1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

Bulletin
Janury 2015
10 Tevet/11 Shevat 5775
“The Community Synagogue in Southern Saratoga County”
Founded in 1974
688 Clifton Park Center Road
Clifton Park, NY
518-371-0608
Starting Jan 3, Saturday services will start at 10:00 am and end at noon.
SHARING THOUGHTS WITH OUR RABBI
This month I want to share with you excerpts from a remarkable article written by my colleague Rabbi Dr. Daniel Gordis that
recently appeared in the Jerusalem Post. Please share this article with your family and friends especially with every Jewish
college student you know.
When the West returns to its senses, those kids who today cannot fathom what many of us are mourning for will finally see what a
golden era looks like. Even in the darkness of these past few weeks, I believe the golden era can return. Perhaps it’s because I
remember a world that not long ago was very different. When I was in high school and college in the 1970s and early ’80s,
American Jewry was, in many respects, in its prime. Jews were moving to the suburbs, getting rich, building enormous
synagogues, feeling at home in America in a way their grandparents could not have anticipated. The Jewish Catalogs, consciously
evoking the hip Our Bodies, Ourselves and the crunchy Whole Earth Catalog, announced the arrival of a distinctly American,
young, engaged, learned and searching American Judaism. The Chavurah Movement had taken off; Conservative Judaism was the
largest movement in America. In the aftermath of the Six Day War, American Jews were having a love affair with Israel. It would
have been hard to recall that less than two decades earlier, the American Jewish Committee’s Jacob Blaustein had threatened to
cut off American Jewish support for Israel unless Israel stopped suggesting these Jews should make Aliyah. Israel was a rapidly
changing, seemingly invincible, country. German reparations had gotten its economy off the ground. The IDF had tripled Israel’s
size in six days, and even when taken by surprise in October 1973, managed to repel the Egyptian and Syrian armies so forcefully
that never again has a standing Arab army attacked the State of Israel. From 1968 to 1971, American Jews made Aliyah in
unprecedented numbers (though most returned after a few years). Yasser Arafat was despised almost everywhere as the
murderous inventor of international terror. The notion that the Palestinians would be given a state without making peace with
Israel would have been laughable. By 1978 and 1979, Israel would be in peace negotiations with Egypt, the most formidable Arab
power on its borders. If Egypt was willing to sign, surely Jordan and Syria would follow. Peace was obviously eminently
achievable. The American campus was a safe haven for Jewish students. In my years at Columbia University, I didn’t see or hear
a single anti-Israel protest. Even after Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, campus remained quiet. In Europe, the Germans were
doing their long overdue soul searching, and anti-Semitism was politically incorrect. We went to Europe, rode the metro in Paris
and the tube in London wearing kippot; it never occurred to us there was a reason not to. Soviet Jewry was a cause that united
Jews – and many non-Jews – across the globe. It was a wonderful time to be an American, an American Jew, and a Zionist. It was
exciting but secure, and the future appeared bright. There was no real airport security. It was a golden era that today’s younger
generation cannot even imagine.
Today, that Jewish Catalog generation is gone. The 2013 Pew Research Center Survey of American Jewry documents the
magnitude of the looming American Jewish sociological disaster. American college campuses are battlegrounds, but most of the
kids we send there have literally never read a single book about Israel cover- to-cover. Then we wonder why they’re
overwhelmed. Rabbis report that Israel is the one subject they cannot broach in the synagogues – it’s too controversial. Europe
has turned and anti-Semitism is back in vogue. In our Jerusalem neighborhood, one hears more French with every passing week.
Parts of London are too dangerous for Jews to walk in. In the Middle East, the West has still not decided to destroy what is clearly
the greatest threat to Western civilization since Nazism. The US has put on the ground troops whose number, I assume, is roughly
equivalent to the number of police who guard Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day.
