2014 Holocaust Memorial Commemoration Yom HaShoah

ig
LIGHTS
A Publication of Beth Israel Congregation
What’s Inside....
Yom HaShoah
2014 Holocaust
Memorial .................................... 1
Rabbi Search
Committee ............................... 2
A Toast to
Jewish Composers.................. 3
Passover 5774
2nd Seder .................................... 4
Up Coming
Events ......................................... 4
President’s
Message ................................... 5
From
the Office .................................. 6
2014 Holocaust Memorial Commemoration
Yom HaShoah
presented by Beth Israel Congregation and Jewish Cinema Mississippi
James Grymes Lecture and Music Program
with Violinist Marta Szlubowski
Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 7pm at BIC
Oscar Nominated Movie, The Lady In No. 6
Sunday, April 27, 2014 - 12pm at BIC (for Pizza and Refreshments)
Movie starts at 12:30pm
Small donations welcome to cover refreshments.
A stirring testament to the strength of the human spirit and the
power of music, Violins of Hope tells the remarkable stories of
violins played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust, and of
the Israeli violinmaker dedicated to bringing these inspirational
instruments back to life.
Birthdays and
Anniversaries ........................... 6
Alice Herz-Sommer, until recently, was the world’s oldest survivor of Hitler’s holocaust at the age of 110. This
Oscar-winning documentary tells her amazing story of
survival. Alice found a way to survive the terror of the
camps. She survived through music…
Contributions ......................... 7
Yahrzeits .................................... 8
“Passover affirms the great truth that liberty is the
inalienable right of every human being.”
Quote of
the Month
~ Morris Joseph ~
5315 Old Canton Road • Jackson, Mississippi, 39211
ph 601.956.6215 • fx 601.952.0895 • WWW . BETHISRAELMS . ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism,
Serving Reform Congregations in North America
1
ig
LIGHTS
Rabbi Search
Committee Report
by Mark Fijman
After 11 years as the spiritual leader of Beth Israel, Rabbi Cohen and the rest of the
Cohen family are preparing for their exciting move to her new pulpit in Worcester,
Massachusetts. The Beth Israel Board has tasked me with serving as the Chairman of
the Rabbi Search Committee that will review and interview applicants and ultimately
recommend a candidate for approval by the Board and a vote by the entire Congregation, pursuant to Article VII of the Beth Israel Constitution. This report is intended
to answer some questions about the process.
The Beth Israel Board has decided that we will initially select an interim Rabbi, who
will serve in the position for one (1) year, during which time we will continue the
process of searching for the candidate who will ultimately become our permanent
Rabbi. Because of the importance of this selection process, the Board wisely decided to opt for an interim Rabbi to allow ample time to select the person who will
assume the permanent position as our Rabbi. In the CCAR guidelines, they note that
one of the most common mistakes that congregations make is trying to speed up
the process in an anxious effort to fill a vacancy as soon as possible.
By the time you read this, the Search Committee will have completed the Interim
Rabbi Application and it will be posted on the CCAR internal website for all Rabbinc
candidates to see.
To be eligible to apply for such an interim Rabbi position, the CCAR requires candidates to have specialized training that will enable the successful candidate to help
Beth Israel through the transitional period and to maintain our existing Temple routines, e.g. worship, education, life cycle events and other programs.
Families with upcoming Bar/Bat Mitzvahs on the horizon have made me aware of
their concerns about having a Rabbi to provide tutoring and guidance to their children, and the Board and the Search Committee are committed to doing whatever is
necessary to make sure these young people will be ready for their big day.
During this process, you can expect to receive a request from the Search Committee
for your thoughts on what Beth Israel should look for in our next Rabbi.
