CONGREGATION
BETH ISRAEL
“A Family of Families”
May 2015
Bar Mitzvah of
CALENDAR OF
RELIGIOUS SERVICES >>
Ian Jesse Mintz
Friday, May 1
Shabbat Service @ 7:30 pm
Confirmation
Saturday, May 2
Shabbat Service @ 9:00 am
Friday, May 8
Shabbat Service @ 6 pm
New Member Shabbat
Family Dinner to Follow
Saturday, May 9
Shabbat Service @ 9:00 am
Ian will be called to the
Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on
Saturday May 16, 2015 at
10:00 am.
Friday, May 15
Shabbat Service @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 16
Shabbat Service @ 10:00 am
* Bar Mitzvah of Ian Mintz
Continued on page 3
Friday, May 22
Shabbat Service @ 6 pm
*Lily Zager will Participate
Bat Mitzvah of
Saturday, May 23
Shabbat Service @ 10:00 am
* Bat Mitzvah of Lily Zager
Lily Eve Zager
Sunday, May 24
Shavuot Services @ 9:00 am
Study session 10:00am-12:00pm
Friday, May 29
Shabbat Service @ 7:30pm
Saturday, May 30
Shabbat Service @ 9:00 am
Lily will par cipate in the service Friday night, May 22nd at 6:00 p.m. and be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, May Torah Study
Saturdays @ 11:00am
Please come and join us
23rd at 10:00 a.m. Continued on page 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL
4402 Saratoga Blvd
Telephone:361.857.8181
Fax: 361.857.8227
Email: [email protected]
Website: bethisraelcc.com
Rabbis
Ilan Emanuel, Rabbi
Rabbi Kenneth Roseman, Rabbi Emeritus
Staff
Debbie Bustillo, Office Administrator
Jana Zager, Religious School Director
Leslie Green, Shabbat Dinner Coordinator
CBI Executive Board
Suzy Hilliard
President
Chris Adler
First Vice President
Mike Hiatt
Second Vice President
Secretary
Chris Kuehn
Treasurer
Robin Adams
Jim Gold
Past President
Susan Martin
Sisterhood Representative
Committee Chairs
Adult Education Chair
Cemetery Chairs
David Jacobs
Robert Adler
Carl Kuehn,
Gary Blum
Ritual Committee Chairs
Andrew Sheinberg
Jim Gold
Membership Committee Chair
Susan Martin
Social Action Committee Chair
Jim Gold
Dues Committee Chairs
Ann Engel
I can’t begin to talk about May without recognizing
several people and events that made April a success. For
those of you that joined us for the Broadway Musical show
and dinner, we have Carol Rehtmeyer, Ann Engel, Phyllis
Roseman and Chris Adler to thank for such a great
evening. And if you enjoyed visiting the museum, why
not consider purchasing a membership at the Museum of
Science and History? I think you will all agree it is a
fabulous place and deserving of our support. Please look
in this bulletin for information about becoming a member!
Thanks also to the CBI Sisterhood for once again hosting
the special dinner commemorating the second night of
Passover. Thanks also to Rabbi Emanuel for leading a
great Seder. We celebrated our second Bat Mitzvah of the
year and look forward to several more in the next few
months. In addition, there was several adult education
opportunities offered to our members this month as well .It
is never a dull moment around Congregation Beth Israel.
May 31 is the end of CBI’s fiscal year. This means your
board is very busy.
The finance committee is busy
preparing for the 2015-2016 budget, the nominating
committee is working on the slate of incoming officers,
and the Recognition committee is meeting to select a
member to single out for their hard work on behalf of our
congregation. However, we are not just looking forward:
we are busy just doing a regular month’s worth of
activities.
This month, that means a Men’s Club
Function, A Hooks/Havdalah event, recognition of the new
members that have joined CBI, a Bar and Bat Mitzvah,
confirmation and a Family Shabbat Dinner. Please find
several activities that you enjoy and support them. We are
always in need of help for these activities. If you have
some ideas or could spare a little time to help make an
event a success, please reach out to me or another board
member. Hope to see you at CBI this month!
