The Shofar February 2015 Temple Beth Tikvah Temple Beth Tikvah cordially invites you to a Shabbat with: Dr. Charles Steinberg Infectious Disease Specialist Recently returned from 6 weeks as Emergency Medical Coordinator of an Ebola Treatment Unit in Sierra Leone. Friday, January 30, 7:30 p.m. Please join us as we welcome Charles Steinberg, M.D., Infectious Disease Specialist, who volunteered to serve in direct patient care and the development of treatment protocols in Sierra Leone this past October/November. He has a clear bill-of-health following his 3-week quarantine upon return to the USA. Charles has done international medical work in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Nepal, Mexico, Peru, Romania and the Ukraine. When home in Colorado he teaches as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado Anshutz Medical School. Dr. Steinberg’s sister, Nancy Steinberg Abramson, and his sister-in-law, Rabbi Stacy Offner, are very moved by his work and happy to have him home and able to join us for an inspiring Shabbat. Charles speaks internationally to physicians and people infected by and affected by HIV on how to live long and well. Charles is a professional photographer and uses his inspiring images in his presentations which will touch your mind and heart. President’s Message Rabbi’s Column Dear Friends, I implore you now: CAST YOUR VOTE for a pluralistic Israel. Never before has your vote made such a difference. With one more vote for ARZA (the Association of Reform Zionists of America), we can truly change Israel for the better. Please vote in this year’s World Zionist Congress election that is now open for voting through April 15, 2015 – and be sure to vote for ARZA. The only requirement for voting is that you must be Jewish and at least 18 years of age. It is easy. All you have to do is click now onto www.reformjews4israel.org, register and vote for the ARZA Slate. Please do not delay. And let me know you voted! Important note: There is a one-time only administrative charge of $5 for young Jews between the ages of 18 and 30, and $10 for Jews over 30, so have a credit card or PayPal account ready. This small fee is required by the World Zionist Organization to administer this election. If you have trouble voting, call 844-413-2929 or email [email protected] but know that I managed pretty easily myself. And I’m so glad I voted. Here are some answers to questions that might be yours: 1. What is the World Zionist Congress? The Parliament of the Jewish People representing all of world Jewry. 2. What is the ARZA Platform? Support for gender equality, religious equality, and peace through a commitment to a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. 3. Why does it matter that you vote for ARZA? The government of the state of Israel does not give any money directly to the Reform movement except through special programs. However, the government does fund Orthodox schools and synagogues. This is not only unfair; it is a violation of the spirit of Israel’s own Declaration of Independence. As we work for equal funding rights, we must raise money to support our Israeli Reform movement, and our success in this WZC election is one sure way to do that. ARZA needs your vote and I am asking that you and every Jewish individual in your household register and VOTE ARZA today at www.reformjewsforisrael.org. Thank you in advance! L’Shalom, Rabbi Offner Have you met Kim Romine? Kim has been our Administrator at TBT since July 15, 2014. She has been working very hard to get to know us and how TBT operates. Kim has made a great transition into our TBT family. Working with the board and our staff, she has smoothly taken on the role of keeping our building and programs running smoothly. Kim has also done an enormous amount of work to bring our accounting systems up to date transitioning our financial management from Rakefet (a synagogue specific “member management” program) to QuickBooks. She has worked with the financial officers of our board, as well as with our accountants to make this change. Our new accounting system has modernized our financial management and will make caring for our fiscal health