1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

Chai Lights
Volume 14 Issue 304
Carry Cohn’s
retirement
Luncheon
6/14 11:00 am
Sivan/Tammuz/Av 5775
From the Rabbi’s Desk
Taking a deep breath
‫יב ֶׁשנ ַָת ָת נְ ָש ָמה‬
ִ ‫הֹורה‬
ָ ‫אהי ְט‬
ִ
‫אֱ ֹלהַ י‬
Elohai n’shama shenatata bi t’hora hi! Ata
b’rata, ata y’tzarta, ata n’fach-ta bi, v’ata
m’shamra b’kirbi
June/July2015
In This Issue
Administration
Anniversaries
Book Review
Birthdays
Brotherhood
Calendar
Candle Lighting
Page
2
17
13
17
11
16
18
Contribution Form
Education
Finance
Food Faire
Life & Legacy
My G-d, the soul that You have given me is a pure one! You have created and Membership
formed it, breathed it into me, and within me you sustain it. (Morning Liturgy)
Rabbi
Religious Practices
When we enter the summer months, it is time to relax. Summer is a wonderful
time to fill ourselves with the breath of life and appreciate the bounty in our gardens,
and in our lives.
When we are at peace, our breaths are long and deep, filling us with the gift of
life. When we begin to lose our patience, our breaths are shortened because we are
actually diminishing the flow of life. The more we display good will and patience, the
more the ebb of life is increased within us. In this light, it is beneficial to release
resentment and offer forgiveness. Based on the Mussar text, Tomer Devorah, Chapter
Two, we are taught that when we begin to feel upset, we are to “take a deep breath”
and exhale forgiveness.
The better (fuller) we breathe, the more energy we will have. Taking deeper
breaths will bring in more oxygen in to the body and improve our energy levels. A good
thing about breathing: we can do it anywhere and anytime. Even five minutes of slow
deep conscious breathing once or twice a day can make a huge difference. When we
catch ourselves breathing a shallow breath or not allowing ourselves to complete
exhales, slow down.
May your summer months be safe, peaceful and happy. Take a few deep breaths
to remind yourself what it can be like.
With blessings,
Rabbi Nancy
Tributes
Yahrzeits
Youth Groups
20
7
8
6
3
12
1
9
18
19
7
Join us for Shabbat
Services:
June 5
5:30 Pre-service oneg
6:00 Family Service
June 12
7:30 p.m. Service
June 19
5:30 Pre-service oneg
6:00 p.m. Service
June 26
7:30 p.m. Service
July
5:30
6:00
July
7:30
July
5:30
6:00
July
7:30
July
5:30
6:00
3
Pre-service oneg
Shabbat service
10
p.m. Service
17
Pre-service oneg
Shabbat service
24
p.m. Service
31
Pre-service oneg
Shabbat service
Congregation Beth Shalom  4746 El Camino Ave, Carmichael CA 95608 (916)485-4478
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Chai Lights
Religious Leaders
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler-Azen
[email protected]
Rabbi David Wechsler-Azen
[email protected]
Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Joseph Melamed
Director of Education
Rina Racket
[email protected]
Choir Director
Kamilyn Davis
Temple Administrator
Marlo Dewing
[email protected]
Office Manager
Symone Stephens
[email protected]
Board of Directors 2015–2016
President
Tivon Schardl
VP Administration
Jack Ezekiel
VP Education
Linda Westover
VP Religious Practices
Sheree Meyer
VP Membership
Roberta Malkin
VP Finance
Joel Birch
VP Programming/Fundraising
Lori Nalangan
VP Operations
Marty Berbach
Financial Secretary
vacant
Treasurer
Penni Blumberg
Recording Secretary
Fanny Levy
Immediate Past President
Michael Alcalay
Members at Large
Susan Solarz, Carry Cohn, Debby
Nelson, Scott Parrish, Mauria
Hirning, Sheila Sugarman, Arika
Mills, Katie Braverman
Please give a warm welcome to
Symone Stephens, our new Office Manager.
Marlo Dewing
Symone comes to Congregation Beth Shalom
Administrator
with non-profit office experience, a positive
attitude and lovely demeanor, and a willingness to learn the countless
Judaic and Hebraic terms that come with the position. I look forward to a
busy and productive summer.
CBS Desktop
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass
under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur
of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky,
is by no means a waste of time.
John Lubbock
We cannot stop the winter or the summer from coming. We
cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than
they are. They are gifts from the universe that we cannot
refuse. But we can choose what we will contribute to life
when each arrives.
Gary Zukav
I have lived pain, and my life can tell: I only deepen
the wound of the world when I neglect to give thanks
the heavy perfume of wild roses in early July and the
song of crickets on summer humid nights and the rivers
that run and the stars that rise and the rain that falls
and all the good things that a good God gives.
Ann Voskamp
In the depth of winter I finally learned that
there was in me an invincible summer.
Albert Camus
Life & Legacy Donors
Thank you for committing to a lasting contribution for
the future of CBS!
Jessica Braverman Birch & Joel Birch
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler-Azen
Rabbi David Wechsler-Azen
Alla Gamarnik & Joel Blank
Dave & Roberta Malkin
Katie Braverman
Anonymous
Jana & Brian Uslan
Wendy Wilson, Ph.D.
