Temple Sinai Bulletin Serving the Stamford, New Canaan, Darien and Pound Ridge Communities www.templesinaistamford.org shabbat Schedule November 2014 Friday, November 7 7:00pm: Shabbat Service with Kolot Sinai and Guest Speaker Norman Cohen Friday, November 14 7:30pm: Shabbat Service Friday, November 21 7:30pm: Shabbat RUACH Service Friday, November 28 6:00pm: Shabbat Service Guest Speaker Dr. Norman J. Cohen November 7, 2014 7:00pm Reading the Torah through the Prism of Midrash: What the Bible Can Teach Us in Our Struggles as Human Beings See page 11 for more details! Scroll of Living Sign up today for our great classes being offered this fall at Temple Sinai. See pages 8-9 for more details! Volume 54, Issue 3 November 2014 / Cheshvan/Kislev 5775 Notes from Rabbi TelRav Shalom L’Kulam – Hey Everybody, I know it seems like distant history to you, but I’m writing this column just a few days after Yom Kippur. Some of you may recall my Rosh HaShanah sermon about a review of our lives. I referenced a compendium of 6 word memoirs called Not Quite What I Was Planning. We considered about how much can be contained in Six Little Words. Ernest Hemingway was said to take a stab at writing a whole story in six words and came up with Baby shoes for sale, never worn. So much contained in so few words! In evaluating our lives, the inscription that will be on our own headstone is a great way to imagine how we will be summed up and remembered. The epitaphs are summaries of our many identities and the values that we strove to live. The Days of Awe were a great time to think of our own Six Little Words as a way to engage in Cheshbon Nefesh – Accounting of the Soul. At the conclusion of my sermon, I asked congregants to share some of their own memoirs in six words and those who responded all gave me permission to print them here. Torah for wisdom. Google everything else. Redeemed by love. Wife. Mother. Teacher. Friend. Seeking contentment as husband seeks career When I’ve really listened, I’ve heard. She loved to laugh with others. Soccer mom – how did this happen? Friends abound. Soulmate lost. Anchor missing. Found courage to be a blessing. Mother of Brian Noah and Maggie. I work hard and play harder. When I’ve listened carefully, I’ve heard. When did I get so old? My children. And my broken heart. Tried hard, gave much, loved life. Learning to move forward. And blessed. Family passed. I live. Honoring them. I promised that I would share my own Six Words and, I have. Mine are in the list, too. Many of the people who responded indicated that they were reluctant to commit to these six words. (In fact, one of them couldn’t and so there are seven!) We all know better than to write the final chapter of our memoir too soon! There is something that people seem to love about the exercise of refining our oh-so-complex selves Our President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 down to their most basic essence. It is a great Our Cantor & Educator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 way to determine how much our self matched Our Brotherhood & Sisterhood. . . . . 6, 7 our soul. Contributions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 In this issue: Continued on page 7 Our Yahrzeits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Temple Sinai Bulletin Published monthly by: Temple Sinai 458 Lakeside Drive Stamford, CT 06903 Phone: (203) 322-1649 Fax: (203) 329-7741 www.templesinaistamford.org General Information [email protected] torah portions Saturday, November 1: Lech Lecha Saturday, November 8: Vayeira Saturday, November 15: Chayei Sarah Saturday, November 22: Toldot Saturday, November 29: Vayeitzei Rabbi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jay TelRav Cantor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Micah Morgovsky Educator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melissa Cohavi Youth Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . Erica Santiago President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arlene Rosen First Vice President . . . . . . . . Gloria Skigen Vice President. . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Barr Vice President. . . . . . . . . . . . . Betsy Blumberg Vice President. . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Cohen Vice President. . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharyn Sarner Vice President. . . . . . . . . . . . . Paula Simon Immediate Past President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David S. Cohen Counsel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David M. Cohen Brotherhood President. . . . Stuart Madison Sisterhood Presidents. . . . . Wynd Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irma Paull Rabbi Emeritus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samuel M. Silver, D.D. z”l (1912 - 2008) Rabbi Jay TelRav. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ext. 12 [email protected] Cantor Micah Morgovsky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ext. 13 [email protected] Melissa Cohavi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ext. 14 [email protected] Jayne Vasco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ext. 10 [email protected] Shelly Welfeld. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ext. 11 [email protected] Erica Santiago [email protected] Design by Lynda Falcone at Falcone Creative Design, www.falconecreativedesign.com December BULLETIN DEADLINE Friday, October 31 Member since 1954 2∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin Brotherhood Gift Cards Brotherhood has pre-purchased gift cards for sale in the temple office. They have gift cards for Grade A/Shop Rite, Stew Leonard’s, Bev Max and NOW FAIRWAY. Help support Brotherhood when you shop. Just purchase the gift cards from the temple office and use them to purchase your groceries, liquor and wine. Brotherhood receives a percentage of every sale! You can even order your gift cards by phone. Just call the temple office at 203.322.1649, order your cards from Jayne Vasco, mail in a check and we will mail your gift cards right to your home. Easy! See our ad on page 17. Are you receiving the weekly Temple Sinai emails? If not … please call the temple office at (203) 322-1649 with your current email address or email assistant@ templesinaistamford.org Like “the Temple Sinai” on Facebook to keep up-to-date on the latest temple news. Have you been to the Temple Sinai website? If not … check it out, visit templesinaistamford.org. Happy Anniversary 25+ Marion & Milton Drexler Patti & Daniel Ramras Nancy & Bradford Spaulding Linda Hurwitz & Richard Fine Vivienne & Richard Silver Mazel Tov Deb & Steve DeNardo on the marriage of their daughter, Jennifer Lee to Eric Henry Galpin Liz & Bill Gilbert on the birth of their grandsons, Kellman & Sawyer Oneg Sponsors* We gratefully acknowledge November Oneg Sponsors: November 7: Open November 14: Tracy & Guido Benz in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Claudia November 21: Bernice Fogel in honor of the naming of her great-granddaughter, Gabriella Morgan Hunt November 28: No Oneg *Please volunteer to sponsor an Oneg Recognize an anniversary, yahrzeit, or important milestone – or just give back to our community at a date that is convenient for you. Your sponsorship (or whom you wish to honor) will be recognized in both the temple bulletin and in the announcements on Friday night. Levels of support are $36; $72; $144 (pays for half of an Oneg); and $225 (pays for an entire Oneg). We would welcome a sponsor for November 7, 21; January 9, 16, 23, 30; February 13, 20, 27; March 6, 13, 27; April 3, 17, 24; May 8, 22; June 26. Contact Jayne (203) 322-1649, indicating whether you wish to be the sole sponsor or whether you would like to contribute to an Oneg, and the date you prefer. President’s Perspective I invariably grumble when I receive the monthly reminder that my bulletin column is due. I am certain I receive this note twice a month rather than every 30 days. This month the notice felt like a personal assault given that I had only just completed writing my High Holy Day speech and had not yet even delivered it when the reminder appeared. Therefore, this month, I have chosen to condense my speech so you can read about what I consider to be Temple Sinai’s fabric and essence. Here then, is the core of my address: Community, caring, inclusion, and family — these are the values that define what it means to be part of Temple Sinai and what drives our synagogue beyond its foundational pillars of ritual, learning, and repairing the world. These are also the values most often articulated by our lay leadership as those of the highest priority in our lives. During this past year we have seen new alternatives in worship and music meant to inspire us and to shake us from the rote and familiar. We celebrated a Saturday morning service last January, Shabbat Shira, a Sabbath in song. Together with the voices and instruments of Kolot Sinai and Ruach, Cantor Morgovsky and Rabbi TelRav helped a standing-room-only congregation experience the joy of Shabbat as it was meant to be experienced. What brought so many to our sanctuary? What is it that they are seeking? First, they are worshipping together as a community. We know even from the notion of a minyan, that Jewish tradition directs us to worship as a group. Some suggest this is intended to symbolize our commitment, not only to ourselves, but to the wider community. And people have expressed the power of this idea by voting with their feet. Sizeable groups attended our outdoor summer Bartlett Arboretum services; and many worshippers turned out for the two Shabbat Experience evenings which brought together the New World Chorus and our own musical groups in unique services of music, meditation and prayer. Participants expressed their sense of having experienced something profound and something they could not do alone. It is not only in worship that we are seeing new ways to bring our values to life. On Yom Kippur we were one of 75 congregations which participated in a program entitled Yom Kippur: Swab a Cheek, Inscribed for Life. The goal of this effort, sponsored by the URJ Religious Action Center, is to identify bone marrow matches for those in need of such medical support. This program is only one of many temple initiatives that demonstrate our commitment to the values of caring and family, from within our synagogue community to the Jewish diaspora and beyond. The value of caring carries over to our religious school. A combined sixth and seventh grade class has just completed a year of study, based on an alternative curriculum. The participants in this Shabbat Family Program selected hunger as their theme. They stocked shelves at the Food Bank; they served at the New Covenant House soup kitchen; they visited the Heifer International global village farm in Rutland, Massachusetts to gain a first-hand sense of what it is like to live with hunger; and they participated in an exercise in which they shopped and prepared a meal for themselves using only the standard foodstamp dollar allotment, which is $7.33 per meal per family of four. They experienced a financial challenge as well as a degree of their own personal hunger in the process. We believe that such a program will have a lasting influence on their future paths. Work to engage our students cannot end with b’nai mitzvah. Therefore, we have redoubled efforts to inspire our youth to remain involved in meaningful Jewish life beyond that milestone. As part of meeting this challenge, we have established the Schiff Tichon Sinai program for 8th and 9th graders. This program focuses on Jewish identity formation and culminates in 10th grade Confirmation class with Rabbi TelRav. Now in its third year, Tichon Sinai has just begun to gain traction and show results. To augment the program, we have expanded the role of Youth Director. Erica Santiago, who has assumed this expanded role, leads Tichon, serves as advisor to both the SoSTY and Junior SoSTY youth groups, and works with our elementary school students and their families. We believe that early involvement of our students, even as young as kindergarten, will lead to continued engagement. While