March 2016 Beth Am Builder by Congregation Beth Am

THE BETH AM

MArcH 2016 AdAr I-II 5776 Get Your Costumes readY: in this issue:

Purim Is Coming! B e t h a m F e s t i v i t i e s B e g i n s a t u r d a y, m a r c h 1 9

G e s h a r i m P re s e n t s Being Mortal page 3

6 t h G ra d e B ’n e i M i t z v a h Fa m i l y R e t re a t page 7

Come shake your groggers! It’s time to celebrate Purim the Beth Am way. Come in costume and be ready for a raucous time. The Talmud teaches: “Mi she-nichnas Adar, marbim b’simcha — When the month of Adar begins, our joy increases!” Purim, on the 14th of Adar, is the highlight of this joyful month, when Jews everywhere celebrate the courage of Esther and Mordechai. Beth Am offers Purim celebrations for everyone! Learn more at www.betham.org/Purim5776. n n n

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for families with children ages 0-5: Purim-Themed Tot Shabbat Service — Saturday, March 19, 9:15 A.M., Chapel & Playground for families with children ages 0-2: Purim Celebration Sponsored by Jewish Baby Network — Sunday, March 20, 3:30-5 P.M., Rooms 5 & 6 for families: Sunday, March 20, 11 A.M.; Shpiel in the Sanctuary; Carnival throughout the Beth Am Campus, planned and run by Beth Am Temple Youth (BATY) and Beth Am Junior Youth (BAJY) for adults age 21 and over: Wednesday, March 23, 7 P.M., Social Hall order mishloach manot (purim baskets): Order for friends and family and support Beth Am teen programming! Place your order using the online form at www.betham.org/ PurimBaskets2016. purim tzedakah project: On Purim, it is customary to observe the mitzvah of giving gifts to the poor — matanot l’evyonim. This year, we will be collecting diapers to distribute through Baby Basics of the Peninsula, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that provides free diapers to working-poor families. get your kids in the purim mood through books: The Beth Am Library has some great Purim books to help you celebrate this family-friendly holiday.

From rabbi Heath Watenmaker turning Our Lives right-side up

sometimes things in our lives get turned upside down and we find ourselves facing seemingly impossible odds. But the story of purim is a reminder that we have agency, the power to act.

Purim is almost here! It’s loud, it’s raucous, it’s festive, it’s colorful and the food is great. It’s no wonder the rabbis of the Talmud saw Purim as such a high point in the calendar that they declared, “When Adar [the Hebrew month in which Purim occurs] enters, joy increases.”[1] On the 14th of Adar (this year, Wednesday evening, March 23), Jews around the world will celebrate the holiday of Purim, commemorating the salvation of the Jews of Shushan and the defeat of the evil schemer Haman (boo!). Beyond the masks, the graggers (noisemakers) and the hamantaschen is a complex story about identity and power. There is a phrase from the Book of Esther, frequently used in association with Purim: v’nahafoch hu, “it was turned upside down” or “the opposite happened.” After all, things are “turned upside down” in so many ways in the story of Purim: Queen Esther, who first appears as a demure, closeted Jew, ends up saving the Jewish people by standing up to King Ahashverosh. Haman’s evil plot to wipe out all the Jews of Shushan leads to his own demise. And the Jews of Shushan, once powerless subjects, become powerful actors able to control their own destiny. We read in Esther 9:1: “...When the king’s command and decree were to be executed, the very day on which the enemies of the Jews had expected to get them in their power, the opposite happened (v’nahafoch hu), and the Jews got their enemies in their power.” In a unique twist, the Jews of Shushan not only survive, but receive permission from King Ahashverosh to fight back, defending themselves against those in the kingdom who still wished them harm. In a section of the Purim story that I didn’t grow up hearing (and one that is sometimes overlooked), the Jews of Shushan go on the

The Triumph of Mordecai by Pieter Lastman, 1624.

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offensive, killing 75,000 people. According to Esther 9:16: “The rest of the Jews, those in the king’s provinces, likewise mustered and fought for their lives. They disposed of their enemies, killing seventy-five thousand of their foes; but they did not lay hands on the spoil.” This demonstration of Jewish power probably makes some of us uncomfortable. After all, as Jews, we do not celebrate physical might or military victories; we celebrate the miraculous nature of Jewish survival against all odds. Here, we see a new image of Jewish power — not just self-defense, but offense. Adele Berlin, in her commentary on this verse, explains that the number of victims is certainly hyperbole, part of a “carnivalesque fantasy” of the potential for Jewish power.[2] Though the numbers may be grossly exaggerated, the message of this troubling verse is clear: as Jews, when we receive power, we must demonstrate restraint in its use. Sometimes things in our lives get turned upside down and we find ourselves facing seemingly impossible odds. But the story of Purim is a reminder that we have agency, the power to act. There are moments when we feel like the Esther of the beginning of the story — uncertain of our own abilities or afraid to voice our true opinions — but then there are moments when we must be like Queen Esther and find the power within ourselves to stand up for what we know is right. In recognizing this power within ourselves, we are able to restore balance, to advocate for ourselves and to turn our lives right-side up. [1] Babylonian Talmud Ta’anit 29a [2] Adele Berlin, The JPS Bible Commentary: Esther, p. 87.

