MAY 2015
Congregation Beth Shalom
Schedule of Services
May 2015
Iyar/Sivan 5775
Friday, May 1, 7:30 pm
Led by Barry Goldfarb
Saturday, May 2
Led by Stuart Snow
Torah: Achare Mot-Kedoshim
Friday, May 8, 7:30 pm
Led by Brian and Kllila Caplan
Saturday, May 9
Torah Study 8:30 am
Shabbat Service 10:00 am
Led by Ken Licker and Chanel Sassoon
Torah: Eor
Friday, May 15
Family Shabbat Dinner 6:30 pm
Family Service 7:30 pm
Led by Cantor Sheri Allen
Saturday, May 16
Torah Study 8:30 am
Shabbat Service 10:00 am
Led by Stuart Snow
Torah: Behar-Bechukotal
Friday, May 22, 7:30 pm
Led by Martine Thomas
Saturday, May 23
Torah Study 8:30 am
Shabbat Service 10:00 am
Led by Cantor Sheri Allen
Torah: Bamidbar
Sunday, May 24, 9:00 am
Shavout Yizkor Memorial Service
Led by Cantor Sheri Allen
Friday, May 29, 7:30 pm
Hebrew School Siddur Celebration
Led by Cantor Sheri Allen
Saturday, May 30
Torah Study 8:30 am
Shabbat Service 10:00 am
Led by Post-B'nai Mitzvah Students
Torah: Naso
A Taste of Beth Shalom
Saturday Evening
May 16, 7:00 pm
Details on Page 7
Live and Silent Auctions featuring
food, food, and more food.
IYAR/SIVAN 5775
My Two Shekels
Spring has finally sprung, and the hustle and bustle of Pesach is behind us.
We are now in the midst of counting the days leading up to our next big festival,
Shavuot, otherwise known as Zman Matan Torahteinu, or the time of the giving of
the Torah on Mt. Sinai. Each day that we count leads us closer to celebrating our
spiritual freedom, and the receiving of God’s greatest gift to us.
As we count these days (known officially as the counting of the “Omer” or measure of grain from the first barley
harvest that was brought as an offering to the Temple in
Jerusalem), we can reflect on our ancestor’s arduous journey through the wilderness, while also identifying what stressors are preventing us from actually tasting freedom in our
own lives.
This 49-day period between Pesach and Shavuot is a
semi-mourning period, (with the exception of one day: Lag
B’Omer), as it was a dark time for the Jews in the early
centuries of the Common Era. But when Shavuot comes,
the mood is celebratory, and, like the Spring, signals a time
of hope and happiness.
And what better way to celebrate than at the Six13 concert at the end of the
month! Six13, an a capella group, is coming to Fort Worth to perform at a free
concert presented by B’nai B’rith at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, May 31st at
Congregation Ahavath Sholom in Fort Worth.
The high-energy, six-man contemporary pop group’s Jewish songs are anchored by a thumping beatbox, intricate arrangements and soulful harmonies. Their
songs range from dance tracks to rock anthems backed by hard-hitting “drums”.
The members of the New York based group sound like a full band while using
nothing but their voices. The group, which has performed all over the world, mix
Jewish favorites with clever parodies of today’s hits. Along the way there are laughs,
sing-alongs, demonstrations and words of Torah.
These guys are amazing! I saw them perform in person a few years ago at a
Cantors Assembly Convention, and they blew me away! They are incredibly talented, wonderfully entertaining and extremely funny to boot. If you haven’t already seen their Passover Parody, “Uptown Passover,” drop whatever you are
doing and click on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=75&v=7Q7Jo7FkLH4
The concert is free, but tickets are required for admission and are available at
Beth Shalom. The concert, a gift to the Tarrant County Jewish community, is
presented by B’nai B’rith Isadore Garsek Lodge 269, with support from the Jewish
Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, and the Dan Danciger/FWHDS
Supporting Foundation.
Another way to get tickets for this unique Jewish family concert is by connecting with B’nai B’rith President Harry Kahn at 817-319-4796 or Jim Stanton
817-307-9167.
I hope I can “count” on you to be at the show!
