November 2013 Web Shofar

THE SHOFAR
Temple Sinai is a warm, friendly and vibrant community where friendship and caring are combined
A vibrant community where friendship and caring are combined with religious faith, ritual observance, social
interaction, and education for children and adults.
November 2013
October
2012
13875
Brimhurst
13875 Brimhurst
Houston,
TX 77077
Sisterhood Bazaar Craft Show followed by Kugel
281.496.5950,
Houston,fax
TX281.466.4180
77077
www.temple-sinai.org
(281) 496-5950
Cook-Off!
Temple
Sinai is a member of the
www.temple-sinai.org
Union
for Reform
Judaism,
www.urj.org.
Temple
Sinai is
a member
of the
Sunday, November 3
Live from Temple Sinai, It’s Saturday Night
ERJCC West Houston Book Fair
Thursday, November 7
The Other Son
Movie Matinee, Sunday, November 10
Union of Reform Judaism, www.urj.org.
Friday Night Service Schedule
Shabbat Service 7:30 PM
Friday Night Service Schedule
November Special Events
Shabbat Service 7:30 PM
8:00am, Saturday, November 2,
Walk with the
Rabbi atSpecial
Cullen Park
October
Events
Sunday, November 3,
6:30pm, Friday, October 5, Tot Shabbat
9:00am, Sisterhood Holiday Bazaar
12:30 Sisterhood Kugel Cook-Off
5:00pm, Sunday, October 7
Simchat
Torah and
Consecration
Service
7:00pm, Thursday,
November
7,
West Houston Book Fair
Rabbi Seymour Rossel discusses
The Essential Jewish Studies
Sunday, November 17
It’s TurkeyTurkey-Latke Time!
Bar Mitzvah of Joshua Friedman
6:00pm,
November
Happy Hour Shabbat
7:30pm,Friday,
Friday,
October8,12
Service
followed
by Congregational
10:30am,
Saturday,
October 13 Dinner
Saturday, November 9
Sunday,
October
14
9:30am, Bible
and Bagels
Torah Study
10:30am,
C
of
R
trip
to Hindu
Temple
10:30am, Shabbat Morning
Service
11:00am, Sisterhood Fashio
12:15pm,
Junior
Youth Group
Event
2:00pm,
Sunday,
November
10,
Adult Ed Movie Matinee—The Other Son
Hanukkah starts Wednesday, November 27, the night before
Thanksgiving
More details may be found in the following pages.
DID YOU KNOW THAT . . .
th
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of
John F. Kennedy, which occurred 100 years after Abraham
Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated
on the final Thursday in November.
6:00pm, Friday, October 19,
1:15pm,
Wednesday,
13,
Ruach (Spirit)
NightNovember
at Café Express
Presentation on Positive Aging, Part II
Saturday,
October
20
9:15am, Sunday,
November
17,
10:00am,
AdultRossel
Ed trip
to Galveston
for Jews
Rabbi Seymour
speaks
on his book
of
lecture
by Stories
Rabbi Jimmy Kessler
TheTexas
Essential
Jewish
6:30pm, Brotherhood Chili Cook-Off followed
B’Not
Mitzvahof
of the
McKayla
Bryson
by showing
film The
Chosen
and Katie Miller
7:30pm,
Friday, November
22
Friday, October
26, Schmooze
Shabbat
10:00am, Saturday, November 23
6:15pm, Pot Luck Dinner followed by regular
services
at November
7:30
Wednesday,
27,
First Night of Hanukkah—No Classes
Friday-Sunday, October 26-28 Fall Conclave
CHECK WEEKLY E-NEWS
CHECK
UPDATES
FORWEEKLY
ANY CHANGES
FOR ANY CHANGES
The Shofar is published monthly, except July,
forShofar
the benefit
of Temple
Sinai members.
The
is published
monthly,
except July,
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on Facebook!
for the benefit
of Temple
Sinai members.
Irv Berger, Editor
Janet Clark, Graphics Specialist
Rabbi’s Message – Anne Belford
As many of us know by now, the Jewish holidays come
really early this year! Rosh Hashanah was two days after
Labor Day – Yikes! All the fall holidays are done before
October – unheard of! And now, as November begins, we
look at our calendars and see that Hanukkah actually
begins BEFORE Thanksgiving! That’s right, folks – the first
th
night of Hanukah falls on Wednesday, the 27 . The next
day is Thanksgiving. That means the first DAY of
Hanukkah falls on Thanksgiving Day. All sorts of wonderful
things are spreading over the Internet, on Pinterest, and on
blog posts about this convergence, and a new term has
emerged – Thanksgivikkuh. Or Turkukkah. Apparently this
is the first time in over 100 years this convergence has
occurred. It’s also the LAST time it will occur for…
THOUSANDS of years (at least according to some
calculations)! We are lucky enough to be living through an
event of cosmic significance! Well, at least significant for
lots of creativity!
