CONGREGATION P’NAI TIKVAH (Formerly Valley Outreach Synagogue)
Kol Kiruv May 2013
Iyyar/Sivan 5773
Vol. 19—No. 11
Table of Contents
Cover Page Rabbi’s Message Cantor’s Notes President’s Message Is Reconstructionist Judaism… What is Jewish Renewal Second Seder Pictures Women’s Rosh Chodesh Jewlicious Learning Mitzvah Envelopes MiShebeirach Updates & Fundraising Birthdays & Anniversary’s Kidz Korner Theodore Bikel Flyer Yahrzeits Memorial Day Poem A Shabbos Goy Shabbos Joy Pictures Carly Matt’s Performance Aleph Kallah Flyer Calendar at a Glance
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Clergy and Staff Rabbi: Yocheved Mintz Cantor: Marla Goldberg Accompanist: Timothy Cooper Newsletter: D’vorah Turrentine, Educator: Rabbi Mintz Bookkeeper: Lynn Pisetzner Office Administrator: ‘D’vorah Turrentine pnaitikvahlv@aol.com www.pnaitikvahlv.com
CPT on the Web: www.facebook.com/ pnaitikvahlv www.twitter.com/ pnaitikvahlv www.pnaitikvahlv.org Social Network with CPT:
HIGHER AND HIGHER We are in the sfirah, the counting of the days from Pesach to Shavuot, and each day gives us the possibility of lifting our spirits higher and higher, that we may be ready to “receive the Torah” on Shavuot. This month our service on Friday, May 3rd will begin with Tot Shabbat and will continue with Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv at 7:30, during which we will bid farewell to Marlene Silverman, who will be returning to Chicago. Marlene will be catering the Oneg Shabbat and Sam Lieberman will be sponsoring. Do join us to say “L’hitraot” to Marlene. On Friday evening, May 17th we will observe Shavuot with a Torah service enveloped within our Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv services. Phyllis and Stan Zuckerman will be sponsoring and catering the Oneg Shabbat in honor of Stan’s 66th birthday and the PhylliStan’s 41st anniversary. Do bring friends and family to services. We welcome all. Congregation P’nai Tikvah will worship on Shabbat, May 3rd and 17th, at Kraft-Sussman Chapel, in the Bank of Nevada Business Park at 3975 S. Durango, Suite 104, in Las Vegas. Tot Shabbat will be held on May 3rd at 6:30 PM. Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv services will begin at 7:30 PM. Torah Study will take place at 10:00 AM on May 4th and 18th at Rabbi Mintz’s home. A bagels and lox brunch is served. Please RSVP by calling the administrative office at (702) 436-4900 or by emailing gkmintz@aol.com. 1
Rabbi’s Message to the Congregation
with Reconstructionism and how, while not being an institutional denomination, it flows Is our Judaism restricted to attending services and within the various denominations? Do you share in the notion that we are living in a time lighting candles on Friday night? Do we consciously make everyday, down-to-earth decisions of shifting paradigms, and, therefore, we need to constantly renew our Judaism? based upon Jewish values? Chevreh:
If someone were to ask you what Reconstructionist Judaism is about, would you be able to answer? What about Renewal Judaism?
If we understand Judaism as a Peoplehood, the concept promoted by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, z”l, the founder of Reconstructionism, then we might compare Judaism to a living organism. Every organism in nature must constantly adapt in order to remain viable. So it is with Judaism, I believe.
