April 2013—5773 - Beth Shir Shalom
Transcription
April 2013—5773 - Beth Shir Shalom
April 2013—5773 Dear Friends, By the time you receive this newsletter, it will be nearly four months since the shootings in New Town, Connecticut. In these ensuing weeks we did not fall off the fiscal cliff, we have been sequestered, the Academy Awards created a lot of fashion buzz, and there have been over two-thousand six-hundred people killed by gun violence in America. There have been at least five shootings at schools since Sandy Hook, the most recent in a spate of school shootings in this country, the first of which happened in 1764. It is called the Enoch Brown School massacre. A teacher and nine students were shot and killed with a weapon that was certainly not semi-automatic. There have been nineteen mass shootings in the last five years and Congress has done essentially nothing. Still, as I write, a Universal Background Check Bill, an Anti-“Straw” Weapon Purchase Bill and a Partial Assault Weapons Ban Bill and a School Safety Bill have all passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. They will all go to the Senate floor for consideration. If they aren’t road-blocked there, they will eventually go to the House. More roadblocks to come. I’m certain that my attitude is fueled by my naiveté, but it really amazes me that there are those in this country, among them Senators and Members of Congress, who believe that allowing “shills” to purchase weapons for those who are forbidden to do so should NOT be a federal offense! I’m flabbergasted that there are those in this country, among them Senators and Members of Congress, who believe that private citizens should be allowed to own assault weapons (The NRA is trying to trick Americans that these weapons are not so bad by calling them “assault-style weapons”. Like a kosher-style restaurant, when it really comes down to it, there isn’t any such thing!). I’m dumbfounded that there are those in this country, among them Senators and Members of Congress, who believe that private American citizens should be able to legally purchase magazines for their weapons that hold more than ten rounds. Ten rounds are OK?! I must remind you again that John Hinkley, Jr, who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Regan, got off all six rounds in his revolver in…1.7 seconds! Ten rounds are obviously MORE than enough. Here’s the Jewish part. When we perceive a wrong happening or about to happen, we are REQUIRED to rebuke those involved in the wrongdoing: “…You will definitely surely rebuke your fellow human being and not be complicit because [you did not rebuke] him/ her” (Leviticus 19:17).” Here’s more from the preceding verse: “Do not stand idly by the Rabbi Neil Coblood (or the POTENTIAL spilled blood) of your neighbor.” (Leviticus 19:16). There it is, Jewish justification, a Jewish MANDATE to call Capitol Hill! Here’s whom to call (list provided by Women Against Gun Violence): Let These Senators Know That You Want Sensible Gun Regulation! Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA): (202) 224-3744 Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT): (202) 224-5251 Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL): (202) 224-4124 Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC): (202) 224-5972 Senator John Cornyn (R-TX): (202) 224-2934 Senator Michael Lee: (R-UT): (202) 224-5444 Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX): (202) 224-5922 Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ): (202) 224-4521 Call To Let These Senators Know You Support Their Efforts! Patrick J. Leahy Chairman, Vermont: (202) 224-4242 Dianne Feinstein, California: (202) 224-3841 Chuck Schumer, New York: (202) 224-6542 Dick Durbin, Illinois: (202) 224-2152 Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island: (202) 224-2921 Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota: (202) 224-3244 Al Franken, Minnesota: (202) 224-5641 Christopher A. Coons, Delaware: (202) 224-5042 Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut: (202) 224-2823 Mazie Hirono, Hawaii: (202) 224-6361 2 Beth Shir Shalom Board of Directors President Mark Litvack Vice-President, Education Helen Nightengale Vice-President, Membership Alan Pick Vice-President, Facilities Cantor Ken Cohen Stephanie Waisler Rubin Secretary Wendy Fleishman Immediate Past Presidents Alicia Garey Clifford Neuman At Large