1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

TEMPLE ISRAEL
Memphis, Tennessee
December 2014 ~ Kislev-Tevet 5775
Voice volume 69; number 4
timemphis.org
MISSION STATEMENT
Temple Israel is a sanctuary for prayer
and inspiration, a vibrant center for
Jewish learning, and a congregational
home for living Torah. We are a source
of strength and a force for good for
Reform Jews, the greater community,
and the world.
SHABBAT SERVICES
Torah Study
Saturday mornings, 8:45-9:45 am
Preneg Celebrations
Friday evenings, 5:45-6:15 pm
A Friday, December 5, 6:15 pm
A Friday, December 5, 6:15 pm
Tot Shabbat/Consecration
See page 4 for details.
A Saturday, December 6, 10 am
Isaac Reich, son of Diane and
Dr. Lewis Reich, will become bar
mitzvah.
A Friday, December 12, 6:15 pm
A Saturday, December 13, 10 am
A Friday, December 19, 6:15 pm
L’Dor Vador/Chanukah
ASaturday, December 20, 10 am
AFriday, December 26, 6:15 pm
ASaturday, December 27, 10 am
AAA
Commemorate a joyous family
occasion or honor a loved one
by sponsoring a Preneg before
a Shabbat service. Call Sharon
Nickol, 901.937.2797, for details.
voice
L’DOR VADOR SHABBAT AND
CHANUKAH CELEBRATION DINNER
Friday, December 19
Shabbat Service 6:15 pm; Dinner 7:30 pm
Chanukah is a holiday of lights and menorahs and family. Join
Temple at the annual congregational Chanukah dinner!
We will gather for a Shabbat service designed to appeal to
congregants of all ages and featuring participatory music,
both traditional and contemporary.
After the service,
enjoy a Shabbat
dinner planned
and organized by
WRJ-Temple Israel
Sisterhood and
MRJ-Temple Israel
Brotherhood. Bring
menorahs and
candles, play dreidel,
and enjoy Corky’s
beef brisket, chicken
tenders for kids,
baked beans, slaw,
latkes, and donut holes.
The cost is $8/adult; $4/child (10 and under). To RSVP
(by Dec. 15), go to timemphis.org, scan the QR code,
or call Sylvia Appleton, 901.761.3130.
The Chanukah Celebration dinner is sponsored by WRJ-Temple
Israel Sisterhood and MRJ-Temple Israel Brotherhood. “Shabbat
Experiences for Families,” including Tot Shabbat and L’dor
Vador Shabbat, are made possible by the generosity and vision
of the Mildred H. and Edgar C. Haas, Sr. Family Endowment for
Education.
BETWEEN YOU AND ME
There is a fascinating
conversation recorded in the
Talmud (BT Shabbat 21b) about
how to light the Chanukah
candles. One opinion (Beit
Shammai) was that 8 candles be
lit the first night, 7 the second
night, 6 the third night, and so
forth. And if you think about
this, it makes sense. The holiday
Rabbi Bauman
begins with 8 days and slowly
reduces in size, so why not the candles as well?
Another opinion (Beit Hillel) advocated for the
exact opposite. The first night should have 1 candle,
the second 2, the third 3, and so forth. And of
course, this is how we light our menorahs today.
But why did Beit Hillel’s opinion win out over
the clearly logical position of Beit Shammai?
The answer the Talmud gives is two-fold. Firstly,
increasing the number
of candles tells an
equally true story
about the days that
have passed during the
holiday. But secondly,
in matters of holiness,
we should always
focus on what grows
rather than what
diminishes.
This lesson from the Talmud applies to Chanukah,
but it also applies to our lives and the way we look
at them. Do we see diminishing light or growing
light? Do we focus on what we lack or what we
have? Think about that last night of Chanukah and
how sad it would be if there were only one candle.
Even as the holiday comes to a close, the brightness
of a fully lit menorah is something to look forward
to, and you can’t get there if the holiday doesn’t
progress. There can be no increase of light without
the passage of time. So Chanukah, it turns out, is
not just a holiday. It’s an attitude. It’s an approach
to life.
A congregation is an ever changing, ever growing
entity because it’s a living, breathing community.
And sometimes change and growth are
disorienting. But it is my hope that we try during
this holiday season to remember this lesson from
the Talmud. Chanukah beseeches us, through the
ritual it prescribes, not to be afraid of time passing
and things changing. That’s the only way to see the
true and complete light of our lives.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Katie Bauman
-2- TIMEMPHIS.ORG
| FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
MITZVAH OPPORTUNITIES
PREPARE SNACKS
Wednesday, December 3, 5:30-7:30 pm
Prepare snacks in the Temple kitchen at this WRJSisterhood sponsored effort for MIFA’s COOL
initiative. Children ages 12 and older are welcome
to participate too. Call Elise Meyer, 901.309.3818, or
Jennifer Ross, 415.342.1063, for details.
DONATE BLOOD
Sunday, December 7, 8:30 am-1:30 pm
Saving a life, pikuach
nefesh, is the “Mitzvah
of all Mitzvot,” and just
one pint of blood can save
up to four lives. Contact
Julie Klein, 901.335.9981 or
[email protected],
and give blood.
SIGN UP FOR NECHAMA:
THE JEWISH RESPONSE TO DISASTER
Sunday, December 7, 8:30 am-1:30 pm
NECHAMA strengthens communities in need by
directly supporting volunteers to assist disaster
survivors with cleanup and recovery. For more
information, contact Margie and Harold Steinberg,
[email protected] or 901.754.9950.