easier. I am writing about this today to let you know that you will be seeing some changes in how we follow up with your membership. Starting this month, our financial statements will look different. And, if you choose to pay your membership commitments over the course of nine months (as opposed to in a single payment during the summer), you will receive a monthly bill from our office to remind you of payments due. If you have any concerns about your payments for membership or tuitions (Nursery School or Religious School), please contact Kim. As a gentle reminder, our fiscal policy states that all membership dues payments are due by March 31 of each year, and all tuition payments should have been made by Dec. 31, unless other arrangements were made with Kim. You can also contact our Financial Officers, Al Goldberg or Walter Spigelman, or me with any questions about this transition. I hope that winter continues to be gentle and that I see you soon at TBT! ~ Suzy Frisch Shabbat Services February 6 (7:30) Learners’ Shabbat Service February 13 (7:00 pm) Family Shabbat Service February 20 Shalom, Shabbat! (5:30 pm) SALTY Shabbat Service (7:30 pm) February 27 (6:00 pm) Kabbalat Shabbat Service (followed by carry-in dairy dinner) NOTICE TO: All Members of Temple Beth Tikvah FROM: Al Goldberg, Chair of the Nominating Committee SUBJECT: Nominations for the Board of Directors DATE: February 2015 According to our Temple Bylaws, the Nominating Committee begins meeting no later than March 1 in order to develop a slate of officers for presentation and consideration at our Annual Congregational Meeting. The list of positions which will turn over for the fiscal year 2015-2016 is as follows: Executive Board (1 year term) President First Vice President Second Vice President Financial Vice President Treasurer Secretary Director (or Co-Directors) (2 year term) Communications Education Facilities Religious Activities Social Justice Youth Activities Member-at-Large Auxiliary Roles (1 year term) Women of TBT Men’s Club If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please contact Al Goldberg, Chair, Nominating Committee, at [email protected]. Tu B’Shevat Seder The Rosh Chodesh Group of TBT Women is holding a Tu B’Shevat Seder on Wednesday, February 4 at 7:00 pm in the social hall. We have planned a fun and yummy evening. We hope to see you there! Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for trees and has a focus on the environment. The Seder ritual is relatively new and while based on the Passover Seder, with four cups of wine or juice, it also includes eating a series of fruit with levels of meaning and symbolism. Come have a tasty learning session with us! All women are welcome! To learn more or RSVP, contact Claire Morduch ([email protected]). Shalom, Shabbat! Friday, February 20 5:30 p.m. A Special Erev Shabbat Service for Our Youngest Children! Join in a 30-minute service of stories, songs, and prayer geared toward children from birth, to toddlers, through age 8; older siblings always welcome! After the service, join in a pot luck dinner. We hope you’ll be able to join us for this very special Shabbat. Saturday, April 18th Torah Tots will take place on Sunday, February 1 from 11-12. This month’s theme will be tikkun olam and we will be working together on a mitzvah project. Torah Tots is free and open to the community. Children ages 2 - 5 are welcome with a parent (younger siblings are also welcome) for songs, stories, and a craft. RSVPs to Aliza Calvert are encouraged: aliza.calvert@gmail. com. Hope to see you all there! An Evening with Jacques Pepin and Art Auction to Benefit TBT Details to Follow Programming Long Range Planning Report Happy (secular) New Year from the Programming Committee! Our mission over the past year has been twofold: 1.) To provide social opportunities to TBT members so as to make TBT more than just a place to pray, but a place to play as well. It is our feeling that the more reasons people have to come to our home on Durham Road, the more connected they will feel. We hope that the events we have planned and are planning will bring people together and help to cultivate individual friendships and a stronger community. (Programming continued) We’d love to have more events but need help. If you’re interested in getting involved at TBT, the Programming Committee is a great place to start. It’s a great way to meet other members and contribute to an important cause. You don’t have to sign on for every event—au contraire (as Jacques might say)—start with one (any and all suggestions are welcome) and dip your toe into TBT’s social pool to see how it feels. We can almost guarantee you’ll want to come back for more. Contact Amy Lee (amyjolee22@ gmail.com) or Liz Rubin ([email protected]). 