Volume 29, Number 6 • February 2010 • Shevat/Adar 5770

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Volume
29, Number 6 • February 2010 • Shevat/Adar 5770
directory
Temple Beth Abraham
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Services/ Time
Location
Monday & Thursday
Morning Minyan
Chapel 8:00 a.m.
Friday Evening (Kabbalat Shabbat) Chapel 6:15 p.m.
Shabbat Morning
Sanctuary 9:30 a.m.
Candle Lighting (Friday)
February 5
February 12
February 19
February 26
5:19 p.m.
5:26 p.m.
5:34 p.m.
5:41 p.m.
Torah Portions (Saturday)
February 6
February 13
February 20
February 27
Yitro
Mishpatim
Terumah
Tetzaveh
To view The Omer in color, visit www.tbaoakland.org.
General INFORMATION
All phone numbers use (510) prefix unless otherwise noted.
Mailing Address 336 Euclid Ave.
Oakland, CA 94610
Hours M-Th: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Fr: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Office Phone 832-0936
Office Fax 832-4930
E-Mail admin@tbaoakland.org
Gan Avraham 763-7528
Bet Sefer 663-1683
STAFF
Rabbi (ext. 213)
Cantor (ext. 218)
Gabai
Executive Director (ext. 214)
Office Coordinator (ext. 210)
Bet Sefer Director
Gan Avraham Director
Bookkeeper (ext. 215)
Custodians (ext. 211)
Kindergym/Toddler Program
Volunteers (ext. 229)
Mark Bloom
Richard Kaplan
David Galant
Art Rosenberg
Aliza Schechter
Susan Simon
Wendy Siver
Christine Tripod
Joe Lewis, Dennis Moore
Dawn Margolin 547-7726
Herman & Agnes Pencovic
OFFICERS
President
Vice President
Vice President
Vice President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
i
Stephen Shub 339-3614
Mark Fickes 652-8545
Jerry Levine 336-0565
Stacy Margolin 482-3153
Bryan Schwartz 350-7681
Laura Wildmann 601-9571
Marshall Langfeld 769-6970
Committees & organizations
If you would like to contact the committee chairs,
please contact the synagogue office for phone numbers
and e-mail addresses.
Adult Education Women of TBA
Bet Sefer Parents Miriam Green
Bet Sefer Subcommittee Barbara Gross
Chesed Warren Gould
Development Laura Wildmann
Dues Evaluation Marshall Langfeld
Endowment Fund Herman Pencovic
Finance Marshall Langfeld
Gan Avraham Parents Jo Ilfeld and Mala Johnson
Gan Avraham Jenny Michaelson
Schools Committee
House Stephen Shub
Israel Affairs David Marinoff
Membership Stacy Margolin and
Jill Rosenthal
Men’s Club Eric Friedman
Ritual Sally Ann Berk
Schools Stacy Margolin
School Building Steering Sandy Margolin
Social Action Bryan Schwartz
Torah Fund Anne Levine
Tree of Life Open
Web Site Outi Gould
Women of TBA Judith Klinger
Youth Steve Fankuchen
what’s happening
Come Join a Special Study Group,
Led by Rabbi Art Gould,
“What Happens When We Pray?”
In this course, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the architecture of the siddur and
of the service. Why do we bless God? What
themes did the rabbis use to organize the service? If you’ve ever been to a “pardon the interruption” service and wanted to know more
about our rituals, our texts, and the thinking
behind them, this is the class for you!
First Monday of each month from
February through May, from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
at Rabbi Art’s home, 2956 Gibbons Drive,
Alameda, CA. Come for one, some, or all of
the sessions as your schedule permits.
February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3
Please RSVP to eric_friedman@mac.com
or (510) 984-2575.
RSVPs
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TBA Annual
Blood Drive
February 21
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Please Join Us! TBA’s Purim Megillah Reading
Saturday, February 27
Rock & Roll Purim and Partial Megillah Reading 6:15 p.m.
Full Megillah Reading 8:15 p.m.
1
from the rabbi
Dear Friends,
I so appreciate when people respond to articles I have written in the Omer. Though it often means
we disagree about something, it lets me know that (1) at least people are reading, and (2) people are
engaged in some way with Judaism. With that in mind, I want to respond to some questions/comments written to the Omer by long-time member Irene Weinberg. Below are her questions and my
responses.
1)Discussion and acceptance of Patrilineal Descent. If it is a mitzvah for a Jewish mother to raise her
children to be good Jews, then it is more than an equal mitzvah for a non-Jewish mother to raise her
children to be Jewish.
I do not believe religion is inherited. But for those who do believe that, then aren’t the father’s genes
as good and strong as their mother’s genes? And if so, why not accept Patrilineal Descent?
We might as well get started with the most controversial. Let me first say that when I meet someone
who considers themselves Jewish but was not born to a Jewish mother, I believe that they are Jewish
in their heart. However, traditional Judaism requires more than just intentionality. It also requires a
commitment to the halacha (Jewish law), and Jewish law, for the past 2,000 years, has required that
the mother be Jewish. I, personally, as well as the Conservative movement, believe that you can’t
simply dismiss Jewish law, even if it doesn’t make innate logical sense. Else we risk sliding down that
very slippery slope.
I have also come to look at this problem as a spiritual opportunity. During my 8 ½ years at TBA I
have had the opportunity to take part in the conversion of more than 40 children, many of whom
were born to Jewish fathers and non-Jewish mothers. It is not only an educational opportunity, but
a very moving moment in the lives of these families. They have made a choice to make their children Jewish according to Jewish law and are marking it with a beautiful ritual. In a way, I wish all
families had that same opportunity!
2)Women gotta get a Get. Why should a wife be unable to file for a religious divorce? At the time
of marriage, a contract is made. If the husband breaks the contract (especially as laid out in the
Ketubah), then he should be held to the contract, and the wife should be able to sue for divorce.
I agree, and, in a sense, the Conservative movement dealt with this several years ago. A Conservative
Ketubah includes what is called the “Lieberman Clause,” where we have exactly that. A woman can
initiate the “Get” or Jewish divorce process. Unfortunately, it is much harder to enforce than to put
in the contract.
3)Our Conservative movement should sponsor trips to the United States for Israeli teenagers. This
would strengthen the movement. The teenagers can experience Conservative Judaism, and probably
return to Israel to strengthen Conservative Judaism.
The Conservative movement does do this, to some extent, but it’s very limited. They bring young
people to Camp Ramah, not only in California, but throughout the United States. There, the
Israelis get an ideal taste of the most joyous aspects of Conservative Judaism. This is a wonderful idea
but needs a great deal more money to be implemented, something that the Conservative movement
is severely lacking at this point.
4)We should work with and support any attempt to modify the Orthodox hold on religion in Israel.
Judaism allows for questioning and personal decisions. Religious interpretation should not be the
province of one segment of Judaism; we have no Pope!
Once again, I agree completely. A theocracy is a terrible thing in any religion.
Much of this hegemony is being challenged in Israeli courts, but it would be nice if it were not an
official policy of the Israeli government. While it can seem like a drop in the bucket, one way to
support this idea is by supporting Conservative and Reform congregations in Israel. To learn more,
google either Masorti or Mercaz.
Thank you, Irene, for your comments!
L’shalom,
Rabbi Mark Bloom
2
president’s message
I Dream in Colors!
By Steve Shub
On Sesame Street (which I watched when my kids were young), along with the letter and/or number
of the day, there was sometimes the color of the day. Sesame Street was designed to provide a broad
view of the world for little kids, while entertaining their parents as well.
Today’s color of the day is green! The green revolution is a broad view of everything that’s supposed
to be environmentally friendly. What we tend to focus on is energy, but the reality is that it covers
almost everything we see, touch or do in everyday life. Here are a few examples of how we at TBA
do our part.
If you’ve ever looked in the TBA parking lot during Minyan or Shabbat services, it appears that we
have our own fleet of Prius and other hybrid cars. Another form of green is foot power; many of our
congregants, and of course, Jews throughout the world, walk to shul on Shabbat. For those of you
who drive to shul, consider ride sharing. TBA also has a large number of bike riders (although not
on Shabbat), many of whom also participate in fundraising events, making it a mitzvah as well. Foot
and bike power are great for the environment and our health as well.
During the Centennial Project, we installed new, energy efficient lighting in the Sanctuary, Chapel,
Social Hall and most other locations on our campus. We are also very conscientious about our heat
and water use.
The most significant addition to our energy saving efforts is our new solar power system. Over 100
solar panels now sit atop our sanctuary, school and offices. See Rick Heeger’s article for more details
about our solar panels.
One of the advantages of having a kosher kitchen is that the majority of the food we prepare is as
environmentally friendly as possible, as well as healthier for us. In particular, kosher chickens are
grown without the additives given to most commercial chickens, and the birds are treated more
humanely.
We have taken many steps to convert to biodegradable paper and utensils for our various meals and
food events, and we continue to increase these efforts. You will also see new recycling bins in the
Social Hall – chip in and put your refuse in the proper bins.
Another important contribution that TBA members make to the environment is our participation in
events such as our annual observance of Tu B’Shevat, organized by congregant Jody London, during
which we team up with Save the Bay to restore the wetlands at the Arrowhead Marsh, part of the
Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline Park here in Oakland. Adults and kids are out picking up
trash, planting, and making the area more pleasant for both humans and wildlife.
So that covers TBA. How about you? Do you recycle, buy sustainable food, drive less and walk
more, and minimize your impact on the environment? It can be challenging being an environmentalist, and it’s more expensive, but it’s the right thing to do. Start thinking green, and spread the
word. I guarantee that it will make you feel better as we work together toward leaving a smaller carbon footprint and repairing the planet.
See you in Shul,
Steve
Helping the Haiti Earthquake Victims
We are all deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives and the
devastation caused by the recent earthquake in Haiti.
Here are two easy ways to make online donations toward relief efforts for the earthquake victims:
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (UCSJ): www.uscj.org/donate/relief
American Jewish World Service (AJWS): www.ajws.org/
3
editor’s message
Liberating the Wall
By Lori Rosenthal
In this Omer column, I am reprinting an editorial originally published on January 6, 2010 that
appeared in the January 15, 2010 edition of The
Forward. It was also distributed via email by
both the Masorti Foundation and the USCJ on
January 7. The editorial speaks to the difficult
relationship between the religious right in Israel
and those who believe in a more egalitarian and
pluralistic form of Jewish practice. It also shows a
shocking lack of regard for Conservative religious
practice in Israel (specifically by females).
