MARCH 2015 Congregation Beth Shalom Schedule of Services March 2015 Adar/Nisan 5775 Wednesday, March 4, 6:30 pm Megillah Reading Thursday, March 5, 5:30 pm Purim Feast and Play Friday, March 6, 7:30 pm Led by Barry Goldfarb Saturday, March 7 Torah Study 8:30 am Shabbat Service 10:00 am Led by Stuart Snow Torah: Ki Tissa Friday, March 13, 7:30 pm Led by Martine Thomas Saturday, March 14 Torah Study 8:30 am Shabbat Service 10:00 am Led by Cantor Sheri Allen Torah: Vayakhel-Pekudei Friday, March 20 Family Shabbat Dinner 6:30 pm Family Service 7:30 pm Led by Cantor Sheri Allen Saturday, March 21 Torah Study 8:30 am Shabbat Service 10:00 am Led by Cantor Sheri Allen Torah: Vayikra Friday, March 27, 7:30 pm Led by Klila and Brian Caplan Saturday, March 28 Torah Study 8:30 am Shabbat Service 10:00 am Led by Stuart Snow Torah: Tzav ADAR/NISAN 5775 My Two Shekels In just a few short days, Purim will be upon us. The holiday begins on Wednesday evening, March 4, and we will be doing things a bit differently this year. At 6:30 p.m., we will all gather in the sanctuary to read the WHOLE MEGILLAH! I’m am very excited about this since, as long as I’ve been here (if not longer), we’ve never taken up the challenge of this mitzvah. Reading the Megillah in its entirety is only one of seven mizvot of Purim. The other are: 1. The giving of Mishloach Manot (gifts of food to family and friends) 2. Machazit HaShekel (gifts to the poor) 3. The chanting of a special Torah portion during services 4. The addition of theAl HaNissim prayer (for miracles) in the Amidah. 5. The prohibition against fasting or eulogies, as it is a day of great rejoicing 6. Taking part in a Purim Seudah: a happy, festive meal. Lest anyone be concerned that you will not be able to understand a word of it in Hebrew, don’t worry! I will chant the first three verses of every chapter in Hebrew, and then leave the rest of the chapter up to you! We will alternate reading verses in English, unless, of course, you would like to try your hand at Hebrew chanting! I will be happy to teach you the trope (cantillation!) The next day, Thursday, March 5, Purim day, we will return to CBS at 5:30 p.m. for our own special Purim Seudah/meal, followed by this year’s original Purim Play, The Real Queens of Persia, written and directed by two-time Emmy Award winning writer Richard J. Allen, and performed by the CBS Purim Players. This is an event not to be missed!!! It is always one of the highlights of our year, and this year will be no exception. Please bring your family and friends, and let’s have another standing-room-only extravaganza! Wishing you all a Chag Purim Sameach, – Cantor Sheri Allen Purim Dinner and Play The Real Queens of Persia Thursday, March 5, 5:30 p.m. New Member Applications If you, or anyone you know, is interested in joining the Beth Shalom family, please call the Beth Shalom office, 817-860-5448 Join us for our annual Beth Shalom Original Purim Spiel on Thursday, March 5, following a 5:30 p.m. Purim dinner! This year's edition is The Real Queens of Persia in which Reality Show Producer Joe MacGilla risks life and limb to bring his cameras behind the scene of the Persian palace in Sushan. Accompanied by tunes that sound an awful lot like Fiddler on the Roof, Esther, Ahasuerus, Mordecai, Haman and a spirited supporting cast will take you on hopefully hilarious journey through the first (and probably final) "season" of The Real Queens of Persia. Let's just say Snookie and Honey Boo-Boo are nothing compared to this bunch! 2 The Ritual Life The Original Pre-Nuptial Agreement (Much of this article comes from the daily insights of the Daf Yomi, as articulated by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz.) Just as there is a daily and weekly cycle to reading the Torah, so too is there for the studying of the Talmud. Last month began the study of the Tractate Massekhet Ketubot. Massekhet Ketubot provides clarification of most of the matters that constitute the relationship between husband and wife: conjugal relations, mutual obligations, and monetary arrangements between them. Due to the broad spectrum of topics covered in it, which branch out into many different areas of halacha, the early commentaries called Massekhet Ketubot the miniature Talmud (Shas katan) or the key to the Talmud (mafte'ah