1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

Fall 2014
September • October • November
Elul • Tishri • Cheshvan • Kislev
Vol. LVI No. 1
September
www.templeshalom.net
5
6
12
13
FRI
SAT
FRI
SAT
19
20
FRI
SAT
Tot Shabbat, 5:30 PM
Congregational Pot Luck Dinner, 6:15 PM
Erev Shabbat Family Service – 7:30 PM
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Ki Teitzei, Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Isaiah 54:1-10
Erev Shabbat Service w/Rabbi Bruce E.
Kahn—”Reflecting on 40 Years in the
Rabbinate,” 7:30 PM
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Service and Bar Mitzvah of
Ethan Waxman, 10 AM
Ki Tavo, Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8
Isaiah 60:1-22
Erev Shabbat Service, 7:30 PM
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Selichot Reception, 8 PM
SpeakEasyDC Storytelling: Atonement,
8:15 PM
Havdalah & Candle-lit Selichot Services,
10 PM
Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30
Isaiah 61:10-63:9
24
25
WED
THU
Alternate Community Family-Style Service,
6:15 PM
Erev Rosh Hashanah Service, 8 PM
Rosh Hashanah Morning Service, 10 AM
Rosh Hashanah Youth Service, 10 AM
Rosh Hashanah Community Family
Service, 2 PM
Tashlich, 3 PM
Genesis 22:1-9
1 Samuel 1:1-2:10
26
Rosh Hashanah Second-Day Service, 10 AM
Erev Shabbat Service: Shabbat Shuvah,
7:30 PM
Genesis 1:1-2:3
Isaiah 5:5-6:13
or Jeremiah 31:1-19
27
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
FRI
SAT
Haazinu, Deuteronomy 32:1-52
Hosea 14:2-10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27
Atonement:
Selichot Event
Stor ies about Confession,Redemption and Making Amends
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Dessert reception at 8 PM
SpeakEasyDC Storytelling beginning at 8:15 PM
Havdalah and Candle-lit Selichot services
begin at 10 PM
Temple Shalom, 8401 Grubb Road, Chevy Chase, MD
Suggested donation: $15.
SAVE THE DATE
Seeds
of Community
Jewish Gospel Showcase
Sunday, November 16, 2014
4 PM
F e a t u r i n g Te m p l e S h a l o m a n d G u e s t C h o i r s
M o re I n f o r m a t i o n C o m i n g S o o n !
continued from page 1
October
November
3
4
FRI
SAT
Kol Nidrei Service, 8 PM
Alternate Community Family-Style Service, 8 PM
Yom Kippur Morning Service, 10 AM
Yom Kippur Youth Service, 10 AM
Adult Study Opportunities, Part I, 1 PM
Teen Conversation, 1 PM
Meditative Classical Guitar Concert, 1 PM
Adult Study Opportunities, Part II, 2 PM
Yom Kippur Community Family Service, 2 PM
Yom Kippur Afternoon Service, 4 PM
Yizkor and Ne’ilah, 5:15 PM (approx.)
Morning: Deuteronomy 29:9-14; 30:11-20
Isaiah 58:1-14
Afternoon: Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18, 32-37
Jonah 1:1-4:11
8
9
Erev Sukkot Service Under the Sukkah, 5:30 PM
Blessing of the Animals, 6:15 PM
Erev Sukkot BYO Dinner, 6:30 PM
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11
15
16
17
18
24
25
Tot Shabbat, 5:30 PM
Congregational Potluck Dinner, 6:15 PM
Erev Shabbat Family Service/Youth Choir KickOff/ Consecration, 7:30 PM
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
FRI
SAT
31
FRI
Sukkot Festival Morning Serivce at Temple
Emanuel, 10 AM
Luncheon, 12 NOON
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Chol Hamoed Sukkot, Exodus 33:12-34:26
Ezekiel 38:18-39:7
Congregational Dinner, 6 PM
Erev Simchat Torah Family Service with Torah
Unrolling and Israeli Dancing, 7 PM
Simchat Torah/Sh’mini Atzeret Festival
Morning & Yizkor Memorial Service, 10 AM
Luncheon, 12 NOON
Erev Shabbat Service, 7:30 PM
1
7
SAT
FRI
8
SAT
14
15
FRI
SAT
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Lech L’cha, Genesis 12:1-17:27
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
Noach, Genesis 6:9-11:32
Isaiah 66:1-13, 23
FRI
Tot Shabbat, 5:30 PM
Congregational Pot Luck Dinner,
6:15 PM
Erev Shabbat Family Service, 7:30 PM
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Service and Bat Mitzvah of
Rachel Udell, 10 AM
Vayeira, Genesis 18:1-22:24
2 Kings 4:1-37
SAT
28
29
FRI
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Service and Bar Mitzvah of
Ethan Singer, 10 AM
Tol’dot, Genesis 25:19-28:9
Malachi 1:1-2:7 or 1 Samuel 20:18-42
Pro-Neg Shabbat, 5:30 PM
Erev Shabbat Service, 6:15 PM
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study,
10 AM
SAT Vayeitzei, Genesis 28:10-32:3
Erev Shabbat Service, 7:30 PM
Hosea 12:13-14:10
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Service and B’not Mitzvah of
Hanna Schwartz & Naomi FlegelFarmer, 10 AM
Chayei Sarah, Genesis 23:1-25:18
1 Kings 1:1-31
Friday Night, September 12, 2014
7:30 PM
Rabbi Bruce E. Kahn, D. D.
Reflections
40 Years A Rabbi
34 With Temple Shalom
Then To Now: What’s It All Mean?
