Temple Beth Sholom
The Shofar ___________________________________________________________________ Elul 5774/Tishrei-Cheshvan 5775 September/October 2014 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Message from Rabbi David Powers
Happy Holiday(s)—All of Them Kids used to go back to school in September. Where I grew up, school started on the Wednesday after Labor Day. Now they're back in August in most places, and no sooner do they start again, but they have a holiday. That's a good life, starting with time off. Could you imagine the same for adults? On the first day on the job the new hire asks the boss how soon he can have some time off. That does not seem like wisdom. Is there wisdom to the Jewish fall holidays? We have Rosh Hashana on the first of Tishri, Yom Kippur on the tenth, Sukkot on the fifteenth, and Simchat Torah on the 22nd. Was someone critical, some clear thinker, sleeping when the Jewish calendar was set up? If we look at the traditional calendar with two-day holidays except for Yom Kippur, we're talking seven days off in a three-week period. And my favorite photo store, run by Orthodox Jews, shuts down completely during Sukkot. What kind of business is this? If we're so smart, we Jews, the People of the Book, what are we doing setting up holidays like that? And then we get the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, sometimes called Mar Cheshvan, bitter Cheshvan, because there are absolutely no holidays in it. Couldn't we have saved some of the fall holidays for Cheshvan? (Continued on page 2)
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Okay: time for perspective. First of all, in the Jewish calendar there are not four but two seasons, summer and winter. Summer begins with Pesach and winter begins after Sukkot. What we think of as our fall holidays are mostly, from a Jewish perspective, summer holidays. And since Sukkot is a harvest festival, it has to come in summer. In ancient times it required a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and it was important to happen before the rainy season when travel in the Fertile Crescent could be muddily difficult. And Rosh Hashana, the new year, has to happen on the first day of the year, the first day of the first month, right? Uh oh! The Jewish new year actually begins on the first day of the seventh month, so now rationality is becoming increasingly difficult to detect. Except that the Torah calls the holiday, Yom HaZikaron—the day of remembrance, or Yom Terua, a day of shofar sounding, to be held then. Why? Well, first, we do not know. Some reasonable guesses are that it, as one of four Jewish new years, stands as the legal new year for contracts. Another Jewish tradition is that it marks the anniversary of the completion of creation, as described in Genesis. Sounding the shofar seems a good way to celebrate creation. People make noise at important times. Now for the readers who got stuck at "one of four Jewish new years," a word is in order. There is 15 Shevat, the new year of trees, for taxing purposes. There is 1 Nisan, the new year of kings of ancient Israel. There is the 1 Elul, the new year for animals, for tithing purposes. There is Rosh Hashana. None of this is too strange. We do much the same. When does the US government fiscal year begin? When does the fiscal year begin for any given business? Whenever they want. When does the new school year begin? New years are arbitrary—but often traditional— constructs and dates. But our Jewish holidays are not entirely arbitrary. Seasons happen when they happen, and our dates and times are based on those seasons in the land of Israel, even if they do not make perfect sense in North America or represent wise marketing decisions today.
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YAHRZEITS May Their Memories Be a Blessing September 5-6/10-11 Elul September 12-13/17-18 Elul 31 – Harry Harris 7 – Gertrude S. Kushner 2 – Sarah Heiner 8 – Dr. Robert L. Kushner 3 – Ida Novakoff 9 – Elix Rubin 4 – Josephina Sierra de Loper 11 – Joseph Schriebfeder 13 – Celia Katzman
September 19-20/24-25 Elul 15 – Samuel B. Numark 15 – Ann B. Passamaneck 16 – Hazel S. Roman 17 – Howard J. Nakdimen 17 – Dr. Herbert R. Silverman 17 – Ernst Wassing 19 – Leonard Miller 20 – Gertrude Herman Kushner
September 26-27/
October 3-4
October 10-11
24 – Saul M. Schreibfeder
28 – Louise D. Kushner
5 – Florence Koplen
25 – Herman Louis Calisch, Jr. 29 – Joseph M. Friedman 25 – Nathan Lester 30 – Evelyn Novakoff Silverman 27 – Emmanuel “Manny” Levy 1 – Max LeBof 27 – Sam Lyon 3 – Leonard Harris 27 – Emilie R. Mueller 3 – Lawrence Koplen 3 – Ida Greenberg Newman 4 – Ruth Ann Fusfeld
8 – Hormidas Santerre 9 – Dr. Dan H. Schreibfeder 10 – Bessie Klaff 11 – Dr. Harry Francis Calisch 11 – Moses Harris
October 17-18 16 – Paul Wall
October 31/November 1 26 – Heller Cohen 26 – Joseph Kingoff 27 – Rachel O. Roman 28 – Alvin Harris 28 – Helen S. Silverman 29 – Sayde S.
