Vol. XLIII No. 4 THE NEWS OF DELAWARE’S DECEMBER 2013 FIRST CONGREGATION Shalom Chaverim, Chanukah thoughts from Rabbi Saks We tend to think of Chanukah as a victory over the Seleucid (Syrian Greek) Empire and it certainly was. In fact it set Judaea on a path that would ultimately lead to independence and the establishment of the second Jewish state. But the Hasmoneans and their supporters did not only have to defeat the Seleucids; they had to defeat Jews who were determined to Hellenize Judaea. In fact, to a large degree the Hasmonean uprising was a civil war, Jew against Jew. The first casualty recorded in the Book of Maccabees was a Jew killed by the Kohen priest Matityahu (father of Judah the Maccabee) for publicly worshiping the Greek gods. At times, particularly when faced with an existential threat, zealous action such as Matityahu’s is needed. However, optimally we should strive to respect each other and work in concert whenever possible. Hillel and Shammai, the two great leaders of the late second temple period, are good examples. Despite their differences in matters of law (including the famous machloket debate regarding lighting the Chanukah menorah), they and their students respected each other. (Continued on page 2) Dear AKSE Friends, Please save the date Our annual AKSE day of service will take place this year on Wed., Dec. 25 at the Mary Campbell Center. Twenty-two of us for a "Special Congregational are needed to help open residents' Christmas gifts, and eight are Meeting" on Monday, December 23, 2013 at needed to sew labels on articles of clothing. The Center will 7:30 PM. provide sewing materials. Our day starts promptly at A letter detailing the agenda 8:30am. Signing up with [email protected] is for the meeting will be sent to essential. Please keep in mind that thirty is the Mary Campbell all members in good Center limit for volunteers, so contact me as soon as possible so standing. you won't miss out on this very rewarding mitzvah. Thank you in advance for joining our seventh annual Mary Campbell Center project! Ed Zukoff DECEMBER, 2013 SHOFAR 1 (Continued from page 1) ADAS KODESCH Thankfully, today here in Jewish Wilmington the SHEL EMETH zealotry of Matityahu is not needed. On the contrary 4412 Washington Blvd. we, like Hillel and Shammai, are creating a golden Wilmington, DE 19802-1226 age of cooperation and mutual respect as witnessed Synagogue Office (302) 762-2705 by our communal Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth/ E-mail to [email protected] FAX (302) 762-3236 Congregation Beth Emeth/Congregation Beth Delaware Community Hebrew School Shalom trip to Israel this upcoming (302) 762-3618 June. AKSE Website www.akse.org Of course, this trip will provide Steven Saks, Rabbi you the opportunity to see the Jewish Yehoshua Redfern, Cantor Gail Weinberg, Educational Director homeland firsthand with your friends OFFICERS from Delaware. But it is more than a Open, President simple trip; it is more than a trip to our Ron Makar, Executive VP people’s homeland; it is more than a show of support for the Jewish state. It is a Neil Rosen, VP Finance statement to the Jewish world that our diversity Harriet Ainbinder VP Education does not have to separate us and that today Jews can unite despite their differences just as they did Vivian Goldberg VP Religious Affairs during the days of Hillel and Shammai. Wendy Shlossman, VP Administration As we light the Chanukah candles and celebrate the miraculous military victory that led to the second Dan Berry, VP Facilities Lena Elzufon independent Jewish state, commit to joining together VP Membership with our community in pilgrimage to the third Mark Wagman, VP Community Affairs independent Jewish state, the modern State of Joshua Schoenberg VP Ways & Means Israel. For more information regarding our trip to Israel please see the advertisement and itinerary Jeff Seidel, Treasurer that follow s . Sharon Berry & Eleanor Weinglass Secretary Dan Berry & Len Seltzer Chanukah S am e a c h , Men’s Club Presidents Sylvia Wagman Rabbi Saks Sisterhood President STAFF Sharon Marshall, Office Manager Arlene Mac Laren, Office Assistant Carol Burg, Bookkeeper LEARN TO READ HEBREW: Cliff Packer, Learn to read Hebrew, read from the Charles Wyley Siddur and to understand what you are Maintenance saying. Classes meet on Shabbat morning The Shofar is published 11 months: from 9:15 am to 10:30 am (advanced) and September through July/August. 10:30—11:30 am (beginners). For Jonathan Jaffe, Shofar Editor information, please call Eleanor Weinglass E-mail to [email protected] at 302 478-3378. 