Suzy Hilliard
President, Congregation Beth Israel
Leslie Kane
Building Chair
Bill Adams
Grounds Chair
Rikki Schmitchel
Fine Arts Chair
Laurie Mintz
Page 2
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Bar Mitzvah of Ian Jesse Mintz Saturday May 16, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
Ian turned 13 on April 16. He is an honors student in the Athena Program at Baker Middle School where he also plays clarinet in the band and is a member of the Speech and Debate Team. Ian loves to read and watch the news. He also enjoys playing video games, watching crazy YouTube videos and then reci ng them back with a scary level of detail, playing tennis, watching television, and hanging out in his PJ’s on the weekends. Ian’s parents are Amanda and Howard Mintz. His older brother, Evan, is an 8th grader at Baker Middle School. Ian’s grandparents are Michael and Laurie Mintz, Saul Cohen and the late Marcia Cohen of Boston, MA, and Ben and Carol Orrick who live in Maryland. Ian has decided to help raise much needed funds for the Baker Middle School Speech and Debate Team for his mitzvah project. Debate is one of Ian’s favorite ac vi es. He has competed in Congress, Lincoln‐Douglas, Public Forum, and Extemporaneous Speaking. Baker is one of only a few middle schools in the region with a Debate Team, which means that they compete primarily against high school students. The team is extremely successful and hopes to win honors at the Debate Na onals this June. The team is not sponsored by CCISD, and relies completely on teacher volunteers, parent dona ons, and fundraisers. Funds are needed to help pay for judges at compe ons, to help cover entry fees for students who cannot aﬀord to pay the fees, and to pay for transporta on to debate tournaments, among other things. A box has been placed in the lobby of Congrega on Beth Israel for dona ons. If you would like make a contribu on, checks can be made payable to Baker Middle School PTA with “Speech and Debate” in the memo line. Ian will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday May 16, 2015. The Congrega on is invited to join Ian and his family as they celebrate this very happy occasion with a Kiddush Luncheon following services on Saturday. Bat Mitzvah of Lily Eve Zager Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Lily Eve Zager is a 6th grade honors student at Incarnate Word Academy Middle School. In addi on to her studies, she played for the IWA volleyball team. Lily loves dancing ballet and jazz and just completed her performance in the Corpus Chris Ballet’s spring performance of the Wizard of Oz. She also enjoys snow‐skiing, boa ng, knee‐boarding and traveling. For her mitzvah project, Lily has chosen to collect books for all ages for JayNii Streetwise Founda on. StreetWise is a not‐for profit organiza on based in Accra, Ghana dedicated to keeping children oﬀ the streets and in school. When living in Ghana, Lily and her parents helped to build a library for the organiza on. It would be so meaningful to be able to con nue to replenish the books for the children of JanyNii Streetwise. A designated bin has been placed in the lobby of Congrega on Beth Israel and Lily would appreciate any dona ons (all types of books, new or used are welcome or you may send a check to help with shipping costs or the purchasing of books) to assist in this special and meaningful cause. For more information visit http://www.jaynii.com/
Lily’s proud parents are Jana and Josh Zager and older brother, Nathan. Her grandparents are Robin and Al Zager of Fair Haven, NJ and Lois and Alan Chepenik of Jacksonville, FL. Please join the Zager family as they celebrate this simcha with an Oneg Shabbat on Friday evening and a Kiddush Luncheon following services Saturday morning.
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Page 3
RABBI’S MESSAGE
The book of Numbers begins with the statement:
“And the Eternal spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:1)”
The Rabbis understand this statement as referring to the giving of the Torah in the desert and ask why
God would decide to reveal the greatest truths of history and the cosmos in the middle of
nowhere. Would it not have made more sense to reveal the Torah in the midst of one of the ancient
world’s great civilizations to show God’s power? Or why not wait till the Israelites had reached Israel
and reveal the Torah there, cementing the connection between God’s revelation and Promised Land?