Lydia Inghram
Carry Cohn
Jean Rubin
Anonymous
Dean Mirtle
Robin Asch
David Ginsburg
Penni Blumberg
Tivon Schardl
Judy Lewis
Steve Lewis
Add your name to the list of people
who are assuring Jewish tomorrows!
For more information about the Life & Legacy Program
and how to participate, please contact the office to get connected
to one of our Legacy Team Members.
CBS
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Congregation Beth Shalom is a
member of the Union of Reform
Judaism.
Office hours are Monday
through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m.
The Gift Shop is open during
Religious School on Sundays and
by appointment. Please call the
office.
General Service schedule:
1st Friday: 6:00—7:00 p.m.
Family Service
2nd Friday: 7:30 p.m.
Choir Service & Guest Speaker
3rd Friday: 6:00—7:00 p.m.
Shabbat With a Beat– CBS Band
4th Friday: 7:30 p.m.
Choir Service
5th Friday: 6:00 p.m.
Torah Study:
Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.
Chai Lights is published 11
times each year with a combined
June/July issue.
Editor: Marlo Dewing
Proofing: Symone Stephens
Deadline for submissions is the
20th of the month prior to
publication. Please send your
article to Marlo and Brenda at
[email protected] and
[email protected]
To request a copy by snail mail
please call (916) 485-4478.
Advertising is available:
 1/8 page/business card: $9
 1/4 page: $18
 1/2 page: $25
 Full page: $50
Prices listed are per issue. All ads
subject to approval. Please
contact [email protected] for
more information.
4
Chai Lights
RSVP NOW! [email protected]
CBS
RSVP NOW! [email protected]
5
Sponsorship Levels:








$118 - 2 tickets and name in program
$180 - 3 tickets and name in program
$360 - 4 tickets and name in program
$540 - 6 tickets and name in program and preferred
setting in Sanctuary during the pre-lunch program
$720 - 8 tickets and a table reserved for your party
and all above
$1180 - All above and a full page tribute inside program
$3,600 - All Above and a full page tribute inside
front or back cover of the program
$5,000 - Siitting at Carry's table during lunch.
“Teaching is the
one profession that
creates all other
professions.”
-Unknown
6
Chai Lights
THREE MORE MONTHS!
It's hard to believe that Congregation Beth Shalom's 38th Jewish
Food Faire is only three months away. Didn't we just have the MOST
SUCCESSFUL Food Faire ever?! Didn't we just sell out all of our food, from
Lydia Inghram & Sheila Wolfe cabbage rolls and falafel to corn rye and strudel? Didn't we just raise more
money than ever before for our children's school and our social action
Co-Chairs
programs? Didn't we just have the most fun ever, working together to bring
our Jewish foods and culture to the greater Sacramento community?
Well, it’s time to do it all again.
 The 2015 Food Faire flyer and pre-order form are now available at CBS and on our wonderful website,
JEWISHFOODFAIRE.COM. We don't plan to run out of food this year, but be on the safe side and pre-order
the foods that are most in demand.
 Post the website link on your Facebook page frequently between now and August 30th.
 Email it to your friends and encourage them to come.
 Start saving your previously enjoyed books for our Used Book Sale: Children's, Jewish Stories, Jewish Holidays,
Cookbooks, Coffee Table Books. Also DVDs, CDs, and Puzzles.
 Come to Sunday morning baking parties, join the fun and meet new friends while filling our freezers. No
experience necessary. Next date is June 28th.
 Sign up sheets and recipes for home baking are at CBS
for you to take home. Contact Liz
at [email protected] to volunteer.
 MAKE SURE AUGUST 30th is on YOUR calendar!
Food Faire
If you have questions or to volunteer, contact Lydia ([email protected]) or Sheila ([email protected]). We'd
love to hear from you!
As I wrap up the school year and get ready for my two months of summer
CBS
7
vacation, I realize it is time to also replenish our “supply” of CBS Religious School
students. Please help me in my recruitment efforts by printing a copy of the
attached Youth and Family Programs brochure, and passing it along to families
with young children. We have so many opportunities for new families to join us,
Rina Racket
and I truly need your help in spreading the word. The RS is ready for new families
Director
of
Education
to fill the spaces of the 13 7th graders who will be moving on to Midrasha.
Happy summer break to everyone! I will be out of the office from June 8th-August 7th. Our first day of RS is
on Sunday, AUGUST 23rd. I cannot wait to reconnect with you then!
S:\Religious School\Youth brochure 2015.pdf
Religious School
Youth Groups
May was a very exciting month for our youth group! In the beginning of the
month, 9 of our BSTY teens went to Camp Newman to participate in Gesher Kallah. This
Alex Taylor
is the annual NFTY event where 8th graders are welcomed and inducted into the NFTY
Youth
Group
Advisor
experience. We met with over 15 different youth groups across the Central West Coast
region. As this is the end of the school year, their next event won’t be until September,
which most of our teens agree is too far away!
