January 2014 - Beth Am Synagogue

JANUARY 2014
ADAR 5774
CONTENTS
RABBI’S
MESSAGE 1
CANTOR’S
CORNER 3
PRESIDENT’S
PERSPECTIVE 4
CONGREGATIONAL
LEARNING 6
IN, FOR AND OF 7
CALENDARS 9
UPCOMING
EVENTS 12
CONTRIBUTIONS 14
COMMUNITY
NEWS 16
ANNUAL FUND 18
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RABBI’S MESSAGE
Shared Roots. Shared Experience.
Great Music.
Rabbi Daniel Cotzin Burg
Join us for a FREE concert January 18, 2014!
The Afro-Semitic Experience
Concert at 6:30 pm, Dessert Reception at 8 pm.
With the passing of Nelson Mandela last month, much of the discourse
within the Jewish community has been about Jewish involvement in
the anti-apartheid movement in particular and civil rights in general.
It’s no accident, then, that The Afro-Semitic Experience, a terrific band
Beth Am and Reservoir Hill have the privilege to host this month, was
established with the following mission in mind:
“The Afro-Semitic Experience is an ensemble dedicated to preserving,
promoting and expanding the rich cultural and musical heritage of the
Jewish and African diaspora.”
While there are surely many differences between the collective Jewish
and African-American stories, it’s hard to ignore the many places
in which our respective communities have found common ground.
From abolitionists to human right activists, from Jesse Owens, Hitler’s
momentary comeuppance, to Negro spirituals about Moses and Elijah
and parallel stories of slavery and redemption, our communities have
been enmeshed for generations.
Perhaps no story has captured our imaginations better, though, than
that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his friend and civil rights
partner, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. So well known is the story of
their marching arm-in-arm at Selma, of Heschel describing the feeling
that “his feet were praying,” that I need only mention it briefly to make
my point. This is why I’m so excited that our In, For and Of initiative,
in collaboration with residents and stakeholders from Reservoir Hill,
will bring The Afro-Semitic Experience on Saturday night of the MLK
weekend. Kol HaKavod to Betty Chemers, Lisa Akchin and their va’ad
(task force) who have so ably organized and promoted this event.
Rabbi cont’d on page 5.
1
Rabbi
BETH AM BOARD
Daniel Cotzin Burg
Officers
President Scott Zeger
1st Vice President Julie Gottlieb
2nd Vice President Alyson Bonavoglia
Treasurer Alan Kopolow
Secretary Elaine Weiss
Trustees through 2014
Betty Chemers
Jerry Doctrow
Emily Demsky
Ashley Pressman
Standing Committees
Adult Ed Chair Adult Ed Co-Chair Finance Chair Finance Co-Chair
House Chair Kiddush Chair Membership Chair Membership Co-Chair Religious Services Chair Social Action Chair Social Action Co-Chair Youth Education Chair Elaine Weiss
Carla Rosenthal
Alan Kopolow
Joe Wolfson
Sam Polakoff
Meg Hyman
Sharon Nathanson
Robin Katcoff
Joe Wolfson
Arthur Shulman
Jackie Donowitz
David Lunken
Ad Hoc Committees
Trustees through 2016
Annual Fund Honorary Chair Gil Sandler
Annual Fund Chair Eliza Feller
Annual Fund Co-Chair Jim Jacobs
BJC Rep.
Ben Rosenberg
Beth Am Connection Joanne Katz
Risa Jampel
BAYITT Co-Chair Brian Ross
BAYITT Co-Chair Erica Allen
Congregant to Congregant Joyce Keating
Eutaw Place
Ellen Kahan Zager
Jack Zager
In, For and Of
Lisa Akchin
Maggi Gaines
Marketing Chair Ellen Spokes
Operations Co-Chair
Ashley Pressman
Operations Co-Chair
David Demsky
Past President Cy Smith
Past President Jack Lapides
RHIC Rep.
Carol Shulman
Honorary Life Member
Lainy LeBow-Sachs
Honorary Life Member Efrem Potts
Office Hours
After hours office phone numbers:
Trustees through 2015
Eliza Feller
Cheri Levin
David Lunken
Lynn Sassin
Neil Kahn
Cindy Paradies
Desiree Robinson
Jim Schwartz
Tuesday-Thursday: 9:00-4:00
Friday: 9:00-3:00
Phone:
Rabbi Daniel Cotzin Burg
443.202.0912 (cell) (emergencies only, please)
or ravdaniel@bethambaltimore.org
Tel: 410.523.2446
Fax: 410.523.1729
Extentions:
Rabbi Burg - 14
Rabbi Gludt - 15
Henry Feller, Exec. Dir. - 20
Linda Small, Coordinator - 12
Norm Weinstein, Bookkeeper - 17
Marsha Blank, Educator - 16
Gail Wohlmuth, Admin. Spec. - 21
Nakia Davis, Admin. Assist. - 11
Valerie Tracy, Marketing - 10
Cantor Ira Greenstein
443.759.7807 (home)
cantor.ira@gmail.com
E-mail:
In case of an emergency, please contact:
Henry Feller execdir@bethambaltimore.org
Executive Director 410.602.2124 (home)
Email: office1@bethambaltimore.org
Web site: www.bethambaltimore.org
2
Rabbi Kelley Gludt, Director of
Congregational Learning
520.248.9541 (cell)
rabbikelley@bethambaltimore.org
Scott L. Zeger, Board President
410.868.7761
scott.zeger@gmail.com
CANTOR’S CORNER:
A Different Person over Time
Cantor Ira Greenstein
A phrase in vogue of late is that one can
have a “transformative experience.” We
build up expectations of significant change
in attitudes, weight, vision, success,
efficiency, market share, or whatever …
in a short transition time, sometimes with
uplifted spirit and near-heavenly revelation.
