Temple Beth Sholom
The Shofar ___________________________________________________________________ Sivan/Tammuz/Av 5776 July/August 2016 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reflections from Rabbi Estelle
The Hebrew word "aliyah" literally means "going up" and is associated with being called to the Torah, as it is understood that one elevates oneself at this moment. This same word is used when an individual moves to Israel, as again this action is seen as one that elevates oneself. Although there is no comparable Hebrew word for a visit to Israel, there are many individuals who upon landing in the Jewish homeland for the first time, express this emotional milestone by kneeling and kissing the soil. Being in Israel for the first time is truly a "Shehecheyanu moment", a time to say the blessing that conveys our thankfulness for new experiences. There is something elevating, both spiritually and emotionally about each and every time a Jewish person visits Israel, and is not comparable to a visit to any other part of the world. The answer to why traveling to Israel is, for a Jew, so unique is quite simple: Israel is the Jewish homeland and its sites are associated with our people's history and our holy days. In addition, Israel is the only place in the world that truly follows the Jewish calendar with the Sabbath beginning on Friday evening and ending at sundown on Saturday. In Israel, the Jewish calendar is reflected in every aspect of daily life from no mail on the Sabbath to the slowing down and even stopping of activities for Shabbat and then a re-energized population emerging on Motzi Shabbat, Saturday evening. Although fear for one's safety is sometimes used as an excuse to postpone what is truly a memorable and incredible
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experience, as is the case in nearly every country in the world, there are the places one should visit and then there are the places to avoid. (Continued on page 2) In addition, Israelis are the best in the world, both intellectually and technologically, when it comes to security. And in what other country is every 18 to 21 year-old trained to protect their country. Finally, there is no place on earth with more Jewish mothers and grandmothers, as well as really everyone else looking out for one another. Whether you have been privileged to experience travel to Israel before or if it is something you have always hoped to do, I invite you to join my husband, Steven and me as we lead a trip to the Jewish homeland this coming winter break. We are scheduled to leave December 24th but if this poses a problem, you can come a day later and join up with our trip. We have worked hard to prepare a high quality itinerary for a very competitive, in fact, low price. We do already have enough participants signed up to ensure that the trip will go forward, but I would personally love to have more individuals from Danville join me for this visit to our Jewish homeland. A tour of Israel is filled with both natural and historical sites and you will discover how quickly everything changes in the Jewish homeland; from city to desert, from one religion to another, from intense culture to untouched nature‌this is a land of extremes all packed into a very small space. For more information or to register for the trip, please go to ITC's website: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001T7tOY6IPaa9q9S1tJswLSoiQJoSryr6Xh0rhXOxetITioNYi6yFez0vnGOBkm7Ynk461AO5_BJX48xN2L_lziLDBNmp3-aQWFtQCS8hYI1jbVWx0GEzcHdPvxsaxCN9TdV0IQvStUfts1nnPIZ_T8rUFMIJU1ucfKt74F5_jmJvhApGlPx9djBDZMm e45ElU0LfscSwI=&c=YriWtVKCr2OIu2dri6aRgqIlkGbGIKjoThP5hrLfs3O7ojJ5ke6H1A==& ch=vq1OB7AUP_yJ4vX-xYkSpOWH1R8ImLgRgsJmodLRwYJgohxmmsIGxA== As our sage, Rabbi Hillel said "IF NOT NOW, WHEN?"