Continued on page 2
Sharing thoughts with our Rabbi
Continued from page 1
Palestinians terrorists continue to slaughter rabbis at prayer in synagogues in Jerusalem and Europe rewards
them by recognizing a state that does not exist. A deal with Iran is nowhere in sight. In large swaths of the
Middle East, Islamic State still roams free. Yet, I do not believe the French will really let hundreds of years
of French literature, art, music and philosophy be strangled by Shari’a. One day, the French will hear that
yet another of their towns has caved in and when they sense that Paris is next, they’ll act. They’ll take
France back. It’ll be very late, and the cost will be high, but the rest of Europe will heave a sigh of relief and
follow suit. Does anyone really think Europe will commit suicide? I don’t. My fear is that one day, al-Qaida
or Islamic State will hit the US. Then, somehow, a new leader like FDR or Churchill will find the will to
fight back. One day, the West will remember that it was values that made our civilization great. It will say to
radical Islam: “We do not plan to die, because we believe our values are better than yours. Your worldview,
we believe, is a medieval cancer. You can join the modern world, stop oppressing women, stop killing gays
and lesbians, respect a free press and the right of assembly, celebrate difference of opinion and free inquiry
and erase the notion of the infidel from your lexicon. When the West returns to its senses, those kids who
today cannot fathom what many of us are mourning will finally see what a golden era looks like. Our duty is
to do whatever we can to draw it near, “speedily in our day.” Rabbi Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice
President, Koret and Distinguished Fellow at Jerusalem’s Shalem College, Israel’s first liberal arts college.
His latest book is Menachem Begin: The Battle for Israel’s Soul; he is now writing a concise history of the
State of Israel.
Shalom U’vracha,
RABBI MARKOWITZ WILL DELIVER ON
JANUARY 4TH AT 10 AM
PART 2 OF
A NOVICE’S TOUR OF THE WORLD TO COME
A JEWISH VIEW OF LIFE IN THE HEREAFTER
Did you ever wonder what happens to us after we die? Death did not frighten the pious Jews of old. Rather
they had faith in the Talmudic contention that death was the transition from one life to another. What is the
Jewish belief in the World to Come? Is there a heaven? Is there a hell? If so, what can we expect to find when
we pass from this world to the next?
Rabbi Markowitz will discuss selected Biblical, Talmudic and Kabbalistic sources on such topics as: Gan Eden,
Gehenna, Ibbut, Dybbuk, Possession, Reincarnation and Resurrection.
This lecture is open to the ENTIRE community. There is no fee for attending. For further information call the
Beth Shalom office at 371-0608.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Well, I'm back from Israel - safe and sound!
Steve Hayden and I had a truly meaningful and
wonderful two weeks in Israel (Nov. 6-20) in the
program Volunteers for Israel. If you want to
hear about our time working on an Israeli Army
base and our visits to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem,
come to the January 17th evening program at the
synagogue.
Our synagogue had a wonderful joint Hanukkah
party with Congregation Agudat Achim. Much
thanks to Rabbi Markowitz, Flo Miller,
Linda Russell and her committee, Jeff Stein, and
Mark Silverman.
Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2015.
Harvey
EXECUTIVE BOARD
President…………….…...….Harvey Finkelstein
VP Administration…..………Linda Russell
VP Membership…….….........Ray Franzone
VP Fundraising……….…......Lin Guinipero
Treasurer……………..….......Janie Garnett
Financial Secretary………….Betsy Knorr
Recording Secretary…......….Denise Smith
Past president………………..Mark Silverman
399-8121
371-3641
877-6125
588-7775
357-8881
877-8957
348-0569
371-0256
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Richard Jacobs
Doris Calderon
Rob Schleifstein
Dee Ann Coniglio Bob Silverman
Sheila Alfasso
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Appointed Board members
Men’s Club……………………….…Les Miller
Cemetery……….………………..….Don Rubin
Education……………………….…..Marla Sheffer
House……………………..…….…...Mark Silverman
Interfaith……………………….…
Israeli Affairs……...…………..….....BJ Rosenfeld
Publicity……………………………..
Reyut………..……………….…….. Carol Davis
Ritual………………………………...Joyce and Mel Toub
Rob Schleifstein
Sisterhood ……………….……….. Fern Hayden
Gift Shop…………………………… Lin Guinipero
Social Action………………..…….…Michael Weitzman
Web ………………..………………..Chris Grossman
COEJL……………………. . .………Lew Morrison
Listserv………………………………Jackie Betters/Sandie Vipler
Bulletin…………………………… .Diane Silverman/Jackie Betters
The deadline for all articles for the bulletin is the 15th of the
month prior to publication.
Please email your articles to [email protected] or you
can drop them off at the synagogue office.
Rabbi Markowitz’s office hours for the winter:
Tuesday through Friday 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
You can also reach him by calling his cell phone at 518-878-6299 or
by sending him an e-mail at [email protected]
January Birthdays
Jan.