One midrash suggests that this was done to ensure the Torah was understood to be the property of all
people equally. Had it been given in Israel the nations of the world could have denied it had anything
to with them. And there would have been dissension in Israel with tribes claiming the Torah had been
given in their territory and thus their exclusive property. As the Torah is a universal truth, a gift to the whole world, neither of these
possibilities would be desirable and so God gave it in the middle of nowhere, a place that belonged to no one so the Torah could
belong to everyone.
Another midrash argues that the Torah, a revelation of wisdom, was given in the wilderness to teach us an important lesson about
wisdom. It says: Anyone who does not make themselves “ownerless” (or “throw himself open”) like the wilderness is not capable of
acquiring Wisdom and Torah.
Truth and wisdom come when we are open to them. Perhaps the most dangerous phrase in the English language is “Perception is
reality.” It concretizes our natural tendency to close our eyes and our minds to realities that do not fall within the bounds of our
narrow preconceptions. When we already believe we know how the world is, we stop looking for wisdom. This is only natural. As
human beings we are limited by nature and our perceptions of reality are limited by the scope of our personal experience of the
world we live in. But to truly be wise we must be willing to look beyond the limits of our perception and learn from the experiences
of others whose lives are different from our own. We must remind ourselves of what it meant to be a people in the wilderness. In
doing so, we open our minds to all that we see and not just what we want to see, and we open our hearts to the wonders of God, of
the world and of each other.
Rabbi Emanuel
Omer Study Series: Faces of God - Saturday 11am
May 2 and May 9
What is the nature of God? This is one of the biggest questions of religion and in its 4,000 years of history
Judaism has a lot to say about what God is and what God wants from us. In the modern era Jewish thinkers
have struggled with how to understand God in an era of reason and science, spirituality and religious seeking
and the great thinkers of the modern Jewish world have added depth to the questions of the nature of
God. Join us on Saturday morning 11am from April 4-May 9 as we explore different modern approaches the
biggest question of them all! Find out what the great thinkers of modern Judaism have said about God and
deepen your understanding of what it means to believe in God as modern Jews.
Sunday, May 24, 2015 -Special Shavuot Learning Opportunity
Shavuot services 9:00 am. Study 10.00am - 12.00pm
Shavuot is a day we celebrate the giving of Torah and the joy of Jewish learning. Join us as Rabbi Emanual and
Rabbi Roseman teach about different perspectives of the Book of Ruth, traditionally read on Shabuot.in a
morning of study in celebration of Shavuot
Page 4
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Corpus Christi Community Religious School
Jana Zager, Director
Last month, the Religious School participated in an all-school Chocolate seder. Each class
participated in reading the special Haggadah and all of the seder plate items were chocolate! I’m pretty
sure this is one day the kids enjoyed! Also last month, the older students watched a short documentary
on the life of Anne Frank in remembrance of Yom Hashoah. We had a special visit from our ISJL
Fellow, Alachua Haskins. Alachua gave a D’var Torah at Friday night services and participated in
Shabbat morning services with Rabbi Emanuel. During Hebrew and Religious School, Alachua visited
each classroom to assess and work on a fun Yom Ha’Atzmaut project.
Coming up on May 8th, our students will participate in Shabbat services again. With each opportunity
to lead prayers, your child builds the confidence her/she needs to lead his/her Bar/Bat Mitzvah. And,
this gives the chance to reinforce what they have learned in Hebrew school. It is important to make
every effort to attend these short, hour long services.
Also, please make a note in your calendars that Confirmation for our 9th and 10th graders will be May
st
1 at 7:30. We would love to have you join us for this special
Religious Education Classes
occasion as these young students participate in Shabbat services.
th
Hebrew School
We will wrap up Religious School this month on May 17 . PLEASE
TH
9:15
am - 10:15 am
NOTE THAT THERE IS NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL ON MAY 10 .
Sunday School
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
10:30am - 12:30pm
May 3, 17
No School May 10
Jana Zager
Religious School Director
Join the 2015 Confirmands for
Shabbat Service on
Friday, May 1st at 7:30 pm
as they celebrate their Jewish Identity
and their commitment to Jewish Life.