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YAHRZEITS May Their Memories Be a Blessing July 1-2/25-26 Sivan 1 – Abe Koplen
July 8-9/2-3 Tammuz 3 – William Albert Nakdimen 6 – William Marks 8 – Irving Goldstein 9 – Harry S. Greenberg
July 15-16/9-10 Tammuz 11 – Jonathan David Manheim 12 – Samuel Aaron Lantor 13 – Joseph Stendig 14 – Sarah K. Harris 15 – Walter J. Feibelman 15 – Joseph Gleicher 15 – Mrs. Jacob Hoffman 16 – Barbara Manheim
July 22-23/16-17 Tammuz 19 – Sam Lazarus 22 – William Herbert Hoffman 23 – Ruth Abrams Koplen
July 29-30/23-24 Tammuz 24 – Helen Kramer 27 – Janet Harris Lewis 28 – Cyla Gleicher 28 – Bessie W. Koplen
August 5-6/1-2 Av 31 – Margaret B. Kushner 1 – Adam Becher 3 – Jennie S. Lantor 4 – Sydelle Gerber 4 – Carol Conner Popek 5 – Herman G. Koplen
August 12-13/8-9 Av 9 – Goldie Levine 10 – Kate Cohen
August 19-20/15-16 Av 17 – Bertha Warshaw 20 – Ben B. Fuchs
August 26-27/22-23 Av 26 – Ruth Feibelman 27 – Jerome B. Kushner 3
11 – Henry Rubin 11 – Julian S. Sater 12 – Fannie Kirsten Platt September 2-3/29-30 Av 28 – Rose Schein Manheim 29 – Mamie Zietz Singer 30 – Bessie Halperin Jaiven 30 – Rabbi David M. Kushner 31 – Harry Harris 2 – Sarah Heiner 3 – Ida Novakoff
Temple Beth Sholom Donations Lo Lehitalem (Building Fund) In Honor of Asher Caplan’s graduation from high school and acceptance to UVa – Bonnie & George Brumfield In Memory of Eileen Stendig – Jo Ann & Peter Howard, Mira & Michael Becher, Ronnie & Steve Mand, Robert & Sheryl Heiner, Marc & Patricia Newman, Helen Harris, Harris, Harvey, Neal, & Co. LLP, Carolyn Hegnauer, Melanie & Kevin Vaughan, Stendig Family, Bonnie & George Brumfield, Caplan Family, Cathy & David Braner In Honor of Jo Ann and Peter Howard’s Anniversary – Bonnie & George Brumfield In Honor of Ronnie and Steve Mand’s Anniversary – Bonnie & George Brumfield General Fund In Honor of Temple Beth Sholom – Martha & Grady Carrigan In Honor of Jerome Caplan for Father’s Day – Caplan Family
Sisterhood Building Fund Contributions Susanne Singer, 822-1114 Please remember the Building Fund for such things as Sympathy, Mazel Tov, Thank You, and Speedy Recovery. Your contributions are used to beautify our temple. Thank you! From Ronnie & Steve Mand: We salute Asher Caplan as Salutatorian and his many other achievements Congratulations to Susanne Singer on your graduation from Phlebotomy Class Thank you to Jo Ann and Peter Howard on another successful Temple year 4
In Memory of Paul Friedman, husband of Bernice Friedman From Sam & Faye Kushner: In Loving Memory of my grandmother Sarah Rebecca Whitten Kushner In Honor of our dear friends Steve and Ronnie Mand In Appreciation of Susanne’s friendship and musical gifts From Jo Ann & Peter Howard: Thank you to Ronnie Mand for such a wonderful oneg for the Interfaith Service Thank you to Faye Kushner for the gorgeous arrangements and your special touch Thank you to Rabbi Estelle for the best Interfaith Service ever! Thank you to Ronnie Mand, Melanie Vaughan, Mira Becher, Carol Caplan, Faye Kushner, and Connie Whitlow for all you did to made the Stendig funeral reception possible In Memory of Uncle Morris Sager, Lee Howard, and Eleanor Howard Happy 21st Birthday to Bryna Kramer and Sam Rippe
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JULY Friday, 8th Saturday, 30th**
7:30 p.m.
Service: Jo Ann Howard Havdalah at the Howard’s home 7:30 – Come for dessert 8:06 – Havdalah
AUGUST Friday, 12th** Saturday, 27th**
7:30 p.m.
Service: Jo Ann Howard Havdalah at the Howards’ home 6:30 – Covered-dish supper 7:31 - Havdalah
**Please note date changes.
Rosh Chodesh Tammuz (new month) – July 6th Rosh Chodesh Av (new month) – August 5th 5
Fast of Tisha B’Av Book of Lamentations read – August 14th Torah Readings nd July 2 – Shelach (Numbers 13:1 – 15:41) July 9 – Korach (Numbers 16:1 – 18:32) July 16 – Chukkat (Numbers 19:1 – 22:1) July 23 – Balak (Numbers 22:2 – 25:9) July 30 – Pinchas (Numbers 25:10 – 30:1) August 6 – Matot-Masei (Numbers 30:2 – 36:13) August 13 – Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22) August 20 – Vaetchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11) August 27 – Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25)
WITH OUR CONGREGATION Welcome to Charles Silverman, who is now a familiar face at Shabbat services. We are so glad he is joining our Temple Beth Sholom family! Congratulations to Barry Koplen, as the “Eclectic Collector”, on his showing of just a small part of his art treasures at the Danville Museum. It’s truly worth a visit. Congratulations to Asher Caplan on his beautiful speech as the Salutatorian at George Washington High School’s graduation. He is looking forward to beginning his freshman year at University of Virginia as an Echols Scholar. Congratulations to Bryna Kramer who is a summer intern at Evince Magazine. Be sure to read her article on page 3 of the July issue. Our heartfelt sympathy has been extended to the family of Eileen Stendig, who passed away on May 26th. Betsy, Lenny, Dan, Sarah, and Lisa truly appreciated our love and concern, and the reception following the funeral service. Our wishes for good health are extended to Michael Becher, Ben Fraifeld, Patrice Kramer, and Esther Rippe. We know that some of our congregants become ill, have surgery, or suffer an injury between The Shofar publications, so please know that we extend a prayer of comfort and continued recovery to those who are not specifically named.
