Beth El Temple Center Bulletin
December
1997
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Table of Contents
December
Worship Schedule
Special Services
Tuesday, December 22nd
Chanukah Celebration 6:30 PM
(dress warmly & bring a flashlight!)
Sabbath Services
Friday, December 5th and Saturday, December 6th
Family Service/Pot Luck 6:15 PM
Regular Shabbat Service 8:15 PM
Shabbat Morning Service 10:00 AM
Va’yetze (Genesis 28:10-32:3)
B. Mitzvah of D. Sussman
Friday, December 12th and Saturday, December 13th
"Transforming Tefillah" Service* 8:00 PM
Junior Congregation (downstairs) 8:00 PM
Shabbat Morning Service 10:00 AM
Va’yishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43)
Friday, December 19th and Saturday, December 20th
Kitah Dalet Class Service 8:00 PM
(December "Simchas")
Shabbat Morning Service 10:00 AM
Va’yeshev (Genesis 37:1-40:23)
B. Mitzvah of P. Carey
Friday, December 26th and Saturday, December 27th
Shabbat Chanukah Service 8:00 PM
Shabbat Chanukah Service 10:00 AM
Mikketz (Genesis 41:1-44:17)
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From the Rabbi
You’re tired. You’re overloaded. You’re swamped. You feel like vegetating in front of the television. You want to take a nap. You want to read the paper or that new novel. You want to go out to the movies, the symphony or your favorite restaurant. You want to spend quality time with the people you love. Or else, you have chores to do around the house and work to catch up on. Frankly, you feel like forgetting about everything for a little while.
I understand those feelings. Some Friday nights and Saturday mornings, I share them. However, I’m very fortunate. My professional obligations force me to go to services—even when I don’t feel like going. I say I am fortunate because I always feel better after being here. I’m fortunate because I come away having been nurtured by the warmth and care of treasured friends. I am fortunate because my mind is challenged in new directions and my soul almost always emerges refreshed.
Most of our congregation does not attend services regularly. Is the reason the many pressures mentioned above? Or, is the reason that services fail to touch you? Is it because you come with unrealistic expectations? Or, is it that the Hebrew is beyond you and the English isn’t much better? Do you not come because you don’t know anyone else who is going? Or, is the reason you don’t make attending services a priority because you’re so far removed from a spiritual life and sense of community that you don’t even miss them?
I am an optimist. With shared effort, I still believe we can enjoy the blessings of an active, vibrant prayer community. We will continue to look for ways to make services more accessible and meaningful. But we need you to try, too. We need you to join us so that we can transform our congregation into a genuine community. We need you to join us for all the spiritual richness you can contribute and discover here. We need you to join us to create shared Jewish memories and living commitments for our children. We need you to join us that we might heal ourselves—make ourselves and our world a little more whole. We need you to join us.
Rabbi Jonathan Kraus
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President's Message
I approach this season with a justified amount of anticipatory dread. In addition to the arrival of various family members for Thanksgiving, and the gathering of gifts and paraphernalia for Chanukah, our family has to survive the end of the term (for everyone but me), two family birthdays, and two openings at the A.R.T. Perhaps the best news about this knot of hyperactivity is that the whole family takes a vacation during most of Chanukah, a glorious week "to walk abroad, and recreate" ourselves.
Last year we extended the December marathon to include Abigail's Bat Mitzvah, so our family vacation was delayed until the April school break, which turned out to be over Pesach. Feeling somewhat financially strained after the Bat Mitzvah, we were fortunate that one of Ellen's friends was willing to lend us a house for the week on St. Simons Island on the coast of southern Georgia. We spent some time discussing how much Passover equipment we needed to bring with us to make a Seder. I checked the UAHC web site and found that the neighboring city of Brunswick had a tiny congregation established in the 1880's. Reassured that we could ask for help in a pinch, we took only basic supplies, and were gratified to find a prototypical supermarket Passover shelf at the local Win-Dixie.
The morning after our Seder we went into the small shopping area alongside the St.Simons Light House and found two of the 10 stores closed for Passover. A few days later, looking for souvenir tee shirts, Abigail spotted the proprietor's name, Moishe Wanunu. This elicited much playful discussion of Kosher poi, and of other possible dissonant and colorful names to our parochial New England ears. A few days later we visited the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation, a rice plantation established in the early nineteenth century that had become a dairy farm after slavery. The last surviving daughter had willed the house and grounds as a historical park. The plantation's founders were Jewish.