JeWIsH FIlm serIes Presents BetH am’s GesHarIm Presents

the life of emile Zola

Being mortal:

a PBs Frontline documentary

With Beth am Congregant michael asimow, Visiting Professor at stanford law school s a t u r d a y, m a r c h 1 9 , 3 : 3 0 p. m . , B e i t K e h i L L a h

The Life of Emile Zola, starring the great Jewish actor Paul Muni, won the Oscar for best picture in 1937. The centerpiece of the film is Zola’s show trial for criminal libel. Zola was prosecuted for writing his famous letter “J’Accuse!” attacking the French general staff for falsely convicting the Jewish army officer Alfred Dreyfus of treason. Our discussion will focus on Zola’s trial as well as the Dreyfus case, a notorious example of French anti-Semitism. The film is free and refreshments will be served. Michael Asimow, Visiting Professor at Stanford Law School and a Beth Am congregant, will show the film and lead the discussion. Michael is co- author of “Law and Popular Culture — A Course Book,” “Reel Justice — The Courtroom Goes to the Movies” and “Lawyers in Your Living Room! — Law on Television.” He teaches a freshman seminar on “Law and Popular Culture” at Stanford.

s u n day, a p r i L 3 , 3 :3 0 p. m . , B e i t K e h i L L a h

Based on Dr. Atul Gawande’s pathbreaking book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters at the End, this film takes us behind the scenes to witness intimate and heart-breaking end of life conversations among doctors, patients and their families. Gawande, an award-winning writer and practicing surgeon, shows that doctors are often remarkably untrained and uncomfortable talking with their patients about chronic illness and death; he argues that there must be a better way to help patients navigate the end of life. This program is free and all are welcome. Rabbi Marder will lead a discussion following the film.

JeWIsH FIlm serIes

double Feature screenings are Free; refreshments Will Be served s a t u r d a y, m a r c h 1 2 , 3 : 3 0 p. m . , B e i t K e h i L L a h

the Forward: From Immigrants to americans

salomea’s nose Salomea remembers the day her beloved brothers, Max and Karl, disfigured her and themselves for life with one clumsy act. Their mother calls it The Day of the Tragedy, but in Salomea’s Nose the circumstances surrounding the event are spun into tragicomedy about sibling rivalry. At just under 23 minutes, this slice-of-life drama offers a delightfully ambiguous thesis about fate and family dynamics.

This film tells an extraordinary human story of the world’s most successful Yiddish-language newspaper, the Jewish Daily Forward. This funny, affectionate and soulful tribute traces the origins of a rich, secular Jewish tradition handed down from generation to generation. During its heyday in the 1920s, it pioneered special features, such as the famous and much loved “Bintel Brief” (the first “Dear Abby”), and its “Gallery of Missing Husbands.” It boasted a quarter of a million readers nationwide and was considered a major metropolitan daily paper. Today, with few Yiddish-speaking readers, the Forward’s circulation and its future are uncertain. This documentary celebrates its legacy.

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tuesday night Program

8:00

Bam Breakfast

5:30

5:30 5:30 6:00

avodah! tuesday night Program Confirmation

8:00

Bam Breakfast

5:30 5:30 6:00 7:30

avodah! tuesday night Program Confirmation shabbat Committee meeting

4:00 4:00 4:45 5:45 6:15 6:30 6:30 7:00 7:30 7:30

Hagigah Hebrew P Hebrew t Prayerboo Beit râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;fua Ballroom Hebrew t adult He Bam Pho BaW ros

4:00 4:00 4:00 6:30 6:30

Hagigah Hebrew P Israeli res Ballroom Hebrew t

7:00

adult Pur

4:00 4:00 5:15 5:45 6:30 7:00 7:00

Hagigah Hebrew P Hebrew P Prayerbo Ballroom adult He mah Jong

avodah! tuesday night Program Building Bridges Confirmation adult Hebrew level B adult Hebrew level a