October 24-25 19 – Samuel A. Kushner, Sr. 22 – Moritz Feibelman 22 – Moses Roman 22 – Michael Bercholz 23 – Tessie Berman 23 – Joel Singer
Greenberg 30 – Joe Novakoff 1 – Samuel Costin
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Temple Beth Sholom Donations General Fund In Honor of Temple Beth Sholom Congregation - Sandra Strange, Penny Lee In Memory of Ernest Freudenthal – Jo Ann and Peter Howard, Faye and Sam Kushner, Ronnie and Steven Mand, Melanie and Kevin Vaughan, Mira and Michael Becher, Mike, Carol, Aaron, and Asher Caplan In Loving Memory of Harry Binder Stein, grandfather of Matt Kushner – Sam and Faye Kushner In Honor of Susanne Singer becoming a Medical Legal Death Investigator – Jo Ann and Peter Howard
Lo Lehitalem Historic Building Fund In Honor of the Marriage of Ben Rippe and Deborah Touchstone – Lisa and Dan Barzel, Catherine Greene, Jo Ann and Peter Howard, Lindy and Myron Levey, Martha and Malcolm Mallery, Ronnie and Steve Mand, Donna Mehalko and Keith Silverman, Melanie and Kevin Vaughan
Sisterhood Building Fund Contributions
Susanne Singer, 822-1114 Please remember the Building Fund for Sympathy, Mazel Tov, Thank You, Speedy Recovery the list is endless. The contributions made to this fund are used by the Sisterhood to beautify our temple for our enjoyment. Thank you for your support! In Honor of Jo Ann Howard for all you do for the Temple – Ronnie and Steve Mand In Honor of Mike and Carol Caplan for keeping our temple going – Ronnie and Steve Mand In Honor of Joan and Eddy Fraifeld’s 25th Anniversary – Ronnie and Steve Mand In Honor of Peter Howard on heading the Community Foundation – Ronnie and Steve Mand In Honor of the Marriage of Ben Rippe and Deborah Touchstone – Faye and Sam Kushner In Memory of Ernest Freudenthal, father of Joan Fraifeld – Mildred Barth In Honor of the Yahrzeit of Margaret B. Kushner – Jo Ann and Peter Howard In Honor of the Yahrzeit of Herman G. Koplen – Jo Ann and Peter Howard In Honor of the Yahrzeit of Ruth Koplen – Jo Ann and Peter Howard 4
In Honor of the Yahrzeit of Barbara Manheim – Jo Ann and Peter Howard
CALENDAR OF EVENTS (Services will begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.)
SEPTEMBER Friday, 5th
No Service Scheduled
Friday, 12th
7:30 p.m.
Shabbat Service: Rabbi David Powers Mira Becher & Joan Fraifeld, Oneg Hostesses
Saturday, 13th
9:30 a.m.
Morning with the Rabbi
Thursday, 18th
5:00 p.m.
Sisterhood Rummage Sale
Friday, 19th
7:00 a.m.
Sisterhood Rummage Sale/No Shabbat Service
Saturday, 20th
7:15 p.m.
Havdalah Service held at the Howard’s Home
Wednesday, 24th
8:00 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah Service: Rabbi David Powers Oneg Hosted by Sisterhood (Jo Ann Howard, Chairman)
Thursday, 25th
10:30 a.m.
Rosh Hashanah Service: Rabbi David Powers Rosh Hashanah Lunch at the Howard’s Home
Friday, 26th
5:30 p.m.
Tashlich followed by Dinner at Joe and Mimma’s
OCTOBER Friday, 3rd
8:00 p.m.
Kol Nidre Service: Rabbi David Powers
Saturday, 4th
10:30 a.m.
Yom Kippur Services: Rabbi David Powers Break-the-Fast: Temple Beth Sholom Ronnie Mand & Melanie Vaughan, Chairmen
Monday, 6th
5:00 p.m.
Sisterhood Meeting
Friday, 10th
7:00 p.m.
Shabbat/Sukkot Service and Dedication of Ruth Koplen Memorial Garden: Jo Ann Howard
Friday, 17th
6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Congregational Dinner Shabbat/Simchat Torah Service: Rabbi Powers
Friday, 24th
7:30 p.m.