At the end of this month, we elected our new BSTY Board. There are 8 positions available on the BSTY Board
and we welcome our new board. We know they are going to a great job planning another year of BSTY events for our
8th – 12th graders.
Please be on the lookout for summer events for teens or our fundraising events, such as, BSTY Babysitting and
as always, do feel free to contact Alex Taylor at [email protected] with any youth group questions or concerns.
I become a Bat Mitzvah on June 6, 2015. I am working at St. Johns home for mothers
and children. I am helping with the children and bringing supplies they need. I will be putting a
list of needs outside the lunch for donations. I love sports, and hanging out with friends.
Thanks to my parents for making my bat mitzvah happen. Thanks to Carry and the Rabbis for
teaching me all my prayers and helping me learn my Torah portion Parsha-B'haalot'cha.
Bat Mitzvah
Leah Winter
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Chai Lights
A Helping Hand to CBS
I'd be willing to bet that a majority of CBS families has shopped on Amazon
before and does so at least a few times a year. Okay, so I'm not a big risk taker.
If you're going to shop on Amazon, please keep Beth Shalom in mind as you do so. A
small
contribution
is made by Amazon for any shopping you do through the Amazon Smile proJoel Birch
gram when you connect to them through our link. So click here to support CBS. It costs you
VP Finance
nothing and benefits the congregation.
A testimonial from Doris Walters: “I just changed my designation to Sacramento Jewish Fellowship ...one
click!!! Amazing. Can't recall the steps for initially signing up but changing was fun particularly since I no longer want to
support the previous recipient. This change was a win-win."
From another congregant: “I made amazonsmile.com my first link into shopping on Amazon. The temple
gets .5% of all of my spending (that can really add up quickly). So excited to put some of my online shopping to work
for my congregation! Go to smile.amazon.com . The first time you go there, it will ask you to choose your
Charity. Our Temple Charity name is listed as Sacramento Jewish Fellowship of Carmichael. That's
about all!
Finance
 Select to support Sacramento Jewish Fellowship
 Get the Amazon 1Button App
 Share your support on Facebook or Twitter
Show your friends how they can support
CBS (Sacramento Jewish Fellowship)
Remember: CBS only benefits
when you start at: http://smile.amazon.com
In case the link above doesn't work for you,
just copy and paste this URL into your browser.
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-7316431
CBS
The Amidah: The centerpiece of our service
No, the door we stand in front of
when the Amidah begins is silence
And when we open it
and step through,
we arrive in our hearts.
Mine’s not a fancy place,
no jewels, no throne,
certainly not fit for a king.
But in that small chamber,
for just a few moments on Sabbath,
G-d and I can roll up our sleeves,
put some schnapps out on the table,
sit down together, and finally talk.
That’s palace enough for me.
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Religious Practices
Sheree Meyer
VP Religious Practices
From “A Short Amidah,” Syd Lieberman
The liturgy for our Shabbat service is a beautiful and meaningful multi-act drama, carefully orchestrated to
welcome us into the synagogue, shake off the bothers of the week, and enter into an inner space where we can
converse with G-d. I would like to focus on the middle act, the Amidah or “Standing” part of our service and the
prayers that give it meaning. What is the kavanah, the spiritual meaning or deep intention, of each of its dimensions,
and how do they fit together to create a whole?
One of the things I like about the Amidah is that you literally cannot sit back and watch; you must engage.
With the opening words of the T’filah, the Prayer, we stand and prepare to symbolically walk through a door into a
holy space. It is our congregation’s tradition to take three steps back, as if we need time to ready ourselves to
approach Adonai, and then we take three steps forward, sure in our steps, because we have prepared. “Adonai, open
up my lips that my mouth may declare your praise.” The door we open is the mouth—to breathe, to pray, to slow
our heartbeat.
Having initiated our conversation with HaShem, we recall that we are not the first, nor the last to stand
before G-d. As Jews, we are part of a family, and so we recall our ancestors. To make it all the more inclusive, we
invoke not just the power of our fathers, but also the strength of our mothers—“magein Avraham v’ezrat Sarah,
shield of Abraham and helper of Sarah.” “Shield” and “Helper” conjure up, for me, a more masculine kind of
protection and respectively, a more gentle, feminine divine assistance.
Then in the G’vurot, we acknowledge the power of life and nature, the seasons of winter and summer, the
here and now of the daily miracles of wind, rain, and dew, and in our services, some of us speak of “m’chayeih
hakol”—the one who gives life to all, while others choose “m’chayeih hameitim”—the one who revives the dead.
From a communal conversation and words spoken aloud, we then shift to silent, individual prayer or meditation, for
each one of us has something unique to say to HaShem.
When each of us has had our say with G-d—and some of us have more to say than others—we sit quietly
until we are “at peace.” “Shalom Rav” is probably one of my absolute favorite liturgical songs; each melody I have
encountered fully embodies the words of the Zohar, “G-d is shalom, G-d’s name is shalom, everything is held together
by shalom.” For me it is the highest aspiration for us as individuals and as a community.
Do you enjoy the sweetness of Shabbat?
Please consider helping with oneg. Oneg duties include preparing Kiddush and
Challah; providing and plating sweets; putting everything back in order when
it’s finished.