Union Prayer Book to Gates
of Prayer
to Mishkan T’filah: Reform’s
Way With Tradition
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
21
22
Soulful Shabbat Ruach Band Service,
7:30 PM
Viet Nam to Afghanistan
and Iraq
Meir to Netanyahu
PLO to PA
Kilmer to RGIII
Nixon to Obama
Civil Rights
Typewriters to Tablets
World Jewry
File Cabinets to the Cloud
American Jewry
Dow Goes From 600 to
17,000
Temple Shalom
Marijuana to Marijuana
Erev Shabbat Service, 7:30 PM
Shabbat Morning Worship & Study, 10 AM
Shabbat Service and Bar Mitzvah of
Anton Putterman, 10 AM
Lech L’cha, Genesis 6:9-11:32
Isaiah 66:1-13, 23
Candy Pro-Neg Shabbat, 5:30 PM
Erev Shabbat Service, 6:15 PM
Page 2
graphic design, cover design and production:
laura-leigh palmer, asap graphics;
[email protected]
editor
Cheryl McGowan, Temple Shalom
[email protected]
Produced by Temple Shalom
Phone: 301–587–2273 Fax: 301–588–9368
8401 Grubb Road | Chevy Chase | MD | 20815
From the Rabbi
The Challenge and Courage of Change
Rabbi Michael L. Feshbach
Message from
Without a doubt, it was a challenging time to be in Israel this past
July. It was a powerful experience, and important to be present – as well
as a triumph of sorts, as moving forward with our plans and finding
ways to have a wonderful experience constituted its own small victory in
an ongoing struggle. I hope that by the time you read these words, not
only is a surface calm restored but that somehow steps have been taken
to improve the lives of those in the region, all Israelis, and Palestinian
civilians as well.
Whatever will have unfolded in the meantime, however, there is one
moment from last July that stays with me, as deeply relevant not only for
Israel, but as a spiritual message for the High Holy Day season as well.
In very early July, in a single session of a class I attended, the author
and teacher Yossi Klein HaLevi opened with a brief reflection on the
kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens—followed by the brutal
revenge attack and murder of an Arab boy. Some line has been crossed,
HaLevi said. He did not know exactly what it was, or what would come
of it, but something…fundamental…had changed about Israeli society,
he said. He was, I believe, expecting a deep and searing introspection to
follow. Where have we gone wrong, and what can we do to change?
Except that that class was on a Sunday. And on Tuesday night the
first sirens sounded in Tel Aviv.
In the midst of tragedy—nay, in the face of an actual abomination, a
sin—there was a chance. There was a moment, there was a window. In
the face of full-out attack, however, it seems—for now, at least—that the
moment has been lost.
What I am about to do now follows an ancient Jewish tradition: I am
about to make a comparison between the situation we face as a
collective, as a people in our renewed sovereign state, and the state of
our own lives. This is a move made by the rabbis, who chose to link
Psalms of exile (“by the waters of Babylon”) to the weekday liturgy, and
songs of return (“return to Zion”) language to the prayers of Shabbat
and holidays. It is a “pyscho-spiritual” read, an internalization of our
historical, external and existential situation.
As we approach the High Holy Days, I am concerned about trying to
find that precious moment, that chance for change. Because there are
times in our lives when we do cross lines, when we make mistakes (well
short of murder, of course, where this analogy would break down),
when we hurt ourselves and one another. There is a chance for a deep, a
searing, introspection.
But then the missiles start flying, we feel ourselves under attack, and
we crouch into a defensive posture. It is natural, it is understandable—
but often the chance for change is lost. It is too hard to take an honest
look inward when taking blows from outside. (Indeed—and we see this
in Israel very clearly this month—those who raise hard questions anyway
in the midst of fire are themselves attacked, often viciously and
occasionally violently.)
Rabbi Michael Feshbach and daughter Talia light candles at a
Havdalah gathering at the home of Marc and Anne Feinberg. The
Rabbi and Cantor Lisa Levine celebrated a quarter-century of
spiritual work since graduating from HUC-JIR.
That is why what our tradition calls tochecha, or rebuke, is so very
hard. We all know people who practice rebuke freely and think they are
good at it. Often they are not. To challenge another, there has to be so
much love that it can lift us up; most of the time it rips us apart or
brings us down instead.
That is the call of this season: to find the time, to find a safe space, to
take an honest look inside. Sometimes some kind of growth can come
when under fire—certainly it can reveal some aspects of character. But
often rigidity flows from frontal attack; real and lasting growth, I
believe—even if prompted by a shocking event—comes best from
support, and a sense of being able to look inside.
This year may we all find that safe space, and holy place: to look
inside, and to not be afraid. To be honest, and strong. To be open…and
to be better. To love ourselves and others, to face challenge, and to
change. Then we will move from tragedy to triumph. And then we will
have fulfilled what this season, and what our lives, demand.
I hope that Israel is able, as a country, to find a way to look inward as well
as to protect itself in the year to come. And I hope that for all of us as well.
Julie, Benjamin, Daniel and Talia join me in wishing all of you a
wonderful and growth-filled new year of 5775.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Feshbach
Rabbi
Page 3
From the Cantor
Cantor Lisa L.
Levine
Message from
Shalom Dear Friends,
It was an awesome feeling as my classmates
and I stepped into the darkened sanctuary of
Temple Emanu-el in NYC and ascended the
bimah. We had an hour of pre-Doctorate
ceremony time with the President of HUCJIR, my friend and dear colleague Rabbi
Aaron Pankin. There we were, sitting in a
circle in front of the ark, representing nearly
500 years of service to the Jewish people. It
was a humbling and sobering moment in
which I certainly felt the power of the
Divine.We studied a Talmud text in which the
writers heaped praise upon Rabbi Yonatan
ben Zakai for his kindness to others, how he
was the first to arrive and the last to leave the
shul, and how he studied Torah from
morning until night. We then shared our
insights of how these attributes might
describe our own journey of 25 years for the
Jewish people. The wisdom that flowed from
that circle certainly made me proud and went
straight to my heart.
