1401 January 14 Scroll vWEB 2

Scroll
Congregation Beth El
January 2014 • Shevat–Adar I 5774
Vol. 63 No. 5
From the Clergy
Theme
Sports Section! •
1, 10-12
From the Clergy • 1
Hazzan-in-Residence • 2
Youth • 6
Latke-Hamantasch
Debate • 7
Library Corner • 8
Gala • 9
FoEME • 12
Beth El Whys • 13
Shemirat Haguf
4U • 14-15
Departments
Sisterhood • 3
Men’s Club • 4-5
Contributions • 17
Bulletin Board • 20
The Scroll is a recipient
of three Solomon Schechter Gold Awards from
the United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism.
Sports
as Religion?
By Hazzan Matthew Klein
As a Seminary student in Manhattan,
I attended my first New York Yankees
home game. In the days before the Nationals, I was raised as (and remain) a fan
of the Baltimore Orioles – though I was
the son of a Brooklyn Dodger fan and a
New York Yankees fan (a mixed marriage,
clearly). As a child, I
often found myself
less sympathetic to
the Bronx Bombers
when talking about
baseball at the dinner
table.Years later, I felt
my anti-Yankees bias
slip away, yielding to a
degree of awe and curiosity when I entered
the newly built Yankee Stadium. This was
not so much because
of the game itself but
because of the epic – Sandy Koufax
dare I say religious – nature of the Yankee
baseball experience.
As each player was introduced, his
face appeared on the jumbotron, and
the loudspeaker blared his theme song,
audible mostly as a pounding bass under
the roar of the cheering fans. The Yankees
lineup was introduced with pomp and
bravado, as if they were the nine gods of
the New York Pantheon. Many of them
had their own rituals or slogans to be
recited by the adoring congregation of
fans (as in “Hip-hip-JORGE!” for Jorge
Posada, or “Enter Sandman” for the fabled closer, Mariano Rivera). There was
a closing anthem as well – “New York,
New York” – though it changed depending on the outcome of the game. A Yankee win would yield
the rendition sung
by Frank Sinatra; a
loss brought forth the
slightly squeakier version by Liza Minnelli.
Despite my loyalties
to the O’s, I could
understand how the
Yankee fans felt part
of a Power-GreaterThan-Themselves.
Religious Devotion
to Sports
But what to make of
the religious nature
of Yankee Stadium, or of our experiences
of devotion to sports in general? Solomon Schechter, famous founding father
of Conservative Judaism, once famously
quipped, “Unless you can play baseball,
you’ll never get to be a rabbi in America.” Perhaps he said this because baseball (and
arguably other sports) is among the core
expressions of the spirit of American culture. It teaches us values about teamwork,
continued on page 15
Scroll
8215 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20814-1451
Phone 301-652-2606 Fax 301-907-8559
Webwww.bethelmc.org
Affiliated with United Synagogue
of Conservative Judaism
Senior Rabbi
William D. Rudolph wrudolph@bethelmc.org
Rabbi
Gregory Harris gharris@bethelmc.org
Hazzan
Matthew Klein mklein@bethelmc.org
Executive Director
Sheila H. Bellack sbellack@bethelmc.org
Education Director
Rabbi Mark Levine mlevine@bethelmc.org
Associate Education Director
Elisha Frumkin efrumkin@bethelmc.org
Director of Community Engagement
Geryl Baer gbaer@bethelmc.org
Preschool Director
Kim Lausin klausin@bethelmc.org
Youth Director
Adam Zeren azeren@bethelmc.org
Rabbi Emeritus
Samuel Scolnic, z”l
Hazzan Emeritus
Abraham Lubin alubin@bethelmc.org
President
David Mills
Executive Vice President
Jerry Sorkin
Administrative Vice President
Larisa Avner Trainor
Communications and Tikkun Olam
Vice President
Larry Sidman
Community Building Vice President
Ivy Fields
Development and Finance Vice President
Mark C. Bronfman
Education and Lifelong Learning
Vice President
Amy Kaufman Goott
Worship and Spirituality Vice President
Rebecca Musher Gross
Treasurer
Joseph B. Hoffman
Secretary
Sharon D. Zissman
Scroll Committee scroll@bethelmc.com
Janet Meyers, Chair, Sharon Apfel, Judy Futterman,
Mara Greengrass, Susan Jerison, Davida Kales,
Marci Kanstoroom, Helen Popper, Marsha Rehns,
Walter Schimmerling, Larry Sidman, and
Jerry Sorkin
4U editor: Jennifer Katz
Scroll, USPS Number 009813, is published monthly by Congregation
Beth El of Montgomery County, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda,
MD 20814. Periodical postage rate paid at Bethesda, Maryland and
additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Scroll, 8215 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
2
Hazzan-in-Residence
Weekend With Hazzan
Jack Kessler, February 7-8
Hazzan Jack Kessler has been described as a
one-man force of nature in Jewish music. Originally trained as an Ashkenazi hazzan, his performance style and original compositions also embrace Sephardi and Mizrahi styles. He is the dean
of the cantorial department of the professional
training program of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish
Renewal. Hazzan Kessler will bring his diverse
musical talents, mastery in leading davenning, and
funky musical style to Beth El for a weekend of engaging prayer and
singing.
Friday, February 7
6:30 pm Musical Friday night services led by Hazzan Kessler
7:30 pm Congregational Shabbat dinner (with Shabbat songs)
Shabbat, February 8
9:30 am Shabbat for the Spirit: Shabbat morning services with spiritual and musical additions from Hazzan Kessler
7:30 pm Melave Malka: A niggun-filled community sing-along with
Hazzan Kessler and friends n
Please Join Us for a
Congregational Shabbat Dinner
Celebrating Hazzan-in-Residence Weekend
with Hazzan Jack Kessler
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7
6:30 pm: Musical Service with Hazzan Kessler
(includes instruments for Kabbalat Shabbat)
Traditional Service
7:30 pm: Shabbat Dinner
Please return this form to the synagogue office with your
check, payable to Beth El, by Tuesday morning, February 4.
Adult Name(s) ____________________________________________
Children’s/teens’ names and ages ____________________________
__________________________________________________________
Phone ___________________________________________________
Email address _________________________________
Number of Member Adults/Teens:
_____ @ $22.00/person
Number of Non-Member Adults/Teens:
_____ @ $27.00/person
Number of children (6-12): _____ @ $10.00/person
Number of children (2-5): _____ @ $5.00/person
(Children under 2 are free)
Amount $________
Amount $________
Amount $________
Amount $________
Max. charge per member household: $64.00 Total Amount $________
Number of vegan entrees ____
Food allergies? _____________________________________________
Please try to seat us with the following family ___________________
________________________________________________________
Sisterhood
Upcoming Sisterhood/Zhava Events
Tara Sonenshine to
Speak at Sisterhood
Shabbat
Shabbat
Tara Sonenshine first made a name
for herself working for ABC News
and its evening show, “Nightline.”
She worked for Newsweek, writing
op-eds and articles about foreign
policy. At the White House during President Bill Clinton’s second
term, Sonenshine created the blueprint for foreign policy priorities.
Later, as the State Department’s undersecretary for public
diplomacy and public affairs, Sonenshine oversaw cultural
programming, academic grants, and international exchanges.
She also oversaw U.S. government efforts to confront ideological support for terrorism. During her media career, she
won 10 Emmy Awards for news. She currently serves as a
distinguished fellow at The George Washington University.
On January 11, Sonenshine will be the guest speaker at
the annual Sisterhood/Zhava Shabbat. Her topic is “Challenges and Opportunities for Women Today.”
Sisterhood and Zhava members will lead the service. The
Golda Meir Award for leadership will be presented to Robin
Jacobson. The award and speaker are underwritten by Beth
El’s Celia and Audrey Resnik Memorial Lecture Fund. n
Tuesdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28 6:30 pm Mah Jongg
Saturday, January 11, 9:30 am Sisterhood/Zhava
Sunday, January 12, 9:30 am Board Meeting
Sunday, January 26, 10:00 am “Backstage at Theater J,”
Literary Luminaries
Sunday, January 26, 11:30 am Book Club, The World to
Come by Dara Horn
Mah Jongg Tournament
Sponsored by Beth El Sisterhood
Sunday, February 9
Lunch and Registration: noon-12:45 pm
Play: 1:00-5:00 pm
Entrance fee: $36 for Beth El Sisterhood members,
$40 for non-members
Play three rounds of Mah Jongg for points following
official rules. Afternoon includes lunch, snacks, door prizes,
50/50 raffle, and first-, second-, and third-place prizes.
For more information, contact Nancy Kay or Sheryl
Karlsberg at 301-652-2606 or info@bethelmc.org
RSVP by Monday, February 3
Name: ______________________________________
Address: _____________________________________
City, State, Zip: _______________________________
Phone: _____________________________________
Email: ______________________________________
Payment: $_______ payable to Beth El Sisterhood.
Please check below:
 I can be east
 I can be persuaded to be east
 I can bring a Mah Jongg set
Mail check and form to:
Beth El Sisterhood, Mah Jongg Tournament,
8215 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814
Sunday, February 23, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Congregation Beth El
Join Sisterhood/Zhava for a multi-cultural program and
learn about Jewish customs and culinary delights from
several countries.
The event is $7, payable at the door.
RSVP to Margi Kramer or Wynne Sitrin at
sisterhoodevent@bethelmc.org.
Shabbat Hospitality
Volunteer homes are needed to offer Shabbat hospitality
(sleeping arrangements and a possible meal) for Shomer
Shabbat visitors to Beth El. If you are willing to
participate in the mitzvah of Hachnassat Orchim please
contact Marilyn Hammerman at 301-652-2606 or info@
bethelmc.org.
3
Men’s Club
Hazzan Lubin to
Receive 2014 Blue
Yarmulke Award
By Jordan Rosner
Hazzan Emeritus Abraham Lubin next month will receive
the Men’s Club Blue Yarmulke Award for his many years of
steadfast support for Beth El Men’s Club.