We also accept donations directly to the Oneg Fund.
Please contact the office if you are able to participate in this mitzvah at any
time.
Many thanks to Don Parks of the RPC who assists Oneg volunteers each Friday.
10 Chai Lights
CBS Fundraiser! Send in your donation today!
CBS is proud to announce its adoption of Mishkan HaNefesh, the new two
volume Machzor for the 2015 Days of Awe.
A donation of $50.00 covers the costs of a single set of Mishkan HaNefesh, while $100.00 will
“buy” one set for you and one set for the congregation. All donations will be acknowledged
with a bookplate in the prayer books. Donations should be made to CBS (Religious Practices
Committee) and should identify the “New Machzorim” as the purpose of your donation.
About Mishkan HaNefesh
 Offers meaningful liturgy for both regular service attendees and those new to Jewish spirituality and practice
 Inspires a multifaceted experience of Yamim HaNoraim—from feelings of awe to moments of solace, from the
solitude of contemplation to the solidarity of song and worship
 Provides an accessible guide through the journey oft'shuvah (repentance) and cheshbon hanefesh (self-reflection)
 Bridges the personal and the communal, the ritual and the ethical dimensions of Yamim HaNoraim
 Embraces the rich liturgical voices of the Jewish past and the aspirations of our people today
Special Features
Fully transliterated liturgy
Expanded options for Torah readings
Study texts that provide background and context
Contemporary poetry and alternative readings
Rich commentary drawing from Jewish tradition
A range of theological possibilities
New translations that capture the beauty of the Hebrew
Original woodblock art by acclaimed artist Joel Shapiro
Includes essays by the leading Reform Movement thinkers
Brotherhood event
Sunday, June 7 10:00 am
The video covers the impact Jews have had on
baseball and showcases Hank Greenberg and
Sandy Koufax.
Bagel, sweet rolls, and juice breakfast available.
This event is free courtesy of your Brotherhood.
BROTHERHOOD- Baseball, Breakfast and Travel
CBS
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The Brotherhood will be hosting a baseball video and breakfast on
Sunday, June 7, 10:00 am at CBS. The video, “Jews and Baseball,” traces
the Jewish involvement from the game’s earliest days through 2000. The
film demonstrates how Jews from Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax and
Randy Cortland
beyond shaped baseball. Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, this lively and Brotherhood Recording Secretary
thorough account of the Jewish America’s love affair with baseball sheds
new light on America’s national pastime. Breakfast includes bagels and cream cheese, juice, coffee and sweet rolls.
Come join us for the comradery, food and baseball. Best of all, the event is FREE courtesy of your
Brotherhood friends.
You want more baseball and comradery? You’ve got it. Brotherhood purchased tickets to a River Cats game
on Sunday, July 12. There may be a few tickets left by the time you read this article. Contact Dave Malkin at
[email protected] if you are interested in buying tickets for $18 each.
Brotherhood
Brotherhood Travel Column
If you happen to be travelling to New England, the Southeast, or the mid-Mississippi River region in the future,
may I suggest you visit one of these synagogues that are intertwined with American history:
Touro Synagogue, Newport, Rhode Island – established in the 1700’s, it is the oldest synagogue in the United
States. George Washington visited Newport and met with one of the Jewish leaders. He promised the Jewish
community that there would be religious tolerance in our new nation. He re-iterated that promise in follow-up
correspondence. You may see the contents of the letter by looking up Touro Synagogue, Newport, on line and
following the link. Meanwhile, if you are in the area, I highly recommend you take a scheduled tour. Newport, located
about 60 miles south of Boston, has many other historical sites and hosts the Newport Folk and Jazz festivals and the
Newport Regatta.
Congregation Mickve Israel, Savannah, Georgia – dates back to 1733 when 42 Jews landed in North American
and made their way to Savannah. Five months later, the colony of Georgia was established. The Torah brought to
Savannah by the original pioneering Jews is still used today
on commemorative occasions. A member of the
congregation was the highest ranking Jewish officer in the
Revolutionary War. George Washington also wrote a letter
to the congregation. In it, he blessed the “Hebrews.” The
current building, built in a neo-gothic style, was consecrated
in 1878. Tours are offered Monday – Friday except for
holidays. Savannah has a lot of historical sites, fine eating
establishments, and beautiful parks and neighborhoods.
Hebrew Union Congregation, Greenville, Mississippi
– about 30 families founded this congregation in 1870 which
was the year the City of Greenville was also established.
Jews held several elected city offices, including Mayor, in its
early days. Hebrew Union was once the largest
congregation in Mississippi. The temple, built in the
Romanesque Revival style, was consecrated at its present
site in 1906. Although the temple’s website does not
mention tours, I am sure you can contact the office and
request one. Greenville is located on a branch of the
Mississippi River a few miles west of Highway 61(the “Blues
Trail”) about half-way between Memphis and Vicksburg.
Greenville prides itself on being open-minded towards other
religions from its founding through current times. Stein
Mart, the clothing and housewares store, was started in
Greenville by a member of the temple.
Be sure to visit one of these historic synagogues on
your upcoming travels. Meanwhile, hope to see many
brothers at one of our upcoming events!
