Kol Tikvah - Har Tikvah

Kol Tikvah
Har Tikvah Congregation of Brampton
www.hartikvah.org
Spring
2016
Rabbi’s Message
Counting as a Jew and
a Canadian
This is the time of year
when we crunch numbers!
Beginning on the second
night of Pesach we count 49
days (7 x 7 weeks), the 50th
day being Shavuot. This period of time is called the
counting of the Omer,
“Omer” being a measure of
grain. Biblically, this was
the time between the early
and late Spring harvests; post
-biblically this was a countdown, or more accurately a
count "up," to an exciting
event: Receiving the Torah
on Mount Sinai at Shavuot.
The very act of counting
symbolizes anticipation.
Children count the days until
their birthday. Those of us
who recall the early days of
the space program immediately think of the countdown
until lift-off. While we as
Jews are anticipating Shavuot, there is another important
countdown of which we
should be aware.
Next year, Canada will celebrate its 150th birthday. As
you can well imagine, preparations are already underway
for a number of festivities.
There is one event in which
all of us can take an active
part.
An organization called
Faith in Canada 150 is collecting stories from Canadians reflecting their personal
experiences in this country.
What does that have to do
with us? The group wants to
hear about what it is like to
be a Canadian Jew. It
doesn’t matter whether
you’ve been here for generations, or if you only arrived
on these shore a few weeks
ago. It doesn’t matter if your
experience is one of boundless joy, or if your Jewish
identity was shaped by the
1933 Christie Pits riots in
Toronto. The goal is to get
as complete an idea of what
it is like to be a Jew in Canada. Our stories will be posted along with those of people
representing the spectrum of
faith groups in this country.
You can read the growing
collection of stories at the
section called “Thread of
1000 Stories” on Faith in
Canada 150 website.
Do you have a family tradition that has sustained you?
Did you face a challenge to
your Judaism if you came
here from elsewhere? Do
you recall having to say the
Lord’s Prayer in public
school? What’s it like having to take a vacation day for
Yom Kippur? Do your children have opportunities that
you did not have? Were people of different faiths guests
at your child’s Bar-Mitzvah
or your Seder? We each have
a story to share about being
Jewish in Canada. If you
would like to share yours you
can do so by sending your
story to Stephanie
Schoenhoff at:
sschoenhoff@cardus.ca .
They are counting on us.
Rabbi Michal Shekel
Kol Tikvah
Spring 2016
Page 2
President’s Message
Hello to everyone. Spring
has finally ‘Sprung’ or
should I say summer, and it
is finally time to get outside.
I hope everyone is enjoying
the wonderful weather.
the composer of Retsei and
this song is now incorporated
into our Shabbat service.
We also attended a Cantor’s concert at this synagogue a few weeks later with
3 Cantors participating. The
This past winter, while
music was wonderful with a
Charron and I were in Flori- mix of English and Yiddish
da, we took the time to visit 2 songs around the theme of
Reform synagogues for Frilove.
day night services. The first
was a well-established ReThe next synagogue we
form congregation called
visited was a “Storefront”
Temple Shaarei Shalom locongregation called L’Dor
cated in Boynton Beach.
Va –Dor. It was located in a
Upon entering the lobby, the large strip mall. We entered
greeting committee asked if
right into the sanctuary. We
we were members or visitors. could see that the Ark was a
As visitors, we gave our
temporary “cupboard” built
email address and received a to be moved as necessary.
Visitor’s pin to wear. The
The age of the people in this
sanctuary was full with most- congregation was also 65 and
ly people 65 and older. The older. Once the service startRabbi was half Italian, half
ed, there was a full house.
Jewish and along with his
Both the Rabbi and the fefemale Cantor, they lead a
male Cantor wore a robe for
nice service. Different from the service. There was a
other Friday night services
piano accompanist for the
we have attended, they read
Cantor, who we found out
from the Torah. The Cantor later, was the Rabbi’s mothhad a beautiful voice and
er. The Cantor had a difficult
when I heard her sing Retsei, time keeping in time with the
I had to find out who the
piano player who was literalcomposer was. After the
ly banging on the piano and
service, everyone was invited with her microphone which
to come to the social hall for was not working properly.
a terrific kiddish with tables
The start of the service was
covered with homemade
very informal with the Rabbi
sweets and fresh fruit – abso- telling some jokes. A nice
lutely delicious! We sat at a touch was the opportunity for
table and people asked how
visitors to identify themwe enjoyed the service and
selves and where they were
where we were from. I was
from. The service was quite
able to catch the Cantor for a abbreviated with the Torah,
moment to ask the name of
once again, coming out.
After the Torah was put
away, the Rabbi introduced
his brother and the congregation was entertained with a
20 minute comedy routine.
After the service, Charron
and I spoke to the President
of the synagogue. She explained that this was their
second store front location
and that they were looking
for larger facilities with limited finances to accommodate
the growth in their congregation. They also had a very
nice kiddish of sweets and
fruit after the service. There
was a small storage area, a
small kitchen and a single
male/female bathroom off of
the sanctuary.
An interesting experience
and I suggest people attempt
to visit other synagogues
when they are on vacation.
One of the issues your
Board has been investigating
is to sell our property and
move into another building.