ha-Shas). Marriage is a relationship of kedusha - of holiness - that can only be broken by the death of either the husband or the wife, or a contract of divorce - a get. Still, according to the halacha, the relationship between spouses is governed by mutual responsibilities which are agreed upon by the two sides. These agreements are binding based on a contract - the ketuba - that is a written understanding between husband and wife. The very term - ketuba - indicates the centrality of the written, contractual agreement, and it is called by this name because it is effectively the single written contract that every Jewish person will need in the course of their lives. Since the ketuba contains the agreed upon mutual responsibilities between husband and wife, it logically follows that Massekhet Ketubot is a study and analysis of the rights and obligations of married life. The importance of the ketuba is not limited to the agreements contained in it. The Sages ruled that a marriage that does not have a ketuba, cannot be considered a marriage at all, since the main difference between a casual sexual relationship outside of marriage (zenut) and marriage is the existence of a documented agreement between the couple that spells out their mutual responsibilities - including obligations should the marital relationship come to an end. Thus, from the perspective of the Sages, marriage without a ketuba is to be considered zenut. Since every marriage is based on a series of expectations and agreements, just as with any other agreement there is the possibility of arguments between the two sides. There is always potential for disagreements between husbands and wives - which are not really the concern of the courts unless the couple decides to end their marriage. There are, however, times that the courts are called in to play a role, for example where there is an accusation that one of the parties did not live up to their part of the agreement. Such accusations can relate to a basic issue in the agreed upon marriage, where one side claims that they were fooled and would never have agreed to the marriage had they been in possession of the information in the first place, or to second- HaShomer is published monthly by Congregation Beth Shalom 1212 Thannisch Drive, Arlington, TX 76011-4848 Vol. XXXII, Issue 6, March, 2015 Editor: Hy Siegel Editorial Assistance: Thressa Lobel ary agreements, where the claim is that one side is not living up to their responsibilities as delineated in the ketuba. So you see, in these days of quicky marriages and divorces with the now requisite pre-nuptial agreement, our Sages had this figured out over 2000 years ago! The main difference between the agreements is the infusion of holiness represented by the ketuba that permeates the essence of our faith. Imagine how much society would advance if this element of holiness was allowed to enter our homes and work places at all times and instances? – Stuart Snow, Ritual Chair Keeping the Faith It’s mid-February and I have plans for both Passover Seders. I will be in Dallas for the first Seder at my cousin’s house and then in Colorado at my daughter’s house for the second. That is a good start in my need to live a Jewish life. A delegation of Rabbis were invited to talk to the Dali Lama to explain how Jews kept their faith when the Jerusalem temple was destroyed. They told the Lama that Passover was designed to guarantee the survival of the Jewish people. It brings them together for a ritual that combines food and music in helping them remember their history. This HaShomer article is about the same thing. What are the contemporary tools to encourage American Jews to lead better Jewish lives? I have just gotten most of the way through a new book entitled, Relational Judaism, by Dr. Ron Wolfson. He says we need the power of relationships to transform the Jewish community. Everyone seems to agree that Judaism in America needs transforming. The one branch of our religion that is growing is the Orthodox who grow because they have more children than the other branches. American Jews are enjoying prosperity and the ability of Jews to blend with their non-Jewish neighbors. Jews are now able to attend the college of their choice and to get jobs that have previously been denied to Jews. This is good news for the JINO (Jews in Name only) but has been bad for Jewish organizations who are struggling with fund raising and keeping up their membership. Dr. Wolfson says it is so easy. Jews have forgotten how to form relationships. They talk, but they do not listen. People simply want to be heard, but not to establish those Continued on page 4 . . . ADVANTAGE EYECARE MARK SCHWARTZ, O.D. ARLENE SCHWARTZ, O.D MAYFAIR VILLAGE 724 GRAPEVINE HWY. HURST, TEXAS 76054 817-788-2020 If you can't read this, you need to see us. 3 Sisterhood Brotherhood February’s book club was a lively discussion of This Is Where I Leave You. We even gained a new member. Think about joining us for the March discussion of someone else’s love story by Joshlyn Jackson. Even if you have not completed the book (or started it for that matter) you are always welcome. Just remember to RSVP to Dorit Mikulencak when she sends out the reminder so that we know how many to expect. We meet at the La Madeleine’s on North Collins. That way anyone who wants can have whatever treat they desire. Hope to see you at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 29. There is still time for you to join Sisterhood. Contact Sheryl Robertson at 817-360-9771 or Martine Thomas at [email protected] for a form. Sheryl is working on a surprise for the April Membership Celebration – but you must be a member to attend. A huge thank you to Cindi Mendez, Bob Burns, Iris Jeffreys, Dorit Mikulencak and Pam Sudbury for organizing We R Judaica. The shop is open during Religious School on Sundays, or by appointment. If you need something, please contact Thressa in the office and she will arrange to have someone open the store for you. We are currently having a sale on Pesach items. Make sure to come and see what excellent discounts you can get. Remember, everyone is welcome to join us for dinner and/or the meeting. Our next meeting is on March 9th. We will be dining at Canes on N. Collins at 5:30 p.m. The meeting follows at 7:00 p.m. at CBS. – Martine Thomas Sisterhood President Three Brotherhood events will be happening in the month of March. First is our Brotherhood planning meeting and social gathering to be held at Einstein Bagels, 5811 Bryant Irvin Rd., Fort Worth, 76132, Sunday, March 1, at 10:00 a.m. In addition to the purely social content of this get-together, you are also asked to bring all of your planning ideas and objectives with you for a pre-planning session before the actual Planning Workshop takes place. Second, for those who are able to help after breakfast, Brother Rothschild has asked for volunteers to help serve lunch and work in the Bounce House at the TCJC Purim Festival at Beth-El congregation. Just a few men are needed to show Brotherhood's involvement with the community. Last, Brotherhood's "Plan for Our Future" Workshop will be held in the CBS Social Hall the following Sunday, March 8th, at 10:00 a.m. Please plan on attending this extremely important meeting. This workshop will be conducted by vice president Kapin who has extensive experience in leading this type of meeting. Its purpose is to identify what you want out of our most important auxiliary organization. We need EVERYONE’S attendance and input in order to successfully plan our future course. Bring your ideas, hopes and plans so that they can be discussed, disseminated and incorporated into our organization. Please allow two hours for this meeting and leave your apathy at the door! Brotherhood will provide lox and bagels; please reply to the email you received that you are going to attend and what item(s) you are willing to bring. Finally, it's time for 2015 Brotherhood dues. Please bring cash or your $36.00 check made out to CBS Brotherhood to either meeting. Let us know that you want Brotherhood to be a part of your life. Thank you, and your officers look forward to seeing you there and starting a new chapter in the vitality of our organization! – Mark Lewis, Brotherhood President Treasurer's Report As promised, I want to provide you with an update on the 2015 Financial Committee goals. Here is our first update on these goals and other Treasurer activities: * Completed our efforts to set up auto pay for all our routine monthly bills. * Developed a restricted fund policy; presented it to the board, and received approval for the new policy. We will include