2.) To create fundraising sources. Annual dues and generous donations only go so far. Enough said. With the above goals in mind here’s what’s been going on for us: TBT Cooks The Annual TBT Tag Sale This past November marked the 2nd Tag Sale after a several year hiatus. We raised a few shekels, but know that the potential is even greater. Once upon a time this event was a must-donateto/must-go-to event and was marked on every TBT member’s calendar. It is our hope that with the help of everyone it can return to this status. We’d love your input to help us get there. In the past, it was held in the summer. The past two years, we’ve held it in November, right before Chanukah. Please let us know which you prefer. It’s a great opportunity to get rid of your old and help TBT raise money to get some new at the same time. So please if you have any thoughts or would like to help next year, shoot either Amy Lee ([email protected]) or Liz Rubin ([email protected]) an email. Many thanks to Barbara Cotton, Sheila England, Jill Paglino, Cher Richmond, Hannah and Michael Jurewicz, and Wendy Bluemling, who cooked cheesy tuna noodle casseroles and cole slaw to serve 100 at the Branford Community Dining Room in January. Want to cook in the future? Contact Amy EpplerEpstein or Claire Morduch. You can also help by making a contribution to the LAURENCE B. & ELAINE J. SOMMER MEMORIAL FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE which provides support to this and many other needy organizations. The Cantor’s Concert On Saturday evening January 31, hear Cantor Margolius������� ’������ s concert “Faces of the Night: Jewish Music of Danger, Dream, and Celebration.” Cantor Margolius will be joined by Cantor Dorothy Goldberg, Pianist David Sparr (music director and accompanist at Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline since the year 2000, and owner/engineer of Little Dog Studios in Malden, MA) and Boston soprano Anne Levy. An Evening with Jacques Pepin and Art Auction: All in One! Madison’s iconic chef and TBT neighbor (literally) will be as the kids say, “in the house,” on Saturday night April 18th and will share a mulligatawny of his life’s experiences in and out of the kitchen. He’s an entertainer extraordinaire and charming to boot. And to top the evening off, we’ll be auctioning off a collection of 18 lithographs titled “Ten Painters on War and Peace”. The suite includes hand signed and numbered works from ten Israeli artists. Artists include Yaacov Agam, Lilian Klapisch, Ivan Scwebel, Ami Shavit, Menashe Kadishman, Lea Nikel, Uri Lifshitz, Aviva Uri, Marcel Janco and Yagael (Igael) Tumarkin. Come join us for dinner, conversation, great company and a chance to take home some gorgeous Israeli art. Cost: $50 per person. The TBT Book Club will be reading the following books: February All The Light We Cannot See by A. Doerr March Peony by Pearl Buck April Special meeting with Rachul Baila Yaffe to discuss essays she will give us about Women in Chabad We meet the third Thursday of the month at the Federation Shoreline Office in Lighthouse Square in Guilford at 7:30 p.m. For further Information contact Myra Josephson at [email protected] or 203-488-3350. MARCH 1 SALTY PURIM CARNIVAL TBT Social Hall, 12 noon SALTY invites you to join us for the annual TBT Purim Carnival! Lots of fun for the whole family and a great way to support our synagogue youth group. Wear your best costume! Admission is $5.00, which includes pizza and a drink. Bring extra money for extra slices. Questions? Contact Jason Gaines at [email protected] Education