Volume XXX March 2010 Number 6 ADAR/NISAN 5770 Congregation Temple Israel DATELINE St. Louis, Missouri Congregation Temple Israel is a caring, inclusive community committed to living Reform Judaism and participating in the sacred destiny of the Jewish people and Israel through education, worship, and repair of the world. Noodle and Time of Favor to Headline March 14 TI Israeli Film Festival "Noodle" and "Time of Favor" will head- encompasses a moving romantic drama, line the 3rd Annual TI Israeli Film Fest on all captured against the beautiful Judean Sunday, March 14. Co-sponsored by the hills. The film subtly extolls the virtues of TI Israel Engagement Committee and the devout faith, while condemning religious Israeli House at Temple Israel. The festi- and political fanaticism. val is free, but seating is limited, and Both films are primarily in Hebrew, with reservations are required. English subtitles. "Noodle" is well-suited Both are highly-acclaimed and multi- for anyone age 12 and up. "Time of Favor" award-winning films. "Noodle" opens the is also best-suited for adults. Light Israeli film fest at 3:00 p.m. in the May Chapel. This crowd- refreshments will be served at no charge between films. pleasing film features Miri, a twice-widowed, 37-year-old For further information, call Linda or Jerry Koenig at El Al flight attendant. Her well-regulated existence is sud- (636) 394-6027. To make a reservation for one or both denly and unexpectedly turned upside down when her films, call the Temple Israel office at (314) 432-8050. Chinese cleaner leaves her 6-year-old son with Miri for an A panel of Israeli’s will lead a discussion following the hour...and never comes back. Noodle (the adorable boy) screening of the second film. doesn't speak Hebrew or English, so it's not easy for Miri and her sister to figure out where he lives and what 2nd Annual Shabbat St. Louis Service Planned happened to his mother. concept for last year's inaugural Shabbat This charming film is a Temple Israel will be participating in St. Louis service stemmed from an initia- touching comic-drama in the 2nd Annual Shabbat St. Louis commu- tive within the Reform movement to which two human nity-wide Shabbat service taking place at enhance the role of Shabbat morning beings...as different from 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, at worship. The Shabbat during Passover each other as Tel Aviv is Congregation Kol Am, 1023 Chesterfield has been designated for this community- from Beijing...accompany Parkway East in Chesterfield. A Kosher- wide service because it enables the great- for-Passover Kiddush reception will follow each other on a remarkable est number of congregations to partici- the service. We will be joining Reform and journey, one that takes them pate. This is the one Shabbat during the Reconstructionist congregations from St. both back to a meaningful year when most congregations do not Louis, St. Peters and Southern Illinois in life. have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah scheduled. sponsoring this unique collaborative At 6:00 .m. the film fest Participating congregations to date Shabbat service. We will not hold weekly will screen "Time of Favor." include B'nai El Congregation, Bible Study or our own Shabbat service at This film is a story of Congregation B'nai Torah, Congregation Temple Israel on April 3. We encourage romance and intrigue on an Kol Am, Congregation Shaare Emeth, Shir you to join us in attending the communi- Israeli settlement in the West Hadash Reconstructionist Community, ty-wide service. Bank, at a time when the (continued on page 4) country's political climate is The Shabbat St. Louis service is being explosively unsettling. When planned and organized by a committee of representatives from the sponsoring con- a militant Conservative Due to the late gregations in consultation with the Rabbi handpicks a brilliant February date for the Reform Rabbis of St. Louis. Nancy Kodner young scholar to be his is serving as Temple Israel's representa- Special Congregational Meeting, daughter's husband, she tive on the committee. The band official news concerning rebels and throws herself at HaShemesh is donating their musical tal- Rabbi Shook’s successor the scholar's best friend, a ent to accompany the service. popular young army com- Shabbat St. Louis is designed to pro- will be featured in the mander. "Time of Favor" is a mote the ruach (spirit) of celebrating April DATELINE. tense political thriller which Shabbat together as a community. The Congregation Temple IsraelMarch 2010 Page 2 DATELINE WorshipWorship ScheduleSchedule LEADERSHIP OFFICERS Friday, March 12, 2010: Dr. David Weinstein 7:30 p.m. Service - Shabbat B’shir. Rabbi Feder will