the policy in one of the future editions of Hashomer. * Completed efforts to set up paperless billing for our Continued on page 4 . . . Congregation Beth Shalom Sisterhood Gift Shop We 'R' Judaica Open: Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to Noon or by appointment - Contact the CBS office: 817-860-5448 The Congregation records with sorrow the passing of: Sharon Wenokur beloved mother of Jennifer DeAngelis and past president of Congregation Beth Shalom May her memory be a blessing 4 Keeping the Faith . . . continued from page 2 meaningful relationships that they need to live happy Jewish lives. That is why Jewish organizations are failing in America. He suggests that we need to take over large houses like Chabad has done and staff them with a different kind of community organizer. He recommends setting up groups like college fraternities that are funded by existing Jewish Federations. He says we need to recruit young Jewish adults for Congregation-Based Community Organizing (CBCO). These organizations, like Jewish fraternities and sororities, will ask people what they want, not just thrust programs on them. They will meet the needs of young Jewish adults. The new organizations will charge no dues, but build leadership for continuing Jewish life with the people who now are not keeping the faith. These groups will send their participants on to existing congregations to continue their happy Jewish lives. My daughter suggests an approach by a rabbi in California who must have read this book. The website for his congregation can befound at thislink: http://www.bethchaim.com/ contact-us-mainmenu-3/news-mainmenu-2/9-latest/2-tuesday0612. You can see that he stresses the desire to work face-toface with his congregation and build relationships. Dr. Wolfson has invented a new language with new leaders with different training than Rabbis and Cantors. These people have an aptitude for group dynamics and are chosen for these jobs because of their attitudes and abilities. It sounds so simple. I remember when Fort Worth tried their young leadership programs. It was a good idea. Maybe it did work. Fort Worth is still there. I have a young leadership award plaque in my office dated 1972. Ain chadash mi tachat ha’shemesh. (There is nothing new under the sun.) – Sherwin Rubin Treasurer's Report . . . continued from page 3 routine monthly bills. * Coordinated with the IRS and ADP to set up automatic filing of employer tax returns; first automatic filing will occur inApril. * Set up auto pay/monthly installments for our liability insurance payments. * Paid off our annual dues to the Union of Reform Judaism. * Generated and disseminated W2s for staff and clergy. * Reviewed and renewed our property/liability insurance. Future Activities * Increase the frequency of deposits at Chase Bank, as required * Evaluate and compare property/liability premiums from other URJ-sponsored insurance companies in preparation for 2016 insurance renewal. * Evaluate and compare fees and other benefits from Compass Bank * Evaluate and compare costs from other electricity providers (our two-year contract expires in August) * Integrate income/expense accounts in Quickbooks. Sanctuary Completion Fund Donors Diamond Donation - $5,000 and up Platinum Donation - $2,500-4,999 Larry and Martine Thomas CBS Sisterhood Gold Donation - $1,500-2,499 Melanie Garver Sherwin Rubin Silver Donation - $500-1,499 Stuart and Andrea Snow Harold Mandel/SharonSelf Gene and Christine Posnock Brian and Klila Caplan Pam and Johnny Sudbury Nana and Joyce Atkens Jeff and Michele Rothschild Stephen and Sarita Cabrero CBS Brotherhood Mike and Suzi Kapin Supporter - Under $500 Richard and Sheri Allen Lynda Friedensohn Ken and Linda Licker Ben and Fran Weiger Martin and Cindi Kaplan Stephen and Tamara Lenhoff Janet and Jerry Aaronson Ruth Friedman Jared Snow Norm and Toni Epstein Joe and Rochelle Bekerman Ellen Pincus Amir and Shirley Sassoon Bob and Karen Burns Tuesday Mah Jongg Group Barry and Seena Stevens Florence Grossman Marty and Debbie Goldsmith Phil and Aimee Israel-Pelletier Barry and Dolores Schneider Phil and Cookie Kabakoff Cathy and Jim Frisinger David and Angela Markson Hy Siegel Richard and Stephanie Posner George Fleischmann Mark Lewis Lee and Leslie Schulman Paul Solomon Brent and Yael Sasley