Congregation B’nai Harim Children of the Mountains Congregation B’nai Harim, P.O. Box 757, Pocono Pines, PA 18350/ (570) 646-0100 http://www.bnaiharimpoconos.org NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2018/ VOLUME 24, ISSUE 12 RABBI’S MESSAGE - DECEMBER 2018 Stress is a killer. If it doesn’t kill outright, it wears away our adaptive reserves and tears at our patience, our civility and our souls. You’ve read this, heard this and, I fear, experi- enced it more in the last several years than ever before. Even if you grew up during World War 2 and the Cold War with their air-raids and duck-and-cover drills, you were younger then and not as worn out by constant threats and reports everywhere you turn. You could Rabbi Peg laugh off placards reading “Repent: the end is near.” Kershenbaum But now, our buoyancy is less springy and our optimism less resilient. Unless we take positive steps, we may find that our sour moods begin to take a toll on our physical health. They have certainly put a dent in our emotional well-being already. Some have found that their sense of spiritual well-being has been compromised as well. There are many ways to fight the malaise that sometimes threatens to engulf us. Doctors and health specialists have a cornucopia of remedies. The wellness industry has introduced soothing sup- plements into everything from bath oils to ice cream to dog treats! But sometimes you don’t want to turn to external fixes; you want to salve your soul. That’s where we at B’nai Harim are particularly fortunate. We have many paths to spiritual and emotional repair. When you bring food or warm winter clothing for our collection bins; when you save your clean plastic bags so they may be turned into waterproof mats for the homeless; when you call or visit a friend who is not well; when you join others for lunch or for a Shabbat dinner or for services; when you learn something new, you are taking positive steps toward refuat hanefesh, heal- ing your soul and keeping up your spirit. Participating in other gemilut chasadim, acts of kindness, in the wider world also helps. Volun- teer opportunities abound up in the Poconos and in Florida and anywhere you call home even for a few weeks of the year. As we light our candles against the darkness of the season this Chanukah, let us commit our- selves to engaging in new, positive activities to lighten the world around us and within us. May each of us become a Ner Tamid, a constant, undying flame, for ourselves and others. NOTICE FROM THE EDITOR by Honi Gruenberg Several congregants perceived an article in our November newsletter to be a political statement that did not relate to the temple or Jewish issues. As editor, I should ensure that our articles appeal to all of us as Jews and as members of B'nai Harim, regardless of political affiliation. Since my monthly article is on interesting finds on the internet, I found this article: https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Politics-With-Stubborn-Relatives useful. Since we are all family, I think this article will come in handy for all of us who have differing opinions. While we are all firm in our beliefs and often want to share, let’s try to find things that unite us and bring us closer together. Going forward we will no longer publish overtly political articles. Feel free to share them with your local newspaper. Wishing you a wonderful Chanukah (no matter how you spell it!). Honi Gruenberg Editor PAGE ONE/B’NAI HARIM PRESIDENT’S2 MESSAGE - DECEMBER 2018 by Meredith Stempel In 1949, just four years after WWll and the holocaust ended, the music to the show South Pacific was written. In the words of Oscar Hammerstein in one of the songs: “You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear. … It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear. … You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late, before you are six or seven or eight, to hate all the people you’re relatives hate. You’ve got to be carefully taught.” If hate and fear are carefully taught and ingrained in the minds of young children then the only way to remedy this and break the cycle is by carefully teaching ethical positive values and responses. When I was a student in public school there was not even a footnote in the history textbooks men- tioning the holocaust. Approximately six million Jews and over five million Gentiles were murdered during the holocaust and it did not even warrant a footnote. We need a license to drive a car, to practice medicine and law, to teach in public schools, but for the most important role one can have, that of a parent, one does not need a license. In order to main- tain licensure in various professions, continuing education courses are required. Why not continuing parenting education courses? Parenting is not all instinctive and intuitive. Health care workers and other professionals are required to take a course in child abuse recognition and reporting. Why not requiring courses in how to prevent it from occurring in the first place? We hold solidarity and memorial services to help us cope and promote goodwill in response to murders arising from bigotry and hatred. With the passage of time the horrific events blow over and we go on with our lives and forget, until the next massacre occurs. We need more emphasis on carefully teaching young and impressionable children that there should be zero tolerance for intolerance, bigotry, bullying, and any hateful, destructive attitude and act. We are all the victims of the massacres at the Texas church one year ago, the Pittsburgh syna- gogue, October 27, the California nightclub, November 7. At the solidarity and memorial service at Temple Israel in Stroudsburg reference was made to John Donne’s poem: ”No Man Is An Island”. The poem poignantly ends with the words: “…never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee”. KIDDUSH HOSTS Kiddushes are such a delightful part of socializing after a Saturday Morning ser- vice. We always welcome hosts for our Kiddushes. The cost of sponsoring is $65.00 and includes bagels, cream cheese, coffee, tea, orange juice, milk and all needed paper goods. Sponsors are welcome to supplement the Kiddush. To host a Kiddush, call Roberta Pineiro (570) 839-0107. December 8th - From the Kiddush Fund December 22nd - From the Kiddush Fund UPCUPCOMING SHABBAT DINNNERS Friday, December 14th at 6:30 PM Friday, January 11th at 6:30 PM UPCUPCOMING FLORIDA REUNION Friday, February 1, 2019 at 12:30 P.M. Florida B’nai Harim reunion will be on at the usual restaurant. Waterways Cafe on PGA Boulevard, RSVP Maddy Mogel at 561-638-3740. PAGE TWO/B’NAI HARIM ARE WE FADING AWAY? by George Novick THE PLIGHT OF JEWISH IDENTITY Facts of the 21st century. 72% of non-orthodox Jews marry non-Jews. 1/3 of millennial Jews do not identify with Judaism and claim they have no religion. Israel, which so in- spired many of us now alienates many. Assimilation, once the goal of so many of us, may be our Scourge. Let us hope that Judaism, which has shown its capacity to adapt, can adapt. 19th century non-orthodox Judaism did away with certain long term rituals and theol- ogy to adjust to living in an open society. 20th century Judaism had the Holocaust, which gave us an obligation to the murdered, and the establishment of the State of Israel, gave us a homeland and inspired us with dignity and pride. However, the last survivors of the Holocaust will die out in the next few decades and the actions of Israel are the subject of much internal debate. We are now floating around with many of our brethren untether- ed. As Author Tal Keinan has written “create meaning in Judaism or accept extinction.” to be continued TIKKUN OLAM by Steven Levine Our Torah tells us that “He who is gracious unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord and his good deed will HE repay”. Dear congregants your generosity and good deeds of providing warm coats, sweaters, socks, scarves, bedding and jackets to the needy of Monroe County are helping to keep many men women and particularly children much warmer this winter. Your food donations, kosher and non -kosher are helping to feed hungry bellies. It is unfortunate that the need is so great so please keep your donations coming. Your plastic bags are being woven into waterproof, bugproof warm sleeping mats and they are given to many homeless vets and the Red Cross. Trucks are still needed to transport food to various food pantry sites so if you can help with funding or a contact please let me know. You can call me at 570-595-9773. OUR TEMPLE CALENDAR by Norma Krasne-Levine Please note that the Temple Calendar is no longer created in hard copy covering the entire year. We have entered the electronic age. The calendar is now produced two months at a time. This is done so that there is a more accurate accounting of changes in events and dates and so that you can be up to date with plans. You can always find the colorfully illustrated calendars on the Temple web- site www.bnaiharimpoconos.org In addition, Richard posts the next month when I have completed it; he also lists events on his Weekly Temple Messages.