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BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES July Birthdays: 10 – Susan Dufour; 14 – Michael Amick; 15 – Faye Kushner; 18 – Estelle Mills; 20 – Darcy Amick; 21 – Rita Green; 21 – Mark Stanley; 22 – Melanie Vaughan August Birthdays: 3 – Sam Kushner; 6 – Esther Rippe; 18 – Noah Kramer; 23 – John Lantor; 26 – Arnold Manheim; Matt Harris August Anniversaries: 6 – Samantha & John Wills; 19 – Rita & Rabbi Morton Green; 20 – Joan & Eddy Fraifeld
Congregational Activities – Looking Ahead and Back
Our Sisterhood Rummage Sale will be held on Thursday and Friday, September 15-16, 2016. Please start collecting items now. Be sure that your donations are clean, in good condition, and have all the parts. You may bring your items to the temple and leave them in the Religious School wing far right side rooms. Please do not bring clothing, sheets, towels, or cloth items at this time due to the musty smell they pick up. We will accept those items nearer to the sale. Please save the zipper bags that sheets, bedspreads, and curtains come in. Watch your email for further information about drop off times, work assignments, and schedules. Any questions, call me. Thanks so much. Carol Caplan
Check out our website: tbsdanville.org
SPECIAL EVENTS FROM MAY AND JUNE
We hosted our Shabbat Interfaith Service on Friday , May 13th with over 100 people in attendance. Thank you to Rabbi Estelle for a beautiful service, Ronnie Mand for coordinating a wonderful oneg, and Peter Howard for all the “behind the scenes” work to make it happen. 7
Our annual Congregational Meeting was held on Wednesday, May 25th with 18 members in attendance. One of the key items of business was to reiterate the need of an Endowment Fund. Rather than hire an outside solicitor to talk with our congregational families, the Board decided to take on this role. Therefore, when you are called for an appointment, please welcome them into your home. Annual elections were held and congratulations to President – Jo Ann Howard, Vice President – Michael Caplan, Secretary – Bonnie Brumfield, Treasurer – Peter Howard, Board Managers – Barry Koplen, Sam Kushner, Ben Rippe, Susanne Singer
Sisterhood Metal Recycling Program: The Summer of 2016 Sisterhood Metal Recycling Program saved 936 pounds of metal from our landfills, including aluminum, mixed metals, brass and copper. Some of our unusual donations were a barbecue grill, kitchen fan, car shocks and wheels, satellite dish, hot water heater and yes, even a kitchen sink! Thank you to the following people for their donations: Peter and Jo Ann Howard, Eddy and Joan Fraifeld, Mike and Carol Caplan, Lynne Loper, Ronnie and Steve Mand, Judy and Gene Lyles, and Susanne Singer. A special thank you goes to Judy and Gene Lyles, Jacob Lyles and Calip Curry for the use of their pickup truck, and for helping load and unload; and to Asher Caplan for helping to unload the metals. We made $102.00!
Our Nosh and Knowledge sessions with Rabbi Estelle on Saturday mornings are always interesting learning experiences. In April, we were shocked and dismayed when we learned about the BDS and their anti-Israeli views. BDS is the campaign of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. They are infiltrating college campuses, and developing commercials and billboards with misleading messages. Six reasons to oppose BDS: The BDS movement does not recognize the state of Israel and seeks its destruction. The BDS movement applies a double-standard in criticizing Israeli policy and ignoring abuses by other nations and the role of the Palestinians in the conflict. BDS initiatives are opposed by college administrators and will not change Israeli policy, so their main impact is to create unnecessary divisions and a hostile atmosphere on campuses.
