Frank Setren on their 40th Ms. Lois Steinberg on the loss of her beloved mother, Lee Marci & Paul Turer on their 40th FConway. Susan & Alan Ziman on their 40th Dr. Bert Vogelstein on the loss of his beloved brother, Dr. Michele & Herb Better on their 45th Barry Norman Vogelstein. Janet & Robert David on their 45th Michele & Joel Epstein in their 45th A SPEEDY RECOVERY TO: Tamar & Myron Kellner on their 45th Honey & Jeffrey Litman on their 45th Al Auslander Alice & Michael Mann on their 45th Dick Gordon Susan & Gary Talles on their 45th Joyce & Lee Barnstein on their 50th LOUR HEARTIEST MAZEL TOV TO: Harriet & Harold Cooper on their 50th Shelia & Paul Derman on their 50th Mr. and Mrs. Barton Azwalinsky on the engagement of Faye & Daniel Friedman on their 50th their daughter, Allyson Luckman to Scott Siegel. Ruth & Barry Hurwitz on their 50th Ms. Brittany Barr on her marriage to Nathan Lehnhoff; her Cecelia & Michael Mahr on their 50th parents are Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Barr. Diane & Michael Schwarz on their 50th E Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Kleiner on the birth of their grand - Ellen & Allen Spak on their 50th daughter, Harper Elle Rabine. Marsha & Melvin Wachs on their 50th Mr. and Mrs. David Kuntz on the birth of their granddaugh - Phyllis & Harry Blum, II on their 55th ter, Marion Rebecca McDonald; great grandparents are Mr.