Whatever happened to slow and deep?
Perhaps this is not as dramatic, but change
of this kind can be equally as effective and
can last a lifetime.
In her “Lifecycles” book series, Rabbi
Debra Orenstein goes into detail about
how to create a Jewish ritual and infuse it
with meaning. Her critical point is that
a ritual has to carry you along with it, so
that you are a different person after the
ritual is concluded from when it began.
And you should be able to articulate the
goal of a ritual in advance, identifying
the change that is intended to occur as
the ritual is transacted. These types of
changes are typically small, such as the
change that occurs from before reciting the
Shabbat evening Kiddush to its conclusion.
True, the purpose may be as simple as
remembering that our bounty ultimately
comes from God or Nature, or that we are
more liberated from our daily hubbub, but
the accumulation of many such blessings is
a grander understanding of our relationship
with the universe.
When it comes to our experience of
connectedness with God, and our approach
to the “transformative” power of services, I
would suggest that slow and deep is a more
reasonable expectation.
The first week in November, we hosted
Joey Weisenberg at Beth Am. Over the
course of a single Shabbat, Joey kindled
(or RE-kindled or reinforced) in many of
us a richer understanding of how music
can enhance our connection with God and
especially with each other. Rabbi Burg
and I have been trying to keep the spirit
and learning of that weekend alive and
expand its value to an even broader segment
of the congregation, by doing more and
richer “niggunim” (songs without words)
in services and other settings. Maybe we
cannot devote several hours’ time to a single
niggun, as Joey did that one Shabbat, but
for those who went through the experience
with Joey, the achievement is additive … we
are able to revive the value of the experience
in a much shorter time, and hopefully take
it forward a little more each time.
It is highly unlikely that experiencing a
single Kesher or Klei Kodesh service on
a single Shabbat is going to carry you all
the way to a transformative connection
with The Almighty One. More likely is
that each service will add, explicitly or
subtly, to the accumulation of experience
and recognition that our relationship
with the universe is evolving. A lifetime
may not be enough time to fully achieve
Cantor cont’d on page 5.
3
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
SEE Beth Am’s Future
Scott Zeger
Your elected officers have now been in
place for five months and have refined our
understanding of how best to invest time
and energy for Beth Am. We SEE the future
more clearly, SEE being the acronym for
our three priorities:
Success in the Campaign for Beth Am - to
secure its financial future;
Engage membership - in particular by
improving operations from the Board
through the office;
Enliven learning - the original raison d’être
for Beth Am.
Here are some of the key steps your
leadership is pursuing toward each of these
three objectives:
Success in the Campaign – Led by Lainy
LeBow-Sachs and Cy Smith, the Campaign
Committee has now received commitments
totaling $6.6 million, spearheaded by the
Board with nearly 100% participation. We
will be continuing the “silent” phase for
another 3-6 months and then will begin a
congregation-wide campaign.
A series of meetings a month ago between
60 Beth Am committee members and
architect Charles Alexander stimulated
creative thinking about how a renovated
and expanded facility can strengthen
our worship, learning, and community
engagement. Thirty-eight past-presidents
plus spouses met for dinner five weeks ago
at Lainy’s home to strategize about current
and future programs to motivate the
Campaign’s success. Beth Am now is sole
owner of a nonprofit organization called
In For Of, Inc. that will seek foundation
funding for community-related activities
and Beth Am infrastructure to support
them.
To achieve the S objective, join us in
imagining how Beth Am can discover and
practice urban Jewish living in Baltimore
City.
Engage membership – It did not take the
new officers long to understand that about
5% of the members get 95% of the pleasure
from participation in Beth Am governance.
Beth Am grew up as a “do it ourselves”
congregation with a small number “doing
most of it.” With the recruitment of Rabbis
Daniel Burg and Kelley Gludt, with the
25% growth of membership, and with
the substantial increase in programming
to continue to “do it ourselves,” we must
spread the pleasure more broadly. We have
also learned from internal studies that (1)
roughly half of new members volunteer to
serve on a committee; (2) members seek
roles that fit within the constraints of their
other obligations. The Board has discussed
how to formulate volunteer opportunities
which are task-oriented and last for variable
time periods to accommodate members’
constraints. Finally, the Board went on
a full-day retreat, led by USCJ’s Bob
Leventhal, to rethink how it operates so it
can more effectively engage each of you.