American Jews have embraced this convergence with an
upswell of creativity. There are new menorahs being
created and sold. I admit – I bought a turkey menorah, I
couldn’t resist! Technically it is called a “Menurkey.” Love it!
My mom is hosting Thanksgiving this year, and she found
all sorts of creative recipes online, including latkes with
cranberry-apple sauce, a Manischewitz-braised turkey
(think it will work with Tofurkey?) and pecan pie rugelech!
Yum! And it seems that every week, I receive an e-mail
forwarded from someone who has new insight into
Thanksgivikkah. I’ve heard some people bemoan this. Why
can’t we just celebrate Hanukkah in peace, they ask? I,
however, think all of this is amazing – and an encouraging
sign about the American Jewish community.
You may have heard recently about the results of the Pew
survey on the American Jewish community, which found
that while 94% of Jews are incredibly proud to be Jewish –
more and more of them feel no connection to the religion.
They are defined as “Jews of no religion.” They are
“secular Jews,” or “cultural Jews,” but never “religious
Jews.” This phenomenon, while distressing, is not
happening solely to the Jewish community; a Pew survey
that came out earlier this year found that “none-things”
were the fast growing segment of the American population.
Every faith is being faced with a shrinking population. One
article I read recently began by saying: “The Few. The
Proud. The Reform Jews.” As the survey says, we may be
shrinking – but we are getting stronger.
This is what I see in all of the flurry about Thanksgivikkah.
American Jews are proud to be American, to celebrate
Thanksgiving, to eat Turkey (kosher, tofu, or otherwise)
and cranberries and pumpkin pie. And we are also proud to
be Jewish. We WANT that feeling of being connected to
something larger, whether we define it as “God,” or
“community,” or “the entire world.” We want the world to
know about Menurkeys and latkes and dreidels painted
with turkeys. We want to buy our Hanukah presents (well,
six of them at least) after staying up all night in a line at
Best Buy for the latest electronic gadget, along with all the
other Americans doing their holiday shopping. We want to
embrace our Judaism in creative, non-traditional ways –
and we want to revel in the freedoms America provides.
A lot of people who read the results of the Pew survey are
afraid. And sometimes, I am afraid too. I worry about the
kind of American Judaism my children will live in, when
they are adults. But then I read my history books. I read emails about Thanksgivikkah. And my fear morphs into
excitement, of rising to meet a challenge, and – most
importantly – of hope. Thousands of years ago, Jews died
to protect their faith – that is what Hanukah is all about.
Today, we are protecting it too, albeit in different and less
lethal ways. THAT is what the Menurkey represents to me.
So when we gather on for Shabbat on the Friday of
Thanksgiving, when we join together for a latke nosh
before services, when we light our Shabbat candles – we
will also light our Menurkey – lights of hope, of freedom,
and of faith. Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Hanukah, and
Happy Thanksgivikkah!
If you missed out first Shabbat Happy Hour you missed a
great service. Ask around at Temple and you will find many
who attended and had a great time. There was great music
and singing. Please make plans to come and join us on
November 8. Services start at 6pm with dinner following at
6:45.
.
BIBLE & BAGELS TORAH STUDY,
9:30am, Saturday, November 9, followed
by Shabbat Service at 10:30am
MAZEL TOV TO THE
BRYSON AND MILLER FAMILIES
IN HONOR OF McKAYLA AND KATIE’S
B’NOT MITZVAH!
Our Saturday Shabbat classes Bible and Bagels have been extremely successful and as always we encourage
those of you who have not attended to join us for some fascinating learning with Rabbi Annie. Every lesson is unique as
every Torah portion offers different insights. You do not need to know Hebrew to attend. Just give it a try. As stated
above, the next B&B class is 9:30am, November 9.