DELIVER A MIFA HOLIDAY MEAL
Any day, December 15 through 19, plus
December 29 through 31 and January 2
Call Angela Scott, 901.529.4513, to RSVP. This is a
great project for a family or people pairing up.
HELP AT STARRY NIGHTS
Wednesday, December 24, 4:30-7 pm or 6:30-9:15 pm
Shelby Farms
For one or two shifts,
staff the entrance
at Shelby Farms for
their fabulous Starry
Nights lights display.
Children are invited to
tour the display with
their parent volunteers
before leaving the
park. Also, MRJBrotherhood will treat
Temple volunteers to
pizza, soft drinks, and desserts. Contact Vic Butcher,
901.624.0886 or [email protected], for more details
and to RSVP.
KNIT AND CROCHET
Thursdays, 1:30 pm
Knit and crochet bears for children in emerging
nations who are affected with HIV/AIDS, and
caps, scarves, and lap robes for MIFA’s Love Caps
Program and Wings at West Clinic. Contact Jenny
Baer, [email protected] or 901.754.8126.
DECEMBER 2014 VOICE
LIVE FROM NEW YORK!
Temple Israel is privileged to host Live from NY’s
92nd Street Y speaker series. We have chosen
some of the world’s most fascinating people,
including newsmakers, political figures, opinionshapers, and authors, for compelling and thoughtprovoking interactive discussions that are
broadcast live via satellite from New York.
Dalia Rabin
Ethan Bronner
Dennis Ross
AMERICA AND ISRAEL: THE WAY FORWARD
Thursday, December 4
introduction at 7 pm
broadcast begins at 7:15 pm
Join Dalia Rabin, the former Israeli Deputy
Minister of Defense and current chairperson of
the Yitzhak Rabin Center, and Ambassador Dennis
Ross, who played a leading role in shaping U.S.
involvement in the Middle East peace process, for
an enlightening discussion, moderated by Ethan
Bronner, on the future of Israel.
MOVIE NIGHT
Thursday, December 11, 7 pm
Malco Paradiso, 584 South Mendenhall
Jimmy Ringel, who is chairing this program on
behalf of the Temple Israel Lifelong Learning
Committee,
invites you to
watch the movie
Exodus: Gods and
Kings.
To buy tickets
($10.50 each),
please scan the
QR code, call
Sylvia Appleton
at Temple Israel,
901.761.3130, or go
to timemphis.org.
TIMEMPHIS.ORG | FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
LIFELONG LEARNING
WITH GIFTED TEACHERS
Sundays, December 7 and December 14
Engage with Judaism through
meaningful courses with
exceptional teachers, Leo
Bearman, Jr., and Dr. Joe Levy.
From 9:15-10:15 am with Mr.
Bearman, explore short stories
by Jewish authors and deepen
Leo Bearman, Jr.
Jewish identity through an
understanding of Jewish
perspectives in literature. Upcoming stories, which
are available for pick-up at the Welcome Center,
include A Poland, A Lithuania, A
Galicia by Tova Mirvis (Dec. 7)
and Everything I Know About My
Family on My Mother’s Side by
Nathan Englander (Dec. 14).
From 11 am-12 pm with Dr. Levy,
delve into the world of musar,
Dr. Joe Levy
Jewish spiritual pathways, such
as compassion (Dec. 7) and order (Dec. 14).
THE FLAVOR AND SPARK OF
JEWISH MYSTICISM
January 7, January 13, January 20; 7-8:30 pm
According to tradition, Jewish mysticism is
considered to be a dangerous subject for anyone
below the age of forty, single, and childless. Even
if one already is mature and wise, according
to a famous Jewish legend, the
chances are slim that one can
embark on the esoteric journey of
Kabbalah and return in one piece!
Rabbi Greenstein will do his best
to enlighten and introduce the
history and basic ideas associated
with Jewish mysticism. In the
first session, we will study the
Rabbi Greenstein
biblical roots of Kabbalah and the
emanations of the divine being (Sefirot). Also, we
will explore the mystical concept of the “hidden
sparks of God” in the world. In the second and
third sessions, we will read a few selections of
mystical poetry and from the primary
Kabbalistic text, The Zohar.
Please scan the QR code, go to
timemphis.org, or call Sylvia Appleton
at Temple, 901.761.3130, to let us know
that you will attend these three sessions.
DECEMBER 2014 VOICE -3-
CONGRATULATIONS CONSECRANTS!
Consecration is the first major life cycle moment in
our children’s Jewish education, when they are called
to the bima to recite the Shema and make their
joyful entry into formal Jewish learning.
