BNAI ABRAHAM SYNAGOGUE DANIEL STEIN, RABBI ROBERT WEINER, PhD, CANTOR MARK SHRAGER, RABBI EMERITUS, ZT”L MORRIS SIEGEL, CANTOR EMERITUS, ZT”L
Bulletin July - August, 2016 25 Sivan- 31 AV 5776 Vol. 7 & 8 Published Monthly
THE
UNITED SYNAGOGUE
OF
CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
1545 BUSHKILL STREET • EASTON, PA 18042-3118 (610) 258-5343 • Fax: (610) 330-9100 www.bnaiabraham.org • email: office@bnaiabraham.org
DISTRIBUTION NOTICE If you would like family members or others to receive a copy of the bulletin, please send name, address and $15 payment to Bnai Abraham. If you have not sent your email address to Bnai Abraham office staff, please do so as soon as possible. We will be notifying congregants of emergencies and special events through email.
CONTACTS Gerald Weisberger
President & Programming Committee Chair
Howard Nathanson Shelly Blumenthal
Youth Chair Gift Shop Chair
Howard Nathanson Irwin Lewis, M.D.
Kadima Advisor Men’s Club President &
Elaine Morrow
Ritual Committee Chair Sisterhood President
Ellen Lifschutz Aliette and Marc Abo, MD
Choir Director Theatre Club
Gerald Weisberger
House Chair
Lothar Gumberich
Memorials & Torah Restoration Committee
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS The deadline for submitting items August 17th. Please have all items to BAS office no later than August 17th. Any items received after that date will be published in the next month’s bulletin.
O F F I C E H O U R S: Closed on Mondays and Fridays. Hours open: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Services/Minyan Schedule Thursday: 7:25 AM Friday Night Services – 8:00 PM Saturday: 9:30 AM Kiddush follows If you require a special minyan, please notify the office at 610-258-5343.
A FAREWELL MESSAGE FROM RABBI DANIEL STEIN‌ Shalom! I'm not going to share a formal column this month. I only want to quote the words of our patriarch Jacob in the book of Genesis: I am unworthy of all the kindness you have shown to me and my family until this day. Dena, Miri, Judah, and I are so grateful for all our friendships in Easton. Although we will be moving to the West, a piece of our hearts will remain here in the East. Thank you for all the wonderful memories and experiences you all have brought into our lives. We are certain that the friendships we've forged here will endure. Please know that I will retain my Easton phone number: 484-548-0345, and can always be reached on my personal email, dzstein@gmail.com. I leave you with the two blessings of Judaism--lehitraot--until we meet again, and Shalom! Rabbi Daniel Stein
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE ‌
Shalom, As we enter August the board and our staff are busy planning our programs and holiday services for the coming season. I am happy to report that our religious school will continue its partnership with Brith Shalom and will continue with the academic program instituted by Rabbi’s Stein and Singer. We continue our search for a Rabbi and are optimistic that we will hire one who will be here for the high holidays. The board can provide programs, services, etc, but we need more active participation from our members, which is the key to our success. Thank you, Jerry Weisberger President
CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS TO KAREN COOPER AND NAN RONIS FOR BEING ELECTED AS VICE PRESIDENTS AND DANNY COHEN FOR BECOMING AN HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY
UPCOMING EVENTS BNAI ABRAHAM/TEMPLE COVENANT OF PEACE KNITTING GROUP WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10th - 10:30 A.M. Please note the knitting group will be meeting at the home of Gwen Jacobs, 511 Fairbanks Avenue Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 Please RSVP to Gwen Jacobs at 908-859-6509
SPECIAL AUGUST BRUNCH BUNCH SUNDAY, AUGUST 7th AT 10:00 A.M.