BaW Boo Hagigah Hebrew P Hebrew P Prayerboo Ballroom Hebrew t adult He equal sta

5:30 5:30 6:00 6:00 6:15 7:30

2:40 4:00 4:00 5:15 5:45 6:30 6:30 7:00 7:30

11:00 adult Hebrew level F

adult Hebrew level a2 PM

tuesday night Program teen GPs Class adult Hebrew level B adult Hebrew level a

28 6:15

5:30 6:00 6:15 7:30

AM PM

11:00 adult Hebrew level F

Jewish Baby network Purim Celebration

3:30

sunday Program a season of mussar Family Purim shpiel and Carnival

adult Hebrew level a2

9:00 9:15 11:00

6:15

torah Circle BaW/tzedek Cooking event

3:00 3:30

adult Hebrew level a2

Jewish literature Class sunday Program a season of mussar Chicken soupers ZImrIYaH: Junior Choir

6:15

9:00 9:00 9:15 10:00 11:30

PM AM

4th Grade Family day BaW Hamantashen Baking Israeli restaurant sunday Program a season of mussar teen seminar w/rabbi marder ZImrIYaH: Junior Choir teen study w/rabbi Weissman Camp Beth am

12:00 Hebrew tutoring

9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:15 11:30 11:30 11:30 11:45

For a more detailed calendar visit www.betham.org

Wednesday AM

tuesday

mOnday

sunday

Calendar

purim

rim Celebration

talmud Jewish spirituality Class Hebrew Program and t’filah Israeli restaurant BaW Chai mitzvah Knitzvah Circle Building Blocks Class

8:00 thursday morning minyan

7:00

teen art show

3:00

Connections 2/3 learning sessions

8:30 9:00 10:15 10:30

Bagels and Coffee torah study torah minyan B’not mitzvah service: spier/spier

3:00

Connections 2 learning session Jewish Film series: double Feature - salomea’s nose and the Forward Connections 3 learning session

Bagels and Coffee torah study torah minyan Bar mitzvah service: Vincent

tizmoret shabbat service

6:15

InClude Beth am meeting lay-led Gates of Prayer tot shabbat service erev shabbat service

12:00 5:00 5:15 6:15

nFty spring cOncLave

3:30 4:00

18 5:00 6:15

lay-led Gates of Prayer shabbat service In the round

25 lay-led Gates of Prayer erev shabbat service

8:30 9:00 9:15 10:00 10:15 10:30

Bagels and Coffee torah study Purim-themed tot shabbat avodah! service day torah minyan Bat mitzvah service: lederer

3:30

Jewish Film series: the life of emile Zola

8:30 Bagels and Coffee 9:00 torah study 10:00 Connections 1 learning session 10:15 torah minyan 10:30 Bat mitzvah service: alter 4:00 Connections

PM AM

8:00 thursday morning minyan 9:00 adult Hebrew level a1 10:30 adult Hebrew level C

Program and t’filah Program ook Hebrew m dancing ebrew level d gg

lay-led Gates of Prayer

5:00 6:15

12:00 talmud 1:30 Jewish spirituality Class

5:00

12:00 1:30 4:00 4:00 7:00 7:00 7:30

8:30 9:00 10:15 10:30

8:00 thursday morning minyan

Program and t’filah staurant dancing tutoring

Program and t’filah through movement ok Hebrew ah m dancing tutoring ebrew level d otography Group sh Chodesh

8:00 thursday morning minyan 9:00 adult Hebrew level a1 9:00 Yoga for Israel 10:30 adult Hebrew level C 12:00 talmud 1:30 Jewish spirituality Class 4:00 Hebrew Program and t’filah 4:45 Hebrew through movement 6:15 adult Hebrew level e 6:45 tinnitus support Group 7:30 advanced Conv. Hebrew 7:30 Board meeting

talmud Jewish spirituality Class Hebrew Program and t’filah Hebrew Program adult Hebrew level e BaW Board meeting advanced Conv. Hebrew Building Blocks Class

12:00 1:30 4:00 5:15 6:15 7:00 7:30 7:30

s at u r day

Program and t’filah Program ok Hebrew m dancing tutoring ebrew level d art meeting

ok Group

8:00 thursday morning minyan 9:00 adult Hebrew level a1 10:30 adult Hebrew level C

Friday

thursday

12:00 1:30 4:00 5:15 6:15 7:30 7:30 7:30

talmud Jewish spirituality Class Hebrew Program and t’filah Hebrew Program adult Hebrew level e advanced Conv. Hebrew Building Blocks executive Committee mtg.

