Shir Tikvah shapes youth

May 2012 | Vol. 25, No. 9 | Iyar 5772 | Youth Education and Programming Issue
Services
in May
Shacharit Morning Minyan
Thursdays at 7:45 a.m.
May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Saturday, May 5
Tot Shabbat, 9:30 a.m.
Led by Rabbi Simon
& Shana Eisenberg
Shabbat Services, 10:30 a.m.
Led by Rabbi Latz & Shana Eisenberg
Friday, May 11
Shabbat Services, 8 p.m.
Led by Rabbi Latz, Rabbi Simon
& Rachel Lipkin
Saturday, May 12
Shabbat Services, 10:30 a.m.
Led by Rabbi Latz, Billy Perkiss
& Jessica Cohen
Bar Mitzvah of Nathan Goldman
Friday, May 18
Shabbat Live! Services, 6:30 p.m.
Led by Rabbi Latz & Shabbat Live
Ensemble
Saturday, May 19
Shabbat Services, 10:30 a.m.
Led by Rabbi Latz & Wendy Goldberg
Bat Mitzvah of May Lynne Seligman
Friday, May 25
Shabbat Services, 8 p.m.
Led by Rabbi Latz, Rabbi Simon
& Wendy Goldberg
Saturday, May 26
Shabbat Services, 7 p.m.
Led by the Confirmation class of 5772,
followed by Tikkun Leil Shavuot
S
Shir Tikvah shapes youth
hir Tikvah has a rich
history of striving for
social justice, building
a strong community,
and creating innovative
religious practices as well as
educational opportunities.
Without any of these
aspects, Shir Tikvah would
not have shaped us in the
same way. Having been
born into this community,
we have had the privilege
to build relationships
with both our peers and
adults at synagogue. These
connections have truly made
an impact on our identities
and our love for Judaism.
“Shir Tikvah has taught us to express our opinions
respectfully, question the world around us, and
discover Judaism all around us.”
During our Confirmation
trip in 2010, we sat in a
freezing lodge, nestled in
our sleeping bags, and took
part in a discussion about Judaism. We started off with surface-level conversation,
but within no time at all one of our classmates asked the group what they thought
about God. The discussion that followed was eye-opening and reassuring. These
types of interactions are a result of years of Sunday school, Hebrew school, youth
group and other bonding experiences that have enabled us to become comfortable
with one another. Shir Tikvah has taught us to express our opinions respectfully,
question the world around us, and discover Judaism all around us. Without this
nurturing community, we would probably not lead as fulfilling lives.
Lillie Benowitz and Jonah Rothstein
Mark your calendar!
You’re invited to participate in this year’s Annual Meeting on Friday, May 25, at 6 p.m.
Adult members and Confirmation class members are all eligible to vote for next year’s
budget and the new Board of Trustees. Childcare will be available during the meeting,
and a light dinner will be provided. Shabbat services will follow at 8 p.m.
From our Senior Rabbi...
Our youth shall see visions
T
he Hebrew Prophet Joel
proclaimed that “our youth
shall see visions.”
My own experience as a child and
adolescent in synagogue youth
group were transformative. Friends
I made in youth group 25 years ago
remain among my closest loved
ones today. In fact, several of my
contemporaries got our start in
youth group and went on to become
rabbis, Jewish educators, and social
justice advocates—and every single
one of us attributes our life’s path, at
least in part, to what we learned and
experienced in youth group.
Why did synagogue youth group
have such a profound impact on me?
First, rabbis and other Jewish adults
spent quality time with us at camp,
on retreats and kallot (conclaves),
in programs. They encouraged,
supported, listened to, and cajoled
us—all the while taking our
perspectives and ideas seriously.
Second, we had significant
responsibilities to lead services, plan
programs, and organize our events;
Reform Judaism leadership
programs, or the Religious Action
Center’s Advocacy Training—were
extraordinary. We were exposed
to and challenged by great Jewish
thinkers and activists—and we rose
to the occasion.
Michael Latz and Marla Eisenberg,
ca. 1989.
“Friends I made in youth group
25 years ago remain among my
closest loved ones today.”
we were challenged to be authentic
Jewish leaders.
Third, our congregations’ leadership
supported our efforts by having
outstanding youth directors guide
us. (Thank you to Shir Tikvah’s
Amira Cohen for her excellent
leadership these past three years!)
Fourth, the programs we attended—
be they service learning, camp,
youth programs, the Union for
Finally, we learned, often with great
guidance—at times through trial
and error—that Judaism is a living
religious tradition; that Jewish text
could help us grapple with the great
moral questions of the day; and that
our Jewish community loved and
embraced us for the entirety of our
beings. What more could a kid ask
for?
Since our founding, Shir Tikvah has
made a commitment to exemplary
youth education and programming.
May we continue to celebrate
our youth, provide them with a
nurturing community, teach them
leadership skills to propel them
forward, and support them as they
bring Judaism to life in the next
generation.
You’re invited! Join the Shir Tikvah community at...
> The Auf-Ruf (Wedding Blessing)
for Rabbi Michael Adam Latz
and Michael Simon
At Shabbat Services Friday, June 1, 2012, at 8 p.m.