speak President Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-9 David Chassin VP of Facilities Saturday, March 13, 2010 Yale Hollander 11:00 a.m. Service - Jessica Lazaroff, VP of Membership daughter of Jane and Lee Brotherton and Ken Kraus Dennis and Nancy Lazaroff will become Bat Mitzvah. VP of Strategic Planning JoAnne Levy Torah Portion: Exodus 36:1-7 Haftarah: I Kings 7:45-50 VP of Social Responsibility Jessica Lazaroff Larry Linkon Friday, March 19, 2010 VP of Fundraising 7:30 p.m. Service - Rabbi Feder will speak Ellen Brin Torah Portion: Leviticus 5:1-9 Treasurer Michael Weiss Saturday, March 20, 2010 Assistant Treasurer Carol Cohen 11:00 a.m. Service - Kelsey Culp, Secretary daughter of Jennifer and Cory Culp Diana Rothbarth will become Bat Mitzvah. Assistant Secretary Torah Portion: Leviticus 5:14-26 Haftarah: Isaiah 44:3-7 Kelsey Culp BOARD OF TRUSTEES Friday, March 26, 2010: Fred Cohen, Thelma Davidson, 7:30 p.m. Service - Rabbi Alper will speak Pamela Dern, Jennifer Deutsch, Torah Portion: Leviticus 7:35-38 Robert Epstein, Carla Feuer, David Golde, Marvin Goldfarb, Cathy Goldsticker, Ted Saturday, March 27, 2010 Greenberg, Bryson Hartranft, 11:00 a.m. Service - Sara Ory, Harvey A. Harris, Judy Jacks, daughter of Jean Schaffer and Daniel Ory Marcie Kalina, Nancy Kodner, will become Bat Mitzvah. Jerome Levy, Joelyn Knopf Torah Portion: Leviticus 8:1-13 Haftarah: Malachi 3:22-24 Levy,Arthur Lewis, Judy Lewis, Sara Ory Loren Ludmerer, Dr. Eric Mann, Tami Martens, Steven Monday, March 29, 2010 EREV PESACH - FIRST SEDER Melnick, Jan Offenbach Nykin, Laura Reichman, Dr. Friday, April 2, 2010: Howard Schlansky, Jackie 6:00 p.m. Light Up The Night Service and Program Sclair, Avery Seidel, Jeremy for Families with young children Shook, Arnold Spirtas, Eric 7:30 p.m. Service - Rabbi Shook will speak: “Not Enough Matza” Spirtas, Adam Wallis, Neil Torah Portion: Exodus 33:12-16 Wolfman and Susan Stiefel Temple Israel DATELINE (USPS: Saturday, April 3, 2010 128-700) is published monthly THERE WILL BE NO SERVICE AT TEMPLE ISRAEL except bi-monthly July-August by WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN A REFORM COMMUNITY Congregation Temple Israel, #1 SHABBAT MORNING SERVICE AT CONGREGATION KOL AM (SEE PAGE ONE) Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141-7670. Periodicals postage paid at St. Louis, MO. Monday, April 5, 2010 LAST DAY OF PESACH Postmaster: Send address changes 11:00 a.m. PESACH MEMORIAL SERVICE to: Temple Israel DATELINE, #1 The names of loved ones who have passed away since last Yom Kippur Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141-7670. will be read at this service. Page 3 visit our website: www.templeisrael-stl.org If Not Now, When? by Rabbi Amy Feder On the cover of a recent edition of The New Yorker magazine, there was a four-panel cartoon depicting President Obama. In the first three panels, Obama is pictured approaching from afar, walking serenely on A few weeks ago, in a very tragic turn of events, water. In the final panel, he takes a false step and a group of spiritual seekers in Arizona lost their plunges into the depths, a look of surprise on his face. lives because they spent too much time in a sweat The message was clear--the President, viewed by so lodge. Following a practice of some Native many as a savior, appears to have lost his magic, and American tribes, the intended idea was to stay long we, as a result, have lost our faith. enough in a sweat lodge to induce a spiritual vision- Regardless of one's political stance, many of us can producing state among participants. A sweat lodge admit that the feelings of hope and excitement that is not a shvitz. Sitting in a sweat lodge is an ordeal. swept the country a year ago have dissipated. The Spending time in a shvitz is a m’chayyah. leader whom large numbers of people around the world The Shvitz (steam room) is a very interesting believed could walk on water, or at least come close, place. Consider for a moment all of the movies in has not yet succeeded in the ways we had hoped. Yet, which a steam room scene is present. I can think of as the cartoon and many commentators have pointed about a dozen without even breaking a sweat. Three of those were Roman Empire epics. By far, out, were our expectations too high to begin with? We the most creative dramatic steam room began as a elected Obama as president, not messiah. Placed so play and found new life as a “made for Public high on a pedestal, should we be surprised when, on Television fundraising” drama featuring Valerie occasion, our heroes and leaders stumble and fall? Perine and Bill Bixby. Of course, I am referring to In the Torah, the depictions of our Jewish heroes and Bruce J. Friedman’s Steambath.