12
Chai Lights
Members of the Tribe
Member Directories are available in the office.
First of all, I want to welcome the following new members to
Congregation Beth Shalom: Marcy Dobrow, and Brenda Baskerville and
Karen Hull
Michael Moreno. We may have lost Brenda as our Office Manager, but we
Membership Team Member
gained a new CBS member. Very, very happy about that! Please join me in
welcoming these new members to our CBS family!
Last month, I gave this space to Karen Hull to share with you the
highlights (no pun intended) of her conversation with Doris Walters. I just want
to add a couple of things. I included this month a photo of these wonderful ladies
that was taken a few weeks back. When you see them, if you haven’t had the
opportunity to meet them, please introduce yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
I am blessed with knowing both of these women personally. Both mean a great
deal to me and have been supportive of my roles at Congregation Beth Shalom,
as well as being two of my “CBS Sisters”. I love them both very much.
So, truth be told, I am writing this article as our deadline approaches
(thanks for the gentle reminders, Marlo). And sometimes that’s the best way for
me to write. I think about what’s been going on recently and how I can share that
with you.
We had a wonderful weekend celebrating Lily Wechsler-Azen’s Bat
Mitzvah, and wrapped it up with joining over 2,000 people at the annual Jewish
Heritage Festival, this year held at Raley Field. Over the past 5 or so years, I have
schlepped Judaica Shop merchandise down to it. And every year, we are mobbed
with people shopping our wares. After all, you just can’t go to the mall to buy a
mezuzah, right? I worked shoulder to shoulder with Carry Cohn, Wendy
Wilson, and my husband, Dave Malkin to assist our rush of customers. In
addition, a big THANK YOU to Vicky Mirtle, who saved the day by helping us
bring tables and a cart to the event. She also did a lovely job merchandising the
tables, and then helped to tear it all back down again to take back to the
synagogue. I love you, Vicky.
I get a rush out of events like the Jewish Heritage Festival & our Jewish Food Faire. It’s these kind of events
where I get to meet people and tell them about Congregation Beth Shalom all while they’re shopping for items of
importance to them. And equally important, I listen and learn about other Jews – what they practice, if they are
affiliated & what’s important to them. The dialogue is so important, especially these days. It’s not always about what
you say, but equally important is to listen and understand others.
So, I’ve talked about new members, not-so-new members, and Jewish community members. Now let me wrap
up this month talking about the newest member of the Malkin Family.
Many of you know that we recently lost both of our senior dogs, Max then
Sammy, within a matter of months. I didn’t think my heart or head was ready to take
on another dog, but then Dave sent me a picture of her… and I knew. I have also
included this month a picture of our newest family member. Meet Emmy. She is a
Yorkie-Schnauzer mix.
She was picked up as a stray by the Placer County SPCA, and due to her calm
demeanor, they thought she was about 3 years old. But once our vet took a look at
her, he guessed her to be more like 1 – 1 ½ years old. We have gone from having 1314 year old dogs to a virtual puppy. As you can imagine, life has been an adjustment for
all of us. But she loves living with us and has adjusted well. She loves her “Daddy” –
really is a Daddy’s girl – but loves “Mommy” too and many of her “aunts and uncles”
from CBS have given her toys and treats.
So that’s it for now… Have a wonderful summer. And if you know anyone who
is interested in CBS membership, please have them contact me directly at
[email protected].
Until September….
Since this issue of Chai Lights is for June and July, I have two upcoming book
CBS
13
group meetings to tell you about.
At our next meeting at 7:00 PM on Monday, June 8th, Bill Rozell will be
leading a discussion of The Orientalist: Solving the Mystery of a Strange and
Dangerous Life by Tom Reiss. Bill promises to bring baklava for us to enjoy along
Fanny Levy
with the discussion.
Here is what Bill has to say about the book: “It is the very strange story of a Jew who
became an internationally best-selling author by inventing a persona for himself as a Muslim
princeling, under which guise he wrote what is now called the national novel of Azerbaijan; a
persona so convincing that he was tapped to write an official biography of Benito Mussolini.
Then it all came crashing down around his ears.”
Amazon.com describes The Orientalist as “A thrilling page-turner of epic proportions,
Tom Reiss’s panoramic bestseller tells the true story of a Jew who transformed himself into a
Muslim prince in Nazi Germany. Lev Nussimbaum escaped the Russian Revolution in a camel
caravan and, as ‘Essad Bey,’ became a celebrated author with the enduring novel Ali and Nino as
well as an adventurer, a real-life Indiana Jones with a fatal secret. Reiss pursued Lev’s story
across ten countries and found himself caught up in encounters as dramatic and surreal–and
sometimes as heartbreaking–as his subject’s life.”
At our July meeting at 7:00 on Monday, July 13th, we will be discussing The Mathematician’s Shiva, by Stuart
Rojstaczer, led by Marcy Merrill.