Oneg will follow, sponsored by the Board of Trustees.
> Shir Tikvah’s 25th Anniversary
weekend celebration
Save the date to celebrate our journey, reflect on
our history and infuse passion into our future. While
we’re still in the planning stage for several activities,
we do have wonderful plans in store for Memorial
Day weekend, May 24-25, 2013. Friday night Shabbat
2
services will include several surprising and meaningful
guests—and a Green Mill pizza oneg honoring our
congregational creation. Saturday evening we will
celebrate at the Metropolitan Ballroom with an
evening of entertainment, music, food and company.
Shir Tikvah History: Fact #1
Did you know… Shir Tikvah was conceptualized and
planned over a pizza dinner at Green Mill in St. Paul.
Several folks, a few slices, and a big idea were the start
to our congregation. Still true today: It is our people,
our passion to roll up our sleeves for our spiritual
community and the world at large—and, of course,
some good noshes—that continue to make Shir Tikvah a
community of which we are proud to call “home.”
From our Director of Lifelong Learning...
“Learning is like breathing:
it follows a rhythm of
taking in and putting out,
of incorporating ideas
and experiences to find
meaning and expressing
that meaning in thought,
speech and action.”
Conversational Learning:
An experiential approach
to knowledge creation by
Baker, Jensen, and Kolb
In Shir Tikvah’s Vision
Statement for Lifelong
Learning, the terms
“learners,” “learning” and
“learning models” were
carefully selected. Clearly,
as the Director of Lifelong
Learning, I must care
about learning—but what
are we talking about when
we say “learning”?
THANK YOU!
I would argue that when
we talk about learning,
we are talking about what
my teacher Cyd Weissman
taught as “Whole Person
Learning.” Whole Person
Learning is a framework,
a way of thinking about
creating and measuring
learning that supports
educators in fulfilling
“Whole Person Learning supports
learners growing to adulthood
with the will and the way to
construct their own life journeys
rooted in Judaism.”
their deep desire to make
a positive, measurable
difference in the lives
of learners. It enables
educators, within a parttime Jewish educational
experience, to immerse
learners in a Jewish
journey that nurtures
the whole of a person.
Whole Person Learning
supports learners growing
to adulthood with the will
and the way to construct
their own life journeys
rooted in Judaism.
Whole Person Learning
focuses on four key areas:
Knowing, Doing, Believing
and Belonging. Within
each of these areas, we
are left with a question
to answer that will give
us direction to foster an
environment of Whole
Person Learning.
Knowing: This category
names the essential
knowledge and skills that
learners will acquire in a
unit of learning so they
can participate in a reallife Jewish experience or
practice.
We must ask ourselves:
What are the knowledge
and skills needed to
participate in a real-life
Jewish experience or
practice?
Doing: This category
names the authentic
Jewish life experiences and
practices.
We must ask ourselves:
What are the real-life
Jewish experiences that
learners must actively
participate in and shape?
and/or values that
students will be able to
explore, and articulate
their own perspectives and
understandings.
We must ask ourselves:
How will learners use their
knowledge and reflect
on their experience to
articulate emerging beliefs
and values?
Belonging: This category
names the opportunities
for caring, purposeful
connections to others, to
God, and to the Jewish
people.
We must ask ourselves:
How will learners build
long-lasting and caring
relationships throughout
the community and with
God?
What learning speaks to
you? What do you see
as the answers to the
questions regarding each
aspect of Whole Person
Learning? Be a part of the
learning conversation at
Shir Tivkah.
Believing: This category
names the core beliefs
Todah Rabah to Lisa and Jeff
After 24 years of generously sharing their talents as volunteer co-editors of Kol Tikvah,
Lisa Pogoff and Jeff Zuckerman are stepping down from this role.
From the earliest editions to today, they have tirelessly written and re-written,
meticulously edited, carefully proofed, and generally shepherded the Kol Tikvah
from soup to nuts. Jeff’s humor in the Purim editions is legendary. Lisa’s standard of
excellence is likewise legendary.
Shir Tikvah recognizes that the Pogoff-Zuckerman brand of volunteer dedication is rare,
and we are deeply grateful for Lisa and Jeff’s many years of service.
We look forward to continuing their tradition of high-quality communications into Shir
Tikvah’s future.
Jane Binder, Shir Tikvah President
3
From our Music Director...
Beyond the Bar’chu: What does it mean to become
an (emerging) adult in the Shir Tikvah Community?
S
hir Tikvah’s B’nei Mitzvah
program takes a holistic
approach to the journey of the
B’nei Mitzvah students, integrating
family members into the experience,
building community with classmates
and their families, and beginning
as early as 5th grade to create a
meaningful pilgrimage. While skills
are a central part of learning, how
students integrate into the larger
adult community is essential to the
process.
Shabbat HaMakor (Sabbath of
Beginnings) launches the adventure
in 5th grade, when students receive
a personally inscribed Mishkan
T’fillah prayer book and the name
of their Torah portion. Learning the
“V’ahavta” prayer, which leads to
the basics of Torah melodies/trope,
propels the student toward the next
steps during Hebrew School.