– Cantor Sheri Allen
2
From the President The Ritual Life
I was asked once if I had to use three words to describe
myself, what three words would I choose? I wrote down,
Mother, Jew and Woman after about 20 minutes of thinking
very hard. That day changed my life a bit. If I could focus on
just these three things for the rest of my life, I think I would
be content.
It is now 20 years later and I am still working at the
three words I chose. I do not think I would change them or
the order I put them in, but the second word has been challenged a bit by my life this year.
I just went back to work as a teacher this year, my
dream job, working with children, summers off. What are
you talking about mandatory Saturday tutoring for the Staar
Test? Don't they know anything about Shabbat? Can't the
kids come Sunday?
It has been a hard but rewarding year so far for me. I do
feel like a fish out of water here, I miss home, I miss CBS. I
miss my people and what it is about us that makes us feel
different inside.
When I was a little girl, I sometimes wished that all Jews
were blue so that people would know we were Jewish, this
way they would know we belonged with each other and could
keep us all together. I do love all the other people in my life,
but my Jewish family and my CBS family, you give me comfort and support and I thank you for that
Shalom,
– Lynda Friedensohn
President, Congregation Beth Shalom
Treasurer's Report
Here is an update on tasks completed during the month
of March.
* Made second payment of $1000 for building insurance.
Worked with Waldman Brothers on an extension to pay
off remaining $3K by June 2015.
* Ran payroll for staff/Cantor.
* All staff now receiving their checks via direct deposit.
* Submitted employer tax returns to the IRS for 3rd quarter
2013, all four quarters of 2014, and the first quarter of
2015. Working with the IRS on a payment plan for
employer taxes due. Awaiting their response on setting up
a payment plan.
* Completed updating/generating new account numbers in
Shulsuite and Quickbooks.
* Collaborated with comptroller to place cost-cutting
proposals on the agenda for the April BOT meeting for
vote.
* Collaborated with Lee Shulman and Lynda Friedensohn
to acquire and sign Letter of Agreement to have Rapid
Power Management (RPM) represent our interests in
Continued on page 8 . . .
HaShomer
is published monthly by Congregation Beth Shalom
1212 Thannisch Drive, Arlington, TX 76011-4848
Vol. XXXII, Issue 8, May, 2015
Editor: Hy Siegel
Editorial Assistance: Thressa Lobel
The Holiday of Shavout corresponds this year to Saturday evening May 23rd, through sundown Monday the 25th.
This holiday is the second of the three festivals proscribed in
our Torah whereby every Jewish male age 20 or over was
commanded to come to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices in the
Holy Temple. As you may recall, Shavuot commemorates the
anniversary of the giving of our sacred Torah on Mount Sinai.
Megilat Ruth is also read at this time. Why is this done?
The Book of Ruth was recorded by the prophet Samuel.
It is appropriate to read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot for
three reasons: First, because Shavuot is a harvest festival and
the Book of Ruth gives us a picture of the harvest. Second,
because Shavuot is the anniversary of both the birthday and
the death of King David, the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz;
whose story is told in the Book of Ruth.
Third, and perhaps the main reason for our reading the
Book of Ruth on this festival, is because it gives us such a
vivid picture of the ger tzedek, true proselyte. As Shavuot is
the "time of the giving of our Torah," and when we received
it, we too, like the ger tzedek, pledged to accept the Torah
and fulfill its 613 commandments.
Judaism ceased to be a proselytizing religion long ago.
Our Torah tells us that when a would-be proselyte wishes to
become a Jew, it is our duty to point out to him or her all the
difficulties this would entail, as well as the burden of responsibility that rests upon the Jew in his obligation to fulfill the
Torah and its commandments. We are to show them that he/
she is choosing a very difficult path, and a life that is not
popular with the rest of the world.
If, despite all these considerations and warnings, the person still persists in his or her desire to embrace Judaism, then
indeed we can be proud to accept such a man or woman into
our fold.
Ruth was such a ger tzedek. Ruth was a Moabite princess who was imbued with lofty ideals. She was dissatisfied
with the idol-worship of her own people, and when the opportunity arose, she gladly discarded the privilege of royalty
in her land and accepted a life of poverty among people whom
she admired.