I don’t usually use my column as a platform from
which to encourage, condone, or condemn any
particular religious beliefs or forms of religious
practice. But for this issue I am making an
exception. For those who would like to support
the Masorti Foundation in their day-to-day battles for pluralism in public spaces in Israel, please
contact them at (212) 870-2216 or donate via
their website at www.masorti.org.
Liberating the Wall
Imagine, if you will, a group of devout Jews
who regularly gather to pray at an ancient synagogue. Sometimes they are left alone, but other
times they are verbally and physically harassed,
spit at, cursed. If this were taking place in a
country unfriendly to Jews, we would admire
the worshippers’ dedication and perseverance,
perhaps publicize their plight.
Then, imagine that one day, one of the worshippers is arrested, hauled into police custody
for doing nothing more than offending the
sensibilities of others, whatever that means. A
month later, the leader of the group is questioned by police, fingerprinted and warned
that she is at risk of arrest. Imagine the uproar!
Imagine if this were Sweden or France or
the
Omer
Argentina, and suddenly prayer became a
crime. The Jewish defense organizations would
broadcast their collective outrage with the speed
of a “send” button.
So what do we do when these real events happened in Israel, at Jerusalem’s Western Wall?
The arrest in November of Nofrat Frenkel of
Women of the Wall for the alleged “crime”
of carrying a Torah and wearing a tallit in the
shadow of the Kotel’s ancient stones cannot be
dismissed as yet another oddity of Israeli life.
Especially when that was followed, on January
5, by the interrogation and fingerprinting of
Anat Hoffman, director of the Israel Religious
Action Center, who has led Women of the Wall
for its 21 years and who was told that she is
now suspected of a felony.
These outrages cannot be ignored by American
Jews and must be viewed for what they are:
another chapter in the ongoing struggle to
determine whether Judaism’s most sacred site
will belong only to a distinct, intolerant minority or whether it can truly welcome all the
Jewish people.
This is not just an Israeli concern. There’s a
legitimate question as to how far American
Jews can and should go in challenging the
Israeli government on internal matters of
defense, national security, domestic policy and
so on, but this is different. The Kotel is not just
another shul to be avoided for the more hospitable one around the corner. It is the iconic
national, spiritual, religious heartbeat of the
Jewish people, the destination of our prayers,
the symbol of our survival. It cannot become
the sole province of the ultra-Orthodox.
But that is what’s happening. In the last
couple of years, the Western Wall Heritage
continued on page 6
March OMEr Theme: The Pesach Issue
We cheerfully accept member submissions. Deadline for articles and letters is the first of the month preceding publication.
Editor in Chief
Managing Editor &
Traffic Coordinator
Layout & Design
Calendars
B’nai Mitzvah Editor
Cover
Help From
4
Lori Rosenthal
Shira Weisbach
Copy Editors Jessica Dell’Era, Charles Feltman, Lisa Fernandez, Nadine
Joseph, Richard Kauffman, Jan Silverman, Debbie Spangler,
James Wakeman
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People like you!
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Richard Kauffman, Outi Gould, Jeanne Korn, Stephen Shub,
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Distribution Herman Pencovic, Pola Silver, Gertrude Veiss
Mailing Address 336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610
E-Mail omer@tbaoakland.org
wtba, our sisterhood
A Blessing of the Animals?
By Judith Klinger
The other day a WTBA member said, “Why don’t we
have a Blessing of the Animals, the way some churches do?
Wouldn’t that be nice? We could all bring our pets to the
courtyard and have a formal blessing ceremony--after all, we
bless our children every Shabbat.” A long discussion ensued
about why synagogues don’t do such things, and the role of
pets in the Jewish family. When I told the congregant I was
writing the WTBA column this month, she urged me to
call for a Blessing of the Animals, so here I am.
It seems to me this fits under the rubric of environmentalism, because the first set of mitzvot God handed down
told Adam and Eve “to be fruitful and multiply, and fill
the earth and conquer it, and to hold sway over the fish
of the sea and the fowl of the heavens and the cattle, and
the wild beasts and all the crawling things that crawl upon
the earth.” Rapacious developers have claimed that this
verse puts humankind on a high and mighty plane, with
Divine permission to exploit the earth and all its animals.
Yuk, right? Very anti-green. Fortunately, other perspectives
abound, and they argue that since we have the intellect that
allows us to hold sway over animals, we are charged with
the duty to treat them ethically. The Conservative movement’s foray into “ethical kashrut” stems in part from this
interpretation. So to take a shortcut, ethics = kindness, and
if we are meant to be kind to animals, mightn’t we bless
them? Well, yes we might – and Rabbi Bloom is all for this!
Now to segue to something WTBA is actively working on:
the first part of the above verse, to be fruitful and multiply,
is hallowed in Jewish circles: synagogues are usually pretty
family-focused. That family focus helps weave the bonds
that tie us together: parents make friends of other parents
via the Gan or Bet Sefer, and voila! a community. However,
not everybody has children enrolled in the TBA schools,
and getting to know others and making a home for oneself
at a synagogue can be pretty daunting. To that end, WTBA
has taken on a new practice, to make personal contact with
all new women members, single or married, who either
don’t have children, or have children beyond b’nai mitzvah
age. WTBA wants to reach out a hand and make it easy for
all to have an easy place to come and make friends.
And wouldn’t it be nice if TBA’s new and old members
could find common ground with each other when they
bring their non-human family members to the Blessing of
the Animals? Email me (kcurls@sbcglobal.net) and let me
know if you love this idea or think it’s the most meshuggenah thing ever.
Women of TBA and
Oakland Ruach Hadassah
present
Pirkei Imahot –
Ethics of Our Mothers
A work in progress
Monday February 8 at 9:30 a.m.
At the home of Doris Weiner Gluckman
Rosh Chodesh Adar: Esther and Vashti
Two women, two views of marriage
Queen Esther –
the Jewish woman’s superhero or pawn?
Queen Vashti –
a disobedient wife or a feminist role model?
Our Monday morning Rosh Chodesh study
sessions are open to all women and are hosted
and facilitated by our members.
See the WTBA website for location and future
meetings – You will find us at www.tbaoakland.org
– under Groups and Committees.
Readings for the session are available in advance;
contact Karen Bloom to receive a copy at
blooms21@hotmail.com or (510) 482-4441.
Please RSVP to Debbie Spangler, Rosh Chodesh
Coordinator, at debspang@yahoo.com or
(510) 531-1105 to help us in our planning.
WTBA Hike for February 14
East Ridge Trail in Redwood Park
The February hike will be the East Ridge Trail in
Redwood Regional Park. This is a broad, flat trail,
ideal for chatting. Meet up at the Skyline Gate on
Skyline just south of Snake
at 9:45. Hikers depart
promptly at 10:00 and will
be back to the parking
lot by 11:30. For details,
contact Judith Klinger at
kcurls@sbcglobal.net.
5
ruach/hadassah
Oakland Ruach Hadassah February Events
Winter Luncheon and Film
On February 2 at noon there will be a traditional Hadassah luncheon and a showing of
the documentary film Blessed is the Match, The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh. Poet and
diarist Hannah Senesh was only 22 when she parachuted into Nazi-occupied Europe in an
effort to save the Jews of Hungary. Through interviews, eyewitness accounts, rare family
photos and Hannah’s and her mother’s writings, the film retraces Senesh’s life and mission.
The luncheon will be at the Temple Beth Abraham social hall and is open to all.
Please RSVP to Carmel at (510) 531-4994. There is a suggested donation of $7.50.
City of Oakland Auditor to Speak
Courtney A. Ruby, City Auditor of Oakland, will speak to Oakland Ruach Hadassah
about the state of our city and also answer our questions on Monday, February 8, 2010
at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Melanie Marcus, 843 Longridge Rd., Oakland.
Please RSVP to Melanie at (510) 645-9880 or marcusca@sbcglobal.net.
The event is open to all.
Liberating the Wall, cont.
continued from page 4
Foundation, which answers directly to the prime minister’s
office, has reduced the area allowed for female worshippers,
by raising the height of the mechitza and moving it farther
south. Significant events that used to take place in the evershrinking public space adjacent to the prayer sections – the
symbolic distribution of ID cards to new immigrants, performances by the Israel Defense Forces choir – have been
curtailed or cancelled by the authorities.
The awe-inspiring, radiant entrance to the Wall has been
turned into the foyer of a Haredi synagogue.
Meantime, the egalitarian alternative prayer space at the
southern end of the retaining wall to the Temple Mount,
known as Robinson’s Arch, is overwhelmed by demand.
When an agreement between the Masorti movement and
the Israeli government first allowed men and women to
pray together there in 2000, only 10 services were held that
year. In 2009, there were more than 450.
Those services are supposed to end by 10:30 every weekday morning; if they run into over-time, as they often do
because of overcrowding, the participants must pay 30
shekels a person just to occupy the space, since it is primarily a tourist site. Rabbi Andrew Sacks, director of the
Rabbinical Assembly in Israel (Masorti), says he will work
hard to expand those hours when he renegotiates the agreement with the government later this year.
His good efforts deserve our support. But American Jews
who care about maintaining an egalitarian, pluralistic pres6
ence in Jerusalem must do much more. When visiting
delegations meet with Israel officials, they must stress the
need for pluralism and religious tolerance just as they might
in other countries, and demand answers and guarantees.
Even our own State Department, in its latest annual report
on International Religious Freedom, for the first time cited
Israel’s refusal to allow women to wear prayer shawls and
read from the Torah at the Western Wall as evidence of the
curtailment of basic freedom.
And we must stand behind and with the brave consistency
of the Women of the Wall, who have congregated at the
Kotel every month for more than two decades, despite
assaults from Haredim and, increasingly, from the government of Israel. The stepped-up intimidation of this growing
group of women is a terrible reflection on Israeli democracy.