BUNCH
Please join us on Sunday, August 7th when our guest speaker will be New Yorker Magazine Contributor, John Sherey, on Hiroshima – August 6, 1945 and its significance. Cost is $6.00 – please RSVP ihlewismd@yahoo.com or call 610-253-2481
Yahrzeit List In the Bond of Life
JULY 2016
Contact Irwin Lewis, Ritual Chairman
July 4 July 7 July 8 July 10 July 15 July 16 July 18 July 18 July 18 July 20 July 20 July 23 July 25 July 27 July 30 July 31
Charles Weitzman, beloved brother of Lydia Zibulewsky Julie Scheinman, beloved mother Sheila Goldberg Doris Bloch, beloved mother of Robert Bloch Joseph Aaron Mayer, beloved father of Loretta Brickman Blanche Sandler, beloved mother of Jeffrey Sandler Aaron Harold Drill, beloved father of David Drill Julius Cohen, beloved father of Martye Cohen Seymour Jacowitz, beloved husband of Selma Jacowitz Frances Ambramowitz, beloved mother of Sally Brau Lillian Silverman Hirschman, beloved mother of Art Silverman Celia Soroker Cohen, beloved mother of Marilyn Herschler Wolf Ginsburg, beloved father of Frances Yonkelowitz Samuel Abeshaus, beloved father of Alan Abeshaus Coleman Cohen, beloved brother of Debby Ziev Alex Abo, beloved father of Marc Abo Roslyn Meltzer, beloved mother of Ronnie Freedberg
AUGUST 2016 August 2 August 3 August 3 August 5 August 5 August 6 August 7 August 8 August 9 August 11 August 13 August 14 August 14 August 15 August 17 August 18 August 23 August 28 August 29 August 29 August 30
Laurie Shainker, beloved sister of Linda Lewis Sandy Reiter, beloved son of Ruth Reiter and husband of Rita Reiter Samuel Fingeroff, beloved father of Sandy Abeshaus Irene Cohen, beloved mother of Barbara Yones Muriel Mitchel, beloved mother of Mitch Rabinowitz Stanley William Wolf, beloved father of Melanie Wolf-Greenberg Sonia Schneigeiger, beloved mother of Aliette Abo Abe Forman, beloved father of Ellen Hof Seymour Cohen, beloved father of Barbara Yones William Smolow, beloved husband of Roz Smolow and father of Mark Smolow Moshe Weiner, beloved father of Bob Weiner Deborah Weiss Simon, beloved mother of Roger Simon Murray Meltzer, beloved father of Ronnie Freedberg Leonard Peres, beloved father of Marna Simon Bessie Freedberg, beloved mother of Judge Freedberg Seymour Leopold Popkave, beloved father of Arthur Popkave Claire Goldshine, beloved mother of Eloise Stampoulos Joseph Zibulewsky, beloved father-in-law of Lydia Zibulewsky Sidney Simon, beloved father of Roger Simon Joel Lewis, beloved brother of Irwin Lewis Anna Litvin, beloved mother of Herbert Litvin
BNAI ABRAHAM SYNAGOGUE General operating expenses Please consider a donation to Bnai Abraham Synagogue to cover “General Operating Expenses”. Your donations support our Congregation and strengthen our Jewish community here in Easton. BEATRICE & LEON FRIEDMAN FUND 1. Support organizations that benefit minor children whose parents are unable to provide for their health, maintenance, support and education 2. Needy, elderly 3. Shelter for the homeless BUILDING FUND Extraordinary maintenance and repair of the buildings and property of the synagogue and parsonage SISTERHOOD CAMP RAMAH SCHOLARSHIP FUND GENERAL ENDOWMENT FUND Interest only used to subsidize Bnai Abraham’s operating expenses GOLDMAN/MERBAUM TORAH FUND HERB SNYDER GARDEN FUND JESSE & TAYLOR COOPER FUND DR. JOEL LEWIS SCHOLARSHIP FUND Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutoring stipends JULIUS COHEN MEMORIAL FUND 1. Religious School Scholarships 2. Assisting needy congregational youth in Jewish-oriented education, programming and activities (e.g. Yeshiva or Jewish Day School, trips, USY) RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND ROBERT KUTNER LIBRARY FUND SHEILA GOLDBERG FUND To pay High Holiday fees for anyone who cannot afford to attend SILVERMAN RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FUND Religious School Scholarships, Shofars SISTERHOOD BUILDING FUND SUE SEIGEL SHABBAT FUND 1. Shabbat programming, including kiddush lunches 2. Bagels and Books SY JACOWITZ TOT SHABBAT FUND Boker Tov Scholarships THEATER FUND Supports a wide variety of synagogue projects and functions