In my reflection, I spoke about my role
models: my own dear parents, Marvin and
Shirley Lipco, who taught me a work ethic
that has served me well over the years. I
spoke about my students and how they
inspire me every day and how this was the
beginning of our journey, not an end. The
text made me wonder how my congregation
reflected on my actions, and I prayed that it
was with honor and love.
When it was all done, we had passed a test
of sorts with ourselves and wrestled with the
challenges and blessings of our holy calling. It
was an honor to share that moment with my
classmates, my clergy partner Michael
Feshbach and esteemed colleagues. The
student graduating class chose my own
“Hallelu/Hinei Ma Tov,” sung by the alumni
choir and graduating students from HUCJIR, to begin the ceremony. I was in tears as
our voices soared in prayer and song for what
was certainly the highlight of my life!
Page 4
Nava Tehila performs at Erev Shabbat services as part of a kick-off celebration of
Rabbi Feshbach’s and Cantor Levine’s 25
years of service to the Jewish people. Both
received honorary doctorates from
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion in June.
When Rabbi Feshbach and I returned to
Maryland, the celebration continued here at
Temple Shalom with the Nava Tehila
weekend. We prayed, we ate, we danced, we
prayed, we ate and we danced some more! It
was a truly joyous weekend of friendship and
fellowship. I read the well wishes many of you
wrote in the tribute book, and that gave me a
warm feeling in my heart that will last forever!
I wish to thank the entire congregation for
their outpouring of love and appreciation. I'd
also like to especially thank Anne Feinberg for
chairing the Havdalah Concert weekend, and
for her and Marc's gracious hospitality in their
beautiful home and garden. Many thanks to
our Music Committee under the direction of
Debra Gutman and to everyone who baked
for the oneg! Thanks to the Board of Trustees,
Allison Druin and Linda Gurevich for their
musical tribute and to the Shir Shalom choir
for adding their voices! Thanks Emily Meyer
for another amazing cake! It was an honor to
celebrate this milestone with all of you!
My prayer for us this end-of-summer
season is that we each see miracles in our daily
lives and celebrate what really matters most:
small acts of kindness, the blessings of family
and nurturing love. Each of us finds the way
to that path, whether it be through music,
hiking, biking, study, reading, yoga, worship
or simply breathing in the air of a fresh, new
day. May we be blessed with a little time to
smell the roses and relax before we return to
our very full Temple lives!
Yours in song,
Cantor Lisa
Rabbi Michael Feshbach and Cantor Lisa
Levine celebrated a quarter-century of spiritual work since graduating from HUC-JIR.
On Thursday May 8, 2014, Rabbi
Feshbach and Cantor Levine received
Honorary Doctorate Degrees for 25
years of service as clergy. Below are
their bios, as seen in the program
booklet at the HUC graduation.
Michael Lee Feshbach:
Dedicated Rabbi
Who, through his leadership of Temple
Shalom, Chevy Chase, Maryland, for more
than a decade, has made his congregation a
warm and inviting house of prayer for all.
Whose innovations to the Bar and Bat
Mitzvah service have encouraged each participant to find his or her own voice.
Who has taken the mantle of leadership in
inter-religious dialogue, social justice advocacy, Israel education, adult learning and
youth engagement.
Who seeks to make the Jewish ties that bind
us together stronger in each of our lives.
Who has earned the respect and admiration
of his colleagues as a prolific author.
And who has attained positions of leadership on various councils and boards.
Lisa Lipco Levine:
Devoted Cantor
Who brings her personal passion as Director
of Liturgical Arts to the congregants of
Temple Shalom, Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Whose Shabbat and holiday recordings are
a unique resource for inter-generational
and interfaith choirs and bands.
And who shares her Yoga Shalom book and
CD with communities across the land.
Religious Education
Rabbi Rachel
Ackerman
Rabbi-Educator
The High Holy Day season is an
opportunity to reflect on the year gone by,
apologize for our wrongs from the past year,
and look forward to the year ahead.
I have always loved the concept of teshuvah.
It is often translated as “repentance,” but this
translation hardly gives justice to the true
meaning of the word. Teshuvah, literally, means
“returning.” True teshuvah, occurs when we
return to a place where we previously erred,
but this time choose to embrace the chance to
make a new decision.
It is an opportunity for renewal. And,
ultimately, it is an opportunity for making new
mistakes.
So I’d like to apologize in advance for the
mistakes this new year, and new school year,
will bring.
The new school year promises to be an
exciting one! Based on its inaugural success,
our Second Annual Community Kickoff will
take place on September 7 and, between now
and next spring, we will hold incredible retreats
and shabbatonim, field trips, services, a Purim
Carnival, and family learning opportunities.
We have made a number of changes. All of
our seventh graders will meet on Sunday
evenings, and they will study Hebrew for the
entire year instead of one semester. We will
welcome new teachers after saying goodbye to
others who have moved on. We will experiment
with two early session second grade classes.
And, thanks to the hard work of our Goodto-Great Taskforce, we will be experimenting
with and piloting a number of new programs.
Our Good-to-Great Design Subcommittee
worked for months at brainstorming various
new models of youth and family education at
Temple Shalom. With help from the greater
taskforce, the Subcommittee tweaked, edited,
and refined these models to bring them to the
Temple Shalom community as congregational
conversations. Alongside these conversations we
will also be experimenting with aspects of these
models over the next school year and soliciting
feedback to best assess how to move forward.
Temple Shalom children engage with Nira
Harel’s children’s book, “The Key to My
Heart” by reading the story and then “visiting” the different places that the father
and son visit in the book. Jennifer
MacAdam-Miller reads the story with the
families and Pamela Wilcox “makes pizza”
with kids in the pizzeria.