Unique to Shir Tikvah, B’nei
Mitzvah students select their specific
Torah reading from the larger
weekly portion (parsha) based on
their interest in the narrative. The
group also creates a visual Torah
during one of the
6th grade family
programs that
will be displayed
at their B’nei
Mitzvah.
in a community of their peers. They
also lead services at the Thursday
Morning Minyan, a highlight for the
B’nei Mitzvah, their families, and
minyan attendees.
Weekly Torah and
Haftarah study
takes place at Shir Tikvah during
Hebrew school, with a Shir Tikvah
tutor on Wednesdays beginning
a full year prior to the Bar/Bat
Mitzvah. Regular Torah study
sessions with Rabbi Latz enhance
and deepen the learning experience
and lead to writing a D’var Torah
(sermon), delivered by the student.
During Hebrew School and other
family programs, parents have
the opportunity to interface with
the tutors and the rabbis. They
collaborate with other parents and
plan for the year ahead, peruse the
prayer books for readings and get
help with Torah blessings.
Prior to their B’nei Mitzvah, students
have the opportunity to read their
Torah portion during Hebrew school
Parents work together in groups to
provide refreshments for the Friday
night oneg (reception) and provide
a great resource for helping each
other through this exciting (and
sometimes tumultuous) experience
with their emerging adults.
A new program is being developed
for the 8th grade students and
parents to promote continuity for the
group post-B’nei Mitzvah, including
formal and informal gatherings,
social justice projects, and parent
discussions.
The B’nei Mitzvah experience at Shir
Tikvah is an all-encompassing rite
of passage intended to leave a mark
on you and your family for years to
come.
To learn more about the Shir Tikvah
B’nei Mitzvah Program, contact me
at wendy@shirtikvah.net.
Wendy Goldberg
STiFTY and NFTY youth programming active in social justice
This year, the youth
programs at Shir
Tikvah have focused on
participating in social
justice activities. On
Yom Kippur, Shir Tikvah
collected nearly 2,000
pounds of nonperishable
foods for the Sabathani
Food Shelf. In the fall,
the Junior Youth Group
volunteered at Arc’s Value
Village, helping to unpack
clothing donations and
sorting items for the store.
4
During the month of
February, STiFTY decide
to donate $243 (the profits
from selling breakfast at
Religious School) to the
Sabathani Food Shelf.
A few members of STiFTY
have been involved in
planning “Night on the
Street,” a program that
will educate youth about
homelessness through
simulation, programs
and real stories. STiFTY
plans on attending this
event on May 19. One of
STiFTY’s main activities
this year was participating
in Friends ’N Fun, a social
program that pairs Jewish
teens with Jewish youth
with special needs.
We have also had amazing
participation in NFTY
Northern this year. In
March, 13 of our 7th- and
8th-graders attended
NFTY’s JYG Kallah. In
April, approximately
18 of our 8th- to 12thgraders attended NFTY
Northern’s Spring Kallah
in Milwaukee. They are an
amazing group of young
adults. Yasher Koach!
For further details about
STiFTY or Junior Youth
Group, please contact me
at stifty@shirtikvah.net.
Amira Cohen,
STiFTY & JYG Advisor
From our Executive Director...
The Finance and Administration Committee has been diligently
working on the following three objectives:
• Balancing this year’s budget.
• Making sure we have enough cash in the bank to meet our
expenses.
• Preparing the budget for the next fiscal year.
Each is vital and integral to the success and
growth of Shir Tikvah, but how to manage
all three at the same time can be a challenge.
Think of it like this: You’re driving along the
highway and, all of a sudden, you get three
flat tires. You can’t get very far if you don’t
have all three running smoothly, you know
you need to fix all three, but you only have
one spare and that one will only get you so
far….
So how do we do it, you may ask? One of
the options for getting much-needed cash
in the coffers is rolling out the “early bird”
school registration for the 2012-13 year.
Balancing the budget could be accomplished
if everyone were to pay what they pledged
at the beginning of the year, and if everyone
who paid off their dues and fees came up
with an extra $100.
R
abbi Simon opened the meeting with
as D’var Torah about counting the
Omer. She then spoke about the new
Lifelong Learning Programs, including a
post-Confirmation teen social justice trip, an
initiative for professional development, and a
summer Hebrew boot camp.
Rabbi Simon also presented a new
educational pilot program called Nesiya
(journey), which will roll out this fall. The
program is intended to meet the needs of
families who are seeking an alternative to the
“traditional” religious school model.
Balancing the
budget could be
accomplished if
everyone were
to pay what
they pledged at
the beginning of
the year, and if
everyone who paid
off their dues and
fees came up with
an extra $100.
I recently looked at the financials for the past
six years (since I arrived at Shir Tikvah) and
discovered that we were able to balance the budget during the
first three years.
Then, from 2009 to 2011, Shir Tikvah had unbudgeted costs of
over $31,000 in transition/installation expenses as a result of
staff changes and searches that needed to be conducted. This was
not something we had planned (like a flat tire on the highway,
without AAA).