Congregation P’nai Tikvah, is affiliated with the Reconstructionist Movement and is infused with the influence of Renewal Judaism. Yet, it has become pretty clear that very few of our members Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, the founder can articulate what Reconstructionist Judaism is and “zaidie” of the Renewal movement, looks and how Renewal Judaism affects us. at the world through the eyes of both a visionary and a pragmatist. Applying Jewish values To help clarify whaat distinguished Reconstructionism from the other Jewish denominations and to every aspect of living is not a new concept, but is one that is at the very foundation of Juto help us understand how the Jewish Renewal movement influences us….and has been influenc- daism. Whether we do so knowledgeably or ing all the denomination, I have been providing a by instinct, our actions in the world reflect who one page handout for your review. You can also we are individually, as human beings, and communally, as Jews. see them in this newsletter, pp 5-8. While these explanations describe the philosophical lens through which we view our Judaism, they clearly prompt some questions for consideration: Are we living up to these guidelines? Are they providing us with a fulfilling Jewish spiritual life? Are we providing enough educational opportunities to explore our heritage? Does the knowledge we are gleaning give us the insight to tackle the ethical and moral challenges of our generation? Do you resonate with Reconstructionist Judaism? Did you know how much it has influenced American Judaism since its inception almost a century ago? Do you feel how Jewish Renewal meshes
At whatever point we are in our lives, as we pause this month to accept, once again, the Asseret haDibrot, the Ten Utterances (and all of the Torah) from Mount Sinai, let us rededicate ourselves to living a purposeful life, to educating ourselves to our Jewish heritage, and to the commitment to constantly Reconstruct and Renew our Judaism that our lives, and the lives of our family, and greater community may be enriched for now and for the furute. L’Shalom,
Rabbi Yocheved Mintz
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Cantor’s Notes: Every Shabbat as we begin to sing L’cha Dodi to welcome the Shabbat Bride. The Rabbi explains how the kabbalists used to go out on Friday nights, dressed in white, to welcome Shabbat singing, “Come, my beloved to meet the bride…” This very popular poem, which has very many musical renditions, has been with us since the 16th century. There are many interesting facts about L’cha Dodi, one is that you can find the name of the composer of this well known song within the words. If you take the first letter of stanzas one through eight, you will find the name “Shlomo HaLevi”, the first two names of Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz. This style of poetry is known as the acrostic poem. In an acrostic poem a line or stanza can begin with letters in alphabetical order or with the letters of a word or name, as it is done in L’cha Dodi. We have many such poems in our liturgy. We use them on Shabbat and on the Holidays. Look at Psalm145, one of the psalms we sing at our morning prayers. Starting after the opening words, “T’hilah L’David” each verse is in aleph-bet order. On Yom Kippur we chant Ashamnu a list of our sins in alphabetical order. On interesting use of an acrostic is Ein Keloheinu, a song sung at the end of communal prayer. If you look at the first letters of the first three stanzas, you will find that it spells out the word “Amein”. Why is this interesting? Well, if you translate the first and second verses we are giving the phrase, Ein keloheinu “There is none like our God,” followed by the question, Mi keloheinu “Who is like our God?” It’s kind of like Jeopardy, the answer first then the question. Now, as far as we know, the game of Jeopardy was not being played during the time the poem was first written so why the question first style? There is speculation that Ein Keloheinu was originally written with the question Mi keloheinu first. It was changed so the poem would say “Amein”. Why? Because according to halacha, we should say, at least, 100 blessings a day. “Amein” is said after we say a blessing, so in singing Ein Keloheinu at the end of a service we can get one more “Amein” in, just in case we didn’t get 100 blessings said. I find that very interesting. And just for fun, I decided to find a popular acrostic poem in English because May is our month to honor our mothers. So: M-O-T-H-E-R "M" is for the million things she gave me, "O" means only that she's growing old, "T" is for the tears she shed to save me, "H" is for her heart of purest gold; "E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining, "R" means right, and right she'll always be, Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER," A word that means the world to me. Howard Johnson May your Mother’s Day be full of love, L’Shalom, Cantor Marla Goldberg
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Message from the President:
Dear Friends, With spring upon us it is approximate to both reflect on the pass and prepare for the future. Thank you to Jennifer Cohen, Annie Goodrich, Rabbi Mintz, Cantor Goldberg, Doris Turrentine, Marijane Fredericksen and the numerous volunteers who worked for hard to make our Seder both meaningful and delicious. Watch your mailboxes for updated membership material and important data regarding Jewlicious Learning for the 2013/14 school year. Space is available in next year’s program and new students are always welcome. I hope that your family will be among the first to reaffirm your membership within the CPT family. It’s important that everyone be on the same page when developing the array of programs and services for the coming year. The Rabbi and Board are always open to your ideas, suggestions and creative energy. Thanks for all you do. B’Shalom, Sam Lieberman President
Rabbi Mintz Delivers Benediction at at first Nevada Commemoration of Yom HaShoah, April 4, 2013. Participating in an historic event held in the Governor Brian Sandoval’s home in Carson City, Rabbi Yocheved Mintz delivered a moving and meaningful benediction to conclude the powerful and emotional very first commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day in Nevada. Governor Sandoval gave a moving address. Dr. Hugh Bassowitz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federaition of Las Vegas was the moderator, and forty of our Rabbi Mintz, Governor Sandoval, RabbiBeyer beloved members of the Holocaust Survivors Group participated in a moving candle-lighting ceremony, assisted by members of the Nevada legislature. Congresswoman Dina Titus also participated, as did Rabbi Elisheva Beyer of Temple Beth Or, in Reno, Canttor Mariana Gindlin, of Temple Sinai, in Las Vegas, Elliot Karp, CEO and President of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas.