It will be a year of renewal. It will be a year
of teshuvah, of approaching a school year, one
that could look like any other, but this time
making new, and sometimes radical, changes.
And because of this, we will make mistakes.
Probably lots of them. We will run excellent
programs and we will try ones that fail miserably.
And for the opportunity to make mistakes, I
want to extend the Good-to-Great Committee’s
gratitude to the Temple Shalom community.
There will be a weekend or two where we
may ask you to come on a Saturday instead of
a Sunday. On occasion, we may extend the
morning into a lengthier session. We may plan
multi-grade family learning opportunities that
we hope you will embrace. Some of these new
programs will be wonderful, and some of them
not-so-much. Some of them will be at times
you love, others may complicate your
schedule. Some that seem like wonderfully
exciting and engaging programs on paper and
will fall flat in practice.
And for the opportunity to pilot these
ideas, for the opportunity for us all to move
from good to great and to figure out exactly
what that means, and for the opportunity to
err, I am grateful.
Even more critical than the programs we
pilot this year will be your dialogue around
them. Your input, ideas, reflections, respectful
feedback, openness, and honesty will help
inspire the future of the Temple Shalom
Religious School.
Most of these new times, dates, and
experimental programs are on your school
calendar. Some will emerge based on conversations
of which we hope you will have been a part.
Our first set of Congregational
Conversations will take place on September 7
during our Community Kickoff. We hope that
you will consider joining us for at least one of
the three opportunities throughout the
morning to participate in these conversations.
Thank you all for your role in creating dynamic
and innovating Jewish learning and living
opportunities for our Temple Shalom families.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Rachel Ackerman
Page 5
From the President • What’s the Scoop
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Random Acts of Leadership
Allison Druin
President, Temple Shalom
I
f I asked you to commit a random act of
kindness today would you know what to
do? Probably. Judaism calls acts of kindness
(and charity) mitzvot; they are central to
Judaism. When you perform a mitzvah—a single act of kindness—you strengthen the social
fabric of our human relationships while performing a service. Acts of kindness are encouraged because they can heal, inspire, and
change lives.
I got to wondering, given all that we are
doing at Temple Shalom in honoring and
valuing our leaders, what has been said about
random acts of leadership? Susan Mazza, a
leadership professional, elegantly connects
kindness with leadership. She writes:
I started to consider that perhaps committing
an act of kindness is in and of itself an act of
leadership. On a number of occasions, while my
motive was to be kind, I noticed my actions
caused others to behave differently and even
work together for a common goal. What seems to
be the common thread is the commitment to
making a difference.
(http://randomactsofleadership.com/our-story/)
Susan crystalized for me what we have been
striving for over the last year at Temple
Shalom—to support or inspire actions that
can cause all of us to behave differently, for
a common goal, for the common good.
We have seen these random acts of
leadership in small and large ways. For
example, this past year Temple Shalom
Religious School parents stepped up to be
“grade parents” who could lead outside
classroom activities, coordinate communication
among families, and make religious school
better for our students. There is Pamela
Wilcox, our beloved youth group advisor and
first grade teacher, who decided to bring
locally produced fruits and vegetables to our
Temple Shalom community. Forty congregants
and community members bought farm-fresh
foods from a local Community-Sponsored
Agriculture program that Pamela created.
Page 6
Acts of leadership also permeate our
committees. For example, the Financial Future
Committee time and again brought us
together for much-needed laughter, song,
food, wine, and ruach (spirit). Raising money
and recognizing those who give, while having
lots of fun, inspire our membership to ensure
that no one is ever turned away because of
financial need.
Another shining example is our outstanding
Mitzvah Day organized for a number of years
by Janis Pliner and her committee. In addition,
our Good-to-Great Committee, chaired by
Sarah Leavitt and Debbie Szyfer with lots of
volunteers, is exploring new models for
religious school learning for our youth and
families. And fundamental to the health of our
congregation, this past year the entire Temple
Shalom family opened up their collective arms
to the flood of new members from the Gift of
Membership program (spearheaded by Leslie
Rubin, the Membership Committee and
Welcome Teams).
As we enter our new Jewish year, it is time
to ask what each of us can do. What new
actions can we each take on to help move our
Temple Shalom family forward?
Last summer, our Board of Trustees had a
retreat where we identified a few areas of
shared focus and priority. While we have made
progress in each, we still need your random
acts of leadership to help us develop new
communications tools/websites, to help us
rethink Mitzvah Corps possibilities, and to
start chavurot (groups of congregants with
similar interests or in a particular geographic
area, age group, or interest). We would be
excited to support any emerging leaders who
are interested in helping with these activities or
anything else. My High Holy Days talk will
announce an exciting new leadership training
and development program at Temple Shalom.
Until then, I challenge all of you to
perform random acts of leadership! Many of
you hold positions of leadership in your
What’s the scoop? Our own celebrity
scoopers Cantor Lisa and Jeanette Gordon
make e-”cone”-omical use of their skills as
they work behind the counter at BaskinRobbins to raise money for religious school
programming. Temple Shalom in June.
workplace, local PTAs, neighborhood
associations and more. As the President of
your Temple Shalom family, I ask all of you to
bring your expertise, energy, and engagement
to our congregation. Consider joining one of
our committees; they need more volunteers
with great ideas and energy. Take a look at our
How to Get Involved at Temple Shalom
webpage for more specifics:
(http://www.templeshalom.net/index.php/
news_detail/how_members_can), or email me:
[email protected].
Kindness is itself an act of leadership. Our
tradition has understood this for millennia. We
call it mitzvot. My goal as your President this
year is to inspire our whole Temple Shalom
family to increase our random acts of
leadership!