President cont’d on page 5.
4
President cont’d.
Rabbi cont’d
To improve operations, last year, the Board
created the Operations Committee under
the co-leadership of Ashley Pressman and
David Demsky. Special Ops, as I like to
call them, have identified multiple ways to
streamline our operations. Henry Feller’s
office team is beginning to implement some
of their recommendations. Key steps are the
hiring of Marketing Specialist Valerie Tracy
and the launch of a search for a financial
specialist to take over the financial aspects
of Efrem Potts’ volunteer work.
The story has not always been rosy, of
course. There is some history of animosity
between Blacks and Jews too, including
in Baltimore. Reservoir Hill is very much
a part of that complicated past. But this
is one of many reasons this concert, a
signature event in our Year of Music, is so
important. This is not a concert by us for
our neighbors. This is a community-funded
enterprise, planned collaboratively and
hosted within our historic building.
“Co-founded by African-American jazz
pianist Warren Byrd, and Jewish-American
jazz bassist David Chevan for an interfaith
Martin Luther King memorial service
in 1998,” the band itself is “beyond
category - a mix of spiritual, world-beat,
funk, jazz, cantorial, gospel, salsa, swing
. . . soul-driven music.” Their concerts
are celebrations where they play great
music, tell stories, and offer a positive
and meaningful message: Unity in the
Community.
To achieve the first E objective, volunteer in
the program of your choice. We can tailor
your time commitment to accomodate with
your other responsibilities.
Enliven Learning – The Beth Am founders
chose to remain on Eutaw Place because
they loved learning with Rebbe Lou Kaplan.
Learning is in Beth Am’s DNA. That is why
Joanne and I joined 18 years ago; it remains
a main attraction to new members as well.
Beth Am provides Baltimore’s best
opportunities to learn about living Jewishly
in an urban setting. Just think about the
last year: 90+ members studied together
in the first Shabbaton; Ambassador
Robert Ford, Advisor Stuart Eisenstadt
and Representative Steny Hoyer discussed
politics of the Middle East; the Jewish
Discovery Lab was launched; 50 members
have studied together to better understand
what it means to be In, For and Of
Reservoir Hill leading to In For Of, Inc.,
our new foundation, and more. Our
goal this year is to be strategic about how
we invest our programmatic resources,
especially professional and lay-staff time, to
further enliven learning at Beth Am.
SEE the ways that Beth Am can engage you,
your family and friends. Share your ideas
with leadership so we know what works for
you.
Sounds like fun, yes? See you January 18!
Cantor cont’d
connectedness with God through services,
in that the connection often is constantly
deepening, but the ability to experience
that evolutionary process, on a regular basis
where it can build on foundations of the
recent past, can itself be a reward.
I would encourage all of you to ask
yourselves, after every candle-lighting, or
blessing over wine or challah, or service,
or other ceremony: How am I different
because of this ritual? That self-inquiry is
important to celebrating any Jewish ritual,
and the concept of being a different person,
however small or large that difference may
be, is what imbues the ritual with meaning.
5
CONGREGATIONAL LEARNING
Havdalah Sleepover
Rabbi Kelley Gludt
Last month, on a chilly Saturday evening,
Beth Am’ers from the third to seventh
grade schlepped to the shul for our second
annual Havdalah Sleepover. The brainchild
of Lisa Berlin and Bob Wittenstein (tireless
volunteers for the event), the sleepover has
become a much-anticipated happening for
everyone.
We began with Rabbi Burg leading us in
a beautiful Havdalah ceremony, followed
by a scrumptious dinner. The kids could
barely settle down, and the outbreak of a
Color War certainly didn’t help. This year’s
theme focused on characters from Monsters
University, and the competition was fierce!
The teams competed in a multitude of
challenges that evening, including a shoefinding race and a contest where each team
had to stand on one sleeping bag and turn
it over without ever stepping off the bag.
Our kids showed their mettle, ingenuity
and agility for this one!
We set up our sleeping bags, changed into
PJs and settled down with some snacks to
watch the movie and cheer on each team’s
monster. Next came the most hilarious
moment of the year: a cutthroat game of
Honey, I Love You.
It may have been lights out at 10:00 p.m.,
but scary stories ensued, as did rousing
games of Truth or Dare. I’m not certain
what time anyone truly went to sleep (sorry
6
about that!), but everyone was up by
7:00 am for breakfast and more
competition. The speed round and
wheelbarrow races highlighted talents both
wonderful and strange.
Yes, the Havdalah Sleepover is exhausting,
and yes, it is a lot of fun, but these 14
hours together are far more than that. It’s
a chance for our Lab and day-school kids
to spend some significant time together.
It’s a time for them to get to know kids of
different ages, from different schools, and
different neighborhoods. It’s a chance for
them to see parents and teachers in different
roles. It’s a rare and valuable opportunity
to create lasting positive memories of their
synagogue.