In selecting the members of the Rabbi Search Committee, we sought to include as
many slices of Beth Israel’s demographic pie as possible, and we have put together
an outstanding group of people. They represent the broad range of interests within
our Congregation and have a keen understanding of Beth Israel’s needs, both now
and looking ahead. The Search Committee members are: (1) Shawn Alexander, (2)
James Bowley, (3) Lynn Crystal, (4) Mark Fijman, (5) Amy Finkelberg, (6) Alice Friedman, (7) Lawrence Haber, (8) Erik Hearon, (9) Dana Larkin, (10) Sharon Norris, (11)
Hannah Orlansky, (12) Ira Rubin, (13) Ben Russell, (14) Michele Schipper, and (15)
Honorine Weiss.
If you have any questions about the Rabbi Search Committee, please feel free to contact me at fijmanm@phelps.com.
5315 Old Canton Road • Jackson, Mississippi, 39211
ph 601.956.6215 • fx 601.952.0895 • WWW . BETHISRAELMS . ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism,
Serving Reform Congregations in North America
2
ig
LIGHTS
a toast to
Jewish
Composers
Beth Israel Congregation presents:
Honoring
Rabbi Valerie Cohen
Honoring
Rabbi Valerie Cohen
for her years of service to Beth Israel Congregation
and the Greater Jackson Community
Saturday, May 31, 2014 at the Fairview Inn
6:30 • Cocktails with cash bar • 7:00 • Havdalah Service
Seated Three-Course Dinner with Complimentary Wine
Special Musical Program
All proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the music program at Beth Israel.
Shabbat Service
and Oneg
Honoring Rabbi Cohen
Special Shabbat Service and Oneg
Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:15pm
Honoring Rabbi Valerie Cohen
More information to follow
5315 Old Canton Road • Jackson, Mississippi, 39211
ph 601.956.6215 • fx 601.952.0895 • WWW . BETHISRAELMS . ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism,
Serving Reform Congregations in North America
3
ig
LIGHTS
Passover 5774:
2nd Seder
Please join us in Celebrating
Passover
Tuesday, April 15th at 6pm
Reservation Deadline
Friday, April 11th
$15.00 in advance • $20.00 at the door
Kids 5-10 are $7.00 • Kids under 5 are free
To RSVP contact Charna Schlakman:
charna515@aol.com or
(954) 629-1371
Passover 5774:
Worship Services
Israel
Literacy
Program
Monday, April 14, 2014 • 5:00pm - 5:30 pm
Passover Ma’ariv (Evening) Services
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 • 10:00am
Passover Shacharit (Morning) Services
April 20, 2014 - 10:00am
Beth Israel Congregation - Library
Come and be informed about the issues
at the forefront of Israel today!
Coordinated by Erik Hearon and Lex Rofes
5315 Old Canton Road • Jackson, Mississippi, 39211
ph 601.956.6215 • fx 601.952.0895 • WWW . BETHISRAELMS . ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism,
Serving Reform Congregations in North America
4
ig
LIGHTS
Support Those Who Support Us!
President’s
Message
We are a small portion of the Jackson community. As of 2012, the population was
175,437. With approximately 208 families who are members at Beth Israel, we represent
a very small percentage of the Jackson population. We may be small but we are mighty!
And the local merchants know this.
Howard T. Katz
Kroger supports Beth Israel with the Kroger Community Rewards program. Over $ 4000
was raised last year. After filling out the paperwork, they have made it so much easier.
All you have to do is swipe your Kroger Plus card when you shop. You can even enter
the phone number associated with the account. A percentage of your purchase will
be donated to Beth Israel. Every member who shops at Kroger (once a month or three
times a week) should have a Kroger Plus card with the necessary paperwork filled out.
You have to do nothing more than you already do. They have a kosher section year
round. And with Passover coming up, they have a nice selection of Kosher for Passover
items. Even if you do not change your kitchen or even your food during these 8 days,
I am asking that you purchase something from this section. Try something new. Introduce your children to chocolate matzo. It’s not Passover without macaroons.
IF WE DON’T SUPPORT THEM, THEY WON’T SUPPORT US!