6
7
12
14
14
18
21
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22
23
31
31
Melvin Toub
Ellen Wexler
Carol Chaykin
Cindy Barnett
Jo-Ann Levy
Linda Gellman
Rabbi Markowitz
Miriam Cooperman
Sherry Kearns
Kenneth Margolius
Fred Nauman
Charles Silberman
From the desk of Morah Tziporah
Congregation Beth Shalom had a wonderful CHANUKAH celebration with
our friends from Agudat Achim. It was filled with the joy of children
singing, putting on a play, crafting & eating.
A big THANK YOU goes to Fern Hayden, Linda Russell & their
committees for doing all of the delicious food.
TODAH RABBAH to Mark Silverman, Ray Franzone & their committees
for schlepping tables & all they did to make this a wonderful event.
TODAH RABBAH to our TEENS: Melissa Kearns, Joshua Sangaline &
Rachel Sangaline for coming in to teach the children how to create their
projects.
THANKS to the parents who came to watch their children perform & stayed
to help
********************************************************
TODAH RABBAH to our Torah & Haftarah chanters for the month
of December: Stan Simkins & Sanford Roth.
MAZEL TOV
to
Our Temple Family
Harriett & Alvin Brown
Karen & Brian Daniels
1/5
1/26
24th anniversary
26th anniversary
A special THANK YOU goes to Cantor Stan for leading the Mussaf
service on December 6h.
A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU goes out to Janie Garnett for
delivering the D’var Torah on December 6 th.
Please, please come to shul on Shabbat mornings to become
spiritually renewed and to support our congregants & friends who are
chanting.
We’re still collecting clean empty soda bottles, cans & water bottles
for recycling and refunding. All money goes to the TZEDAKAH
fund to support projects chosen by the Hebrew School.
B’shalom,
FLO Miller
Director of Education
DECEMBER MEN’S CLUB REPORT
The Men’s Club wishes everyone a safe and
healthy New Year.
Mark Silverman
Men’s Club President
Sisterhood Winter Message
We just had 2 successful events: Captain ‘Adopt a Family” had a tremendous
response enabling us to provide much needed items for a 1 month old baby boy.
The Latke/Chanukah dinner, where we hosted Congregation Agudat Achim, was a
success and enjoyed by all who made the latkes and attending the dinner. A very
special thank you to both BJ Rosenfeld for taking the lead on the Captain Adopt a
Family event, and to Linda Russell for coordinating the Latke making and dinner,
even as she was still recovering from her ordeal.
Here is an update on future Sisterhood events:
Let us have another look at our wonderful men who
served or are serving in our Armed Forces. We should
always remember the price we pay for the freedom we
have.
* Joint Sisterhood/Men’s Club event featuring our Volunteer for Israel participants:
Harvey Finkelstein and Steven Hayden. Stay tuned for details. SAVE the DATE:
Saturday Nite, January 17, 2015
* Joint Sisterhood/Men’s Club Shabbat: March 21, 2015
* Another Sisterhood Off Site dinner will be held June 10, 2015. Save the date and
look for forthcoming details (perhaps at the vegetarian/Kosher Restaurant Terra, in
Albany) *As Sisterhood represents a Jewish Organization, we request that whenever
we have an off-site dinner meeting, please do your best to order Kosher Style*
We have a few Entertainment Books left. Books are $25.00, with a check made out
to Sisterhood. You may reserve your book by either contacting Janice Lyng at
[email protected] or Fern Hayden at [email protected]
Get involved! Help Sisterhood help our Synagogue, Hebrew School as well as the
Community wide programs we now support. Together, we can succeed in helping
Sisterhood sustain its vitality and well-being in support of our Synagogue. We’d
love for you to experience Congregation Beth Shalom Sisterhood for yourself. We
truly need all of you!
If you have any suggestions for programing or events, please contact me at
[email protected].
Lt. Colonel Shapiro with CBS vets
Your bulletin editors
Diane and Jackie
Remember: Everyone is welcome to attend our monthly planning sessions. The
schedule for our planning sessions (thru May 2015) is shown below. Reminders will
be sent out 1 week ahead of the meeting date.
Monday, January 19, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue
Monday, February 23, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue
Wish you all a
Monday, March 23, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue
Happy & Healthy New Year
Monday, April 20, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue
Monday, May 18, 2015, 7PM, Synagogue
Shalom
Fern Hayden
Sisterhood President
Member
Jan.
