Volume 34, Number 1 the September 2014 Volume 31, Number 7 Elul 5774/Tishrei 5775 March 2012 TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAM Adar / Nisan 5772 R i Pu M DIRECTORY GENERAL INFORMATION: Services Schedule All phone numbers use (510) prefix unless otherwise noted. Services Location Time Mailing Address 336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610 Monday & Thursday Hours M-Th: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Fr: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Morning Minyan Chapel 8:00 a.m. Office Phone 832-0936 Friday Evening (Kabbalat Shabbat) Chapel 6:15 p.m. Shabbat Morning Sanctuary 9:30 a.m. Office Fax 832-4930 Exception: we will begin 9:00 a.m. the Thursdays of Rosh E-Mail [email protected] Hashanah, Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret. Gan Avraham 763-7528 Bet Sefer 663-1683 Candle Lighting (Friday) STAFF September 5 7:31 p.m. Rabbi (x 213) Mark Bloom September 12 7:20 p.m. Cantor Richard Kaplan, [email protected] September 19 7:09 p.m. Gabbi Marshall Langfeld September 26 6:58 p.m. Executive Director (x 214) Rayna Arnold Office Coordinator (x 210) Virginia Tiger Bet Sefer Director Susan Simon 663-1683 Torah Portions (Saturday) Gan Avraham Director Barbara Kanter 763-7528 September 6 Ki Teitzei Bookkeeper (x 215) Kevin Blattel September 13 Ki Tavo Custodian (x 211) Joe Lewis Kindergym/Toddler Program Dawn Margolin 547-7726 Nitzavim/Vayelekh September 20 Volunteers (x 229) Herman & Agnes Pencovic September 27 Ha’Azinu OFFICERS OF THE BOARD President Mark Fickes 652-8545 TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAM Vice President Eric Friedman 984-2575 Vice President Lynn Langfeld 769-6970 is proud to support the Conservative Vice President Flo Raskin 653-7947 Movement by affiliating with The United Vice President Laura Wildmann 601-9571 Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Secretary JB Leibovitch 653-7133 Treasurer Susan Shub 852-2500 Advertising Policy: Anyone may sponsor an issue of The COMMITTEES & ORGANIZATIONS: Omer and receive a dedication for their business or loved If you would like to contact the committee chairs, please contact the one. Contact us for details. We do not accept outside or synagogue office for phone numbers and e-mail addresses. paid advertising. Adult Education Steve Glaser & Aaron Paul The Omer is published on paper that is 30% post-consumer Chesed Warren Gould fibers. Development Leon Bloomfield & Flo Raskin The Omer (USPS 020299) is published monthly except Dues Evaluation Susan Shub July and August by Congregation Beth Abraham, 336 Endowment Fund Herman Pencovic Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610. Finance Susan Shub Periodicals Postage Paid at Oakland, CA. Gan Avraham Parents Toni Mason POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Omer, c/o Gan Avraham School Committee Gary Bernstein Temple Beth Abraham, 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA House Stephen Shub 94610-3232. Israel Affairs J.B. Leibovitch © 2014. Temple Beth Abraham. Membership Ulli Rotzscher The Omer is published by Temple Beth Abraham, a non- Men’s Club Jeff Ilfeld profit, located at 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610; Omer Rachel Dornhelm telephone (510) 832-0936. It is published monthly except Personnel Laura Wildmann for the months of July and August for a total of ten issues Public Relations Lisa Fernandez per annum. It is sent as a requester publication and there Ritual Eric Friedman is no paid distribution. Schools Alice Hale Social Action Marc Bruner Torah Fund Anne Levine To view The Omer in color, visit Women of TBA Molli Rothman & Jessica Sterling www.tbaoakland.org. Youth Phil Hankin i WHAT’S HAPPENING TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAM Join Women of TBA for High Holy Days Services Schedule Mindfulness & Movement 5775/2014 in Elul SELICHOT Sunday, September 7, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, September 20 at Temple Beth Abraham. 8:30 pm Selichot, Gathering in the Sanctuary Facilitated by Jueli Garfinkle and Laura Geduldig. ROSH HASHANAH Free of charge, open to all women. Erev Rosh Hashanah Service Wednesday, September 24 at 7:45 pm RSVP to Jessica Sterling: [email protected]. First Day Service Thursday, September 25 at 9:00 am Family Service (Children 2 yrs.-1st grade) 9:30 am in the Social Hall MAH JONGG RESTARTS Youth Services (Children grades 2-6) 9:30 am in the Chapel Join us on the 2nd (Beginners) and Tashlich Service, 5:15 pm Dimond Park 4th (experienced) Shabbat of the month as with Beth Jacob & Temple Sinai we gather in the Chapel after Kiddush. Second Day Services Beginners session is a wonderful way to Friday, September 26 at 9:00 am add this game to your repertoire. YOM KIPPUR Experienced players bring your knowledge Kol Nidre Friday, October 3 at 6:30 pm and speed as we click those tiles. Morning Service Saturday, October 4 at 9:00 am Family Service (Children 2 yrs.