Hazzan Abe Lubin was born in London but as a young
boy returned with his parents to Israel, his parents’ birthplace. A fifth-generation Israeli, he received his early Jewish
and secular education there and showed a love and talent for
singing. When he was eight, he sang a solo with the Rivlin
Choir in Jerusalem.
Music Studies in London, U.S.
As a teenager, Hazzan Lubin returned to England with his
parents, attended the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in London, and then
earned his hazzan degree from the Jews’ College Cantorial
School. He pursued secular music studies at the London College of Music, obtained a B.A. in music from the University
of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a master’s degree in music from De Paul University, and a doctor of music
degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Throughout his earliest training, Hazzan Lubin sang
in many synagogues and concert venues in England and
Scotland. When he was 13, he conducted services at leading synagogues in London and sang his first High Holiday
service when he was 15. At 17, he was engaged as hazzan at
the Jubilee Street Zionist Synagogue in London, and at 19,
he accepted a position at the famed Bayswater Synagogue in
London, where he was inducted into office by the then chief
rabbi, the late Dr. Israel Brodie. He was acclaimed by the
press as the youngest hazzan in the British United Synagogue
4
to hold such a post.
Soon after his arrival in the United States, he became hazzan
at the Beth Abraham Synagogue in Dayton, Ohio, where he
served for 10 years. He went on to hazzan posts at Congregation Rodfei Zedek and Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago
and, in 1990, he moved to Bethesda to become Beth El’s first
fulltime hazzan. He retired in 2011.
Hazzan Lubin has appeared in concerts throughout the
United States, Europe, and Israel. He has contributed articles
on Jewish music to various periodicals and has recorded
the critically acclaimed “Cantorial Classics.” Hazzan Lubin’s
scholarly research interest has been an analysis of the music of
Salomon Sulzer, the renowned 19th century Austrian hazzan
and composer.
Hazzan Lubin is a past president of the Cantors Assembly
and the former editor of the Journal of Synagogue Music. He is
the recipient of the Cantors Assembly’s 25th anniversary Yuval
Award in recognition of his distinguished career in hazzanut.
At the 2003 Cantors Assembly convention, Hazzan Lubin
was honored with the prestigious Sam Rosenbaum Award for
scholarship and creativity.
Hazzan Lubin and his wife, Sandy, have three children and
eight grandchildren. n
Hazzan Emeritus Abe Lubin
Blue Yarmulke Man-of-the-Year
2014/5774
Congregation Beth El Men’s Club
Seaboard Region
Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs
Blue Yarmulke Men-of-the-Year Dinner
Sunday, February 9, 5:30 pm
B’nai Israel Congregation
6301 Montrose Road, Rockville
Dinner Registration: http://bit.ly/byregister
Tribute Journal: http://bit.ly/byads
Featuring:
Live Music during Cocktails
Jewish, Swing, Rock and BLUES!
Creative Program
Humor, fun, substance - no yawning allowed (or needed)
Catering by Alan Weiss
Open bar, great food
Raffle and Door Prizes
Big 50/50 raffle and special gifts
After-Party for the Hard Cores
Why worry about Monday?
Men’s Club Continued
Maryland-Israel
Business Development
By Howard Feibus
Business development between
Maryland and Israel has been beneficial to both economies, believes
Barry Bogage, founder and executive director of the Maryland-Israel
Development Center (MIDC).
At the Sunday, January 12, Men’s
Club breakfast, Bogage will discuss
Barry Bogage
MIDC’s efforts over the past 22 years
to develop strategic partnerships with Israeli companies.
MIDC sees itself as an economic matchmaker, says Bogage. The MIDC promotes trade and investment to help
create jobs in both economies. Through its membership
base, programming, and services, MIDC provides Israeli entrepreneurs with a network of business contacts and support
in the U.S. market.
Maryland and Israel are complementary partners because
they are both strong in life sciences, information technology,
homeland security, and other high-tech industries, according
to Barry. Israel boasts the largest number of companies traded on the NASDAQ, while Maryland is a premier gateway
for Israeli companies seeking to establish a U.S. presence.
Currently, some 20 Israeli companies have offices in
Maryland. MIDC has also established a for-profit arm to
invest in Israeli startups through a new venture capital fund,
says Bogage. n
Upcoming Men’s Club Events
Thursday, January 2, 8:30 pm Congregant Dennis
Askwith will lead the Hearing Men’s Voices discussion
group on the topic, “Understanding Our Feelings.” All
men are welcome. For information, please contact Jon
Shields at info@bethelmc.org.
Sunday, January 12, 10:00 am Barry Bogage, executive
director of the Maryland-Israel Development Center,
will discuss efforts to develop strategic partnerships and
business development with Israeli companies.
Sunday, January 19, 10:00 am Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn,
director of the Takoma Wellness Center, will discuss how
the Jewish world views medical marijuana and how Israel
leads the world in cannabis research and medicine.
Sunday, January 26, 10:00 am Literary Luminaries, cosponsored with the Library Committee and Sisterhood.
Annual Literary Luminaries Event
Sunday, January 26, 10:00 am
Backstage at Theater J: Jewish Art and
Community in the Nation’s Capital Featuring Ari Roth, artistic director of
Theater J, and Carole Zawatsky, CEO of the
Washington DCJCC
Sponsored by the Library Committee,
Men’s Club, and Sisterhood.
Wine Class and Tasting
Expert lecturers – Beth El’s own
Bob and Carol Luskin
Sunday, March 2, 7:00 pm
$18 per person, includes lecture, kosher
wine tasting with cheese and fruit, and a
discussion of wines and party planning.
In addition, you can order gourmet kosher
wines for Purim, Pesach, and other
occasions.
Contact Ina Young at info@bethelmc.org
or 301-652-2606 for more information.
Please return to Beth El, c/o Men’s
Club or Sisterhood by February 14
Register us for the wine tasting.
Enclosed is a check for $_____ for ____ people.
Make check payable to Beth El Wine Tasting.
Name(s): __________________________________
Telephone number: _______________________
Email: ___________________________________
5
Youth Activities
Another Way to Keep Our Kids Involved
By Adam Zeren
As a Jewish educator, I am always looking for ways to get
more kids involved and active in Beth El programs. Over
the years, my predecessors, other synagogue youth directors,
and I have found sports to be a great entry point for our
youth into Beth El programs.
Every year around Thanksgiving, we open registration
for the Seaboard Kadima and USY basketball leagues. It’s a
chance for our kids to play some hoops against youth from
other area Conservative synagogues. The Kadima league is for
middle schoolers and the USY league for high school teens.
It is also an opportunity for those students, who may not
want to attend a more traditional Kadima or USY event, to
see what our programs are all about.
Players get a chance to meet other kids their age from
Beth El as well as other congregations. They meet Kadima
and USY staff. We hope that they feel a connection to our
synagogue, and, most importantly, that they see that Kadima
and USY are groups they want to return to for other activities. It’s amazing this can happen from a game of basketball.
Our Kadima team is the reigning Seaboard champion,
and we’re hoping they can repeat their success this season.
Our USY team now has lots of new talent, and we are hoping for a great campaign.
Youth Activities
There are some fantastic events, as always, going on this
month. The Kadima highlight will be the always popular
Kadima Saturday Night Live on January 4. More than 250
middle schoolers will gather at B’nai Israel for a Saturday
night filled with inflatables, interactive video games, a DJ,
and an ice cream sundae bar. USY will celebrate winter
with a day trip to Massanutten Resort on Sunday, January
19. There will be skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, and
for the more indoor inclined, a huge indoor waterpark.
Bonim has one of its most popular events of the year, the
Pajama Havdalah Pizza and Movie Night on Saturday,
January 11. Machar will make havdalah candles on January 11. Keep an eye on your emails for more details about
these activities. n
Thanksgiving
Interfaith Service
Maccabeats
Concert
Hazzan Matthew Klein directs Ahavat Shir
performing at the Thanksgiving Interfaith
Service held on November 26 at the Bethesda
United Methodist Church. Photo by Jody Axinn
The Maccabeats jam with an audience member at
their November 10 sold-out concert at Beth El.
6
Photo by Jodi Price Segal
Latke vs. Hamantasch, Redux
By Janet Meyers, Photos by Edoardo Kulp
The sixth annual Latke-Hamantasch Debate featured impassioned speeches employing
everything from mathematical
fractals to sleight of hand as
orators argued for their favored
delicacies.
The clarion call of trumpeter
Jerry Danoff signaled the arrival
of Rabbi Bill Rudolph and the
four debaters, all clothed in academic gowns. They paraded past
a capacity crowd in the Swoff
Chapel at the Sunday morning, November 24, event.
Hamantasch Fusion Cuisine
Arguing first in favor of the hamantasch was Ellen Tillman,
who owns an insurance and
financial-planning practice. Ellen emphasized the superiority of
the hamantasch, declaring it “one
of the first fusion cuisines” with
its variety of flavors. She called
Purim “an authentic holiday, not
one embellished to compete” with
Christmas. She also criticized the
latke, saying it “needs another food
to make it complete, unlike the
hamantasch, which is a self-com- Ellen Tillman
pleting food.”
Environmental scientist Tracy Bone countered in defense
of the latke, pointing out that making and eating the potatobased treats “is a spiritual process that leads to personal
growth.” She also argued that latke ingredients, potatoes and
onions, come from the “warm earth,” unlike the wheat for
hamantasch. “Throwing out the peels of potatoes is like casting away your sins
during Tashlich,” she
said.
After her three
teenage children
head to college, “Do
you think they will
come home for hamantaschen?” Tracy
asked. “I can Fed Ex
them a hamantasch.”
Latkes must be eaten
Tracy Bone
as soon as they are made, and
the children will come home for
them, she insisted. She then presented findings from the Potato
Research Journal to show that the
potato plant’s physiology will
not harm the environment.