Additionally, the last two years, Federation support to Shir
Tikvah dropped substantially, from $80,000 to $55,000). Overall,
it has been a tough couple of years financially for both Shir
Tikvah and the entire Jewish community.
So while we continue to do all that we can to stay within our
budget, sometimes forces and events create some unforeseeable
situations.
We need to better anticipate some of these events–like if your
tires are 20 years old, you might think about saving some money
for new ones. So as I enter my seventh year at Shir Tikvah, you
might want to start saving for some new administrative tires . . .
in a few years.
John Humleker
From our Board...
John reported that we are three months
from ending fiscal year 2012, and we have a
shot at balancing the budget. He walked the
Board through the budgeting process of fiscal
year 2013, presenting a seven-year historical
prospective that was used in crafting next
year’s budget. The current draft of the budget
includes a 2% increase in dues and paying off
the mortgage in the coming year.
John reported that we have five new
households. Three membership applications
are pending and should be finalized soon.
Rabbi Latz reported on the T’filah Committee’s
recommendation that a “first Friday of the
month” Shabbat service be added to the ritual
calendar, in addition to choral services. Also
being reviewed are the lay-led services and
how many should be scheduled. Rabbi Latz
also reported on the plans for the upcoming
25th Anniversary year, with Lisa Powell and
Jen Lewin as co-chairs, and the reevaluation of
the oneg-hosting process.
Jane Binder reported that Judy Hollander will
be chairing the Transparency Task Force. The
Visioning Task Force is currently working on
a draft of a vision statement.
Lastly, Jane reported that after months of
review and getting thorough feedback from
the congregation, the Executive Committee
and Rabbi Latz have come to a five-year
agreement. The agreement runs through
fiscal year 2017 and includes a compensation
package, pension, health insurance for him
and his family, and professional development
reimbursement. The Board unanimously
approved the motion of supporting the new
five-year contract.
5
Campaign for
youth engagement
The Talmud teaches: “Happy are you, O
Israel, for all of you, from the oldest to
the youngest among you, are wise.”
The launching of the new Campaign for
Youth Engagement was a major initiative
presented at the Biennial conference of
the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), held
December 14-18, in Washington, D.C.,
where 5,000 Jews gathered.
Youth engagement is one of the
movement’s highest priorities, and the
new initiative’s goal is to improve the
ability of Reform institutions to involve
young people in meaningful Jewish
life and strengthen post-B’nei Mitzvah
retention and engagement in synagogues,
day schools, camps and youth programs
throughout North America.
B’nei Mitzvah is not an end point or a
place for teens to stop learning. It should
be a springboard into an active Jewish
adult life. Rabbi Jonah Pessner, director
of the presidential transition said the
campaign’s overarching goal is “keeping
our kids engaged in our own Jewish
community.”
“There are millions of things we need to
do. If we don’t do this youth engagement
right, the rest won’t matter,” said Rabbi
Jacobs, URJ president-elect. “If we do it
the way we do a lot of things, it won’t
make a difference. There is a lot at stake.
How will we get from here to there?
We have to connect everything together
outside the synagogue with energy and
passion. Have the big ideas and the
yearning of the soul. We must plant the
seed of our vision today,” he said.
The URJ has pledged a strong approach
that aims to bolster retention and
positively impact the future of the Reform
Jewish movement. Shir Tikvah is eager
to be a part of the URJ’s Campaign for
Youth Engagement, working with our
dynamic teens to help boost meaningful
engagement and connection with the
synagogue and with Jewish life.
Rabbi Melissa Simon
6
From our President...
I
f you haven’t been at Shir Tikvah lately, you may not realize how
much is going on in our congregation. In addition to weekly
Shabbat services and Religious and Hebrew School, it seems
as though there is something happening at the
synagogue almost every day of the week. There are
committee and task force meetings, lifelong learning
classes, and groups gathering for book club and Torah study. The building hums with activity, bringing
us together as a community in myriad ways.
In mid-April, Committee Chairs and Board members met to plan our schedules for the upcoming year. Practically speaking, we need to work
together so the meetings and events we plan for the upcoming year
do not conflict with each other. We also want to prepare and publish
a calendar of committee and task force meetings so that congregants
who are interested in participating on a committee or addressing an
issue can find out when an event or meeting is scheduled, and mark
their calendars well in advance so that they can attend.
If you have always wondered whether you would enjoy serving on a
particular committee, you can check it out by looking at the calendar
on our website and finding out when that committee’s next meeting
is scheduled. Or, if there is something going on at the synagogue that
sparks your interest or causes you concern, you can find out when
the next meeting on that topic is scheduled, attend that meeting and
share your thoughts. Committees help shape our policies, practices
and future. We encourage everyone to get involved with at least one
committee so that all of our members’ voices are heard.
Jane Binder
Visioning Update
Those of you who are following the recent changes at the Union for
Reform Judaism (URJ) may have noticed that, like Shir Tikvah, the
URJ has been engaged in a visioning process.