Whole Foods and Fresh Market carry a large variety of kosher food, year round. Yes- they
carry similar items that are not kosher, but with little or no difference in price, think
about choosing Kosher. If they don’t sell these items, they will no longer stock them.
This is just one way to show your pride in being Jewish. Everyone is reminded to ‘Go
Green’. How about we ‘Go Kosher’? Whole Foods even has fresh kosher chicken. This is
an amazing thing in Jackson, where up until now we have had to go to New Orleans
or Memphis. You don’t have to keep a kosher kitchen to enjoy a pot of kosher chicken
soup, just like bubbe used to make. And if you get the matzo meal from Kroger, you can
have matzo balls too.
IF WE DON’T SUPPORT THEM, THEY WON’T SUPPORT US!
Henry S. Jacobs Camp provides “a Jewish Place at a Southern Pace”. With summer camp
and programs for ages 4 to 17, this is a chance for our children to experience an environment where they are not the ‘odd man out’. They don’t have to explain to their peers
what a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is. They can participate in services on Friday night and Saturday morning and be WITH their friends. They can feel as if they are part of something
larger than themselves, and be proud of that. And while the camp is Jewish kids from
all over, it is even more of a special place for the Jackson children. Share this experience
with your children. Participate in the Family Spring Fling, April 25-27. Show your children how important it is to be involved with the Jewish Community.
IF WE DON’T SUPPORT THEM, THEY WON’T BE HERE TO SUPPORT
US!
So the next time you have a choice, ‘Go Kosher’.
5315 Old Canton Road • Jackson, Mississippi, 39211
ph 601.956.6215 • fx 601.952.0895 • WWW . BETHISRAELMS . ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism,
Serving Reform Congregations in North America
5
ig
LIGHTS
From the Office
• Reports and articles for the May issue of Chailights are due April 14, 2014. Submissions should be emailed to office@bethisraelms.org. Please note in the subject line
“(May 2014) Chailights submission.”
Birthdays
4/4
4/4
4/4
4/5
4/8
4/8
4/8
4/8 4/8
4/10
Janice LeBlanc
Suzanne Rotwein
Tamar Sharp
Helen Leighton
Bob Berman
Sue Jacobs
Donna Kaminsky
Sandra Liverman
Louis Newman
David Kweller
4/11 Mark Burleson
4/12 Richard Snyder
4/14 Dana Larkin
4/14 Don Mitchell
4/21 Steve Pollock
4/22 Robyn Pollack
4/25 Donna Orkin
4/26 Daniel Ring
4/27 Mindi Phillips
4/30 Gilda Hesdorffer
Anniversaries
4/7
4/11
4/18
4/26
4/27
4/28
4/30
Dave Ross and Sarah Buxbaum
Mark and Amy Burleson
Abram and Hannah Orlansky
Bruce and Charna Schlakman
Harold and Mary Gail Kolodney
Carlos and Audree Torrez
David and Tara Blumenthal
Reminder!
If you are hosting an event at BIC,
please submit ALL requests, set- ups
or special instructions, by e-mail to:
office@bethisraelms.org.
If you have questions, call or text
Gilbert Sollek at 601-317-5506
BIC Security
In order to ensure safety, BIC Temple side
entry doors will now be locked 10-15
minutes after the start of ALL services and
ALL large programs. Temple entry after
this time will be through the main front
doors ONLY!