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Boycotts trample the academic freedom that universities stand for and deprive students of their right to international viewpoints. A boycott of Israel unfairly singles out one nation, blacklisting all voices and perspectives. Boycotting Israeli products does nothing to help the Palestinians improve their lives, begin state building, or develop democratic institutions. Well-known critics of Israeli policy and peace activists oppose BDS campaigns as counterproductive. In May, in conjunction with the holiday of Shavuot, we studied two chapters from the Book of Ruth and were amazed to see the role this story plays in the conversion process. If you didn’t participate in the Saturday morning sessions during this past year, we hope you will join us in 5777!
A Bit of Jewish Humor Kosher Komputer I don't know if you know this, but they are now selling Kosher computers (Made in Israel) called a DELLSHALOM. It is selling at such a good price I bought one. Mine arrived yesterday. If you or a friend are considering a kosher computer, you should know there are some important upgrades and changes from the typical computer you are used to, such as: The cursor moves from right to left. It comes with two hard drives-one for fleyshedik (business software) and one for milchedik (games). The Chanukah screen saver includes "Flying Dreidels." The PC shuts down automatically at sundown on Friday evenings. After my computer dies, I have to dispose of it within 24 hours. The "Start" button has been replaced with the "Let's go!! I'm not getting any younger!" button. When disconnecting external devices from the back of my PC, I am instructed to "Remove the cable from the PC's tuchus." The multimedia player has been renamed to "Nu, so play my music already!" Internet Explorer has a spinning "Star of David" in the upper right corner. I hear "Hava Nagila" during startup. Microsoft Office now includes, "A little byte of this, and a little byte of that." When running "Scan Disk" it prompts with a "You want I should fix this" message? When my PC is working too hard, I occasionally hear a loud "Oy Gevalt!" There is a "monitor cleaning solution" from Manischewitz that advertises it gets rid of the "schmutz und drek" on your monitor. After 20 minutes of no activity, my PC goes "Schloffen." Computer viruses can now be cured with some matzo ball Chicken soup. 9
"Year 5761-5762" issues have replaced the Y2K problem. If you decide not to shut down the computer in the prescribed manner, the following message appears: "You should be ashamed of yourself." When Spellchecker finds an error it prompts, "Is this the best you can do?" When I look at erotic images, my computer says, "If your mother knew you did this, she would die." And best of all, if you have a kosher computer, you can't get Spam.
July/August 2016 Danville Our very name, "Hadassah: The Women’s Zionist Organization of America,” implies our support for Israel. And certainly, Hadassah has accomplished amazing feats there; beginning by bringing health services to what was then Palestine over a hundred years ago. Our hospitals remain at the cutting edge of medical achievements and are islands of diversity and peace in that troubled area of the world. However, Hadassah also works tirelessly in the United States to advance such concerns as gender equity in medical research and the fight against human trafficking. Most recently, Hadassah added its voice to those advocating for further gun safety legislation after the recent mass shooting in Orlando. As Hadassah National President Ellen Hershkin stated: "We mourn for the victims of the Orlando shooting—an act of terrorism and hate here in America. . . . Current laws do not go far enough, nor are enforced rigorously enough, to help prevent gun violence. . . . Hadassah urges legislators at all levels to enact stronger gun control to protect our citizens, our communities and our nation.” Hadassah has also been an advocate for a woman’s right to choose her own reproductive health care. In its policy statement, Hadassah asserts "women are (the) proper moral decision-makers in this area, and ... they should be free to make that decision within the context of their own religious convictions, without interference from the state.” In addition, Hadassah has taken a position on any number of domestic issues, including civic participation (". . .encouraging informed and active participation in the American democratic process”); protecting the strict separation of church and state; advocating for equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, religion, or other factors; and working to end violence against women. And of course, Hadassah continues its support for Israel! On June 14th, Ellen Hershkin provided an op-ed piece supporting New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is the first U.S. governor to issue an executive order against the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement that targets Israel. Governor Cuomo’s action and Hadassah’s support for it have helped to expose BDS as a divisive force that works against peace and prosperity in the Middle East. 10
Hadassah’s work makes a huge impact, and our small but mighty Danville chapter is proud to be a part of that work. Join us! Martha Woody, President P.S. One more reason to support Hadassah - Dr. Dana Wolf, head of the clinical virology unit in the Hadassah Medical Organization’s Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, is leading a Hadassah team in studying Zika samples from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Wolf has explained, “Zika is dangerous in the interface between mother and unborn child. That has always been a Hadassah priority.” This year’s Donor event, held at the home of Melanie Vaughan, was an informal dinner featuring delicious Israeli style foods, along with a program and celebration of Israel’s Independence Day. Those in attendance thought it was a wonderful event and truly enjoyed the evening. Thank you to all of you who supported this project. If you haven’t done so yet, send your Donor check today to Jo Ann Howard, 326 Rosemary Lane, Danville, VA 24541.