I certainly won’t forget finding a sleepy
child in the dark heading toward my office.
While I assumed he was looking for some
late-night comfort, it quickly became clear
he was merely using his flashlight to check
the Color War scoreboard. A sleepover
first-timer lobbied for points for two
opposing teams when they went out of
their way to help set up her sleeping bag.
The cheers for each team were priceless, as
was the team pyramid. I loved the spirit,
the camaraderie, the bonding. As we left,
we made a sleepover huddle, pointing out
the many, many highlights that occurred in
such a short period of time and cheering on
the true winner of the event - Beth Am.
IN, FOR AND OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
Oy! Yo!
Beth Am’s Year of Music Continues
with The Afro-Semitic Experience
Please mark your calendar and plan to
join fellow congregants and Reservoir Hill
neighbors Saturday, January 18 at 6:30 pm,
as the nationally recognized Afro-Semitic
Experience ensemble comes to Beth Am for
an exciting evening of spiritual, world-beat,
funk, jazz, cantorial, gospel, salsa, and
swing…soul-driven music.
Volunteers are needed in the following
areas:
Desserts for post-concert reception,
contact Meg Hyman: meghyman@aol.com
Door-knockers to distribute concert
information to neighbors, contact Lisa
Akchin: akchin@umbc.edu
Drums and percussion instrument loan
for Jewish Discovery Lab –John Eager
Howard student drum circle,
contact Rabbi Kelley Gludt:
educator@bethambaltimore.org
Learn more about
The Afro-Semitic Experience at
www.afrosemiticexperience.net
JOHN EAGER HOWARD
HOLIDAY BOOK GIVEAWAY
~RESCHEDULED~
The Book Giveaway has been
rescheduled for Wed, Jan 8 8:45-11:00 am. If you can help with
classroom distribution, please contact
Jackie Donowitz:
jemdonowitz@hotmail.com or
410.235.5761
Design Advisory and Action Team
The Baltimore City Public School system
has embarked on a 10 year construction
plan to transform many of its school
facilities into 21st century community
schools through either major renovation or
new construction. This is very exciting for
the residents and community of Reservoir
Hill, since one of our own, John Eager
Howard Elementary School, was chosen to
be a Year 1 school in this effort.
Since late summer, three members of Beth
Am’s “In, For and Of the Community”
Task Force, Carol Shulman, Don Achkin
and Cindy Paradies, have participated on
The John Eager Howard Design Advisory
and Action Team (DAAT). DAAT is a
broad-based team comprised of Reservoir
Hill residents, John Eager Howard parents,
community partners, and school staff.
The goal of the team is to ensure that the
John Eager Howard school renovation or
rebuild achieves its maximum potential for
school and neighborhood transformation by
engaging in deep listening and relationship
building across stakeholders. To date,
the team has met with over 250 parents
to gather values and a vision for the new
school building, which will be translated
into a new school design. Now, the team
is focusing on gathering feedback from
neighbors and partners about their ideal
community and how the school might
impact that. If you are interested in
learning more about the team, feel free to
contact the Beth Am members who are
participating.
7
8
2014
JANUARY
2013-14
PLACE
jan. 11/8 pm
featuring nationally recognized singer/songwriter
chris ayer with local great ellen cherry
beer. wine. coffee. tea. homemade cookies.
Chris Ayer is a Brooklyn, NY-based singer-songwriter. Growing up
in Virginia, he got his start singing along to tapes of Elvis and Paul
Simon on car rides. In the last few years, Ayer has played over 600
shows in the US, UK & Europe, and released 4 EPs, 2 full-length
albums, and a live CD. Beyond strictly folk music, elements of pop,
rock, roots & soul influence his sound. He is currently finishing up his
third full-length album—the first he’s producing— called “The Noise”,
and will be touring in support of it throughout 2013.
EUTAWPLACE.ORG
4104849110
SHEVET
5774
With their highly accessible ethnic world music
mix and their ability to get an audience on its feet,
The Afro-Semitic Experience is a band beyond
category - a fusion of spiritual, world-beat, funk,
jazz, cantorial, gospel, salsa, swing and souldriven music.
feb. 1: guy davis
mar. 1: ernie halter w/victoria vox
apr. 5: 2nd anniversary concert:
brendan james
may 3: peter bradley adams w/ruut
{at beth am}
tix & info
Saturday
January 18
6:30 pm - Concert
8 pm - Dessert reception
EUTAW
MUSIC
Free concert!
THE AFRO-SEMITIC
EXPERIENCE
Bringing communities
together through
soul-driven, world music.