Steve Berliner Drew Brody Ellen Cox George Guttman Laura Kanofsky Michael Miller Danny Mordujovich Cheryl Rosenthal Steven Schneider Nancy Wender Lifetime Member Blanche Davidson Beth Shir Shalom 1827 California Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90403 310- 453-3361 FAX 310- 453-6827 Preschool 310-829-2517 Office hours Monday-Friday 9:00 am-4:30 pm Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels rabbi@bethshirshalom.org Cantor Diane Rose cantor@bethshirshalom.org Temple Manager Gaye Lowenstein gaye@bethshirshalom.org Preschool Director Marsha Newstat marsha.newstat@bethshirshalom.org RS Principal Bill Concoff bill.concoff@bethshirshalom.org Asst Dir ECC/RS Admin Cynthia Barzilai cynthia.barzilai@bethshirshalom.org Bookkeeper Carolyn King carolyn.king@bethshirshalom.org Office Admin. Melissa Susser melissa@bethshirshalom.org Koleynu Editor Roselee Packham rozelee@msn.com Presidents’ Message Mark Litvack As we approach Passover I want to take this opportunity to wish all a Happy Pesach. As the oldest son, of the oldest son – the holiday has always had a special meaning to me. Having said that, as I have grown older, the story troubles me more. Why did God repeatedly harden Pharaoh’s heart? Did God believe he had to punish Pharaoh more? Why did God decide to kill all of the first born of the Egyptians? If the goal was to punish Pharaoh, why not only punish him by killing his son? And even more troubling, why kill the son? Why not strike Pharaoh dead? No righteous person can reasonably argue that if someone violates the law, the punishment should be meted out to his young son. However, it appears that the Lord had no trouble inflicting this horrific penalty on thousands of truly innocent young men. And why wait for the Egyptian army to be in the middle of the Red Sea, before God restored the waters. Clearly He could have restored the waters before the Egyptians were in the middle of it. American jurisprudence is built on the foundation that better 100 guilty men be freed that one innocent man go to jail. This Jeffersonian principle is deeply ingrained in American history. If as a people we so believe in this rule of justice, why would God be so willing to rule in the reverse? Why should thousands of innocent young Egyptian men die so that one arguably guilty man can feel the pain of losing his own son? If an all-powerful God could do all, why harden a heart that would inevitably lead to the killing of thousands? I wish I could answer these questions for you. It is part of the reason I still listen to sermons, to try and get answers to my questions. It is part of the reason that I go to Schul, to give me different – and hopefully better – ways to view issues. In the meantime I guess I will need to keep it simpler. Perhaps to be a little kinder to people. To soften, rather than harden, people’s hearts. To not publicly judge people, and certainly not to use my “old fashioned” ways of viewing issues and burden others with my opinions. To accept that the reason that people are doing something is for the best of reasons, and not for the worst of reasons. Well, it is a start. May you enjoy your Matzo balls and find the Afikomen. Temple Manager: Gaye Lowenstein when one people’s freedom will not deOne of the many things I love about Beth Shir Shalom is how we tell the story pend on another people’s defeat.” of Passover. Passover is one of, if not WOW! How wonTHE, seminal moments in Jewish history derful is that! This sim– our peoples’ Exodus from Egypt. Yet, every year when I sit down to a Seder and ple acknowledgement hear the retelling of the story of our jour- that there is a HUGE distinction between celebrating our freeney to freedom, I feel a little torn. The reason I feel this way is because of dom and celebrating the death of the all of the Egyptians who died in the wake Egyptians, to me, is what being a member of our path to freedom. Yet in our Siddur of Beth Shir Shalom is all about. The fact that we are all ONE PEOPLE… “One for at Beth Shir Shalom, there’s a passage, All and All for One!” before we sing, ‘Mi Chamocha’, that So, this Passover as you celebrate and reads: tell the story of our People’s path to free“At the very moment when the Egypdom, I hope you’ll keep this in your tian armies were perishing in the sea, the thoughts and possibly even mention it at ministering angels were about to sing to your Seder. Because