IN THIS ISSUE - Congregation Or Shalom
April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 IN THIS ISSUE Host an Oneg………………………….. 2 Honorable Mention .... ……………….. 3 President’s Column ……………….. .. 3 Rabbi’s Column ……………………… 4 What Conservative Judaism Stands for ……………………………. 6 Seder Tips ……………………………. 7 Yahrzeits ……………………...………. 8 Contributions ……………………..... 9 Education Director’s Column ….…. 10 May Fundraiser ……………………… 11 Social Actions ………………………. 12 Chametz ………………………………. 13 Gift Shop ……………………………… 14 UPCOMING EVENTS 4/12 school returns from break Kosher Korner ………………………. 15 Sisterhood News …………….……... 16 In Memory of Peter Stevens ……… 17 Phila Memorial Ceremony for the Six Million Jewish Martyrs ……….. 21 4/20 Horizons Article due for May issue. Community …………………………. 22 Classes w/ Rabbi Jacob …….…... 23 Donation Form…………………….. 24 Monthly Calendar ………………. 25 Advertisers ……………... 26 thru 27 Please visit orshalom.com/ calendar for the latest information about events at Or Shalom HORIZONS April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 TD Bank Affinity Program Horizons is published monthly. Material submitted for publication may be edited for style, length and content. Please contact the office to report any errors or omissions. Thank you. Editor: Lauren Porter Congregation Or Shalom 835 Darby-Paoli Road Berwyn, PA 19312 Phone: 610-644-9086 www.OrShalom.com E-mail: [email protected] Congregation Or Shalom Executive Committee President: Stuart Lurie Vice President: Dan Markind Treasurer: Fred Leibowitz Secretary: Larry Bilker Membership: Scott Markovitz Events/Fundraising: Wendy Markind IPP: Fred Leibowitz Auxiliary & Community Groups Sisterhood: Mindy Bernstein Men’s Club: Dan Bernick Social Action: Gina Arlen Education Chair: Melissa Schneider Ritual Committee: Murray Klug Advertising rates Advertising contracts are arranged through the Temple office. All advertising is due the first of the month for next month’s edition of Horizons. We accept ads with a check made out to Congregation Or Shalom and the ad copy sent at the same time. Size Full Page 1/2 page 1/4 page 1/8 page HORIZONS 11 issues $900 $450 $225 $180 Per issue $100 $50 $25 $20 One of our best opportunities to increase Or Shalom’s revenue is through TD Bank. The bank has a program which pays Or Shalom a percentage of the total balances of the accounts that are enrolled in the program and affiliated with Or Shalom. If you already have an account at TD Bank, you can easily enroll your account in the Affinity Program by calling Jeff Salvo, the TD Bank branch manager in Devon. Jeff’s phone number is 610-254-9150. Remember, any member, relative of a member, or friend of a member can open a savings or checking account then enroll the account in the Affinity Program, providing them with Or Shalom’s name and address. Please note that all your bank account information is held in strict confidence by TD Bank. Or Shalom is not told anyone’s account balances and we are not told who is enrolled in the program. The only information we receive from TD Bank is the total number of accounts enrolled and the total account balances. Over the past four years, TD Bank has donated just under $21,000! Do you know Unaffiliated Jews in Chester County, Montgomery County and Delaware County? Do you have Jewish friends or acquaintances who live in Chester County, Montgomery County and Delaware County who are not already members of a synagogue? If you do, why not invite them to one of the upcoming events at Or Shalom, for example our next Friday night dinner? They may have a good time and decide to come back. They may have such a good time that they decide to become members themselves. According to a recent survey by the Jewish Federation, there are many, many unaffiliated Jews in Chester county. We’d love to contact them, but don’t know who they are. You can help. Todah rabah! Celebrate with an Oneg Or Shalom Sisterhood is delighted to announce that you can sponsor an Oneg for any celebration you wish! Friday night and/or Saturday morning. The Sisterhood will be happy to purchase it and set it up, we only want you to join us and celebrate! Call Faye Peel at (610) 356-7335 or email Faye at [email protected]. 2 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 From your newsletter editors The President’s Column Stuart Lurie Do we have your correct email address? If you have not been receiving the weekly update, we probably don’t have a correct address. Please email the office with your correct address Continued Appeal for Funds By now, you should have recently received a letter from me asking you to consider making a supplemental pledge to the synagogue to help see us through the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. Do we have a complete list of your Yahrzeits? We send out a reminder letter each month. If you don’t get one, we don’t have your Yahrzeit records up to date. Email the office with the name, relationship to member, and civil date including year and we will add it to our records. Special thanks to the folks who keep dropping off Box Tops for Education, keep it up. Since our mortgage payment is largely covered by the rent from our tenant, The Cambridge Schools, the remaining cost of our operations is approximately $250,000 per year. As a small synagogue of approximately 130 family units, we don’t have a large membership based over which to spread these costs. On a per-family-unit basis, that comes to $1,923. Under our pledge system, some have contributed more than this amount, but far too many have contributed less. Unfortunately, so far this year, the total amount pledged and fulfilled is falling well short of this, and we need to raise another $78,000 to finish out our year. Past years of operating deficits have left our cash reserves critically low, and so I am, once again, appealing to you all to give what you can. If the future of Or Shalom is important to you, please consider making a generous and immediate supplemental pledge to get us This newsletter is for all communicate, to share thoughts, to tell simchas, to speak of our losses, our joys, and to say “did you know?” Let us know! HORIZONS through the end of the fiscal year. Your Jewish community thanks you, and I thank you. Stuart Lurie, President. 