Bnai Abraham Synagogue Sandy and Alan Abeshaus sending get well wishes to Wendy Gumberich. Sandy and Alan Abeshaus in honor of Shirley and Howard Falk’s 60th wedding anniversary. Ralph and Becky Civjan sending prayers and wishes for Wendy Gumberich’s recovery. Selma Jacowitz sending get well wishes to Gail Weisberger. Sid and Helene Kaplan wishing Rabbi Stein and family a fond farewell. Sid and Helene Kaplan sending get well wishes to Wendy Gumberich. Doris Lifland sending get well wishes to Wendy Gumberich and Helene Kaplan. Doris Lifland wishing Irene Kurpen’s husband, John, continued good health. Doris Lifland – Mazel Tov to Howard and Shirley Falk on the graduation of their granddaughter, Alicia Gallant, who will be attending Skidmore University. Doris Lifland sending congratulations to Marc Abo for receiving the Humanitarian Award from the Phillipsburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Doris Lifland in memory of Ellen Hof’s sister, Jill Forman Lessard. Marna and Roger Simon – Mazel Tov to Pam Taylor and Paul Strikwerda on the recent wedding. Marna and Roger Simon sending get well wishes to Gail Weisberger. Marna and Roger Simon – Mazel Tov to Sally and Dexter Neadle on becoming great grandparents. Jerry and Gail Weisberger sending congratulations to Karen Cooper and Nan Ronis for being elected as Vice Presidents and Danny Cohen for being elected as Honorary Vice President of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. Jerry and Gail Weisberger sending congratulations to Danny and Nancy Cohen on their wedding anniversary. Jerry and Gail Weisberger sending congratulations to Karen and Peter Cooper on the birth of their granddaughter. Jessica and Herman Ytkin sending get well wishes to Wendy Gumberich. Jessica and Herman Ytkin sending get well wishes to Gail Weisberger. Jessica and Herman Ytkin wishing Pam Taylor and Paul Strikwerda much health and happiness.
Sisterhood Building Fund Danny and Nancy Cohen sending get well wishes to Gail Weisberger.
Sisterhood Camp Ramah Scholarship Fund Danny and Nancy Cohen sending get well wishes to Sheila Goldberg.
Sisterhood Danny and Nancy Cohen sending get well wishes to Wendy Gumberich.
Goldman/Merbaum Torah Fund Carol Miaskoff, Robert Weissler, Nathan, Hannah and Eli in loving memory of Bernice Merbaum.
Sue Seigel Shabbat Fund Selma Jacowitz sending Wendy Gumberich get well wishes.
Yahrzeit Alan Abeshaus in memory of his father, Samuel Abeshaus. Marc Abo in memory of his father, Alex Abo. Marsha Abraham in memory of her sister, Deborah Braffman Schroeder. Arthur Altman in memory of his mother-in-law, Ida Meirowitz. Robert Bloch in memory of his mother, Doris Bloch. Sally Brau in memory of her mother, Frances Abramowitz. Sherry Brooks in memory of her father, Sidney Margolis. Miriam Cassel in memory of her sister, Jeanette Ziev. Norman Falk in memory of his mother, Leah Falk. Les Hochhauser in memory of his mother, Beatrice Hochhauser. Ellen Hof in memory of her mother and father, Lorraine and Abe Forman.. Selma Jacowitz in memory of her husband, Seymour Jacowitz. Margaret Kaplan in memory of her father, Robert Wise. Ruth Reiter in memory of her husband, Norman and her son Joel “Sandy� Reiter. Marna Simon in memory of her father, Leonard Peres. Roger Simon in memory of his father mother and father, Sidney and Deborah Weiss Simon. Roz Smolow in memory of her father, Louis Bugen and her husband, William Smolow. Judy and Stan Walker I memory of her mother and father, Fay and Seymour Gast.