There will be a festive oneg to follow.
Alex Fedder
David Fedder
Joe Fedder
Neil Levens
Maddie Ryan
Lucy Silverman
Sam Susser
Nathan Zager
Congratulations to
Meredith Ryan,
who has accepted the
position of Congregation
Beth Israel’s Religious
School Director, beginning
June 1, 2015.
We will miss Jana Zager
and the entire Zager
family as they move to
New Jersey.
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Page 5
In appreciation for the Corpus Christi
Museum of Science and History’s
sponsorship of our Broadway Musical
fundraiser, we are providing membership information and or see the link
below.
https://www.ccmuseum.com/membership/
Please consider supporting this
wonderful Corpus Christi attraction.
Page 6
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Family Shabbat Dinner
Shalom Everyone!!!
What a fun time we had at our Israeli-themed Family Shabbat Dinner last month celebrating Israel
Independence Day! The food was yummy and the company even better!
Please mark your calendar for Friday, May 8th as we honor our new members at our last Family
Shabbat Dinner of the season. Students will participate in Family Shabbat service at 6:00 pm with
dinner to follow.
I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking for our congregation during this programming year as well as
sharing Shabbat with old and new members alike. I hope you will all continue to attend our Family
Shabbat Dinners when they resume again in September!
Until we break bread together again, wishing all of you a safe, relaxing and fun-filled summer!
Leslie Green
Family Shabbat Dinner Coordinator
Phone: 804.334.5662
Email: [email protected]
SAVE THE DATE
ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015
$$$ FUND FACTS $$$
As Treasurer of CBI, here is the featured fund for this month, with information regarding the
purpose of the fund. Please keep our funds in mind as you make contributions to our
congregation and earmark your payment if you want your contribution made to a particular
fund.
Nelson Landscape Fund
This fund was established for cultural, artistic, or environmental/nature projects benefitting
Congregation Beth Israel.
Oshman Family Temple Improvement Fund
This fund shall be used for maintenance and improvement of CBI.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact myself or Suzy Hilliard.
Robin Adams, Treasurer
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Page 7
CBI Sisterhood News
The second night seder was a fabulous success! Thank you to all who
attended as well as those who prepared the wonderful food! The ladies of
Sisterhood are currently working on the inventory of the Gift Shop, and will
be re-opening soon. Be sure to stop by when you get a chance!
CBI Sisterhood Co-Presidents,
Brittany Sandbach, Susan Martin, Chris Adler
CBI SISTERHOOD
WANTS
YOUR OLD , GENTLY
USED, TARNISHED
SILVER PIECES
WE WILL POLISH!
Many of our serving trays and
silver pieces are very worn and need
replacing. If you have something to
donate, please let us know and
we will happily pick it up.
Many thanks.
Page 8
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Please join us for our
New Member Shabbat
Friday, May 8th at 6pm
Family Dinner to follow
We will be honoring the following new members:
Jill Barris
Andrea & Art Bussey
Tom Curry
Viktoryia & Vladimir Dvorkin
Joe Gazin
Leslie & Carl Levy
Michael Lieber
Heather Long
Greg Marks
Carol Rehtmeyer
Kimberly & Eric Yaker
FINAL TALK SCHEDULED
BY OUR RABBI
EMERITUS
Rabbi Roseman will discuss various issues he
raises in his new book. The final session will
begin with light refreshments at 10:00 AM in
the Grossman Auditorium with the formal
session to start at 10:30. The talks are open to
all members of CBI and guests of any religious
tradition without charge. It is expected that
they will conclude before noon.
May 3, the Rabbi will talk about “The Head
and the Heart: Intellect and Emotion.”
Copies of his book, Of Tribes and Tribulations,
will be available for purchase each Sunday
morning, and Rabbi Roseman has indicated he
will be delighted to dedicate and sign the
books for your possession or as gifts.
A special thank you to
Clarice Wallock for making a
donation in Ray Falk’s
memory, with the request that
these funds be set aside to
cover the cost of a replacement Adult Hebrew teacher. If you wish to wish to
contribute towards this program, please make a notation
on your check so that it may
be credited to the proper account.