Religious School
NOVEMBER SCHEDULE
3: All classes and Ktantanim (3-year-olds) in
Session; 6th grade students go to Dave & Buster’s for fun
Afternoon, 1-3pm
The Education Committee is sponsoring a special
program for all parents. Twice a month you are invited
to come and join in a conversation with other parents
and members of the Education Committee on different
topics. That's includes coffee and cake
6: All Hebrew School in session
rd
th
8-10: 3 -6 grades at GFC Retreat
--Rina Mesarwi and Melissa Lacombe
10: All classes in session
13: All Hebrew School and Post-Confirmation in session
17: All classes and Ktantanim (3-year-olds) in
session
20: All Hebrew School classes in session
24: All classes in session; Hanukkah treats for all
Adult Education
On Sunday, November 10, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. the
Sunday matinee presentation will be The Other
Son. Joseph is a Dylan-loving Jewish teenager living in
Tel Aviv. Yacine is a Palestinian medical student living
on the other side of the wall. Under normal
circumstances, they would never meet. Except that they
did cross paths once, as newborn babies born in the
same hospital during the tumult of the first Gulf War.
And, in the midst of that turmoil, they were switched at
birth. This film goes to great lengths to make us believe
its premise, and then use it to make a humane and
surprisingly hopeful film about Israeli-Palestinian
relations.
On Sunday, November 17, at 9:15 a.m. in the Library,
Rabbi Seymour Rossel will present his book
Essential Jewish Stories. You will be able to
purchase a copy of his book, a great Hanukkah gift item.
The book contains more than 300 stories selected from
every period of Jewish history and from every Jewish
teaching tradition -- narratives, anecdotes, metaphors,
analogies, folktales, and fantasies. Every story is
elegantly retold to emphasize its relevance for our times.
B’nai B’rith, Edward M Gardner PC CPA, Temple Sinai Brotherhood and the Houston Chapter of the
Texas Society of CPA’s will be participating in a city wide clothing, toy, and food drive.
Announcing the 33rd Anniversary of Schlep Sunday
Sunday, December 1, 7:00am – 6:00pm.
The Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston **
5601 South Braeswood,
We are asking the community to bring non-perishable
food, clothing and toys that will be donated to the Star of
Hope. We will have an 18-wheeler truck at the ERJCC
collecting the items. For 8 years, Bellaire ROTC has
helped load the truck in the morning.
Holidays are a time of joy, giving and love with our
families. There are a lot of individuals in our community
less fortunate than us.
“It’s a great time to clean out your closets and get that
last minute tax deduction. Your old clothes are a
wonderful gift to someone in need”, said Ed Gardner
CPA Project Chairman.
Items donated go to the Star of Hope. Last year the
project helped approximately 15,000 people on this oneday event. Our goal is 15,000 plus this year. For the last
33 years, we have helped over 288,000 fellow
Houstonians. Many families still need help. Help us help
our neighbors. We ask that you mark December 1st on
your calendar and take a few moments that day to bring
items to the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community
Center of Houston. Receipts will be issued for those who
want to take a deduction for tax purposes.
If you wish to volunteer to help, contact either Ralph or Ed Gardner at admin@temple-sinai.org with “Schlep Sunday” in
the subject line. We need help with individuals collecting items from donor car and putting items in trailer. A two-hour shift
could go a long way in helping those less fortunate.
**Note: There will be no pick-up at Temple Sinai on December 1 as the building will be closed for the Thanksgiving
holiday.
Scenes at Sinai
Sukkot
Sinai Sisters Fashionistas
Simchat Torah
On March 25, 2014,
You will have the opportunity to meet four women you will never forget.
You will hear four stories that will fill your heart.
You will go away enlightened
and…
You may be changed forever.
Meet the “FOUR FIRSTS”
Temple Sinai’s first world-class event.
All sessions are free.
Please join us at 1:15pm on the second Wednesday of the month, November-January.
Save the Date!
Temple Sinai Brotherhood Welcomes Back
Comedy Improv Fun for the Whole Family!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
The Holidays are near and Temple Sinai is joining with
WESTSIDE HOMELESS PARTNERSHIP
This program has been providing hope and the opportunity for a better future to homeless children and their families in
Houston’s Spring Branch Independent School District since 1994.
We, at Temple Sinai, are very fortunate to be a part of a wonderful program. This holiday season we will adopt a family
and you will learn how you can be a part of making a family’s holiday extra special.
Be on the lookout in your weekly newsletter for all information providing this program.
Sisterhood Hanukkah Craft Bazaar, Sunday, 9:00am, November 3
With Hanukkah starting early this year on Wednesday
night, November 27, we’ll have all that you’ll need.
If you have crafts or gift items to sell, we welcome you.
The fee for a table is $10. We also ask each vendor to
donate one item to be used for our raffle. Vendors can
contact Pam Lowry for more information and to register email admin@temple-sinai.org with “Sisterhood
Hanukkah Bazaar” in the subject line.
