K olenu Our Voice THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF PENINSULA TEMPLE BETH EL Family Connections are Lifelong Connections Alison Levy, PTBE Tots Program Coordinator Nisan-Tamuz 5780 For those of you who may That said, I wanted to share a little bit about not know me, my name is my journey, my thesis project, and how it is April-June, 2020 Alison Levy, and I am your never too late to find your passion and follow humble PTBE Tots Program your heart. Coordinator. What that means in a nutshell is that any program Before coming to PTBE I was a professional involving families with children children’s musician, performing all over Inside this Issue 6 and under is part of my joyful the Bay Area, releasing albums, and 2 President's domain, and I love what I do! teaching preschool music classes. It was a Message From co-leading Tot Shabbats freelance existence—creatively engaging and 3 Schedule with Cantor Elana, to crafting interesting, but lacking in any real sense of Alison Levy community. I started to get teaching offers of Shabbat K’tanim family education sessions Services with Rabbi Lisa, teaching weekly Jewish from Jewish preschools, synagogues, and enrichment classes in Ganon preschool, JCCs. As I began to work more regularly in 4-6 B’nai Mitzvah planning holiday events, writing silly skits for these Jewish settings, something shifted in 6 Rodfei Tzedek Tree of Life, and even leading music for the me, a light turned on, and I just KNEW what I wanted to do, and where I wanted to be. occasional Friday night service, these past two 7 L'Taken years being a part of the PTBE community I sought to expand my Jewish knowledge have been a total honor and a blessing. 8 Our and repertoire, and I started to do my own Community Watching parents, children, grandparents, research into Jewish holidays, traditions, and friends interact and connect at rituals, values, and music. As I did this work 9 New Member community dinners, services, education and incorporated more Jewish themes into Spotlight programs, and holidays is what brings me the my classes and music, I felt something new. I most satisfaction in my work, and Peninsula 10 Culture Of felt CONNECTED. Connected to my own Belonging Temple Beth El provides such a loving and Judaism in a new and profound way. I felt open-hearted place to nurture these growing connected to the past, to my ancestors, to the 12-13 Photo Gallery relationships. people around me, to the children I worked 14 Beth El Women In addition to my role here at PTBE, I am with, to the community, to my deepest soul, & 100th also in the final few months of graduate to everyone! It was then that I decided to go Birthday school, completing my master’s degree in back to school and learn everything I could 15 Senior Jewish Education with a focus on Early about being a Jewish educator, so I could Friendship Club Childhood Education, through a Legacy bring that feeling of connection to everyone Fellowship at Hebrew College. Pursuing a around me. I was so lucky that PTBE knew 16 BEW Gift Shop master’s degree in your 50’s is no small feat, me and my family and was able to offer 21-22 especially when you’re a working mom, and me a place to flex my new skills as a Jewish Contributions educator, providing support, guidance, and I have spent the last three years diligently 23-25 Calendar of plenty of creative freedom and room to grow. aspiring to achieve this goal. I’m currently Events writing my graduate thesis, and I will complete the program in June! 26-27 Yahrzeits See Connections on page 16 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Nisan-Tamuz 5780 Nisan-Tamuz 5780 President’s Message Jeff Hyman, President April-June 2020 “Whether we have seen We reimagined how the Board of Trustees KOLENU eye-to-eye or rarely agreed and lay leaders can effectively, inclusively and Published Quarterly by at all, my conversations transparently lead and serve the temple. I Peninsula Temple Beth El with you … are what have can honestly say we made board service and 1700 Alameda de las Pulgas kept me honest, and kept board meetings highly engaging. Your board San Mateo, CA 94403 me inspired, and kept me members are making important contributions (650) 341-7701 going. And every day, I have and impact through “boots on the ground” Fax (650) 570-7183 learned from you. You made work – there are no passengers on this www.ptbe.org me a better President, and bus! Next, we carefully crafted an entirely Education Office (650) 931-0775 you made me a better man.” new Temple Governance Model, which our Gift Shop (650) 345-6563 membership recently approved, that will President Obama’s farewell address, 2017 A reform congregation modernize and revitalize