who knows… if God God in jubilation. God silenced them and can split the Red Sea for the Jewish peosaid: ple, maybe God can make this day - a day “My creatures are drowning; how can you sing?” (Talmud Sanhedrin 39b) when one people’s freedom will not depend on another people’s defeat - come When we sing our people’s ancient to pass. song of freedom, let us pray for a day ALL FOR ONE… 3 A note from Cantor Diane In religious school, in preparation for Passover, I was in charge of teaching a group of kids about the end of the Exodus story. The end of this story, which is also the end of the Torah, is a dramatic, tragic tale of betrayal, punishment, and opportunity lost. Moses (along with the rest of the people who had escaped slavery in Egypt) is forbidden to enter the land of Canaan. All of them are to die, except for two. The children of the ex-slaves will be the ones to inherit the land promised to the people... not themselves. None, except for Caleb and Joshua, who had travelled so far, facing doubts and fears and the harshness of the wilderness, will enter... not even Moses. Moses climbs a mountain to look upon the land he will never touch, and dies. The future is not his to hold. Why does this happen? God is annoyed with the Jewish people. Once again, they have doubted Him (as an aside -- I would never normally call any God-concept “Him”, but I have to in order to tell the story!). God feels that He has done enough for the people that He should have earned their trust. After all, didn’t He save them from slavery? Orchestrate their escape? Provide for their basic needs while in the wilderness? Why do the people keep doubting Him when He says He will protect them? God reminds me of a parent who has “had it” with a child. The parent says something like, “Do I feed you? Do I clothe you? Don’t I send you to a good school? Didn’t I give up everything for you? You could at least...(fill in blank)” So, God doesn't allow the Jewish people into the land as punishment for not trusting Him. The people get the ultimate “time out.” God only allows Caleb and Joshua to enter because they were able to trust. My students, of course, saw this as totally unfair. Not even Moses gets to enjoy the new land? I agree with them. It doesn’t seem fair. Rabbi Neil often calls the Torah our “wrestling partner,” so I’d like to wrestle with this fairness for a moment. I actually see a whole other side as to why God didn’t allow the people into the new land. This idea has nothing to do with punishment. It is about baggage. Whenever the people doubted God, they would say, “Why were we brought here? Maybe we should just go back to Egypt!” It seems inconceivable that anyone would want to return to slavery, even in the face of danger and the unknown. Yet, if slavery was all they knew, perhaps in some ways the known quantity of slavery was more comforting and understandable than the unknown quantity that lay ahead. Perhaps the people were refused entry to the land of Canaan not because they had to be punished for not trusting and believing, but because they were UNABLE to trust and believe. They were too damaged by their collective past to give themselves fully. Perhaps the mistrust was the symptom, not the cause of their final consequence. Only the children, who were free of the memory of slavery, and Caleb and Joshua who were not as burdened by that memory, would be able to fully embrace the promise of the future. All of us have had times when we almost luxuriate in our own problems. The troubles give our lives definition, meaning, direction, and purpose. Sometimes we even avoid actions that could heal our pain because we are kind of addicted to our own difficulties or sadness. Our circumstances may not be our fault or our doing, but there we are... too afraid to let them go. I've been there. It is really difficult to break free. Maybe the lesson from this Torah story is that sometimes we have to let go of our familiar pain before we can step into the future. We have to put down our bags. We have to lighten before we can be enlightened. The song “Carry On” by the group Fun says: Though I've never been through hell like that I've closed enough windows To know you can never look back If you're lost and alone Or you're sinking like a stone Carry on May your past be the sound Of your feet upon the ground Carry on Give yourself the right to walk into your new land. Don’t forget, but