Given the way Chanukah falls in our secular calendar I expect many of you also will find yourselves away at some point over the holidays, and my travelogue suggests some things to think about. Most of us tend to think of Judaism as a sort of a triangle in history and geography joining Israel, Europe, and the United States, particularly New York City. When we travel we tend not to think of the Jewish community of Shanghai or Bombay or São Paulo or Bombay or Brunswick, Georgia. If you go away or stay at home, when you light your Chanukiah, remember that you are joined across oceans and cultures to others saying the same words as they perform the same ritual. Recall that the Maccabees were fighting for the right to worship as Jews, and that Chanukah celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple. Since then, the people of Israel have faced exile and holocaust, have settled, and moved, and resettled dozens of times in every corner of the globe. When we praise God for miracles long ago and now, our modern, rational twentieth century self may reject or doubt the notion of miracles, equating them with magic or sleight-of-hand. But surely the fact that so many people in so many places light the candles and say the berachot is the greatest miracle of all.
-Jonathan Miller, Co-President
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From the Director of Education
As many of you know, I recently attended the NATE (National Association of Temple Educators) Conference in Dallas. The theme for the four days was "Breaking the Mold: New Trends for a New Century." The conference did not give a prescription for what we should be doing in Jewish education in the next century. That would be too easy and it wouldn’t work because each congregation is different. Instead, the conference focused on the bigger picture. The question raised was how do we go through the process of change in a way that will be beneficial and successful? We examined the ways people react to and sometimes resist change and ways to work through the change process.
As I considered what was presented, I started to wonder about Beth El Temple Center and our school. Since I have been here, there have been some changes in the school. We have examined curriculum, policy and practices. I believe that we have made progress in these areas and that we needed to see changes and progress within these areas fairly quickly in order to feel some measure of success.
The questions I would pose that caused me to wonder and worry are, Where do we go from here? What is our vision of Jewish education for this congregation? How do we begin to make that vision a reality? Can these questions be answered quickly and easily? No, and I wouldn’t want to. What is more important is that I cannot answer these questions alone. I can come up with ideas but they may or may not be what the parents, students, or congregants want. If we are to have a vision of where we are going and how we want to get there, we must work on it together as partners. In the coming months, I will be talking with the school committee about how we can begin the dialogue for determining our vision and mission. It is a big project, full of self examination, and growth and excitement. I look forward to beginning the process with you.
-Toby Koritsky
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From the Cantor
Mark your calendars for a special event -- Friday, February 13th, 1998 at 8:00P.M.!!!
February 1998 is Jewish Music Month, since it contains Shabbat Shirah, or Sabbath of Song. Its Torah Portion, B'Shallach (Exodus 13:17-17:16), includes Moses' Song of the Sea, which the Israelites sang after their escape from Egypt and their successful crossing of the Sea of Reeds.
It has become a tradition in Reform Judaism to have a special musical addition to the Shabbat Service in the form of a "sermon in song," typically featuring a Jewish composer or some special aspect of Jewish music. On Friday, February 13th, 1998, at our Shabbat service I will give a musical presentation on the Jewish composer, Leonard Bernstein, based on my senior thesis, Leonard Bernstein:Jewish Interpretations and Applications for His Vocal Music.
Following an abbreviated Shabbat service in the sanctuary, I will present a recital-discussion in the Zonis Auditorium. I will be assisted by my partner, Joel Hencken, who will serve as narrator, and by our organist, Mark Dwyer, at the piano. We will discuss some of the interesting Jewish moments in Bernstein's life, his contributions to Jewish culture, his liturgical music, and how even some of his "secular" music can be adapted for Jewish use.
It is a great pleasure for me to be able to share with the congregation some of this wonderful music, and some of the fascinating material about Bernstein that I have been poring over for the last year! Given the Reform movement's openness to diverse musical styles(traditional, folk, jazz, and even rock!), it has been surprising to me that Leonard Bernstein's music has been so little used in Jewish contexts. I hope that this presentation will encourage you to see him as an appealing source of Jewish, as well as popular American music.