Michael and Lisa Rein As a reminder, please use the memo field on your personal checks to help us assign your donations/payments with one of our defined income accounts. This will make it much easier for Thressa and the finance committee members to accurately track our congregation’s income/expenses and your household donations for income tax purposes. If you have any questions, please let me know ([email protected]). – Ben Weiger 5 Donations (Received prior to February 15) GENERAL FUND In memory of Ben Rubin and David Henry Rubin from Sherwin Rubin In memory of Isadore J. Sternstein and Benjamin Feld from Marian Feld In memory of Eli Cobbel from Marty and Sharon Wichter In memory of Lea Fuchs from Rochelle and Joe Bekerman SANCTUARY FUND In memory of Abraham Mandelstein; in appreciation of our service leaders; in honor of the marriage of Jay and Lynda Friedensohn-Feinberg from Janet and Jerry Aaronson BUILDING FUND In honor of Aubrey Markson's engagement from Janet and Jerry Aaronson SCHOLARSHIP FUND In memory of Skippy Reynolds from Marty and Debbie Goldsmith Daytimers Presents: Welcome to the World of Modern Art - Unusual Sculpture Around the World Wednesday, March 11, 12:00 noon at Congregation Beth-El Having just appointed myself as a sculpture expert, I will present 25 of the world's most unusual sculptures. I will present all 25 of these remarkable creations with both photos and a bit of history about each one. When I discovered them, I found them to be simply fascinating and hope that you will too. Larry Steckler Lunch catered by Sprouts, $9 per person Program only, $5 per person For information/reservations contact: Larry Steckler, 817-927-2736. The Sylvia Wolens Jewish Daytimers is a program of Beth-El Congregation with support from the Jewish Federation. Birthdays March 6 Joshua Jessup March 7 Jeremy Allen Larry Levy Stephanie Levy Agnes Mishkin March 11 Larry Fleischer Chloe Pelletier March 12 Lindsay Kapin March 15 Kim Goldberg March 16 Liron Caplan March 17 Suzi Kapin Seena Stevens March 18 Emma Weiss March 22 Samara Sasley March 23 Candace Eisenfeld David Udes March 26 Marc Thomas March 27 Shamir Caplan March 28 Sam Weiger March 30 David Bekerman March 31 Harold Mandel Johnny Sudbury Anniversaries March 2 George& ChristyFleishmann(40) March 10 Joe & Rochelle Bekerman March 15 Bob & Karen Burns Jeff & Michele Rothschild March 17 Stephen & Sheryl Robertson(25) Randy & Trish San Antonio March 24 Marty & Sharon Wichter March 27 Eugene & Christine Posnock RABBI/CANTOR DISCRETIONARY FUND In memory of Lenora Freedman from Lori Cole EDUCATION FUND Donation from the Atkens Family In honor of the birth of Eli Henry Friedensohn from Janet and Jerry Aaronson CHEVRA KADDISHA FUND In memory of Norma Reynolds from Marty and Debbie Goldsmith Yahrzeits March 1 Marian Goodman Jerry Kaden Samuel Weiss March 2 Caroline Finkelstein* Douglas Groh Toni Herman* March 3 Betty Berger Harold Dorfman Rose Golden March 4 Arnold Berger Louis Eisenfeld* Sophie Robins Sadie Rosen March 5 Bessie Kahn Mandel* Timothy Plaistow Al Weiss* March 6 Sylvia Asman Ethel Newell Flack* Max Schmerler March 7 Shirley Printz* Phyllis Stuart Rebecca Voet March 8 Jay Silverberg Bernard Stein* March 9 Benjamin Epstein* Abraham Mandelstein* Jean Mazur Roy Propp March 10 Abraham Feldman Abraham Glickman Irvis Thomas Isabel Thomas March 11 Suzanne Pfaetzer Cook Irving Rein* March 12 George Coplin* March 13 Anna Shulman March 15 Sylvia Halbert Herbert Posner Aaron Sternstein March 17 Gertrude Malkowsky Joseph Robertson March 18 Fanny Nancy Finkelstein* Florence F. Katz* Chaya Leder Lowell Mitchell Etta Schmerler* Israel Solomon* March 19 Howard Neil Maurer* Irwin Paderewski* Jake Sharg March 20 Harold Grossman* Lewis Lackman* Phil Landsberg* Bella Needleman March 21 Rowland Berthoff Wallace Printz* March 22 Albert Hirschman* Fannie Milner* David Wildman March 23 Ruth Goldsmith* Lorraine San Antonio* Rose Weinberger March 24 Anne Lefer* March 25 Arlene Levy Godfrey* Joseph Lazovick* March 26 Meyer Cohen March 27 Saul Israel* Howard Koven March 28 Joan Dunn March 30 Bella Buckbinder Sppindler Josef Spindler Jack Zimmerman March 31 Richard Simon Cook S. William Flack* Robert Milner* David Meyer Rubin* Bruce Weingarten * Memorial Plaque in Sanctuary
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