Monday
Sunday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
Rosh Chodesh
3
4:39 pm - Candle
lighting
4
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am - Sanctuary
Services
10:45 am - Shabbat Lab
5
9:30 am - Minyan with
Learning Minyan
NO Lab
6
7
8
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
Post Lab Dinner
7 pm - Social Action
Committee meeting
9
10
4:46 pm - Candle
lighting
6:30 pm - Congregational Service followed
by BAYITT dinner
11
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am - Sanctuary Services with Lance Rombro’s
Bar Mitzvah
10:45 am - Shabbat
Yachad
8 pm - Eutaw Place
12
9:30 am - Minyan
9:30 am - Jewish
Discovery Lab / Parent’s
meeting
13
14
12 pm - Lunch and
Learn
15
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
16
9 am - Our Daily
Bread
17
4:53 pm - Candle
lighting
18
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am - Sanctuary Services with Asher Cordish’s
Bar Mitzvah
10:45 am - Shabbat
Yachad
6:30 pm - Afro-Semitic
Experience
8 pm - Dessert Reception
19
9 am - Our Daily Bread
9:30 am - Minyan
NO Lab - MLK
Kadima/USY: Snow
Tubing
20
Martin Luther King
Day
21
22
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
23
24
5:01 pm - Candle
lighting
Lab Kabbalat Shabbat
Service and Dinner
25
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am - Kesher Services
10:45 am - Shabbat
Yachad
26
9 am - Our Daily Bread
9:30 am - Minyan
9:30 am - Jewish Discovery Lab
1 pm - Shabbat 101
27
28
12 pm - Lunch and
Learn
29
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
30
9 am - Our Daily
Bread
31
5:10 pm - Candle
lighting
10
SUNDAY MORNING
MINYANIM
All are welcome, please bring a fish/dairy lunch.
Rabbi Daniel Cotzin Burg will lead during the months of Jan,
Mar, and May. Rabbi Kelley Gludt will lead during the months
of Feb, and April.
Richard Rosenthal’s Office
(On-street parking is very limited.
Garage parking available for a fee.)
Tydings & Rosenberg, LLP
100 E Pratt, 26th floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
January 14 - Sexuality (RDB)
February 11 - Kashrut (RKG)
Karin Batterton’s Office
Coldwell Banker
Village of Cross Keys
38 Village Square
Baltimore, MD 21210
Jan. 28 - Sexuality (RDB)
Feb. 25 - Kashrut (RKG)
2014
FEBRUARY
Beth Am’s regular Sunday minyan at
9:30 am has been a great addition to
Beth Am, but as we head into winter
and travel schedules, we could
use your help ensuring we have a
quorum. David Drager-Davidoff has
graciously created a portal through Sign-up Genius (see link
below.) We would be most grateful if you would log in and sign
up for slots in the coming weeks. This way, those in attendance
(including those saying Kaddish) will be able to rely on a
minyan. Keep in mind, the first full weekend of each month
includes a bonus Learning Minyan and breakfast always follows.
Join us!
www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4EADA92FA3F49-sunday
ADAR
5774
Learn through Hot Topics Using Traditional & Modern Texts
Tuesdays, Noon - 1 pm - dates below
Do a Mitzvah Make a Quorum!
Monday
Sunday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am - Sanctuary
Services
10:45 am - Shabbat Lab
2
9:30 am - Minyan
No Lab
3
4
5
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
6
7
5:18 pm - Candle
lighting
6:30 pm - BAYITT
potluck dinner and
services
8
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am -Sanctuary
Services with Ariel
Goldberg’s Bat Mitzvah
10:45 am - Shabbat
Yachad
9
9:30 am - Minyan
9:30 am - Jewish Discovery Lab
10
11
12 pm - Lunch and
Learn
12
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
13
14
5:26 pm - Candle
lighting
15
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am - Kesher Services
10:45 am - Shabbat
Yachad
16
9 am - Our Daily Bread
9:30 am - Minyan
No Lab - Pres. Day
17
President’s Day
18
19
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
20
9 am - Our Daily
Bread
21
5:34 pm - Candle
lighting
22
8:45 am - Torah Study
9:30 am - Sanctuary
Services with Elizabeth
Rose Becker’s Bat Mitzvah
10:45 am - Shabbat
Yachad
23
9 am - Our Daily Bread
9:30 am - Minyan
9:30 am - Jewish Discovery Lab
24
25
12 pm - Lunch and
Learn
26
4:15 pm - Jewish
Discovery Lab
27
28
5:41 pm - Candle
lighting
SANCTUARY SERVICE
Our next Sanctuary Service will be
January 4, 2014.
We have had a longstanding tradition at Beth
Am where congregants cook items for the
Kiddush Luncheon whenever we have a Sanctuary
Shabbat. This tradition provides an enhanced
sense of community, making Beth Am “Feel like
Home.” We need your participation to make this
potluck a success.
We need volunteers! Please contact Meg
Hyman to let her know how you can help:
meghyman@aol.com
January
• January 4
• January 8
• January 12
• January 19
• January 24
JEWISH DISCOVERY LAB
Shabbat Lab
Post-Lab Dinner
Parent Meeting
No Lab; Kadima/USY snow tubing
Lab Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Dinner
Because hunger doesn’t take a vacation…
Our Daily Bread
Volunteer Dates 9 am - 1 pm
Thursdays - Jan. 16 and 30
Sundays - Jan. 19 and 26
Volunteers must be 14 or older, with 14-year-olds accompanied by an adult.