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B
B/L
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GF
GM
H
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Tevet
Shevat
10
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JANUARY YAHRZEITS
Deceased
Ruth Goldstein
Fern Hayden
Stephen Gellman
Howard Vipler
Paula Weiss
Carol Kohan
Colleen Kohan Silverman
Michael Weitzman
Judie Nauman
Gary Weiskopf
Sherry Kearns
Susan Daisak
Steven Hayden
BJ Rosenfeld
Wendy Pyle
Laurence Shapiro
Colleen Kohan Silverman
Roberta Boss
Karen Baum
Mark Cury
Flo Miller
Elaine Lowenberg
Linda Guinipero
Fern Hayden
Hana Mondelblatt
Phyllis Morrison
Ellen Markowitz
Raylene Jacobs
Lauren Weinberg
Bruce Kopf
Anne Ross
Harriet Brown
Alvin Brown
Fern Hayden
Leslie Miller
Janet Daniels
Lewis Morrison
Nancy Cury
Toby Elman
Roberta Boss
Karen Hamerling
Alexander Daniels
Wendy Pyle
Janet Daniels
Joseph Galperin
Henrietta Weisenfreund
Marion Gellman
Samuel Vipler
Lydia Weiss
Hyman Kohan
Hyman Kohan
Max Weitzman
Amelia Deutch
Albert Weiskopf
Albert Weiskopf
Oscar Albert
Ben Hayden
Sid Lessne
Anita Lieberman
Ernest Shapiro
Kathleen Wixson
Goldie Boss
Jacob Bogatz
Theodore Cury
Mollie Segal
Morris Yanovitz
Harold Weinstein
Leona Salkind
Ezra Tepel
William Ackerman
Gertrude Extein
Ann Levine
Lillian Edwards
Bernard Kopf
Benjamin Krever
William Simmons
Louis Brown
Bernard Weisenfreund
Simon Miller
Hyman Friedman
Jeanette Morrison
Leo Samen
Esther Gellman Scher
Stephen Sedlik
Marcella Lichter
Esther Davidovits
Mannie Lieberman
Bertha Friedman
Relationship
F
M
M
F
M
F
F/L
U
A
F
F
F
F
F
M
F
S
M/L
GF
F
M
F
U
GM
B
F
GM
M
M
F
F
F
F
F
U
F
M
F
M
B
M
M
F
M
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aunt
M
mother
brother
M/L
mother-in-law
brother-in-law
N
niece or nephew
cousin
S
sister
daughter
S/L
sister-in-law
daughter-in-law
W
wife
father
father-in-law
grandfather
grandmother
husband
What better way to remember loved one(s) than to have a plaque placed on our Memorial Wall in memory of them. For more information on
purchasing a plaque you can call the synagogue office 371-0608 and speak with Jackie. The cost for each plaque is $250.00
***************************************************************************************
Remember that special date with either a leaf or an acorn or even a stone on our Tree of Life. Congregants and interested public may celebrate a
mitzvah (happy occasion) or commemorate a memory by purchasing one or more of the following:
Leaves - $180
Acorns - $500
For further information regarding purchasing a leaf, acorn or stone for the
Stones - $1500
Tree of Life, please contact Jackie at 371-0608
We gratefully acknowledge these contributions
General Fund in memory of
Reyut Continued
Harry Bloch by Paula Bloch
Helaine Hornstein by Barbara & Richie Bergman
Al Ernst by Barbara & Richie Bergman
Fred Silverman by Colleen & Bob Silverman
Edward Casey by Colleen & Bob Silverman
Blanche Rothman by the Vipler Family
Howard Horowitz by the Vipler Family
Rose Viplich by the Vipler Family
Lillian Ziperstein by Leslie Finkelstein
Sara Folkman by Ricardo Dobry
Howard Feinman by Carol Wolk
Well wishes to Annie Friedman by Sandy & Don Rubin
Peace Garden in memory of
Al Rosenfeld by Annie & Larry Friedman
Al Rosenfeld by Sandy & Don Rubin
Peace Garden in honor of
The 50th anniversary of Harriet & Mike Weitzman by
Annie & Larry Friedman
General Fund in honor of
The 45th anniversary of Doris & Marty Calderon by
Annie & Larry Friedman
Rabbi’s Disc. Fund in memory of
Wishing Don Rubin a speedy recovery by
Annie & Larry Friedman
Jean Franzone by Marcie & Ray Franzone
Morris Zamlong by Stuart Zamlong
Endowment Fund
Louis Scher by Toby and Arnie Elman
Reyut fund in memory of
Live Music Fund:
Anna Rose by Ellen & Irwin Finch
Sara Davis by her loving family
Chumashim Fund
A leaf on the Tree of Life was purchased in memory of
David Tymon by Paula Snyder
Various programs at Congregation Beth Shalom
Are generously supported in part by
Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY
THREE fundraisers with NO NET COST to you
SCRIP The list includes hundreds of businesses nationwide—retail stores, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels,
rental cars, pharmacies, movie theaters, i-tunes, Amazon… to name just a few.