3 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Mitzvah of the Month Rabbi Jacob Rosner Message From the Rabbi It is very important that all of us who support Israel, vote in the elections for world Zionist congress. This year’s election is of particular importance to us at Or Shalom, as our former beloved rabbi Alan Iser is one of the delegates on the slate for Mercaz. I urge you to click on the website and vote. You, too can have a voice in Israel. By voting, you are supporting Israel, the Conservative movement and Rabbi Iser. Our Platform MERCAZ USA is the Zionist Organization of the Conservative/Masorti Movement, the voice of Conservative/Masorti Judaism within the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish National Fund/ Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael, ensuring that our values are expressed at the highest level in regard to matters relating to Israel and the Jewish world. Conservative/Masorti Judaism was the first of the modern Jewish religious movements to embrace Zionism and has steadfastly remained at the forefront of the effort to promote its values: the centrality of Israel in the life and consciousness of the Jewish people and the unity of the Jewish people wherever they may live. Our connection to the Land and State of Israel and its capital Jerusalem begins first and foremost with our people’s 4000year covenant with the Divine. This covenant has imposed upon us the responsibility not only to support and defend the State of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people but also to create in Zion an exemplary society — democratic and pluralistic — that empowers all streams of Jewish practice, guarantees the rights of all of its citizens, is uncompromising in its struggle for security even as it strives for peace with its Arab neighbors and is committed to protecting the environment and its natural resources. MERCAZ Stands For: An Open Pluralistic Jewish Society — A vote for MERCAZ is a vote for an Israeli society that celebrates Jewish values without limiting itself to one particular stream of Judaism. We insist on the acceptance and registration of all conversions, weddings and divorces performed by Conservative/Masorti rabbis in Israel and demand that all non-Orthodox rabbis functioning as community spiritual leaders receive State-funded salaries as do their Orthodox colleagues. We applaud the campaign to provide alternatives for marriage and divorce for all Israelis and support the concept of redeveloping the entire Western Wall plaza to answer the legitimate demands of the Conservative/Masorti Movement, the Reform Movement, the Women of the Wall and others who seek to pray according to their egalitarian and pluralistic traditions. A Contemporary Zionist Agenda, including Aliyah, Hebrew and Zionist Education — A vote for MERCAZ is a vote for keeping Zionism relevant in the 21st Century as exemplified by the 2004 MERCAZ-initiated revision of the Jerusalem Program. MERCAZ USA supports a pro-active policy to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, encourages Aliyah from all countries, champions the partnership between the Jewish Agency and Nefesh B’Nefesh and opposes all attempts to restrict the Law of Return. We also call for the strengthening of Jewish/Zionist education in the United States and throughout the world, including increasing the number of shlichim to college campuses and Jewish youth movements . HORIZONS 4 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Rabbi’s Message continued We recognize the vital importance of Hebrew as a means of conveying Jewish culture and identity and are committed to joining with others to revitalize Hebrew language instruction and culture in the United States and throughout the world. A Negotiated Two-State Settlement between Israel and the Palestinians — A vote for MERCAZ is a vote of support for a two-state solution – one Jewish and one Palestinian Arab – that is the declared policy of the current Israeli prime minister and of every other Israeli administration for the past ten years. These policies, based on the principles of territorial compromise, appropriate security arrangements and an explicit recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people, will preserve Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. We support the government’s decision to launch this past summer’s operation against Hamas and back its insistence on Gaza’s demilitarization as a condition to reconstruction. We expect the Palestinian Authority to fulfill its commitment to confiscate terrorist weapons, prepare its people to accept the right of Jewish statehood and stop incitement against Israel in its media, mosques and school textbooks. Pro-Active Concern for Israel’s Environment — A vote for MERCAZ is a vote for strengthening good governance and ecologically sound “green” policies within the Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael as have been championed for the past decade by our MERCAZ representatives on the JNF/KKL Board of Directors. While mindful of the need to maintain development and security to meet Israel’s needs in the 21st century, we urge more resources be dedicated for river restoration, mass transportation options and recycling projects and support the maintenance of policies aimed at preventing Israel’s limited irreplaceable natural and water resources and green spaces from being sacrificed for low density housing projects and unnecessary highway construction. Support for the