JUNE 2015• SIVAN-TAMMUZ 5775
ISSUE #5
Hay m ‫היום‬
CONGREGATION AGUDATH ACHIM
9 LEE BLVD., • SAVANNAH, GA 31405 • 912-352-4737 • www.agudath-achim.com
Congregation
Agudath
Achim
A Glance at
what’s inside
A Message from
the Rabbi
Information from
the
President
Donor Program
Sisterhood Honey
Sale
Shalom School
Happenings
2015 Gala Pics
Weekly Study
Opportunities
Yahrzeits
Contributions
Calendar for June
Your June
Birthdays
Message From Rabbi
Sacred Departures
RABBI
Ruven Barkan
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Motti Locker
PRESIDENT
Steven Roth
VICE-PRESIDENT
Victor Shernoff
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Elise Shernoff
RECORDING SECRETARY
AJ Haysman
TREASURER
Michael Bonder
IMMEDIATE
PAST PRESIDENT
Kenneth Sadler
BOARD MEMBERS
Liz Arkin
Doug Goldstein
David Hirsh
Nancy Isaacson
Barry Luskey
Debby Luskey
Morgan McGhie
Rick Meier
Scott Samuels
Barry Schlafstein
Harvey Shatz
Warren Zeger
MEN’S CLUB
Daniel Skidmore-Hess
CHEVRA KADISHA
David Reeves
ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE
Bert Tenenbaum
RITUAL COMMITTEE
David Hirsh
SHALOM SCHOOL
Eva Locker
HONORARY MEMBERS
Larry Lasky
In the parshah we read in recent weeks in the book of Numbers, Parashat Nasoh, the Israelites
make the final preparations as they depart from Mt. Sinai. God's presence that they encountered at the mountain will now travel with them in the center of the camp through the wilderness.
We are also completing our preparations in the synagogue as we each move forward on our
respective journeys. This enables each of us to leave with strength, with God's presence that
has blessed us over the past years.
We are experiencing the last holiday, wrapping up final classes, and saying farewell as people
depart for the summer. We are leaving with a deep love for having developed this unique
relationship as rabbi and congregation.
I am taking with me a new voice and vision of Conservative Judaism that I have developed as
the rabbi. I see a committed modern congregation that has a precious legacy to pass onto the
next generation. I have learned how to comfort, and challenge the community and individuals
to realize their potential.
There is no institution that can replace the mission of the synagogue. Bringing people together
for a sacred purpose; celebrating and mourning the events in the cycle of our lives in community; praying, studying, schmoozing, and eating on a regular basis with people who become an
extension of our family; and, mobilizing based on principles of justice and mercy to make a
difference in the society.
The synagogue serves as a corrective that enables us to plug into what is timeless, when our
lifestyles focus around our I-Phones: We connect with the inner rhythm of our souls in minyan; rituals secure the bond of tradition that binds the generations; and, the teachings of our
Torah sharpen our intellect.
It is clear to me how Congregation AA will flourish in the coming years. The necessary leadership, funds, and involvement are always proportionate to people’s willingness and readiness
to act upon this mission that places God's presence at the center.
This inside perspective of synagogue life equips me to serve in my next position with experienced enthusiasm and directed passion. I will always be grateful to Congregation Agudath
Achim for the opportunity to develop this sacred relationship.
As the Israelites actually depart there are two phrases that are bracketed in the Torah
(Numbers 10:35). These are the verses we recite when we remove the Torah from and return
it to the ark. These verses will be our blessing as we go on our ways:
"When the ark would travel Moses would say: Arise Adonai so your enemies shall scatter and
those who hate you shall flee.
When it would rest he would say: Return Adonai, You who are Israel's multitude of thousands."
I hope you will come to shul for our final Shabbat before we depart on July 11.
Rabbi Ruven Barkan
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Information from the President:
Resilience, apathy, crisis, stability. Take your choice. These are some of the words I have heard over the past year
as I have been congregational president and over the past six years or so that I have served on our synagogue
Board of Directors.
Over the next twelve months our congregation will be saying farewell to Rabbi Barkan with all our best wishes,
hello in September to Rabbi Moshe Silberschein and then, we are hoping, a new and permanent Rabbi in July
2016.