Shabbat Service: Sam Kushner
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Friday, 31st
No Service Scheduled (Havdalah will be held on Saturday, Nov. 1 st)
WITH OUR CONGREGATION Mazel Tov to Susanne Singer on becoming a Medical Legal Death Investigator. We know how excited you are to be fulfilling one of the many items on your bucket list. Mazel Tov to Peter Howard on becoming the President of the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region. He is very excited about the River Bank Fund which will benefit our region for years to come. Be sure to ask him about it. Mazel Tov to Joan and Eddy Fraifeld on the celebration of their 25th anniversary! We wish you many more happy years to come. Our heartfelt sympathy is extended to Ronnie and Steve Mand on the recent death of Steve’s half brother, Paul Mand. May his memory be a blessing. Our heartfelt sympathy has been extended to Rabbi Alan Ponn and his daughter Stephanie on the recent death of Robert “Bobbie” Ponn, who passed away on August 5th. Did we miss your news? Be sure to contact Jo Ann Howard so that it can be included in the next issue of The Shofar. Our wishes for good health are extended to Michael Becher, Bonnie and George Brumfield, 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.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES September Birthdays - 1 – Barry Koplen; 3 – Sydney Fryman; 3 – Sean Fryman; 8 – Ronnie Mand; 16 – Peter Howard; 20 – Patrice Kramer October Birthdays - 7 – Bonnie Brumfield; 12 – Eileen Stendig; 29 – Joan Newman October Anniversaries - 16 – Karen and Matt Harris; 31 – Lynne and Don Loper
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Congregational Activities – Looking Ahead and Back
The 2014-2015 Activities Booklet should be in your hands by now. Please go through it carefully to see where you have been scheduled as a service leader or oneg hostess. Be sure to mark your calendar so you won’t miss any services and activities that have been scheduled throughout the year. Remember, it is your responsibility to switch with another congregant if you are unable to conduct the service or hostess on your scheduled date.
Mark your calendar! The Sisterhood Rummage Sale is September 18 and 19 . Remember, all clothing and household items need to be clean and in good condition. Contact Carol Caplan when you want to bring your items to the temple. We need everyone possible to help work the rummage sale. Please say yes when you are contacted. Also, be sure to ask your friends and neighbors to come and shop! Sisterhood is hoping this will be our most profitable sale ever; we need YOUR help to make this happen. th
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The High Holy Days are almost here! Rabbi David Powers will be leading us in worship as we welcome 5775 and atone for our sins so that we can have a prosperous new year. Please make note of the following: • Please be sure to bring your copies of the High Holy Days prayer book if you have them. • Services for Erev Rosh Hashanah, September 24th, and Kol Nidre, October 3rd, will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m. Morning services will begin at 10:30 a.m. • Peter Howard will be contacting you regarding your readings for the Holy Days. Be sure you know when your part is scheduled in the service and if for some reason you are unable to participate, please contact Peter immediately. • Please R.S.V.P., yes or no, for the Rosh Hashanah lunch at the Howard’s home by September 12th. • Reservations and monies for the Break-the-Fast are due by September 18 th to Melanie Vaughan. Even if you do not plan to attend, please let her know, 793-0577 or karma50@comcast.net. • Tashlich at the River – Friday, September 26th at 5:30 p.m. at the walking trail by the fountain. Bring bread crumbs to use as we cast away our sins. We will make reservations for dinner at Joe and Mimma’s. Please let Jo Ann know by September 12 th if you plan to attend. • Be sure to join us for the dedication of the Ruth Koplen Memorial Garden, followed by the Sukkot/Shabbat service in the sukkah on October 10th. 7
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We will enjoy a congregational dinner and then sing and march/dance around the sanctuary on Simchat Torah, on October 17th. A flyer will be forthcoming.
Our first meeting will be held on Monday, October 6th, when our “small but mighty group” will plan the coming year, discussing ways to continue supporting our Temple Beth Sholom. If you are not a member of Sisterhood, plan to join us this year!