CONSECRATION AND TOT SHABBAT
SERVICE AND DINNER
Friday, December 5, 6:15 pm
Mazal Tov to the Consecration Class of 5775:
MILES BALLIN
son of Rebecca and Blake Ballin
SAMANTHA CALIFF
daughter of Lindsay and Brian Califf
SAMUEL COHEN
son of Stephanie and Stuart Cohen
ADAM COOPER
son of Michelle and Benjamin Cooper
GRACIE ECKSTEIN
daughter of Katie Bauman and Adam Eckstein
SETH FABER
son of Jodie and Henry Faber
MIA FRIEDMAN
daughter of Susan and Ted Friedman
TOBY DEE GESCHEIT
daughter of Robin Shainberg and Ran Gescheit
EMMA ISKIWITZ
daughter of Kelly and Jamie Iskiwitz
WILLIAM JOLLY
son of Katie and Chris Jolly
BEN KIEL
son of Meggan and Daniel Kiel
MOLLY KIRSHBAUM
daughter of Amy and Jamie Kirshbaum
SAM LEBOWITZ
son of Carrie and Scott Lebowitz
MAX LEVY
son of Shira and Alan Levy
REX LEVY
son of Shira and Alan Levy
BROOKE NOTOWICH
daughter of Lauren and Sam Notowich
SOPHIA PATER
daughter of Eliani and Greg Pater
MICAH PERLMAN
son of Alyssa Hunter and Mark Perlman
FRANKIE PIERCE
daughter of Billie and Joe Pierce
ISAAK PIERCE
son of Billie and Joe Pierce
ABBY PORTNOY
daughter of Lisa Usdan and David Portnoy
EVANS ROGIN
daughter of Joelle and Alex Rogin
EMILY RUBENSTEIN
daughter of Tammy and David Rubenstein
CHLOE SCHECHTMAN
daughter of Jada Schechtman and Phillip Schechtman
JACK SHANKER
son of Jill and Scott Shanker
RYLEE SORIN
daughter of Whitney and Scott Sorin
ARI USDAN
son of Melody and Greg Usdan
SIMON WENER
son of Karen and Andrew Wener
LIAM WENER
son of Karen and Andrew Wener
LILY WENER
daughter of Karen and Andrew Wener
-4-TIMEMPHIS.ORG
| FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
Celebrate at this service created especially for our
youngest members (ages 5 and under), followed
by Shabbat dinner and a chance to get to know
other families in our community.
This Tot Shabbat service will be especially
meaningful and unique as the Consecration
Class of 5775 will be formally welcomed to our
community of faith.
Shabbat dinner is complimentary to
Temple members who RSVP by Dec. 3;
after that deadline and for guests, the
cost is $8/adult and $4/child. Scan the QR code or
go to timemphis.org to make reservations.
Questions? Call Jackie Evans, 901.937.2777.
Tot Shabbat is made possible by the generosity
and vision of the Mildred H. and Edgar C. Haas, Sr.
Family Endowment for Education and WRJ-Temple
Israel Sisterhood.
JACOBS CAMP HAVDALAH
Saturday, December 6, 4:30-6 pm
Experience a taste of URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp
magic! We will gather around the campfire for
a lively and
participatory
Havdalah
service,
activities for
kids, and the
opportunity
to get to
know other
families in our
community.
Families with children of all ages are welcome,
from campers to wannabe campers!
Questions? E-mail Leigh Royal, [email protected].
DECEMBER
2014 VOICE
JUNIOR CONGREGATION MEMPHIS
TEMPLE ISRAEL TO HOST
WINTER KALLAH-CLAVE
Hello Temple Israel Members and Parents,
My name is Lana Singer, and I am the Communications
Vice President for our local youth group, MeFTY. MeFTY is
the Memphis branch of NFTY, an amazing program where
teens across the world can interact and form relationships
and connections with each other, their community, and
their Judaism. A few times a year, there are regional level
programs where teens from Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi,
Alabama, the Florida panhandle, and Western Tennessee
gather to learn leadership skills and current issues that
affect our world every day.
I am excited to announce that one of these programs, Winter
Kallah-Clave, is going to be hosted in Memphis by our very
own Temple! This is an incredible opportunity for teens to
meet inspiring
people and to
aim to become
inspiring people
themselves.
What makes
Winter KallahClave so special,
aside from
the valuable
friendships and
the interactive
and engaging
programs, is the connection with the community. Winter
Kallah-Clave programs center around the Temple facilities;
however, we need homes for the teens to stay during
the weekend. If you would like to volunteer to host a few
teens in your home, please contact our Director of Teen
Engagement, Julie Fortune (her contact information is at the
bottom right of this page).
Also, if you are interested
in helping out with serving
and setting up the meals at
Temple for the teens, please
contact Julie as well. It would
be an enormous help, and we
would appreciate any time
you could give to make this
event as enjoyable and as
influential as I know it can be.
I hope you will encourage
your teens to attend and to
be a part of the NFTY family.
Winter Kallah-Clave takes
place during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend,
January 16-18, 2015. You can register your teen through the
NFTY-SO website. Registration will begin around 7 weeks
prior to the event, so check nfty.org/so/events for the
details.
Thank you so much for your time, and I hope that your teens
will be joining the NFTY community!
Sincerely,
Lana Singer
TIMEMPHIS.ORG | FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
CONFIRMATION CLASS
TRIP TO NEW YORK
When I was asked to chaperone the Confirmation Class New
York Trip, I was both incredibly excited to tour New York
City (Oct. 23-26, 2014) with our awesome teenagers and
also curious to see how
we would consistently
integrate Jewish meaning
into our adventure.
An important point of
this trip was to have fun,
and we did! However,
this New York Trip
was unique, because
it allowed our teens to better contextualize their Jewish
identity. I have a few memories that I want to share with you
that will shed light on how truly meaningful the trip was.
When we landed in New York, we immediately went to
Temple Emanu-El, which is the largest Jewish house of
worship in the world. When we walked in, the utter enormity
of the sanctuary left the teens and me in awe. But what
Mark (our tour guide and Administrator of Temple Emanu-El)
told us is that our Confirmation Class was three times larger
than their Confirmation Class. Put simply, Temple Israel
has managed to make learning and our Jewish community
so important to our teens that even Temple Emanu-El, the
largest Jewish house of worship in the world, was in awe of
us. You could visibly see pride in our teens’ eyes when we
heard this. They understood that, as Southern Jews, every
single one of us is an essential piece to our community.