Shalom,
Allison Druin
President, Temple Shalom
High Holiday Schedule • Gleaning
Temple Shalom
2014/5775
High Holy Day
Service Schedule
Selichot
Saturday, September 20
Yom Kippur
Saturday, October 4
Special Selichot Program and
Reception, 8 PM
Selichot Candlelit Service, 10 PM
Adult Morning Service w/Shir Shalom
Adult Choir, 10 AM
Youth Service (1st – 5th grade), 10 AM
Meditative Classical Guitar Concert, 1 PM
Adult Study Opportunities I, 1 PM
Teen Conversation, 1 PM
Adult Study Opportunities II, 2 PM
Community Family Service, 2 PM
Afternoon Service, 4 PM
Yizkor (Memorial) and Ne’ilah
(Concluding) Service, 5:15 PM (approx.)
Break Fast, 6:45 PM
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 24
Alternative Folk-Style Service w/Teen
Choir, 6:15 PM
Traditional Service w/Shir Shalom
Adult Choir, 8 PM
Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, September 25
Adult Morning Service w/Shir Shalom
Adult Choir, 10 AM
Youth Service (1st – 5th grade), 10 AM
Family Service, 2 PM
Tashlich, 3 PM
Second Day Rosh
Hashanah
Friday, September 26
Morning Service, 10 AM
Shabbat Shuvah, 7:30 PM
Erev Yom Kippur
Friday, October 3
Kol Nidrei Service, 8 PM
Alternative Kol Nidrei Service–6th
grade and up, 8 PM
Erev Sukkot
Wednesday, October 8
Service Under the Sukkah, 5:30 PM
Blessing of the Animals, 6:15 PM
Erev Sukkot BYO Dinner, 6:30 PM
Sukkot
Thursday, October 9
Morning Festival Service at Temple
Emanuel, 10 AM
Erev Simchat Torah
Wednesday, October 15
Congregational Dinner, 6 PM
Family Service, Torah Unrolling and
Israeli Dancing, 7 PM
Simchat Torah
Thursday, October 16
Simchat Torah/Sh’mini Atzeret Festival
Morning and Yizkor Services, 10 AM
Simchat Torah Luncheon, 12 NOON
Want to get involved and have
some fun?
The Religious Education Committee is seeking
Volunteers.
Contact David Windt at [email protected]
Join the Rabbi’s Thursday
Lunchtime Class
Reading the Writings:
The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and
Chronicles I and II
Begins
October 23, 2014
12 Noon
Page 7
Chai School • 14th Annual Community Memorial Service
Chai School Fast Track Philanthropy—Teen Philanthropy - Engage Giving
“How will this help?” A phrase we heard over and over as ten 8th
and 9th graders came together in our Fast Track Philanthropy class as an
option for our Chai School program. Our program is based off of the
Jewish Youth Philanthropy Institute, also known as JYPI. JYPI is a part
of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. JYPI provides a space
for teens to do hands-on giving through a Jewish lens. Fast Track
Philanthropy is an adapted program of a year-long JYPI program
looking at the questions: What skills do I have? What does it mean to be
a part of a community? Who can I help? How do I get involved? Who is
listening to my passions? What do I think is important?
This year we focused on the importance of tikkun olam (repair of the
world) and how our strengths can help our greater community. We
brainstormed about how we could profit $100 in three weeks! The teens
put together a snow-cone and bake sale for both Sunday mornings and
Sunday evenings. As we learned about marketing our bake sales, the
teens wrote, produced and directed two awesome commercials that were
emailed out to our Religious School families and posted onto the
Temple Shalom Facebook group! After the amazing fundraising session,
our teens donated their money to Red Wiggler Community Farm,
which provides jobs to adults with developmental disabilities and a
children's therapy program at Emunah Bet Elazraki in Netayna, Israel.
Here's what our amazing teens said:
“My temple did fast track philanthropy. It was really fun and I’m glad
we could donate to different organizations. I liked working with my
classmates to figure out what we were going to sell and also the
advertisement. Hope we do this again.”—Asher
“I enjoyed the discussion aspect of the program. Debating with other
people has been one of my favorite pastimes, and I feel that learning how
to conduct a positive and productive discussion was valuable.”—Ben B.
“I thought philanthropy was a good experience. I thought it was a
good idea to sell items to obtain money to donate to groups. I liked
showing up for this. I thought it was frustrating when someone chose to
take/steal from us but that was only once in a blue moon. Someone
once said, ‘Life is a gift from God, what you do with it is your gift back
to God.’ In this case, [our gift is] raising money for those who need
it.”—Seth Cohen
“...In the end, we made a decent amount of money, and hopefully
helped someone somewhere...We need more time, more advertising, and
more products. It was good. Both the philanthropy and the snow
cones.”—Max Tiefer
“In our philanthropy class we learned about different perspectives of
donating money to charities. We had to think about what was more
important and who/what our money would be going to. This was
interesting because we had to decide how big of an impact we’d have
and choose what we wanted to donate to.”—Michelle S.
“At first I was really hesitant to do it, but, once I got into it, it was
actually pretty fun, and I was making a difference, even though it was a
small one. And I got to be with my friends and eat free food.”—Jenna
Lucash
Want to sign up for JYPI 2014-2015? Just want to learn more about
JYPI? Email Avital Ingber at [email protected].
We are so proud of our teens and give them a HUGE yasher koach
and mazal tov for their wonderful accomplishments!
Xani Pollakoff
Thank you
to our
summer
service leaders
for their
continued
support!
Page 8
TaSTY • Mitzvah Day
Welcome Back, TaSTY!
warm welcome back to TaSTYites and
their families! We hope that you had an
amazing summer and that if you went
to camp or travelled, you will share your experiences with us at one of our upcoming events!
to registered TaSTY parents and on our
bulletin board across from classroom 10.