“Our prayer is authentic, it is pure, it is not a provocation,” Anat Hoffman told the Forward a day after she was
detained by police, the black ink still staining the tips of her
fingers. “We are part of the fabric of the Wall.”
Indeed, if Jerusalem, in whatever form, is to remain the capital of Israel, then it must truly be the capital for all Jews. The
practices of a small number of fundamentalists – a minority
in Israel, in the United States and around the world – cannot be allowed to dictate the religious future of the Jewish
people. That is close to happening now, and unless this current destructive trend is stopped and reversed, the precious
City of Gold will become a place of alienation to a sprawling
Diaspora it, ironically, must count on to survive.
men’s club
Scenes from the Men’s Club Outing at The UC Basketball Game
7
the green issue
TBA Goes Solar!
By Rick Heeger
On Rosh Hashanah 5768, I said during my speech to the
congregation that I would like the synagogue to install a
solar energy system within five years. Well, just 18 months
later, the roofs of three of our buildings – the sanctuary,
the preschool and the office – are covered with solar panel
arrays. There are over 150 panels across the three roofs, 120
on the sanctuary alone.
I thought that it might take five years to raise the money
or find a donor for the initial cost of installing a solar
energy system. At the time, I thought the only way to get
a solar system was to purchase one for about $60,000
to $100,000, depending on the scope of the system. The
benefits are immediate because you own the energy your
system produces – you are, for the most part, off the
power grid. The payoff period for a solar system is around
20 to 25 years.
Thanks to TBA member Jeff Ilfeld and his new venture,
California Clean Energy (CCE), we were introduced to a
different model. Knowing that we had an interest in pursuing a solar energy system, Jeff approached the synagogue
with a proposal – California Clean Energy would purchase,
install and maintain the entire system and become our
utility vendor. With his model, called a Power Purchase
Agreement, there is no upfront cost to the synagogue. CCE
owns the system and sells the energy back to us at substantially lower rates than we have paid to PG&E. At the end
of our contract period with CCE (15 years plus a five-year
option) we will own the system outright. The system will
provide about 75 percent of the energy we consume.
In California Clean Energy’s analysis of TBA’s power con-
sumption, and an estimate of the escalation of the cost of
“dirty” power over the next 20 years, TBA will save a significant amount of money by going solar. During the first
full year in operation we should save almost $4,000. In five
years our savings will be around $25,000. In fifteen years,
about $138,000 and if we go the whole twenty years, well
over $200,000.
But it’s not just about the money. By using a clean energy
system, TBA is making a statement about one of our core
values – the practice of tikkun olam. By installing a solar
system we help prevent climate change and a host of other
environmental and public health threats caused by fossil
fuel energy. Not only are we reducing the size of our carbon
footprint, but we’re also supporting a clean energy industry that is instrumental to the recovery of our economy.
Every element of the solar system is made in the U.S. and
installed by local contractors.
Thank you to Jeff Ilfeld and
California Clean Energy for the
great work. Jeff is currently pursuing several other non-profit
clients and we wish him luck in
those endeavors. Our system is
currently in place and will be fully
operational by the time you read
this article. The system atop the
preschool is already up and running. Last week, on a partly sunny
day, with Gan Avraham full and
busy, the lights and appliances
were running on energy produced
by our solar system. Meanwhile,
our old PG&E meter was running
as if only a single light bulb was
turned on.
8
the green issue
Do the “Rot” Thing/ The ABCs of Composting
Inspired by Outi Gould and Charles Feltman
Editor’s note: Both Outi Gould and Charles Feltman wrote
pieces for the Omer about their experiences composting, with
specific advice on how to run a home composting system. Outi
recalled her father creating a compost enclosure at their family’s
summer cottage on an island, and now uses composting in her
own garden with 5 raised-bed planters. Charles wrote about
his current “farm” on Broadway Terrace with its two raised-bed
planters, fruit trees and 21 cabernet vines. Here’s advice from
our two seasoned composters:
First of all, you need a compost bin. There are many types
out there and they are easy to find. You may need more
than one.
The essential elements are air, moisture, and balance of
green and brown material.
You provide air by turning the compost pile. You provide
moisture by squirting the pile with water.
The balance of green (freshly pulled weeds, grass clippings,
discarded vegetables, and abundant kitchen scraps) and
brown (dry leaves from cuttings, pine needles, straw) materials is trickier. Outi is very creative about how she gets her
brown components. “I secured a bale of straw from Lucky’s
when they were done with their Halloween display. I am
also known to go around the street with my rake, “helping”
our neighbors get rid of their fall leaves.” Per Charles, “It
is important to avoid dairy, fish and flesh in the input mix,
and to maintain close to neutral pH. Balance the acid condition of citrus peels and coffee grounds with more alkaline
input like potato peelings.”
Things decompose faster when they are cut up into small
pieces. Some use a cleaver, others a lawn mower. Outi uses a
garden shredder: The machine quickly reduced the greens
covering her Sukkah into finely shredded green material.
Charles decided to add a “worm farm” for small-scale composting with red wriggler worms or Eisenia foetida (one
pound), which can be bought at Bay Worms in Alameda,
at Berkeley Bait and Tackle or at Berkeley Horticultural
Nursery. The worms work quickly but need a minimum 40
degrees temperature, which means keeping the farm indoors
(Charles keeps his outdoors but pours some hot water on
the top on cold nights).
This is how green composting materials are collected in
Charles’ house: “Daily material for composting is collected
in our kitchen by using a small closed stainless bin with an
odor-eating top cap insert then brought as appropriate down
to the big composting bins or the worm farm, depending on
the size and composition of the mix that day.”
Outi describes the benefits of composting this way: “It’s
nature’s way of recycling ordinary kitchen and garden refuse
into valuable soil amendment that benefits our garden, and
I feel like I am part of the grand scheme of things by participating in it. It’s a true win-win situation. We don’t pay
for having our refuse hauled away, and we don’t pay to buy
‘organic compost’ for our garden. We do it ourselves.”
Finished compost can be turned into the soil as a soil
amendment, or used like mulch and spread around plants,
trees, shrubs, and exposed slopes. If you are interested in
starting your own home composting center, feel free to ask
Charles or Outi for advice.
Recycling and Composting at TBA
By Lisa Fernandez
Any type of paper, cardboard, water bottle or soda can that
you’d easily recycle at home can now be recycled at TBA. In
January, new recycling bins were bought for the sanctuary
foyer at the main entrance. Art Rosenberg, TBA’s executive
director in charge of the shul’s recycling efforts, urges everyone to make use of these bins instead of just throwing recyclables away in the garbage can. And if you can’t find the
green spots around the temple campus, please ask someone.
Several of the Gan and Bet Sefer classrooms have baskets or
bins for recycling. And as a new development, Gan teachers
have switched from paper cups during snack time to plastic
cups instead. And from what we hear, the teachers don’t
even mind washing them, as they know their actions are
reducing landfill waste.
Composting food has been more challenging. But Art said
that new efforts are underway to take care of the costly
ordeal of city compost pickups. Until recently, there have
been sporadic, individual efforts by some green-conscious
members to compost the food waste after kiddush and
luncheon gatherings. Caterers and food preparers have
schlepped food scraps home where they dumped the waste
in their personal green bins. In January, Art said he had
figured out a way to formally take all the food waste from
these simchas and put the compost out for street pickup.
“We have finally taken the last few steps to close the loop
for green waste recycling on site,’’ Art said. TBA has just
recently begun buying compostable waste bags and cutlery.
He added: “While this is increasing our overhead somewhat, it is worth the time and expense to do so.’’
As of the February airing of the Omer, Art also said an
easier-to-identify system of recycling and composting would
be available in the social hall. In January, he planned to buy
a three-section, green-friendly bin, where congregants can
separate their trash, recycling and food compost.
Look for these changes around the shul. And if you have
additional ideas, please bring them to Art or Steve Shub.
9
the green issue
Bringing Hazon to TBA
Creating a Cuter (Carbon) Footprint
By Bonnie Burt
By Rachel Teichman
In December, I was invited to attend the Hazon Food
Conference held at the Asilomar Conference Center to
show some films I had made about the Jewish chicken
ranchers of Petaluma. I must admit I didn’t know much
about Hazon when I went. I found out that Hazon (www.
hazon.org) is a nonprofit group dedicated to creating a
healthier and more sustainable Jewish community and a
healthier and more sustainable world for all. Hazon also
sponsors two big bike rides, one in California and one in
Israel.
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the
environmental impact of toddlers is diapers. I hope to go
beyond this with some tips for you and your tots to easily
leave a tinier carbon footprint.
Over 650 people attended the food conference. There were
workshops on several different topics including sustainability, food justice, history and culture, and Israeli food and
agriculture. Subjects ranged from making cheese and raising
chickens in an urban setting to the politics of food justice
and French Jewish food history. There were programs for
kids and families too. During the conference, a bus arrived
driven by several enthusiastic young people on a cross-country trip. It was powered by recycled cooking oil.
I was most struck by how inclusive the Jewish food movement is. There were services for everyone on the observance
spectrum, from orthodox to egalitarian conservative, renewal, and yoga. I hadn’t realized that the local organic food
movement is not just a lifestyle choice but also a political
statement for many of today’s youth. It was exciting to see
the passion with which these 20- and 30-somethings daven
and lead activist lives.
Hazon stresses personal responsibility. So in that spirit I
would like to bring some of the Hazon message home to
TBA. I am interested in improving TBA’s recycling and
composting practices and in having workshops at TBA on
related activities anyone can do at home. I’m exploring a
pickling workshop – making our own kosher pickles! – and
a composting workshop to be led by congregants. Small
changes can have a big impact in the long run.
If there’s a workshop related to these “green” food issues
that you are interested in
teaching or having offered at
TBA, please contact me at:
bb@bonnieburt.com.
B’tayavon!
Green Tot Tips
Snacks: Try buying snacks in bulk. Think about what other
foods come packaged in, and look for alternatives that come
in less packaging. Better yet, voice your concern to the
companies who make poor packaging choices. Reuse all
containers and bags for your snacks.
Mail: Email birth announcements, party invitations and
Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah cards. Send a link to an
online album so people can print only the photos they
want, and keep people updated through regular emails or a
family blog. Reuse mailing envelopes and boxes. Cancel all
children’s catalogs that you don’t want.