Spanning decades and continents, from a crowded living room at a shiva in Madison, Wisconsin, to the
windswept beach on the Barents Sea where a young female mathematician had her first mathematical breakthrough,
The Mathematician's Shiva is an unexpectedly moving and uproariously funny novel that captures humanity's drive
not just to survive, but to achieve the impossible. The Mathematician’s Shiva is the winner of the 2014 National
Jewish Book Award for Outstanding Debut Fiction. (Adapted from Amazon.com)
The Book Review Group will not hold meetings in August and September as we will be taking a brief break
for “summer vacation” and the fall holidays. We are putting together our booklist for when we resume in the fall. If
there is a book you have read that you would like to suggest, please contact Fanny Levy at [email protected] .
Book Review
At our May meeting, Sheree Meyer led our discussion of Everything is Illuminated
by Jonathan Safran Foer. We really benefitted from Sheree’s professional expertise in this
discussion. In addition to conducting the discussion with insight and an appreciation for the
humorous elements of the book, she provided terrific background information on the genre
of the book, citing influences from Sholom Aleichem and Isaac Bashevis Singer’s Gimpel the
Fool. We also discussed what we would like to read in the future. We like the format of
having people choose books they had read and wanted to discuss and also talked about
adding some Jewish classics to our reading list.
I would like to subscribe to receive a paper copy of CBS Chai Lights by mail each month. A
donation of $36.00 for a one-year subscription is enclosed.
Name ________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________
City/State/Zip __________________________________________
Phone ________________________________________________
Email _________________________________________________
Send to:
CBS
4746 El Camino Ave.
Carmichael, CA 95864
ATTN: Chai Lights
14
Chai Lights
CBS will host Melton’s next two-year cycle beginning October, 2015.
Classes will be held Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:45pm. Join the great
Jewish Conversation.
CBS
15
The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning is the
largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world. We
have set the standard for high-quality text-based interactive Jewish
study by offering a world-class, two year curriculum developed at
Hebrew University that informs and inspires adult learners from all
knowledge levels and backgrounds. If you are looking for a profound understanding of what it means to be
Jewish, join us to explore the texts of our tradition and discover how they relate to us today.
Learn more about Melton at www.meltonschool.org/. You may also contact Sara Kahn Shapiro, Director at
[email protected] or call 916-488-6397.
CBS Religious Practices Kashrut Guidelines
Did you know that CBS has an official kashrut policy drafted by your Religious Practices Committee? The entire twopage document is available by clicking here, or you can request one from the office. The following excerpt is taken
directly from the Kashrut Guidelines Policy:
Preamble:
Our world continues to change at an ever increasing fast pace. The CBS Religious Practices Committee is committed
to staying pro-actively informed in a continuing effort to ensure the evolving spiritual needs of our congregation are
being met. We believe through a combination of belief and action, Judaism can speak to us at many levels. As we seek
to find meaningful ways of living Jewishly in the 21st Century, we commit ourselves to an ongoing study of the mitzvot
as a means by which, we, as a community, can create an environment which embraces that ideal. It is with this in mind
that these kashrut guidelines are provided.
Introduction:
With the hope of reinforcing Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) as a spiritual home for all its members, the following
kashrut guidelines are offered in order to welcome and nourish all of us throughout the year. These guidelines address
food and food-related products and practices, both within the temple, including temple-sponsored meals, onegs,
rentals and Family Promise, as well as for CBS functions offsite. This policy does not dictate a home or personal
practice for CBS members.
Policy Guidelines:
1. Treif foods are prohibited at CBS and CBS-sponsored events at all times.
2. CBS encourages but does not require, the use of kosher and/or hormone-free meat for meals prepared at CBS
and for food brought in from home.
3. In accordance with Kashrut, meat and dairy products are not to be combined or served at the same meal or oneg.
CBS recommends waiting a minimum of three hours between eating meat and dairy or between eating dairy and meat.
Please contact Sheree Meyer, Vice President of Religious Practices, should you have any questions.
Federation is now accepting donations for its Kosher Food Pantry.

All goods should be non-perishable and have a kosher symbol.

Items may be delivered to the Federation office at 2130 21st
Street, Sacramento. We also accept toiletries and Judaica items.

For a list of suggested items, visit www.jewishsac.org.

If you are in need of visiting the Food Pantry, please contact
Resource & Referral Coordinator Alicia Mittleman at 916-2050688.
16
Chai Lights
Post on your refrigerator!
CBS
Happy June Anniversary
Timothy and Stephanie Goodall
Wendy Phoenix and David Asch
Daniel and Diana Rosen
Dr. David and Marisa Schiffman
Jim and Dale Shaw
Gregory and Wendy Hubbs
Roy and Sarah Schutzengel
Alvin and Fifi Paykel
Michael and Laurie Bratman
James and Karen Brandt
Alan Hirsch and Vera Sandronsky
Shirley and Chip Peifer
17
Happy June Birthday
Kevin Black
Laura Garfinkel
Leah Winter
Mason Dewing
Judy Malkin
Lynette Stein
Matthew Davidson
Len Garfinkel
Dina Howard
Paul Seave
Lydia Inghram
Margaret Darter
Gabriel Meyers
Hanna Mirtle
Taylor Saksenberg
Andrea Segal
Elliot Gardner
Jeanne Appell
Phyllis Blum
Jenna Mirtle
Emanuel Orange
David Lehman
Judy Lewis
Robert Bennett, Jr.