it may seem like a stretch, there is a real correlation between our value priorities and our activities in the areas of facility management and finance. For example, we are now embarking on a project to replace all the lights throughout our facility with LED lighting. While we had the opportunity to take advantage of a significant CL&P financial incentive, we decided to initiate the changeover now. The combination of the monthly project expense with a reduced monthly electric bill makes this a cost-neutral effort. At the end of the pay-back period, we will begin to enjoy net lower energy expenses and significantly lessen the maintenance burden. LED lights last up to 25 years, while incandescent bulbs are good for only 3 to 5 years. By making this shift, we are also taking proactive steps to reduce our energy consumption. Ultimately, for Temple Sinai to continue to flourish, we need to get down to dollars and cents. Yes, we are once again looking for your generous support for our Sinai Annual Giving Campaign. Your gifts to this yearly appeal are absolutely crucial to our basic operation; but in addition, we have initiated two other efforts to help ensure a solid financial foundation into the future. TS 2.0 — You have probably seen congregants wearing these lapel pins. These members have joined our Temple Sinai Legacy Society in order to safeguard the long-term financial viability of our synagogue. Some members have established bequests in their wills; others have shifted ownership of a life insurance policy to Temple Sinai. Many other Continued on page 4 Save the Date for Our Annual Chanukah BYOM* and Dinner Celebration Friday, December 19, 2014 at 6:00pm *bring your own menorah Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 3 Cantor’s Concert & Education Kristallnacht. Crystal Night. If one didn’t know better, one might think this phrase refers to something beautiful. A clear night. A sky filled with stars. And yet, in reality, it is difficult to think of something uglier, darker, more sinister. Kristallnacht. The Night of Broken Glass. On November 9 - 10, 1938, the Nazis staged vicious pogroms—state sanctioned, anti-semitic riots—against the Jewish community of Germany. This series of coordinated attacks became known as Kristallnacht, an allusion to the myriad shattered shards of glass from the windows of synagogues, Jewish-owned stores, community centers, and homes that were plundered and destroyed that night. Incited by the Nazi regime, rioters burned and decimated 267 synagogues, vandalized and looted 7,500 Jewish businesses, and murdered at least 91 Jewish people. They desecrated Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes without police or fire brigade intervention. After Kristallnacht, now also referred to as Pogromnacht, the escalation of economic, political and physical persecution of the Jews intensified. Under Hitler’s regime, laws were instated restricting the rights of German Jews and excluding them from nearly all aspects of German society. This growing Nazi anti-Jewish policy would culminate in the Holocaust—the systematic, state-sponsored attempt to exterminate the Jews. During the ensuing months and years, Jews were gathered into concentration camps and were stripped of their belongings, their dignity, and even their names. They were deprived of the most basic human necessities, humiliated, abused and murdered, and in place of a name, were tattooed with a number. As part of his Final Solution, Hitler wanted to create a world without Jews. And, in doing so, erase from history’s memory, any trace of this long suffering people. And yet, despite all the Nazi’s attempts, we Jews remain. Despite the ugliness, we thrive. Despite the darkness, we shine. Today, there is a trend among young Israelis who are choosing to tattoo their arms with the numbers their grandparents and great grandparents were given upon arrival at Auschwitz and Birkenau. And, Let’s Shop! Temple Sinai has recently registered to be part of a program run by Amazon.com called AmazonSmile. Through participation in this program, you can elect to have 0.5% of your eligible Amazon purchases donated to Temple Sinai (at no additional cost to you). All you need to do is make all your Amazon purchases through http://smile.amazon.com and elect Temple Sinai of Stamford as your designated charity. Thank you in advance. 4∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin though tattooing is controversial among Jews for many reasons, these young Israeli’s are reclaiming the practice in order to preserve history. To preserve memory. To make something beautiful out of something so ugly. As the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, the next generation is vowing to never forget and ensuring that the horrors of the Shoah never happen again. To this end, whenever a Jewish couple is married and the glass is broken, we not only remember the fragility of life and commemorate the many destructions throughout our Jewish history, we remember the shards of broken glass that littered the streets on Kristallnacht, and we create something beautiful. When we tell the stories of courage and survival and pay homage to those who perished, we illuminate the darkness. When we vow to the world that something like this should never happen again, we make clear our dedication to our people – past, present and future – and pledge that we should remain as numerous as the stars in the sky. This year on Kristallnacht, November 9, as we embrace the loss, the sorrow and the pain of this terrible night, may we also strive to reclaim the day. Through our actions and our memories, may we make it a day of beauty, a day of inspiration, a day filled with radiant light. B’Shira and B’limud, In song and in study, Cantor Micah and Melissa Notes from President, continued from page 3 financial instruments can be established to accomplish similar goals. The second financial initiative concerns the preparation of an overall plan to ensure that all giving efforts are coordinated, methodical, and thought-through. We need to know what the right and left hand are doing; and I