Toys: Try to buy fewer toys and buy things that can be used
for the long term. When purchasing gifts for other tots,
think about experiences, such as a fun day out or tickets to
an event, rather than giving something tangible.
Shopping: Shop in local children’s stores or local online
shops to cut down on the distance your purchases travel to
get to you. Always bring your own shopping bags.
Stuff: Buy used furniture, gear, toys and clothes. Participate
in a toy or clothing swap, and visit traditional libraries and
toy lending libraries. Borrow gear to try out first before buying it on your own. Borrow clothing items you may only
need one time, such as a snowsuit or a party dress. Donate
all hand-me-downs when they are no longer needed.
Cleaning: Get special reusable cloth towels for big spills
and clean-up jobs. Use a sponge for little messes. Designate
one for the floor! Do everyone’s laundry together with natural detergent, free of odors and dyes.
Costumes: Put things you already own in your tot’s costume box: hats, scarves, purses. Fill an old wallet with
expired credit cards and old gift cards for hours of fun.
Crafting: Upcycle trash into craft supplies. Make your own
paint, slime, and play clay, and store them in used yogurt
cups with lids. Keep wrapping paper and cardboard that
comes in shirt boxes for drawing on and for covering crafting workspaces.
Rachel Teichman is the mother of a TBA tot, and blogs
about their adventures at www.totsandplans.com.
Israel may be on the verge of changing its beverage container deposit law, as a revised measure was approved for a second
and third reading by the nation’s legislature, the Knesset. The bill has numerous notable elements, including a reduction of
the collection goal of 85 percent – a target never reached – to 69 percent and adding bottles 1.5 liters or larger to the list
of covered containers. (from Resource Recovery)
10
gan avraham
Recycling at the Gan
By Wendy Siver
In a good Jewish early childhood classroom, teachers will talk about Tikkun Olam – Repair of the World. Modern-day recycling and being “green” are integral parts of that. Teachers help children understand that concept by showing them not to be
wasteful of supplies, paper towels, napkins and cups. Some children love to correct their parents if they see them taking more
than one or two towels to dry their hands. Teachers also show the children where they can recycle their used scratch paper. In
Kitah Gimmel, the recycling bin is a blue laundry basket.
Children learn how to recycle in different stages and are expected to pitch in at different levels. Our youngest Kitah Alef children hear about recycling and probably observe their parents at home separating paper to recycle or putting food into a special container for recycling. At school, we use language about recycling (ie: recycle-reuse, recycle-reuse). But at this age, we’re
less concerned with them turning over their yogurt container to see if it has a recyclable number 2 on the bottom, and simply
thrilled if they get the container to a garbage can without dripping goo all over the floor in the process. In our Kitah Bet
room, the children have a better developmental understanding and are able to take the pieces of scrap paper from the art table
and put them into a special container marked for recycling. Sometimes, that yogurt container might make it in there too,
drips and all. Our Kitah Gimmel Gan children are old enough to understand so much more about recycling and taking care
of the Earth. They are also more than happy to help each other remember to recycle, too. And you know what? Their yogurt
container makes it to the recycling can without dripping all over the floor – at least most of the time!
10 Green Judaica Projects:
Think Globally.
Create Jewishly.
1.Tin Mezuzah: decorate a vertical mint or gum
tin, and put adhesive foam tape on the back
2.Tzedakah Box: cut a hole in the top of an
empty frosting or sour cream container
3.Tissue Box Kippah Holder: decorate an empty
tissue box
4.Applesauce Seder Plate: put empty individual
applesauce containers on a plate
Shabbat Mishpacha:
5.Hand Washer: cut the top off of a plastic milk
or juice jug
Services for Young Children and Their Families
6.Afikomen Bag: decorate a used but dry zip top
bag
7.Torah Scroll: tape or tie two empty paper towel
tubes together
8.Cork Menorah: connect nine corks side by side
with pins, and then add one more on top
9. Besamim Bag: fill an old washcloth with kitchen spices
10.Sukkot Paper Chains: cut colorful pieces of
extra paper into strips to make paper rings
List from Rachel Teichman, see article on previous
page.
Saturday, February 6 and
Saturday, February 20 at 10:15 a.m.
If you have kids aged 0-7 Shabbat Mishpacha is the
Shabbat service for your family. Our fun, fast, and
friendly service lasts about 30 minutes, is parent led,
and is held in the Gan classrooms. We sing songs,
recite Hebrew prayers, participate in a “Torah Parade”
and hear a Jewish story. After the short service we all
enjoy a tasty oneg together. Shabbat Mishpacha is a
terrific, age appropriate way to introduce your children to attending services on Shabbat. It’s also a great
opportunity to meet other families in the community in
a more intimate setting.
We look forward to seeing you there!
For additional information please contact Jenny Abrami
at (510) 749-9838.
11
la’atid
La’atid recently held its second annual Chanukah party.
Much fun was had by all. We played dreidel, ate goodies,
exchanged presents, and wrapped gifts for our adopted family at Oakland Children’s Hospital. Everyone felt good that
they could perform a Mitzvah during this important season.
We look forward to next month’s event!!
La’atid
A Youth Group For 4th-7th Graders!
Tactile Dome Sunday, February 21
Chocolate Seder Sunday, March 28
Earth Day Sunday, April 25
We look forward to another great time out with TBA’s La’atid group!! To RSVP or if you have any questions
contact your trusty advisors, Dina and Phil Hankin at dinahankin@aol.com.
12
bet sefer
Why I Love Purim at Bet Sefer
By Susan Simon
It is early January as I write this, and it is hard to imagine
preparing for and celebrating Purim which I always associate with spring – it is too chilly right now and my imagination hasn’t thawed yet. But it really is time to start our
preparations for our Purim learning and celebrations.
Our students will be reminded of the of the Purim story
– about how we can find the story in the Book of Esther
which is in the part of the Tanakh known as the Ketuvim
or Writings; about how King Ahashuerus dethrones Queen
Vashti and how Esther is crowned queen after winning the
beauty contest; about how Mordechai uncovers the plot
to kill the king, and later refuses to bow down to Haman,
resulting in Haman working to kill all the Jews; about how
Mordechai appeals to Esther to save her people whereupon
she throws a banquet for the King and Haman and pleads
for her people; about how the King grant’s Esther’s request
and condemns Haman to die on the gallows that he built
for the Jews.
We adults know that the story is often regarded as fanciful – as romantic fiction and not factual. History (we can
debate the accuracy of history) tells us that no Persian king
ever had a wife named either Vashti or Esther. No man by
the name of Haman was ever a vizier for a Persian king.
Ahashuerus could not have married a Jew because the king
was only permitted to marry unto one of the seven leading
families of Persia and none of those was Jewish. And so
on. But, as with many of the other stories and texts that
we study and value, the story of Purim has many things to
teach us.
On Purim, as well as during Hanukkah, we add a prayer to
our Amidah and our Birkat HaMazon called Al HaNissim,
Deadline for Mishloach Manot is February 12
meaning “for the miracles.” Both versions of this prayer
start off by thanking God for the heroism, for the triumphs,
and for the miraculous deliverance of our ancestors in other
days, and in our time. After the dark, chilly days of winter,
as we anticipate the warmth and light of our California sunshine, how lovely to focus on the concept of miracles.
I see miracles often at Bet Sefer. I see children who come
here with smiles on their faces – after hearing generations of adults talk about how horrid their religious school
experience was, I think those smiles and giggles are more
than minor miracles. I see children learning and progressing. I had an amazing experience at Junior Congregation
in January. The first miracle was that so many children
showed up on the day after New Year’s Day – we had a
wonderful turnout! Because the parasha was the last in
B’reishit, we did an overview of many of the stories found
in our first book of the Torah. I handed out pictures
depicting these stories to students, and they had to relate
the story of their picture to the rest of the group. The
amount of detail that these students related was astounding
– a huge miracle.
I see young adults standing before our community, their
families and their friends, leading the congregation in prayer
and teaching us during their Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies – competent, poised, and excited – young people who
I remember as small children who didn’t know the Alef Bet.
What a delightful miracle that is.
I think one of the lessons we learn from Purim is that miracles don’t come from the sky – they are made by individuals
right in our midst – from rabbis who give unendingly of
themselves, to teachers and parents and interested adults
who come through for our children at every opportunity. I
feel blessed, not only to be able to watch these miracles, but
to be able to participate in their occurrence.
•
Please help support the TBA Schools
One of the many mitzvot for the holiday of Purim is Mishloach Manot, or the sending of gifts of food to friends. The Parents of Bet
Sefer and Gan Avraham are once again offering you a wonderful way to send Mishloach Manot. For Purim we are preparing a kosher
package, filled with tasty sweets, snacks and surprises for you to send to your fellow congregants in your name. Forms were sent to
your house a couple of weeks ago. If you have not yet sent in your completed form, please do so by February 12. If you have misplaced or did not receive your form and want another, please email Steve Grossman at yoale@aol.com. All baskets will be delivered on
Purim, Sunday, February 28.
Volunteers needed on February 28 to prepare and deliver Mishloach Manot baskets
We need over 60 volunteers on Sunday February 28 to help assemble and then deliver food baskets to all TBA members. It’s a wonderful mitzvah that is a highlight for many each year. Basket creation will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Social Hall and deliveries will
start around 10:30 a.m. If you would like to help make and/or deliver food baskets on February 28, please contact Amy Tessler at
abtessler@comcast.net.
Do you have a college student and want a Mishloach Manot basket sent to them?
We have a lovely tradition at TBA where we send Mishloach Manot to all college students whether they live at home or are away. It’s
a great way to remind our students that we, at TBA, are thinking of them. Please let us know where your college student will be on
February 28. If they live with you or will be home on break on that date, we will deliver their basket to them at your home; if they
will be at college, please send their address to Debby Barach, djbarach4@aol.com, by February 12. The baskets will be shipped out
on Monday, March 1 by priority mail. Any questions about the college Mishloach Manot program? Call Debby Barach at (510)
482-9399 or email djbarach4@aol.com.
13
check out our local jewish day schools
Tu B’Shevat Heegiah
By Melanie Marcus
Tu B’Shevat, the festival of the trees, falls on January 30.