Please come shop!
The L'Dor V'Dor Gift Shop will also have a featured
item sale every hour during Religious School on
November 3 as well:
9 am to 10 am—25% off Toys & Crafts
10 am to 11am—25% off Menorahs, table linen, kitchen
items
11am to 12:30pm—25% off All Jewelry 25%
Sisterhood Kugel Cook-Off, Sunday, 12:30pm, November 3
There are two categories—savory and sweet. Winners will be awarded HEB gift cards. Judging will be Rabbi Annie and
Mike Seltzer.
Save the Dates for these Sisterhood Events
December 7 - Games Night
January 5 – Mah Jongg Tournament
Saturday, January 18,
Emmy Award-winning comedienne
MONICA PIPER
presents
Farmish, Farklempt and Farblungit
This show is written and performed by Ms Piper who
explores her own Jewish roots and presents life in a
hilarious and heartwarming blend of stand-up and
storytelling.
“Audiences leave laughed out and happy to be Jewish ...
even those who aren't," said Ronda Spinak, artistic
director of the Jewish Women's Theatre.
So, save the date, mark your calendar and plan to
attend. It’s sure to be a fabulous evening!
Invitations
If you have a special Simcha coming up, we have the
latest books available. In addition to our wedding books,
Bar and Bat Mitzvah books, and “Save the Date” books,
we now have new books which include wedding and
baby showers, baby announcements, and parties. Call
Marla Lantz, the Sisterhood Invitations Sales
representative.
Senior Sisters
will meet Wednesday,
November 13, at noon in the library. Reminder: the
second part on the aging series will follow our meeting.
Mal Finger, LBSW, of Jewish Family Service will discuss
with us Reality Check.
Sisterhood also recognizes the following businesses
for their support of the “It’s All About You” Fashion Show:
Leibmans for providing a gift basket
Diana at VSpeigal Spa on Alabama for a $100 gift certificate
Joseph Gabriel at MAC for a 3-month membership
Gene and Bill at Zaaz Studio /Memorial Drive gave a 1 month membership
Beverly Poerschke the owner of Its All About You for a lovely show, all of the discounts,
and 1 $50 gift card and 2 $25 gift cards
Please frequent our raffle donors in appreciation of their generosity.
President’s Message – Barbara Shepard
Shalom Temple Sinai Community!
November ushers in one of my favorite times of year –
the time of Thanksgiving. Besides all the wonderful
food, it is a reminder for me to take a moment and reflect
on all that I have to be thankful for. Besides my family
and friends, my religion and my country, I am thankful for
you, Temple Sinai. For your generosity, both with your
time and money, your friendship, your boundless energy,
your pride in all that you do and your sense of
community.
At Thanksgiving as we sit around the table just before
we begin our meal, my family reads aloud from the
America’s Table, a Thanksgiving Reader, which was
written by a consortium of religious, and ethnic groups
lead by the American Jewish Committee. It expresses,
better than I ever could, my sense of thanksgiving. I
would like to share this excerpt with you:
“...In America, our differences resonate in our names,
language, food and music. They inspire art and produce
champions and leaders.
We feel free to disagree.
We are a family, and what is a family gathering without
debate?
We believe in fairness.
In America, the loudest voice does not always have the
last word, and every voice has a right to be heard.
We act with hope.
Not because life is perfect, but because we are free to
face life, and all its imperfections, on our own terms.
We rely on faith…
We are grateful to be part of this vigorous democracy.
We enjoy its unparalleled privileges and accept its
obligations:
• To pursue our dreams while helping others.
• To advance our convictions while respecting
others.
We are thankful for the freedom to worship.
We are thankful for the freedom to speak our minds.
We are thankful for the freedom to change our minds.
We are thankful for the freedom to chart our lives.
We are thankful for the freedom to work for a better
world.
We are thankful for the freedom to celebrate this
day...”
Wishing you and yours a bountiful Thanksgiving!
L’shalom,
Barbara
.