-1st grade) 9:30 am in the Social Hall THE TEEN SCENE Youth Service (Children grades 2-6) 9:30 am in the Chapel The Friendship Circle Friendship Circle programs pres- Yizkor Service, 10:45 am ent families of individuals with spe- Study Session, 2:00 pm cial needs and teen volunteers the Martyrology Service and Mincha, 4:30 pm opportunity to form real friendships Neilah, 6:30 pm within a non-judgmental and supportive community. SUKKOT Teen Scene: First Day Service Teen Scene is a semimonthly, one and a half hour pro- Thursday, October 9 at 9:00 am gram on Sunday evenings for teens with special needs to join with loving teen volunteers for a fun, educa- SHEMINI ATZERET tional group experience. Shemini Atzeret/Yizkor Thursday, October 16 at 9:00 am The program begins with a light dinner and is followed by an hour of activities and Jewish discussion. Teens SIMCHAT TORAH enjoy various activities, which include dancing, basket- Erev Simchat Torah Family Service ball, yoga, drum circle and more... Thursday, October 16 at 6:15 pm For more information, including Teen Scene dates, Service to be followed by music and dancing please contact Devorah Romano, [email protected]. Simchat Torah Friday, October 17 at 9:00 am High Holy Day Parking again available through the See additional WTBA sponsored Adult generosity of the Oakland Unified School District. Education activities on page 6. The location is the Old Lakeview School at 746 Grand Avenue, look for the TBA welcome sign. 1 FROM THE RABBI To Life - One of the Greatest Books of All Time If I could only recommend one book to someone who wanted to understand Judaism, I would recommend the book To Life by the great Rabbi Harold Kushner. His better known book is When Bad Things Happen to Good People, and it’s an important book as well, but To Life is a gem that too many people have never seen. Its subtitle could easily be “What’s So Great About Being Jewish.” It’s not a “how to” be Jewish book, but rather, a “why be Jewish” book. I am sharing the introduction to the book with you in the hopes that you will be inspired to find it for yourself and read the whole thing. To life—these two words represent so much of what Judaism is about. They suggest first that Judaism is about how to live, not just what to believe. They convey an optimistic attitude toward life, investing our energy in living rather than in worrying about dying, asking us to enjoy the pleasures of this life rather than noticing all the things that are wrong with it, emphasizing life in this world rather than pining our hopes on finding satisfaction in some world to come. Does any other people celebrate the special moments of life, the births and birthdays and wed- dings, with as much food, as much laughter and as many tears, as Jews do? This book offers you an introduction to the forms and customs, the joys and consolations of Judaism. It can be the door to life. Then the first chapter is entitled “Life is the Question, Judaism is the Answer.” I was blessed to have Rabbi Kushner “install” me as the rabbi in Cranston, Rhode Island, the pulpit I served before I arrived in Oakland. I didn’t even know him at the time, but another rabbi, Rabbi Brian Fox of Australia, set it up. It was a true honor for which I am eternally grate- ful for the words he shared that day. But I am even more grateful for the words he shared with the rest of the world in this book. The theme of the Omer is “To Life,” and it is also one of the central tenets of Judaism. That is the essence of the Torah on one foot. All the rest is commentary. Now go read Kushner’s book and learn. Thank you Mazel Tov to The Shaffer family wishes to MISIA NUDLER thank Rabbi Bloom, Cantor Kaplan who will be honored and Rabbi Jerry Danzig for their com- forting and beautiful service, burial by the and shiva in Sid’s memory. The telephone calls, cards and State of California donations from the congregation at our Shabbat Service are much appreciated. September 6, 2014. -- Ethel, Harris, David, and Mary Shira 2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE L’Chaim – How a Recent Experience with Death Reminded Me of the Miracle of Life by Mark Fickes Over the summer, my dear friend Caroline died after a year-long battle with stage four ovarian cancer. I knew the odds were against her from the start, but after an initial positive response to chemo therapy and what was thought to be a successful surgery, I ignored the odds and prayed for a miracle.