don’t look back, and don’t doubt your ability to be strong. Keep walking. Carry on. Cantor Diane 4 Invitations From the Rabbi Friday, March 1 Shabbat is a Picnic 5:00 pm Family Shabbat Celebration—5:45pm Shabbat for the rest of us—7:00pm Wednesday, April 3 Intro to Judaism—LAST CLASS Congratulations to all on the culmination of 18 weeks of learning with Rabbi Neil. Monday April 8 Israeli Dance begins with Beginner Class! All beginners can now come at 7:00pm to learn with David Katz. Then stay for dancing with the regular class at 7:30pm. Thursday April 18 Book Chavurah—Potluck at 6:30pm Discussion at 7:00pm ALL ARE WELCOME ( You don’t even need to read the book, just love good discussion!) The book for the April meeting is "Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit" by Gary Wills. 256 pages, Random House, 2002. Andrea King will lead the discussion. Garry Wills is a Catholic, a former seminarian, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, and a professor at Northwestern University. For a complete review of "Papal Sin" see: http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/06/11/ reviews/000611.11rortyt.html Join us for these B’ney Mitvah in April Jacob Cohen April 6th at 4:00 pm Friday April 12—Ice Cream Shabbat 7:00 pm Come for the Shabbat celebration and Rabbi’s story. Stay for the Ice Cream! Edan Millstein April 20th at 9:30 am Ryan Rubinstein April 27th at 9:30 am Save the Date May 11, 2013 Annual Fundraiser “The Wrecking Ball” 5 5 Mitzvah of the Month Count the Omer (in a Beth Shir Shalom way!) One of the 613 commandments is to “count the Omer”. The Omer was an offering of a sheaf of wheat brought to the Temple in Jerusalem on the second day of Passover. There is a further commandment that from the day of the Omer offering we are to count 49 days (of the Omer’s continued “echoing”) until the 50th day which is the festival of Shavuot, celebrating the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. As such the counting of the Omer is often referred to as our journey from physical freedom (Passover/Exodus) to spiritual freedom (Shavuot/ Ten Commandments). We Jewish-Americans have a great deal of freedom to recognize during these 49 days and a great deal of freedom still to realize for us and all Americans. I suggest that this year during the Omer we recognize and strive for freedom by: Calling a Senator or Member of Congress every day expressing our desire for comprehensive gun violence prevention (see my column) Writing to President Obama urging him to make peace between Israel and Palestine a priority in his second term. Working to avoid a nuclear arms race with Iran and North Korea. Tensions are definitely escalating. I am old enough to remember nuclear attack “drop drills” in elementary school and the Cuban Missile Crisis. I once gave a sermon equating the previous nuclear arms race to me putting a nuclear device around the neck of my child while a father in the then Soviet Union did the same with his. Each of has had a remote to explode the device – my remote exploded the device on his child and his remote explode the device on my child. Let’s use our freedom to prevent our children (and ourselves!) from this fear. Working to create the “freedom” brought about by a minimum wage that brings full time workers a little bit closer to a living wage. Please view this video by Robert Reich. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=288101&id=6430421157480-jPC2zgx&t=6 Working to keep the nuclear reactors at San Onofre off -line and support President Obama’s initiative for alternative fuel research. Voting! For those of us in Los Angeles, a run-off election for mayor (and other races) has been scheduled for May 21st. Vote – in this election and all others. How many people in the world get to vote in truly free elections? Giving to the Westside Food Bank (http:// www.westsidefoodbankca.org/) and/or Mazon (http:// mazon.org/) . Homelessness and hunger are slavery. Engaging in any other kind of “freedom-supporting” or “freedom-generating” actions and activities. Happy Omer! If you care about cookies…Sponsor an Oneg! The Temple no longer serves up those delicious cookies from Beverlywood Bakery at Shabbat Onegs UNLESS someone sponsors them. As part of their celebration, the families of a B’nai Mitzvah DO sponsor the Oneg on their child’s B’nai Mitzvah Shabbat. So, pick a date(s) - (maybe your birthday, your