VENEZIA’S Enjoy great pizza, salad, eggplant, and other delicious food – dine-in or take-out.
HANNAFORD Purchase gift cards through the synagogue Sisterhood and use when you grocery shop.
Congregation Beth Shalom receives a percentage of the gross value of your scrip, Venezia’s, and Hannaford purchases
and you get to spend the full face value!! Shop for your own everyday needs and give as gifts.
This is a painless way for you to support our fundraising efforts!!!
Please contact Lin for additional information or to place an order.
Lin:
[email protected] or call 518-588-7775
Do you have a special event coming up that you would like to share with your family, friends and
synagogue family? Why not sponsor an Oneg or Kiddush? Sponsoring a Kiddush is honoring,
celebrating, memorializing, and congratulating any individual/s or event. A Kiddush is a
wonderful way to bring people together and begin to celebrate the Sabbath too. For more
information you can call the synagogue office and speak to Jackie at 371-0608 or call Linda Russell
at 371-3641
Various programs at Congregation Beth Shalom
Are generously supported in part by
Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY
Jewish Film Festival
FOOTNOTE
Sunday, January 11, 3:30 PM optional supper at 5:30
Israel Academy Award Nominee Best Foreign Language.
Prof. Mark Muraven will lead a discussion
Supper menu: minestrone soup, bagels, cream cheese/lox, roasted vegetables, tossed salad, dessert
kugel, fruit and coffee. $10 by January 8th.Call 377-8803 for credit card payment or mail your
check. Film cost: $9, $5 Member, $3 Student.
The JCC of Schenectady is located at 2565 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, 377-8803,
www.schenectadyjcc.org
Robert & Dorothy Ludwig Schenectady Jewish Community Center
All Are Welcome to a Community Lunch
Nurturing the Body & Soul
Come join us to enjoy a warm meal, or just to socialize with fellow Southern Saratoga area
neighbors on Wednesday, January 28th at 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM St. Edward the Confessor Church
Social Hall 569 Clifton Park Center Road.
Desserts to share are most welcome.
RSVP…. Please due to limited seating: 371-7372 ext 227
Hosted by St. Edward’s Church and Congregation Beth Shalom
“Future Wednesday meal dates”
February 25th
March 25th
April 29th
May 27th
June 24th
Mah Jongg News
We are looking for experienced players
who would like to substitute in our
game. We meet Wednesday afternoon
from 12:30 to about 3:30. Please
contact Eve Kaufman @ 343-6420 or
Carol Chaykin @ 383-4417.
We would also like to hold learning
sessions for those interested at another
time.
CLIFTON PARK PODIATRY
Richard C. Berkowitz, DPM,
FACFAS
Medical and Surgical Care of
the Foot
1673 Route 9
Halfmoon, NY 518-383-3338
Remember that special date with either a
leaf or an acorn or even a stone on our
Tree of Life. Congregants and interested
public may celebrate a mitzvah (happy
occasion) or commemorate a memory by
purchasing one or more of the following:
Leaves - $180
Acorns - $500
Stones - $1500
For further information regarding
purchasing a leaf, acorn or stone for the
Tree of Life, please contact Jackie at
371-0608
HALFMOON MOBIL
Courteous, Quick and Clean
Route 9 and Sitterly Road
(across from Hewitt’s)
Clifton Park, NY
Locally Owned and Operated
PREMIERE
TRANSPORTATION GROUP
David J. Brown, President
456 North Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12204
518-459-6123
Professionally Chauffeur-driven
Sedans, Limousines,
Vans, and Coaches