May 2013 Volume 27 - Number 5 Iyyar-Sivan 5773 Shavuot Services: Tuesday, May 14 - 7:30 pm - Erev Wednesday, May 15 - 9:00 am - 11:00 am Thursday, May 16 - 9:00 am - 11:00 am - Yizkor Erev Shavuot - Tuesday, May 14 - Maariv 7:30pm Join our Tikkun Leil Shavuot study session following Maariv and running till we're done. We will read the first chapter of every book in the Tanach (bible). Tall order? Not really. Hopefully it will whet your appetite to read the rest of some of the books you may have skipped in the past. Building Community Since 1954 Staff From Our Rabbi: From Our President: Rabbi ............................ Joshua Neely By Rabbi Joshua Neely By Arlene van de Rijn Education Director ..............Debra Kira Youth Director .............. Michael Weiss Here’s a good idea (I think so, Office Admin ... John-Patrick Alexander Is that kosher? This has become an anyway). Rather than operating from Bookkeeper ....................... Lee Getsee English expression when someone is a stance of neediness (how are we questioning the rightness or appropriateness of a going to pay the electric bill if we don’t have this Executive Committee situation. On the one hand, I am proud that our or that fund-raiser?) perhaps we should make a system of eating has become a byword for stronger effort to live with the assets that already President ................ Arlene van de Rijn “beyond taint of suspicion.” On the other hand, 1st Vice Pres................... Eric Hoffman exist among us. We could look more carefully at kashrut was never meant to create suspicion in the the education, skills, hobbies, experiences and VP Membership ................ Elliott Davis first place. A person who is known to have trans- attitudes of our congregants and operate a syna- VP Education ............. Cathy Swerdlow gressed a prohibition mentioned in the Torah – gogue more from a position of strength rather than except idolatry, public desecration of Shabbat or Comptroller .................. Roz Weinstein neediness. denial of rabbinic authority – is trusted when he The hope to convince our congregants to be Secretary .......................... Robin Reilly claims that he is observant of kashrut. Yoreh Sisterhood President ....... Valerie Kahn monetarily generous (in addition to dues) is ever Deah 119:7. Kashrut was never intended to di- present. Someone might say, “We have to empha- Men’s Club Pres. ................ Steve Berg vide Jews from one another or their community. size the monetary side of things until we have X Past President .............. Richard Crane The meanings of the different mitzvot of kashrut number of member units to support us.” While this are varied, but, taken together, they can build a might be accurate, this kind of thinking can lead to connectedness among our people. Trustees feelings about belonging to an “incapacitated” Too often, kashrut has been used in the modern congregation. society as a wedge to separate us from them, Harvey Arnowitz I think we need to emphasize more and more Lauren Brown where both us and them are children of Israel. At the assets of our congregants. In almost every Ed Calish Temple Israel we are dedicated to maintaining David Danziger congregational setting, the talents of the people Jo Ann Farb kashrut in our synagogue and promoting it in our themselves can be motivating once the culture of Andrew Feinberg lives. I know that not every member of our ex- Michael Fineberg neediness is not the main game in town. With a Fabienne Kaplan tended family keeps kashrut completely but, with Michael Langman spirited leadership team, it’s possible for congre- Sandy Masin minimal effort, everyone can still fully participate gational assets (unrelated to money) to generate Michelle McCormack in communal cooking. We have offered classes in innovation, energy and a can-do attitude. Laurence Morrell the past and you have another opportunity to at- Harry Rein (Emeritus) Two recent synagogue events illustrate my Mollie Savage tend a session on June 2nd from 9:30 to 10:00. Roberta Schreiber point. In April, Bijan Ravinoff spoke to us about Geanne Share This class covers the basics needed to cook in his growing up as a Jew in Iran, his move to Israel your own home for congregational events and at age 10 (alone with no family), and his final des- programs. Standing Committee tination years later of New York City where he Let me explain the basics so you’ll see how met his wife, Andrea. Members of the Adult Edu- Chairs easy it can be. Unused pots, pans and utensils cation Committee are to be commended for pro- prepare fresh or heckshered (kosher labeled) in- viding us with a fascinating story that didn’t cost a Adult Education ........ Laurence Morrell gredients separately from anything else. That’s Budget & Finance ......... Roz Weinstein penny. Also in April, the members of the Ritual pretty much it. We’ll cover some of the details of Committee hosted a Mitzvah Fair in the social hall Building & Grounds ...Harvey Arnowitz kosher labeling, meat and milk and some dos and Education - School..... Cathy Swerdlow where one could learn about the choreography of Endowment.................... Eric Hoffman don’ts but that’s the heart of it. The rabbi doesn’t our Shabbat services and why we do what we do. Hiddur Mitzvah ................ Jo Ann Farb stand over your shoulder while you cook. We do The participants were well prepared, and it turned Marketing ..................... Geanne Share not sniff at what you bring. If you’ve learned the out to be a most informative event (also free of Membership ..................... Elliott Davis details and say you’ve followed the rules, we trust charge). This is the kind of internal spirit to which Ritual........................ Michael Fineberg you. Ways & Means ............... Heidi Savage I am referring. A synagogue is built on knowledge and trust. Youth .......................... Marci Gottfried Chances are you might hear someone say, “If We need both. I encourage you to come to the we had hot dogs, we could have some hot dogs seminar on June 2nd or give me a call so we can and baked beans—if we had some baked beans.” go over the few details one on one. Then, get We probably already have both the hot dogs and cooking. the baked beans. Let’s start from the point of, p.s. If you have taken a class with a previous “We have all these hot dogs and baked beans. Temple Israel rabbi, you are good to go. You’re What can we do with them?” This is a much bet- welcome to come in for a refresher, but it is not ter approach because it leapfrogs over negativity. necessary. I think we’re on the right track. [email protected] Shalom, Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, Sunday Arlene van de Rijn Please call or e-mail for an appointment. [email protected] 2 From Our 6th & 7th Grade Car Wash Education Director To Benefit the People of Darfur By Debra Ruth Kira Shalom, I have begun all of my articles here at Temple Israel with this simple greeting. Yet, as Jews, we never take things at face value, so I ask you, is it really a simple greeting? In Judaism, shalom (peace) is one of the underlying principles of the Torah. “Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are shalom.” The Talmud explains, “The entire Torah is for the sake of the ways of shalom”. The Torah is a guide of how we should live. If the Torah is for the sake of shalom, then so too should be our lives. We should strive to make each day a day of completeness and wholeness, and to be at peace with ourselves and others . When we think of peace we usually associate this to mean an absence of war or strife, but the Hebrew meaning of the Lizzie Cohen word shalom is complex. The verb form of the root word is shalam and is usually used in the context of making restitution. When a person has caused another to become deficient in some way, it is the responsibility of the person who created the Johanna Crane deficiency to restore what has been taken, lost or stolen. So I began each article, not waiting for Yom Kippur, to ask that, if necessary, I be forgiven for any deficiencies I may have created. Hoping that everyone will find their own sense of shalom for the day. The verb shalam literally means to make whole or complete. The noun shalom has the more literal meaning of being in a state of wholeness or with no deficiency. I hope that my articles have found you in this wonderful state of being. The common phrase shalu shalom Yerushalayim (pray for the peace of Jerusalem) is not speaking about an absence of war (though that is part of it) but that Jerusalem (and by extension all of Israel) is complete and whole and goes far beyond the idea of "peace". I wish for you all as you continue your journey through your lives and your Judaism that you are able to find this sense of inner shalom. Jessica Sheffler DATES TO REMEMBER: Sunday May 5, 2013 Last Day of Sunday School Wednesday May 8, 2013 Last day of Wednesday School Friday May 10, 2013 Graduation Sunday May 12, 2013 Mother’s Day Tuesday May 14, 2013 Erev Shavuot Monday May 27, 2013 Memorial Day Ben Adelman Debra Ruth Kira [email protected] 3 We had an amazing Tu B’Shevat seder this year. The chil- dren helped lead the service and we rejoiced in the fruits and nuts that trees provide. We heard the story of Honi, who reminds us that just because we may not reap the benefits of our actions there is no reason not to create beauty that others may enjoy.