The 2013-2014 Board of Trustees
President: Barbara Shepard
VP Administration: Marc Boin
VP Education: Neill Nepo
VP Long Range Planning:
Mike Seltzer
VP Ritual: Diane Adler
Secretary: Melissa Lacombe
Treasurer: Ian Crawford
Assistant Treasurer: Lee
Markiewicz
Financial Secretary:
Robin Converse
Adult Education Chair:
Diane Statham
Building & Security Chair:
Bruce Greenberg
Membership Chair:
Lori Neuwirth-Hirsch
Member-at Large (advisor):
Irv Berger
Member-at-Large (in development):
Jonathan Weiner
Social Acton Chair: Ashli Gelder
Fundraising Chair: Janet Clark
Communications Chair:
Anne Dubner
Caring Chair:
Fiona Schicker
Immediate Past President:
Roger Rochman
Brotherhood President:
Terry Treistman
Sisterhood Co-President:
Joyce Berger
Leadership Development:
Emily Deakins
Contact any board member at
admin@temple-sinai.org with the board
position in the subject line.
Temple Sinai Staff
Rabbi Anne Belford
(rabbi@temple-sinai.org)
Education Director Rina Mesarwi
(eddirect@temple-sinai.org)
Administrator Cindy Crump
(admin@temple-sinai.org)
The Membership Committee organizes events and provides information for prospective members, and welcomes new members. If
you are interested in participating in the work of the Membership Committee, please contact the Membership trustee at
admin@temple-sinai.org. Show “Membership” in the subject line.
HONORABLE MENSCHENS
We recognize the “mensches” who have performed some mitzvah for the synagogue or one of its members
during the past month. If we inadvertently missed you or another “mensch”, let us know!
Thank you from Sisterhood for support of the Fashion Show
•
•
•
To Joyce and Allan Berger for providing the
music and the invitations and six decorated
pumpkins
To Nancy McIntyre for being moral support,
organizing the food, and helping setup and
cleanup
To all of the models: Annette Schwartz, Susan
Hertz, Blanche Abramowitz, Norma Belkin
(who brought a yummy trifle), Elissa Sanders,
Jill Gentsch (who brought her great chocolate
chip cookies), Esther Brink, Diane Statham
(who brought her delicious brownies), and Ruth
Herman.
•
•
•
•
•
To Debbie Berman for bringing the delicious
carrot cake and along with Marjorie Morales
for taking checks and selling raffle tickets
To Diane Adler for running the music during
the show
To Leitze Belford for taking pictures and
bringing her wonderful praline squares
To Laurie Friefeld and Joan Adler who helped
with the models; Laurie also helped with
cleanup
To Mike Seltzer for baking a basket of scones
Thank you from the Education Director
•
•
To all who read the Torah during Simchat Torah
Celebration
The Education Committee Members who are
here to help - ALWAYS
•
To Rabbi Annie who helped us to celebrate
Sukkot
•
To Irv Berger for arranging the Positive Aging
series from Jewish Family Service.
To Joyce Boin for her contribution to the
synagogue of a DVD player.
Thank you from Adult Education
•
•
To Toby Singhania for organizing our Sunday
matinee movies
To Richard Shaw for organizing our Tuesday
Lunch 'N Learn
•
Thank you to the following people for sponsoring Shabbat Onegs:
•
•
Everette Hyman in memory of his mother Henny Jaffe Hyman
Bert & Myrna Simon in memory of Max Simon
If you would like to host an Oneg Shabbat in honor of a special occasion or in memory of a loved one, please
call Cindy in the Temple office.
office
We gratefully acknowledge these generous gifts
Shalom from Sinai
•
Linda & Marvin Katz in memory of Harold
Moore
•
David & Marilyn Frishman in memory of Mae
Pikarsky
•
Joan Adler in honor of Howard NeuwirthHirsch’s 60th birthday
•
Al Sklar & Andrea in honor of the Bat Mitzvah
of Hannah Asofsky
•
Robin & David Converse in memory of Ruth
Davis’ brother, Louis Feldman and in memory
of Judi Grossman’s brother, Harold Moore
•
The Schicker Family in honor of Ben Tungland
and Andrea Sklar for so beautifully reading
Torah during High Holidays
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
•
Al Sklar in honor of his daughter, Andrea,
chanting Torah on Yom Kippur
•
Al Sklar & Andrea in honor of Rabbi Annie’s
meaningful High Holy Day services and
sermons and in appreciation of Abbie Silber
Strauss as our cantorial soloist on High Holy
Day services
•
Everett Hyman
•
Myra Lewis in honor of her granddaughter
Hannah Avery born September 16
Your donations are key for us to continue to provide the experience you have come to expect from Temple Sinai. Whether large or
small, each donation is important and appreciated, and will be acknowledged in The Shofar. Thank you for your consideration. Please
make your check payable to Temple Sinai and send to Cindy in the Office.
One of Our Younger Challah Bakers showing Before and After