Nationally, there is a growing trend among progressive Jews to
evaluate what it means to be part of a sacred community and to
create a vision for the future. Our visioning work at Shir Tikvah
will guide us as we shape our present and prepare for a rich and
meaningful future.
Some of you were not able to join us in February at our Visioning
Shabbat. Thanks to the generosity of Shir Tikvah member Joel
Zimmerman, we now have a video that highlights the events from the
weekend. There will be three opportunities in May to watch the video
and discuss the weekend’s events with Rabbi Latz and Jane Binder:
• Sunday, May 13, from 10-11a.m.
• Wednesday, May 16, from 7-8 p.m.
• Friday, May 18, from 7:45-8:45 p.m. (following Shabbat services)
Please join us as at one of these discussion groups to help us
continue the exciting work of creating the best possible future for
Shir Tikvah.
May Lifelong
Learning Calendar
Religious School
6th
11
13
20
26
Religious School
High School Graduation & STiFTY
Blessing at Shabbat Services
(Friday, 8 p.m.)
Religious School
Religious School* Last day of classes
followed by Family Picnic at 11:30 a.m.
Confirmation Service and Tikkun Leil
Shavuot (Shavuot Learning Program),
7 p.m. service, 9 p.m. Tikkun
Hebrew School
2nd
9
16
Hebrew School and 2nd-grade
Open House
Hebrew School and La’ag b’Omer
celebration and Siyyum Alef (3rd-grade
celebration for completing learning the
Alef Bet 6-6:30 p.m.)
Hebrew School Last Day & Kitah
Hei Graduation
Adult Education
4th Torah study, 12:15 p.m. in the Library
7
Adult B’nei Mitzvah Seminar
14
Adult B’nei Mitzvah Seminar
21
Adult B’nei Mitzvah Seminar
26
Tikkun Leil Shavuot (Shavuot Learning
Program), 9 p.m. (See p. 8 for more)
* Mishpacha in session
Caring and Accessibility
The Caring Community Committee
helps congregants strengthen their
connection to Shir Tikvah and to
each other. We work Yad B’Yad
(Hebrew for “hand in hand”) to help
meet the needs of our congregants
and to offer ongoing support.
If you have had an illness, would like
a visitor, need a ride to services,
or would like to join a chavurah,
go to http://www.shirtikvah.net/
CaringCommunity.
You will also find information on
assistance or accommodations at
Shir Tikvah, or can call the office at
(612) 822-1440.
Lifelong Learning Task Force update
rci
Inspired!
CHUTZPAH!
Proud!
T
hese are words that have been used to describe the
initiatives of the Lifelong Learning Task Force.
Following the development of a bold Lifelong Learning
vision statement, the Lifelong Learning Task Force has spent the
spring focused on design and implementation for the coming
year.
Susan Geller, a member of the Task Force and a parent of a 1stgrader explained, “As I reflect on the new Lifelong Learning
vision statement–especially phrases like “engage in holy
conversations” or “innovative and flexible learning models”–I am
inspired to do the work to translate this vision into practicalities.”
There are four main areas of innovation for the 2012-13 Religious
School year:
1) A teen social justice trip post-Confirmation
2) Initiatives for professional development and curricular
innovation
3) A summer Hebrew boot camp
4) Nesiya (Journey): A Shabbat and Holiday Learning Experience
for the Whole Family (focused on families with children in
kindergarten-5th grade)
Nina Sayer, a member of the Task Force and a parent of a 7thgrader and a 9th-grader, explained, “I am proud to be part of a
synagogue that is willing to think out of the box, challenge an
existing structure and try new ways of educating our children and
families. Makes me feel like Shir Tikvah is a learning organization
that is not afraid of change.”
Barry Epstein, a member of the Task Force, a teacher in the
Religious and Hebrew schools and the parent of an 11th-grader
and a college student, said “I love the fact that Shir Tikvah has
the chutzpah to take some chances to make education more
meaningful to our kids.”
Excited? Interested? Questions? Visit the Lifelong Learning Task
Force section of the Shir Tikvah website for more information
about upcoming events and initiatives of the Lifelong Learning
Task Force.
7
Our Jewish journey: Shavuot stories framed by the Book of Ruth
I
f you find yourself intrigued
by the widely varied Jewish
journeys that make Shir Tikvah
unique, you won’t want to miss the
Tikkun Leil Shavuot (night of study)
immediately following Shavuot and
Confirmation services on Saturday
evening, May 26.
Traditionally, the festival of Shavuot
celebrates the Jews’ receipt of the
Ten Commandments with a lateevening study of Torah, Prophets or
Writings. This year, the Book of Ruth
has been selected by the planning
committee as the focus of text study,
music, speaker presentations and
Don’t miss the Tikkun Leil
Shavuot (night of study)
Saturday, May 26!
discussions.
Shir Tikvah’s Tikkun Leil Shavuot
begins following the 7 p.m. Shavuot
and Confirmation services and a festive oneg. Music will transport us to
the biblical time of Ruth, who married into a Jewish family, suffered
the loss of her husband, and bound
herself to her mother-in-law, Naomi.