At Oakland Hebrew Day School, classes will join together
for Tu B’Shevat sederim, plant trees at Redwood Road
Regional Park, continue studying the climatic conditions of
our homeland Israel and, with great excitement, launch the
OHDS Greening Plan! For months, the OHDS Greening
Committee has been working hard, looking at all possible
ways in which the school can “Go Green”. The Greening
Committee will introduce a variety of recycling and composting methods to teachers and students. Furthermore,
TBA father, Jeff Ilfeld, has been researching the possibility
of Solar Panels at the school. OHDS is fully immersed in
the color of Green!
Calling all Women: Please join us for a Women’s Rosh
Chodesh session on Friday, February 12 from 9:00 - 10:00
a.m. in the OHDS Library. Assistant Director, Bat Sheva
Miller, will provide a fresh perspective on the new month of
Adar through a female lens. You are welcome to join us at
8:30 a.m. as the OHDS middle school girls lead the morning Tefillah (prayer) service.
Oakland Hebrew Day School is a Jewish K-8 school located
in the Oakland hills. The OHDS program emphasizes
strong Jewish values, excellence in academics, Hebrew
immersion and a “whole child’’ approach to teaching in an
environment that celebrates Judaism and our connection to
Israel. OHDS is currently accepting applications for admissions and financial aid on a rolling basis. To learn more,
please contact Melanie at mmarcus@ohds.org or (510)
531-8600, ext 26.
Tehiyah Day School Goes Green
By Donna Sidel Straus
Tehiyah Day School has made a commitment to do as
much as possible to reduce our carbon footprint. As part of
our emphasis on Tikkun Olam, healing the world, Tehiyah
wants to lead the way in recognizing the importance of
ecological issues. We also want our students to experience
in a hands-on way what it really means to do something to
make the world a better place.
In that regard, we couldn’t be happier to announce that we
recently completed the installation of solar panels throughout our entire school! We are especially proud that one of
our seventh grade classes was the initial impetus behind the
school going solar. When these students began researching and spearheading a solar panel fundraising campaign
two years ago, their commitment to this cause inspired our
board and staff to make their dream a reality.
To make the process even more meaningful for the school,
we learned that one of the field engineers in charge of the
14
project from SolarCity (the company that designed and
installed the solar system) was a Tehiyah graduate – a marvelous coincidence. He was thrilled to be reunited with his
former Rabbi and teachers, and proud of the school for taking this major step. We, in return, were pleased that one of
our graduates was making renewable energy his career.
Our commitment to the green revolution has extended to
our curriculum as well. Our sixth grade science curriculum
recently was revised to focus more on earth science, reflecting our students’ growing awareness of the effects of global
warming, and their interest in environmental sciences. For
our students, their future role as stewards of the earth’s ecosystems is truly Tikkun Olam.
Though Tehiyah has recycled for years, this year we have
begun two other green initiatives. We have formally organized a group of environmentally-minded parents who are
serving as a green committee for the school, and – drum
roll please – our Board voted last month to make the bus
free of charge for next year. The Board felt strongly that we
needed to help reduce the number of cars coming to campus and to help support our working families. In addition
to making the bus free, they will also be evaluating our bus
routes to make sure that we are appropriately serving our
families.
While we take pride in our green achievements, there is
always more to do. If you’d like to be a part of the greening
of Tehiyah, or would like to learn more about our fabulous
Bridge-K through eighth grade program, please don’t hesitate to call our director of admissions, Amy Utstein at (510)
233-3013.
CCJDS Teach Green Values
By Amy Wittenberg, Admissions Director
“Here comes the Oakland gang” is announced each morning by the kids jumping out of the minivans as they
arrive at the Contra Costa Jewish Day School (CCJDS)
in Lafayette (12 minutes from Montclair) – not only does
sharing the driving make a parent’s life easier, but it’s also
the green thing to do. Each day carpools come from all
parts of Contra Costa County and Oakland as well. By carpooling to school, parents actively participate in the school’s
green mission.
Every student at CCJDS participates in a year-long Shir
Halev – Tikkun Olam (song of the heart – repair the world)
Community Service Program. Each grade will take on a
different project; many of which focus on environmental
issues. The second grade project is Shmirat Ha’adamahProtecting the Land. The students have been working
toward a Zero Waste Day in their classroom and creating
a zero waste competition for the entire school. They are
composting, learning about recycling and the reuse of waste
products. check out our local jewish day schools
kindergym
Fourth grader and TBA member, Talya Bornstein, tells
about her class project, “We have taken on Hafrachat
Ha’adamah which means sustainability. We are working on
creating a school garden using the compost from the second
grade; we hope to grow vegetables and herbs that we can eat
and share at Pesach.”
Hadas Rave, the mastermind behind the Shir Halev
Program and a CCJDS Hebrew and Judaics teacher says, “I
feel so passionate about instilling our students with ‘green
values’. I think it is one of the most important things we
can teach and hope the lessons our children learn will stay
with them throughout the lives and that they will also
inspire others to care deeply for our world.”
CCJDS moved into a new green building this past fall.
According to Dean Goldfein, Head of School, “Our building enjoys materials and energy systems required for LEED
Environmental Certification.”
We invite you to come visit CCJDS and learn more about
our School. We are currently accepting applications for
Kindergarten - eighth grade. To set up a tour call Amy
Wittenberg, Admissions Director, (925) 284-8288 or email
amyw@ccjds.org. Further information is available at
www.ccjds.org.
Wonderful Kindergym and Toddler Classes
HERE at TBA for Under 3s
Your toddlers and babies can slide, climb, slither in our ball pit, make
music, jump on a trampoline, pop bubbles and all of you will make new
friends! Sibling under 3 free!! All families welcome.
Visit our website for details at: www.tbaoakland.org/kindergym.
Winter/Spring 2010
Wednesday
2/3, 2/10, 2/17,
3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24,
4/14, 4/21, 4/28,
5/5, 5/12, 5/26
Thursday
2/4, 2/11, 2/18
3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25
4/15, 4/22, 4/29
5/6, 5/13, 5/27
Friday
2/5, 2/12, 2/19
3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26
4/16, 4/23, 4/30
5/7, 5/14, 5/21
2/25, 4/1, 4/8, 5/20
2/26, 4/2, 4/9
No Class:
2/24, 3/31, 4/7, 5/19
15
midrasha
Berkeley Midrasha Has a Gift For You.
Actually Two Gifts.
By Diane Bernbaum
Gift Number One: On Sunday, March 7, at 10:30 a.m., at
Congregation Beth El: Midrasha invites you to join us, free
of charge, to see Freedom Song presented by Beit T’Shuvah
in Los Angeles, the only addiction treatment program in
the United States that integrates Jewish traditions and spirituality, a 12-step program and traditional psychotherapy.
Freedom Song is a musical play, but more than a play. Using
contemporary music, Freedom Song juxtaposes personal
stories of internal conflict and family dysfunction with the
story of Passover. The play not only draws parallels between
being a slave in Egypt and being a slave to your addiction,
but forces audiences of all ages to take a look at themselves
instead of pointing the finger at everyone else. It highlights
the historic universality of the struggle to free oneself from
external oppression and internal bondage. This original
production was written by Stu Robinson, Cantor Rebekah
Mirsky, and James Fuchs and produced by Craig Taubman,
Rabbi Mark Borovitz, and Harriet Rossetto. Midrasha is
inviting the entire community to share the morning with
us. The performance will be followed by a conversation
between the cast members and the audience.
We would also like to invite you to join us for our annual
Midrasha Seudah which will be held on Sunday, March
14, at 5 p.m. at Congregation Netivot Shalom. Our
speaker is Frances Dinkelspiel, the author of Towers of
Gold: Isaias Hellman, Banking, and the Role Jews Played in
the Development of California. I recently read the book,
learned a lot about the history of the early Jews who settled
California and I can’t wait to hear her speak. In addition to
the speaker, there will be plenty of delicious food and wine,
and jazz guitar with Howard Barkan. Introductory remarks
will be made by alumna Rachel Finkelstein. Tickets can
be purchased from the Midrasha office at (510) 843-4667.
Please let us know by March 1 if you can be with us. And
whether you can come or not, don’t forget to buy raffle
tickets. You might win a year’s free Midrasha tuition, a
weekend at Sea Ranch, a trip flying above the bay in a twoseat plane, some really fine wine or even some baseball cards
with Jewish players. Such a deal!
volunteer bulletin board
We’re looking for a cover art designer for the TBA Omer
Contact Lori Rosenthal at
rosent@pacbell.net or (510) 339-0133.
Give a New Mom or Dad
an Hour to Shower
A perfect mitzvah for those with daytime flexibility.
Volunteers needed to provide short daytime sits free
of charge to our new moms and dads allowing them to
shower, get a haircut or just take a walk.
Interested sitters should contact us
at womenoftba@tbaoakland.org.
Do you have time
to help deliver TBA’s
new members baskets?
If so, please contact
Stacy Margolin
at stasch.margolin@gmail.com
or by phone (510) 482-3153.
Volunteers needed on February 28 to prepare and deliver Mishloach Manot baskets
We need over 60 volunteers on Sunday February 28 to help assemble and then deliver food baskets to all TBA
members. It’s a wonderful mitzvah that is a highlight for many each year. Basket creation will begin at 8:30 a.m.
in the Social Hall and deliveries will start around 10:30 a.m. If you would like to help make and/or deliver food
baskets on February 28, please contact Amy Tessler at abtessler@comcast.net.
16
cooking corner
Energy-Saving Cooking
By Faith Kramer
Baby it’s cold outside and the gas and electric meters are
humming. Since this is the Omer’s Green issue, I thought
saving energy (and money) while you cook would be a good
topic for this month’s column.True, covering your pot won’t
save you as much as replacing inefficient appliances, turning
down the heat, insulating your home, wrapping your hot
water heater, and getting your kids to turn off the lights,
computer and television, but every little bit helps.
Here are some basics to start with:
Don’t Preheat Your Oven – most things will only take a
few more minutes to cook if you don’t preheat. Put that
casserole in a cold oven and take advantage of all the preheating time and energy.