Conservative/Masorti Movement — A vote for MERCAZ is a vote for strengthening the Conservative/Masorti Movement in Israel and throughout the world. We call for increasing the Jewish Agency’s “Stream Funding” to bolster the institutions of Masorti Judaism in Israel — the Masorti Movement, Schechter Institute, TALI Schools and Fuchsberg Center— and the allocations from the WZO’s Pluralism Unit to build Masorti Olami communities in South America, Europe, Ukraine and elsewhere around the world. MERCAZ also calls for enhanced funding to support North American Conservative programs in Israel, such as USY’s Israel Pilgrimage, Camp Ramah’s Israel Seminar, Schechter Day School Network Israel trips and the United Synagogue’s NATIV and Conservative Yeshiva. MERCAZ is Endorsed By: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Rabbinical Assembly, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, Cantors Assembly, Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, Masorti Olami, United Synagogue Youth, Masorti on Campus, National Ramah Commission, Jewish Educators Assembly, North American Association of Synagogue Executives and Schechter Day School Network; and, Represents the Israeli Masorti Movement, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, TALI School Development Fund, NOAM Youth Movement, MAROM Student/Young Adult Movement, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center and Kibbutz Hannaton; and, is Affiliated with MERCAZ OLAMI and the other MERCAZ chapters in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, HORIZONS 5 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 What Conservative Judaism stands for Conservative Jews Commend Netanyahu Apology, Call for Continued U.S. Admin Support of Israel March 2015 - Nisan 5775 NEW YORK - During a meeting with minority groups in Israel today, Prime Minister Netanyahu apologized for his Election Day comments regarding Israeli Arab voters. The Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the association for Conservative/Masorti rabbis, and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) commended the apology. Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the RA; Rabbi William Gershon, president of the RA; Rabbi Steven Wernick CEO of USCJ; and Margo Gold, international president of USCJ issued the following joint statement. "The Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism welcome and applaud today's apology by Prime Minister Netanyahu during a meeting with minority groups in Israel, calling out specifically his regret that 'I know that the things I said a few days ago hurt some citizens in Israel, the Arab Israeli citizens' and that 'this was not my intention and I am sorry.' "In this spirit, we hope that this statement begins a process of healing and unity for common purpose, not only in Israel but for the U.S.-Israel relationship, an alliance driven by deep and vital shared values and interests. For American Jews, and for those of us in the Conservative Movement, recent statements by the U.S. Administration that could be interpreted to signal a potential distancing between the U.S. and Israel have been a cause for grave concern. "Within the Jewish community there is room for honest response to actions that trouble us, but the U.S.-Israel relationship is sacrosanct and we consider our support for Israel and for the strongest U.S.-Israel relationship to be axiomatic to our Jewish identity. What our community needs is more cooperation and unity in working together toward strengthening the U.S.-Israel partnership, not creating new divisions by seeking to attack fellow Jewish organizations or create new points of conflict. "We congratulate the Prime Minister on his recent re-election and celebrate Israel's robust democracy at this time when there is much urgent work to be done on all critical issues especially Iran, defense of Israel at the U.N. and other international bodies and the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. As we pray every evening for our personal security, so do we pray for the wellbeing of our two nations: 'God spread over us your shelter of peace and guide us with your good counsel.'" HORIZONS 6 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 The following Seder tips are to share with your family and friends: Choose Your Megillah Carefully Most of us spend lavishly when we make our Seder. The food is plentiful, the wine flows freely, the table is set beautifully. Yet, when we open the Haggadah, that tells the Passover story, more than likely we have before us a worn, tattered, wine-stained book that cost a quarter when it was purchased in the 1950's and has pages missing. (here is a hint - Maxwell House makes a heavenly coffee, and Manischewitz makes an okay gefilte fish [real gefilte fish is never bought], but neither of them are expert Haggadah makers). It would be wise to make a one time investment in a suitable Haggadah that offers explanations, beautiful art, and a good translation. Each of the major Jewish movements has created wonderful Haggadahs. Prepare the Seder We spend so much time preparing the menu and the guest list. We are concerned with timing, having the correct food groups, sitting the right people next to each other, etc. How much time do we spend to make sure that the ritual of the Seder is meaningful to those participating? If your Seder consists of Zeyda sitting at the head of the table saying something like "BzzzzzzzzzBzzzzzBzzzz, mumble, mumble, mumble, while Uncle Morris keep interrupting to ask, "can we eat already?" and Scott chases Melanie under the table, then you are all missing the point. If you are not going to say the entire Haggadah, take the time before-hand to decide what is important and what can be skipped. Ask any guests you may invite to come prepared with an explanation or a song that they remember from their Seders. It