Todah Rabah Thank you to Danny and Nancy Cohen, Aliette Abo, Becky Goldenberg, Elaine Morrow, Rabbi Stein, Jerry and Gail Weisberger, and all those helped to make the Divas on the Bima a great success. We would like to thank everyone who made the July 2nd farewell Shabbat for the Stein family such a lovely, successful event. The service and kiddush were so wonderfully attended, and the Steins were deeply touched by the warmth and good wishes for their new adventure. Jessica and Herman Ytkin, Diane and Art Silverman, Marna Simon, Sally Brau, Wendy Gumberich, Selma Jacowitz, Sara Levin, Annalise Shaffer and Alliette Abo.
Kiddush is a perfect way to celebrate a special birthday or anniversary, and it allows you the opportunity to celebrate with our community. To sponsor a Kiddush for $36, please contact the synagogue office. Do you have a celebration we should know about? Email office@bnaiabraham.org
Refuah Sh’lma (A Full and Complete Healing) To all who were sick or hospitalized, we wish a return to good health. David Denenberg Ilya Gabriel Shelia Goldberg Wendy Gumberich Helene Kaplan Sid Kaplan Andrew Shaw Marty Zippel
In memoriam May God in His Kindness Grant Comfort and Solace to the Mourners Ruth Gross, mother of Robin Smith
The Ritual Corner for July/August
Abington vs. Schempp struck down law of required Bible reading and allowing recitation of the Lord's Prayer in Pennsylvania public schools (a law on the books in many other states). The Reaction. Public Divided Newspaper Editorial Boards Divided Protestants and Jews Support. Catholics and Evangelical Protestants Disagree. The Rev. Billy Graham “The Court is Wrong” The US Congress introduces 150 resolutions to amend the Constitution to allow prayer in school. No resolution advances. Ritual History Corner looks down 611 about 50 miles and 53 years back.
Submitted by Irwin Lewis
Coming of the Messiah “I believe in the coming of the Messiah, and though he tarry, I will wait for him on any day on which he comes.” The concept of a messiah is one of Judaism’s major contributions to Western thinking and is at the heart of Christianity. The quote here is from the famous Twelfth Article of Faith of Maimonides. Among Orthodox Jews, the Messiah's coming is regarded as an ever-present possibility. When the 19th century Hasidic rebbe Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev sent out invitations to his son's wedding, he wrote that it would take place in Jerusalem on such and such a date and time. But “if God forbid, the messiah has not yet arrived, then the wedding will be held on the same date and time here in Berditchev.” Source. Jewish Humor. Rabbi Telushkin
The Ritual History Corner for July/August Submitted by Irwin Lewis June 17 1963 Abington PA School District vs. Schempp United States Supreme Court Sanctioned and organized Bible reading in public schools in the United States is Unconstitutional. 8 to 1 Dissent Justice Stewart Potter (Supreme Court opens its sessions “God save this Honorable Court” and Congress opens its sessions with a prayer).
Sisterhood News
Be Part of Sisterhood Join an extraordinary group of women to support the synagogue and have fun while doing it. If you have not yet sent in your annual dues -- just $20, please make check payable to Bnai Abraham Sisterhood and send to the office. Contact Elaine Morrow with any questions or to get involved. Call 484-515-3475 or email emorrow2542@gmail.com
General Announcements
DON’T FORGET You can pay your dues on a monthly basis, and we also accept all major credit cards.