believe such planning can go a long way towards optimizing our results. Accordingly, I have asked Mike Stone to lead a Development Committee to explore this area and prepare a master plan. If you have expertise in development and philanthropic giving, he would welcome your assistance. I had intended to focus my remarks on the ideals of community, caring, inclusion, and family. In the end I found that I needed to refer to saliva, food, and light bulbs. Nevertheless, I am able to connect the dots. While it is frustrating at times, when the Board of Trustees gets down to work, we are obliged to attend to matters mundane in order to support the sacred. Arlene Rosen Upcoming B’nai Mitzvah Daniel Skigen STATS: Parents: Gloria & Randy Sibling: Natalie 17 Bar Mitzvah: November 1, 2014 School: 8th @ Turn of River Middle School Favorite subject: Language Arts Interests: Video gaming, reading, drums Torah Portion: Lech Lecha “The main idea I learned was that there is a very big difference between faith and trust.” Becoming a Bar Mitzvah: “I am excited to see how this impacts my life as a newly minted Jewish adult, and as a teenager.” About me: “I am very excited to become a Jewish adult soon.” Claudia Benz STATS: Parents: Tracy & Guido Siblings: Rachel 17, Cory 19 Bat Mitzvah: November 15, 2014 School: 8th @ Turn of River Middle School Favorite subject: Language Arts Interests: Soccer, running, singing Torah Portion: Vayeira “My Torah portion is about when Sarah demands Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael, her son, to the deserts of Beer-Sheba. Hagar couldn’t go much further through the desert. Was she giving up or submitting?” Becoming a Bat Mitzvah: “I am very thrilled to share my Bat Mitzvah with my relatives and my closest friends.” About me: “I am extremely happy and excited for my upcoming bat mitzvah. I am grateful for the help the Rabbi and Cantor have provided me so I can shine on my special day.” education Dates to Remember Sunday, November 2:Sixth Grade Pancake Breakfast in memory of Bob Schechter Sunday, November 9:Kindergarten Family Education Program Sunday, November 9: First Grade Family Education Program Wednesday, November 19:2015 B’nai Mitzvah Family Education program at 6:00pm Saturday, November 22:4th/5th and 6th/7th Grade Family Shabbat Program Sunday, November 23: Third Grade Chavurah program Wednesday, November 26: No Hebrew School Sunday, November 30: No Sunday School Sosty Since the October bulletin, I have had the opportunity to lead programming for SoSTY (8th - 12th), Jr. SoSTY (6th and 7th grade) and the 3rd through 5th graders of Temple Sinai. I received a warm welcome from so many Sinai families and am looking forward to hosting more events this winter. I have to say thank you to all of the parents for your willingness to drive everywhere from Shelton, CT for apple picking with SoSTY to White Plains for bowling with the 3rd through 5th graders. All youth leaders know that having the support of your congregation’s parents is just as important as having children and youth who are exctied to participate in your programs. Erica Santiago, Youth Director Josh Greenburg and Alex Graf apple picking with SoSTY. Here’s just a few upcoming YOUTH events: 3rd - 5th Grade: November 9: Lunch, caramel/candy apple decorating and games with SoSTY members following Sunday School th SoSTY (8 - 12th Grade): November 22: N ew Roc City or Mt. Kisco Grand Prix, 5:00pm - 7:00pm Please don’t forget to return your Annual Giving Campaign donations to the temple office. Thank you! Save the Date Shabbat Across Stamford March 13, 2015 Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 5 brotherhood Social Action/Tikkun Olam Man, Does Time Fly By! It seems like it was just yesterday that I was thinking about what to say for the September bulletin and now it’s early October and I have to write yet another piece for the November paper. So, what’s happened in our world? In late September, on a beautiful summer-like Sunday morning eight of us built the temple sukkah in world record time. It took us about one hour and 10 minutes and it was done. I’ve never seen such coordinated work Thank you! For the many of you who attended Yom Kippur morning services, you saw how many of us participate in some form of service to our temple and to the Stamford community. The bimah was overflowing when we met there for our Aliyah. Thank you to all these volunteers. Also, thank you to those that lead our social action activities and those that participate on all levels. This month, I would like to thank Betsy Stone and Janet Barr for spearheading the Swab a Cheek effort. We had a marvelous turnout of congregants offering to participate in the bone marrow matching program. We thank those that swabbed. We will never know who you are or if you matched a recipient or if you changed a life, but you will, and we will all be better for it. I would like to thank Roz Thank you to all these Rubin for spearheading our volunteers. Thank you to Shabbat gift program. Roz those that lead our social and her team have already action activities and those that made a difference in the participate on all levels. lives of Jewish residents at Stamford Hospital during September. Thank you to all who made gift bags and delivered them at the hospital. Brotherhood builds the sukkah: (Left to Right) Stu Madison, Allan Paull, Carl Rosen, Mark Appel, Jeff Pardo, Henry Bubel, Marty Roth and Adam Terr. berfore. We looked pretty good for amateurs and we got the job done. Thanks to Allan Paull who set up the main structure on Saturday, we already had a good start. The crew of Mark Appel, Henry Bubel, Jeff Pardo, Allan Paull, Carl Rosen, Marty Roth, Adam Terr, and I carried out the materials, arranged them in order, and then began to screw the pieces together in a pattern. No kibitzing – just work. It was great! Because of scheduling, the sukkah may get dismantled a bit later this year than in years in the past. Right now it’s scheduled to be deconstructed on either October 26 right after the Political Brunch or on Sunday, November 2. Then came Rosh Hashanah and we were busy