5315 Old Canton Road • Jackson, Mississippi, 39211
ph 601.956.6215 • fx 601.952.0895 • WWW . BETHISRAELMS . ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism,
Serving Reform Congregations in North America
6
ig
LIGHTS
Contributions
In Honor of Rabbi Valerie Cohen
By: Lauren Rosenbaum Brown to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
In Honor of Beth Israel
By: Benjamin A. and Diana Levison to the General Fund
In Honor of Gino Giammarco
In Memory of Lorrayne Gavant
Institute of Southern Jewish Life to the General Fund By: Dr. Richard Gavant to the Cemetery Fund
In Memory of Lee Lehman Gotthelf
In Memory of Jill Gavant
By: Lynn Crystal to the Cemetery Fund
By: Dr. Richard Gavant to the General Fund
In Memory of Louis Falk
In Memory of Gerald “Jerry” Crystal
By: Lynn Crystal to the Cemetery Fund
By: David Daniel to the Cemetery Fund
In Memory of Gerda Stessmann
In Memory of Laura Bregman
By: Emily Kamber to the Cemetery Fund
By: Helen T. Leighton to the Cemetery Fund
For the Recovery of Ira Rubin
In Memory of Beverly Gordon Daniel
By: Emily Kamber to the Saturday Morning Fund
By: David Gordon Daniel to the Cemetery Fund
By: Nathan and Robin Lew to the General Fund
In Memory of Isabella and Julius Greenberg
In Memory of Florence and Sam Millstein
By: Helen T. Leighton to the Cemetery Fund
By: Joseph Harris to the Cemetery Fund
In Memory of a Loving Grandfather and Great Grandfather, Lev Aronov
By: Joseph Harris to the Cemetery Fund
In Honor of the Conversion of Elizabeth Rankin and Billy Allbright
By: Emily Kamber to the Tikkun Olam Committee
New Education Director
We are so excited to announce that Rabbi Debra Kassoff will be
our new Education Director beginning August 2014. We are
blessed to have someone with her experience, knowledge and
dedication. Before she returned to Jackson, MS, Rabbi Kassoff
was responsible for a large religious school (Temple Emanu-El)
in Marblehead, MA. Please welcome her to our Beth Israel staff
the next time you see her!
5315 Old Canton Road • Jackson, Mississippi, 39211
ph 601.956.6215 • fx 601.952.0895 • WWW . BETHISRAELMS . ORG
Founded 1860 — A member of the Union for Reform Judaism,
Serving Reform Congregations in North America
7
5315 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS 39211
Phone: 601.956.6215 Fax: 601.952.0895
Yahrzeits for April 2014
March 30 - April 5
April 13 - 19
April 21 – April 26
Rabbi Perry E. Nussbaum Max Evans
Emanuel Burnstein Adar Albert Allouche
Martha Dennis
Ben Kulman
Bernard Cohen
Maurice Burnstein
Rose Eisenstatt
Jennie Landau
Isaac Elfassy
Samuel Eisenberg
Toby Rubinsky
Penia Stotland
Benjamin Freedman Jack Ginsburg
Joe Schneider
Sam Millstein
Earl Friedman
Daniel Webster Ready, Jr
Dorothy Sherman
Beatrice Snyder
Evelyn Nash
Mike Binder
Morris Binder
Jonathan Souweine Louis Oppenheim Carl Levy
Selma Jacobson
Marian Cohen
Rose Sasan
George Jacob Segel
Joseph KirschAbe LevyJane TaubmanPeter Hendrix Thames
Mollye Rones
Lena Levy Pritikin
David S. Weiner
Miriam Fratkin
Roselyn Schlesinger
Lillian Sawyer
Esther Eisenberg
Marie Jolley
Jill Sonnabend
Ann Kulman
Fanny Gordon
Betty Rubinsky
Sally Asher
Joe Rubin
Bernice Lazarus
Eileen Hanf
Alice EpsteinEugenia BergerLouis WeissEdith Hart
Dinah Pack
Walter Lipsich
Steven Elbe Balkin Kolman Katz
Elik Harry Balkin
Jules Wiener
David Harris
Eva Susman
Biffiel Sartor
Nokhim Ivshin
Clifford Abrams
Clifford Davis
Leah M. Davis
Libby Sollek
Phil Bloom
Shia Dumont
Maxwell D. Berman H. Steve Browdy
Ruth Oppenheim Dorman
April 6 - 12
J’Net Kulman
Alvin Loeb
Lena Mermelstein
Sue Elson
Leona Patterson
Rose Stein
Henerietta Reichek
Gerda Stessmann
Ruth Stamm Rice
8