There is another church
group very interested in purchasing our property, but to
date, we have not been able
While we were on vacato find a suitable alternate
tion, it was my father’s
property, be it another reliYahrtzeit. We searched for
gious site or a “store front”.
a synagogue that had mornThe Board would appreciate
ing minyan and found a Con- congregant comments on this
servative synagogue adjacent issue. Do we stay where we
to the Jewish Community
are or do we continue to look
Centre of Boynton Beach. I
for an alternate, new home
was given the honour of clos- for Har Tikvah? Please feel
ing the Ark. The service, led free to speak to any one of
by a woman who read “a
the Board Members, send me
mile a minute”, moved along an email or give me a phone
quite quickly. Luckily, she
call (lbloom@rogers.com or
called out the pages, so were 905-230-6411).
able to keep up with her.
Best wishes to all for PeThe majority of the people in
sach.
I look forward to seeattendance were well over
ing
everyone
at our April
the age of 65. We found out
30th
Service,
the May 6th
after the service that the synFriday
night
Shabbat
dinner
agogue was a melding of
and
the
Bat
Mitzvah
of
three congregations. There
was a small kiddish after the Elaine Reuben on May 28th.
service where a “pishka” was
Lawrie Bloom
passed around for people to
President
put in a donation.
Kol Tikvah
Spring 2016
Sunshine News &
Special Announcements
By the end of April, Shelley
Jourard will have completed the
four-course Certificate in Horticulture Science program at Humber
College, expecting to graduate with
an A+ average. She is also pleased
to have landed a job in her new
chosen career and is currently
working as a Nursery Sales/
Assistant at Lakeside Garden Gallery (at Heart Lake Road and Sandalwood Parkway) in Brampton.
Bat Mitzvah
Dear Har Tikvah congregation,
We take great pleasure in inviting
you all to join us as our daughter
Elaine Reuben is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah, on Saturday
the 28th of May 2016 during the
Sabbath service. Kiddush lunch will
follow the service.
We would appreciate an RSVP at
joe.reuben@hotmail.com
Best regards,
Karen & Josef Reuben
Page 3
Cemetery Report
Editor’s Desk
Har Tikvah has purchased interment rights for 13 additional burial
plots in our section at Pardes Shalom. (Anyone who is Jewish has the
right to be buried at Pardes Shalom.)
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of the newsletter. A reminder that this is the
last issue of the newsletter for the
2015/2016 season. The next
newsletter will be the Fall issue.
Have a great summer everyone!
Ron Brejak
Editor
We now have 13 plots available
to be reserved. The fee for each
burial plot, when payment is made
in full at the time of application, is
$3220. For any applicant wishing to
pay in installments, the fee is $1000
with the application and 2 payments
of $1110 per year for the next 2
years. To receive an application
form, please contact Bette-Ann at
905-846-9752 or
bettgold2@gmail.com
Bette-Ann Goldstein
Cemetery Committee Chair
Yom Ha’Azmaut
Friday Dinner
We’ll be welcoming Shabbat and
celebrating Israel Independence
together on Friday, May 6th. Join
us for a family Israeli dinner at
6:30. Pita and falafel will be provided. Please bring an Israeli salad
or Israeli dessert. We’ll have Israeli music, with a sing-along, and
dancing.
Suggested salads:
Israeli (chopped veggies & mint)
see video at
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/
food/1.698731
“Russian” (potato & other cooked
veggies)
Tabouli (parsley & bulgar)
Tzatziki (cucumber & yogurt)
Spring 2016
Kol Tikvah
Page 4
Calendar
Saturday April 30
10:00 am
Friday May 6
6:30 pm
Pesach with Yizkor - Final day of Pesach
Service followed by Kiddush
Potluck Shabbat dinner celebrating Yom Haazmaut
Saturday May 28
10:00 am
Shabbat service with Bat-Mitzvah of Elaine Ruben
Sunday June 12
10:00 am
Shavuot service with Yizkor
Kiddush following the service
Our religious school students will be participating in the service
Peter Weinwurm's Bar Mitzvah
February 2016
Kol Tikvah
Spring 2016
Board Members
Executive
President
Past President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Directors
Susan Eichler
Ziva Marcos
Kathryn Tobe
Paul Brannan
Lawrie Bloom
Maureen Rich
Mike Silbermann
Jerry Fink
Danny Gordon
Page 5
Committee Chairs and Board Liaisons
The following are our
committee chairs and their
corresponding board liaison
member. If you are not already involved, please
strongly consider contributing to Har Tikvah in one
of the open positions.
Education
Susan Eichler, Chair
Maureen Rich, Liaison
Bingo
Mike Klopot, Chair
Ziva Marcos, Liaison
Youth Group
Jeannie Brejak, Chair
Kathryn Tobe, Liaison
Building
Mike Silbermann, Chair
Paul Brannan, Liaison
Social
Ellen Farber, Chair
Maureen Rich, Liaison
Social Action
Bette-Ann Goldstein, Chair
Maureen Rich, Liaison
Welcoming Committee
Maureen Rich, Chair
Service Kiddush
Maureen Rich, Chair
Ziva Marcos Liaison
B’Nai Mitzvah
Esther Zimmerman, Chair
Susan Eichler, Liaison
Website
Gary Sternklar, Chair
Lawrie Bloom, Liaison
Phone Committee
Kathryn Tobe, Chair
Danny Gordon, Liaison
Newsletter
Ron Brejak, Chair
Lawrie Bloom, Liaison
Membership
Louis Eichler, Chair
Jerry Fink, Liaison
Cemetery
Bette-Ann Goldstein, Co-Chair
Sally Ann Kerman, Co-Chair
Lawrie Bloom, Liaison
Shiva
Mike Silbermann, Chair
Lawrie Bloom, Liaison
Cantorial Soloists
Lawrie Bloom, Chair
Susan Eichler, Liaison
Jewish Observance
Bette-Ann Goldstein, Chair
Maureen Rich, Liaison