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
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