ConGreGatIon BetH am

marCH 2016 For a more detailed calendar, visit www. betham.org

Who makes legacy Gifts? Legacy giving means preparing a gift that will go to Beth Am after your death to ensure that your values and priorities live on — and costing you nothing during your lifetime. Many of you reading this may think, “I’m too young to think about legacy giving,” or “I’m not wealthy enough…” As it turns out, these are some of the myths we’d like to debunk… MYTH: Only wealthy people make legacy gifts. truth: 58% of legacy gifts are made by people with incomes under $75,000. MYTH: Complex planning and expensive attorneys are needed to plan a legacy gift. truth: 80% of legacy gifts are made simply by listing an organization as a beneficiary of a will, retirement plan or insurance policy. Designating a charitable beneficiary of a retirement fund or life insurance policy is as simple as filling out a new form with the holder of your account or policy. MYTH: Only old people establish legacy gifts. truth: the fastest growing group of legacy donors is those under the age of 55, who represent a total of 43% of planned bequests. Forty-four is the average age at which a will is made, and 49 is the average age when the first charitable bequest is planned. MYTH: The primary reason for legacy giving is for estate and tax planning. truth: 97% of people create legacy gifts because they love an organization and want to be sure its work continues. Is that you? Whether you are preparing your first will and estate plan or updating an old one, consider adding a small percentage gift to Beth Am and your other favorite charities. Join with the 107 Beth Am households who are part of our Builders Circle legacy donors, and leave your own legacy here in this place we love! For more information, please contact Mandy Eisner at (650) 493-4661, ext. 504.

adam Pann memBer SPOTLIGHT

Adam Pann and parents (Phyllis and David Pann) celebrating his 18th birthday.

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6tH Grade B’neI mItZVaH

Family retreat registration Is now online! s at u r day, a p r i L 3 0 , 4 p. m . tO s u n day, m ay 1 , 3 p. m . u r j c a m p n e W m a n , s a n ta r O s a

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Experience a fun-filled Shabbat overnight at camp. Create lasting friendships with other B’nei Mitzvah families. Explore the meaning of B’nei Mitzvah. Enjoy camp activities for adults and kids, such as hiking, a campfire and singing. Siblings welcome.

Registration is now available online at http://bit.ly/2016BMitzvahRetreat. The trip cost will include lodging plus three meals at $90/adult and $40-60/kid (depending on age). To learn more, contact Cantor Shpall at cantor_shpall@betham.org or (650) 493-4661.

Adam Pann is the President of Beth Am Temple Youth group (BATY). As BATY President, he represents teen interests with the congregational leadership, including serving on the Board of Directors. His hard work to encourage collaboration among the BATY Board members and BATY membership has resulted in exciting new initiatives and growth for BATY. Recently, with Adam’s support, BATY Social Action Vice President Jacob Isaacs coordinated with “Enrich L.A.” to build a garden for a public school. Adam is looking forward to bringing his amazing energy and effort to the Purim carnival which will be a major youth programs fundraiser this year. Adam always enjoyed Beth Am and Camp Tawonga, but he credits his deepened involvement in Beth Am to his experience on a NFTY in Israel trip the summer after he became a confirmand. His sister convinced him and his parents that he should go for the summer, and on that trip he realized that he loved his Jewish community, found acceptance and joy here, and wanted to be more involved. He came back and joined the BATY Board as the Membership Vice President as a junior and then became President this past June. A senior at Mountain View High School, Adam also loves to run track, take photographs and eat at In-N-Out Burger with friends. Adam is a torch that lights many candles, spreading light wherever he goes. He is excited to start at Brandeis University this coming fall. While we will miss him and his wonderful community-building, we know he will continue to go from strength to strength.

BeIt r’FuaH suPPort GrouP, PotluCK & talK

special needs trust With Palo alto attorney michael Gilfix W e d n e s day, m a r c h 9, 6 : 1 5 p. m . p Ot Lu c K ; 7 p. m . g r O u p s h a r i n g , B e i t K e h i L L a h

The March Beit R’fuah meeting will begin with our usual potluck dinner and socializing to be followed by a presentation by Attorney Michael Gilfix. For the potluck dinner, please bring healthful vegetarian dishes or salads and fruit for dessert. (Kashrut information: please note that Beth Am serves food “kosher style.”) After dinner, we will hear from Palo Alto Attorney Michael

Gilfix, who has been immersed in the special needs planning world since the late 1970s. He has been preparing Special Needs Trusts and advising families with special needs children for over 35 years. He is a specialist in estate planning as certified by the State Bar of California. He is a co-founder and Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Academy of Special Needs Planners. Mr. Gilfix will discuss and explain public benefits available to disabled adults, the critical role of Special Needs Trusts, and how families should plan to protect special needs children. He will address tax, housing and many related issues. His practical, readable book on creating and managing special needs trusts will be available. Mr. Gilfix will also explain the new ABLE Act and how it may fit into your planning. Please bring your questions to this very important program. Beit R’fuah, House of Healing, welcomes all — Beth Am members or not, Jewish or not — who are coping with mental illness themselves or who provide support for family and friends who are dealing with mental illness. Learn more at www.betham.org/beitrfuah.