It is precisely because of this dedication that Ruth was
rewarded with both Dovid HaMelech and our righteous
Moshiach descending from her lineage and a shining example
of how the ger tzedek enriches our faith and traditions.
– Stuart Snow, Ritual Chair
CBS Mission Statement:
Congregation Beth Shalom is a Reform Jewish
community; warm and caring, welcoming of all,
rich in tradition, committed to G-d and Israel,
devoted to life-long learning, Jewish programs
and spiritual growth.
CBS Vision Statement:
Congregation Beth Shalom strives to be the
center for strong Jewish spiritual growth in the
Mid-Cities community, where our members
engage in the study of Torah, the warmth and
friendship that evolves through our Jewish way
of life, and our commitment to Tikkun Olam.
3
Sisterhood
Religious School
We have had a difficult time with scheduling this spring.
Due to many conflicts our March book club get together will
be on May 17th, which means everyone has time to read
Someone Else’s Love Story. We will meet at La Madeleine’s
at 3:30 p.m. that Sunday.
Also rescheduled is the Membership Celebration, due
to a conflict with a Federation program. We are working on
final details, and by the time you read this you may have
gotten your invitation. The celebration is open to all paid members of Sisterhood. At our celebration we will elect our new
officers for the 2015-2016 year. The slate is as follows:
President Elect – Dorit Mikulencak
Corresponding Secretary – Christine Posnock
Recording Secretary – Cindy Mendez
Membership VP – Sheryl Robertson
Treasurer - Cathy Frisinger
All other officers will continue in the second year of
their term. We have several committees which need help
throughout the year, so if you are interested, please contact
me. You are always welcome to attend dinner and our meetings, even if you are not on the board.
We have one more Nosh and Schmooze on May 18th
at On The Border. We will let you know which one as time
gets closer.
Watch for information from our fund raising VPs. We
are going to participate in “Honey From the Heart” as a fundraising project. Individuals may order from the company directly and the Sisterhood will receive a small portion of the
proceeds. This, as well as our gift-wrapping at North East
Mall, is how we finance such projects as: donation to Camp
Impact, donation to our youth group to help pay for their
activities, paying for Shabbat Kiddush lunches, and of course,
our annual gift to Congregation Beth Shalom.
Speaking of our projects, Iris Jeffreys did an amazing
job collecting goodies for The Women’s Shelter, and we received a very nice thank you note from them. Her next project
will be collecting items to be used at Camp Impact.
You should have noticed the newly posted Kitchen Rules
in the kitchen. If you are going to be using the kitchen, please
take a moment to familiarize yourself with what is expected
of everyone. Thank you.
Our next meeting will be on Monday, May 11th and we
will be eating at La Madeleine’s at 5:30 p.m. Please consider
joining us, even if you don’t attend the meeting. Just remember to RSVP to me so I know how many to expect.
– Martine Thomas
Sisterhood President
Summer is approaching and for many that means fun
and relaxation! Oh wait...that’s only for the kids.
We on the other hand might not be looking forward to
the constant chatter of children, the many trips back and forth
to their summer destinations,and the packing and unpacking
of suitcases for trips to camp. I can almost hear the cheers of
happiness as the last school bell rings. It conjures up memories from my childhood that will never be forgotten.
The bells at CBS Religious school will be ringing as well.
That is one bell I will be sad to hear. I truly enjoy seeing the
children on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Summers are long but, as usual, I will be spending some of my
time getting things ready for the next school year which will
be right around the corner.
I hope that each of you has a wonderful summer and
that you will try to make a huge effort to attend services.
Remember that Shabbat lasts only one day a week and there
is no better way to honor Shabbat than being with family and
friends.
I would like to thank all my wonderful teachers,
kitchen ladies, substitutes, and parents who have helped make
this year so smooth and easy. We are a community! We are a
family! Thanks for being there whenever I needed you the
most.
I want to also congratulate Benny Sudbury who was
chosen to participate on the baseball team for the Maccabia
games which will take place this summer. More information
will be coming so hopefully we will all be able to go to the
games and cheer him on.