Come join us for Havdalah at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 20th, at the home of Jo Ann and Peter Howard. This will be the first of several times during 5775 that we will conduct a Havdalah ceremony rather than having a Friday night service. Please join us for this special ceremony, socialize with our Temple Beth Sholom family, and enjoy a nosh or two. Why do we perform this ceremony? The blessings emphasize the distinction between the sacred and the ordinary, particularly in regard to the holy day that is departing and the ordinary weekday that is coming. The primary symbols of Havdalah are the braided candle, Kiddush cup containing wine and spice box containing sweet-smelling spices. The lighted candle symbolizes the light of Shabbat and the strands of the braid have been interpreted as the many types of Jews in the world, all of whom are part of one unified people. The wine is, as always, a symbol of joy. We take one last sip of the joy of Shabbat as we bid the Sabbath goodbye for another week. Similarly, the sweet-smelling spices symbolize the sweetness of Shabbat, whose pleasant aroma we breathe in one last time that it might last us through the week to come until we can welcome Shabbat again. There is also a special blessing which praises God for making distinctions, particularly the distinction between the holy and the mundane.
If you haven’t experienced Tashlich, make every effort to attend this year. Tashlich is a ritual which is observed during Rosh Hashanah. "Tashlich" means "casting off" in Hebrew and involves symbolically casting off the sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread into a body of flowing water. Just as the water carries away the bits of bread, so too are sins symbolically carried away. In this way the participant hopes to start the New Year with a clean slate. Mitzvah Day was held on Sunday, July 20th. By working in teams with specific tasks, we were able to complete our entire “to-do” list which included cleaning out rooms and reorganizing in the Religious School wing. Everyone felt a great sense of accomplishment when we were finished. Thank you to all of these volunteers who worked nonstop: Bernard Baker, Carol, Mike, and Asher Caplan, Jo Ann and Peter Howard, Barry Koplen, Sam Kushner, Judy Lyles, Susanne Singer, and Melanie Vaughan.
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Check out our website:
tbsdanville.org
A Bit of Jewish Humor The Lesson David received a parrot for his Bar Mitzvah. This parrot had one bad attitude and worse vocabulary. David tried to teach him manners, but the bird just got ruder and cruder. Desperate, David put him in the freezer to cool off. He heard squawking, then quiet. Frightened, David quickly opened the freezer. The parrot calmly walked out and said: "I'm sorry I offended you, Master David. I shall go to synagogue, pray, and modify my behavior.” Before David could ask about this astounding change, the parrot continued, "Sir ... may I ask what the Empire chicken did?" The “Compleat” Worrier Goldfarb, a coat manufacturer, couldn’t sleep. He was growing thin and haggard. Finally, his partner, Vogelman, suggested counting sheep. “Okay, tonight I’ll count!” The next morning, Goldfarb looked worse. “Nu? Did you count?” asked Vogelman. “Did I count! All the way to 5,000 sheep. Bupkes. So, I sheared them. Still I was wide awake. So then I made up 5,000 coats — till I finally drifted!” “So what’s the problem?” “I awoke in a cold sweat thinking, ‘Oy! where could I get 5,000 linings?!’” The Wish Tim and Lyle, walking down Main Street with Moshe, their boss, spied an oil lamp. With a rub, out popped a genie. “You get one wish a piece,” said the genie. Lyle shouted. “I want to be on a yacht in Bermuda!” Poof. He disappeared. Tim exclaimed: “Make mine Hawaii --with beauty queens!” Poof, he disappeared. Moshe, the boss, looked around and calmly said. “For my wish ... I want those schnooks back in my office right after lunch!" 9
Danville Chapter of Hadassah September/October 2014
Mark your calendar for our fall meeting on October 13 th ! So many new things are happening in Hadassah. Come and find out what “Turning over a new leaf” means to you as a Danville Hadassah member. You will be receiving more information soon. 5775 New Year Card forms have been sent out by Chairman Patrice Kramer. Please remember the September 9th deadline. If you have misplaced your form, please contact Patrice immediately, patricekramer@comcast.net or 434-822-0980. Angels of Mercy letters will be sent out in September. This is our major fundraising project to support the Hadassah hospitals which are working 24/7 due to the current Israeli crisis. Your support is needed more than ever. If you haven’t given in the past, please make that commitment this year. If you are able to increase the amount of your previous contribution, that would be wonderful. In both cases, todah rabah, thank you very much! Mazel Tov to Esther Rippe on the forthcoming marriage of her son, Ben, to Deborah Touchstone. Our Heartfelt Sympathy is extended to our Danville President Martha Woody and her family on the recent death of her niece, Olivia Naples. Cards…Trees…Certificates…Life Membership…News? So much to choose from! Contact Jo Ann, pkhlov@comcast.net or 434-799-3505, and she’ll head you in the right direction. 10
What’s new with Hadassah? Check out the Hadassah website at www.hadassah.org. You will be kept up-to-date with such things as current events, and research breakthroughs. It’s a good place to go for learning more about Hadassah.
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