I am hoping we will continue all the study groups that have been started over the past three years and hopefully
add to them. We have had several successful conversions to Judaism over the past few years, which is an improvement over prior years, with a few more potential on our horizon.
As you all are aware we have a new lobby, new front doors and, as I write this, we are undergoing a major change
in the lighting in our chapel, main sanctuary, board room and library.
We have recently approved an updating of our Bar and Bat Mitzvah congregational manual with the help of Jodi
Sadler and her committee. This manual once again spells out our congregational commitment to strong educational values for our children and a commitment to the Shalom School.
Shalom School as I write this is completing another successful educational year under the leadership of Principal
Eva Locker. The number of children enrolled at year’s end in the school was at ninety-two with hopes of growing from there in the academic year beginning in August 2015. Sharon Galin is the incoming President of the
Shalom School board.
I am optimistic that over the next year, with your help, stability, growth, renewed energy and resilience will be
the descriptors used for Congregation Agudath Achim.
Considering the size of our congregation and then considering our participation in daily minyans, Shabbat services, study groups, educational programs, the Backpack Buddy program, our Sisterhood, our weekly Kiddush
prep team and our Bikur Cholim group, we have a lot of participation. This is not even mentioning all the committee participation that we have. The truth be told however we have some congregants who participate in multiple of these programs and some who rarely participate. I am hoping that we can have enough attractive programs
available so that we not only grow and strengthen as a congregation but we broaden our congregational participation.
Wishing you all a healthy and happy summer and hoping to "See You in September" if not before.
Steven Roth
President
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Shalom School Happenings
On the final session of Shalom School before summer break, students and teachers enjoyed a day of games, pizza
and song featuring talented musicians Dominic and Sean Kelly. It was a great way to celebrate the end of what
has been a busy year for the school; one that has seen many changes and new programming.
Improving building and student security has been one of our focuses this year. New walkie-talkies were purchased and building security policies during religious school hours have been reexamined. A new security camera was installed at the side entrance of AA to monitor access of our midweek Hebrew students. On Sunday
mornings, a SCMPD officer now patrols the entrance along with a volunteer greeter who opens the door for students. In the fall, we plan to have photo ID cards to be used at Sunday school pickup and drop off to further ensure our students’ safety. Background checks are now run on all of our teachers. And to keep us safe on-line, we
now have a secure on-line portal through our website for parents to access sensitive information such as the
school calendar and monthly Shalom School Board meeting minutes.
We have also been working on ways to get families more involved. In the fall we held our first Grandparents/
Special Friend Breakfast for our preK-2nd grade students and plan to do this again next year. Parent-Student study
sessions, where parents joined their children to share a classroom lesson, will make a return as well. To build on
this, we are planning to invite parents to join in some of our Sunday morning services and to be more involved in
special projects such as baking and hands on mitzvah activities.
Other new programs this year have been the introduction of a Hebrew tutoring program that provides an alternative to traditional “Hebrew School”. This program is for 3rd – 6th grade students who seek supplemental Hebrew
education but are unable to attend midweek Hebrew classes. We have had several families participating this year
and are so happy to be able to offer this option. These students who were previously unable to join the midweek
classes are now on their way to preparing for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs!
We continue to look for ways to improve the Shalom School. To promote faculty development, we will be sending two of our teachers to the CAJE conference in Hartford, CT this summer. First grade teacher Katherine
Mafcher received a grant to help support her attendance and second grade teacher Amanda Barker received the
Emerging Professional Fellowship. Congratulations to them both! And, in order to keep pace with current trends
in supplemental Jewish education, we plan for our principal Eva Locker to visit other religious schools around the
country to gain a broader understanding of different programming formats. This will be of great value as in the
fall we plan to begin the task of reexamining and updating our curriculum.
Shalom School currently has over 90 students enrolled. Sadly we will be saying goodbye to some lovely families
who will be relocating out of the area this summer. We will miss them and wish them well.
We hope everyone has a fun and relaxing summer and look forward to seeing students back when classes resume
on August 16, 2015.
Shalom School welcomes children from pre-K through grade 12. If you would like to enroll your child or know
someone who would, please visit our website at www.theshalomschool.com for more information and an application.
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