Next to argue in favor of the
hamantasch was realtor Jeff Annis, who turned his academic
cap into a magician’s top hat
and began a magic show with
fabric, uneven pieces of rope,
and a cherry hamantasch that he Jeff Annis
magically produced from an empty black bag. Jeff passed out
groggers and instructed audience members to twirl them
each time the word ‘latke’ was uttered.
Mystical Hamantasch
He asked a young girl in the audience to hold a “mystical”
hamantasch and write four to five words describing why the
hamantasch is her favorite food. “I’ll be reading your brainwaves,” he declared, “and will be writing the exact same
thing.” After the girl had submitted her adjectives (“sweet,”
“tastes good,” etc.), Jeff displayed his sheet, on which he had
written, “The Exact Same Thing.”
For his final demonstration, Jeff employed the gematriah,
assigning numbers to letters and came up with much higher
numerical totals for phrases applied to the hamantasch. For
his grand finale, Jeff tore a picture of a latke into pieces,
popped the pieces into his mouth, and chewed. He then extracted a seemingly endless ribbon of cloth from his mouth.
Craig Futterman,
a physician specializing in neonatal
critical care, promised to show how
complexity theory
can be used to demonstrate the latke’s
superiority. Attributing the development
of mathematical
complexity theory
Craig Futterman
to scholars who were
either Jewish or had Jewish connections, Craig traced the
mathematicians’ research to arrive at fractals, or structures with
self-similarity. (Every cauliflower floret, for example, looks like
continued on page 16
7
Library Corner
A Stimulating Brew: Coffee and Jews
By Robin Jacobson
When you linger over a cup of
aromatic, freshly brewed coffee
on a wintry day, you may think
you are simply savoring a favorite
beverage. In truth, as you sip that
familiar, bittersweet concoction,
you are tapping in to a rich vein
of Jewish culture. For centuries,
coffee has infused Jewish
economic, social, and religious life
– a tradition still going strong at
Rabbi Harris’s lively coffeehouse
gatherings. For a taste of coffeelaced Jewish history, try Jews Welcome
Coffee (Robert Liberles 2012); “Coffee,” Encyclopedia of Jewish
Food (Gil Marks 2010); and the excellent historical novel,
The Coffee Trader (David Liss 2003), all available in our library.
For more general coffee history, look for Uncommon Grounds
(Mark Pendergrast 2010).
From Ethiopia to Egypt
According to a delightful legend, an Ethiopian goatherd
named Kaldi first discovered coffee. One fine day, more than
a millennium ago, Kaldi noticed that his goats became frisky
and energetic, even dancing on their hind legs, after eating
leaves and berries from certain small trees. Curious, Kaldi
cautiously chewed a few leaves and berries and soon was
excitedly gamboling with his goats, certain that he would
never feel tired again.
The coffee craze spread from Ethiopia to Yemen
and then, after the Ottomans captured Yemen in 1536,
swept through the Ottoman Empire, including its Jewish
population. Coffeehouses became meeting places for
conversation, entertainment, and business, a matter of
concern to one 16th-century Cairo rabbi. Although he did
not object to Jews drinking coffee, the rabbi was nonetheless
wary of non-Jewish coffeehouses; he recommended that
Jews arrange to have their coffee “delivered home.”
Coffee in Europe
In Europe, Jews were early coffee traders, mostly because
other means of earning a living – through the craft guilds
or by farming – were frequently off limits. Jews opened
the first coffeehouse in Europe (in Italy in 1632), followed
by coffeehouses in the Netherlands, France, and England.
Rabbinic authorities enthusiastically embraced the new,
exotic drink – readily dispensing advice about the proper
8
blessing over coffee and permitting its use prior to morning
prayers. Indeed, the 17th-century Italian rabbi, Hezekiah da
Silva, declared, “One cannot attain presence of mind without
the aid of coffee.”
In Germany, coffee was so popular that even poor Jews
could earn extra money by selling “Shabbos coffee” – coffee
prepared in advance and disbursed on Saturdays (customers
paid for the coffee on another day). One Frankfurt widow
roasted enormous quantities of coffee beans over a large fire
every Thursday until her neighbors complained that Frau
Spiegelin’s “Shabbos coffee” threatened to burn down the
Jewish ghetto.
The Jewish coffee industry in Germany suffered when
Frederick the Great made coffee a royal monopoly in
1781 and launched a campaign to root out unauthorized
coffee merchants. In a comic, but effective move, he recommissioned wounded soldiers as coffee “sniffers” and
deployed these spies on city streets to track the smell of
roasting coffee. Many Jewish immigrants brought their coffee-drinking
habit to the United States, but there was a misperception
among some that “coffee beans” were legumes (rather than
berries) and thus prohibited during Passover. Targeting
these consumers, Joseph Jacobs, head of one of New York’s
first Jewish advertising agencies, obtained Kasher l’Pesach
certification for Maxwell House coffee, and then in 1932
persuaded his client to produce and distribute free haggadot.
To date, Maxwell House has distributed some 50 million
haggadot, each implicitly connecting Judaism and coffee –
both “good to the last drop.” n
Beth El Book Chat
Sunday, January 26 (note new
date), 11:30 am (after the Literary
Luminaries event).
Join us to discuss Dara Horn’s
novel, The World to Come, a National
Jewish Book Award winner. All are
welcome. For more information,
please contact Margery London or Robin
Jacobson at info@bethelmc.org.
a
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Beth El
Forbidden Broadway satirized New York
theater from “The Sound of Music” to
“Book of Mormon” in an evening that raised
nearly $100,000. The November 9 Beth El
Gala featured New York-themed desserts like
cheesecakes and soft pretzels by a New York
caterer. Co-chairs for the evening were Monica
and Gavin Abrams, Karen and Rob Judson, and Kathy
Sklar and Paul Love. Photos by Mitchell Solkowitz
9
Photographing Baseball
By Lisa Kammerman
plays at Shirley Povich Field, a first-class baseball facility located in Cabin John Regional Park.
I could not imagine in 2004 that almost 10 years later I
would still be the Big Train’s baseball
photographer. What a run it has been.
Although my encounters with greats
like Cal Ripken, Brooks Robinson,
Frank Howard, Al Bumbry, Manny Acta,
Tim Kurkjian, and others have been
memorable, they are a distant second to
my interactions with all the fans, volunteers, managers, coaches and, of course,
the players and their families. Together,
as a team, we create an amazing experience for all involved, and the funds we
have raised have helped improve numerous ball fields. And just about every
night over the summer I see a Beth El
family enjoying a game.
Little did I know that my meeting in 2004 with Bruce Adams, a former Montgomery County
Council member, would segue from
our prearranged discussion of leadership to a discussion of photography.
Before I knew what happened, Bruce
anointed me the official photographer
of the Bethesda Big Train baseball
team and the Cal Ripken Collegiate
Baseball League, a summer collegiate
league.
Talk about a lesson in leadership. Bruce was the driving force
behind the creation of the non-profit
Bethesda Community Base Ball Club
(BCBBC), which raises money to
improve ball fields in Montgomery
Playing on a Diamond
County and the District of Columbia. Big Train mascots
Photo by Lisa Kammerman
Many
say that I was born with a camera.
BCBBC merged recently with BCC
But what they don’t know is that I also played hardball
Baseball, which now oversees Big Train. Bethesda Big Train
Sharing Enthusiasm for Basketball continued on page 16
By Michael Prada
Most people’s careers begin with a favorite class, an inspiring professor, or
a world-changing experience in the
field. Mine started because I was bored
one day in college and decided to start
a Washington Wizards blog. I’d always
been a basketball fanatic, and I figured that writing a blog
would let me share my enthusiasm with other fans.
A lot has happened since that day in September 2006. Relentless emails to more established bloggers got the site some
attention, and SB Nation, a fledgling company trying to establish itself as the place sports fans go to discuss their favorite
teams, picked up the site in December 2006. That affiliation
brought more readers who, like me, were just looking for a
place to find other obsessed Wizards fans. Soon, more and
more of my free time was spent updating the site.
29th SB Nation Employee
Post-college life consisted of two-hour drives to Richmond
to cover Wizards training camp, after some pleading for credentials. That attention convinced SB Nation to take a chance
10
on me as its 29th full-time employee in February 2010; the
company has 10 times that many employees now. After several
different roles as the company kept growing, I was named editor of SB Nation’s NBA section last year, and here we are.
Friends often ask me how I got from point A to point B,
and I don’t have a good answer for them. I was very lucky
that I took initiative at a time when sports coverage was
growing on the Web, and independent voices were just starting to become mainstream. I was also lucky that SB Nation
believed in me enough to let me grow on the job and that
the Wizards and other NBA teams have been patient enough
to work with us even though we don’t often act like traditional unbiased reporters. Someone trying the same journey
today has a much more difficult challenge trying to break in.
Perhaps the best lesson comes from the same spirit that
existed that day in my dorm room. There’s no obvious path
into the field, so instead of trying to find one, just start writing and see what happens. n
Michael, NBA editor for SBNation.com and founder of Bullets
Forever, is the son of congregant Jana Singer.
Sports Section!
Matt Eisner, Boy Blogger
By Jordan Rosner
Amy and Adam Eisner decided that
the best way to establish a passion for
reading and writing in their son, Matt,
was to ignite his “Natitude.” It seemed
an obvious choice, since Matt, an avid
baseball fan with a strong preference
for hometown team the Nationals,
watched Nats games whenever he had
free time. He studied the games and
the highlights videos and read about
the game stats in such fine detail that
his parents had a challenge for him – to
blog his thoughts.
In July 2012, then eight-year-old
Matt (with assistance from his parents)
launched his blog, Matt’s Bats (http://
mattsbats.com). In August 2013 the
MLB Advanced Media (a marketing
extension of the MLB) asked Matt to
join its MLBlogs Network (http://
mlb.mlb.com/blogs/pro_blogs.jsp) as
the youngest blogger of baseball events
on the site. There are only three youth
bloggers – out of a list of about 200
bloggers selected by MLB.