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Page 9
PERPETUAL YAHRZEITS
Sabbath of May 1
Arch Allen
*Dave Bergman
*Robert Brodkey
*Julius Brownstein
Ida Elzweig
*Frieda Falk
*William Frank
*Mose Franklin
*Arthur Haas
*Max Katz
*Samuel Kins
*Dwight Lebowitz
*Irving Lepow
*Philip Levy
*Joseph Maizel
*Julian Mandelstamm
*Ida Racusin
Celia Roosth
Gershon Rosenwasser
*Morris Rosenwasser
*Harry Samuels
*Jacob Samuels
Melville Samuels
*Juliette Scott
*Eugene Steiner
Morris Wasserman
Sabbath of May 8th
Curtis Alward
*Dave Berman
*Joseph Blum
*Bertha Brand
*Leo Braun
Marsha Carchman
*Edna Ducler
*Max Engle
Karen Fox
*Ronald Hausman
Asher Hooden
Chinke Lieberman
*Jesse Lieberman
Page 10
*Leon Loeb
*William Nance
Polly Roosth
Vera Rosenheim
Irene Roth
*Max Schmidt
Clara Simpkins
Mary Trevino
*Tina Wisznia
Sabbath of May 15th
*Simon Alexander
*Elaine Baum
*Martell Benjamin
*Sam Braslau
*Tracy Braslau
*Elaine Buam
*Caecilia Dannenbaum
Willard Davis, Jr.
James Dixon
Irving Frank
*Martha Gold
*Henry Grossman
Fannie Heffler
*Adolph Krams
*David Mendlowitz
*Isidor Posner
Philip Sands
*Henry Schaffer
Joseph Sheinberg
Ruth Simon
Albert Lehrman
Bertha Lieberman
*Esther Mendlowitz
*Ben Pashkoff
*Himan Pelofsky
*Jeanette Reiter
*Hyman Roosth
*Julius Rosenberg
*Isadore Schaffer
Harry Solomon
*Sylvan Weil
*Marcel Zebaida
Sabbath of May 29th
*Sadye Adler
*Morris Bein
*Zingel Birnberg
Abraham Feldbrand
Bayla Feldbrand
*Alice Frohlinger
*Elje Frohlinger
*Morris Goltzman
*William Greenberg
*Harold Hausman
Frances Heller
Carolyn Henton
*Shirley Korn
Reva Lipovitch
*Issie Offenberg
*Sanders Posner
*Sidney Zeidman
Sabbath of May 22nd
*Edna Brodkey
*Michael Chasin
*Gene Crain
*Riwka Feld
*Ben Greenberg
*Isaac Greenberg
*Sadie Grossman
*Ethel Holtzman
*Gertrude Hurwitz
Sadie Korn
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
The Congregation thanks you for the following contributions
Yahrzeit Donations
Hebrew Rest Fund
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Freda marks
Elinor Roosth
Jack Kaufman
Bill & Susan Martin
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Ray Falk
Elizabeth & Jerry Susser
Doris Katz
Adler Camp Scholarship Fund
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Ray Falk
Chris & Robert Adler
Sonja Wisznia
Irene & Saul Grossman Flower Fund
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Ray Falk
Annette & Melvyn Klein
Julius Leshin
Recovery of------------------------------------------------ From
Jerry Kane
Mitzvah Fund
Chris & Robert Adler
Gloria Wolfson
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Julius Leshin
Adult Education Fund
Ray Falk
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Ray Falk
Inez Eskowitz
Clarice Wallock
Alice Napier
Doris Katz
Iris & Andy Lehrman
In Honor of-------------------------------------------------- From
Audrey Zane Sisterhood Memorial
Fund
Elysheva Barnett on her Bat Mitzvah
Lily Zager on her Bat Mitzvah
Alan Zane
Ian Mintz on his Bar Mitzvah
The Noble Family
Iris & Andy Lehrman
Endowment Fund
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Mildred Chafetz
The Noble Family
Iris & Andy Lehrman
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Benjamin Zane
The Noble Family
LA & Rona Train
Iris & Andy Lehrman
Robin Adams
Recipient of 2015 Miriam Award
Ray Falk
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund
General Fund
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Julius Leshin
Roslyn & Maury Wolfson Gloria Wolfson Donation----------------------------------------------------- From
Heather & David Loeb In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Mr. & Mrs. Jim Dennis Ray Falk
Ray Falk
Suzy & John Hilliard Melvin & Rima Katz Susan Thiem Charles DeCou Doris Katz
Barb & Chip Schwamb
Rabbinical Trust Fund
In Memory of------------------------------------------------ From
Susan & Bill Mar n Jack Kaufman
Ann & David P. Engel
Don’t forget . You can remember a friend or relative with a minimum contribution of $5.00 to one of our many funds.