Looking forward to seeing you on February 13th!
-Student Cantor Geoffrey Fine
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From the Preschool Director
As Thanksgiving approaches, the preschoolers always become historians and learn about the lives of the pilgrims and Native Americans. It is our custom, to invite some family members to a feast for which the chefs bake their own refreshments. This year the children will greet their company wearing hand decorated Pilgrim costumes and will perform their repertoire of holiday songs and activities.
Part of our Thanksgiving unit involves discussing our blessings for which we are thankful. We hope you enjoy sharing the ideas of 3 and 4 year olds.
We are thankful for: "friends to play with…medicine…mechanical things…family members…pets…Halloween costumes…being able to make a big girl bed…a brother who stopped yelling and crying…pumpkins…hayrides at Drumlin Farms…cooking with Mom…Chanukah…houses where you can draw pictures with pencils…the story of the Magic School Bus…coming to Beth El Pre-School!
-Rolene Karp, Director
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In the Beth El Family . . .
Mazal tov…to Bea and Mel Fraiman on their 50th wedding anniversary. A gala party arranged by their three sons, two of whom live in Israel, and one in Alaska was attended by their friends and family, including all 15 of Bea and Mel's grandchildren…
…Many thanks to Rusty Epstein for sharing her special birthday with us by sponsoring a wonderful Oneg Shabbat…
…Marsha and Ed Mattison are delighted to announce the engagement of their son, Allen, to Cara Pollock of Raleigh, North Carolina…
…Beverly and Joe Lundis traveled to China and the Far East in celebration of their 50th anniversary…
…Ruth and Richard Vallon celebrated their 50th anniversary with a weekend in the Berkshires. They were joined by their children and grandchildren….
…Harold Ponn is recovering from his recent surgery…
…Frederick and Estelle Tapper on the marriage of Nancy Tapper to Luke Burnham…
…and a special thank you to all my friends at Beth El Temple Center --I want to thank all of you for your cards, donations, calls, and visits. I greatly appreciate the beautiful flowers you sent me on my birthday. It is nice to belong to such a caring Temple family…Charlotte Goldstein.
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Preschool Registration
The PreSchool is currently registering children for the school year 1998-1999. There are a very limited number of openings in our program. These openings will be held until December 10th for any Temple member wishing to register with us. Your child must be 3 years of age by December 31st, 1998. Call me at the Temple Office to arrange an appointment for you and your child to come and visit us!
-Rolene Karp, Director
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Circular Thinking
On Friday night, December 12th, we will hold the first in a series of special worship opportunities. The distinguishing feature of this December service will be to worship sitting in a circle rather than in the sanctuary pews. In this way, we explore the influence of architecture on worship.
The series, which we call "Transforming Tefillah," will offer a variety of creative worship experiences during the year. Tentative plans call for a Jewish healing service, a service of Jewish meditation, services that focus on music and movement and a service composed of readings brought by members of the congregation. Please join us to explore how we might transform our tefillah and be more fully transformed by it. Watch the Bulletin for more details.
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Tot Shabbat
Tot Shabbats are an opportunity for preschoolers and their parents to enjoy a short service with lots of singing, do a craft project with a Jewish theme, hear the Rabbi tell a story, and march with the Torah.
Tot Shabbat’s are normally on the second Saturday of the month, unless we have to avoid a conflict with some other event, and start at 10:15 in the preschool room downstairs at the temple.
The Tot Shabbat schedule for the remainder of 5758:
- December 13
- January 10
- February 14
- March 14
- April 18 --- third Saturday of the month
- May 16 --- third Saturday of the month
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Jewish Philosophy Study Group
The Jewish Philosophy Study Group will next meet on Wednesday, December 10th, 1997 at 7:30pm at the Temple. We will discuss the philosophy of Sir Isaiah Berlin(not Irving). There will be copies of the readings in the Adult Education Box at the Temple Office. Anyone interested can come and join anytime!
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Sisterhood Rosh Chodesh Group
For our October meeting, Nechama Cheses (Sheila's Sister) led a discussion on women we would have liked to invite into our Succah. Participants talked about our connections to our mothers and grandmothers and how our Jewish identity was influenced by the matriarchs in our families. We also had a chance to shake the lulav and say the blessing.