Ruth is seen as the first Biblical
convert, casting aside her former life
of pagan worship with the Moabites.
Our study will set the stage for
selected congregants to share
highlights of their personal Jewish
journeys. What is it like to convert?
What are different paths that have
brought people to Shir Tikvah? How
are our Jewish journeys like that of
Ruth and Naomi?
Find out when you socialize with
food, music and meaningful conversation this Shavuot!
Stick around for late-night cheesecake–a Shavuot tradition!
Katy Campbell
B’nei Mitzvah in May
Nathan Goldman and his family invite you to join them in celebration as he is called to the Torah
to become a Bar Mitzvah on May 12, 2012.
Nathan is a 7th-grader at Anthony Middle School. He enjoys playing percussion in the school
band, and is also an avid downhill ski racer with the Minneapolis Alpine Ski Team.
In accordance with the agricultural theme of Nathan’s Torah portion, B’har, Nathan will be donating tzedakah to Oxfam International, which has a GROW initiative that is committed to helping
the world grow more food more fairly and more sustainably, working to ensure that people living
in poverty can improve their lives and livelihoods.
Nathan would like to thank his tutor, Maggie Burton, for her patience and support, as well as Wendy Goldberg for
her encouragement. Additionally, Nathan has enjoyed Rabbi Latz’s continued guidance and conversation as they
have worked together on his interpretation of his Torah portion.
Nathan will also participate in the Friday night service on May 11.
May Lynne-Seligman and her family invite you to join them in celebration, when she is called to
the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on May 19th.
May’s Torah portion is B’chukotai, from Leviticus. Parashat B’chukotai closes out the book of Leviticus with a list of blessings for following God’s commandments and a list of curses–three times
as long!–for not following.
May is a 6th-grader at Southside Family Charter School. She is an avid reader, reading a couple of
novels per week, and she also enjoys art, music, and spending time with friends.
May plans to give tzedakah to the Hennepin County Humane Society, an organization that is committed to helping
animals. Animals are near and dear to May’s heart, having four dogs, five cats, and three turtles between her two
homes.
May would like to give thanks to tutor Wendy Goldberg for helping her prepare, and to all of her teachers, mentors,
and supportive family and friends.
May will also be participating in the Friday evening service on May 18 at 6:30 p.m.
8
NFTY ‘changed
my life forever’
Exactly three years ago today
I showed up at Temple Israel
to catch a bus to Osrui for JYG
Kallah 2009. Exactly three years
ago today was my first day in
NFTY.
Shir Tikvah youth says ‘shalom’
and ‘thank you’ from Israel
Yet, somehow, I remember that
day like it was yesterday, sharing
an Izzy with Forrest Yesnes on
the bottom bunk, second-closest
to the back door on the right
side of the winterized cabin that
protrudes into the mini forest.
Everything in between then and
now feels like mere seconds.
To all my younger NFTY-ites:
Cherish each and every second
that you have left in NFTY. You
never know how quickly the end
sneaks up on you until it’s almost
there.
To everyone who has made these
past three years the best of my
life, thank you. You have no idea
the everlasting effect that each
and every one of you has had on
my life.
And, finally, thank you to my
brother Ethan Cooper for signing
me up for that JYG event without
me knowing, just to make
absolutely sure that I would
go. The repercussions of that
have changed my life forever
as a person, a friend and, most
importantly, a Jew.
I guess all there’s left to say is:
Three years down, one to go. The
truest words that I’ve ever said–or
will ever say: Gonna live and die
N-F-T-Y.
Eli Cooper
Please make a donation
to Shir Tikvah.
givemn.razoo.com/story/
Shir-Tikvah-Congregation
Stanley explores in Israel.
March 18, 2012
Shalom, congregation! It has been almost two months since I arrived in
Israel and, boy, what a two months it has been.
We have been moving non-stop since we got
here. Whether it’s exploring an ancient cave,
learning extensive Jewish history, or going
to a Shuk in the heart of Jerusalem, we are
constantly on the go.
It is hard to explain the feeling of living
in Israel. Seeing and learning where our
common heritage comes from gives me
immense pride in being a Jew.
In three days we leave for a trip to Poland.
We will be traveling all over Poland, seeing
ghettos, concentration camps, and the cities of
Warsaw, Krakow and Lublin.
“It is hard to explain the
feeling of living in Israel.
Seeing and learning
where our common
heritage comes from gives
me immense pride in
being a Jew.”
When we get back to Israel, Pesach will be here. I can’t wait to see how Israel
celebrates Pesach.
It is an amazing feeling being in a country where the majority of people
share a religion and a culture. Directly after Pesach, we will be hiking from
the Galilee to the Mediterranean Sea. I am really excited to see more Israeli
wildlife.
I would like to say thank to everyone who made this amazing trip possible. I
look forward to sharing more about my experiences when I return. Shalom!
Stanley Breen
9
Celebrate Confirmation and Shavuot on May 26
I
Luke Weisberg, with many of the 2012 Confirmation class students at their winter retreat in Hibbing, MN.
n a curious calendar collision,
Shavuot falls during Memorial
Day weekend this year. The
secular holiday that teases us
with the transition to summer and
reminds us of sacrifices made for our
civic lives, coincides with the time
we celebrate our own transition as
a people receiving Torah at Sinai.