Committee Religious School Students in grades K-3rd and 7th-8th enjoyed their respective class dinners in January. Families enjoyed a Shabbat dinner followed by services and a tasty oneg. The Religious School and Nursery School have a joint School Spruce Up Day planned for Sunday, February 22 (please note the change of date from Feb. 8). Please join us to make the schools shine. Nursery School The Nursery School will join in this year’s School Spruce Up Day on Feb. 22. Please join us as we add some color to the classroom doors of the Nursery School. If you or someone you know would like information about upcoming TBT Nursery School slots or programs, please contact Director Bernadette Stak at 203-245-8039 for information. Do you know someone with pre-schoolers? Let Bernadette know, and she will send out information to them. Please help spread the word about our nurturing and creative programs. Word of mouth has always been our most successful way of enrolling students. Children do not need to be Jewish to attend the Nursery School or to participate in its enrichment programs. Adult Education Rabbi Offner’s popular Lunch and Learn series was back in January focusing on life in Israel. You can continue learning with Rabbi Offner in March and April when she teaches her popular Jewish Pathways course. This class explores the many paths of Jewish Life. Brush up on your fundamentals and learn about Judaism through prayer, history, language and culture. This course is a prerequisite for conversion and Adult B’nei Mitzvah. The course will be on Wednesday evenings, March 25, April 1, 8 15, 22 and 29. Back again this year is Prof. Pettigrew from Southern Connecticut State University. On Sunday morning, March 29, he will give a talk on Varian Fry, an American journalist who ran a rescue network for Jews trying to escape Vichy France. Marc Chagall and Jacque Lipchitz were among those he was able to rescue. Interested in getting involved in planning Adult Education events? Please contact Karen Redlich at [email protected] Paving the Way -the Renovation of the TBT Parking Lot! In December 2012, the Board of Directors identified the parking lot and driveways at TBT as a major barrier to welcoming. And, in August 2014, after accepting a $45,000 matching grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, the Board gave approval for a major renovation of these areas. Since August, we have been busy getting the work started and getting a jump on fundraising to meet the $45,000 match. Rabbi Offner tells the story of how she drove by the TBT driveway 3 times before she found TBT when she came for an interview. To address this concern, prior to the High Holidays, we installed new signs with new lighting for visibility coming from both directions on Route 79, removed some trees, renovated some of the landscaping and leveled the upper parking area. The beautiful new signs, lighting and landscaping were paid for by a very generous gift of Ed & Gloria Sack. The completion of the project with leveling of the upper parking area, refitting of drains and pipes, resurfacing, and new lines and signage to make parking easier will be completed in late May and June this year. Our job as a community is to raise the matching funds to complete the project. The total price of the project is $100,000. We are now soliciting the entire congregation to raise the remaining funds to refinish the parking area. You will be receiving a letter by mail with more information about this project, about gifts currently pledged and with information on how to make your gift! Oneg Shabbat We wish to thank the following members for sponsoring an Oneg Shabbat during January: Jan. 2 Jan. 9 Jan. 16 Jan. 30 Sandra Hyman and Sondra Bernblum Parents of students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade in our religious school Phyllis Kaufman Parents of students in Grades 7-8 in our religious school Simon Pinchbeck Bar Mitzvah Simon Pinchbeck will become a Bar Mitzvah on February 28, 2015. Simon’s big day is exactly six years to the date that his oldest sister, Clara, also became a Jewish adult. Friends and family are coming from Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. , Maine, Boston