On Monday, December 8th, we will welcome the month of Kislev at the home of a member.
We will study Judith and Hannah. Please do some research on these women. What did you know about these women prior to tonight's study and what do you think of their plights now? Does Judaism seem to prefer women who are mothers? We will also discuss the roots of Chanukah. Do we have the courage to be different?
On Tuesday, January 6th, we will welcome the month of Tevet at the home of another member. We will honor young women in the community. You are welcome to invite your teenage daughter to this meeting We will discuss how we remember adolescence. What it is like for teenage girls today. What are their challenges? Please join us as we celebrate the new moon and issues that relate to women!
RSVP: call the temple.
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Sisterhood Book Discussion Group
Autobiography of My Mother
And Annie John
By Jamaica Kincaide
Tuesday December 9th at 7:30PM
At a member's home
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BEFTY: Beth El Federation of Temple Youth
Hi everyone!! We are starting off the year with lots of great events! So far this month we already had a conclavette in Sudbury. We sent three people from BEFTY and they all had a great time. We also had a movie day on November 16th. This event was just for BEFTY. We ate bagels and watched movies, it was fun. On December 6th, BEFTY is looking forward to seeing Blue Man Group. We hope to have a big turn out. In January, we may be hosting our first shul-in of the year, but the plans aren't definite. Also coming up in December is the annual December Institute. This is always a great way to spend the vacation! It should be exciting!
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Outreach Committee
It’s mid-November and my six year old daughter, who is in Kindergarten, tells me that she is the only Jewish kid in her class and, therefore, the only kid who does not celebrate Christmas. She looks to me for answers, expecting to have to "defend" our decision to celebrate only Hanukkah even though Daddy is not Jewish. Once again I remind her how great Hanukkah is and that some children who celebrate Christmas (and sneer at those who don’t) may just be misinformed about our great holiday or be unaware of it entirely. I offer to come to her class to teach the kids about Hanukkah. This seems to satisfy her for the moment. As for me, I know that it is just the first of many questions I will get on the Christmas vs. Hanukkah dilemma.
That is why I am already looking forward to our annual discussion, "Handling the Holidays", on Sunday, December 14 at 11:00 a.m. This is the only forum of its kind where we can share these stories and get some help with those tough questions. Our facilitator will be Susan Farber, a licensed social worker with extensive experience working with inter-faith couples. To accommodate more families, we are also offering brunch and babysitting.
If you are married or single and have "inter-faith" issues, I hope you’ll join us. Whether you celebrate one, two or none of the holidays, this will be your opportunity to share with and learn from others on how to enjoy the winter holidays.
If you would like to attend, RSVP to Rose at 484-6668. We appreciate knowing how many to expect so there will be plenty of food. Happy Holidays!
-Cindy Rubin, Chair
(General information is available on-line about the
Reform outreach program, and
regional
outreach programs.)
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Religious School Committee
This fall I attended the regional conference of the Boston Area Reform Teacher Educators (BARTE). The conference, Entering The 21st Century;Responding to Changes In Our Religious School Classrooms, primarily focused on interfaith issues. Observing a carefully planned and facilitated panel discussion, I realized, once again, how important process is to decision making and policy setting. I also realized that the interfaith family is under represented on our religious school committee. If we are to appropriately respond to Beth El's changing needs, it will be important for the committee to have input and involvement from interfaith parents. As always, I welcome new member involvement; more specifically, I am encouraging more representation from the interfaith family. Please, come to our next meeting. The Meetings are held the first Monday of each month. We look forward to hearing from you.
-Ronda Brenner, Chair
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SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE
Greetings,
Those of us on the Social Action Committee are very excited as we have just learned that Richard Maxfield, a field worker for "Nobody's Children", will be visiting Temple Beth El on Sunday, December 7th and will speak about his work in Bosnia during the past two years. Many of you may remember that our spring concert earlier this year was dedicated to "Nobody's Children", a humanitarian relief organization that raises money for agencies serving the needs of children in Bosnia. Through concert sales and donations from our Temple community we raised $1500 which was donated via "Nobody's Children" to "Mendenica, an agency which serves developmentally disabled children in Bosnia. We value the chance to hear first hand from Mr. Maxfield about the work that is being done in Bosnia and we hope that you will join us. Mr. Maxfield will be speaking at 9:30am on December 7th at the Temple. A light breakfast will be served.