Matt discusses the games, especially
controversial game calls or plays in the
news, and provides his own analysis. In
addition, he attends several non-game
baseball events in the area (such as the
Big Train Auction) where he often
meets players or staff associated with
Major League Baseball (MLB). Like a
good journalist, he reports on the events
and his conversations with baseball stars.
Twitter Following
Currently he writes two-to-three posts
per week, spending about an hour on
each post. During the baseball season,
he posts more often. Besides blogging,
Matt also utilizes Twitter, where he has
more than 750 followers for his baseball insights.
Recently, I spoke with Matt to discuss his passion for baseball, especially
for the Nationals, and he was happy to
give me an education about the team.
In his analysis, the Nats have a strong
rotation, yet still lack a left-handed oneout relief pitcher as well as a consistent
fourth and fifth starter. Gio Gonzales
and Ian Desmond are his favorite Nats
players, given their team spirit and
“amazing” plays, he said. He would
love to see the team make a trade to
acquire an MVP player like Miguel Cabrera or Prince Fielder. [Editor’s note:
Subsequent to the interview, Prince
Fielder was traded from the Tigers to
the Rangers.] Matt actually likes several
Detroit Tiger players (besides Fielder
and Cabrera), such as the pitcher Justin
Verlander. Matt had an opportunity to
interview him. While Matt roots for the
Nats, his favorite ballpark is the Orioles’
Camden Yards because he considers it a
great place to watch a game.
LUNGevity Fundraiser
Matt also discussed his effort last fall
Matt Eisner
to help raise awareness and support for
lung cancer research for LUNGevity Foundation’s Breathe Deep DC.
He more than doubled his fundraising goal of $5,000 to $11,259. Matt,
whose grandfather passed away from
lung cancer in 2008, said, “I loved my
grandpa, and no one else should get
continued on page 16
Beth El Family Sports Night
Sunday, January 26, 5:00-7:00 pm
Bring the family to meet local athletes and sports celebrities, hear their stories,
and pose for photos with your favorite stars. Why January 26? No football - it’s
the weekend after the conference championships and before the Super Bowl.
The evening will be informal with stadium-style food and athletes on hand
for photos and autographs. See and talk with local basketball, football, and lacrosse stars, as well as other sports celebrities. Athletes will discuss their experiences. There will also be a silent auction featuring a skateboard signed by Tony
Hawk, a special Nationals ticket package including on-field access for batting
practice, and other items.
Robin Lerner and Joe Hoffman, Beth El Board members, came up with the
idea for the sports night more than a year ago; a committee has been working
for several months to put together this first-time event.
Wear your team jersey and don’t forget your camera. Registration details
will soon be available on the Beth El Web site. n
11
Sports Section! Continued
Men’s Hoops Team Victorious
By David Roscow
Beth El’s men’s basketball team heads
into its new season this month, after
claiming its first-ever Montgomery
County Synagogue League championship in 2013.
Despite a frustrating regular season last
year, beset by injuries to a
few key players and losses
in several close games that
left the team in fifth place
in the division, the Beth
El basketball team put
together a championship
run in the playoffs. Long
time forward and team
veteran Toren Finkel told
team members in a motivational speech, “it’s been
seven long years and it’s
our time.”
With that call, the team stormed
through the playoffs to claim the title
with a resounding 85-62 victory over
Beth Shalom.
The team was led by center and
“unofficial league MVP” Pete Federowicz, along with scoring guards Jon
Landy and Paul Weinberg. Stalwart
forwards Finkel and Evan Rosner
dominated the boards, playing tough
defense. Point guard Brett Weinroth piloted the offense, until he was sidelined
with an injury and lost half the season.
Lee Hoffman, team founder, and Greg
Klein, David Mills, Mike Brendler, and
I rounded out the roster of team regulars. Eric Forester was a late addition to
the team but proved to be the spark to
push Beth El to the championship.
We are gearing up to defend
our title in the hope
of bringing back-toback championships to
Beth El. The season is
scheduled to begin this
month. Beth El will have
a bull’s-eye on our backs,
as other synagogues will
want to take away our
crown. The squad hopes
to have its full roster
back this season but also
is looking to pick up
new free agents.
Any synagogue members interested
in joining our championship team
should contact me, team captain, at
info@bethelmc.org. n
Friends of the Earth-Middle East
By Howard Hoffman
It is rare that an Israeli and a Palestinian speak together from
the bimah in an American synagogue, but some 50 Beth El
congregants witnessed just that October 5 following Shabbat
services in the Swoff Chapel. Israeli Gidon Bromberg and
Palestinian Nader Al-Khateeb are co-directors of a unique
Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian non-governmental organization
called Friends of the Earth-Middle East (FoEME) that seeks
to promote peace by encouraging the three communities to
cooperate over their shared water resources.
Bromberg, a lawyer who serves on two Israeli inter-ministerial committees on environmental matters, pointed out
that the area suffers from the opposite problem from the one
found in that week’s parasha of Noah. Bromberg described
the acute water shortage that has reduced the southern part
of the Jordan River to nearly a trickle and that threatens to
worsen with global warming. Al-Khateeb, an engineer who
has played a major role in designing the sanitation systems in
the West Bank and Gaza, explained how the failure of Israe-
12
lis and Palestinians to cooperate over
water issues has led to unnecessary
water pollution.
The two directors told remarkable
stories of how FoEME has arranged
for Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian
mayors in towns along the Jordan River to sign mutual cooperation agreements to clean up their water pollution. They
also described FoEME’s projects in Palestinian and Israeli
schools that teach students how each community is dependent on the other’s use of water resources, so that cooperation
will be the only way to maximize those resources.
The FoEME directors also explained that they were in
Washington for meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill to advance their views that the ongoing peace negotiations should include a water-sharing agreement between
Israelis and Palestinians. Their Beth El appearance was arranged by the Green Tikkun committee. n
Beth El Whys: Conservative Judaism
What Lessons Can We Learn From a Bar
Mitzvah?
By Rabbi Greg Harris
In October, my son, Ben, became a bar mitzvah. On the
morning of his service, I watched him walk up the steps
of the bimah. His tallit draped perfectly over his shoulders.
Only a few months earlier, he’d been swimming in yards
of the cotton, woven with the subtle blues and golds, that
he had selected from an artisan workshop in Tzfat’s narrow
streets. On this day, I was a proud dad rather than the rabbi.
As a rabbi, I cherish invitations into people’s lives – weddings, births, deaths, divorces, illnesses, job transitions, young
adult children moving away. As we celebrated Ben’s bar
mitzvah, I gained a deeper appreciation for our community’s
love and support and for the scope of preparation required
for the ceremony. I understand more about the challenges of
stretching, scheduling, and imbuing this rite with purpose.
Strengthening Skills
finding relevance for our modern lives. This conversation
was a gift to both of us, and we agreed that it was the best
schwarma we had ever tasted.
In a few months, we will receive a date in 2016 for our
daughter Maayan’s bat mitzvah. She will bring her own interests, temperament, and talents to her preparations. I am
grateful that I learned these three lessons from Ben, but I
know Maayan will teach us entirely new ones. I am already
wondering what those lessons might be and what colors she
will choose to weave into the fabric of her tallit. n
Scholar-in-Residence
Rabbi Rachel Ain
March 28-30
I watched Ben stretch his skills and talents in the months leading up to the service. He strengthened his Torah reading and
prayer leading. Occasionally, when I was sitting in our living
room, I would hear the sounds of Ben practicing the Amidah upstairs. He wanted to learn this on his own. Each child
stretches differently, and Ben’s bar mitzvah taught me how to
encourage him to explore the edges of his comfort zone.
Rebekah and I felt the pressure of scheduling Ben’s bar
mitzvah tutoring alongside his school work, cycling team,
Religious School, social life, and family time. I felt like the
street performer I’d once seen juggling a club, a bowling
ball, and a plate. Ben learned that prioritizing a schedule is
a) a reality of adult life and b) a reinforcement of our family
values. Bar mitzvah preparation was not an “add-on” event.
Talking together about how we juggle schedules clarified for
him, and us, the importance of balancing Judaism with all
the many pulls on our time.
We are looking forward to an
exciting weekend with this year’s
scholar, Rabbi Rachel Ain, a
Conservative rabbi who is one
of the dynamic young women
shaping the future of Judaism in
America. She is rabbi at Sutton
Place Synagogue and previously
was senior director for National Young Leadership of
the Jewish Federations of North America. She will
speak on a variety of topics after a congregational
Shabbat dinner Friday evening, during and after services
on Shabbat morning, and on Sunday morning. Amidst the frenzy of the preparations, we also learned how
to pause and create moments of contemplation. We received
Ben’s bar mitzvah date two and a half years in advance.
Rebekah and I carved out time to talk with Ben about his
Torah portion and increased responsibilities in our family. In
Haifa this past summer, Ben and I sat at a schwarma stand
where the breeze blew the cheap napkins from the wobbly
table. We ate our overstuffed pita and listened to each other
talk about what it means to be a bar mitzvah, a teenager, and
a part of our family. We thought about what it means to be
a Conservative Jew, tied to our tradition and rituals and also
Are you grounded in the
past with an eye toward the
future?
Moments of Contemplation
The Beth El Archives Needs Your Help
Are you historically minded and tech savvy?
We are looking for people
who can envision and help
implement a digitized Beth
El Archives to make our past,
present, and future history available to all.
Please contact Leesa Fine at info@bethelmc.
org or 301-652-2606 for more information.
13
Shemirat Haguf as seen
by the 5th Grade
Get Cookin’ With Tehina...?
Tehina is pressed sesame seeds & is a healthy and
tasty alternative to many cooking and baking
ingredients.