Watch your email for information about Shavuot as
well. I would love to see as many of you that can attend.
Have a wonderful summer!
– Stephanie Posner
Religious School Director
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
ARFTY
Here is what ARFTY has been up to in the last month.
Noah Fischer attended the DFW Metroplex Lock In in
Colleyville.
Ryan Silverberg and Hannah Jeffreys attended the
6th - 8th grade weekend at Greene Family camp at the end of
March and had a GREAT time.
Dylan Jeffreys and Noah Fischer attended NFTY-TOR
Spring Conclave the weekend of April 17-19 at Greene Family Camp.
ARFTY also did their Mitzvah Project helping Weekend
Angels pack food for people that need it on April 26
Many of the ARFTY kids will be attending Camp Impact this summer.
Please see Noah Fischer's letter on page 6. Please
read it, and if you can donate or hire him to help you with a
project, he would greatly appreciate it. The price of the trip is
$3150.00.
– Richard Posner
Youth Director
4
Letter to the Editor
While I agree with much of what was written in Sherwin
Rubin’s article in the April HaShomer (Those Jews), I must
take exception to his last thought about Jews in America getting a “free Pass” while others are being persecuted. Even as
the shadow of the Shoah lengthens, and the outrageous actions in the UN and in Europe continue, we are not exempt at
home.
To our dismay, anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment
have become pervasive on some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in our country, much of it in relation to
the BDS movement, initiated and perpetuated by a militant
Palestinian group, and adopted by radical students and professors on the campuses. It threatens the freedom and safety
of Jewish Students on these campuses, and it seems that the
Jewish community is not well aware of it and is doing very
little about it.
According to a study done in the spring of 2014 by Trinity College and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights
Under Law, 54% of Jewish students surveyed at 55 US college campuses reported experiencing or witnessing antiSemitism at their schools. If you have any doubt about this,
take 30 minutes to watch the film entitled Crossing the Line
2: The New Face of Anti-Semitism on Campus. It can easily
be found on the Internet, and will be worth the time you
invest.
Hen Mazzig, a young Israeli who came to America after
five years in the IDF to teach people in the Pacific Northwest
about Israel, relates the following rhetoric he encountered on
campus. “At a BDS event in Portland, a professor from a
Seattle university told the assembled crowd that the Jews of
Israel have no national rights and should be forced out of the
country. When I asked, “Where do you want them to go?”
she calmly answered “I don’t care. I don’t care if they have
Continued on page 7 . . .
Daytimers Presents:
Gold Tone Senior Showtime Choir
Singing the Music of Frank Sinatra
Wednesday, May 13, 12:00 noon
at Congregation Beth-El
The choir is made up of folks 50 and over who love to
sing and perform. They appear in full costume and will present
an hour-and-a-half program of the best of "Old Blue Eyes".
The show will follow a baseball-style lunch in the Great Hall.
After lunch, we will move to the Chapel for the Gold Tones
performance
Lunch will be all-beef hot dogs with the trimmings
$9 per person. Program only, $5 per person
(If you are planning to bring your own lunch,
call so we know how many tables to set up.)
For information/reservations contact:
Larry Steckler, 817-927-2736
or sign up on the Beth-El website: www.bethelfw.org
The Sylvia Wolens Jewish Daytimers is a program of Beth-El
Congregation with support from the Jewish Federation.