and New York to help celebrate, including his grandmother Estelle Garmisa and his grandfather Bill Pinchbeck & his wife, Joannie. Simon is particularly excited to share his special day with his many non-Jewish friends from Adams Middle School in Guilford. Simon is especially grateful to his patient and kind tutor, Dorothy Goldberg. The entire congregation is invited to attend! For questions, please contact Paul Beckman, Facilities Director or Suzanne Frisch, President. To make a donation, please contact Kim Romine in the TBT Office at 203-245-7028. Happy Birthday to our February children: Juliet Friedman, Tess Friedman, Jared Goldman, Elijah Houlton, Zachary Houlton, James Hyman, Julia Hyman, Samuel Kaplan, Danica Lustberg, Elana Morris, Simon Pinchbeck, Addison Reed, Elana Rothberg, Samuel Sharon, Melanie Siegel, Olivia Zimmerman TBT TRANSIT Need a Ride to Shabbat Services? Contact Rabbi Offner - [email protected] or 203-350-2134 Happy to Offer a Ride to Services? Contact Rabbi Offner - [email protected] or 203-350-2134 Create a Jewish Legacy for Temple Beth Tikvah Planned Giving What is planned giving? Planned giving may be defined as a method of supporting synagogues that enables philanthropic individuals or families to make larger gifts than they could make from their income. Some planned gifts provide a life-long income to the donor, while others use estate and tax planning techniques to provide for charity in ways that maximize the gift or minimize its impact on the donor’s estate. A planned gift is any major gift made in a lifetime or at death as part of a donor’s overall financial and/or estate planning. Whether a donor uses cash, appreciated securities, real estate, artwork, partnership interests, personal property, life insurance, a retirement plan, or other methods, the benefits of funding a planned gift can make this type of charitable giving very attractive for both donor and charity! An intelligently planned gift can bring joy to you and/or your family. It leaves the donor with a sense of satisfaction beyond the money and helps preserve Temple Beth Tikvah as a Jewish home, house of worship and Jewish presence on our shoreline. We invite your inquiries for any phase of your gift. We work with the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven in developing and maintaining our long-term investments at TBT. Lisa Stanger, Esq., Director of the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven and her professional staff are ready to help you create a charitable giving strategy to benefit TBT that is tailored to meet your financial and philanthropic objectives. Please consider Lisa and the Foundation to be your philanthropic resource and partner in helping you to explore charitable opportunities that work for you. You can join us in perpetuating the legacy of TBT’s founders by becoming the next era’s founders. This is the perfect time to be recognized as a guarantor of TBT’s future. For more information about “Create a Jewish Legacy for Temple Beth Tikvah,” please contact Suzanne Frisch. Thank you to those, not previously acknowledged, who donated so generously to our ANNUAL FUND: Robert Levy & Sally Tucker-Levy Robert & Mona Goodman Neil & Ellen Silberman Rick & Anne Calvert Amy Agranov Norma Diamond Jason & Kate Glazer Rob & Marcia Jacoby Gary & Ami Israel Judy Merriam Jonathan & Bonnie Rothberg Alan & Sherie Groves Helen Winokur Jan & Mary Ann Ehrenwerth Dorothy Goldberg & David RossRussell Jack & Kim Rakusin Herb & Marni Lustberg Marc & Laurey Sandler Ben & Betsy Muskin Tina Silidker Philip & Karen Goldberg David & Jo-Ann Fleischman Frohman Davis Mark & Wendy Bluemling Ken Rosenberg Paul & Sandra Beckman Nancy Kahrimanis Michael & Susan Lurie Stu Weinzimer & Jodie Ambrosino Sondra Bernblum Mark & Julie Danetz Cheryl Burack Ben & Robin Baker Myra Josephson Steve & Amy Shelton Bill & Kate Lee Alan & Jennifer Friedman Andrea Kaye Norman & Karen Redlich Susan Glantz Mark & Wendy Greenberg Mitchell & Linda Hirsch Jeff Babbin & Marlene Schwartz Dick and Sandy Whelan Margo Merin Kenneth & Harriet Rosen Don & Candice Kohn Randolph & Marianne Frankel Franklin & Joan