Shavuot is also when we celebrate
Confirmation, bringing our 9th- and
10th-grade students another step
forward in their adult Jewish lives.
On Saturday evening, May 26, we’ll
come together to support our high
school students’ “confirmation” of
their Jewish selves.
We’ve had a memorable year
in Confirmation class, and
look forward to sharing with
the congregation a taste of our
experiences during the year. As a
class, we’ve studied text, brought
our Jewish values to negotiating the
state budget, explored prayer and
other ritual observances, and had a
very meaningful retreat in northern
10
“As a community, we are rich
with thoughtful, often passionate
Jewish young adults who are
engaged in tikkun olam on
many levels.“
Minnesota, complete with some
history of Jewish life on the Iron
Range. Along the way, our students
have spent time reflecting on their
Jewish identity–what they believe,
how they carry their Jewishness into
their secular lives, and what they’ll
bring out of their formal Jewish
education into the next stages of life.
As a congregation, we celebrate life
cycle events together, recognizing
as a community the milestones that
we all reach. Confirmation is one
such milestone–marking the end of
your childhood Jewish education
(the part your parents basically
told you to do!). As a community,
we are rich with thoughtful, often
passionate Jewish young adults
who are engaged in tikkun olam
on many levels. We will continue
to celebrate our young adults at
many milestones; and we can do
even more to recognize the energy,
commitment, and affection many of
them bring to our synagogue and
civic lives through their presence
and their work.
So, the calendar collision this year is
quite fitting. On the secular calendar,
Memorial Day is a liminal moment–
the threshold to summer and all the
promise we feel at the beginning
of a new season. Shavuot and our
Confirmation service represent
another threshold. As a community,
we celebrate together the promise
that we all share in having received
Torah at Sinai, and the particular
hope we have for a strong future
as we help our 9th- and 10th-grade
students move ahead in their adult
lives. We look forward to sharing
a simchah together on Saturday
evening, May 26.
Luke Weisberg
Adult B’nei Mitzvah class nears celebration
The Adult B’nei Mitzvah class at Shir
Tikvah will celebrate our two-year
journey toward becoming Bar and
Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, June 2.
We are a group of seven adults who
range in age from their 20s to 70s.
We are women and men, gay and
straight, married and single, from
Minnesota and around the country.
Some were born and raised Jewish;
others were born Jewish and had
little religious experience; still others
converted to Judaism. At the start
of the process, some knew a little
Hebrew, and others began with the
aleph bet.
This year I retrieved that part of my
soul. It was just the right time.”
“… I wanted to earn the privilege of
wearing a tallit.”
“…from the moment that I stepped
out of the mikvah…, I knew that
my next goal was to become a Bar
Mitzvah.”
Left to right: Rich Kessler, Amy Bromberg
Funk, Chris Bargeron, Marian Eisner, Sarah
Malakoff and Susan Rosenthal Kraus. Not
pictured: Joan Bilinkoff Corbett
We all shared the desire and
willingness to commit to the B’nei
Mitzvah program.
We all had different reasons for embarking on this journey,
such as:
This shared experience continues to
strengthen our connections to Shir
Tikvah and the Jewish community.
We hope you will join us on Saturday, June 2, when we will
conclude the Adult B’nei Mitzvah program by reading from
Torah at Shabbat service.
“Every year, every other thing imaginable got in the way.
Rich Kessler
Tzedakah
Shir Tikvah is appreciative of all tzedakah given to the congregation. We will notify any people or organizations of contributions made in their
honor. Contributions can be sent to the congregation office. Funds include: Shir Tikvah Fund, Rabbi Latz Discretionary Fund, Rabbi Simon Discretionary Fund, Rabbi Offner
Legacy Fund for Youth, Adult Scholarship Fund, Building Fund, Flower Fund, Library Fund, Harris Music Fund, Prayerbook Fund, Relief Fund, Social Justice Fund, Special Needs
Education Fund, Torah Fund. Note: Donations made March 16–April 1, 2012, are reflected below. Donations received after April 1 will appear in the summer Kol Tikvah.