Our experience at Central
Synagogue was a similar one.
While Central is physically much
smaller than Emanu-El, the
synagogue was full when we
arrived for the Shabbat service.
At first, the teens were hesitant
because they felt like outsiders,
but after we got situated, they
immediately felt at home. Once the service started, they
knew exactly what was going on and fully participated.
For many, it was the first time they realized that all Jews from New York to Memphis - were reading the same text,
chanting the same prayers, and singing the same songs.
The experience brought an entirely new meaning to “Jewish
community.” Even more powerful was the fact that, when I
asked them what their favorite part of the trip was, almost
everyone said Central Synagogue. So, even though we ate
great food, saw a Broadway play, and shopped, their favorite
experience was also their most meaningful one.
I could not be more thankful to have this class as my first
Confirmation Class. I stand with Rabbi Micah and believe
that this trip has helped shape and contextualize what
it means to be a young Jew in America. Thank you for
entrusting us with your children and acknowledging the
importance of fostering our youth’s Jewish
identity. I look forward to the Washington, D.C.,
trip in March with our 11th and 12th graders.
L’Shalom,
Julie Fortune, Director of Teen Engagement
[email protected] / 901.937.2794
photos
DECEMBER 2014 VOICE
-5-
I love Jewish holidays. There is
something magical about the
combination of family, tradition,
community, and food that transports
me to a place of joy and overwhelming
Jewish pride. While every holiday has a
special meaning in my life, Chanukah
has always been one of my favorites.
When I was young, my mom, dad, brother, sister, and dogs
would gather around our coffee table on each of the eight
nights, taking turns lighting our menorahs and singing
Chanukah songs as loudly and off-key as possible. As a
child, I was so caught up in
those moments of light and
celebration that I did not even
realize my parents were teaching
us about the deeper meanings of
Chanukah at the same time.
It is so easy to get caught up in
the rush of this season. Between
holiday parties, gift shopping,
and winter vacation planning,
we hardly have time to breathe,
much less think about the
significance of what we are
doing and the impact it has on
Lauren Luskey
our children.
In the Wendy and Avron Fogelman Religious School, we
remind our students each year of the basic themes of
Chanukah: miracles, pride in our Jewish heritage, and
freedom from oppression. We celebrate as a community, and
we make a point to extend our students’ learning beyond
the Maccabees and latkes to the importance of social action
and helping others.
Each year, our religious school students and families collect
gifts for the students of the Church Health Center’s Perea
Preschool. Together, we donate, wrap, and deliver pajamas
and toys for each of the 128 students in the preschool. The
students and staff truly appreciate our continued help and
compassion, and our religious school students learn that
part of the joy of Chanukah is giving back to others.
This year, we will continue to collect gifts for the Perea
students, while expanding our efforts to make an even
greater impact on the Memphis community. Look for more
information about these wonderful projects in the “Temple
Israel News” e-mails.
While it is important for our students to experience
Chanukah as a community, we also should expand the
themes of Chanukah into our own family’s home and
celebrations. Instead of simply lighting the menorah and
opening presents, we can have a short discussion each
night with our families about the meaning of this season
and how we can help others. (There are wonderful readings
and articles at reformjudaism.org and the Religious Action
Center, rac.org). We can select one night during the holiday
to give presents to those in need instead of to one another,
and we always can take a deep breath and a few moments
to appreciate the joy of the season and the miracles that
have brought us to this time.
Chag sameach to you and your families. Thank you for
bringing me such inspiration and happiness throughout the
year and during this wonderful season of light.
L’Shalom,
Lauren Luskey, RJE, Director of Youth and Family Learning
[email protected] / 901.937.2776 / Twitter: @LELuskey
-6-TIMEMPHIS.ORG
| FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
The National
Association of
Education for
Young Children
(NAEYC) holds a yearly symposium that brings together
early childhood educators from around the world to discuss
the most recent educational research and to learn from one
another. This is the world’s largest gathering of people who
support learning for young children – teachers, administrators,
researchers, college students, and professors.
Early in November, five of our teachers were in attendance
at this annual conference held in Dallas. Jamie Baer and Jeff
Massey were presenters, and Toba Kornberg, Sarah Eckstein,
and Amy Moore were attendees. The teachers jumped right
into the conference whirlwind the first day by attending a
workshop offered by the National Jewish Early Childhood
Network (NJECN). They attended “Yad B’Yad: Making Our
World a Better Place” at the Dallas JCC, which included a tour
of the preschool.
L-R: Amy Moore, Jeff Massey, Sarah Eckstein, Jamie Baer, Toba Kornberg
On the second and third days of the conference, the teachers
attended sessions that featured a vast array of topics for early
childhood educators. They met current authors of children’s
literature, shared ideas about the use of technology, compared
notes about preschool gardening and science, and examined
new materials for early reading and writing.
Jamie and Jeff ’s science workshop entitled “Lab-a-dab-ado: Fun Science Activities for Four-, Five-, and Six-year-old
Children,” began with an overview of the research supporting
science in the classroom, which tells us that for young children
science is finding out about the everyday world around them.
Next, the presentation demonstrated quick science activities
used in the classroom to teach an array of topics such as
germs, energy, and the scientific method. The workshop also
featured hands-on experiments where participants were able
to break into small groups and try a few science activities to
bring back to their classrooms.