It is with great sadness that we announce the recent death of Eileen Stendig on May 26 . She was a long-time member and major contributor. Adele Nakdimen, who passed away on April 11th, continued to support our chapter even after she moved and transferred her membership. We are glad that these two women were members of our Danville Chapter. th
Life Membership – What a wonderful way to share Hadassah! Make a family member or friend a member for life! The cost is still only $212. Contact Jo Ann Howard today via this email or call her at 434-799-3505.
Hadassah Convention 2016 Community Service/Mitzvah Project Did you know that one child goes through 75 pencils each school year? Yet many children can't afford pencils. That's why Hadassah is conducting a PENCIL DRIVE. Our goal is to collect 10,000 pencils for the “Kids in Need” program at the Atlanta Community Food Bank from attendees at the #HadassahConv2016! The Kids in Need Program is based on the belief that every child deserves the tools they need for academic achievement. When parents struggle to put food on the table, it can be hard to provide basic school supplies. Every year, Kids in Need distributes hundreds of thousands of pounds of brand-new school supplies to teachers in low-income schools in the Atlanta area. Poverty shouldn't threaten a child's academic success. Ruthanne Warnick & Lee Kansas, the chairs of our #HadassahConv2016 Community Service/Mitzvah Project, reached out to the Kids in Need manager to find out how Hadassah could help. "We can always use pencils," she said. Our goal is to collect 10,000 pencils for the Kids in Need program from attendees at the #HadassahConv2016! So bring pencils — any color or design — with you to Atlanta. Pencils are 11
lightweight and easy to pack. Even better, they'll help more children in Atlanta achieve academic success.
Let’s send Martha off to Atlanta with lots of pencils! Contact Jo Ann if you’d like to help. pkhlov@comcast.net
Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem Ranked #1 in Quality Assurance Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem has been ranked as the leading medical center in the country for quality assurance by Israel’s Ministry of Health. This is the second year that the Ministry has publicized its statistics, believing that this transparency encourages hospitals to improve their service. Rather than showcasing dramatic surgical results or breakthroughs, these measurements evaluate practices that mark good medicine. They provide a means to define what hospitals actually do, as compared with their original targets, allowing them to identify opportunities for improvement. One measure, for example, is how long a person who was suffering from an ischemic stroke had to wait before getting a CT scan or MRI. At Hadassah, the answer is 24 minutes. This is in comparison to 55 minutes at Shaare Zedek in Jerusalem, 44 minutes at Tel Hashomer Hospital in Tel Aviv, and over an hour and a half at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva. Other indices are as diverse as whether antibiotics were administered before surgery at the correct time, whether hip surgery was completed in under 48 hours, and whether patients were advised properly about certain preventive health measures--for example, at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, 98 percent of patients were advised about taking aspirin after experiencing a heart blockage. By the same token, women undergoing caesarian sections at Hadassah were all given prophylactic antibiotics to prevent potential infections. While certain hospitals excelled in particular measurements, Hadassah did well in all of them. In addition, Hadassah was praised for making major improvements in all of its measures from 2014 to 2015. "All the credit goes to Prof. Tamar Peretz, who preceded me,” commented Hadassah Medical Organization Director General Prof. Zeev Rotstein. “We always knew that Hadassah has superb medicine and the best medical teams in the country. I hope that in addition to the excellent medicine at Hadassah, we will be able to provide financial security and to propel forward a new Hadassah which will be number one overall in the State of Israel."
French Orchestra Makes Debut at Hadassah Hospital In addition to its other wonderful features, the Hadassah Medical Center’s Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital Tower turned out to be a magnificent concert hall, as the 80-person strong Paris Sciences and Letters Symphony Orchestra and Choir gave its debut Israel concert, made possible by Hadassah France.
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Leaving the clinics and operating rooms behind for a musical respite, doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff joined patients in pain and mothers celebrating the birth of their newborns in the Atrium of the Tower to hear Gershwin, Ravel, and Mozart. The loudest cheers came for the orchestra’s rendition of Rhapsody in Blue and selections from Porgy and Bess, including Summertime. This heralded orchestra, under the direction of Conductor Yohan Farjot, was drawn from 21 member institutions of the Parisian University. One of the violinists, who was in Israel for the first time, commented: "We loved playing in the hospital, with the audience a mix of Jews and Arabs, of doctors and sick persons. Isn't that what you call a mitzvah?"
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