These funds support camp scholarships, education, cemeteries, fine arts, library, & building improvements, to name a few. An
acknowledgement card will be sent to the honored person or family. Please make checks payable to CBI and specify the fund.
Call the CBI office with any questions.
Congregation Beth Israel Newsletter
Page 11
Omer Study Series:
Faces of God Saturday 11am
May 2 & May 9
Special Shavuot Learning
Opportunity
Shavuot services 9.00am.
Study 10.00am - 12.00pm
FINAL TALK
SCHEDULED BY OUR RABBI EMERITUS
Rabbi Roseman will discuss various issues he
raises in his new book. The final session will
begin with light refreshments at 10:00 AM in
the Grossman Auditorium with the formal session to start at 10:30. The talks are open to all
members of CBI and guests of any religious
tradition without charge.
May 3, the Rabbi will talk about “The Head
and the Heart: Intellect and Emotion.”
Copies of his book, Of Tribes and Tribulations, will be available for purchase.
Please join us for our
New Member Shabbat
Friday, May 8th at 6pm
Family Dinner to follow
Join the 2015 Confirmands for
Shabbat Service on
Friday, May 1st at 7:30 pm
We will be honoring the following new members:
as they celebrate their Jewish Identity and their
commitment to Jewish Life.
There will be a festive oneg to follow.
Jill Barris
Andrea & Art Bussey
Tom Curry
Viktoryia & Vladimir Dvorkin
Joe Gazin
Leslie & Carl Levy
Michael Lieber
Heather Long
Greg Marks
Carol Rehtmeyer
Kimberly & Eric Yaker
Alex Fedder
David Fedder
Joe Fedder
Neil Levens
Maddie Ryan
Lucy Silverman
Sam Susser
Nathan Zager
May 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 Confirma on Shabbat Service 9:00 am Shabbat Service @ 7:30 pm Omer Study Series: Faces of God @ 11am Light Candles at: 7:45 PM Havdalah @ The Hooks 5:30pm 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 Lag B’Omer NEW MEMBER SHABBAT @6:00 pm Shabbat Service 9:00 am Hebrew School 9:15‐10:15 Sunday School 10:30‐12:30 Of Tribes and Tribula ons at 10am Men’s Club @BJs 7‐9pm 10 11 NO SUNDAY SCHOOL 12
13
14 Light Candles at: 7:50 PM 15 16 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 10:00 am @ 7:30 pm Light Candles at: 7:54 PM 17 18
19
LAST DAY Hebrew School 9:15‐10:15 Sunday School 10:30‐12:30 Shavuot Services 9:00am Study Session 10:00‐12:00pm ____________ 31 21 6:30 pm ‐Board 24 20 25 26 27 *Bar
Mitzvah of Ian
Mintz
22 23 Shabbat Service @ 6:00 pm Shabbat Service 10:00 am *Bat Mitzvah of
Light Candles at: 7:58 PM Mee ng *Religious School will Omer Study Series: par cipate. Faces of God @ 11am *Family Dinner to Follow Lily Zager
28
29 30 Shabbat Service Shabbat Service 9:00 am @ 7:30 pm Light Candles at: 8:01PM CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL
4402 SARATOGA
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78413
Please excuse our mess while we
reorganize the gift shop.