The staff returned from the conference feeling confident
that our program is high in quality. Their plans include
implementing some of the newest research strategies they
learned about and continuing to provide a high quality
preschool in a Judaic setting for our entire community.
Thank you to our funders for supporting this outstanding
professional development and educational opportunity: WRJSisterhood and the Mildred C. and Edgar H. Haas, Sr. Family
Endowment for Education.
L’Shalom,
Susan N. Feld, Ed.S., Director
[email protected] / 901.937.2784 / Twitter: @BKLipmanELC
DECEMBER
2014 VOICE
MITZVAH DAY IMPACTS GREATER MEMPHIS COMMUNITY
Mitzvah Day–a numbers game? Yes, and proud of it, as we reached
42,500 hours of tikkun olam, the repair of our imperfect world, on
this seventeenth anniversary! We are thankful for the generosity
of Laurie and Elkan Scheidt and
their family who made Mitzvah Day,
November 2, 2014, possible.
Laurie and Elkan Scheidt and family
We are told by our agency
representatives that, “Temple Israel
is such a blessing to Memphis.” But,
the blessing is truly ours, to have the
opportunity, in hundreds
of small ways, to make our
world a better place in which
to live. Yasher koach to all!
Of special note is “Temple Israel Feeds,” sponsored by Cheri
and Henry Rudner. Over a hundred volunteers packaged
30,000 meals right here for the Mid-South Food Bank,
topping last year’s just under 22,000 meals!
Go to facebook.com/TempleIsrael or scan the QR code to
view a photo album from Mitzvah Day 2014.
TIMEMPHIS.ORG | FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
Cheri and Henry Rudner and family
DECEMBER 2014 VOICE
-7-
WRJ-TEMPLE ISRAEL SISTERHOOD
BE DAZZLED AT DAZZLE
Thursday, December 4, 6-8 pm
Friday, December 5, 10 am-12 pm
Dazzle, 7730 Poplar Ave., Suite 2
Shop at Dazzle on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 when 10% of
all proceeds will benefit WRJ-Sisterhood! Dazzle is
hosting a trunk
show featuring
Louise Abroms
Designs, a
jewelry artist
from Mountain
Brook, Alabama,
whose work is featured at upscale Southern
boutiques. Refreshments will be provided.
CHANUKAH MARKET PLACE
Sunday, December 7, 9 am-1 pm
If you are looking for great gifts, the annual WRJTemple Israel Sisterhood Chanukah Market Place
is the place to
be! The Market
Place will have a
wide assortment
of menorahs in
all price ranges,
from new and
well-known
artists. Also,
a wide selection of candles, dreidels, children’s
games, toys, and books, and, of course, gelt, will
be available. In addition,
there will be hostess gifts,
mah jongg items, t-shirts,
decorations, tableware, and
many new items, such as
Maccabee on the Mantle
and fine 14k gold jewelry
from Alef Bet and other
vendors. Gift wrapping is free with your purchase.
Remember, profits generated at the
Market Place and the Judaica Shop help
Sisterhood provide funding to Temple
Israel year round! Volunteers are needed.
photos Contact Melanie Fine, [email protected].
ROSH CHODESH
Tuesday, December 23, 7 pm
Anita Baker Sherman will lead a Rosh Chodesh
session all about Chanukah. Everyone is welcome to
join this spiritually uplifting program.
BINGO BRUNCH
Sunday, January 11, 10 am-12 pm
Play bingo with your friends for terrific
prizes and enjoy a delicious brunch, too.
The cost for the brunch is $10/member
and $12/guest. To RSVP, scan the QR
code, go to timemphis.org, or call
901.937.2790. Questions? Please contact
Jenny Herman, 901.685.5901, or Amy Kirshbaum,
901.751.8386. (Note: bring change to cover the
bingo board.)
MORE SHOPPING!
Shop at the WRJ-Sisterhood
Judaica Shop for mezuzot;
Shabbat candles; baby gifts;
children’s books; cookbooks;
prayer books; challah
platters, covers and knives;
jewelry; greeting cards, and
much more. Remember to
order your 2015 Mah Jongg card here too.
Judaica Shop regular hours are:
A Monday-Thursday: 10 am-4 pm
(Wednesday until 6 pm when
Hebrew school meets)
A Friday: 10 am-1 pm
A Sunday: 9 am-12:30 pm
(when religious school is in session)
For more information or to explore volunteer
opportunities available at the Judaica shop, please
contact Susie Bender, [email protected].
BOOK CLUB
Wednesday, December 10, 1:30 pm
The Wednesday Book Club meets
the second Wednesday of each
month, and all are welcome to
participate. Come and check it out!
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes is the
book for December.
The selection for the meeting on
January 14, 2015, is The Lacuna by
Barbara Kingsolver.
-8-TIMEMPHIS.ORG
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DECEMBER 2014 VOICE
PURIMSPIEL MEET-N-GREET
~A MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR LIZ RUDNICK~
Sunday, December 14, 3 pm
Mark your calendars now for Temple Israel’s
annual Purimspiel on Thursday, March 5, 2015. It
will be the
hottest
ticket in
town!
This year’s
‘spiel,
“Classic
Megillah,”
a sendup of the Book of Esther to many of your favorite
classic rock songs, will have Temple Israel rockin’.
If you want to be part of the best Purimspiel in
the country, come to an introductory meeting
on Dec. 14, at 3 pm in the sanctuary.
EVERYONE has a place in Purimspiel!