Jonathan Jacoby represented the SAC at the recent convention in Dallas. He has reported that a major theme of the social action workshops he attended was the concept of social action as a Temple wide commitment rather than as something performed by a small committee. Through food drives, Mitzvah Day, and fund raising we believe that here at Beth El we are living up to this idea of Temple wide commitment but there is always room for improvement. If you haven't participated in any SAC events this year, how about leaving a box of cereal or container of apple juice in our family table donation box the next time you visit the Temple?
Alice Melnikoff is the coordinator of Project Ezra. A number of SAC members have volunteered in past years to serve dinner for people in need at the Pilgrim Church on Christmas Day. To a person they recommend this opportunity for social action and in fact most of them continue to volunteer every year! If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, Call Alice at 484-4326.
For those of you who have expressed interest in our House Pins, they will be on sale in the Temple Lobby durinh holiday sale hours. This year's proceeds will benefit Family to Family, an organization that provides small financial grants to needy families to help them get established in secure housing.
Best Wishes for happiness and good health during Chanukah!
-Anne Emmerich, Secretary, SAC
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Women of Reform Judaism
One hundred thousand women can accomplish wonderful things by working together. Because you said yes to the Women of Reform Judaism there are scholarships for rabbinical students, nursery schools in the former Soviet Union and Israel. Jewish youth programs around the country and around the world. Service To The Blind provides materials so that more people can participate in worship services.
In Dallas we learned how important our membership is to Reform Jews around the world. We heard from Rabbis from Australia and Israel and a Sisterhood President from South Africa who operates a feeding station for poor children. I’ll bet you didn’t know that we are a major sponsor of Bill Moyer’s "Genesis" series on PBS.
At the Dallas convention we heard an amazing array of interesting speakers. Shimon Peres described the political situation in Israel today. "God doesn’t need a political party" said Peres to a standing ovation. Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the UAHC and Rabbi Allen Smith, head of all youth programs, asked us to support our teenagers with a major influx of money and programs aimed at Jewish identity and support of moral values. If we don’t do this, who will?
Our proudest moments in Dallas came during services which featured our own student cantor, Geoffrey Fine. He had seven Jewish mothers cheering and telling all who would listen "that’s our Cantor". Not to worry Geoff, we took plenty of pictures to send to your mom!!
I had the opportunity to study with Rabbi Maya Leibovitch. She is the first Israeli woman to become a rabbi in the reform movement in Israel. I took another class called Jewish Women and Stress. Sorry, no miracles, but Sisterhood can help replenish, connect, heal and empower one woman at a time. We can’t be Superwomen but ... we are a community of Super Women!!
I’d like you to start thinking about the next convention in December 1999 in Orlando, FL. You could experience Shabbat with 5000 other Jews. You could study and network with intelligent women from around the country. Just consider the possibility. Thank you.
Myrna Robinson-Weiner
A BIG RUMMAGE THANK YOU FROM SISTERHOOD!!!
Our successful Rummage Sale on November 9, was co-chaired by Charlotte Millman and Shelly Rubin. They raised over $3,000 in 3 hours. The women, men, and teenagers who volunteered did a fabulous job. If you have never helped out at an event like this you would be amazed at the sense of community we have here. Thank you to everyone who made the day possible. A special thank you to our custodians, Bill and Tony. They did everything asked of them with ease and good humor. Thanks guys!
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR DECEMBER
DECEMBER 14…
The Cradle Roll Hanukah Party - call the temple
Women of Reform Judaism sponsors a holiday party for preschool kids…
STAINED GLASS WINDOW
"CREATION" T-SHIRTS ARE
NOW AVAILABLE!
Long sleeved T-shirts can be found during book fair or gift shop sale days. The shirts are a beautiful reflection of our window and can be yours for only $19.95.
SUNDAYS - DECEMBER 7, 14, 21
SISTERHOOD GIFT SHOP GOODIES
Simplify your life. Shop while the kids are in Sunday school. Get candles, menorahs, gelt, jewelry, etc. The Women of Reform Judaism are working for you. Thanks to Alice Melnikoff and Ellen Miller.
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