will make your guests feel at home, and it will enhance your Seder as well. Invite Guests In the beginning of the Seder, we proclaim, "Let all who are hungry come, and eat, all who are needy come and celebrate Passover with us." Can you imagine the pain in the heart of the senior citizen who contemplates the holy day without a spouse with whom so many Passovers were shared? No Jew should be alone on Passover. We are commanded to invite all who are hungry. That commandment includes gay or lesbian Jews who may feel alienated from the community. It includes intermarried families who may feel rejected. It includes university students who are far away from home. It is a great mitzvah to invite those who would otherwise be alone. Explain the Rituals The Haggadah means, "the telling" because it serves as a spiritual tool to fulfill the four time repeated biblical commandments to tell the exodus story to our children. It is important to relate the story of the suffering of our people throughout the ages to the suffering of others today. Perhaps we can use the Seder as a starting point for a discussion of the plight of the African Americans in our country or the struggle for freedom for all of the Middle East. Sing a Lot Make the Seder a joyous occasion. Be sure that every child present who is capable, get to recite four questions the accompanying nahas of the parents. Each child should be rewarded for finding the afikomen, not just the actual finder. In traditional circles it is during Pesach not during Chanukah when major gifts are given. HORIZONS 7 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 April 1, Nissan 12, 5775 Lillian G. Jenkins, mother of Lane Liebman April 2, Nissan 13, 5775 Ann Liss Erlich, mother of Michelle Cohen Irving Hyams, father of Warren Hyams April 6, Nissan 17, 5775 Albert Krant, brother of Bernard Krant April 7, Nissan 18, 5775 Norman Wolinerm, uncle of David Walker April 8, Nissan 19, 5775 Frederick Shore, father of Barbara Pollack April 22, Iyar 3, 5775 Benjamin Leitner, father of Donald Leitner Pauline Pass, aunt of Harriet Krant April 23, Iyar 4, 5775 Joseph Meyer, father of Steven H. Meyer April 24, Iyar 5, 5775 Ruth Cohen, mother of Jay Cohen William Swerdlow. Stepfather of Diana Braunstein April 26, Iyar 7, 5775 Sarah Millrood, mother-in-law of Sylvia Millrood April 29, Iyar 10, 5775 Sara Swerdlow, mother of Diana Braunstein April 10, Nissan 21, 5775 Helen Greenberg, mother of Don Strumpf Esther Rosalie Keet, mother of David Keet April 11, Nissan 22, 5775 Sylvia Zipkin, mother of Jay Zipkin Hyman Schneider, father of Bernard Schneider April 12, Nissan 23, 5775 Hyman Schneider, father of Bernard Schneider April 13, Nissan 24, 5775 Joseph Laveson, great-uncle of Michael Arlen April 14, Nissan 25, 5775 Beatrice Korensky, aunt of BettyAnn Monash April 16, Nissan 27, 5775 Esther Frankovits, mother of Vera Klein April 17, Nissan 28, 5775 Martin Kaplan, father of Diana Braunstein Morris Shwartzman, grandfather of Ellen Gross Alvin Strumpf, father of Don Strumpf April 20, Iyar 1, 5775 Bernard Scher, father of Marjorie Schneider HORIZONS 8 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Contributions Congregation Or Shalom gratefully acknowledges the following generous contributions in the month of February 2015 Paul Seres Fund Rabbi Discretionary Fund Miriam Seres Miriam Seres Tema L. Tiller January 25 Sunday Concert Jay & Betsy Cohen Irvin & Janet Hurwitz Warren & Elizabeth Hyams David & Caryl Keet Nancy & James Margolis BettyAnn Monash Steve & Nieta Shapiro R. S. Simmons Michael & Lisa Winigrad Oneg Sponsorship Todd S. & Christina Chusid In honor of Rose Chusid, Bat Mitzvah General Donation Don & Binnie Donald Yahrzeit Donations Diana Braunstein Steven & Beth Burak Michael & Zev Chonoles Janet Emanuel Sylvia Millrood Sylvia Millrood Sylvia Millrood Sylvia Millrood Sylvia Millrood James Patton & Ellen Gross Miriam Seres Richard & Sheryl Tregerman Memory of David Braunstein Memory of Leonard Lafair cash from Memory Susann Chonoles Bank Memory of Sylvia Bornstein Memory of Bernard Millrood Memory of David Greenberg Memory of Florence Greenberg Memory of Herman Millrood Memory of Sara Millrood Memory of Susan Dede" Gross" Memory of Rose Skolnick Memory of Edity Perzley General Fund Boaz & Jill Cohen Rhonda T. Newmark-White Women's American Art Taylor Chapter of General Fund Donation Book in honor of father Henry Joseph Newmark Gift Wrapping Fundraiser, special thanks to Mindy Bernstein, Debra Behar, Ellen Gross, Renee Haymen, Eileen Kosterich, Helaine Leibowitz, Mindy Markovitz, Gayle Slaybaugh Please Note: Any error or omission of a name or contribution is NOT intentional. Please contact the office via email [[email protected]] if your name and contribution was not included the list, and we will publish in the next issue. Thankyou. HORIZONS 9 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 From the Education Director Na’ama Yarden What age is the right time to start teaching about The Holocaust? As educators, we always try to teach to our students the most relevant aspects of our heritage. We often ask ourselves what is appropriate to teach at every age? As the Holocaust Remembrance Day is coming soon (4/16/15) this question is often raised among educators and parents. Is it appropriate to teach about the Holocaust to young children? What is the right age to start discussing the Shoah in the classroom? Some educators think it is a subject that should not be mentioned before High-School, while other think that a younger age is the right time to start teaching about it. However, everyone agrees that we need to be very sensitive, aware and supportive of the students’ emotional state towards the material. As an elementary school teacher, I believe that we have to educate our students from young age about the Shoah. We need to start creating awareness in their minds regarding