We are looking for singers, dancers,
musicians, lighting technicians, set
designers...the works. Be a part of
photos
a wonderful Temple family and a
fantastic Purimspiel! I hope to see you there!
Questions? Contact me, [email protected].
SUPERMAN: THE JEWISH ROOTS
OF AMERICA’S SUPER HERO
through December 31
In 1938, two Jewish kids from Cleveland, Ohio,
created Superman, the world’s most-enduring
super hero. In doing so,
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
wrapped their comic book
character in a dual identity
and concealed the signs of Jewish culture that
they embedded in their “Mensch of Steel.”
Temple Israel member Eddy Zeno has amassed a
substantial collection of Superman memorabilia
and artifacts
that explores
the influence
of the Jewish
experience on
the evolution
of Superman.
Superman: The
Jewish Roots
of America’s Super Hero in the Temple Israel
Museum through December 31, 2014, features
part of Eddy’s collection and invites viewers to
consider the Jewish subtexts at work.
TI FELLOWSHIP RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY
Mazal tov to the TI Fellowship program for being named to the Slingshot’s Tenth Annual Guide of “the most
inspiring and innovative organizations, projects, and programs in the North American Jewish community.”
The Slingshot Guide recognized
the impact that the TI Fellowship
has made and continues to
make on the TI Fellows, the
Memphis Jewish community,
and the greater Memphis
community. The guide said,
“The TI Fellowship program
raises the bar on young adult
programming by bridging
the needs of college students
(finding a job) with meaningful
Jewish life.” In its first two years,
the TI Fellowship has brought
26 outstanding individuals to
Memphis for a comprehensive
professional, communal, social,
and cultural experience.
TI Fellowship applications for
2015 are being accepted now
through February 6, 2015, at
tifellowship.org.
TIMEMPHIS.ORG | FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
DECEMBER
2014 VOICE -9-
CREATE YOUR JEWISH LEGACY
According to the Talmud, giving is as important as all other commandments combined.
Please contact Temple Israel Executive Director Stacy Canales, 901.937.2765,
about creating your Jewish legacy with a deferred gift to Temple Israel.
THANK YOU TO THOSE MAKING DONATIONS TO TEMPLE ISRAEL (OCTOBER 2014)