anniversary, your son’s wedding, your grandchild’s first tooth...or just because) and call Melissa in the office or drop her a note with a check letting her know the date(s) of your sponsorship. You will be mightily thanked in the Friday night handout and by your fellow Shabbat celebrants. Of course, there will always be coffee, juice and challah….and good schmoozing . But it’s always so much sweeter with a cookie! April Anniversaries Gaby and Mike Spivak Shervin & Camilla Shamtaub Gaye Lowenstein & Dori Friedman Stan Brooks & Tanya (Brooks) Lopez Lorianne & Chuck Corcoran Jeff & Tam Smith Eron Ben-Yehuda & Marlene Cole Rick & Nancy Kurshner Candyce Kornblum Anger & Adam Rosenstein Mark & Shelley Dornfeld Cynthia & Steve Barzilai Marc Sallus & Devora Cohen Daniel Feingold & Mara Eaton Feingold Nancy & Richard Golden April Birthdays David Williams Alber Kohanzadeh Michael Rapkin Lillian Roth Ellen Volovik-Gurevich William Farasat Roger Kerr Laura Pomerantz Joezen Punongbayan Merle Minkoff-Singer Kristene Perry Len Chesler Lauren Pagano (Adler) Helen Vine Maura Zagor Stephen Esmond Alan Silverman Ri Lustman George Stanley Shawn Thompson Robert Elliott Marjorie Loring Gauley Christopher Evan Miller Rosanna Blumenberg Ed Levine Robin Engelman Claudia Lopez Tina Abdollah Steve Rubin Heidi Solz Devora Cohen Marcy Elkind Mayra Antonio Brad Goodman Karen Graham Susan Stein Tamara Anderson Brian Gabrich Peter Quentin Dennis Richardson Dr. Alan Solomon Neil Comess-Daniels Daniel Jacobson Howard Kuperberg Norman Levine Janine Bush Judy Litvack Jennifer GoodmanTrachtenberg 6 Marsha Newstat, ECC Director “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he/she grows up.” Pablo Picasso One of my main goals here at Beth Shir Shalom is teacher training and development. Who would question the importance of having trained, loving and knowledgeable educators staffing our Early Childhood Center? For many young families, the ECC is also the gateway to congregational life, beginning what becomes a continuing relationship, lasting well beyond Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation. Early Childhood teachers are the gate openers. It is critical that we create an environment where teachers, like children, learn through play. When a child is learning through play he/she gets to explore. He/she has an idea of a direction she would like to pursue and she is free within broad limits to do so. The motivation comes from within as she interacts with the possibilities in the environment. As an Early Childhood Director who is responsible for training staff, I often find myself trying to motivate the teachers to learn what has been predetermined that they must learn. But, since I want my staff to stay excited about their jobs, I need to give them the opportunity to explore, to be decision makers, to say, “This is what I want to do next.” That’s playful in the very best sense. Children become active learners through play; and so do adults. The ECC teachers and I want to thank the Board of Directors, Rabbi Neil, Cantor Diane, Gaye, Bill and the rest of the Synagogue staff for making it possible to take the entire ECC staff to San Jose for the CAEYC (California Association of the Young Child) Conference. We all came back motivated and excited. A big thank you to our ECC families for giving us the opportunity to remain artists (creative) as adults! Now is the time to be registering for Fall 2013 and Summer Camp! Spring Mini-Camp filled up very quickly! We are also starting a “Running Start Kindergarten” for children who miss the new deadline (October 1st this year) for Kindergarten. This will be an opportunity for your children to continue their journey in a fun, Reggio style, play based and Jewish curriculum. Additionally they will be growing socially and emotionally in a safe and comfortable environment. For more information please call the ECC office 310-829-2517. Religious School Notes As you read this, we have just about finished Pesach, and are ready to begin the final push towards the end of the school year. I have begun to compile the results of the recent survey that was sent to our school parents, and have also begun to upgrade the curriculum to be more project-based, with school wide themes that will incorporate projects at every age level, K-6, and will coordinate these projects to culmination with school-wide and family events. Watch for more