again, especially on Rosh Hashanah morning where several of us got up early to prepare the cakes and cookies for the oneg after services. Marty and I were joined by Marc Friedman, Carl Rosen, Jeff Pardo, Ron Cohen, and Mike Kadish where we slipped on the gloves and cut up the goods. It was fun to do and we hope everyone enjoyed the goodies. The big job was left to Larry Cryer who, again this year, planned and executed the ushering for the High Holy Days. He did a superb job getting many volunteers to work the various shifts that would be needed to handle the incoming crowd at the temple and at Northeast School. The Brotherhood would like to thank all those temple members who graciously volunteered to help us out. Photo credit: Stuart Madison 6∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin I will use this new column to continue to make you aware of some of our great outreach and to thank as many as possible for their efforts. We have a long list of volunteers, but we can always use more help. Please contact Jayne Vasco in our office to volunteer. If there is a project or area of service about which you are passionate, please let us know. Paula Simon By the time you read this, the Political Brunch will have already happened and so I want to thank Randy Skigen for his help in getting the candidates to participate in this event. The next regularly scheduled Brotherhood breakfast meeting will be held on Sunday, November 2 at 9:00am. It’s a great opportunity to share experiences, discuss issues, and plan out the rest of the year. Please remember to submit your annual dues to the Brotherhood. Regular membership is $50 and Platinum membership is $75. For first timers, the dues are waived. So there’s no reason not to attend one of our breakfasts just to see what it’s like. We would like to meet you. Last, we’re still selling gift cards to Stew Leonard’s, Shoprite, BevMax and Fairway. The piece of the action that we retain helps fund some of the activities in which we are involved; for example books for the Bar and Bat Mitzvah children, the spring social event and many more. Until next time…Happy Thanksgiving! Stu Madison, President Marty Roth, Communications Officer sisterhood Sisterhood would like to thank you for supporting our ongoing Lord & Taylor charity event, SHOP SMART, DO GOOD. Sisterhood is selling tickets now to the Lord & Taylor charity event to be held on November 15. Tickets are $5 and includes admission to the event, two coupons for 25% off one item and 15% off your purchases for the entire day…including cosmetics! Proceeds from tickets go directly to support the work of Temple Sinai Sisterhood. We have not reached our goal for selling tickets for this event! Even if you’ve already bought a ticket elsewhere, please support us by buying another. You can never have too many coupons! Not available on the 15th? You can take advantage of coupons at the presale and pick up your items after the event. Tickets are available in the temple office or contact Marilyn Terr at [email protected]. TEMPLE SINAI SISTERHOOD PAID-UP MEMBERSHIP DINNER Thursday, November 20, 6:30pm Join us for a delicious dinner with friends and hear a speaker from WRJ on a topic of interest. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop for Judaica and non-Judaica gifts. Bima baskets and personalized kippot for B’nai Mitzvah can be purchased through the gift shop. Save the Date: Sisterhood is sponsoring Temple Sinai’s first ever LATKAPALOOZA! This delicious event will be held in conjunction with the SoSTY Chanukah Fair on December 21. You won’t want to miss it. More information coming soon. We are often asked, what does Temple Sinai Sisterhood do? Sisterhood supports our temple as well as the larger community. Here are just some of the wonderful projects that Sisterhood supports: Shiva visits and providing get well meals Presenting B’nai Mitzvah gifts Contributions to: The Food Bank, Temple Sinai Chavurah programs and Spring Fundraiser, and holiday gifts to temple staff Supply the temple kitchen with dishes, utensils and serving pieces Making sandwiches for Covenant House Financing solar cookers for Africa Engaging in a number of mitzvah related programs including Women of Reform Judaism’s YES (Youth, Education and Service) fund, Women4Women Knitting for Peace (contributed handmade dolls, baby blankets, scarves, hats to children and women where there is a need), and temple beautification initiatives (such as the hand stitched ark door covers) Cami Murace Notes from Rabbi TelRav, continued from page 1 We’re a little late for the High Holy Day season, but it is never a bad time to take a good look at oneself. What do you think would be the Six Little Words that best describe you? If you’re interested in reading that sermon or any of the sermons that Cantor Morgovsky and I delivered during the holidays, you can find them all on our website. I hope it is turning into a sweet new year for you and your loved ones, L’Shalom, In Peace, Jay TelRav Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 7 From our Scroll of Living 2014-2015 Adult Learning Offerings* BIBLE STUDY BEGINNERS’ TORAH STUDY With Rabbi Eugene Borowitz Every Saturday Morning, 9:00am Come join a very special group of people who meet to share in Shabbat and study Torah. No Fee Taught by Melissa Cohavi Every Friday, 12:00noon to 1:00pm, bring your lunch Have you always wanted to learn about Torah but don’t have the time? Or maybe you think it might be too difficult? Every Friday at noon a Beginners’ Torah study group meets to have basic discussions about the Torah, its laws, its stories, and the ancient people. Bring your lunch, make some new friends, and learn a little Torah! No Fee THE TEMPLE SINAI BOOK CLUB Temple Sinai Book Club, led by Michelle Ebstein, will meet four to five times during the year to discuss books with Jewish themes. Contact the temple office for more information. No Fee GOD 2.0: WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? Taught by Rabbi Jay TelRav Wednesday evenings, 7:00pm November 5 & 12 Last year saw tremendous turnout for the God 1.0 class in which