BARBARA K. LIPMAN EARLY
LEARNING CENTER FUND
In memory of
Dr. Karin Gubin
Dr. Steven Wener
Herbert Don Lefkowitz
Barbara & Dr. Norman Towbin
Jake Alabaster
Jean & Buddy Ballin
Bess Schaffer
Marsha & Michael Underberg &
Family
Sol Hirsch
Linda & Claude Paddock
Edith Hyam
Sondra Price
Janice & William Pappenheimer
Sylvia Johnson
Carl Johnson
For the recovery of
Dr. Norman Towbin
Linda Ellen & Ron Sklar
In honor of
Barbara Lipman
Gail & Dr. Myron Lewis
Dr. Melvin Kraus
Marsha & Michael Underberg &
Family
CANTOR EMERITUS FUND
In memory of
Axel Robins
Rita Robins
Fred Blaiss
Charlotte Levitch
Stacy Binder
Jake Alabaster
Irma Binder
Additional donation
Cathy Silverstein
CEMETERY FUND
In memory of
Lillian Feuerman Miller
Judy Boshwit
Deborah Bilsky
John Keller Eiseman
Carol & Dr. Phillip Aronoff
Herman Bluthenthal
Ruth Toff
Additional donation
Diane & Mark Halperin
GENERAL FUND
In honor of
Lindsay & Steven’s wedding
Iris Ruden
Dr. Melvin Kraus’ 90th birthday
Mr. & Mrs. Morris Thomas
Rosalie Rudner
Joan & Stanley Baker
Marilyn & Harvey Cook
Dr. Rodney Wolf
Mary Pailet & Family
Julie Arney’s birthday
Dr. Tod & Amy Singer
Fannie & Max Notowitz’s 60th
anniversary
Carole & Dr. Charles Plesofsky
Ina & Dick Eiseman
Live Streaming
Joan Logan
Yom Kippur Service
Albert Yonas
-10-TIMEMPHIS.ORG
Temple Israel
Tom Treadway
Arnold Goldin’s appointment to the
TN Court of Appeals
Julie & Allan Schoenberger
Jerry Sklar
Judy & Jim Lindy
In memory of
Jeff Manis
Cindy Manis
Dr. Karin Gubin
Craig & Cathy Weiss
Mary & Corey Trotz
Dr. Alison Pomykala
Mary & Hyman Weinberg
Diane & Paul Mendelson
Joseph Person
Martha Person
Donald Gronauer
Joseph Davis
Ethel Davis
BeJay Gronauer
Bailie Perlman
Arnold & Mary Lynn Perl
Avis Stein
Martin & Linda Stein
Shirley Hirsh Levenson
Helen Weiss
Jay Delugach
Eddie & Gloria Felsenthal
Wendy & Cary Rotter
Robin & Billy Orgel
Joe Ashendorf
Theresa Balestrino & Raymond
Buring
Karen & Dr. Michael Alabaster
Deane Boxer
Margie Snetman
Jake Alabaster
Gloria & Eddie Felsenthal
Mary Pailet & Family
Janis & Dr. David Iansmith
Martin Grusin
Carole & Dr. Charles Plesofsky
Ina & Dick Eiseman
Marilyn & Harvey Cook
Janis & Dr. Brian Kiel
Beth & Larry Newman
Margie Snetman
Jan & Dr. Lee Stein
Robin & Billy Orgel
Bess Lubin
Marilyn & Jack Belz
Lena Isaacson
Donald Isaacson
Rita Schneider
Wendy & Cary Rotter
Mr. & Mrs. Nathan G. Tivers
Ann & Les Tivers
Arthur Berman
Sharon Berman
Dr. Jacob Plesofsky
Bess Schaffer
Sylvia Kaplan
Isabelle Lewis Isaacs
Carole & Dr. Charles Plesofsky
Sylvia Kaplan
J. Martin Regan, Jr.
Ethel Pearl
Cary & Wendy Rotter
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Shirley Frisch
Glen Frisch
Bess Schaffer
Margie & Harold Steinberg
Rayanne Segal & Family
Susan & Barry Chase
Rebecca Nickol Brackstone
Dr. Lee, Jan, Michael & Karen Stein
Eva Smilowitz
Stanley Smilowitz
Gerald Dortch
Dr. & Mrs. Charles Noon
Helen Pesses
Evelyn Simkin
For the recovery of
Barbara Zitron
Arlene & Dr. Vic Schlesinger
Arnold Goldin
Mary Pailet & Family
Robin & Billy Orgel
Shara Lehman
Ros Kimmelman
Sheril Greenstein
Craig & Cathy Weiss
William Felt
Barbara & Mannie Scheinberg
Additional donations
Myra & Mel Meskin
Ronald Underberg
Ilana & Benjamin Yonas
MUSEUM FUND
In honor of
Syl Marks
Cathy & Richard Kessler
Cantor Patti Linsky
Mr. & Mrs. Russell Rapoport
In memory of
Ethel Pearl
Cathy Herzberg Kessler
Dr. Harold Feinstein
Bess Davis Feinstein
Jean Feinstein Efron
Dr. Sidney Usdan
Drs. Lisa Usdan & David
Portnoy
RABBI KATIE BAUMAN
DISCRETIONARY FUND
In memory of
Axel Robins
Eric Cornell
Helga Cornell
Jake Alabaster
Felice & Sonny Bauman
Lester Bernstein
Jane Eckstein
Sumner Levine
Linda Bedrin & Don Klotwog
In honor of
Rabbi Katie Bauman
Jim & Marsha Shuford
Dr. & Mrs. Edward (Ted)
Friedman
For the recovery of
Lynda Shiffman
Beverly & Dr. Bob Buchalter
RABBI HARRY DANZIGER
DISCRETIONARY FUND
In memory of
Marilyn Price
Barbara Kabakoff
Joseph Ashendorf
Judy Royal
Helen Rose Pesses
Rochelle & Frank Perlman
Everett H. Ginsburg
Aimee Ginsburg
Jake Alabaster
Alvin & Becky Labens
Stanley Rothschild
Nora Rothschild & Linda
Gornek
Dr. Thomas Stern
Dr. David Stern
Louis Wagner
Reva Wagner-Cook
Sylvia Marks’ birthday
Aimee Ginsburg & Allan Wolf
Nathaniel Danziger’s bar mitzvah
Marilyn Haas & Tom Howard
RABBI MICAH GREENSTEIN
DISCRETIONARY FUND
In memory of
Dr. Karin Gubin
Mary Shainberg
Brenda & Mick Hapner
Helen Hecht
Family
Florette Hecht Hollander
Family Henry Bard
Doris Bard
Jake Alabaster
Necie Conroy
Sonya Krivcher
Meriam Cooper
Jan & Marc Reisman
Lynn & Dr. Jerry Eisenstatt
Curt Ward
Eugene Greener, Jr
Cindy Edelman
Ethel Pearl
Meriam Cooper
Curt Ward
Joe Ashendorf
Maureen & Doug Gordon
Richard Reinhardt Family
Ruth Loewenberg
Freddi & Joel Felt
Sandra Beatus
Ruth F. Loewenberg
Sheldon Cohen
Mel Woodman
Sumner Levine
Betty & William Loewenberg
Samuel Butcher
Anne Rosen Butcher
Lynn & Vic Butcher
Annette Webber Lichterman
Lynne & Mark Wolf
Jay Delugach
Lynn & Dr. Jerry Eisenstatt
Pauline Weinberg
Lynn Gruber
Evelyn Padawer
Diana & Ronald Padawer
Gabe Nahmias
Jan & Marc Reisman
Shirley Frisch
Ellen & Herbert Kahn
DECEMBER
2014 VOICE
DONATIONS (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10)
Lois L. Moyer
Nutty Moyer
Michael & Gail Goldberg
Claude Titche
Aileen Burson
Gerald Slavney
Marie Weil Katz
Ruth Slavney
Linda Gladden
Barbara & Dr. Norman Towbin
For the recovery of
Sheril Greenstein
Mary Shainberg
Wendy & Cary Rotter
Brenda & Mick Hapner
Marcia Hayden
Beverly & Dr. Bob
Buchalter
Paul Lazarov
Barbara Zitron
Jan & Marc Reisman
In honor of
Fannie & Max Notowitz’s 60th
Wedding Anniversary
Joan & Arnold Weiss
Jean & Buddy Ballin
Bobbie Miller
Dr. Melvin Kraus’ 90th Birthday
Jack Drucker
Dr. Peter Lindy
Stephen Kasloff
Rabbi Micah Greenstein
Emily Fargotstein Poe
Jeannie & Robert Hiller
Carol & Bob Tessler
Mr. & Mrs. James Ivy
John T. Dwyer, Jr.