information as the summer approaches! The rest of the year will include, among other things, a Yom Hatzma-oot (Israeli Independence Day) celebration for the Sunday school, a Family Education Family Scrapbook making project for the 2nd and 3rd grades, an open house for the incoming Kindergarten class, a field trip for the 6th graders to the Museum of the Holocaust, our first Family Day at Camp Shalom in Malibu, and a fun celebration on the last day of school. April schedule highlights: April 7 – School resumes (no Hebrew and Teen Academy on April 2) April 14 - Yom Hatzma-oot celebration with our Sunday school students April 21 -Family Education Scrapbook making – 9:00am-12:00pm April 28 - 6th Grade trip to Museum of the Holocaust Open house for new Kindergarten families ….And a special note – thanks to all of the students who participated in the Israeli Dance Marathon, and to all the teachers who put in extra hours, and to all the parents who volunteered to help out, and even sleep over. Thanks to your efforts, we netted over $2200 in donations. A great big thanks to all of you for a weekend well danced!!!! 7 April 5 Harry Eagle Sam Gerson Brakha Horn Rose Schwartz Irene Sender Pearl Skolnick William Geller Charles Smolin Rose Friedman 2 Hermine Gerendasy George Joachim Salomon Katz David Brimm Ben Cherniak Martin Feld Martin Luther King Jr Norman Phillips Maurice Pierce Samuel Smirlock Toby Waldner Sophia Willens Minnie Hibshman April 12 Sarah Bernstein Zelda Braman Minnie Hirsch Judy Lopez Barnett Malsin Doreen Norton Melvin Henry Novegrod Rouholah Aframian Michael Epstein Ethel & Leisor Heller family Peretz Kaniger F. H. Rupeiks Tara Schadlow Mel Richman Shirley Solomon Mike Perlin Jack Zatlyn Yankl Fainshtain Mary Ann Galizi Allen Jacobs Rebecca Betty Offer Albert Jay Rosenthal Goldie Freda Sachs Meyer Price Stern Samuel Weiss Pauline Barban Magdolna (Mugdolna) Katona Esther Nedelman Joseph Michaels Nathan Paul David Tulchin 7 April 19 Estelle Dreyfus Georgine Pazol Celia Bellman Rose Sylvia Bonvaser Charlotte Galton Susan Goldman Jeff Malkin Julien Weiss Leo Goodfriend Alfred Kass Edna Vogel Charles Greener Stephen Pick Edgar Serin Forrest Cole Joseph Fields Gerald Fink Madeleine Kahn Ruth Morton Sydelle Willis April 26 Leah Daniels Henrietta Gottesman Strauss Florence Kaufman Goldie Slutzky Bess King Robert Kliegman Ramon Lloyd Ashley Bertha Cohen Ida Schulman Ida Green Helene Gross Seymour Kanter Nana" Bella Rosenberg" Robert S Zatlyn May 3 Irving Feinlieb Shirley E Moskowitz Gruber Morris Hibshman Celia Tolmach Dr Benjamin Weiss Marilyn Faucheux Gertrude Israel William Joachim Al Mehlman Arie Melzer Marilyn Beleznay Herbert Garber Albert Silberman Bessie Katz Arthur R Livingston Tributes Tributes/Yahrzeits Sharon Atlas Candace Baker In memory of Bessie Rush Candace Baker In honor of Gaye Lowenstein and Dori Friedman Gail & Robert Boyle In memory of Elizabeth Boyle Marcia Futowsky In memory of Jean Futowsky Alex Hakim D. M. D. & Niaz Hakim In memory of Anayat (Tony) Bakhshian Ari Kleiman & Laura Kanofsky In memory of Sam Kanofsky Barbara & Murray Mills In memory of Morton Kahn Isaac Mizraki In memory of Ann Smith Lofsky Steven & Nancy Schneider In honor of Roselee Packham Judith Seeds Roberta Spero In memory of Gary Dennis Spero Fredrick Goldberg George Guttman & Shana Epstein- Guttman Bima Flowers Josh Raphaelson & Kelly Syers In honor of Joshuah Raphaelson's Birthday Judy Stearn Fund Joyce Hinricksen In memory of Bernice Goldstein Pam Rosenberg In memory of Alan M Rosenberg, Alfred H Rosenberg & Ida M Thomas Ted & Lillian Roth In memory of Margot Guttman Matthew Mezza Fund Jerry & Rita Schneir Music Resource Fund Stan & Linda Hoffman In memory of Olympia Anita Francisconi Johnson Rabbi's Discretionary Fund Cheryl Diamond In memory of Estelle Diamond Marjorie Gauley In honor of Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels Anne & Jeff Grimaldo Harold & Vivian Hirsch In memory of George Hirsch Larry & Ruth Rosen, In memory of Mildred Gilbert Leonard & Helen Vine In memory of Rose Vine Marilyn & Steve Wiener In memory of Leonard Taylor 8 Save the Date May 11, 2013 Beth Shir Shalom Annual Fundraiser Online and Live Auction Dining and Drinking! It could lead to Dancing! Money for the Temple! Fun for us! We’ll have a BLAST!!! 1827 California Avenue Santa Monica, California 90403
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