Green Joe & Eleanor Weissberg Philip & Karen Goldberg Mike & Tobie Meisel CONTRIBUTIONS RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Arlene Goldstein in memory of Dr. Mel Goldstein Marjorie Cohen in memory of Dan Rennick Marjorie Hart in memory of Arline Glosband Sandra and Paul Beckman in celebration of Alan Meyers’ and Dick Whelan’s respective milestone birthdays Joan and Joel Marcus in loving memory of Joan’s mother, Anita Brill Sondra Bernblum in memory of her husband, Milton A. Bernblum Barbara Bernstein in memory of Martha Uhlfelder Bernstein, wonderful mother-in-law Mark and Wendy Greenberg in memory of William Klipper Jacky and Richard Cohen in appreciation of Rabbi Sommer and Rabbi Offner and all their wonderful friends who called and sent cards following the passing of their son-in-law, Robert Mellion Jacky and Richard Cohen in loving memory of Adele Feldman, mother of Jacky Martha and Ken Gamerman in loving memory of Martha’s father, Oscar Sapir, and Ken’s mother and father, Lena and Max Gamerman Brian and Jane Holzman Susan Kilman in memory of Milton Shaffe, father of Susan and Bonnie Alix and Joshua Copel with thanks for Rabbi Offner’s support this year Roxane Siskind in memory of Irving Sobel and Florence Siskind Rosemary and David Baggish in memory of Rosemary’s mother, Catherine Verdi Ami and Gary Israel in memory of Ami’s beloved brother, David Rubinowitz GENERAL FUND Judge and Mrs. Leonard I. Garth in memory of Sarah’s father, Rabbi Reuben Kaufman Joyce Hirschhorn for tzedakah Irina Lekhmus and Peter Rabinovich David and Jo-Ann Fleischman in memory of Gene Horwitch, father of Ann Sherer David and Jo-Ann Fleischman in memory of David’s cousin, Gloria Resnick Alvin Korn in memory of Pauline Korn Harriet Spear in memory of her beloved husband, Leonard Spear Carol Miller in memory of her beloved mother, Elaine Pivar LAURENCE B. & ELAINE J. SOMMER MEMORIAL FUND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Bill, Kate, Susannah, William and Alexa Lee in memory of Marietta Fagan Lee – beloved mother and grandmother Diane and Elliot Sachs in memory of Mildred Berke Roberta Grossman in memory of Dr. Milton Godfried, a dear friend Roberta Grossman in memory of her beloved husband, Dick Grossman, and her dear mother, Ida Davis Barbara Bernstein in memory of her beloved husband, Ernest Bernstein CONTRIBUTIONS ENDOWMENT FUND Sue Richman and Walter Spigelman in memory of Lawrence Richman Amy, David and Hilary Cohen, in honor and in memory of their mother, Sally C. Cohen THE JUDITH K. BARR EDUCATION FUND Charles Barr in memory of his beloved mother, Sarah Barr Charles Barr in memory of his brother, Leonard Barr THE HELEN KATZ GOODKIND BEAUTIFICATION FUND Helen Winokur and family in memory of Marjorie Freund THE SISTERHOOD CANTORIAL FUND The Kohn family in memory of Adele Kohn Marcus THE SILIDKER FAMILY MUSIC ENRICHMENT FUND Tina Silidker in memory of her father, Joseph Wasserman RABBI HOWARD F. SOMMER FUND FOR CONTINUING JEWISH EDUCATION Barbara Bernstein in honor of Rabbi Howard Sommer LIBRARY FUND The Kessler family in memory of Bob’s mopther, Hilda Kessler THE ISRAEL & MARY TICOTSKY EDUCATION ENRICHMENT FUND Jack and Linda Srebnik RELIGIOUS SCHOOL CHANUKAH WISH LIST Ed and Gloria Sack Jeff Babbin and Marlene Schwartz Marni and Herb Lustberg Denise Paley and Eric Tibere Andrea SanMarco Sandy and Dick Whelan Walter and Sue Spigelman David and Cynthia Greenblatt Alicia and Andre Levchenko Eric and Lisa Rich Have good news to share? Please let us know at office@ templebethtikvahct.org. Mazel Tov: To Walter Spigelman and Sue Richman on the March wedding of their daughter Sarah Spigelman to Luis Lopez To Lisa and David Harding on the engagement of their son Brian to Amy Collision. A Fall wedding is planned. TEMPLE BETH TIKVAH SHOFAR 196 Durham Rd., Madison CT 06443 Rabbi President Editor Proofreader Stacy K. Offner Suzanne Frisch Sandy Walsh Julie Fraenkel FEBRUARY 2015 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Our Advertisers Pay the Bill - Please Patronize Them If You Will To place your ad, please call the Temple office at 203-245-7028
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