Chocolate Tehina Cookies
Mix all together in a large
bowl then place in fridge
for 1 hour to let the dough
firm. Preheat oven to 400.
Roll into small balls and
adashofcompassion.com
place on cookie sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes and let cool. B’teavon!
Enjoy!
You followed
Deuteronomy 22:8
by putting a fence
around your roof.
Go forward 3
spaces.
Shemirat Haguf-­‐ Guarding the Body How does your day measure up to a day for one of Cheryl's 5th graders? "And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all work of crea:on that He had done." Genesis 2:3 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Hours 1/3 c EVOO
1 c sugar
1 c light brown sugar
4 eggs
½ c Tehina
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c flour
1 c dark cocoa
1 ¼ c choc chips
4U
Shemirat
Haguf
Ac)vi)es Average of 7 students You didn’t
overexercise when
your ankle hurt. Go
forward 2 spaces
for following
Proverbs 25:16.
You ignored
Genesis 1:27,
bullied a friend
and hurt his
mental health. Go
back 2 spaces.
You followed
Jediah Ben
Avraham Bedersi
by going for a
check up. Go
forward 3 spaces.
You ignored
Kiddushin 39B. You
were smoking. Go
back across the
bridge
You got a good
night’s sleep and
followed Eruvin
65A. Move
forward two
spaces.
You followed Baba
Metziah 107 B
by choosing an
apple instead of a
donut. Cross the
bridge.
You followed
Midrash Bamidbar
Rabbah 18:20 by
not mixing sweet
and salty. Go
forward 2 spaces.
You ignored
Tosefta Softah
4:13 by not
showering. Go back
2 spaces.
You didn’t overeat
Challah on Shabbat,
and followed Gittin
70A. Move forward
2 spaces.
14
You were on illegal
drugs. You
disobeyed all rules
of Shemirat
Haguf. Go back
to start.
You followed
Deuteronomy 4:910, kept a positive
attitude and didn’t
give up. Move
forward 3 spaces.
Directions: The Tanach and the Talmud tell us many important things about Shemirat Haguf. See how well
you follow their guidelines by rolling one dice and moving the number of spaces it says. 1 or 4=1 space.
2 or 5=2 spaces, and 3 or 6=3 spaces. The first player to reach the finish on an exact count is the winner.
You’ve
succeeded
at
Shemirat
Haguf!!!
‫אברי גופנו‬
‫אברי גופנו‬
4U continued from page
THE
PAR
TS OF OUR BODY
THE14PARTS
OF OUR
BODY
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eyes - ‫עיניים‬
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‫נ‬
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‫מ‬
head - ‫ראש‬
‫ל‬
‫ש‬
‫ע‬
‫ב‬
‫ח‬
‫ו‬
‫מפּ‬
‫ת‬
‫ו‬
‫ע‬
‫מ‬
‫ת‬
‫ז‬
‫ד‬
‫א‬
‫א‬
‫יצ‬
‫י‬
‫כ‬
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‫מ‬
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‫ס‬
‫כ‬
‫ו‬
‫ד‬
‫ב‬
‫י‬
‫י‬
‫נ‬
‫מ‬
‫ז‬
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‫ע‬
‫ד‬
‫י‬
‫י‬
‫ה‬
‫ט‬
‫נ‬
‫א‬
‫ר‬
‫צ‬
‫א‬
‫ב‬
‫א‬
‫י‬
‫ש‬
‫ג‬
‫י‬
‫נ‬
‫ב‬
‫נ‬
‫ז‬
‫כ‬
‫חב‬
‫ד‬
‫ב‬
‫צ‬
‫א‬
‫ב‬
‫ש‬
‫י‬
Beth
El Facebook’s
teeth
- ‫ ר שינייםד‬face
- ‫פּהנים‬
‫ת‬
‫י‬
‫ת‬
‫ס‬
‫מ‬
Grand
Re-Opening
legs - ‫רגליים‬
nose - ‫אף‬
‫נ‬
head face nose mouth ears stomach -
‫י‬
‫ד‬
‫ו‬
‫י‬
‫א‬
‫ח‬
‫י‬
‫פּ‬
‫ת‬
‫ו‬
Here are five reasons to follow us on Facebook:
hands
- ‫ ידיים‬You’ve
mouth
‫ פּה‬one of the members of Beth El’s
1. Pictures.
probably- seen
‫ ל‬corps
‫ ג‬snapping
‫ ט‬photos
‫ מ‬at a ‫כ‬variety ‫פּ‬of events.
‫ נ‬Now‫ד‬you can‫ כ‬view ‫ר‬
photo
back - ‫גב‬
ears - ‫אוזניים‬
many of these photos on our Facebook page.
heart
- ‫ לב‬stomach - ‫בטן‬
2. Easy access to information. Want to see what’s happening in
the next few days without having to search through the weekly announcements or the calendar? Having Beth El show up on your Face‫עיניים‬
‫ראש‬about what’s hapbook feed is a quick and easy way to get reminders
pening at our congregation.
‫שיניים‬
‫ פּנים‬to discuss what’s
3. Conversation. Join in with other congregants
happening at Beth‫רגליים‬
El. Did you know that our Facebook followers de‫אף‬
cided November’s Latke-Hamantasch debate before the event even
started? (The winner
on FB was latkes, in case you’re curious.)
‫ידיים‬
‫פּה‬
4. We’re here 24/6. Have a question about what time an event is?
Need a link to pay for‫גב‬next week’s Shabbat dinner
‫אוזניים‬but having trouble
finding it while you’re on your phone? Send us a message on Facebook,
and we’ll send you an‫לב‬answer as soon as we can. Of
‫ בטן‬course, we don’t use
our Facebook page on Shabbat – and you may have to allow us a few
hours each night to sleep – but we will always take the time to reply.
5. Sharing the Beth El experience with your friends. Beth El is
a rich and diverse community, and that community extends to Facebook.
If you have friends who are members of Beth El but don’t follow us on
Facebook, invite them to like us and be a part of our online community.
If you haven’t yet started following us on Facebook, take a moment
to like us now at https://www.facebook.com/congregation.beth.el. n
eyes teeth legs hands back heart -
‫מ‬
‫פ‬
‫ר‬
‫י‬
‫י‬
‫ל‬
‫ד‬
‫ר‬
‫י‬
‫ה‬
‫ת‬
‫ס‬
‫מ‬
‫ת‬
‫ו‬
‫ע‬
‫ל‬
‫ג‬
‫ט‬
‫מ‬
‫כ‬
‫פּ‬
‫נ‬
‫ד‬
‫כ‬
‫ר‬
‫י‬
Word List
‫ה‬
‫ג‬
‫ת‬
eyes - ‫עיניים‬
head - ‫ראש‬
teeth - ‫שיניים‬
face - ‫פּנים‬
‫ע‬
legs - ‫ י רגלייםד‬nose - ‫אף‬
hands - ‫ ידיים‬mouth - ‫פּה‬
back - ‫גב‬
ears - ‫אוזניים‬
‫י‬
‫ה‬
‫ט‬
heart - ‫ לב‬stomach - ‫בטן‬
From the Clergy
‫ש‬
‫ נ‬from ‫א‬page 1
continued
‫ר‬
loyalty, attention to detail, and the acceptance of failure (after all, a decent batter
may
‫ ע‬only‫ב‬reach base
‫ צ‬slightly
‫ א‬more than
25 percent of the time). The nature of
our worship of sports teams and stars also
teaches
us‫ ג‬that people
want
‫ר‬
‫ל‬
‫ פ‬to belong to
something bigger – to feel a sense of victory beyond themselves, to play for a team.
Sports
Ideals
‫ו‬
‫ב‬and Jewish
‫ר‬
‫ז‬
However, sports also express values of our
culture that we might critique as well,
and
sports run awry of Jewish
‫ ת‬no doubt
‫כ‬
‫ח‬
‫ד‬
values. We may see the use of performance-enhancing drugs as an outgrowth
of some sport cultures that overvalue
‫ע‬
‫ב‬
‫צ‬
‫א‬
achievement over sportsmanship. In the
last decade we have begun to see the toll
that American football exacts on players’
‫י‬
‫ש‬
‫ נ‬many
‫ ו‬of the arts, can
bodies. Sports, like
involve lifestyles that challenge Jewish
ideals of mindfulness and rest (with such
conflicts as embodied by Sandy Koufax’s
famed refusal to play on Yom Kippur during the 1965 World Series).
So how to make best use of the religious nature with which we follow
sports? Perhaps it is to have mindful ideals
– that is, to renew our focus on sportsmanship, with all of its ideals of fairness,
grace, and hard work. These are very Jewish ideals. We should also strive to make
sure that our own ballpark – our synagogue – can boldly inspire everyone who
enters, so that their biases too will fall
away, and they come to know that they
are part of a team worth rooting for. n
P.S. If you are interested in Jews in sports today, check out the blog “The Great Rabbino,”
run by my former classmate, Rabbi Jeremy
Fine, at http://www.thegreatrabbino.com/.
15
Lisa Kammerman continued from page 10
growing up. Today, being on the baseball diamond brings
me back to those days when there was no organized baseball
or softball for girls. You can imagine my excitement in
seventh grade when I joined our city’s first girls’ softball
team and got to play on a diamond in a competitive league.
When I’m on the field today with my camera, I sometimes
dream how things might have been different had there been
organized baseball for me as a child.
Sports Photography Challenges
My experience as a portrait photographer, a special events
photographer, and a photographer of children with special
needs prepared me for baseball photography. All these photography forms require great composition, posing, lighting,
and the ability to capture an emotion. But everything occurs
more quickly on a sports field. Planning and anticipating
the next play are keys to action photography. My childhood
baseball experience sure comes in handy.
My favorite Big Train baseball photo is, without a doubt,
of the Big Train mascots Bunt and Homer that was taken
on the day Bunt was “born.” Bunt was the brainchild of my
son, Jonathan Abramson, who wore the Bunt costume for
many seasons. And because of Jonathan, who plays football
at Walt Whitman High School, my new love is football photography!