If You Are Using The Oven, Use It – You are already paying for all that energy anyway, so why turn on your stove
top and burn money there, too? Make a whole meal in
your oven: roast vegetables and potatoes to go along with
that chicken, make a dessert in there, too. Baked apples
with raisins, almonds and honey (see recipe below), maybe?
Or cook several meals at once to take advantage of all that
hot, hot heat.
Grill Friend – All those little kitchen helper appliances
could be your worst enemy or your best energy-saving
friend. Just use them in place of other cooking resources,
not in addition to. If your countertop grill saves you from
having to preheat your range’s broiler, that’s great. But if
you have the oven on anyway, maybe you should bake that
chicken breast instead of grilling it. Try to use the toaster
oven instead of your full-size oven.
Home on the Range – If you are using your range or
stove-top, make the whole meal “on top.” Consider using a
multilevel steamer: boiling water on the bottom, your main
course in the middle and some tasty vegetables up top. You
can even adapt the baked apple recipe below for a steamer.
A personal favorite of mine is to use a pressure cooker. They
create wonderful stews and soups in a fraction of the time
and energy.
Put a Lid On It – Using a lid for a pot is a good idea.
Water will boil faster if you can’t see it, honest! Another
tip is to only put enough water in the tea kettle for what
you need at the time. I know some people who fill it up to
the whistle. It takes forever to come to a boil and tea really
needs fresh water every time to taste its best.
Magic Box – The microwave is one of the most efficient
appliances in our kitchen arsenal, especially if you work
it right. It’s great for one or two potatoes, but a family’s
worth are better being cooked in the oven with yesterday’s
dinner and just warmed in the microwave. Planning ahead
to have “leftovers” or “pre cooks” not only saves energy, but
your time.
Baked Apples with Raisins, Almonds and Honey
Serves 4
4 granny smith apples
Juice of large lemon
1/3 cup apple juice or water
1/3 cup of raisins
1/3 cup of slivered almonds
1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon
2-3 teaspoons of honey
1 Tbs. of butter or margarine
These versatile apples can be baked in an
oven, toaster oven or made in the microwave
or steamer, so pick the method that saves the
most energy for you. Directions below are for
the baked version. See the notes after the recipe to adapt it for a microwave or steamer.
Cover the baking dish loosely with foil. Baste
occasionally with liquid from bottom of baking
dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until apples
can be pierced easily with a knife. Serve with
syrup from the pan and with whipped cream,
yogurt or ice cream if desired.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Core the apples,
reserving a bit of the core to “plug” the bottom
of apples. Place in a baking dish. Pour lemon
juice over top of apples. Add juice or water to
bottom of dish. Combine raisins, almonds, cinnamon and honey in a small bowl, mix well.
Pack the filling into the cored out apples (you
may have extra). Cut butter or margarine into
small pieces and scatter on top of the apples.
Microwave Variation: Use microwave safe baking dish and cover with plastic wrap or waxed
paper. Reduce apple juice or water by half.
Cook on high until done.
Steamer Variation: Place apples in rimmed
dish or pan that fits within a steamer. Reduce
apple juice or water by half. Cover with steamer lid. Steam over boiling water until done.
Faith Kramer blogs her food at www.clickblogappetit.blogspot.com. Her food columns appear twice a month in the j. weekly.
17
B’nai Mitzvah
life cycles
Marissa Glick, February 6, 2010
My parents are Marci Gottlieb and Reuven Glick, and I have a younger sister
named Rebecca. My hobbies are playing soccer, doing art, and hanging out with
my friends and family. I have played soccer since I was six and for the past three
years I have played on the Montclair Clippers. I play the saxophone and love
being a part of my school band. My family has a lot of friends and family from
around the country. I am glad that many of them will be able to join us for my Bat
Mitzvah.
I am in the 7th grade and go to Piedmont Middle School. I really love my school
because of all the fun activities we get to do and all the great teachers. I am so
lucky to have made so many good friends during my middle school experience.
My parashah is Yitro from the book of Exodus. It talks about the Israelites entering
Sinai, and later receiving the Ten Commandments. For my Bat Mitzvah project I
will be donating 10% of the money I get to an organization of my choice.
Lastly I would like to thank Rabbi Bloom for helping me with my drash, Susan
Simon for being a great tutor, and all of my family for being very supportive of me.
Jesse Shalev, February 13, 2010
My Torah portion is Mishpatim from the Book of Exodus. My parashah is about
being loyal to G-d, performing religious ceremonies, and Moses going to receive the
Ten Commandments.
I am in seventh grade at Edna Brewer Middle School. I have an older sister named
Talia and three cats named Sofie, Shadow and Mittens. I like hip hop and R & B
music. My favorite sports are soccer and football. I like to read, cook and hang out
with friends. I’m a straight A student and my favorite subject is algebra. I play percussion in my school band. During the summer I go to Camp Tzofim and Camp
Ramah.
To me, becoming a Bar Mitzvah means to mature and be more adult-like. I would
like to thank Outi Gould for helping me with Torah and Haftarah, Rabbi Bloom
for helping me with my drash, and my parents, Judy and Stephen, for being fully
supportive of me.
Michelle Cossette, February 20, 2010
Although it is said that one becomes a Bat Mitzvah on her 12th birthday, leading
the Saturday service can prove that I really am an adult at Temple Beth Abraham.
Naturally, I’m nervous until I realize that I won’t be the only one on the Bimah. I
will have family and congregants supporting me the whole way. Standing on the
Bimah, however, isn’t the only thing that reminds me of my role in the community.
All of the practice plus my tzedakah project keep me in touch with my religion.
This past year, I have been learning how to lead the service and chant my Torah
and Haftarah portions. My parashah is Terumah from the Book of Exodus. In this
section, God explains to Moses how to build the portable tabernacle in great detail.
I’ve been wondering why all of these specifics were needed. As I thought about it, I
realized that detailed directions give us a sense that something needs to be done and
comfort knowing exactly how it should be done. With every detail given, a new
sense of importance arises.
For my tzedakah project, I decided to make a donation to the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society. I chose this charity in honor of my uncle who has Multiple
18
life cycles
Sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic disease in the Central Nervous System, damaging the myelin, or covering of nerves. This slows the transportation of messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Many different symptoms occur
from MS, and usually seem to worsen over time. There is no known cure for
Multiple Sclerosis yet, but I’m hoping that my contribution will be a stepping
stone to finding one.
This school year I spent a semester at Couch Middle School in Georgia, but
I am currently attending Lincoln Middle School. They are both very friendly
schools, but very different. I’m interested in too many things to categorize, so
I can’t. However, I am very lucky to have so many friends and supporters. I
would like to give a big thank you to Susan Simon for helping me and preparing me for my Bat Mitzvah, along with Rabbi Bloom for helping me with my
d’rash. Of course, many other thank you’s to my friends and family for supporting me the whole way!
Bella Scharff, February 27, 2010
I enjoy movies, hanging out with my friends, soccer, music, my Jewish studies,
and fashion. I just finished playing for the Montclair Clippers soccer team, and
although the season has come to an end, I still find time to play. Fashion is a big
hobby of mine and I intend to take a fashion class, once my Bat Mitzvah is over.
My sister Ariele and I live with my mother, Gizelle and my father, David in
Oakland. My Uncle Steve comes over every Sunday and I consider him part of
my nuclear family. Hopefully, for another addition to our family we will be getting a new puppy this year, since unfortunately we lost my childhood dog of
seven years to cancer this past September. My love for animals is what motivated
me to support a charity that helps animals for my Bat Mitzvah project.
My parashah is Tetzaveh in Exodus 27:20 – 30:10. The passage tells about Aaron
and his sons being ordained into holy priests. It is about the process and rituals
that went on while doing this. For example back then we were to sacrifice two
rams for seven days straight along with performing ceremonial rituals. Because
the temple was destroyed, we stopped this tradition since we no longer had a
place to do it. Therefore, as years went on, the tradition was lost but not forgotten. I find it interesting that back in those days it was considered a pure and
natural thing to exercise this violent ritual. However in the modern day I personally think someone would sound crazy if they thought killing two rams a day
for seven days straight would give someone the ability to purify and make one
holy again.
Some people think of their Bat Mitzvah as the end of the journey to find their
place in Jewish culture, however I think of it as the beginning, the first step of
finding who you truly are as a Jew. I will be reading from the Torah for the first
time, and then be considered an “adult” in G-d’s eyes.
Rabbi Bloom, Outi Gould, Susan Simon, and my Kitah Zayin classmates are the
reason I am able to have a Bat Mitzvah and let me explore a path to find where I
stand as a fellow Jew. My family and friends have also given great support around
this memorable time. I thank them all for giving me the gift of knowledge.
19
life cycles
February Birthdays
1
Miriam Ilfeld
Hannah Reback
Nancy Rose
Arthur Rosenberg
2
Lisa Tabak
3
Carolyn Bernstein
Arjun Bornstein
Amy Friedman
Max Gochman
Leah Hagar
Jing Weng Hsieh
Jacob Raskin
4
Akash Bornstein
Jason Prystowsky
5
Dan Maidenberg
6
Julia Johnson
Dawn Margolin
Susan Sasson
Jeremy Weiss
Stuart Zangwill
Mazel Tov
7
Barbara Rose
Cecile Schlesinger
9
15
Noah Kincaid
Abby Klein
10
Sarah Bookin
David Sasson
11
Joanne Goldstein
Rebekah Kharrazi
Nadav Palter
Liam Sondreal
Joni Tanis
12
Julie Katz
Jacob Nagel
Jessica Sterling
Karen Klier
Mark Liss
Jake Moore
Jesse Teichman
Judith Klinger
Zoe Hannah Setton
Debbie Spangler
16
Ari Goldberg
Sara Gottfried
Nicolas Louis-Kayen
Avi Eliahu
Steve Fankuchen
Allison Hagey
Deren Rehr-Davis
David Rosenthal
Josh Sadikman
17
Eric Jones
18
13
14
Victoria Reichenberg
Paul Diliberto
Mira Gellman
Allan Gordon
22
Alexander Finkelstein
James Kleinmann
Gayle Rosenberg
Yonathan Wolf
Roslyn Aronson
Loryn Hudson
Alex Handlers
Larry Miller
21
Joseph Charlesworth
Rita Frankel
Ward Spangler
19
20
Jacob Liron
23
25
Joshua DeBare
David Green
26
Talia Green
Philip Hankin
Oren Jacob
27
Julian Goldstein
28
Marc Bruner
Jonathan Ring
Isabella Scharff
Mazel Tov to Dan and Jennifer Abrami,
on the birth of their son,
Gabriel Abrami, born Wednesday, January 6
Mazel Tov to Lisa Tabak and Jeff Lipsett,
on the birth of their son,
born Friday, January 15.