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
New Members:
Keith and Judy Pelusi - DeSoto
Returning Members:
John and Joyce Derewitz - Arlington
Welcome to Beth Shalom
5
Donations (Received prior to April 15)
GENERAL FUND
In memory of Sadie Knee Sternstein, and
Samuel Abramovitz
from Marian Feld
In memory of Bruce Weingarten
from Lee and Leslie Schulman
In memory of Harold Freedman
from Lori Cole
In memory of Lawrence Kwarfo
from Nana and Joyce Atkens
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
In memory of Beverly Chovis Rothschild
from Jeff and Michele Rothschild
In memory of Arthur Schatten
from Hy Siegel
RABBI/CANTOR
DISCRETIONARY FUND
In memory of Lee Landsberg
from Scott and Shelly Jessup
CHEVRA KADDISHA FUND
In memory of Marion Goodman, Rebecca Voet
and Andries Voet
from Elliott and Loesje Blumberg
Birthdays
May 1
EmilyAllen
May 4
Jay Feinberg
Howie Pock
May 7
Fran Weiger
May 8
Linda Dunn
May 11
Jane Mendez
May 12
Julie Eisenfeld
May 15
Shira Feinberg
Jason Weiner
May 16
Jason Kabakoff
May 18
Evelyn Fleischer
Morris Prigoff
Michele Rothschild
May 23
Pauline Pelletier
May 24
Marian Feld
DAVID MANDEL
MEMORIAL BIMAH FUND
In memory of Samuel William Flack, Bessie
Kahn Mandel, Ethel Newell Flack, S.William
Flack, and Sharon Wenokur; in honor of the
birthdays of: Ruth Friedman, Stuart Snow,
Rabbi Ned Soltz, Leslie Udes, Seena Stevens,
and Harold Mandel; in honor of the anniversaries of: Martine and Larry Thomas, Dolores
and Barry Schneider, Phil and Cookie Kabakoff
from Sharon Self and Harold Mandel
Mazel Tov!
Joe
and
Rochelle
Bekerman announce the
birth of their 4th
grandchild, Lainey Jo
Schneider on April 10.
Proud parents are Sarina
and Matt Schneider.
May 25
Jerry Lindell
May 26
Hannah Jeffreys
Mark Schwartz
May 28
Ysabel Merk
May 29
Lena Pack
May 31
Stan Mikulencak
Anniversaries
May 15
Brian & Maria Merk
May 25
Larry & Laura Fleischer
Jerry & Dina Lindell
Paul & Carolyn Solomon
May 29
Phil Pelletier & Aimee
Israel-Pelletier
May 30
Scott & Shelley Jessup
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.
Would you like to honor
someone's good deed, honor
a birthday, special occasion or
send condolences? You can
do this with a donation that
benefits Congregation Beth
Shalom.
You may indicate a
fund of your choice, or leave
it to the discretion of the
administrative assistant to
select it for you.
Donation forms are
available on the CBS website
(www.bethshalom.org) or
from the CBS office.
If the recipient is not a
member of Congregation Beth
Shalom, please be sure to
include their address.
Yahrzeits
May 1
Joseph Wiener
May 2
Aghdas Rafi Mayeri*
Rubin Udes*
May 3
Ida Bella Kaplan
Sidney Soltz
May 4
Sylvia Gray*
Jerome Snow
May 5
Ted Taylor
May 8
Art A. Saling*
May 9
Jack Kamen*
May 10
Syde Kirshbaum*
May 11
Joseph Kleir
Frieda Lambert
Dorothy Price*
May 12
Lisa Blatt
May 14
Rhea Levine
May 15
John A. Stern*
May 16
Fay Caplan*
Arthur Schatten
May 17
Louis Binder*
Rose Friedman*
May 18
Stanley Babin*
Sussie Katz*
May 19
Daniel Clearfield*
Howard Coleman
Ruby Lambert
May 21
William Forrest Franklin*
Dorothy Greenfield
May 22
Dorothy Gould*
William Kessler
Anne Lewis*
Della Nass
May 23
Evelyn Burger*
Kathy Solomon
May 24
Sydney Rubins*
May 25
Rozsi Fleischmann*
Ralph Glickman
Steven Solomon*
Richard Wenokur*
May 26
Mary Kulakoff*
Daniel Lucas*
Gertrude Oxman*
Jerome Prigoff
May 27
Irving J. Shapiro*
May 30
Samuel Price*
May 31
Richard Easton
Herbert Freeman
* Memorial Plaque in Sanctuary
6
House Committee – Guidelines
Periodically, the House Committee will be publishing articles in the HaShomer reminding congregants of
the “House Rules,” and sharing anything new in the building. Although we have a part-time janitor to do overall
house cleaning, it’s really up to us, the CBS family, to keep
our house in order.
