Rabbi's Message

SIT IN THE BETH EL SUKKAH! Sign up by household/pod to enjoy the sukkah every day of Sukkot from noon until evening minyan at bethelnr.org/sukkah.

SUKKAH DECORATING SUKKOT COOKING CLASSES

Friday, Oct. 2, 2PM: Youth & Family Tuesday, Oct. 6, 4PM & 7:30PM: Join us for a youth

Sukkah decorating 'drive by' at Beth Cooking Chug at 4PM and a Sukkot-themed virtual El. Sign up at bethelnr.org/YFsukkah. cooking class with Rabbi Jessica Fisher at 7:30PM!

SHAKE YOUR LULAV AND JOIN US FOR A FESTIVE HALLEL!

Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 2PM: Reserve a parking spot if you're driving (we'll use every other spot).

If you're walking, reserve a spot to stand in! Please note, this will be AFTER services, which will also include Hallel. If it rains, this event will be cancelled. Sign up at bethelnr.org/hallel.

TEEN VIRTUAL SUSHI IN THE SUKKAH Thursday, Oct. 8, 6:30PM: Head to bethelnr.org/teensushi to register. OPEN BEIT MIDRASH: SUKKOT EDITION Thursday, Oct. 8, 8PM: Join us for a special Sukkot-themed OBM!

SERVICES FOR SUKKOT, HOSHANAH RABBAH, SHEMINI ATZERET,& SIMCHAT TORAH Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 3-4 & 1 0-1 1 , 9:30AM & Friday, Oct. 9, 7AM: Services in our Beth El Sanctuary and via livestream. Email us at minyan@bethelnr.org to attend in-person. OUTDOOR MOVIE: USHPIZIN Wednesday, Oct. 7, 7PM: Reserve a spot for yourself or your family (kids are welcome!) in our parking lot. Watch on a big screen outside of your car - don't forget to bring jackets/blankets! We'll provide hot chocolate, but you can bring snacks/drinks! bethelnr.org/movie HAKAFOT & TORAH READING Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 1 0-1 1 : Join us for Hakafot and Torah reading! Things will look a little different this year, but we can’t wait to celebrate with the Torah and with you! Stay tuned for more details on how we're going to make this fun for the whole family.

Visit bethelnr.org/sukkot for the most up-to-date information!

KERUV* KORNER *“Keruv” = to bring close, to draw near

Warm greetings from the Keruv Committee for a sweet 5781. species; it likens the taste and fragrance of each to the attributes of Our Yamim Noraim, celebrated around the world in unprecedented studying Torah and performing good deeds: fashions this year, have concluded. The calendar turns to the • The lulav, which has taste but no smell, symbolizes Jews who remaining holidays of the season: Sukkot, with Hoshana Rabbah study Torah but do not possess good deeds; and Shemini Atzeret observances tucked neatly together within its • The hadas, which has a good smell but no taste, symbolizes closing days, and Simchat Torah, celebrating the obligation and joy Jews who possess good deeds but do not study Torah; to begin anew the reading of the Torah. Sukkot, the first to arrive, • The aravah, which has neither taste nor smell, symbolizes Jews offers food for thought that is especially resonant for Beth El’s who lack both Torah and good deeds; and “Inclusion” Committee. • The etrog, which has both a good taste and a good smell,

During Sukkot, we are commanded to bring together four symbolizes Jews who have both Torah and good deeds. plants—three types of branches and one type of fruit—and Why does this midrash resonate with Keruv? The connection wave them in a special ceremony each day of the holiday is not what each species represents or why. The connection is that (excludingShabbat). As some of us learned as children, others as each of these differing species plays an equal role in the ancient adults, and others perhaps right here, the four plants are the yellow ritual. The midrash illustrates that just as we need all the species to fruit of a citron tree (in Hebrew, etrog), branches with leaves from complete the mitzvah, we need every type of Jew to be a complete the myrtle tree (hadass), branches with leaves from the willow community; only when we come together can we be our best. We, tree (aravah), and a ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree like the four species, are bound together in equal importance despite (lulav). The three branches are tied together, and because the lulav our differences. dominates the other two, the group of branches is usually referred The Keruv Committee wishes our beautifully diverse to collectively as the lulav. community a new season of health, renewal, and inclusion.