Campaign For New Members - Help Wanted!
We are asking every member of our congregation to help us locate prospective new members. They may be your neighbors, friends, vet, or whomever. Please relay the name and any pertinent information to the office staff at Bnai Abraham Synagogue.
Please notify Bnai Abraham Office in writing if you move, if there is a marriage, children, family member entering a nursing home, or change in membership status. We do need to keep your records up to date. Thank you.
General Announcements continued...... AL’S CLEANERS - FUNDRAISER FOR BAS! Bnai Abraham has been signed up at Al’s Cleaners, 1132 Northampton Street, to enable the synagogue to collect 10% of all sales of dry cleaning and laundry services that our congregants spend there. It’s easy. Just mention that you are a member of Bnai Abraham Synagogue, and they will credit the synagogue and send the proceeds periodically. Al’s is only about seven blocks from the synagogue, has very convenient hours, and does excellent work.
SHOPPING AT AMAZON…A FUNDRAISER FOR BNAI ABRAHAM! Click on the Amazon search link on the “Donations” page on the BAS website, and for any purchases made during your visit on Amazon.com, Amazon will contribute 4% to 15% of the purchase price to Bnai Abraham! How it works: Navigate to the BAS Donations webpage at http://www.bnaiabraham.org/donations.html and type any item keyword in the Amazon search box, and you will be transferred to Amazon.com. (You must use this link or purchases will not be traced to BAS). If you place items in your shopping cart and complete a purchase during your visit, Amazon will pay us a portion of the purchase price (not including shipping), that portion to range from 4% to 15% depending on the item category. Rates for categories are posted on our website. We encourage all of our members to shop on Amazon.com – but remember to only access Amazon.com through the BAS link at the below url or we will not get the purchase credit: http://www.bnaiabraham.org/donations.html Thank you for your continued support of BAS and HAPPY SHOPPING!
Tree of Life Permanently commemorate your simcha or celebrate a person! The “Tree of Life� sculpture is on display in the BAS Main lobby known as Founders Hall. It is used to honor and remember special events such as: Bar/Bat Mitzvahs Birthdays Anniversaries Memorials Engagements Namings Weddings and any other special milestone or celebration! Leaf: $140
Apple: $800
Or memorialize your loved one: Stone at base of tree: $1,100
Lothar Gumberich, Chairman: 610-253-5263 BAS office: 610-258-5343
Dedicate a memorial plaque to be located on the walls of the Sanctuary: $300 To honor your friends on the Walk of Life: $350
Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Family Service is committed to alleviating hunger in our community. Please join us in our efforts to accomplish this. Thank you to everyone who has so generously contributed to our food pantry with nonperishable items or financial support. We are supported in the Lehigh Valley by Second Harvest, as well as by the contributions of food drives and individuals. We are looking to expand into the entire Lehigh Valley to our Jewish community, and we ask for your support. If you have non-perishable items to donate, please either drop them at JFS or call and we will pick them up. Financial donations can be sent directly to JFS. In our outreach, we need everyone to spread the word. If you know someone, either affiliated or not, who could benefit from any JFS service, tell them about us and have them call. JFS maintains confidentiality and professionalism. We will deliver emergency food packages or supplemental food boxes anywhere in the Lehigh Valley. In addition to providing food, our Benefits Checkup Program (BCU) is designed to assist low-income persons of retirement age and younger adults with disabilities to find and apply for federal, state and local benefits. JFS seeks to help individuals and families live healthier, more stable lives by providing professional counseling, education and community programs. JFS would love to assist you in scheduling a food drive or creating a project that can help benefit persons in need. Please call JFS at (610) 821-8722 or go on our website for further information.
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Place an ad in the bulletin for twelve months and reach over 160 readers. Cost: $36/year Contact the Office 610 258-5343