Our exciting year ended last Spring with
our elections—and we are pleased to
announce the new TaSTY Senior Board for
2014-2015:
Sunday, August 24:
Early Bird BBQ
A
President: Ruthy Goldberg
Programming VP: Emma Bassin
Social Action VP: Catherine Horowitz
Religious and Cultural VP: Dana Bederson
Membership VP: Sydney Wolk
Upcoming Events:
Sunday, September 7:
Community Day, First Youth Group
Meeting, time TBA
Sunday, September 14:
First Day of Sunday School
Communications VP: Joshua Schuster
Treasurer VP: Jacob Rains
Assistant to Membership &
Communications VP: Zoe Goldberg-Hart
TaSTY Jr VP: Dani Wolk
Cabinet positions are still open and
available! If you are interested in working with
us, please contact Youth Adviser Pamela
Wilcox or any of our Senior Board. There is an
application posted to our Facebook Group,
TaSTY Temple Youth Group!!!!! YUMM.
We are excited to bring back successful
events such as our Bethesda Night Out
Scavenger Hunt, Paintball, new ways to have
fun and affect our community in positive ways,
as well as new programs geared specifically for
TaSTY Jr. All of our board meetings are open
to all members.
Parents, please check that your student is
signed up and paid for TaSTY as the school
year begins—dues for TaSTY Jr (grades 6-8)
are $18 and $36 for TaSTY Sr (grades 9-12).
These dues help us not only with our
programming but also pay our dues for
belonging to NFTY-MAR, the North
American Federation of Temple Youth, MidAtlantic Region.
We highly recommend that students
interested in cabinet positions or who are
already leaders on their own join our Senior
Board at the first NFTY event of the year,
Jewish Educational Leadership & Learning
Opportunities (JELLO), happening
September 19-21. Please look for event
updates on our Facebook site as well as emails
Friday-Sunday, September 19-21:
NFTY-MAR JELLO
Friday and Saturday, September 3
and 4:
TaSTY Volunteers for Manna Food
Truck Collection—SSL hours!
Friday, October 10:
Sleep Over in the Sukkah
Saturday, November 1:
TaSTY Jr Havdalloween
“DON’T HOLD BACK FROM DOING GOOD TO THOSE WHO ARE
DESERVING WHEN YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO IT”
Proverbs 3:27
Temple Shalom’s 21st Annual
MITZVAH DAY
Sunday, November 2
Save the date and watch for details about activities and projects
Opportunities for everyone, young and not-so-young, working together to do good
deeds, community service, and acts of Tikkun Olam
If you would like to be a Project Team Leader or help out on Mitzvah Day, please contact
Janice Pliner ([email protected] 240-418-4765)
Page 9
RENAISSANCE GROUP * ARZA
An
Appreciation…..
The Renaissance Group wishes to
extend its appreciation to Norma
Newpol for conducting such a rewarding nighttime tour of Washington’s
monuments. Her extensive knowledge
of Washington’s major attractions and
her vibrant personality made the outing all the more enjoyable. It’s easy to
see why she is in such demand as a
professional tour guide. Norma is a
prime example of the great range of
expertise possessed by Temple
Shalom’s Renaissance Group and of
our expanding membership in general.
RENAISSANCE GROUP
On Sunday evening, April 27, more than 30
members of the Temple Shalom Renaissance
Group met at the Temple for a light supper
and a nighttime tour of some of Washington’s
most iconic monuments. We were fortunate to
have clear and balmy weather, and even more
fortunate to have Temple Shalom’s own tour
guide extraordinaire, Norma Newpol. With
stops at the White House, the World War II
Memorial, the Memorial to Japanese-American
Patriotism in World War II, the Martin Luther
King Jr. Memorial, and the Air Force
Memorial, we were treated to a unique view of
Washington at night. Norma was full of
interesting facts—new to many of us—
regarding these beautiful structures. A truly
wonderful event for us.
As we write this, the season nears an end.
We are looking forward to a tour of the
National Museum of Civil War Medicine in
Frederick and to a closing brunch at the
Temple on June 22. We urge you to join us
for the many interesting and entertaining
activities we are planning for next year. Watch
the weekly emails from the Temple for
announcements of our events.
Page 1
Be a proud sponsor of Israel and join
ARZA—the Association of Reform Zionists of
America. ARZA’s mission is “to strengthen
and enrich the identity of Reform Jews in the
United States by ensuring that a connection
with Eretz Israel is a fundamental part of that
identity” through education, advocacy,
creating partnerships, travel and study. It is a
vital source of support for IRAC—the Israel
Religious Action Center and IMPJ—the Israel
Movement for Progressive Judaism. Just $36
makes you a member! For more information,
please contact ARZA Chair Joan Kalin at
[email protected].
Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy, Sweet
New Year and one of peace!
Cantor Lisa
performs as
soloist with
Zemer Chai at a
concert for the
Women
Cantors’
Network
conference
held at Temple
Shalom in June.
The Gift of Membership • Kids’ Time • Commitee Chairs
The
Gift
of Membership
Temple Shalom is extending the Gift of Membership
program for a second year. This year we will continue to welcome new members
by breaking down the financial barriers that give some prospective members
pause. We hope that you will continue to reach out to friends and family who
may be interested in joining Temple Shalom this year.
In the next few months, we will again reach out at festivals and other events with
our membership tent to help engage the larger community outside of Temple
Shalom. Please look for opportunities on the Temple’s Facebook page to join
these activities.
In the meantime, if you have questions about the Gift of Membership program,
please call or email me at 240-426-4468 or [email protected].