this very significant time in the Jewish History. When teaching young children, we should avoid graphic descriptions and horror stories. We need to let our students know some basic facts and start developing a basic understanding of what happened. As the students grow and are ready for more detailed information we can expose them to more stories and facts and especially help them develop their thoughts and feelings towards this subject. Through out the years, I have been teaching about the Holocaust to second graders and up. I talk to my students about what happened, but limit the details. I teach them the word “Holocaust” so they can recognize the importance of this day of remembrance: Yom Hashoah. At Or Shalom religious school we teach our six and seven graders a unit about the Holocaust. Every year these students go with their parents to a special program for the Chester County synagogues. They watch a show and discuss it with the students from other schools. When they come back they become messengers of what they learned to the rest of the students from 3rd grade and up. This way we encourage them to get involved and express their thoughts regarding the Shoah. On Tuesday 4/21/15, these students will lead the Yom Hashoah program at our school. Conducting this ceremony for the school helps the students to strengthen their Jewish identity, teach them to carry on the responsibility to teach the world about what happened and to take a stand towards our history. This year, when Yom Hashoah comes, I encourage you to take the opportunity to talk to your children about it. One way to make sure you don’t overwhelm them with too many details is to let them take the lead by asking you questions and this way to determine what would they like to know. As adults we should make sure they know that this is an important subject for us to talk about, to remember and to learn from. HORIZONS 10 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Or Shalom Community is coming together to raise a glass and money for our promised future. Sunday, May 31st 6:00pm- 9:00pm. Admission is $60/person. Join us for a fun Concert of Mike Agranoff, (http://www.mikeagranoff.com) a folk singer and guitar player. Dinner, silent auction and good friendship will accompany the concert. Bring along your friends and family. The more- the merrier! There will be Pizza dinner and a fun activity for children $20/child, $30/family. Donations for the silent auctions are welcome. Please solicit your favorite store, or donate a beautiful object. To RSVP for the event or to donate, please contact the Or Shalom office: 610-644-9086 HORIZONS 11 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Don’t Pass-Over Your chance to help those in need! Got Chametz? This year, Or Shalom will once again be collecting non-perishable Chametz (AKA food that is prohibited during Passover) to distribute to hungry families throughout the area. Please do your part, and deposit your Chametz in the containers near the Mitzvah Pantry Collection Box by Sunday, April 12, 2015. Donated food must have current expiration dates, be unused, and have an unbroken seal. A Place At The Table: Get Involved! One in four children in the United States do not know where their next meal is coming from. The acclaimed film A Place At The Table examines the issue of hunger in America through the lens of three people struggling with food insecurity: Barbie, a single Philadelphia mother who grew up in poverty and is trying to provide a better life for her two kids Rosie, a Colorado fifth-grader who often has to depend on friends and neighbors to feed her and has trouble concentrating in school Tremonica, a Mississippi second-grader whose asthma and health issues are exacerbated by the largely empty calories her hardworking mother can afford A Place at the Table reveals how hunger poses serious economic, social, and cultural implications for our nation. It also shows how the problem could be solved if the American public decides — as we have in the past — that making healthy food available and affordable is in our country’s best interest. To learn more about A Place At The Table, and what YOU can do to help, go to: http:// actioncenter.takepart.com/apatt A Helping Hand Rough economic times shouldn’t prevent any family from holding their Passover Seder. If anyone in the Congregation needs help obtaining Seder staples, please contact Rabbi Jacob in confidence. HORIZONS 12 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 This year, Or Shalom will once again be collecting non-perishable Chametz (AKA food that is prohibited during Passover) to distribute to hungry families throughout the area. Please do your part, and deposit your Chametz in the containers near the Mitzvah Pantry Collection Box by Sunday, April 12, 2015. Donated food must have current expiration dates, be un- used, and have an unbroken seal. HORIZONS 13 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 CELEBRATE SPRING AT THE OR SHALOM GIFT SHOP! CELEBRATE BRIDAL SHOWERS, WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAYS, GRADUATIONS, BAR or BAT MITZVAHS OR BABY’S ARRIVAL With a gift from the OR SHALOM GIFT SHOP! SEE OUR WIDE SELECTION OF BREAD BOARDS, SERVING DISHES, PENDANTS, PICTURE FRAMES, JEWISH BABY BOOKS, NOVELTIES & TOYS AND MEZZUZAHS, MENORAHS, & SEDER PLATES ALL SUITABLE FOR A VARIETY OF OCCASIONS AT REASONABLE PRICES Free Gift Wrap! Cash or Checks Accepted, sorry no credit cards. Hours: Sundays 9:30 AM-12:30 PM Additional hours by appointment. For information, call Binnie 610-688-6750. HORIZONS 14 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE TRIFLE (not Kosher for Passover) Prep Time : 5 minutes minimum Ready Time : 5 min Servings 8 Servings Ingredients 1 (16-ounce) prepared pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes, divided 2 (12-ounce) packages frozen strawberries in sugar or