Patty Couse-Baker
Susan Leibenhaut
Daniel Cornfield
Wayne Grossman
Aileen Lawrence
Andrew Jeffrey
Marcia Edelstein
Justin Jeffrey
Eliana Sarah Robinson
Barbara Cortland
Terry Luedtke
Natalie Silliman
Daniel Zales
Cheryl Meyers
Marjorie Blum
Sam Buck
Mimi Victor-Epstein
Morgan Alcalay
Shannon Gordon
Gabriel Bedell
Codron, Gladys
Marisa Schiffman
Meryl Shader
Susan Nicoles
Dale Shaw
Jessica Birch
Loni Spilberg
Want to participate on the
bimah?
If you are observing a yahrzeit,
anniversary, birthday or just wish to
be part of the Friday night service by
performing any of the following
tasks, please contact Dave Malkin at
( 9 1 6 )
7 8 2 - 3 69 9
o r
[email protected]
Do you enjoy the sweetness of Shabbat?
Please consider helping with oneg. Oneg
duties include preparing Kiddush and
Challah; providing and plating sweets;
putting everything back in order when it’s
finished.
We also accept donations directly to
the Oneg Fund, and donations of
baked goods.
1—light the Shabbat candles
2—Aliyah to the Torah
3—redress the Torah as
Hagbah or G’lilah
Please contact the office if you are able to
participate in this mitzvah at any time.
All Jewish members ages B’nai Mitzvot
and up are welcome.
Happy July Birthday
Happy July Anniversary
Bruce Forman & Mary Struhs
Rick Frey & Margaret Kane
William Gould & Louise RoachfordGould
Randy & Barbara Cortland
Jami & James Goldstene
Tom & Betsy Jennings
Deborah Davis & Matthew Porter
Julie & Michael Polis
Penelope Clarke
Dan Cohen
Bruce Forman
David Friedman
Sandra Zales
Neil Luedtke
Stephen Robby
Ellen King
Henry Klein
Isaac Roachford-Gould
Arlo Mills
Ella Mills
Rebecca Radding
Joan Bories
Penni Blumberg
Joseph Domagalski
Julie Horenstein
Noah Pettinato
Fred Hayward
Michael Lewis
Julie Patt
Joel Birch
Robert Blum
Marcus Mathat
Jean Rubin
Laura Estrada
Ashley Lieberman
Bonnie Kneitel
Roy Schutzengel
Saul Zales
Matthew Polis
Betsy Jennings
Shirley Peifer
Elizabeth Stein
Baily Mirtle
Sharona Epstein
Robert Sandman
y
18
Chai Lights
May Tributes
To the Rabbis’ Discretionary Fund
 From Deon & Liz Stein, in memory of Aryeh SteinAzen
 From Michael & Elizabeth Gurev, in memory of Aryeh
Stein-Azen
 From the CBS Brotherhood, in memory of Aryeh Stein
Azen
 From Ronald & Miriam Simon, in memory of Aryeh
Stein-Azen
 From La Verne Kayne, in memory of Aryeh SteinAzen
 From Joel & Jessica Birch, in honor of Rabbi Nancy
 From Sylvia Wechsler, in honor of the marriage of
Jessica Lehman
 From Elaine Eisner, in memory of Aryeh Stein-Azen
 From Gladys Cordon, for the yahrzeit of her father,
Max Wasserman
 From Fanny Levy, in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of Lily
Wechsler-Azen, and Rabbi Nancy’s Doctorate
To the General Fund
 From Doris Gray, in memory of her husband, Al Gray
 From Joel & Jessica Birch, in honor of Rabbi Nancy
 From Kevin Berrero
 From the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento
Region, in memory of Aryeh Stein-Azen
 From Carry Cohn, in honor of Howard & Judith
Spivak’s new granddaughter Leora
 From Jolie Baron, in memory of Milton Meyers
 From Herbert & Joy Cohen in honor of Carry Cohn
 From David & Nicki Wampold, in memory of Dr.