Here are a few guidelines we must follow when using the CBS facility…
1. You make the mess, you clean it up. Do not expect
the janitorial staff to clean up after you
2. Do not make any changes to any room in the building without permission from the House Committee Chair
3. At no time may any property of Congregation Beth
Shalom be removed from the synagogue except with permission of the House Committee Chair or Executive Board
4. Nothing shall be affixed to the walls of the building
without approval from the House Committee Chair
5. Contact the CBS Office to reserve the building for
specific usage
6. Beth Shalom is not responsible for personal property
left on the premises
7. Smoking is prohibited in the building at all times
8. Notify the CBS office immediately if there is anything that needs repair, or we’re in need of supplies.
9. We encourage suggestions for improving the building. Please send the House Committee chair, Pam Sudbury,
your recommendations to make our synagogue home better.
The House Committee will work with the board to assess the
recommendation and determine if the funds are in place to
implement.
We also have a few additional Kitchen Guidelines to
make sure everyone stays safe. The kitchen is maintained
by volunteers. We need everyone’s help to keep it clean.
1. You make the mess, you clean it up! Leaving food
out for an extended period can cause BUGS!
2. If you’ve made previous arrangements for Robin or
Arthur to wash dishes the next day, then put all food away
White Elephant Recap
Thanks to our wonderful auctioneer Randy San Antonio and his lovely assistant, Chanel Sassoon, we had an
extraordinary evening. Not even the thunder claps, tornado
sirens or falling rain dampened our spirits.
More than 50 people turned out for our first White Elephant auction which yielded us more than one-thousand dollars, and that’s not just peanuts!
A special thanks to our fabulous committee for making
this such a success by setting up, providing wine and desserts,
cleaning up and making sure that all details were attended to;
we couldn’t have done it without you.
Don’t miss it next year!
– Janet Aaronson and Ruth Friedman
Co-chairs

and rinse the dishes in the sink.
3. Use the dishwasher if you have a large amount of
dishes to wash at one time. If you only have a few dirty
dishes, then wash them by hand
4. Put kitchen supplies back where you found them. The
cabinets are labeled to help you out.
5. Wash your hands before handling any food. Gloves
are available in the pantry for your use.
6. Label all food you bring into the kitchen so everyone
knows its purpose. Include name and date on the label. All
food not labeled will be considered property of CBS and will
be used at CBS’ discretion
* There is a drawer by the sink with tape and markers to
label your food.
7. Any food not wrapped properly (in cabinet or refrigerator) will be thrown away.
8. Volunteers take home the dish towels to be laundered.
If you use the dish towels and you see we’re running low on
clean ones, please help out by volunteering to wash the towels
at your home. Or, please let the office know so they can make
arrangements to get the towels cleaned.
9. Let the office know immediately if we need kitchen
supplies
10. Call the CBS office to reserve the kitchen if private
use is needed
House Committee Wish List
Each month we will share “wish list” items that
are needed to help improve the building. Here are a
few…
1. Noise reduction panels for the Social Hall – 3
needed - $70 each (includes shipping).
2. Display/Console Table in sanctuary hallway to
post flyers and other communications - approx. $300.
3. Commercial-grade vacuum – approx. $300.
4. Carpet upstairs hallways and new rooms - approx.
$5000.
Help Noah Help Mitzvah Corps
Shalom!
I'm Noah Fischer, a junior at Lamar High School, and a
member of ARFTY! I'm very involved in NFTY, because I
love traveling with familiar faces, and meeting new ones, learning about Jewish culture while having fun doing it.
This summer, I have been given the opportunity to travel
to Costa Rica and build schools with Mitzvah Corps! Mitzvah
Corps is a wonderful organization that travels to Israel, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and many other parts of the world to perform community service, and interact with Jewish people from
other cultures!
In exchange for donations, I will perform multiple services such as babysitting, lawn mowing, car washing, weed
pulling, anything you can think of! Any amount will help!
Please consider me, and help me perform many mitzvots
this summer! Thank you for reading this, and please call with
any questions!
Noah Fischer, 817-323-5293.
7
Jewish Federation
Leadership Program
Lisa Rein and Yael Sasley are members of the
recently established Jewish Federation
Leadership Program which culminated in a 10day trip to Israel. Following are expressions of
their experience.