There is a midrash as to why it is these four specific plant Nina Luban and Elise Richman, Co-Chairs

SISTERHOOD BAGELS & BOOKS

Monday, October 26th • 9:30 am We will discuss The Button Man, by Andrew Gross

Questions? Contact Arlene Salman, 914-235-2485, aesalman@aol.com.

Sisterhood Evening Book Club

Wednesday, November 18th • 7:30 pm We will discuss Apeirogon, by Colum McCann Find the Zoom link at www.bethelnr.org/livestream.

Questions? Email Erica Epstein at mmleepstein@gmail.com; or Cynthia Glickman at cynglickman@gmail.com.

TORAH FUND

This year’s Torah Fund campaign theme is B’Yachad (Together). While our uniquely creative pins are not in yet, we urge you to join with us, B’Yachad, in helping to ensure future generations of Conservative Jews by supporting the education of our treasured professionals—rabbis, cantors, and educators alike. Costs have stayed the same, so please join us once again in supporting the Jewish Theological Seminary, along with four other Conservative seminaries around the globe.

$180 Benefactor $300 Guardian

Donations can be made easily online, by phone, or you can mail a check. Questions? Please contact Janis DeMartini, 917-836-6892, jdemartini37@gmail.com, or Sheila Cohen, 914- 576-1078, chilly321@aol.com.

Sisterhood Scene

As we wind down from the extreme high of the Hasmonean Maccabees cleansed the Temple from Greek defilements. holiest days of the year, on October 19th we begin The pandemic, while dangerous and scary, has enabled us to the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, or Marcheshvan draw closer to family friends and community. We have been called as it is known. Cheshvan is called MAR or bitter upon to strengthen our connections with those in our lives who in Hebrew because it is a month with no holidays or fast days. Yet, bring us joy. So join us at Sisterhood for our October meeting on this lull in the calendar does bring us some specialness as has this Monday, October 19th, when our speakers will be two renowned COVID pandemic. doctors (Dr. Susan Mandel and Dr. Susan Maxon) who will speak

In Israel in ancient times, the grapes and figs would be harvested, to us about Breast Cancer Awareness. Sisterhood is here for you in the olives collected, the dates and sugarcane would ripen, and the so many ways and we hope to see you, even if it’s only on Zoom – rains that bring life would once again return. During this month in for our next meeting. Jewish history the first Temple was completed by Solomon and the Sandra Savitz Gruenberg

FALL FLOWER BULB FUNDRAISER Everyone Loves Flowers! Place your order online for flower bulbs to plant this Fall and have beautiful flowers in the Spring. This is available to the entire congregation. To place your order, visit www.bethelnr.org/BULBS.

The last date for orders is October 22. Flower Bulbs delivery will be early November. Proceeds benefit Beth El Synagogue Center.

Free The Girls is an organization that financially supports women who have been unwilling victims of sex trafficking and have now been freed but need a way to support themselves. The bras donated are distributed to these women, mainly but not exclusively in South America and Africa where there is a robust market for used clothing. The bras are sold by these newly freed women in these clothing markets to support themselves and their families to ensure their continued freedom.

The SISTERHOOD MITZVAH FUND is now being handled by Gaby Newfield. Please send all correspondence for Sisterhood donations to her at the following address (or place in the Sisterhood box in the office when the synagogue reopens). Sisterhood Mitzvah Fund c/o Gaby Newfield 87 Runyon Place, Scarsdale, NY 10583 914-235-4030 or gabyn77@yahoo.com

Our donation drop box will be at Beth El October 1-31!

ISRAELI CULTURAL CONNECTIONS Presented by Beth El’s Israel Affairs Committee

Beth El’s Israel Affairs Committee (IAC) is pleased to share cultural items of interest concerning Israel each month. IAC always welcomes new members. For more information about meetings and events, please contact either Tamar Tait atTamarTait@optonline.net, or Bruce Gold at Bruces.gold@gmail.com. This month’s Israeli Cultural Connections column is presented by IAC member Tamar Tait.