March non-fundraiser
Gene & Jane Borochoff
Andrea Breen & Billy Perkiss, in
appreciation of Rabbi Latz
Linda Brooks
Lisa Brownstein
Gwen & Dean Campbell
Andrea & Ho-Youl Chang
Gerry & Karen Cohen
Jo Devlin & Linda Crawford
Lauren & David Damman
Micki & Burt Danovsky,
congratulations on the birth
of Rafaela Bernice
Glen & Janet Dorfman
Richard Dworsky
Julia & Harry Edelman
Barbara Egli
Marsha & Richard Eisenberg
Andrea Feshbach
Beverly Fitzgerald
Paula Forman
Audrey Friedman
Amy & Harry Funk
Ellen Israel, in honor of Jonathan
Jacobs Hurtubise becoming a
Bar Mitzvah
Larry & Judi Latz
Wayne & Ellen Leebaw, to
celebrate the birth and baby
naming of Rafaela Bernice
Estrin Dashe
Jill Madsen & Ali Serrioz
Ruth Markowitz
Michael & Shelley Miner
Zoe Nicholie & Candace
Margulies
Lyonel Norris & Kathy Kosnoff
Jane Newman & Amy Lange
Ray & Ginny Levi
Ira & Joanne Kaplan
Pat Karasov
Joel & Janet Knoepfler
Jane Levin & Judy Reisman
Dan & Rachel Pollock
Holly Radis-McCluskey, in
memory of Sylvia Radis and
in appreciation of Rabbi Latz
Sumner & Joyce Richman, in
appreciation of Rabbi Latz
Susan Rosenthal
Helen Rubenstein
Dianne & Leighton Siegel
Ariella Tilsen & Scott Edelstein
Marjorie Siegel
Anne & Michael Stern
Freddie Weisberg, dedicated to
Rabbi Latz and the entire Shir
Tikvah staff
Rabbi Latz
Discretionary Fund
Stephanie Schwartz and James
Kelly, in appreciation of Rabbi
Latz, Rabbi Simon & Wendy
Goldberg
Don & Trish Deutsch, in
memory of Don’s stepfather,
Manny Colodny
Rabbi Simon
Discretionary Fund
Stephanie Schwartz and James
Kelly, in honor of Siona Kelly’s
Bat Mitzvah
Torah Fund
Audrey Lensmire, in memory
of the yahrzeit of her father,
Charles Manaster
and in memory of Jeannette
George’s mother, Lavena
Social Action Fund
Miriam Weinstein & Amy
Ollendorf, in honor of Jonnie
Jacobs-Hurtubise’s Bar
Mitzvah
Mazal Tov
Sam Kanson-Benanav for being
awarded a Fulbright to study
in Ecuador
Harvey Zuckman, on being
named Alumni of Notable
Achievement from University
of Minnesota
Ina Gravitz on her election
as president-elect of the
American Society for
Indexing
Lillie Benowitz,Taylor FormanGreen, and Jonah Rothstein
on their election to the
NFTY regional Board
Anniversaries
5th Anniversary
Sam Brose & Michael Rosen
10th Anniversary
Leslie & Paul Saterlee
45th Anniversary
Gerry & Toni Gilchrist
Larry & Judi Latz
New Members
Lisa Brownstein
737 17th Ave. S.
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Harvey Perle
2353 Youngman Ave. #401
St. Paul, MN 55116
Music Fund
Jane Newman & Amy Lange, in
honor of Wendy Goldberg,
Eric Brook and Rabbi Simon;
11
TORAH PORTIONS
Board Officers
President Jane Binder
Past President Jane Newman
Vice President & Communications Secretary Luke Weisberg
Treasurer Andrea Rubenstein
Recording Secretary Wendy Horowitz
Board Members
Linda Alter, Lillie Benowitz, Andy Bindman, Martha Brand, Alex Dashe,
Paula Forman, Morrie Hartman, Jennifer Kahn, Kathryn Klibanoff, Jackie
Krammer, Wayne Kuklinski, Jennifer Lewin, Jim L. Miller, Lisa Powell,
Jonah Rothstein
Committee Chairs
Development Committee Luke Weisberg
Finance & Administration Andrea Rubenstein
Library Ginny Heinrich
Membership Jeff Danovsky
Social Justice Linda Alter Capell, David Snyder
T’filah Alex Dashe
Caring Community (Yad b’Yad) Chris Bargeron
Youth Connections Barry Epstein
Kol Tikvah Editing and Design: Sarah Malakoff
Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Michael Adam Latz
rabbilatz@shirtikvah.net
Director of Lifelong Learning
Rabbi Melissa B. Simon
rabbisimon@shirtikvah.net
Executive Director
John Humleker
john@shirtikvah.net
Music Director
Wendy Goldberg
wendy@shirtikvah.net
Clergy Assistant
Jackie Fitzcollins
jackie@shirtikvah.net
Office Manager
Sara Lahyani
sara@shirtikvah.net
STiFTY and JYG Advisor
Amira Cohen
stifty@shirtikvah.net
Founding Rabbi Emerita
Rabbi Stacy K. Offner
a progressive Reform congregation serving the Twin Cities
May 26
B’midbar
Num. 1:1-4:20
Shir Tikvah welcomes and supports children and adults with disabilities. We try to make our programs and
services accessible to all within the limits of our resources. If you need accommodation or assistance in order
to participate in our programs, services or activities, please contact the Shir Tikvah office at (612) 822-1440.
1360 West Minnehaha Parkway
May 19
B’har/B’chukotai
Lev. 25:1-27:34
1360 West Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55419-1199
(612) 822-1440 | offices@shirtikvah.net | www.shirtikvah.net
Minneapolis, MN 55419-1199
May 12
Emor
Lev. 21:1-24:23
a publication of Shir Tikvah,
a progressive Reform congregation
Change Service Requested
May 5
Acharei Mot/K’doshim
Lev. 16:1-20:27