Calling TBA New Members! The Omer would love to print a small article about you (with a picture) to
introduce you to our TBA community. It can be as simple as one or two paragraphs that you supply. Please
send this to us at omer@tbaoakland.org.
20
life cycles
February Yahrzeits
Shevat 17-21
Shirley Abrams
Gertrude Kingston
February 1-5
Betty Mosko
Ben Barnett
Charles Somers
Sara Heber
Shirley Doris Hyman Klezmer Al Rothman
Allan Stone
Dorothy Peterson
Elizabeth Bernstein
Phil Rotblatt
Hyman Brodke
Goldie Shapiro
Joseph Gould
Abraham Grutman
Samuel Aaron Grinberg
Celia Kaden
Rose Hillman
Freda Klarman
Bernard Pollack
Moshe Sterenberg
Nancy Von Kugelgen
Max Brick
Milton Weiner
Selma Jackson
Samuel Bandel
Louis Kasdan
Barnett Epstein
Harold Silberzweig
Irving Goronkin
Lawrence A. “Sonny”
Rose Kotz
Singerman
Sam Wolf
Morris Weinberg
Adolph Wollner
Shevat 29-Adar 1
Blanche Neuman
February 13-19
Lillian Raphael
George Fankuchen
Fay Schaefer
Dorothy Glasser
Thomas W. Cain
Theodore Karlin
Louis Feldman
Joseph G. Kay
Edward Friendly
Joseph Kvint
Joseph Morvai
Lillian Adler
David Okh
Helen Aldeff
Gertrude Yarman
Eric Baum
Shevat 22-28
Tillie Elsenberg
Kalman Gluck
February 6-12
Pearl S. Goodman
Joseph Grutman
Rose Bruder
Joseph Banc
Cora Coulter
Erwin Barany
Irving Selig Goldman
Etty Bernstein
Cassel Gulenson
Eleanor Leon
Anna Jacobs
Isaac Shatzkin
Esther Segal
Lucille Tama
Moses Seligson
Harold Tott Frankel
Kessler Celia
David Hillman
Marjorie Kauffman
Julius Kohn
Simon Lerch
David Reisman
Sydney Sylvia Ross
Ruth Roth
Mabel Stevens
Mary Berger
Matilda Bloom Holzman
Benjamin Ottovich
Sara Goldberg
Louis Rothenberg
Daniel Shuster
Milton Weintraub
Max Pearl
Clara Ramo
Harry Simon
Sue Kraft
Elaine Reisman
Edythe Schultz
Steven Simon
Friedman Ziesel
Lilly Shoehalter
Regina Weiss
Nathan Feldman
Avram Mendel Goldberg
Jacob Saidan
Charles Bernard Bernstein
Mollie Forkos
Phyllis Goldberg
James Jonas
Raymond Kivel
Nathan Polse
Jacob Rubin
Lloyd Silver
Howard Morse Spector
adar 2-12
adar 13-14
February 20-26
February 27-28
Robert Burnstein
Celia Goldstein
Harry David Levine
Frederick Harland Spector
Abraham Baim
Leonard Baum
Sylvia Hertz
Samuel Jaffe
Sara Schmulowitz
Arthur Yarman
Louis Adler
Rachel Aelion
Philip Bakar
Arnold Liss
John Miller
Phyllis Zangwill
Lucy Jackson Dayton
Harry Goldenhar
Sheba Widlan Bookin
Jennie Coopersmith
Ruth Miriam Cowan
William Groskope
Ann Krause
Sharon Lerner
Morrey Ranzer
Dorothy Sarver
Isaac Biederman
Daniel King
Morris Klang
Willliam Miller
Shirley Roth
Eli Schwartz
Sidney Jerome Zywotow
May God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
MEMORIAL PLAQUE
Anyone wishing to purchase a memorial plaque,
please contact Pinky at the synagogue office at extension 229.
21
donations
Charity is equal in importance to all the other commandments combined.
Centennial Fund
Jim Floyd & Amy Kivel
Dennis & Susan Gildea
Richard & Edie Mills
Josh & Lisa Sadikman
David Salk & Leah Kaizer
Stephen & Susan Shub
Marc & Debra Barach
Barry Barnes & Samantha Spielman: in
memory of Frances Piser
Barry Barnes & Samantha Spielman: in
memory of Seymour Cernitz
Charles Bernstein & Joanne Goldstein
Joshua & Heidi Bersin: in honor of Paul
and Flo’s 30th wedding anniversary
Marc & Eden Bruner
Yahel Ben David & Yael Valerie Perez
Howard Davis
Lowell Davis
Joseph & Judith Epstein
Mark Fickes & William Gentry
Rabbi Arthur Gould & Carol Robinson: in
memory of Joseph Gould
Rabbi Arthur Gould & Carol Robinson: in
memory of Louis Robinson
Justin Graham & Victoria Reichenberg
Morey & Eleanor Greenstein
Dr. Ward Hagar & Dr. Caroline Hastings
Philip & Dina Hankin
Hennie Hecht: Todah Rabah Alan Silver
Richard Heeger & Alice Hale
Benjamin Hornik & Amy Peterson
Jonathan & Joy Jacobs
Seymour & Hilda Kessler
Jason Klein & Doree Jurow Klein: in
memory of Sylvia Reback
Robert Klein & Doreen Alper
James Kleinmann & Lara Gilman
Robert Kruger & Amy Kaminer
Marshall & Lynn Langfeld
Charles & Edna Levine
Richard & Edie Mills
S. Olyer & A. Goodfriend
Paul & Florence Raskin
Alan S. & Eve O. Rosenfeld: Hanukkah
greetings to Lynn and Marshall Langfeld
Reba Schechtman: in memory of Cyril Eiss,
get well Pinky Pencovic and Happy
Birthday Annie Schwartz
Michael & Deborah Sosebee: Paul and Flo
Raskin’s 30th wedding anniversary
Mark & Lori Spiegel: in memory of our
fathers
22
Michael Switler & Tiffany Seitler
Morris & Audree Weiss
Gabriel & Jennifer Wolosin: Piser Bris
Howard Zangwill & Stacy Margolin
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of Aaron
Lasser’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of
Andrew Mear’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of Asher
Bram’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of
Benjamin Shedrott’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of
Brayden Kreitzman’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of
Eliezer Contente’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of Idan
Gian’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of Joseph
Olift’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of Lucas
Rotem’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of
Macarthur Simon’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of
Raphael Gottheiner’s Brit Milah
Stuart & Abby Zangwill: in honor of Saul
Humphrey’s Brit Milah
Jeanette Jeger Kitchen Fund
Norman & Jo Budman: in memory of Cyril
Weiss
Norman & Jo Budman: in memory of Edith
Budman
Jack Coulter: in memory of Edith Berg
Fifi Goodfellow: in memory of Becky
Singer
Hennie Hecht: in memory of Geertje
Silverenberg
Barbara Oseroff: in memory of Nathan
Denenberg
Curtis & Adi Schacker: in memory of
Jeanette Jeger
HH Day Appeal - General Fund
Marc & Debra Barach
Barry Barnes & Samantha Spielman
Cynthia Berrol
Daniel & Anne Bookin
Dan Engel & Angela Favero
Andrew Gooden & Ruth Kleinman
Rabbi Arthur Gould & Carol Robinson
Richard & Brenda Gutstadt
Randall & Jan Kessler
Abby & Ariel Klein
Jason Klein & Doree Jurow Klein
Gary & Faith Kramer
Marshall & Lynn Langfeld
JB Leibovitch & Judy Chun
Steven Pascal & Danna Gillette-Pascal
Dr. John Rego & Deborah Kahane Rego
Judy Shalev
Arthur & Glenda Warmoth
HH Days Appeal - Endowment Fund
Marc & Debra Barach
Barry Barnes & Samantha Spielman
Daniel & Anne Bookin
Dan Engel & Angela Favero
Andrew Gooden & Ruth Kleinman
Rabbi Arthur Gould & Carol Robinson
Richard & Brenda Gutstadt
Randall & Jan Kessler
Abby & Ariel Klein
Jason Klein & Doree Jurow Klein
Gary & Faith Kramer
Marshall & Lynn Langfeld
David & Angelina Levy
Steven Pascal & Danna Gillette-Pascal
Aaron & Eva Paul
Dr. John Rego & Deborah Kahane Rego
Jonathan Ring & Maya Rath
Judy Shalev
General Fund
Richard & Naomi Applebaum
Gene & June Brott
Marc & Eden Bruner
Denise Davis: in honor of Jill Rosenthal
and Jeanne Korn’s singing
Mervyn Durlester: in memory of Cyril
Weiss
Kathryn Epstein
Glenn & Amy Friedman: in memory of
Michael Wallenstein
Reuven Glick & Marci Gottlieb
Bruce Goldberg & Jana Good
Fifi Goodfellow
Milton & Margaret Greenstein: in memory
of David Rosenstein
Steven Grossman & Jill Rosenthal
Hennie Hecht
David Kaplan
Robert Klein & Doreen Alper
Roma & Thomas Lascano
Daniel & Shirley Ann Lee: in memory of
Cyril Weiss
Eric Leve: in memory of Sylvia Reback
donations
Michael & Renee Marx
Ilya & Regina Okh
Ron & Adele Ostomel: in memory of Sam
Silver
Vince & Debbie Rocha: in memory of
Sylvia Reback
Morton & Carol Rothman: in memory of
William Stern
Curtis & Adi Schacker: in memory of
Larry Reback’s mother
Martin Stone & Jan Leuin
Jerome & Beverly Turchin: in memory of
Leslie Turchen
Gary Zimmerman & Kathy Saunders
Minyan Fund
Prayerbook Fund
Herbert & Harriet Bloom: in memory of
Ben Nathan
Herbert & Harriet Bloom: in memory of
Mark S. Bloom
Denise Davis: in memory of Jeanette Jeger
Richard & Janice Freeman: in memory of
Adeline Freeman
Daniel & Aliza Grosh: Hannah Roth baby
naming
Harlan & Pearl Kann: in memory of
Sophie Kranz
Alice Kessler: in memory of Leslie Kessler
Randall & Jan Kessler: in memory of
Leslie Kessler
Lucienne Levy: in memory of Vicorine
Misan
Sheldon & Barbara Rothblatt: Chanukah
for Ori & Susan Sasson
Joseph & Judith Epstein: in memory of
Rebecca Epstein
Kiddush Fund
Denise Davis: in honor of Jack Jeger
Denise Davis: in honor of Misia Nudler
Fifi Goodfellow: in memory of Herb
Goodfellow, Raymond Naggar
Hennie Hecht: in memory of Freida
Zilverberg
Richard Heeger & Alice Hale
David & June Marinoff: in memory of Joel
Piser’s mother
Herman & Agnes Pencovic: in memory of
Fred Brasch
Frank & Irene Weinberg
Martin & Evelyn Hertz
Sidney & Ethel Shaffer: in memory of
Abraham Shaffer
Camper/scholarship Fund
Rey & Harvey Steinberg: in memory of
Carol Panitz Frankel
Playground Fund
Ronald & Gloria Gruber
Wendy & Marvin Siver: in memory of
George Hachman
Rabbi Discretionary Fund
Dorian Seamster
Judy Shalev
Vera Zatkin
Cantor Discretionary Fund
William & Sharon Ellenburg: in memory
of Arthur Braverman
Rosebud Silver Fund
Harlan & Pearl Kann: in memory of
Meyer Kranz
Celia & Morris Davis Hunger Fund
Shelley Jean B. Peck
Endowment Fund
Hennie Hecht
Hertz Fund
Gerald & Ruby Hertz: in memory of Sally
Simon
Hertz Interfaith Fund
Gerald & Ruby Hertz: in memory of
Samuel Morrow
H E Goldstein Fund
Tedd & Susan Goldstein: in memory of
Herb and Ellen Goldstein
Rehr-Davis Teen Fund
Howard Davis & Elane Rehr
For a complete list of funds and other ways to support our synagogue,
visit www.tbaoakland.org and select “Fundraising” from the left column.