Milton Meyers
 From Eugene Bagoon, for the yahrzeit of Samuel
Bagoon
 From Steve & Ginger Bicks, in memory of Aryeh SteinAzen
 From Howard and Judith Spivak, in honor of the birth
of their granddaughter Leora
To the Choir Fund
 From Richard & Susan Nicoles, in honor of the
yahrzeit of Susan’s father, Sam Schwartz
 From Janice Thornburg, in memory of Aryeh SteinAzen
 From Jan Thornburg
 From Richard Nicoles
To the Youth Fund
 From Al & Fifi Paykel, in honor of the yahrzeit of Al’s
father, Max Paykel
 From Andrew Gordon
To the Brotherhood Fund
 From Doris Walters
Parashot
Candle Lighting
Friday, June 5 / 18 Sivan
8:09 pm
Beha-Alotekha
Numbers 8:1 - 12:16
Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14 - 4:7
Friday, June 12 / 25 Sivan
8:12 pm
Shelah-Lekha
Numbers 13:1 - 15:41
Haftarah: Joshua 2:1 - 24
Friday, June 19 / 2 Tammuz
8:15 pm
Korah
Numbers 16:1 - 18:32
Haftarah: I Samuel 11:14 -12:22
Friday, June 26/ 9 Tammuz
8:15 pm
Hukkat
Numbers 19:1-22:1
Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33
Friday, July 3/ 16 Tammuz
8:16 pm
Balak
Numbers 22:2 - 25:9
Haftarah: Micah 5:6 - 6:8
Friday, July 10/ 24 Tammuz
8:14 pm
Pinhas
Numbers 25:10 - 30:1
Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3
Friday, July 17 /1 AV
Rosh Hodesh
Friday, July 24/ 8 AV
8:10 pm
Matot-Masei
Numbers 33:1- 36:13
Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4 -28; 3-4
8:05 pm
Devarim
Shabbat Hazon
Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22
Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27
Friday, July 31/ 15 AV
7:59 pm
Vaethanan
Shabbat Nahamu
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
Haftarah: Isaiah 40: 1-26
CBS
June Yahrzeits
19
July Yahrzeits
Morris Actor
Carol Schneeberger Garst
Albert Biren
Ruth Silverburg
Philip Actor
Bernard Berman
Helene Biren
Haim Weizman
Rosalie Michel
Donald Eisner
Anna Gross
Jeannie Johnson
Eva Kahn
Patricia M. Dunbar
Elsa Gardener
Rose Igra
Hanchen Cohn
Pricilla Spiess
Abe Slesnick
Adrian Pizer Nathan
Ernst Kahn
Marion Carl
Simon Saperstein
Jack Weiss
Elizabeth Dushkin
Maurice Attia
Leonard Victor Finder
Sheila Harfeld Parrish
Sam Weisman
Bertha Malkin
Robert Lee Baum
Lionel Margo
Beth Harriet Dushkin
Adelle Malkin
Lester Forman
Ethel Lange
Harry Rosenberg
Dr. J. Leonard Brandt
Ben Canter
Michael Grossman
Carolyn M. Roth
Jerome Birch
Louis Friedson
Solomon Aboulafia
Alvin Friedland
Carl Sugarman
Philip Fogel
Ruth Gillett
Elizabeth Wechsler
Alvin Spivak
Estelle Parker
Rita Cohn Bray
Sam Malkin
Edward McCandless
Myrtle Brewer
Carlin Cortland
Ben Wolk
Nona Lewkowitz-Segal
Rosalyn Barrie
Belle Fried
Esther Schneiderman
Dorothy Oken
Arthur Wasserman
Robin Kornman
Shirley Beverly Becker
Bob Drouin
Anna Bagoon
Michael Blatt
Ralph Silverburg
Molly Koppelman
Rose Young
Richard Schneeberger
Heinz Brass
Debie Ginsburg
Harry Stern
Vera Korobkin
Rose Gertrude Wyner
Irving Smith
Stella Cohen
Wilda Schwarz
Ruth Ann Edelstein
Diane Carter
Fischel Cornfield
Estelle Klein
Joseph Weisman
Toby Rosenblum
Nolan Gershenzon
Richard van Frank
Ruth Paykel
Joan Francis Polis
Frank Jacobs
Marion Selma Blumberg
Morris Nathan Haslett
Neil Kneitel
Ruth F. Lehman
Hilda Neuman
Jules Edward Wyner
Irene Spivak
Dr. Harry E. Canter
Emmy Bromet
Henry Freund
Roger Ruby
Abraham Alan Rom
Julie De Bevoise
Aaron Harfeld
Ray Icay Nalangan
Ida Hyman
Paul Rosenthal
Max Kulvin
Jerry Block
Phoebe Wynne
Dorothy Block
Ann Gershenzon
Abe J. Poska
Albert Friedman
Ann Gershenzon
Leonore Schneeberger
Elizabeth M. Lipp
Joan Zicarelli
Char Jeffries
Elizabeth M. Lipp
Steven Warren Kaplow
Rose C. Zarit
Elizabeth M. Lipp
Erie Black
Lewis Malkin
Peter H. Vollmer
Anita G Benenson
Sarah Merker
Pauline B. Cawley
Ruth S. Clark
Postage
Address Label
Beth Shalom Contribution Tribute Donation Form
The enclosed is: ( ) a deposit to my individual tribute account
( ) a designation of $________ from my tribute account to ___________________Fund.
( ) a contribution to the ___________________________________________ Fund.
In memory/honor (circle one) of _______________________________________________________
Please acknowledge:
Name: __________________________________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________________________________
City, State Zip ____________________________________________________________________
Donor:
Name: __________________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________
City, State Zip: ___________________________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________ E-mail: _____________________________________
General Support Fund • Rabbis’ Discretionary Fund
Education Program Funds• Catherine Bos Music Fund • Lester Gould Library Fund • Beautification Fund
Unjericho Fund • Memorial Board • Rachel Melamed Storytelling Fund
Youth Programs Fund • Religious Practices Fund • Other
Thank you for making a tribute to Congregation Beth Shalom in memory or honor of an individual. To insure proper
recognition, please use this tribute form when sending your tribute. Thank you! CBS Sisterhood Tribute Chair
Please return completed form to Temple Office