syrup, thawed, divided 2 (8-ounce) containers non-dairy whipped topping, divided Directions Preparation Crumble 4 cake cubes to resemble coarse crumbs. Set aside. Place half the remaining cake cubes in the bottom of a glass trifle bowl. Spread one package of strawberries in syrup over the cake layer. Cover with 1 container non-diary whipped topping, spreading to edges. Repeat layer with remaining cake, strawberries and whipped topping. Sprinkle reserved cake crumbs over top. Chill in refrigerator about 2 to 3 hours before serving, but no longer than 4 hours, because whipped topping will begin to liquefy. Tips Decorate the top with fresh sliced strawberries if you like. Or, for a different flavor note, use lemon pound cake. Contributed by: Quick & Kosher, JAMIE GELLER HORIZONS 15 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Thanks again to those of you who helped bag the shalach manot, and Gerry Satlow for organizing the sales. As in the past, it was a very successful fundraiser for Sisterhood. I hope those of you who attended the Sisterhood Book Club/Men's Club Brunch enjoyed our speaker as much as I did. I am excited to tell you that the author, Ann Atkins, has agreed to come back to tell more of Golda Meir's life as described in her wonderful book True Grit. The date will be announced soon in the weekly email. Our Sisterhood Shabbat is around the corner. Please contact Brenda Belkin or Betsy Cohen to let her know what part you would like to lead on May 16, and if you are able to help prepare the luncheon that day. Our Sisterhood Closing Dinner will be on Thursday, June 4th. If you would like to host it, please let me know. Enjoy the warmer weather! Mindy Bernstein HORIZONS 16 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 In Memory of Peter Stevens As most people know, my ex-husband, Peter Stevens, died suddenly and unexpectedly this past December. Since he was an extremely active member of Or Shalom for many years, and since many people couldn’t make the services at which I sponsored a luncheon in his memory, I wanted to share with you what our children, Ruth and George, said at his funeral. By way of background, he was living in California with his second wife, Flaurie, and the synagogue to which they belonged there was called Kol Emet. Ruth said: My Dad gave me so much throughout my life but I want to focus on the last few years with him; they have been such good ones in our relationship. As hard as this occasion is I feel incredibly grateful for the time we got to spend together as adults, his love for me and George, and his support for our life in Israel. I was here at Kol Emet just a few weeks ago with him on the last day that I saw him and I think he proudly introduced his daughter from Israel to almost everyone in the sanctuary. I’d like to read from a poem by Yehuda Amichai in Hebrew [Hebrew omitted here] and then English which describes some of what I learned and am still learning from him. A man doesn't have time in his life to have time for everything. He doesn't have seasons enough to have a season for every purpose. Ecclesiastes Was wrong about that. A man needs to love and to hate at the same moment, to laugh and cry with the same eyes, with the same hands to throw stones and to gather them, to make love in war and war in love. And to hate and forgive and remember and forget, to arrange and confuse, to eat and to digest what history takes years and years to do. A man doesn't have time. When he loses he seeks, when he finds he forgets, when he forgets he loves, when he loves He begins to forget George said: Two months ago, my dad turned 60. Ruth and I called him from Israel to congratulate him and send him our love. He and Flaurie agreed to sponsor a Kiddush luncheon at shul, which just about sums up how he’d like to celebrate his 60th. HORIZONS 17 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 But as the date grew closer, my father grew leery of the idea. He wasn’t willing to show up to shul, hear a hundred mazel tovs, and be the center of attention. That simply wasn’t his way. He and the Stevens side of his family, myself included, were about to head to Germany for the installation of plaques on the street in Hannover where my grandfather’s family had last lived together before they fled or perished. So, on the occasion of his 60 th birthday, he refused to hold any sort of celebration for himself, and instead turned it into a luncheon in honor of his father’s family and the upcoming ceremony in Hannover. This was unbelievably typical of my father. I don’t know whether it was his Canadianess or just his personality, but my father had a disdain for raw egotism, a deep distrust for selfabsorption in any form. I am more outgoing than my father was, and I always liked the social spotlight somewhat more than he did. So one of the most important things he impressed unto me was that pride and self-absorption take you nowhere. He never said this message out loud, but he raised us with a firm conviction that you should love yourself but that you should never be in love with yourself. **** If you spoke to my father and me about politics, you discovered we were pretty much opposite. That goes for my father and my sister as well. And, as a matter of fact, for him and both of the women he married, my mother and Flaurie. So I was forced to wonder here: how was he able to live with all this? What allowed him to maintain relationships despite the political abyss that stood between us? First of all, he was committed. And fulfilling the Israeli stereotype of yekkes, of German Jews, he showed what he cared about through his commitments rather than through his words. People here at Kol Emet have seen this the past several years, and people at Or Shalom where we grew up saw this as well. His commitment to his family was total. Despite the difficulty of having both his kids move to Israel, he