L’shalom (in peace),
Leslie Rubin
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Adult Education
ARZA
Brotherhood
Capital Projects
Cemetery
Chavurah
College Outreach
e-Committee
Finance
Financial Future
Founders
TBD
Joan Kalin
Peter Wolk
Myles R. Levin
Marilyn Ripin
TBD
Rick Meyers
TBD
TBD
Marc Feinberg
Kenneth Kramer
Michael Rubin
Jean Beeman
Historian/Parliamentarian Sandra Kamisar
House/Grounds
Mike Gurevich
Legal Counsel
Ted Goldstock
Mitzvah Corps
TBD
JCRC Delegate
Membership
Music
Nominating
Religious Education
Renaissance
Sisterhood
Special Funds
Tikkun Olam
Worship
Youth
Joan Kalin
Leslie Rubin
Debra Gutman
Harvey Berger
David Windt
Lynn Kanowith
Beth Janoff
Linda Gurevich
Mark Ross
Seth Maiman
Marty Shargel
Jerry Silverman
Sarah Leavitt
Page 1
Brotherhood
Welcome back.
I hope you had an enjoyable, restful, and interesting summer.
In our family, we had great experiences at two different Jewish camps (our daughter Dani
and son Alex, at Capital Camps and Six Points Sports Academy), a fascinating trip to Israel (my
wife, Beth), a hard-working week in New Orleans rebuilding a home for a family displaced by
Hurricane Katrina (Beth and our daughter, Sydney), and a week-long Boy Scout camp (which
Alex and I attended). Did I say a restful summer?
To help welcome back the religious school children and families, the Brotherhood is
delighted to work again with the Sisterhood to help sponsor a bagel nosh and ice cream sundae
bar, with great food and engaging activities on September 7 at noon.
Our congratulations to the Brotherhood softball team, which just missed making the
championship playoffs. It was a great inaugural year, with new friendships and good excitement
during our Sunday-morning games. All men who are interested in playing, please contact team
coach Will Hochman.
The Temple Shalom Brotherhood night out at the Big Train baseball game in July was great
fun. Our own Rabbi Feshbach was on hand to throw out the first pitch, and Temple choir
members sang “God Bless America.” Thanks to Richard Marks, Glenn Germaine, and Mel Eck
for their work on this event.
This past year, in addition to the sponsorship of our brunches, we were pleased to provide
New Year’s cards, holy day schedule book marks, kiddush cups for our B’nai Mitzvah, and
considerable support for the Temple’s Purim event, Martin Luther King program, and the
Temple’s unrestricted fund. We also provided donations to Rabbi Feshbach and Cantor Levine’s
funds to honor their 25th year as Jewish clergy, as well as a $1,900 grant to help upgrade to
efficient, cost-saving lights for our parking lot. We intend to continue providing financial
support for the Temple.
Thanks to the leadership of Mike Gerecht, we had a well-received and successful plant sale,
and also had our popular wine sale (thanks to Harvey Berger and Bernie Blumenthal), both of
which we plan to hold again this year.
Please join us for our upcoming brunch events, including what promises to be another
fascinating political analysis by Steve Roberts, on November 9. Mr. Roberts served for many
years as a New York Times political correspondent and now teaches political science at George
Washington University. Please also plan to join us when Thomas Jones, a B-52 pilot and Space
Shuttle astronaut, visits us as brunch speaker for a presentation about his experiences. We will
also be holding our third annual hands-on latke-making event for our religious school, led by
Heath Winter.
In the meantime, thanks to a Brotherhood purchase, we will be able to play basketball in the
back parking lot. We look forward to informal pick-up games on Sunday mornings and late
afternoons on Hebrew School days (for as long as the days stay light enough), for anyone
interested.
We have monthly planning and social Brotherhood dinner meetings (first non-holiday
Wednesday of the month, starting September 3 at 6:30 PM), where we are always pleased to see
new attendees.
Please join us for our meetings, brunches, and sports, and let me know if you have any ideas
for or interest in recreational activities, fundraising, or other events you’d like to see offered by
the Brotherhood.
On behalf of my fellow Brotherhood leaders, Myles R. Levin (Co-President), Bob Krauss
(Secretary), Walter Miller (Treasurer), and Lynn Kanowith (Event Scheduling Director), best
wishes as we approach the New Year.
-
Page 1
Peter Wolk, Brotherhood Co-President
The Brotherhood
Picnic
On Sunday, May 18,
Temple Shalom Brotherhood
conducted its annual end-ofschool picnic. Weather for the
picnic was spectacular with
sunny skies and temperature
in the low 70s. Students,
parents, faculty members and
senior staff enjoyed hot dogs,
hamburgers and veggie
burgers. Students and family
members played in the gaga
pit and passed the afternoon
chatting and picnicking on the
lawn. Everyone had a joyful
time.
Sisterhood • Book Club
Selections for Temple Shalom Book Club
2014-2015
WOMEN OF REFORM JUDAISM
stronger together
Hello Ladies,
We hope everyone had a great summer with enough time to relax and recharge. WRJ
members participated in our New Sisterhood Summertime Socials and loved the informal get
togethers.
Last year, WRJ Sisterhood contributed over $6,400 to Temple Shalom, which included
purchases of $1,000 in new iPads for the Religious School, $1,000 for new folding tables,
$1,900 in new LED lighting for the parking lot, as well as Rabbi Feshbach, Cantor Levine and
Rabbi Ackerman’s Mitzvah Funds and other specialty funds at Temple Shalom.
Dues, fundraising events and purchases at the Gift Shop enable WRJ Sisterhood to make
these important and very necessary contributions. If you’re interested in donating more to the
Sisterhood to help contribute to these exciting programs, please indicate so on your dues
invoice.
In addition to our long-standing board members, please welcome Holly Posin as our new
Communications Secretary. Holly is responsible for keeping everyone informed about
upcoming WRJ Sisterhood events. Holly joined Temple Shalom last year and found
volunteering a great way to get involved and meet new people. We invite you to follow her
lead.