A NOTe frOm THe PreSIdeNT

not religious

Youth education

In America today, the number of people who identify themselves as having no religion, or as not being religious, is growing. This is just as true in the Jewish community as in the broader population. Indeed, the generational shift is striking. In The Pew Study of Jewish Americans (2013), 93% of Jews in the aging “Greatest Generation” identify as Jewish on the basis of religion. By contrast, 32% of Jewish Millennials (born after 1980) describe themselves as having “no religion.” What’s a synagogue to do? For many, the first reaction is to panic. Synagogues are, by definition, religious institutions. If a significant portion of our young people don’t consider themselves “religious,” where does that leave us? We could end up serving a dwindling group of aging stalwarts, gradually sliding into irrelevance. Or, we could try to avoid that fate by tossing out the traditions that we cherish, going “Jewish Lite” trying to attract young hipsters. I think we can avoid both of these dire scenarios. Beth Am has much to offer, both to those who think of themselves as religious and those who don’t. Our community has always included many types of seekers: atheists and agnostics and theists, people who treasure ritual and those who don’t, some whose focus is social action, and some who simply want to socialize. And our offerings have spanned widely, too. Our greatest challenge is not that we have little to give, but that those who might benefit don’t realize it. Want to read more? Visit www.betham.org/WeOfferMuch. L’Shalom, Loree Farrar President@betham.org

Youth Education registration is online again this year! The signup deadline for all programs is Monday, May 2. To register, log in to the Beth Am members’ website at www.betham.org/ members. If you need help or you need your login/password, please call the Beth Am office at (650) 493-4661. Before you register, check out what’s happening this year in youth education at www.betham.org/youth. We hope you’ll consider joining one of these innovative programs that focus on friendship-building and active Jewish learning.

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BetH am WelComes our 2016 saxe FamIlY sCHolar-In-resIdenCe

In keeping with this year’s education theme, “Living with Intention,” we are delighted to welcome this year’s Scholar-in-Residence, Alan Morinis. Mr. Morinis is the founder and Dean of The Mussar Institute and an active interpreter of the teachings and practices of Mussar, the Jewish tradition of ethics and selfimprovement. Born and raised in a culturally Jewish but non-observant home, he studied anthropology at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship. For the past eighteen years, the Jewish spiritual discipline of Mussar has been his passion, a journey recorded in the book Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (Broadway 2002). His guide to Mussar practice, entitled Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar, was published in May, 2007. His newest book on Mussar, With Heart in Mind, was published in August, 2014. We will have four opportunities to learn with Mr. Morinis during the weekend: n Friday, 6:15 p.m., sanctuary (during the service): What Is Mussar and Why Should I Care? n Friday, 7:30 p.m., sOciaL haLL: Poltava dinner (registration required) and discussion — Discovering

alan morinis Friday, apriL 8 tO saturday, apriL 9

PoltaVa

shabbat dinner support Beth am of Poltava Friday, apriL 8, 7:30 p.m., sOciaL haLL

Your Personal Spiritual Curriculum: Lessons from the 16th-Century Text “Orchot Tzaddikim” n saturday, 9 a.m., Beit KehiLLah: Torah Through a Mussar Lens n saturday, 3:30 p.m., Beit KehiLLah: Practicing Mussar: What Is the Goal and What Is Involved?

After our Friday evening Shabbat service with Alan Morinis, you’re invited to enjoy a delicious community dinner prepared by the Poltava Committee, and an opportunity to continue our discussion with Mr. Morinis. Enjoy homemade Shabbat cuisine like your grandmother made, but with a little twist! Please sign up by Tuesday, April 5 by downloading, completing and returning the sign up form (available at www.betham.org/ April2016PoltavaDinner), along with a check made out to “Congregation Beth Am,” to Poltava Dinner, c/o Judy, 410 Pine Wood Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95032. Or, call Judy at (408) 374-8331 to reserve your seat(s) at the dinner.

For more inFo visit www.betham.org • Please “like us” on Facebook and “Follow us” on twitter!