never tried to convince us not to, and he never, ever thought about changing the way he felt about us because of that. During the last years of his marriage to my mother, my grandfather from her side fell ill and moved in with us. My father, despite that things were probably difficult between him and my mom, and despite that my grandfather was his father-in-law rather than a blood relation, showed that he was willing to do anything to help him. And for Flaurie, as I’m sure many of you know from Facebook, he would buy flowers every single Friday afternoon. He also felt a deep loyalty to country. He had an undying fondness for Canada. He had a very deep love for this country, even though he adopted it later in life. And Israel’s existence really spoke to the core of his being. He served in the Canadian reserves and he visited Israel at least once a year since Ruth moved there. And though very few of you probably know this, after asking permission from my mother, my dad volunteered to enlist in the US military during the Gulf War, though they told him he was too old to serve at that point. The thought that he would watch on TV as other people sacrificed for our country really bothered him. Judaism was the other thing that kept us all close, despite the distance and despite our political differences. My father, as most of you know, was not raised Jewish, but his embrace of Jewish life was exceptional, made deeper by my Uncle Marc’s discovery of our grandfather’s story. Perhaps my mind has grown hazy, but I can’t really recall seeing a convert take on such a central role in synagogue life before. Yet when I think about my father, I’m not even slightly surprised by how active he was in Jewish life during his last two decades. The only thing that surprises me today is how he ever made it in this world as a goy. His Jewishness was real and deep and alive, a blessing to his life. HORIZONS 18 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 And this is what united us: our commitment to Judaism, to Jewish literacy, to Jewish community. He chose shul, and Ruth and I chose kibbutz. But our commitment to Jewish life never faltered on either side of the Atlantic. Our willingness to place Judaism at the center of our lives enabled us to grow closer in his final years, even though physically we moved farther apart. For him, he couldn’t feel at home in a place until he was part of the Jewish community. And despite the many differences between a place like Kol Emet and my and Ruth’s urban kibbutz in Haifa, the same feeling permeates us. We choose to place community and mutual responsibility as the core values in our lives, and we choose to do so Jewishly, because that is who we are as human beings. **** There’s one last thing I want to remember about my father, something that is totally disconnected to the rest of what I’ve said here. My father struggled to express himself. On politics or on science, his words were sharp and clear. His mind felt at ease in mathematics. But he struggled more with the inner lives of human beings, with personal and interpersonal aspect of life. Despite his intellectual strength, his mind couldn’t solve the riddle of human emotion. He struggled to understand this side of life, and he was never very able to articulate even his own feelings. And despite all the disadvantages and difficulties that came along with this, there was something beautiful about it. His smiles were the most genuine I have ever seen in an adult. For him, a smile was something different altogether. For many of us, a smile is an indication that I approve of you, or that I know I’m meant to be enjoying the present circumstance. My father smiled the way small boys smile, when they are overwhelmed with joy and don’t know to hide it and don’t want to hide it. Like there is just too much happiness inside and some tiny portion of it needs to be released to the outside world. If you ever saw my dad when Ruth or I would fly from Israel and come to services at Kol Emet, you know what I was talking about. If you saw him at a Phillies game, or when he was with my childhood dog Ori whom he pretended to hate, you know exactly what smiles I am describing. His smiles were an involuntary reflex stemming from his truest emotions, not from social conditioning or considerations. God blessed my sister and myself with more social grace than our father, and we’ve always had an easier time articulating and understanding the emotional side of life than he did. But the total genuineness of his smiles, the naïve authenticity behind them, lives us something to aspire to. I hope that my life can lead me to smiles like that. Dad, we miss you. HORIZONS 19 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Finally: Donations in memory of Peter Stevens As some of you know, both Ruth and George live communally, in urban kibbutzim, in Israel. These groups are affiliated with an Israeli movement called Dror Israel. Among other things, Dror Israel runs numerous programs to educate young Israelis about both the Holocaust and the roots of Zionism; Ruth, George, and others in their groups are involved in these activities. As such, it is an appropriate organization to which to make donations in memory of Peter. If anyone wishes to do so, the simplest way to do so is to go to https://secured.israelgives.org//Custom/dror/cart and complete the form. Ruth’s email address is [email protected] and George's is [email protected]; be sure to click on the "click here" link near the bottom of the form to have an acknowledgement sent to either of them HORIZONS 20 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 There may be a bus leaving from Chester County. If we get additional information; it will be posted in the weekly update HORIZONS 21 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 COMMUNITY Hebrew School making hamantashans HORIZONS 22 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Classes with Rabbi Jacob Mishna Class Rabbi Jacob offers this class on each Sunday morning at 9:30 (immediately following the Sunday morning minyan). This is a very interesting class with plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate. (Not So) Basic Judaism Rabbi Jacob offers a Basic Judaism class for adults each Monday evening, from 7:30 to 8:30. The focus will be on learning about the holidays, life cycle events, great Jewish books and more. The Rabbi promises that even the most knowledgeable will find something new and intriguing in this class. Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class Rabbi Jacob invites any adult seeking to have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, to schedule private lessons with him. Other One-on-One Classes with Rabbi Jacob Rabbi is offering one-on-one classes at your convenience on many Jewish topics such as: Learning to read or speak Hebrew, synagogue skills, bible, Mishna, etc. You can even name your own class! Please email the office at [email protected] to schedule your class with the Rabbi now. HORIZONS 23 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Or Shalom Donation Form I would like to help support Or Shalom. I have specified each donation and I have included one check for the total amount payable to Or Shalom. Please send all donations to: Congregation Or Shalom, 835 Darby Paoli Road, Berwyn PA 19312 Name____________________________________________________ Name____________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________ Fund #________Amount $________ Phone #___________________ Fund #________Amount $________ Phone #___________________ Made in memory of________________________________________ Made in memory of________________________________________ Made in honor of__________________________________________ Made in honor of__________________________________________ Speedy Recovery__________________________________________ Speedy Recovery__________________________________________ Send acknowledgment to (include address) Send acknowledgment to (include address) Definition of Funds 1. Building Fund: Donations are used for the continuous upkeep of our building. These funds help offset unexpected expenses such as A/C, Heater, roof repair and any emergency repairs to our facility. 2. Beautification Fund: Donations are used for the upkeep of our grounds. Trees, plants, mulch, etc. 3. Biblical Garden Fund: Donations are used to maintain and support our biblical garden. Any questions for this fund should be addressed to BettyAnn Monash at [email protected]. 4. David Braunstein Memorial Scholarship Fund: Donations are used to offer scholarships for Jewish related travel or Jewish summer camps. For questions regarding this fund please contact Diana Braunstein at [email protected]. 5. Paul Seres Education Endowment Fund: This fund is maintained to provide interest income for restricted use by the synagogue for Education. 6. General Fund: All monies donated to this fund will supplement the current year’s budget. 7. Hebrew School: Funds are used for the needs of the Religious School. Examples: Bulletin boards, books and school supplies, etc. 8. Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund: The Rabbi uses these funds for charitable purpose. Donations to this fund can be made directly to the synagogue office. 9. Social Action: Donations will be used for all social action events and programs. Any questions to this fund should be addressed to Gina Arlen at [email protected]. 10. Tree of Life: A leaf can be purchased to honor or commemorate any important life event. The cost of a leaf is $180.00 which will be displayed in our foyer. For more information please contact Christina Chusid @ [email protected] 11. USY-Or Shalom Chapter: Funds are used to support USY for their activities. 12. Yahrzeit Plaque: Two plaques can be purchased for $360.00. The first would be a permanent plaque on the back wall of the sanctuary. The second plaque would be placed during the week of the Yahrzeit on the memorial wall in the front of the sanctuary. Additional information will be requested when purchasing a plaque. Please contact Ellen Gross at [email protected] for more information. 13. Oneg: Sponsor an Oneg for Friday night and /or Saturday morning for any celebration you with. The cost is $40.00 and the Sisterhood will purchase and set it up. 14. Sisterhood Cards & Contributions: Cards for all Occasions cost $5.00, Chaverim is $18.00 and Sisterhood Flowers are $18.00. A donation can also be made to the Sisterhood General fund. 15. Acme & Giant Script-Purchase supermarket cards and Or Shalom receives 5%. Purchase any amount in multiples of $50. This donation to Or Shalom COSTS YOU NOTHING! There are no restrictions and no expiration on the use of these cards at Acme and Giant. Call Paula Blaustein 610-256-1445 or [email protected]. HORIZONS 24 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 Calendar hfile:///C:/ Users/Alan/ Downloads/ calendar_201503-29_2015-05- HORIZONS 25 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 advertisements Here's an easy way to raise money for Or Shalom. Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they'll donate about a penny to Or Shalom every time you do a search! HORIZONS 03.pdf 26 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 ATTENTION GENUARDIS SHOPPERS: Since your St. Davids store is now a Giant Foods Store remember to get in touch with me to buy Giant scrip cards. Or Shalom earns 5% of the face value of the card and you don’t pay anything extra. Write a check for $50, $100, etc and get the full value in a card. No restrictions on what you can buy, even pharmacy items. HORIZONS 27 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775 HORIZONS 28 April 2015 Nisan Iyar, 5775
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