Volunteer hours are expected to work the full 4-hour shift. Please email Victoria
no later than noon the preceding Friday before the date
you wish to volunteer at: victoria.dorf@ssa.gov
Otherwise please call her at work: 410-965-9245 or at home:
410-945-0652 on eves/weekends. She needs to check with Our Daily Bread in
advance to make sure how many volunteers they need on
any given day.
A meaningful activity for families with teens all year long...
12
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
Zemirot and Birkat Hamazon
It is a tradition to sing zemirot (Shabbat songs) on Shabbat afternoons.
Starting December 14th at the conclusion of lunch, we re-initiated this
tradition at Beth Am, singing zemirot followed by birkat hamazon (grace
after meals) together. Join us in this rousing Beth Am tradition.
To fully participate and enjoy the experience, Cantor Greenstein will have
CD’s available to assist newcomers to this tradition.
Shabbat 101
Sunday, January 26, 2014, 1-3 pm
Imagine the smell of a warm delicious challah
wafting through your home on a winter day.
Join fellow Beth Am congregants on Sunday,
January 26, 2014, 1-3 pm, to learn how to
make different types of challah during a
hands-on workshop led by Rabbi Kelley,
her husband Rob and other bakers. They
will also review the essential elements of
celebrating Shabbat—candles, blessings,
and challah. This free workshop, to be held
at Beth Am, is a joint program of the Beth
Am Membership Committee and the Adult
Education Committee. RSVP to Nakia@
bethambaltimore.org by Monday, January 20.
Child care is available by reservation.
SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 8 at 7 pm
Winter pot luck dinner and meeting.
Location: Jackie Donowitz’s home
We address issues relating to poverty, homelessness, domestic violence,
environmental sustainability, literacy and more, in the Reservoir Hill
community and beyond. Open to all!
For directions or more information please contact Jackie Donowitz:
jemdonowitz@hotmail.com or 410.235.5761
For a ride, please contact Arthur Shulman: arthur.shulman@gmail.com
13
NOVEMBER 2013
CONTRIBUTIONS
Building Preservation and Ritual
Enhancement Fund
Etta & Louis L. Kaplan
Education Fund
• Rebecca & Perry Bridger - In honor of
Nancy & Richard Bloom, on their 50th
wedding anniversary
• Jill & Ira Gansler - In memory of
Raymond Zager, father of Jack Zager
• Barry Glass - In hopes of Jerry Ann
Glass’ speedy recovery;
In memory of Gregory Cooper
• Naomi Goldstick Rosner and Gary
Rosner - In memory of Herbert
Stearns, father of Max Stearns
• Joan & David Greenberg - In memory
of Reuben Kahn, brother of Billy Kahn
• Linda Gross - In memory of Jerome
Gross, her husband, on his yahrzeit;
In hopes of Judy Langenthal’s speedy
recovery
• Roz & Nelson Hyman - In memory of
Myrna Steedman, mother of Linda
Small
• Peggy & Bill Lewis - In memory of
Reuben Kahn, brother of Billy Kahn
• Abby & Charles, Anna & Zoe
Rammelkamp - In memory of Myrna
Steedman, mother of Linda Small
• Irma Weinstein - In memory of Marcia
Kramer, her mother, on her yahrzeit
• Eileen Yoffee - In honor of Judy &
David Drager-Davidoff, on the Bat
Mitzvah of Abby Drager-Davidoff;
In honor of Robin Rose-Samuels &
Jack Samuels, on the Bar Mitzvah of
Gabe Samuels
• Rebecca & Perry Bridger - In
appreciation of Beth Am Chix for
helping pull off the bi-coastal Bat
Mitzvah;
In appreciation of Lisa Stern & Bob
Rombro for their assistance with the
bi-coastal Bat Mitzvah;
In appreciation of Rabbi Kelley Gludt
for her assistance with Rose Bridger’s
Bat Mitzvah
• Barbara & Richard Magid - In memory
of Reuben Kahn, brother of Billy Kahn
Cantor’s Discretionary Fund
• Rebecca & Perry Bridger - In
appreciation
• Adie & Ido Paz-Priel - In appreciation
• Ellen & Jeff Spokes - In appreciation
14
General Fund
• Elissa Golin & Simeon Goldblum - In
appreciation ofBeth Am
• Pamela & Eric Loeb - In memory of
Amy Freedman, his grandmother, on
her yahrzeit
• Ellen & David Sotkowitz - In honor
of Jacqueline Stephenson & Michael
Sotkowitz, on their wedding
• Suzanne & Bruce Manger - In