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Is Reconstructionist Judaism For You? Reconstructionist Judaism is a progressive, contemporary approach to Jewish life which integrates a deep respect for traditional Judaism with the insights and ideas of contemporary social, intellectual and spiritual life. Judaism as the Culture of the Jewish People For Reconstructionists, Judaism is more than Jewish religion; Judaism is the entire cultural legacy of the Jewish people. Religion is central; Jewish spiritual insights and religious teachings give meaning and purpose to our lives. Yet our creativity as expressed through art, music and drama, languages and literature, and our relationship with the land of Israel itself are also integral parts of Jewish culture. Each of these aspects provides a gateway into the Jewish experience that can enrich and inspire us. Community as Cornerstone While deeply connected to the historical experience of the Jewish people, we find a profound sense of belonging in our contemporary communities as well. This connection often leads to increased ritual observance and experimentation with the ritual rhythms of Jewish life. We find meaning in rediscovering the richness of traditional ritual and creating new observances which respond to our contemporary communal and personal cycles. Reconstructionist communities are characterized by their respect for such core values as democratic process, pluralism, and accessibility. In this way, they create participatory, inclusive, egalitarian communities committed to exploring Jewish life with dedication, warmth and enthusiasm. Patterns of Practice "Torah" means "teaching." In Jewish tradition, talmud Torah, the study of Torah, is a life-long obligation and opportunity. Reconstructionists are committed to a serious engagement with the texts and teachings, as well as the art, literature and music of tradition. But we are not passive recipients; we are instead challenged to enter the conversation of the generations and to hear voices other than our own, but to add our own voices as well. Reconstructionist Judaism is respectful of traditional Jewish observances but also open to new interpretations and forms of religious expression. As Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan (1881-1983), the founder of Reconstructionism, taught, tradition has "a vote, but not a veto." Reconstructionists share a commitment to making Judaism their own by finding in it joy, meaning, and ideas they can believe. Unlike Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, Reconstructionism does not view inherited Jewish law (halakhah) as binding. We continue to turn to Jewish law for guidance, if not always for governance. We recognize that in the contemporary world, individuals and communities make their own choices with regard to religious practice and ritual observance. Continued on page 6
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But where Reform Judaism emphasizes individual autonomy, Reconstructionism emphasizes the importance of religious community in shaping individual patterns of observance. Belonging to a community leads us to take the patterns of observance within that community seriously; our choices do not exist independently, but are made in response to our community as part of our participating in it. Reconstructionism thus retains a warmly traditional (and fully egalitarian) approach to Jewish religious practice. Spiritual Seeking Reconstructionists hold diverse ideas about God, but we share an emphasis on Godliness --those hopes, beliefs, and values within us that impel us to work for a better world, that give us strength and solace in times of need, that challenge us to grow, and that deepen our joy in moments of celebration. Reconstructionist prayerbooks speak of God beyond the gender concepts of male/ female, and beyond the traditional metaphor of "king of the universe." For example, in our prayerbooks God is addressed as, among other things, "The Healer," "The Teacher," "The Comforter," and "The Presence." We are engaged in the spiritual adventure of discovering the many attributes of the one God. Ethics and Values Reconstructionist communities emphasize acts of social justice alongside prayer and study as an essential part of their spiritual practice. Reconstructionist Judaism affirms that religion can and must be a powerful force for promoting communal discussion about ethics and values. The Torah tradition itself is a deep and wide resource for this project. Yet we know that generations of Jews have sharpened and distilled the ethical insights of Judaism as a result of their encounter with other cultures and traditions, and so it is in our time. The Reconstructionist Movement The Reconstructionist movement has over 100 congregations throughout North America and the world. The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) is located outside of Philadelphia, and serves as the primary organization for Reconstructionist Judaism. Camp JRF is a very popular summer camp in the Pocono Mountains. The Reconstructionist Press publishes movement prayer books as well as resources on Judaism. The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA) represents the movement’s rabbis.