Additional donations
Jeff Bronze
Kate & Bruce Friedman
Alene & Stuart Davidson
Paula Quarles
Irene Goldin Sloat
Heidi & Michael Anderson
Ruth Slavney
WRJ-SISTERHOOD TEMPLE
GROUNDS & BEAUTIFICATION
FUND
In memory of
Natalie & Nathan Epstein
Judy Royal
Sylvia Kaplan
Richard Phillips
WRJ-SISTERHOOD SERVICE TO THE
BLIND FUND
In memory of
Sumner Levine
Sheldon Cohen
Jan Meyer
Jake Alabaster
Charlotte & Morris Straitman
WENDY & AVRON FOGELMAN
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FUND
In honor of
Nathaniel Danziger’s bar mitzvah
Patricia & John Neuhaus
In memory of
Dr. Karin Gubin
Robin & Jeffrey Wallace
WRJ-BEULAH VOSSE LIBRARY FUND
In memory of
Ethel Pearl
Bess Schaffer
Connie Shelton
In honor of
Fannie & Max Notowitz’s 60th
anniversary
Lynn & Dr. Robert Kline
Debbie & Ron Jackson
For the recovery of
Shara Lehman
Marcia & Tom Fisher
Lynn & Dr. Robert Kline
Judy Boshwit
Marcia Hayden
Lynda Shiffman
Lynn & Dr. Robert Kline
RABBI JAMES A. WAX
MEMORIAL FUND
In memory of
Rabbi James A. Wax
Jonathan Wax
James Wax
CAREER TRANSITION GROUP
Sundays, December 7 & December 21, 9:30 am
Receive help finding a job through resume writing
tips, enhanced interview techniques, and other
methods. Please contact group facilitators David
Silberman, [email protected], or Rob Mann,
[email protected], for additional details.
BAR/BAT MITZVAH DATES
Letters are being sent to the parents of students
in the fifth grade with regard to setting dates for
bar or bat mitzvahs between October 2016 and
September 2017. If you are planning a bar or bat
mitzvah in your family within these dates and do
not receive this letter by mid-December, please call
Carol Geller at Temple, 901.937.2771.
TIMEMPHIS.ORG | FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL | TWITTER: @TIMEMPHIS
OUR SYMPATHY
The Temple Israel family extends its deepest
sympathy and condolences to the families of these
loved ones of blessed memory:
Fred Gill, Jr.
Dr. Karin Joy Gubin
Jack Raymond Harris
Herbert Don Lefkowitz
Marilyn Price
Joan Shankerman
WE NEED YOUR HELP
IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW IN THE HOSPITAL?
In compliance with the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), our
local hospitals cannot release patient lists to us.
Our rabbis visit the hospitals regularly, but we
rely solely on you to give us the information. If
someone you know is hospitalized, please call Carol
Geller, 901.937.2771.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
1376 East Massey Road
Memphis, Tennessee 38120
901.761.3130
timemphis.org
Rabbi Micah D. Greenstein, Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Katie M. Bauman, Associate Rabbi
Rabbi Harry K. Danziger, Emeritus
Cantor John M. Kaplan, Emeritus
Jonathan Frisch, President
E. Elkan Scheidt, Sr. Vice President
Laurie Meskin, Vice President
David Rosenthal, Vice President
Alex Saharovich, Vice President
Leigh Mansberg, Secretary
Mark Fogelman, Treasurer
David L. Bearman, Counsel
Paula Jacobson, Immediate Past President
Debbie Jackson, WRJ-Sisterhood President
Jeff Rosenberg, MRJ-Brotherhood President
Daniel Saharovich, JCM President
Stacy Canales, Executive Director
Isti Bardos, Erma Cohen, Jackie Evans, Carol Geller, and
Jan Reisman, Voice production
facebook.com/templeisrael
twitter/timemphis (@TIMemphis)
instagram.com/templeisrael
pinterest.com/templeisrael
youtube.com/timemphis
vimeo.com/templeisrael
Temple Israel is a member congregation of the Union for Reform Judaism.
reformjudaism.org A urj.org
DECEMBER
2014 VOICE -11-
TIME-SENSITIVE MATERIAL
PLEASE DELIVER BY DECEMBER 1, 2014
PERIODICALS
POSTAGE
PAID
voice
AT MEMPHIS, TN
The Voice is published monthly (with a combined
June/July issue) by Temple Israel, 1376 E. Massey Road,
Memphis, TN 38120-3299. Periodicals postage paid
(USPS 780-460) at Memphis, Tennessee.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Temple Israel,
1376 E. Massey Road, Memphis, TN 38120-3299
PRENEGS
Shabbat evening should be a time of joy, relaxation, feasting, togetherness, and prayer. Temple Israel is a home
for this tradition, so we will begin each Shabbat evening with a 5:45 pm Preneg before our 6:15 pm worship
service. There will be light refreshments and a chance to meet one another and
deepen our relationships before we pray together. Judaism tells us to be joyfully
together, and we enliven that tradition by applying it to our own lives.
These Prenegs have become a lovely beginning to Shabbat and a wonderful time
for people to see each other before praying together at services. The Prenegs are
gaining momentum as more and more people are coming to them each week.
Thank you to WRJ-Temple Israel Sisterhood and members of the Temple Israel
Board of Trustees for sponsoring the Prenegs.
Hermine Davidson
Myrna Salomon and Allison Delugach
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DECEMBER
2014 VOICE