Make time for a Big Train baseball game next summer at
Shirley Povich Field and say hello to me. I’ll be sure to take
your picture! n
Age & Stage Parenting
Series Presents
Make Every Moment Count:
Enriching Reading Time With Your Kids
this disease. I decided to raise money from people who
read my blog and follow me on Twitter. The organizers of
the event surprised me and called me on stage and gave me
a bat that the Nationals donated signed by Jayson Werth. Now when I look at the bat it is a reminder that if you do
good things for other people, then good things will happen
to you.”
Matt, 9, is in fourth grade and plays BCC baseball, where
he is a catcher and third baseman. When asked about the
challenge of balancing school, baseball, and blogging, Matt
said, “I have baseball games on Sundays, and the season is
only a few weeks twice a year. I do my blog posts on weekends or early in the mornings before school, or after I finish
my homework on weekdays.” n
Latke-Hamantasch continued from page 7
a small version of a head of cauliflower.) Quoting from the
esteemed Journal of Irreproducible Results, Craig said, “Fractals
are important, and anything which uses fractals is important.”
His last slide showed the evolution of a fractal from a simple
triangle, which grows into a Jewish star and then keeps reproducing until it forms – in a surprise conclusion to a 20-minute discourse which never mentioned the Hanukkah-based
food he was supposed to support - a circular latke shape.
Surprise Conclusion?
Despite more than an hour of fierce debate, the conclusion
was, yet again, the same as in previous years: Rabbi Rudolph
declared a tie. Congregants proved him right by immediately digging into the latke and hamantasch post-debate
refreshments with equal fervor. n
Nitzanim Tu B’Shevat
with Sarah Rabin Spira, PJ Library
Sunday, January 19
10:00 am to 11:30 am.
Thursday, January 23, 7:30 pm
Teale Center at Woodend
8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, Md.
Sarah Rabin Spira, PJ Library outreach associate, has
studied children’s literature and worked in early
childhood education for more than 10 years. Come
learn how to teach Jewish values to your children
through reading books together.
RSVP by Wednesday, January 15, to Geryl Baer at
gbaer@bethelmc.org or 301-652-8569, ext. 352.
16
Matt Eisner continued from page 11
Join Nitzanim for a special program in honor of Tu
B’Shevat at the Audubon Naturalist Society’s Woodend
Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase. We will learn about
trees and enjoy special snacks and an activity to celebrate
the holiday.
To RSVP, please email info@bethelmc.org with the
number of children attending. The cost of the event is
$5 per child.
Contributions
Please remember that contributions can be made
easily, quickly, and securely via our Web page –
www.bethelmc.org
Donations made from October 25 to November 21
Bauer Confirmation Fund
In Honor Of:
Benjamin Harris’s bar mitzvah by Susan D. and Howard Feibus
Beth El Forest
In Memory Of:
Ruth Barold by Joan Platt Simon
Shirley Gross by Joan and Joel Simon and Lucy Ozarin
Sanford Kay by Lucy Ozarin
Cantor’s Fund
In Honor Of:
The engagement of Hazzan Klein to Rabbi Elyssa Auster by
Holly and Howard Stein, Rita and Irwin Kopin, Daniel and
Elaine Mann, Sabina Shalom, Alan and Barbara Gold, and
Steven and Jennifer Hirsch
Hazzan Klein for his support on the occasion of Sam and Maya
Falb’s bnai mitzvah by June and Robert Falb
In Memory Of:
Ben Kirsch by Lawrence S. and Celia Goldman Kirsch
Shirley Gross by Deborah Leibowitz
Beloved sister, Sylvia Ozarin, by Lucy Ozarin
Ann Mildworm, grandmother of Nancy Gaba, by Michael and
Nancy Gaba
Toby Barr, sister of Margy Nurik, by Shulamith Weisman
My beloved father, Maurice Horowitz, by Rita Liebowitz
Capital Campaign
In Honor Of:
Judy Erdheim’s granddaughter by Suzanne Stone
Chevra Kadisha Fund
In Memory Of:
Sara Socher by Sharona and Jorge Saposnikow
Ericka Meyerhoff, my mother, by Gabriela Bebchick
Sanford Kay by Jack and Johanna Minker and Deborah G.
Leibowitz
Jack Bodner, father of Jonathan Bodner and grandfather of Jack
and Liam Bodner, by the Bodner family
Anna Boman by Julian Tishkoff
Stanley and Alice Resnick by Bernard Resnick
John Friedmann, father of Peter Friedmann, by Brenda and Jim
Schmand and Marilyn and Jeff Glick
Disabled Access Fund
In Honor Of:
Susan and Bruce Strauss’s 30th wedding anniversary by Bernard
Resnick
In Memory Of:
Charlotte Resnick by Twila Nattel
General Fund
In Honor Of:
Rabbis Rudolph and Harris and Hazzan Klein by Jordan and
Rahel Rosner
Hazzan Klein’s engagement by Brenda Gruss and Daniel
Hirsch
Sue Rosenthal’s special birthday by Leonard and Ruth Binn
Martha Strauss’s 100th birthday by Mae Berman
Benjamin Harris on his bar mitzvah by Howard Lesser and
Hanna Gutmann, Alan Simon, Larry Sidman and Jana Singer,
Barbara and Barry Friedman, Barbara Klein and Barry Pupkin,
and Susan A. Cohen
Aliyah at the Shabbat Early Morning Minyan by David and
Rivka Berner
Bat mitzvah of Rebecca Mills, daughter of David and Eve
Mills, by Margie and Joe Hoffman
Beth El Office Staff by Bob Janney and Susan Levine
Nancy Kay by Daniel and Jane Laibstain
Sue Rosenthal’s birthday by Dave and Rincy Pollack
Gail Ross’s birthday by Barbara and Barry Friedman
Adam Hoffman on his college graduation by Barbara and
Barry Friedman
Rosh Hashanah services by Sharon Veta Snyder
Evan Krame’s kindness during my mother’s shiva by Debbie
Olchyk
Rob Judson’s kindness during my mother’s shiva by Debbie
Olchyk
In Memory Of:
Sanford Kay by Judy and Murray Blank, Betty and Fred
Roberts, Jose and Tutti Sokol, Bea Berger, Dora Weinstein,
Helen and Arthur Popper, Al and Marilyn Lavender, Howard
and Susan D. Feibus, and Janet and Sid Getz
Erika R. Behrend by Susan Jerison
Shirley Gross by Tutti and Jose Sokol, Phyllis and Gary Moroff,
and Helen and Arthur Popper
Marilyn Davidson by Rebecca Kaltman
Manuel Parris, father of Selma Chubin and grandfather of
Ellen Chubin Epstein, by Ellen and David Epstein
Jacques Perez by Yvonne Mirengoff
Stanley Cohen by Charles Cohen
Henrietta Dewald by Michele Herman
Marie Schlesinger by Ben Schlesinger
Frieda Rowe by Andrea Kraus
Malcolm Friedman by Barry and Barbara Friedman
Benjamin Mendeloff, beloved father and grandfather, by Rita
Jacobi
Anna Berger, mother-in-law of Bea Berger, by Bea Berger
Sheldon Sherman, father of Andrew Sherman, by Margie and
Joe Hoffman
Gregory Dvorkin by Etia Dvorkina
Nathan Zagoria, my father, by Etta Kline
Henry Rabin by Harriet Rabin
Esther Diane Kay and Sanford Kay by Arnold and Elaine
Abrams
Minnie Derkay, mother of Lee Derkay, by Lee and Gloria
Derkay
Benjamin Lerner by Reina Lerner
My beloved sister, Theba Polan, by Sabina Shalom
Fred Schulman by Richard Schulman
Barney Krosnick by Phyllis and Jeff Lavine
Ralph Futterman by Craig and Judy Futterman
Our Papa, Murray Marcus, by Lesli, Todd, Becca, Nate, and
Abby Gillman
Helen Checkner by Benjamin Fassberg
Jacob Kopin, beloved father of Irwin Kopin, by Rita and Irwin
Kopin
Klare Heinemann, aunt of Howard Stein, by Howard and Holly
Stein
17
Contributions Continued
Beatrice Gilbert by Robert Gilbert
Isadore Routhenstein by Irene Routhenstein and Shirley R.