I have lived in America my whole life and I feel safe and
secure. It feels so good live my life without any care or concern about bombs falling out of the sky, or terrorists blowing
themselves up. I don’t think about war or peace. The only
peace I need is quiet in the house when I’m going to sleep.
War is something that happens “out there” or “somewhere else”. I don’t even know what war is outside of what
I’ve seen in the movies, while I drink my soda and eat my
candy. I love to feel insulated and safe. Thank you, G-d, for
this blessing.
It’s different in Israel. There is an entire hospital emergency room underground. There are underground “safe
rooms” in homes and public buildings. I heard real bombs
exploding in Syria and saw haze from the fallout. I saw a UN
peace-keeping member closely watching the bombing. He was
a serious fellow doing a serious job.
Service in the Israeli Defense Force is mandatory. Many,
maybe most, know of someone who has died either as a soldier or civilian. Our tour guide, Shachar, could not speak once
about Israel’s defense without breaking down in tears. His
longing for peace transcended words. Bombs, terrorists, safe
rooms, service—they scare and permanently scar everyone
who lives in Israel.
My experiences in Israel have changed my perspective,
and as time goes on, perhaps I will find that they have changed
me, too. I have always felt wholly and completely committed
to Israel’s safety, security, and survival due to issues of Jewish identity and continuity, a place and refuge for Jews, a
spiritual haven for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and as a
strategic military location for “western” interests in the Middle
East.
I still feel that protecting Israel for these reasons is of
paramount importance to me and to the civilized people of the
world. What is new is the feeling that Israel is close to me. It
is not “out there, far away”. I want to help to protect Israel’s
people. Israel and its people are now in my heart and not just
in my head.
– Lisa Rein
The Jewish federation of Tarrant County looked around
and noticed that they needed more leaders in the community,
so they began the Leadership Project.
The goal of this project was to engage, educate, and
prepare promising Jewish leaders. Therefore strengthening and
growing the future of the Tarrant County Jewish Community.
The project consisted of two parts. First part was a series of monthly meetings that consisted of:
… Developing skills that can be applied to personal and
professional lives
… Learning about the Jewish Federation and the role it
plays in our local and global Jewish community
Continued on page 8 . . .
A Taste of Beth Shalom
FUNdraising Extravaganza!
We are excited to announce our newest FUNdraising
extravaganza! In the past, we had very successful galas
that featured both live and silent auctions. We discovered
the favorite auction items seem to be centered on food.
With that in mind, we are planning our very first “ATaste
of Beth Shalom”.
The live auction will feature gourmet dinners and
desserts. Our silent auction will include restaurant gift certificates, appetizers, fresh baked challahs, and an assortment of other food related items. To get the evening
started, we will have a dinner featuring a sample of the
entrees that will be part of our “Live” auction. Everyone
will have an opportunity to try the main dishes prepared
by our donors in the hopes that it will create a bidding
frenzy!
A “Taste of Beth Shalom” will take place on May
16, at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are $22/person.
To reserve tickets or to get more information, please contact CBS at 817-860-5448, or call the event chair,
Stephanie Posner, at 817-675-4353. You can also reserve
your spot and pay for your dinner tickets online at http://
bethshalom.org/civicrm/event/register?id=375&reset=1.
We look forward to seeing you all at this event.
Thanks for supporting Congregation Beth Shalom!
Letter to the Editor
. . . continued from page 4
no place else to go. They should not be there”. When she was
challenged that this represented ethnic cleansing, she denied
it.
The following words which are attributed to Martin
Niemöller, the son of a German pastor, a soldier, and later
himself a pastor, should still ring true:
”First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak
out - because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the
Socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not
speak out - because I was not a trade unionist. Then they
came for the Jews and I did not speak out – because I was not
a Jew. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to
speak out for me.”
To paraphrase the words of Golda Meir, Jews have a
special reason to ensure the existence of Israel – We have no
place else to go! Anti-Semitism still sits on our doorstep, and
it is our duty to speak out against it and to be strong proponents of Israel and the precept of “Never Again!”.