appreciation ofBeth Am
• Miriam Tillman - In memory of Myrna
Steedman, mother of Linda Small
I. William Schimmel Student
Scholarship Fund
• Fred Katz - In memory of Theo Katz,
his brother, on his yahrzeit
• Judy Miller - In memory of Reuben
Kahn, brother of Billy Kahn;
In memory of Myrna Steedman,
mother of Linda Small;
In memory of Rachel Pines, niece of
Marion Pines
Kiddush Fund
• Eleanor & David Goldstein - In hopes
of Harriet Miller’s speedy recovery
• Sarajane Greenfeld - In honor of
Nancy & Rick Hudes, on the Bar
Mitzvah of Matthew Hudes;
In appreciation of Dovey & Billy Kahn;
In hopes of Harriet Miller’s speedy
recovery
• Erica & Lou Jacobs - In memory of
Reuben Kahn, brother of Billy Kahn
• Harriet Miller - In memory of Myrna
Steedman, mother of Linda Small;
In memory of Reuben Kahn, brother
of Billy Kahn;
In honor of Jim Schwartz, on the birth
of his grandson Noah Asher Bloom;
In honor of Erica & David Bloom, on
the birth of their son Noah Asher
Bloom
• Beverly & Sam Penn - In hopes of
Harriet Miller’s speedy recovery
• Gail & Lou Wohlmuth - In hopes of
Harriet Miller’s speedy recovery
Prayer Book Fund
• Ben & Dee Rosenberg (Mahzor) - In
memory of Myrna Steedman, mother
of Linda Small
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
• Lisa & Don Akchin - In memory of
Myrna Steedman, mother of Linda
Small
• Rebecca & Perry Bridger - In
appreciation
• Emily & Dave Demsky - In memory of
Bernice Greenberg and Paula Levin,
her grandmother and aunt, on their
yahrzeit
• Rachel & Eric Fine - In memory of
David Fine, his father, on his yahrzeit
• Andrea Goldstein & Jay Shipper - In
appreciation
• Dovey & Billy Kahn - In appreciation
• Lainy LeBow-Sachs & Leonard Sachs
In memory of Myrna Steedman,
mother of Linda Small
• Sharon & Josef Nathanson - In honor
of Ana Pavich & Adam Geroff, on the
birth of their daughter Hedi Geroff
• Adie & Ido Paz-Priel - In appreciation
• Mignon & Rene Rosenthal - In
memory of Reuben Kahn, brother of
Billy Kahn
• Lissa Rotundo - In memory of Albert
Piuze, her father, on his yahrzeit
• Elaine & Sol Snyder - In memory of
Myrna Steedman, mother of Linda
Small;
In memory of Reuben Kahn, brother
of Billy Kahn
• Ellen & Jeff Spokes - In appreciation
Social Action Fund
• Diane Carasik Dion - In memory of
Morris “Pat” Carasik, her father, on his
yahrzeit
• Mimi Davidoff - In memory of Mark
Davidoff, her husband, on his yahrzeit
• Jackie & Mark Donowitz - In memory
of Ruth & Walter Marx, her parents, on
their yahrzeits
• Jo-Ann Orlinsky - In memory of her
parents, Celia & Henry Mayer, and her
sister, Shari Mayer, on their yahrzeits
• Georgia Parker - In memory of Morris
“Pat” Carasik, her father, on his
yahrzeit
• Dana Parker - In memory of Morris
“Pat” Carasik, her grandfather, on his
yahrzeit
• Carol & David Shulman - In memory
of Bernard Cohen, her brother, on his
yahrzeit
15
COMMUNITY NEWS
PRAYERS FOR HEALING
Prayers for Healing
Robert Gerard, nephew of Hilda Coyne
Bob Fleishman (Rosellen)
Cyndy Wolf, friend of Roberta Greenstein (Cantor Ira Greenstein)
Nan Tuckett (Bill Marker)
Mike Steedman, brother of Linda Small
Nancy Holder
Harry Adler, friend of Roberta and Cantor Ira Greenstein
Burt D’Lugoff
Ken Salzman, brother-in-law of Gail & Lou Wohlmuth
Ofra Shipman, cousin of Roberta Greenstein (Cantor Ira Greenstein)
Joel Young, friend of Roberta and Cantor Ira Greenstein
Harry Rossen
Donald Allen, father of Lisa Minick (Chris)
Norma Gaines, grandmother of Emily Gaines Demsky (David)
Steven Kraft, brother of Jim Kraft (Kristi Aho)
Jerald Lipsch, brother of Harriet Goldman (Herb)
Cyndi Lee Haaz, mother of Stephany Moonaz (Robert)
Robin Leidner & Sue Martin, friends of Amy Davidoff & Steve Gore
Alan Gross
Robert Katz, father of Joanne Katz (Scott Zeger)
Hilda Coyne
Vickie Dorf
Fran Kanterman
Steven Eisenberg, friend of Les Stellman
KIDDUSH LUNCHEON
AND BIMAH FLOWERS
Sponsorships and Donations:
• November 30 - The Kiddush luncheon was sponsored by
Patricia and Michael Berman in memory of their parents,
Aunt Rose, and in honor of their children and grandchildren.