our governance affiliated with the Union for While President Obama never confronted the practices. I can’t wait to see the next wave of Reform Judaism leaders taking this new model for a spin! PTBE Staff challenge of being a synagogue president, he Dennis J. Eisner had a rather full plate in his own right. And We rejuvenated our campus by coming up Senior Rabbi as I contemplate the remaining few months with a plan to wisely spend the funds raised Lisa Kingston of my term as PTBE’s President, I feel just through our Bonim B’yachad campaign. Associate Rabbi/Educator as President Obama did, a great sense of With that plan, not only did we renovate our Laura J. Rumpf gratitude and appreciation. kitchen, foyer, Fireside Room and Fellowship Assistant Rabbi/Educator Hall, but we also found a way to build a Elana Jagoda Kaye I had hopes and aspirations in mind when new chapel and multipurpose space that will Cantor I became President. Many of the seeds Kate Lauzar were planted during the three prior years benefit us for decades. We built these projects Executive Director when I served as Treasurer. I saw a growing on time and on budget, demonstrating to our Meredith Liron community blessed with a world-class and donors that PTBE is a careful and worthy Director, Ganon Early Childhood beloved clergy team. PTBE has hundreds of steward of their funds. We will put all that Education Center members who genuinely love and care about experience to work again as we continue the renovation of the Education Wing. Officers 2019-2020: their temple, and we are located in one of President: Jeff Hyman the most vibrant and prosperous corners of First Vice President: Roger Feigelson We transformed our temple staff team, Second Vice President: Julie Garlikov the world, but I felt strongly that for us to structure and functions. Our nationwide Secretary: Debby Courtney become the community to which many of Treasurer: Steve Sarver search for an Executive Director brought Kate Immed Past Pres.: Lawrence Siegel us aspire, PTBE’s foundation was in need of Lauzar (and her family) to PTBE all the way strengthening. As I reflect on our progress Board of Trustees 2019–2020 from New York. We welcomed new members over the past two years, I am immensely Roxanne Cohen Ex-Officio to our staff team, while others took on new Debby Courtney Members proud of all that we have achieved together. roles as we revised our staff organization. Roger Feigelson Pam Barasch & Plus, we just completed a critical transition Julie Garlikov Marcia Barkoff, We charted a course to strengthen PTBE in to a new member information management Marni Gerber Beth El Women the critical areas of member engagement, Julie Goldman Neil Oettinger, financial vitality and governance by creating system that will propel our operations Sydney Kapchan Brotherhood a Strategic Plan. For the next several years, into the modern era and enable all sorts of Sherry Lipson Zara Jaffe, Senior efficiencies and simpler ways for members to David Pelzner Friendship Club our Strategic Plan will provide consistent and Steve Sarver clear direction to guide PTBE to new heights. connect to PTBE. Aviv Siegel The Plan builds on our existing strengths We revitalized and brought new meaning while steering us to invest time, effort and to the “sacred partnership” between our resources into initiatives that will make clergy, staff and lay leaders. The “3-legged synagogue life more relevant, compelling and 2 vibrant. See President on page 18 SHABBAT SERVICES April-June 2020 Schedule of Shabbat Services Friday, April 3 Saturday, May 16 6:30 p.m. Shabbat Hallelu Service 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service, Sophia de Haaff becomes Bat Mitzvah Saturday, April 4 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service, Friday, May 22 Oliver Diamond becomes Bar Mitzvah 6:30 p.m. Shabbat Unplugged Friday, April 10 Saturday, May 23 6:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service, Josephine Belfer/Eleanor Arron/Vivienne Saturday, April 11 Levenberg become B’not Mitzvah No Morning Service Friday, May 29 Friday, April 17 6:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service 6:30 p.m. Shabbat Unplugged Saturday, May 30 Saturday, April 18 No Morning Service 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service, Charlotte Gruen/Noah Shefer become Friday, June 5 B’nai Mitzvah 6:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service Friday, April 24 Saturday, June 6 6:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service, Gianna Federighi becomes Bat Mitzvah Saturday, April 25 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service, Friday, June 12 Carson Apple becomes Bar Mitzvah 6:30 p.m.