“How wonderful it is that no one
need wait a single moment to
start to improve the world.”
Anne Frank
23
24
7
14
21
PURIM
28
10a–11a Haftarah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
14
Adar
10a–11a Haftarah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
TBA RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE SOCIAL HALL - ALL DAY
7
Adar
10a–11a Torah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
3:30–6p
Both Rosh Hodesh groups meet
(Susan’s office and library)
ROSH CHODESH
30
Shevat
10:30a-12p Kindergym Play Day
2p WTBA Singing Event
10a–11a Torah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
23
Shevat
1
8
15
22
23
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7:30p Board Meeeting
9
Adar
9
2
16
4p-6p Bet Sefer
2
Adar
4p-6p Bet Sefer
25
Shevat
4p-6p Bet Sefer
18
Shevat
3
10
17
24
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
10a-12p Kindergym
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
10
Adar
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
10a-12p Kindergym
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
3
Adar
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
10a-12p Kindergym
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
26
Shevat
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
10a-12p Kindergym
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
19
Shevat
4
11
18
25
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
FAST OF ESTHER
11
Adar
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
4
Adar
4p-6p Bet Sefer
6:15p Dalet Dinner Class
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
27
Shevat
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
20
Shevat
5
12
19
'' 5:34 pm
26
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
12 '' 5:41 pm
Adar
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
5
Adar
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
28 '' 5:26 pm
Shevat
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
21 '' 5:19 pm
Shevat
6
13
Terumah
20
Tetzaveh
27
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
Bella Scharff Bat Mitzvah
5-6p Bet Sefer sponsored Dinner
6:15p Purim Megillah reading
6:42p Havdalah (42 min.)
SHABBAT ZAKHOR
MEGILLAH READING
13
Adar
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
Bat Mitzvah of Michelle Cossette
10:15a-11:30a Shabbat Mishpacha
10:15a-11:30a T‘fillat Y’ladim
6:35p Havdalah (42 min.)
6
Adar
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
Jesse Shalev Bar Mitzvah
6:27 Havdalah (42 min.)
BIRKAT HACHODESH
SHABBAT SHEKELIM
29 Mishpatim
Shevat
7p Srugim at TBA
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
Marissa Glick Bat Mitzvah
10:15a-11:30a Jr. Congregation
1-3p Exploring the New Siddur
6:20p Havdalah (42 min.)
Yitro
22
Shevat
February 2010
Calendars in The Omer are produced 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from the TBA Administration Staff.
Always check the Congregational E-mail or the Weekly Shabbat Bulletin for more up-to-date information. Please note any corrections care of Art Rosenberg at the TBA office.
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
(OFFICE CLOSED)
8
Adar
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
ROSH CHODESH
U.S. PRESIDENT’S DAY
1
Adar
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
24
Shevat
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
7:30-9p Spiritual Joy and
the Siddur’s Built-in Story
with Rabbi Art Gould
17
Shevat
Shevat / Adar 5770
25
7
14
21
28
10a–11a Haftarah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
La’atid Chocolate Seder
13
Nisan
10a–11a Haftarah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
6
Nisan
10a–11a Torah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
10:30a–12p Kindergym Playdate
3:30–6p Both Rosh Chodesh groups
meet (Susan’s Office and Library)
4p– 6p Learning the Seder Songs
with Susan Simon
28
Adar
10a–11a Torah Trope
with Outi Gould (Chapel)
21
Adar
SHUSHAN PURIM
1
8
15
22
29
16
23
PESACH I
30
9:00a First Day Pesach Services
15
Nisan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
7:30p Board Meeeting
8
Nisan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
ROSH CHODESH
1
Nisan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
9
17
24
PESACH II
31
8:13p Havdalah (42 min.)
16
Nisan
10a-12p Kindergym
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
9
Nisan
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
10a-12p Kindergym
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
2
Nisan
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
10a-12p Kindergym
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
10
24
Adar
23
Adar
3
4p-6p Bet Sefer
4:45p Bet Sefer Purim Carnival
2
17
Adar
9-10a Weekly Text Study
(Woodminster Café)
10a-12p Kindergym
8–10p Reintroduction to Judaism
with Rabbi Bloom - (Library)
16
Adar
4
11
18
25
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
10
Nisan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
Men’s Club Poker
4p-6p Bet Sefer
3
Nisan
4p-6p Bet Sefer
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
25
Adar
4p-6p Bet Sefer
6:15p Zayin Dinner Class
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
10a-12p Kindergym
18
Adar
5
12
SHABBAT PARAH
Ki Tissa
6
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
26
27
8:09p Havdalah (42 min.)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Services
SHABBAT HAGADOL
Tzav
12
Nisan
20
11 '' 7:08 pm
Nisan
Vayikra
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
Pardon the Interruption Service
10:15a-11:30a Shabbat Mishpacha
10:15a-11:30a T‘fillat Y’ladim
8:02p Havdalah (42 min.)
5
Nisan
6:56 Havdalah (42 min.)
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
BIRKAT HACHODESH
SHABBAT HACHODESH
13
27 Vayakhel-Pekudei
Adar
9:30a-12p Shabbat Service
10:15a-11:30a Jr. Congregation
1-3p Exploring the New Siddur
6:49p Havdalah (42 min.)
20
Adar
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
7:30p–9p Raza d’Shabbat
19
4
'' 7:01 pm
Nisan
6:15p Gimmel Share A Shabbat
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
26 '' 5:55 pm
Adar
6:15p Bet Share A Shabbat
10a-12p Kindergym
6:15p-7:15p Kabbalat Shabbat
19 '' 5:48 pm
Adar
March 2010
Calendars in The Omer are produced 30-60 days in advance using the best data available from the TBA Administration Staff.
Always check the Congregational E-mail or the Weekly Shabbat Bulletin for more up-to-date information. Please note any corrections care of Art Rosenberg at the TBA office.
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
FAST OF THE FIRST BORN
EREV PESACH
14 '' 7:11 pm
Nisan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
7
Nisan
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
29
Adar
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
22
Adar
8a-9a Minyan (Chapel)
7:30-9p Spiritual Joy and
the Siddur’s Built-in Story
with Rabbi Art Gould
15
Adar
Adar / Nisan 5770
Temple Beth Abraham
327 MacArthur Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94610
what’s inside
TBA Directory...............................i
What’s Happening........................1
Rabbi’s Message...........................2
President’s Message......................3
Editor’s Message...........................4
Women of TBA.............................5
Ruach Hadassah...........................6
Men’s Club...................................7
The Green Issue...........................8
Gan Avraham News...................11
La’atid........................................12
Bet Sefer News...........................13
Local Jewish Day Schools...........14
Kindergym..................................15
Midrasha....................................16
Volunteer Bulletin Board............16
Cooking Corner..........................17
Life Cycles..................................18
Donations...................................22
Calendar.....................................24
Periodicals
Postage
PAID
Oakland, CA
Permit No. 020299
Join us for the screening of three episodes of this must-see Israeli television series!
Srugim
Saturday, February 13
7:00 p.m. - Havdalah
7:30 p.m. - Screening
Temple Beth Abraham Social Hall
327 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland
Srugim, 2009, Israel, 90 minutes, Hebrew with English subtitles
We are delighted to screen the first three episodes of Srugim, one
of Israel’s most popular TV series (and a big hit at the Jewish film
festivals throughout the United States). You will fall in love with
these thirty-something Modern Orthodox Jerusalemites and share
their emotional ups and downs as they look for love in all the wrong
places. Srugim (which is a reference to the knitted yarmulkes of
its male characters) was awarded best drama honors plus three
additional statuettes by the Israeli Film and Television Academy.
Admission is free. For more information: (510) 832-0936.
Co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of the East Bay and The
15th Annual East Bay Jewish Film Festival (formerly Contra Costa).
Episodes 4-15 of Srugim will screen at this year’s
Festival running February 20-26, 2010.