We have an exciting year scheduled. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for the
following special programs:
Sunday, September 7, 2014—The Gift Shop is offering a Back-to-School Sale. Gift items are
already discounted by 15% off retail as marked. At our sale event, we offer an additional 10%
off. Stock up now for your special occasion and Hanukah needs.
Sunday, September 7, 2014—Back-to-School bagel nosh and ice cream sundae bar hosted by
WRJ Sisterhood and Brotherhood
Sunday, October 19, 2014—6-8 PM–Yenta Eventa–an informal, social fundraiser hosted at a
member home.
Sunday, November 9, 2014—6-8 PM–WRJ Sisterhood Sushi Meeting
Sunday, December 7, 2014—9 AM-1:30 PM–Annual Hanukah Mart
Fri.-Sun., Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2015—Annual WRJ Sisterhood Spiritual and Spa Retreat Weekend
Friday, February 20, 2015—5:30-9:30 PM–Annual WRJ Sisterhood Shabbat and Member
Dinner
Sunday, March 1, 2015—6-8 PM–WRJ Sisterhood Meeting
Sunday, March 29, 2015—5:30-8 PM–Annual WRJ Sisterhood Seder
Sunday, May 17, 2015—10 AM-1 PM–End-of-Year Judaica Shop Sale
We look forward to your involvement and seeing you at one of our upcoming events.
Temple Shalom book club participants Stu
Bassin, Fran Paver, Peg MacKnight, Janice
Zalen, Mona Ellis, Diane Wechsler, Nelly
Urbach and Phyllis Lipof met in June for
brunch to select upcoming books to be discussed in the 2014-2015 year.
Our Temple Shalom Book Club is back for its 16th
year! Join Mona Ellis and Stu Bassin for lively discussions of quality books. Most sessions run from
9:15 AM-10:45 AM on Sunday mornings (during
the early session of religious school) with bagels and
coffee. Drop off your kids at Sunday School and join
us for an engaging discussion! There is no charge for
participation.
October 19, 2014
Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli
Paratroopers who Reunited Jerusalem and
Divided a Nation by Yossi Klein Halevi
Halevi traces the personal and religious lives and evolving political views of seven paratroopers who helped
conquer the Old City of Jerusalem during the 1967 SixDay War. A must-read for anyone with an interest in
contemporary Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
December 7, 2014
Peony by Pearl Buck
Peony is set in the 1850s in the city of Kaifeng, the historic center for Chinese Jews. Peony is a Chinese bondmaid of the prominent Jewish family of Ezra ben Israel,
and shows through her eyes how the Jewish community was regarded in Kaifeng at a time when most of the
Jews had come to think of themselves as Chinese.
February 1, 2015
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
The now-classic story of two fathers and two sons and
the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they
share in the way that is best suited to each other. We
will be showing this movie along with a brunch and
book discussion.
March 8, 2015
Churchill and the Jews: A Lifelong Friendship
by Martin Gilbert
An insightful history of Churchill’s lifelong commitment both public and private to the Jews and Zionism,
and of his outspoken opposition to anti-Semitism.
Fondly,
Linda Gurevich and Beth Janoff
Co-Presidents
May 17, 2015
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
[email protected]
Page 1
A stunningly ambitious and beautiful novel about a
blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Temple Shalom
www.templeshalom.net
Phone: 301–587–2273 • Fax: 301–588–9368
8401 Grubb Road • Chevy Chase, MD 20815
H I G H H O LY D AYS & F A L L
F E S T I VA L S 5775
S ELICHOT
E REV R OSH H ASHANAH
Saturday, September 20
R OSH H ASHANAH
Wednesday, September 24
R OSH H ASHANAH - S ECOND DAY
Thursday, September 25
E REV YOM K IPPUR
Friday, September 26
YOM K IPPUR
Friday, October 3
E REV S UKKOT
Saturday, October 4
S UKKOT
Wednesday, October 8
E REV S IMCHAT TORAH
Thursday, October 9
S H ’ MINI ATZERET /S IMCHAT TORAH
Wednesday, October 15
Thursday, October 16
Clergy & Staff
Senior Rabbi Michael L. Feshbach
Cantor Lisa L. Levine
Susan Goutos Zemsky, Executive
Director
Rabbi Rachel Ackerman, RabbiEducator
Rabbi Emeritus Bruce E. Kahn
Cantor Emeritus Saul Rogolsky
Cheryl McGowan, Executive
Assistant
Katherine Schnorrenberg, Clergy
Assistant
Sharon Barbee, School Assistant
Lois Simpson, Bookkeeper
Cécile Myers, Office Assistant
Board of Trustees Executive
Committee
Allison Druin, President
Linda Gurevich, Exec. Vice President
Jeff Steger, Vice President
Seth Maiman, Vice President
Steve Schleien, Vice President
Rita Klein, Treasurer
Peg MacKnight, Secretary
Trustees
Linda Aldoory, Diane Cline, Margo
Gottesman, Joan Kalin, Ken Kramer,
Lisa Krim, Judy Lewis, Andy Mark,
Walter Miller, Mark Ross, Leslie Rubin,
Rhoda Schulzinger, Marty Shargel,
Stefanie Weldon, Richard Weitzner
Voting Auxiliary Members
Harvey Berger, Immediate Past
President; Peter Wolk and Myles R.
Levin, Brotherhood Co-Presidents;
Beth Janoff and Linda Gurevich,
Sisterhood Co-Presidents; Emma
Bassin, TaSTY President
Auxiliary Members Ex Officio
(Non-Voting)
Rabbi Michael Feshbach
Cantor Lisa Levine
Susan Goutos Zemsky, Executive
Director
Rabbi Rachel Ackerman, RabbiEducator
Stephen Sacks, Chairman of URJ
Board
Jean Beeman, Founder’s
Representative
Ted Goldstock, Temple Counsel
Steve Schleien, Temple Counsel