– Ken Licker
Sherwin Replies:
I can't argue with Ken. I guess I am older than
today's students and things are different from the way they
were 60 years ago when I was in school. I was arguing with
someone else about anti-Semitism in downtown Fort Worth.
She claims it never happened.
What can I say?
Jew hatred has always been here, and will probably continue into the foreseeable future.
– Sherwin Rubin
8
Leadership Program
Treasurer's Report
. . . continued from page 7
. . . continued from page 1
… Building relationships and networks with fellow participants in the program.
Some topics covered were:
...The history of the Jewish community
...Overview and understanding of Federation and the
National Federation system
...Federation's local and global partners
...Being a Jewish leader
...and more
The second part was trip to Israel. Not only was there
fun touring, we also got to see first hand where our donations
go and how they are helping over there on a day to day basis.
Federation saw the potential that was coming out of Beth
Shalom, and I am so thankful to have been chosen along with
Lisa Rein to be a part of this project and represent our Synagogue.
– Yael Sasley
collecting commercial bids from electricity providers.
* Received bids from RPM. We will save ~$1700/yr or
~$150/mo with new contract effective 8/15.
Leadership 2014/2015 Poem
There once was a Federation group called Leadership,
They met once a month and together went on an Israel
trip.
After a long flight, they met their tour guide Shachar,
Dinner was next, but first they enjoyed some drinks in
the hotel bar.
Day 2
The following morning, breakfast was to die for,
Little did they know, all the walking that day would make
them oh so very sore.
Ayalon Institute, Old port of Yaffo, Ilana Goor Museum,
and then lunch,
Then off to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, boy, they're
one cool bunch!
Day 3
Even though jet lag had kicked in, they did not care,
Off they went to Independence Hall, and then to Rabin
Square.
Later they checked out JDC's Turning Point, Neve
Michael, and had lunch in Etta Korenman’s back yard
room,
Finally after such a busy day, they spent the night in
Kfar Blum.
Day 4
Shooting range, jeep tour and tea on the Golan,
Har Bental, then Oz 77, but wait, they still weren't done.
A fun visit to Assaf Winery, so much wine they did taste,
Dinner at Dag Al Hadan, wow, not a minute that day
went to waste!
Day 5
A morning tour of Sfat, with shopping that followed,
They got a quick summary of Kabbalah, you know, the
Jewish Davinci Code.
Akko was next, then dinner at Beit Gani,
In Nahariya they slept, at Starkman Erna Hotel, it's kind
of boutique-y.
Day 6
Today they learned about Partnership, and where Federation money goes,
Future Activities
* Test and integrate income/expense accounts into
QuickBooks (IN PROGRESS)
* Generate financial statements/graphics for Board and ExBOT
* Continue evaluating property insurance premiums from
URJ-sponsored insurance companies and compare with
current insurance providers.
* Evaluate and compare fees and other benefits from
Compass Bank

Wow the security centre of Matte Asher & Galilee Medical Center are really kept on their toes.
Lunch was at Briosh, with more Partnership friends,
Then off to Jerusalem to hear Gil Hoffman & Abu
Toameh speak on politics & how Israelis and Arabs
can make amends.
Day 7
Col. Danny Tirza showed & explained all about the fence,
boy it was tall,
Shortly after, excitement was in the air, because the next
stop was to the Western Wall.
They entered the Old City and did the tunnels below,
All quarters they walked through & still had energy for
the evening sound and light show.
Day 8
The day started off somber with a visit to Yad Vashem,
Machane Yehuda was next, then ended the day at the
Rose Garden.
To welcome Shabbat, they made a quick stop at the
Kotel,
Next it was time for the Shabbat dinner, in a private
room at the Hotel.
Day 9
This was the last day, did they have enough falafel or
tea with Nana?
The drive down south began, they passed the Dead Sea
& headed strait to Masada.
We skipped Ein Gedi, chose the Dead Sea, we all agreed
that was ok,
Then it was time to say Shalom to Shachar & Israel &
catch their flight back to USA.
Thank you Bob for making this program happen,
You and your staff at Federation are totally awesome!
Your team formed a great group, you've made new Israeli eaters,
May this program bloom, and bring you many more
young leaders!
– Yael Sasley