Levine
Maurice Levy by Paul Levy
Julius Gottlieb by Jonathan and Debbie Gottlieb
Elaine Silverman Gessow College Activities Fund
In Memory Of:
Lawrence Dobrow by Jim and Leslie Dellon
Lorraine Weinberg by Rene Zitter
Marvin Waghelstein by Alan and Deborah Pollack
Charlotte Resnick by Annette and Jack Moshman
Mintz Landscaping Fund
In Memory Of:
Ted Zinnreich by Hedy Teglasi and Saul Golubcow
Tillie Goldman, mother of Max Goldman, and Harry Wilder,
father of Mitzi Goldman, by Max and Mitzi Goldman
Green Tikkun Fund
Morning Minyan Fund
Levine family (Barry Levine, Tracey Bone, Abigail and Olivia
Levine) for their help on the occasion of Sam and Maya Falb’s
bnai mitzvah by June and Robert Falb
Jacob Kuhn’s bar mitzvah by Holly and Howard Stein
In Memory Of:
Sam Levine by Bob, Michele, Ruthie, and Simone Levine
Bill Dauster, Michael Harrison, and the rest of the Shabbat
Parsha Class by Suzanne Stone
In Memory Of:
Shirley Gross by Sarah Kalser, Barbara and Allen Lerman
Harry Minker, father of Jack Minker, by Jack Minker
Sylvia Cantor by Judy Goldman
Sanford Kay by Cary and Nancy Feldman, Sarah Kalser, Craig
Yokum, Marjorie and Brent Marks, Hellaine and Irwin Nepo,
and Susan and Bert King
Mary Fried by Robert and Fran Rubin
Alan Swoff, beloved husband, father and grandfather, by Sondra
Brody and Julian Levin
Samuel Drucker by Hellaine Nepo
Pearl Segal, mother of Debbie Olychk, by Sarah Kalser
Harold Cohen, beloved father, by Barbara and Allen Lerman
Sidney Metzger by David Metzger
Frank Ochman by Mark and Joanne Weinberg
Harry and Henrietta Bruckheim by Arthur Bruckheim
Charlotte Resnick by Merle and Ira Haber
Dear brother, Samuel Kossmar, by Mary Dubrow
In Honor Of:
Groner Ramah Scholarship Fund
In Memory Of:
My mother, Fridl R. Schlesinger, by Eric Schlesinger
Hanukkah Wish List - Conversational Hebrew RS
Program
By: Judith and Jonathan Levin and Elliot and Esther Wilner
Hanukkah Wish List - Potted Flowers
By: Rebecca and Jonathan Gross
Israel Experience Teen Fund
In Memory Of:
Sanford Kay by Marlene, Larry, and Devorah Glanz
Marc R. Devinsky by Paul Devinsky
Kesher Nashim Fund
In Memory Of:
My beloved father, Abraham Bernstein, by Susan and Lewis
Winarsky
Kimball Nursery School Fund
In Memory Of:
Pearl Segal by Ellen and David Darr and Hillary and Scott
Berman
Leadership/Education Fund
In Honor Of:
Beth El’s lay leadership by Alan and Barbara Gold
Library Fund
In Memory Of:
Minna Scherr and Jacob Mann by Daniel and Elaine Mann
My parents, Itz and Judy Fine, by Leesa Fine
Litman Holocaust Education Fund
In Memory Of:
Eugene Eisenberg by Allen Eisenberg
Masorti
In Memory Of:
Eve Tishkoff by Julian Tishkoff
Mazon
In Honor Of:
Benjamin Harris’s bar mitzvah by Marty and Elaine Schefflin
Emma Rosen’s bat mitzvah by Marty and Elaine Schefflin
In Memory Of:
Julius Boman by Julian Tishkoff
18
In Honor Of:
Prayerbook Fund
In Memory Of:
Ruth (Regina) Gutmann by Hanna Gutmann
Rabbi’s Fund
In Honor Of:
Rabbi Bill Rudolph, on his Hazon-Arava bicycle ride in Israel,
by Rita and Irwin Kopin
Rabbi Rudolph for leading a meaningful shiva service for my
father, Sheldon Sherman, by Andrew Sherman
Rabbi Rudolph’s support and for officiating at the funeral of
my wife, Rita Margolis, by Sol Margolis
Rabbi Rudolph’s Israel bike trip by Tricia and Howard Sachs
Rabbi Rudolph officiating at our father’s unveiling by Karen
Levinson and Jane Steinberg
Rabbi Harris’s guidance and support on the occasion of Sam
and Maya Falb’s bnai mitzvah by June and Robert Falb
Benjamin Harris’s bar mitzvah by Lloyd and Ninetta Feldman,
Bernard and Ruth Ann Heckman, Robin and Jay Rosenblum,
Mark Levitt and Kay Klass, Jonathan Levy and family, David
and Barbara Eisenstein, Bruce and Suzanne Strauss, Brenda
Gruss and Daniel Hirsch, and Tricia and Howard Sachs
The Sorkin family and Rabbi Harris by Avital Ingber
The wedding of our daughter, Rebecca, to Joshua Cammy by
Harriet and Frank Weinstein
My aliyah on Shabbat Sukkot by Daniel Mann
Our aliyah by Herbert and Dianne Lerner
In Memory Of:
Beloved brother, Benjamin Perlman, by Elaine and George
Perlman
Contributions Continued
Helen Fried by the Hermans
Gertrude Liberson and Bernard Siegler by Judy and Gary
Liberson
Leon and Esther Matsas by Ninetta Feldman
Bertha Gomberg Kirsch by Lawrence S. and Celia Goldman
Kirsch
Phillip Florin by Robin Thomashauer
Robert Einzig by Judy and Bert Spector
Sanford Kay by Julian Levin and Sondra Brody, Twila Nattel
and family, and Murray and Anne Foss
Arthur Cohen by Carl Cohen
Jack I. Bender by Howard M. Bender
Gunter and Sylvia Chapin by Joan and Joel Simon
Annie R. Sherman by Libby and Harvey Gordon
Ethel Richman by David Richman
Mendel Goldberg by Harriet Weinstein
Shirley Gross by Julian Levin and Sandra Brody
Irving Muntner by Michael Muntner
My beloved father, Edward Ian Henry, by Tricia Sachs
Susan Stillman’s beloved mother, Rita Margolis, by Liz Schrayer
and Jeff Schwaber
Debra Simon by Carl Cohen
Gladys Eisler, sister of Howard Ratain, by Anita and Howard
Ratain
Scolnic Adult Institute Fund
In Honor Of:
Martha Strauss’s 100th birthday by Howard and Holly Stein
In Memory Of:
My beloved mother, Ericka Kaplan, by Rosalie M. Sporn
Eva Blumberg by Albert Fox
Shirley Gross by Albert Fox
Sanford Kay by Sheri and Steven Schlafstein, John and Sue
Rosenthal, and Albert Fox
Renee Cooper by Susan and John Rosenthal
Senior Caucus
In Honor Of:
Nancy Kay for her service to Sisterhood by Lisa and Richard
Garfinkel
In Memory Of:
Sanford Kay by Lisa and Richard Garfinkel
My beloved husband, Irving Goldberg, by Annette Goldberg
My beloved mother, Carola Shapiro, by Yael Greenberg
Simos Music Fund
In Memory Of:
Lea Glick by Scott and Debbie Glick
Beloved mother and grandmother, Lillian Cohen, by Barbara S.
Spitzer
Shirley Gross by Suzanne Stone
Sisterhood Kiddush Fund
In Honor Of:
Nancy Kay, recipient of the Torah Fund Award, by Julia P.
Copperman
In Memory Of:
Julius J. Gottlieb, Hyman D. Papernik, and Gussie Gottlieb by
Charlotte Gottlieb
Margy Nurik’s sister, Toby Barr, by Judy and Murray Blank,
Ilene and David Jacobowitz, and Suzanne Stone
Freda Rosenthal by John and Sue Rosenthal
Sisterhood Shiva Meal Fund
In Memory Of:
Pearl Segal, mother of Debbie Olchyk, by Tricia and Howard
Sachs
Hilda Teitel, mother of Richard Lieberman, by Richard
Lieberman and Helene Weisz
Sanford Kay by Tricia and Howard Sachs
Sisterhood Torah Fund
In Honor Of:
Nancy Kay, recipient of the Torah Fund Award, by Doris L.
Povich, Judy and Murray Blank, and Susan and Bert King
In Memory Of:
Sanford Kay by Robert and Sheryl Isaacs
Social Action Fund
In Honor Of:
Benjamin Harris’s bar mitzvah by Susan and Bert King
Elaine Tanenbaum Religious School Enrichment Fund
In Honor Of:
Sara Gordon and Jennifer Hirsch by Rita and Irwin Kopin
In Memory Of:
Bertha R. Schwartz, mother-in-law of Robert Deckelbaum, by
Robert Deckelbaum
Sanford Kay by Herbert Tanenbaum
Shirley Gross by Herb Tanenbaum
Sophie Liss by George Liss
John Friedmann by Herb Tanenbaum
Torah Scroll Fund
In Memory Of:
Milton Nichaman, beloved husband of Rhoda Nichaman and
dear friend, by Judith and Jonathan Levin
Transportation Fund
In Honor Of:
Nettie Kitzes’s birthday by Evelyn Bitterbaum
Martha Strauss’s 100th birthday by Ricardo and Irene Munster
In Memory Of:
Ernestine T. Goldstein, beloved mother of Judith G. Levin, by
Judith and Jonathan Levin
My mother-in-law, Sophie Goldberg, by Annette Goldberg
Barbara Wolf “Israel Quest” Fund
In Honor Of:
Hazzan Klein’s engagement to Rabbi Elyssa Auster by Debby
and Menachem Shoham
Hazzan Lubin’s marriage ceremony for Yael and Ian by Debby
and Menachem Shoham
In Memory Of:
Sanford Kay by Debby and Menachem Shoham
Young Equality Fund
In Memory Of:
Shirley Gross by Joe and Ina Young
Please accept my sincere and heartfelt thanks and gratitude
to the multitudes of Beth El congregants, officers, clergy, office staff, and friends who comforted and consoled me in my
bereavement for my dear wife, Shirley z”l. Thank you for your
sympathy calls, cards, and generous donations in perpetuation
of her name and memory. I am deeply moved by your care and
concern to ease my great loss. ­
—Seymour Gross
19
Congregation Beth El
Periodicals
Postage
PAID
Bethesda, MD
20814
8215 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20814-1451
While we know you’ll want to read every word in this issue of the Scroll, when you’re finished, please recycle it.
Bulletin Board
Send submissions to the Scroll to scroll@bethelmc.org
Noteworthy
Dor L’Dor, Thursday, January 2, noon. Join the Beth
El Preschool (BEPS) 4s class and Senior Caucus for this
Hazzan Matthew Klein and Rabbi Elyssa Auster on intergenerational program connecting children with seniors.
their engagement
To participate and share pizza with the preschoolers, RSVP
Randall Levitt on his engagement to Johanna Chanin
to Audrey Berger at 301-986-9257, or Ricardo Munster at
Abby and Ben Miller, on the birth of their daughter, 301-652-8569, ext. 316, or rmunster@bethelmc.org.