The Start-Up Nation Tackles the Coronavirus

About ten years ago the book Start-Up Nation by Dan Senor and Saul Singer described how Israeli culture creates a synergy of innovative and entrepreneurial intensity. Chutzpah, drive and ingenuity has propelled this small country of just 9 million people to become a world leader in emergent technologies, continually achieving record-breaking rounds of venture capital investments year after year.

Although the coronavirus pandemic has hit Israel’s economy hard—its GDP fell by 7% in the second quarter of 2020—its hightech sector is already proving pivotal in the fight against the disease. Listed below are just some of the remarkable innovations that Israeli companies have recently developed: • Trackvirus: One of the world’s first contact tracing apps. Developed by emergency healthcare response organization United Hatzalah, Trackvirus has the ability to get people into quarantine after they are exposed to the virus to stop a widespread contamination. • Zebra Medical Vision: Artificial intelligence that provides accelerated and accurate medical image diagnosis to identify disease severity and enable doctors to provide the most effective care. The AI platform has already received five United States Federal Drug Administration clearances and has been named by Fast Company as one of the most innovative healthcare companies in 2020. • Newsight Imaging: A small device that can identify and classify the virus in a matter of seconds by taking a sample of blood and saliva. The microchip is artificial intelligence ready and is significantly cheaper and more portable than its competitors. The device has already received the Sheba Medical Centre’s ethics committee’s approval and is waiting on FDA approval. • I mproved Antibody Tests: Researchers at Tel Aviv University have created a serological test that can identify all three antibodies of the coronavirus with 98-99% accuracy. • Improved Testing: AID Genomics has developed a 30-minute COVID test that can process an entire plane full of passengers in less than 75 minutes. AID Genomics’s test kit is cheaper than competing “express services,” and is also waiting on FDA approval.

S.M.A.R.T. (Senior Mature Adult Retired Together) Discussions On Monday and Friday mornings, join us for a conversation with our social worker Shari Baum, M.S.W., 11:00 am - 12:00 noon

Beth El Celebrates October Birthdays

Beth El would like to extend a “Happy Birthday!” to its members with a birthday in the month of October. If you have an October birthday,

Debra Ackerman Ethan Afran Eric Alderman Ryan Altman Jenn Bergman Ally Berkowitz Ana Bernstein Melvyn Bloom Frances Blumenfeld Joshua Burack Nancy Chhahira Marvin Chinitz Shari Chinitz Carmel Coblence Sylvia Cohen Phyllis Cole Susan Davis Sophie Ehudin Jane Epstein Alyssa Erber Marcie Ferder Allison Fisher Aaron Fleishaker Caroline Fox Daniel Gabel Jack Gingold Ethan Glickman Louis Goldberg Robyn Goldberg Marsha Goldstein Steven Guggenheim Sol Haber but your name does not appear on the list, we are sorry for the omission and ask that you e-mail the synagogue at info@bethelnr.org so that we can update our records. Contact

Lynn Hirsh Gary Joseph Arthur Kaplan Ronnie Kaplan David Kaufman Allison Kellman Theodore Kesten Sharon Kevy Richard Klee Nina Kleiman Noah Kolodny Roy Krasik Deborah Kurlander Martin Levitin Gary Levy Joshua Lieberson Stephan Loewentheil Michael Lurie Marsha Lustig Marshall Matos Adam Mayblum Kyle Mayblum Ari Mayerfield Michael Meisler Jodi Menell Anne Negrin Reis Trevor Norwitz Roy Noy Molly Nozyce Daniel Patchen Deirdre Polow Leon Protass us if you do not wish to have your name appear on our birthday list. (The list reflects our adult members and post-bar/bat mitzvah children up to the age of 21.)

Hila Reichman Janice Reid David Reifer Julie Rockowitz Naomi Rothberg Fiorito Joy Rotker Steve Rotker Karen Sadok Jay G. Safer Brittany Sanford Elise Schepp Robert Schepp Peri Schwartz Blair Selber Hannah Shammas David Silberstein Heidi Spitz Barbara Starr Ilana Tamir Jane Turkewitz Harvey Wacht Mark Walfish Norma Wasserman Naomi Weinberger Anne Weisbrod Esther Winik William Winters Jack Wolk

Happy

Birthday!