we explored a wide variety of Jewish understandings about God. Students were excited by the challenge to re-visit their assumptions about a Higher Power and this class will take the next step. If we believe in God, so what? What demands, if any, does that place upon us? How does a postmodern rationalist reconcile science and God and what implications does that have for us as a People? This class has no prerequisite. No Fee Special Shabbat Service Programs RUACH SERVICES Nov. 21, Dec. 19, Jan. 31 (Saturday Shabbat Shira), Feb. 20, March 4 (Purim), April 17, May 29, June 27 The word “ruach” means “spirit,” and this musical ensemble of singers and instrumentalists is just that; the spirit of our worship offerings. Coordinated by Kathy and Paul Storfer and Barbara Orwick, these allmusical services are energetic and informal, offering beautiful musical harmonies, familiar melodies and new arrangements. If you would like more information about auditioning for this group, please contact Cantor Morgovsky. SHABBAT WITH KOLOT SINAI November 7, January 31 (Shabbat Shira), March 20 Kolot Sinai, the Voices of Sinai, is Temple Sinai’s adult volunteer choir. Under the baton of choral director, Kathy Storfer, this group participates in three Shabbat services throughout the year. They bring a wide variety of Jewish choral music to our services as well as infuse our worship with tremendous spirit and joy. The group rehearses on designated Saturday afternoons leading up to each service. No audition or experience is required. If you’d like more information about joining this wonderful singing group, please contact Cantor Morgovsky. In order to save paper (along with our environment), Temple Sinai has elected to once again reduce the number of Scrolls of Living that are being printed this year. The Scroll of Living includes all of the adult education programs that Temple Sinai will be offering in the coming year. Please check the Temple Sinai website for the full Scroll or feel free to pick up a copy at the temple (in the atrium or the office). 8∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin *Classes are subject to change. From our Scroll of Living Program Offerings COME PLAY MAH JONGG Monday evenings, 6:45pm to 9:00pm Mah Jongg is a game that originated in China, commonly played by four players, with some three-player versions as well. It is a game of tiles where players work towards getting the tiles needed to complete a set hand on the individual Mah Jongg card. If you are new to Mah Jongg, contact the temple office for more information. No Fee, Just Bring Your Own Mah Jongg Card COOKING CLUB Taught by Chef and Food Writer Ronnie Fein Thursday evenings, 6:30pm Join us in the Temple Sinai kitchen for four evenings of cooking with local celebrity Ronnie Fein. Each session will focus on different types of cooking – please see below for details. Maximum 12 people per session, registration for one session at a time, or all of them. Fee: $36.00 per session, payment is due at the time of registration. December 4: Hors d’ouevres: Roasted Potato Chips with Smoked Salmon Tartare, Spicy-Sticky Wings, Gougeres (plus stuffings) and Scallion Cakes STAMFORD JEWISH ARTS AND FILM FESTIVAL: Under the Same Sun The Garden Cinema, Norwalk on Sunday, November 2, 7:00pm Dinner and a Movie: Temple Sinai is a sponsor of this evening’s JCC Jewish Film Festival presentation. It is the fictional story of an Israeli and a Palestinian trying to use a business venture to bridge the widening gap between their communities. We will meet for dinner beforehand and discuss the context of the movie and then walk over together to enjoy it. Fee: $15 For Movie Only (Contact The Temple Office – There are a Limited Number of Complimentary Movie Passes Available.) February 5: Side Dishes: Carrots with Scallion, Honey and Pepper, Lemon-Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Harissa Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Oil & Maple and Broccoli with Orange & Chili March 26, 2015: Whole Grains: Farro with Mushrooms, Herbs & Truffle Oil, Bulgur Wheat Pilaf with Apricots & Pistachio Nuts, Kamut Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, Avocado & Sweet Onions and Quinoa Salad with Mango and Mint Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 9 Can’t Get to the Temple Because of Transportation Issues? OR Willing to Drive a Fellow Congregant to Temple Sinai? Some of our members wish they could join us more at Temple Sinai, but for various reasons, cannot get there. We want to do our best to ensure that no one is excluded from an event, program or service because of transportation barriers. Just let Jayne or Shelly, in the temple office, know if you have difficulty with transportation and would welcome a fellow congregant picking you up, and bringing you home. Please let the temple office know if you are willing to occasionally drive a fellow congregant to/from Temple Sinai. We want to hear from you! Are you receiving the weekly Temple Sinai emails? If not … please call the temple office at (203) 322-1649 with your current email address or email [email protected] 10∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin Remember Temple Sinai in Your Will! For more information, please call the temple office at (203) 322-1649 or email [email protected] An Invitation o our Scholar-in-Residence t with Dr. Norman J. Cohen Dr. Norman J. Cohen Shabbat November 7, 2014 6:30pm Pre-Neg 7:00pm Service Reading the Torah through the Prism of Midrash: What the Bible Can Teach Us in Our Struggles as Human Beings Through the interpretation of Biblical stories which use the term ‘Hineini’ ...the word of response in relationship, we will confront some of our own struggles. We will ask how the Biblical narratives can speak to each of us, helping us to gain insights about our lives and relationships with our parents, children and siblings. Dr. Norman J. Cohen is widely recognized as one of the great teachers of his generation. A rabbi, professor of midrash and former provost of Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, Dr. Cohen was ordained by HUC-JIR in 1971 and received his Ph.D. from HUC-JIR in the field of Midrash in 1977. He served as Provost of HUC-JIR from 19962009, Interim President of HUC-JIR from December 1999 - June, 2000 and as Dean of the New York School from 1988-1996. He frequently lectures to Jewish and Christian laypeople and scholars on Bible study and midrash—finding contemporary meaning from ancient biblical texts. Cohen was a participant in Bill Moyers’ Genesis: A Living Conversation on PBS. He is author of Self, Struggle & Change: Family Conflict Stories in Genesis and Their Healing Insights for Our Lives; Voices from Genesis: Guiding Us through the Stages of Life; Moses and the Journey to Leadership: Timeless Lessons of Effective Management from the Bible and Today’s Leaders; Hineni in Our Lives: Learning How to Respond to Others through 14 Biblical Texts & Personal Stories; and The Way Into Torah. Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 11 Pizza in the Hut! 12∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin Photos credit: Melissa Covahi Interested in Advertising? Please call the temple office at (203) 322-1649 or email [email protected] Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 13 14∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin As of October 7, 2014 Thank you for giving to the Annual Giving Campaign Rabbi’s Circle ($250+) Foundation Ring ($1,000+) Amy & Henry Bubel Judith & David Cohen Joan & Stuart Danoff Nan & Paul Gordon Carol & Burton Hoffman Abigail Kirsch in memory of Robert Kirsch Jamie Boris Lapin & Paul Lapin Sharon & Brian Libman Arlene & Carl Rosen Jayne & Bud Schiff Monica Smyth & Michael Schlessinger Meryl & Hank Silverstein Paula Simon Leadership Ring ($500-$999) Jane & Steve Alpert Jeri & Mark Appel in memory of Dorothy & Irving Appel Roberta & Alan Cohen Kirsten Hohmann & Amiel Goldberg Shelley Leibowitz Wendy & David Lewis Nancy Heller & Roger Lob Margo Rosenfeld Members ($250-$499) Pamela & Andre Aflalo Katy & Marc Bennett Beth Barban & Michael Dorfsman Janie & Edward Friedlander Marc Friedman Laura Ordway George & Harry George Liz & Bill Gilbert Judy & Sheldon Katz Barbara & David Daniel Klipper Marcy & Marc Kurzman Lori & Jim Marcus Lori & Janusz Ordover in memory of M orris Levine, Bronislav Wisnowski, Halina Wisnowski Sandra Semel Diane & Steve Shaby in memory of Sylvia Steiner and Molly Zamore Barry Wallach Betsy Blumberg & Doug Watson Supporters Evelyn & Larry Barron Rosalind & Gabriel Carlin Marion & Milton Drexler Morris Elkind Estelle Fruchtman in memory of Sidney Fruchtman Sylvia & Herb Gladstone Suzanne Goldman in memory of Robert M. Goldman Joan Hendrickson Sarah & Lewis Kass Susan Kostin Sallie Kuh in memory of Richard Hecht and Louis Kuh Liz & Todd Lebo Lesley & Aaron Levenson Judy Liebeskind Beth & Jay Lurie Rita & William Lurie in honor of Elizabeth & Jay Lurie Joan & Stuart Madison Helen & Miles Scheffer Gen & Murph Weingrad Liz & Tyr Wilbanks It is not too late to donate to the Annual Giving Campaign. Call the temple office at (203) 322-1649 or go to the temple website, www.templesinaistamford.org. TOTAL PLEDGED: $ 27,332.00 Our Religious School in Action! Photos credit: Melissa Covahi Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 15 Contributions We gratefully acknowledge these thoughtful gifts: RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Rita & William Lurie in honor of Aaron Lurie becoming a Bar Mitzvah Linda Hurwitz & Richard Fine in memory of Theodore Gilbert Sallie Kuh in memory of Rose Hecht, Victoria Ain, Rachel Silvern & Theodore Gilbert Joui Hessel & James Hexter to thank him for such a warm welcome to the community FRIENDS OF RUACH Carol & Ronald Cowen in memory of Theodore Gilbert Leah Schechter in honor of Fran Schechter SALLY KELMAN SOCIAL ACTION FUND Amy & Henry Bubel in honor of the birth of Liz & Bill Gilbert’s grandsons MORTON ALTER HOSPICE FUND Lisa & Jason Alter in memory of our Temple Sinai friends and family that were lost this past year EPPINGER/WALLACH FLORAL FUND Edwen & Fred Goldstein in memory of Robert Eppinger CAPITAL FUND Arlene & Carl Rosen in memory of Theodore Gilbert OPERATING FUND Dorothy Fields in memory of Jack Fields Harriett & Michael Sherman in memory of Gertrude Sherman Connie Elkinson in memory of Gladys Field Nan & Paul Gordon in honor of Henry Bubel’s special birthday & in memory of Theodore Gilbert Amy & Henry Bubel in memory of Theodore Gilbert Genevieve & Murray Weingrad in memory of Sadie & Louis Weingrad Morris Elkind in memory of Lillie Elkind Caroline Summit in memory of Jerome Summit, Archie Mintz and Fannie Summit Sylvia & Herbert Gladstone in memory of Abraham Kessler CANTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Amy & Henry Bubel Ellen & Herb Kozlov Joan & Stuart Danoff in memory of Evelyn Broder & Teddy Gilbert Jewish Sportsmen’s League Liz & Bill Gilbert in honor of H enry Bubel’s birthday and in honor of the marriage of Arlene & Carl Rosen’s daughter, Alyssa to Kevin Saunders Educator’s Discretionary Fund Cathy & Steve Zales in honor of t he birth of Liz & Bill Gilbert’s grandsons Evelyn & Larry Barron in memory of Paul Barron Alan & Roberta Cohen in memory of Philip Cohen Susan Baldwin & Gary Gepner in memory of Isadore & May Gepner & Marcella & Russel Baldwin Francine Schechter in memory of Irene Thomson Margo Rosenfeld in memory of Anne Stein Judith & Sheldon Katz in memory of Charlotte Katz Michele Piskin in memory of Theodore Gilbert Charlesanna & Bill Ecker in memory of Bill Zales Charlesanna & Bill Ecker in memory of Robert Ecker Gloria Mehlman in memory of Tessie Gillman Sustaining Members of the Legacy Society: We gratefully recognize the following, who have made sustaining gifts to our temple (through estate planning or otherwise): Anonymous (2), Amy & Henry Bubel, Andrea & David M. Cohen, Judy & David S. Cohen, Fran & Bob Dorf, Lesley & Dennis Gehr, Sylvia & Herb Gladstone, Nan & Paul Gordon, Meryl & Ron Japha, Judy & Sheldon Katz, Helen & Ed Kweskin, Enid Randall, Arlene & Carl Rosen, Sharyn & Richard Sarner, Jayne & Bud Schiff, Carol Ruth & Herman R. Shepherd, Betsy & Mike Stone