• December 14 - The flowers were sponsored by Nancy and
Richard Bloom in memory of their parents, Doris Gruber
Fishman and Benjamin J. Fishman, Rebecca Zemel Bloom
and Edward A. Bloom;
The Kiddush luncheon was sponsored by Barbara and
Donald Saiontz in honor of Nancy & Richard Bloom’s 50th
wedding anniversary.
16
70+ BIRTHDAYS
Stephen Busky
Sarah Miller
Sofie Holin
Harvey Galinn
Edward Sills
Mary Semel
John Freeman
Diane Levine
Stanley Fine
Ken Williams
Phyllis Gerber
Barbara Taylor
Liz Moser
Barbara Kornblatt
Charles Baum
Penny Cordish
David Cordish
3-Jan
5-Jan
7-Jan
8-Jan
8-Jan
9-Jan
11-Jan
11-Jan
13-Jan
16-Jan
17-Jan
20-Jan
23-Jan
25-Jan
29-Jan
29-Jan
30-Jan
MAZEL TOV
• Ed Levin for being named Chairman
of Gordon Feinblatt’s Real Estate
Department
• Rabbi Daniel Burg for the feature
article, The Urban Rabbi, in the CJ
Voice.
• Sandy Rosenberg for being featured
in the Jewish Times article, Protests
at the Port.
RECENT DEATHS
• Edith Collison, aunt of Nan Tuckett
(Bill Marker)
• Jennie W. Himelfarb, mother of
Richard Himelfarb (Margaret Conn)
and grandmother of Elizabeth
Hurwitz (David)
50+ ANNIVERSARIES
Sidney and Cynthia Brower
Sig and Barbara Shapiro
22-Jan
24-Jan
THANK YOU
Sarajane Greenfeld and
Betty Seidel for your
continued support
proofreading for Beth Am!
17
      
 
       
   
From every person whose heart
is willing take my offering...and
make Me a holy space that I
may dwell among them.
- Exodus 25
Shabbat Services, Lifecycle Events, Services in the Park, Community Involvement, Adult Education,
Lights, Rabbi, Heat, Prayerbooks, Air Conditioning, Cantor, Landscaping, Educational Programs,
Dinners,
Water
and
Congregants have already given over
Electricity, Sanctuary
Upkeep,
K i d d u s h
$300,000 to provide all the little and
L u n c h
Plates, Paper
Te a c h e r s , not-so-little things that keep our community Scholarships
Postage,
Support Staff,
flourishing from one year to the next.
High Holyday PreparaPlease give generously
tion, Grape
Juice, Repairmen, Paint,
Maintenance
to Beth Am’s Annual Fund!
Staff, Advertising,
Torah Upkeep, Kids’ Torahs, Lunch & Learn, Klei Kodesh / Musical Shabbat, Musician in Residence,
Sound system, Tallitot, Prayer Books, Scholar in Residence, Security, Facilities Maintainance, Coffee
18
Accessibility Fund - Used to make the
facility accessible to those with impaired
physical abilities
FUND DESIGNATION
General Fund - Applied to the
operating budget of the congregation
Adult Education Fund - Supports
educational programs for all adults
I. William Schimmel Student Scholarship Fund - Assists students in their
educational pursuits
BAYITT Fund - Beth Am’s Young Adult
Initiative for 20’s and 30’s
Kiddush Fund - Used for luncheons
following Sabbath and holiday services
Building Preservation and Ritual
Enhancement Fund - Supports the
preservation and renovation of the
building and the ritual items
Prayer Book Fund - Supports the
purchase of prayer books and
Chumashim
Cantor’s Discretionary Fund - Allows
the Cantor to support special programs
and individuals in need
Etta & Louis L. Kaplan Education Fund
Supports the purchase of furniture,
equipment and capital improvements
for the Jewish Discovery Lab
Floral Fund - Beautifies the Bimah
Garden Fund - Beautifies grounds
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund - Allows the
Rabbi to support special programs and
individuals in need
Social Action Fund - Supports social
action activities in the Reservoir Hill
area and the general community
Tiny Tots Shabbat Fund - Supports
Shabbat programs for our preschoolers
Youth & Teen Education Support Fund
Supports educational programs for all
of Beth Am’s youth
ACKNOWLEDGE THE OCCASION THROUGH BETH AM
We encourage all congregants to send their contribution requests directly to Nakia Davis,
nakia@bethambaltimore.org so they can be processed in a timely manner.
First & Last Name(s): _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
If your contribution is from a couple or family, please list all names
(use additional paper if necessary)
Telephone: (________) __________ - ___________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________________________________
Date: _______________________ Amount of Donation: __________________________
($10 minimum requested; please make checks payable to Beth Am)
Fund Designation__________________________________________________________________
In honor/memory/appreciation of ___________________________________________________
Send Acknowledgement Card To:
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip: ___________________________________________________________________
19
© 2013 Beth Am Synagogue
Beth Am Synagogue is a member
of the United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism.
Look for the USCJ on-line at:
www.uscj.org.
2501 Eutaw Place
Baltimore, MD 21217