Rebecca Shoshana Miller. Proud big brother is Sammy. Grandparents are Esther and Elliot Wilner, and aunt and Senior Caucus – Thursdays, January 9, 23, and, 30,
noon. Brown bag lunch. Come and socialize with your
uncle are Ellona and Gus Fritschie.
friends and enjoy refreshments and dessert. Rhoda Nichaman on the birth of her great-grandson,
Barak Moshe Greenberg. Proud parents are Shani and
Senior Caucus–Vatikkim Luncheon Program,
Yair Greenberg, and grandparents are Judy and Naty
Thursday, January 16, noon. The program starts with
Habani.
lunch. Following lunch, stay for a film presentation. Lunch
costs $8. To RSVP for lunch, contact Ricardo Munster at
Condolences to
301-652-2606, ext.316, or rmunster@bethelmc.org, by
The family of Renee Cooper on her death
Tuesday, January 14. The program is free and begins around
Sandy Cohen and Dan Geselowitz on the death of
1:00 pm.
Sandy’s mother, Josepha Cohen
Seymour Gross on the death of his wife, Shirley Gross
Bridge – the greatest game ever. Join us every Monday
The family of Jerome Holiber on his death
and Thursday (except the 3rd Thursday) from 12:30 to 4:00
Michael and Nancy Kay on the death of Michael’s father, pm. Drop in and join a game; no partner necessary. For
long-time congregant and past president Sanford Kay
information or transportation, contact Ricardo Munster at
Michael and Amy Lenkin on the death of his aunt,
301-652-2606, ext. 316, or rmunster@bethelmc.org.
Francine Linde
Margy and Irv Nurik on the death of Margy’s sister, Toby
‘Dial-In’ for the Shabbat service. If you are unable
Barr, also the aunt of Tracey Gallagher and Jody Nurik
to attend the 9:30 am Shabbat service, dial in to hear it.
Debbie and Sam Olchyk on the death of Debbie’s
Call 301-652-2608.
mother, Pearl Segal
Mazal Tov to
Weekly Parashiot
Source: Siddur Sim Shalom
Bo
January 4, 3 Shevat
Three more plagues occur; the last and most
dramatic is the slaying of the Egyptian firstborn,
which leads to the Exodus. The Israelites dab the
blood of the paschal lamb on their doorposts to
avert death in their midst. At midnight, God strikes
the Egyptians; they are quick to let the Israelites go.
After 430 years in Egypt, the Israelites depart that
very night.
B’Shallah
January 11, 10 Shevat
Pharaoh regrets losing his slaves. Pursuing the
children of Israel, he traps them at the Sea of Reeds.
God splits the waters, allowing Israel to cross safely.
The Egyptians follow, only to be engulfed, at God’s
hand, in the swirl of returning water. Moses and
Miriam lead the people in joyous song, extolling
God.Yet the Israelites soon complain of thirst and
hunger. God responds, providing water and manna.
When Amalek attacks, God helps Israel prevail.
Yitro
January 18, 17 Shevat
Moses spends much of his time explaining God’s
statutes and laws to the people; his father-in-law,
Jethro, suggests that he delegate some of this judicial
authority. After ascending Mount Sinai to speak
with God, Moses returns to prepare the people for
Revelation. Amidst awesome thunder, lightning, and
flame, God, glorious and holy, reveals to Israel the
Divine Presence—and the Ten Commandments.
Mishpatim
January 25, 24 Shevat
The civil laws, along with moral and
religious precepts, are presented after the Ten
Commandments. The people accept the Torah
wholeheartedly, vowing, “All that Adonai has
commanded, we will do.” Israel affirms the
Covenant, and Moses returns to Mount Sinai to
receive the law, etched in stone, from God.
Terumah
February 1, 1 Adar
While Moses remains on Mount Sinai, God
provides detailed instructions regarding the
construction and decoration of the Mishkan. This
Tabernacle is to house the Ark and allow the
Divine Presence to dwell among the people.
Beth El Calendar
&Weekly Parashiot
Descriptions of
Services
Minyan Chaverim offers the ruach
of the Shabbat services in USY, BBYO,
and Hillel. We have a lay-led, traditional, participatory, spirit-filled service,
including full repetition of the Shacharit and Musaf amidah, as well as the
full Torah reading with an interactive
Torah discussion. A pot-luck lunch follows the service at a nearby home. For
information, contact Debbie Feinstein
or Sheryl Rosensky Miller at info@
bethelmc.org.
The Worship and Study Minyan
is conducted by members of the
congregation and combines evocative
Torah study with ample singing
and ruach. Children are welcome,
although the service is oriented
toward adults. For information, contact
Dan Hirsch, Sid Getz, or Mark
Levitt at 301-652-2606,
info@bethelmc.org.
Teen Service is a cool service
without parents, conducted by and for
post-b’nai mitzvah teens, with a great
kiddush. To volunteer to read Torah,
conduct part of the service, or help
with a discussion, contact
Aviva Solkowitz at 301-652-2606,
info@bethelmc.org
Other Youth /Family Services,
for information, contact Elisha
Frumkin, 301-652-8573, ext. 319,
efrumkin@bethelmc.org.
Daily Services M-F
7:30 am
Sun-Th 8:00 pm
Fri
6:30 pm
Sun
9:00 am
Shabbat Services (all services are weekly, except as noted)
Early Morning Service
Main Service Babysitting (2-6 years old) Minyan Chaverim (3rd Shabbat)
Worship and Study Minyan (1st Shabbat)
Youth Shabbat Services
7:30 am
9:30 am
9:15 am
9:30 am
9:45 am
Teen Service (1st Shabbat)
10:00 am
Junior Congregation (5th grade +; Library) 10:00 am
10:30-11:30 am
Shitufim (2nd– 4th grades; 2nd & 4th Shabbat; Zahler Social Hall)
Gan Shabbat
(kindergarten-2nd grade; 1st & 3rd Shabbat; MP 1&2) 10:30-11:30 am
Nitzanim
(birth - kindergarten; 2nd, 4th, 5th Shabbat; MP 1&2) 10:30-11:30 am
Congregation Beth El
January 2014
Monthly Calendar
Sunday
1 Hanukkah 4th Day
Shevat-Adar I 5774
Monday
2 Hanukkah 5th Day
Tuesday
3 Hanukkah 6th Day
Wednesday
1 New Year’s Day
Schools and Offices Closed
9:00 am Morning Minyan
5
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
10:00 am Men’s Club Program
10:00 am Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class
12
6
12:30 pm Bridge
7:30 pm Boy Scouts
7:30 pm Religious School Committee
13
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
9:30 am Sisterhood Board Meeting
10:00 am Men’s Club Program
10:00 am RS Parent Coffee
12:30 pm Bridge
7:30 pm Boy Scouts
19
20 Martin Luther King’s
No Religious School
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
10:00 am Men’s Club Program
10:00 am Adult B’nai Mitzvah Rehearsal
10:00 am Nitzanim Program
11:30 am Book Club
1:00 pm Tallit Workshop
26
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
10:00 am Literary Luminaries
10:00 am Age & Stage Program
1:00 pm Tallit Workshop
5:00 pm Family Sports Night
Birthday
Schools and Offices Closed
9:00 am Morning Minyan
27
12:30 pm Bridge
7:30 pm Boy Scouts
7
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
14
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
7:30 pm BEPS Board Meeting
21
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
28
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
7:30 pm Board Meeting
8
9:00 am Rabbi’s Torah Class
9:30 am M. Fine Class
9:30 am Rabbi’s Haftarah Class
15
9:00 am Rabbi’s Torah Class
9:30 am M. Fine Class
9:30 am Rabbi’s Haftarah Class
7:30 pm Green Tikkun
22
9:00 am Rabbi’s Torah Class
9:30 am M. Fine Class
9:30 am Rabbi’s Haftarah Class
29
9:00 am Rabbi’s Torah Class
9:30 am M. Fine Class
9:30 am Rabbi’s Haftarah Class
7:30 pm Sisterhood/Zhava Joint Program
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Noon Senior Caucus Dor L’ Dor Lunch
1:00 pm Bridge
7:00 pm Tallit Workshop
8:30 pm Hearing Men’s Voices
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
3 Candles 4:40 pm
4
9
10 Candles 4:47 pm
11
2 Rosh Hodesh Shevat
Noon Senior Caucus Brown Bag Lunch
1:00 pm Bridge
7:00 pm Tallit Workshop
7:00 pm Executive Committee Meeting
16 Tu B’Shevat
Noon Senior Caucus Luncheon
7:00 pm Tallit Workshop
23
Noon Senior Caucus Brown Bag Lunch
1:00 pm Bridge
7:00 pm Tallit Workshop
7:30 pm Parenting Series - PJ Library
30
Noon Senior Caucus Brown Bag Lunch
1:00 pm Bridge
7:00 pm Tallit Workshop
9:00 am Zhava Parenting Workshop
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
6:30 pm Kol Haneshama
7:30 pm Sisterhood/Zhava Board
Shabbat Dinner
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
9:30 am Aviva Odintz Bat Mitzvah
9:45 am Worship & Study Minyan
10:00 am Jr. Congregation
10:00 am Teen Service
10:30 am Gan Shabbat
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Sisterhood Shabbat
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
10:00 am Jr. Congregation
10:30 am Nitzanim
10:30 am Shitufim
3:30 pm William Klein Bar Mitzvah
17 Candles 4:54 pm
18
24 Candles 5:02 pm
25
31 Candles 5:10 pm
1 Rosh Hodesh Adar I
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
Rosh Hodesh Adar I
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
9:30 am Adina Bard Bat Mitzvah
9:30 am Minyan Chaverim
10:00 am Jr. Congregation
10:30 am Gan Shabbat
7:30 pm Israel Media Series
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
9:30 am Jared Lapidus Bar Mitzvah
10:00 am Jr. Congregation
10:30 am Nitzanim
10:30 am Shitufim
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
9:30 am Adult B’nai Mitzvah
9:45 am Worship & Study Minyan
10:00 am Jr. Congregation
10:00 am Teen Service
10:30 am Gan Shabbat
5:00 pm Matthew Kroskin Bar
Mitzvah