and Lonnie Weisburgh. If you have made provisions for Temple Sinai in your long-term gift planning, please let us know so we may recognize you as well! 16∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin HAPPY november Andre Aflalo Noah Dorfsman Arnold Kapiloff Isabel Taben Ben Alpert Gabriel Dweck Whitney Levin Shelley Taylor Mark Appel David Ecker Alexander Libman Maya Todrin Tracy Benz Debbie Ferri Hunter Libman Paolo Trapanese Leslie Berni Bernice Fogel Benjamin Leibowitz Neil Tublin Brooke Bick James Friedman Judy Liebeskind Karen Stockman Jake Brodie Brian Getz Brooke Neigler Debby Vellozzi Lawrence Cryer Jonathan Gordon Mia Neigler Genevieve Weingrad Sarah Cryer Jill Greenberg Debra Nemchek Sara Zimmerman Seth Diamond Kate Greenberg Kyle Nemchek Michael Dorfsman Sam Greenberg Alexander Nurzia Lauren Heller Lisa Pomeranz Sally Hines Franklin Raddock Brandon Hoak Robert Rainish Wendi Hoak Jessica Rozen Casey Hyman Rabbi Phil Schechter Holly Hyman Hannah Sharpe Russell Jaffe Joseph Shaulson B I R T H D A Y S Visit www.templesinaistamford.org for more information. ∫ 17 Condolences • May Her Memory Be a Blessing Dale Salm Mother of David (Dora) Salm Yahrzeits Recalled for November November 7 November 21 Isaac Crespi, Brother of Susan Rosen Morris Levine, Father of Lori Ordover Hugh Dessauer, Step Father of Alan Barr Stanley Frederick, Father of Steven Frederick Gertrude Kostin, Mother-in-Law of Susan Kostin Yale Kweskin, Uncle of Edward Kweskin Kathleen Connolly, Mother of Elizabeth Gilbert Ethel Douglas, Mother-in-Law of Stephen Berni Joseph Snyder, Father of Barbara Klipper Anna Ulanoff, Mother of Sheila Linder Marcella Baldwin, Mother of Susan Baldwin Judith Schlessinger Dyer, Sister of Michael Schlessinger Jonas Deutsch, Father of Claire D. Friedlander Irene Cohen, Mother of Ronald Cohen Shirley Cohen, Mother of Alan Cohen Abraham Miller, Grandfather of Joan Danoff Terry Covel, Nephew of Rabbi Eugene B. Borowitz Dr. Marvin Ginsberg, Father of Sharon G. Kaplove Dorothy Green, Mother of Sheldon Green Sidonia Marowitz, Mother of Myrna Sessa Josephine Adams Lurie, Grandmother of Jay Lurie Simy Aflalo, Grandmother of Andre Aflalo J.M. Eppinger, Father-in-Law of Paula Eppinger Harry Fuchs, Father of Wendy Fitzgerald Howard Kandel, Brother of Sally Kelman Loretta Lewis, Mother of David Lewis Leonore Miller, Mother of David Daniel Klipper Terrence Murtaugh, Grandson of Gloria Mehlman Gloria Rubin, Mother of Mitchell Rubin David Miller, Uncle of Joan Danoff Harry Rosen, Father-in-Law of Susan Rosen Stephen A. Kahn, Father of Andrew Kahn Brian Thomson, Brother of Francine Schechter Pauline Negrin, Grandmother of Nancy Schiffman Max Crespi, Father of Susan Rosen November 14 Christopher Cotten, Brother of Kathryn Poch Roy Mehlman, Husband of Gloria Mehlman Ruth Barron, Mother of Lawrence E. Barron Harry Tannenbaum, Great Uncle of Eric Morson Albert Aflalo, Father of Andre Aflalo Andree Aflalo, Mother of Andre Aflalo Dora Antonowsky, Grandmother of Gary Gepner Fredericka Lewis, Mother of Lorraine Cohen Ethel Stein Horwich, Grandmother of Elizabeth Lurie Irma Elkind, Wife of Morris Elkind Sadie Kapiloff, Mother of Arnold Kapiloff Hyman Lichtzer, Father of Deborah Lichtzer Edward Korn 18∫ Temple Sinai November Bulletin November 28 Joshua Epstein, Brother of Keeva Crelan Robert Fraser, Father of Scott Fraser Moritz Sachs, Father of Paul Sachs Joseph Sherman, Father of Michael S. Sherman Rosalie Rosenberger, Mother of Betty Roberts Janette Sapiro Finkelstein, Mother of Susan Kostin Natalie Schacht, Aunt of Randall Skigen Annie Bass, Mother of Bette Bloomfield Sue Friedman, Sister of Enid L. Randall Joan Morson, Mother of Eric Morson and Cousin of Suellyn Bache Claire Horn, Sister-in-Law of Sam Anfang Cheshvan/Kislev 5775 Temple Sinai SUNDAY November 2014 MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 Lech Lecha n 9:00a Bible Study 10:30a Bar Mitzvah of Daniel Skigen 2 9:00a Brotherhood Mtg. 9:00a 6th Grade Pancake Breakfast 9:30a Religious School 9:30a Amidah Leadership Initiative 9:30a Sisterhood Mtg. 11:00a Tichon Sinai 6:00p Dinner at Ponto Tavernas, Norwalk 7:00p Jewish Film Festival: Under the Sun, the Garden Cinema, Norwalk 3 4 4-6p Hebrew School • 5:00p Sandwich Making • 6:45p Mah Jongg 9 5 6 n 12:00p Torah Study n 6:30p Pre-Neg ✡ 7:00p Shabbat Service 4-6p H ebrew School • 7:00p Adult Ad: God 2.0 What does it all mean? 10 11 7 with Guest Speaker Norman Cohen and Kolot Sinai 12 13 8 Vayeira n 9:00a Bible Study 9:00a Tot Shabbat 14 15 Womens Retreat (November 14 -16) 9:30a Religious School 9:30a Kindergarten Family Ed 9:30a 1st Grade Family Ed 11:00a Tichon Sinai 11:30a RUJU Rehearsal 4-6p Hebrew School • 6:45p Mah Jongg 16 9:30a Religious School 11:00a Tichon Sinai 11:30a Shevet Achim 2:00p Rosh Chodesh 17 24 Chayei Sarah n 9:00a Bible Study n 12:00p Torah Study 10:30a Bat Mitzvah of ✡ 7:30p Shabbat Service Claudia Benz 19 4-6p H ebrew School • 6:00p 2015 B’nai Mitzvah Family Ed Meeting 25 20 6:30p Sisterhood Paid-Up Member Dinner 26 21 22 Toldot n 9:00a Bible Study 9:30a 4th/5th and 6th/7th Grade Family n 12:00p Torah Study Shabbat Program ✡ 7:30p Shabbat RUACH Services and Naming of 5:00p SoSTY Event Gabriella Morgan Huut (Offsite) 27 28 29 Thanksgiving Day 9:30a Religious School 9:30a 3rd Grade Chavurah 11:00a Tichon Sinai NO Religious School 18 4-6p Hebrew School • 6:45p Mah Jongg • 7:30p Board Meeting 23 Temple Closed 4-6p Hebrew School • 7:00p Adult Ad: God 2.0 What does it all mean? TEMPLE OFFICE CLOSED Office Closes at 1:00pm 30 4-6p Hebrew School • 6:45p Mah Jongg NO Wednesday Hebrew school TEMPLE CLOSED ✡ 6:00p Shabbat Service Vayeitzei n 9:00a Bible Study Temple Sinai 458 Lakeside Drive Stamford, CT 06903-5098 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 290 STAMFORD, CT To Advertise in the Temple Sinai Bulletin: Call (203) 322-1649 for details! advertising spot available YOUR AD COULD BE HERE Call the temple office to find out more (203) 322-1649 advertising spot available YOUR AD COULD BE HERE Call the temple office to find out more (203) 322-1649
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