2 SHOFAR DECEMBER 2013 Have you been to the new web site yet? www.akse.org Updated daily with current info and news for you! DECEMBER, 2013 SHOFAR 3 ITINERARY Day 1, Sunday, June 15, 2014: DEPARTURE: Depart the United States on our overnight flight to Israel. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 2, Monday, June 16, 2014: WELCOME TO ISRAEL! :Arrive at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport… Meet our guide and begin our journey to Jerusalem…Stop at the Haas Promenade overlooking the City of Gold for a special “Sh’hekiyanu” cere- mony… Welcome dinner this evening… Overnight Jerusalem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 3, Tuesday, June 17, 2014: OLD/NEW JERUSALEM : tour of the tunnels under the Western Wall, Visit the Da- vidson Center and Southern Wall excavations, visit Hadassah Hospital and the Chagall Windows… off to the Knesset, the parliament building to see the bronze menorah sculpture. At the Supreme Court view the ancient mosaics from the syn- agogue at Hamat Gadar…Overnight Jerusalem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 4, Wednesday, June 18, 2014: LEARNING TOGETHER & THE PATH TO ISRAEL’S FOUNDATION : stop at Yad L’Kashish, Lifeline for the Aged visit Yad Vashem, memorial to the Holocaust …Younger children will be accompanied to the Children’s memorial and other age appropriate sections… visit the Israel Museum/Shrine of the Book,to see the Dead Sea Scrolls, Last stop today is Hezekiah’s Water Tunnel (bring water friendly shoes)… Overnight Jerusalem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 5, Thursday, June 19, 2014: MASADA : Early morning, drive to the Dead Sea Basin with an opportunity to climb or cable car to the top of Masada… view the remains of this fortification . Enjoy a swim in the salty Dead Sea if you like…then off to a Camel ride and finally visit the Qumran exhibit as we return to Jerusalem…Overnight Jerusalem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 6, Friday, June 20, 2014: DIGGING INTO HISTORY : journey to Beit Guvrin region through the Haella Valley where David slew Goliath.. Optional underground cave crawl… experience an archeological dig in the caves of Tel Maresha… Visit the Ayalon Institute, the underground munitions factory that saved the State of Israel during the War of Independ- ence…We continue to Jerusalem and Kabbalat Shabbat at the Western Wall before a very special Shabbat dinner togeth- er…Overnight Jerusalem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 7, Saturday, June 21, 2014: SHABBAT SHALOM! : Optional Shabbat service - options include the Great Synagogue, Agron Street Synagogue, HUC and Kol Haneshem…Then walk through Yemin Moshe, see the view from Montefiores Windmill, onward through history in the Old City, exploring the Jewish Quarter, Arab Quarter and Christian Quarter… Enjoy dinner, take a walk to tBen Yehuda or the German Colony. Meet for a walk to the Tower of David, to enjoy the new Sound & Light show spectacular!...Overnight Jerusalem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 8, Sunday, June 22, 2014: THE JORDAN VALLEY RIFT : Depart Jerusalem, through the Jordan Valley… view the Roman ruins of Beit Shean and the mosaic floor of the synagogue at Beit Alpha…On to Shadmot Dvora see first hand the MILK AND HONEY produced.! Take a swim at Gan Sachne…Stop in Tiberias and say Kad-dish at Rambam’s grave… Arrive at our kibbutz for dinner together…Watch the cows being milked using technology and a conveyor belt!...Overnight at our kibbutz in the Galilee. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 9, Monday, June 23, 2014: NORTHERN ADVENTURES : We take Jeep tour up to the Golan Heights… we enjoy the amazing view and see the memorial to those soldiers whodied in 1967 capturing the land at Mitzpe Gadot…Stop at Gamla…Cross the Galile,visit Safed city of mystics and ancient synagogues… a stop at Ibilin…before we enjoy kayaking trip down the Jordan River…Dinner and overnight at our kibbutz in the Galilee. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 10, Tuesday, June 24, 2014: THE BEAUTY OF THE COAST : Begin with the amazing grottoes in Rosh Hanikra… Visit the Crusader city Akko …Walk through B’hai Gardens at Mt. Carmel… then explore Caesarea with its Roman Thea- ter and ancient aqueduct… Arrive in Tel Aviv and pass by Rabin Square on our way to the hotel… Overnight Tel Aviv. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------