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What is Jewish Renewal? Jewish Renewal is a spiritual movement for progressive Jews that fosters a personal connection to the Divine by infusing ancient Jewish wisdom with a modern, egalitarian and socially progressive consciousness. Jewish Renewal is a phenomenon, not a denomination. It resembles Reform Judaism in some ways, Reconstructionism in other ways, and even Orthodoxy, especially Hassidism, in some important ways. But it is not a formal denomination with a formal hierarchy or structure. It is the ongoing creative project of a generation of Jews who are seeking to renew Judaism and bring its spiritual and ethical vitality into our lives and communities, and at the same time embrace a global vision of the role of all human beings and spiritual paths in the transformation of life on this precious planet. Jewish Renewal is dedicated to revealing Judaism's inner spirit and nurturing the spiritual life of Jews. Jewish Renewal draws significant spiritual inspiration from the legacy of Jewish mystical and Hassidic traditions, which is expressed in the cultivation of traditional practices such as meditation, chanting, and davvening and the study of traditional Kabbalistic and Hassidic sources to enhance both individual and communal practice. Jewish Renewal seeks to transform and renew the kavanah (spiritual intention) with which Jews of all kinds practice Judaism. Jewish Renewal is a "movement" in the sense of a wave in motion, a grassroots effort to discover the modern meaning of Judaism as a spiritual practice. Jewish-renewalists see "renewal" as a process reaching beyond denominational boundaries and institutional structures, more similar to the multi-centered civil-rights or women's movements than to contemporary denominations. This renewal process is happening in Jewish music, liturgy, midrash, education, politics, etc., in synagogues as well as havurot, and even in "secular" settings. Jewish Renewal sees itself as transdenominational, a movement that transcends the boundaries of the various denominations. Its membership includes people who are active in the Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox worlds as well as many others whose only religious/spiritual affiliation is Renewal. In a deep way, Jewish Renewal is built on the idea that we live in a transformative moment in time, in which a new paradigm for spiritual life is being developed. Jewish Renewal draws heavily on the thought of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, which is a loving critique of the limitations of traditional Rabbinic Judaism and a call to continue the ongoing renewal of Jewish life in our time, as the Talmudic rabbis did in theirs. Continued on page 8 7
Jewish Renewal actively seeks a relationship with God as the immanent reality that suffuses all creation and from time to time calls to us from beyond creation as well. This changes how we view the earth, the human race, the Jewish people, the relationship of human beings to the rest of creation - everything. Jewish Renewal is neither "halakhic" nor anti-halakhic but "neo-halakhic." Just as Rabbinic Judaism involved transcending the halakhah of Temple sacrifice, so Jewish Renewal seeks to go beyond the limitations of traditional Rabbinic Judaism to forge a new halakhah in which Judaism is conscious of its place in an interconnected world. This new halakhah, for instance, includes expansion of the practice of kashrut to include ecological and ethical criteria, a new exploration of the concept of work as it applies to both the personal and societal Shabbat, and re-examination of intimacy and intimate relationships. Jewish Renewal has long been committed to a fully egalitarian approach to Jewish life and welcomes the public and creative input of those who were traditionally excluded from the process of forming the Jewish tradition. In Jewish Renewal:
women and men are fully equal & participatory in shaping the future of Judaism; those who have often been marginalized in Jewish life are welcomed and honored; there is respect for and often learning from other spiritual paths (e.g., Buddhism, Sufi, etc.), people seek to heal the earth and society through seeking peace, justice, and ecological wholeness; chant, meditation, dance, and drama are encouraged as ways of connecting with God & Torah; people desire to **embody** wisdom rather than etherealize or intellectualize it; people strive to personally sense God as suffusing the world with Divinity. Jewish Renewal is "maximalist" about Judaism, that is, Jewish spiritual practice is undertaken joyously and Jewish values are applied in many down-toearth life dimensions (food, money, sex, health, politics, etc.) rather than restricted to prayer, holidays, or Torah study. ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal came into existence as an organization dedicated to developing, encouraging and promoting outreach focused on Jewish renewal. ALEPH is the umbrella for many exciting Jewish renewal projects.
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CPT Second Seder
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Women’s Rosh Chodesh Group All women are invited for a welcome to the month of Sivan: Sunday, May 16th: 7:00 – We will screen the moving “Praying with Lior” and then enjoy refreshment ‘Round the Pool . The event will take place at Rabbi’s House
Jewlicious Learners What a busy time of year this is for our Jewlicious Learners. As we approach the end of the time allotted for us to be together, this semester, we see our younger learners working diligently to polish their
————————————————————- ability to decode the AlephBet and we see ANNUAL CPT WOMEN’S RETREAT Thursday July 25th—28th Come and join us at Deer Valley Utah in Rabbi’s condo: A wonderful opportunity to refresh and renew, to re-soul and re-Jew. We’ll enjoy the galleries of Park City and the beauty of summer in the Uinta Mountains. We will eat, pray and play. Contact the office at 436-4900 so we can take advantage of Southwest web airfare of $99 each way plus $100.00 to cover costs of the retreat. We would like to fly on SW flt#1964 departing LAS at 8:35am and arriving SLC at 10:50am — Returning on SW Flight #3406 departing SLC at 1:25pm arriving LAS 1:45pm. Please feel free to check other airlines to compare prices.
our older learners trying to finish their text so they can apply their Hebrew to prayer and Torah studies next year. With only a few weeks left, we are learning about Lag B’Omer and Shavuot and understanding how receiving the Torah has helped us to be the Jewish people and how it has helped the rest of the world to have guidelines for living. Last month we learned about the sad time of the Shoah and celebrated the happy fact of having Israel re-established as a state. (We even learned how to make
Mitzvah Envelopes: Mitzvah envelopes are given out at services with the hope that they will be filled out and returned with a donation for the congregation. Honoring or remembering loved ones, giving tzedakah for a MiShebeirach, simply being thankful for meaningful services, and any other reason you can think of helps the congregation’s sustainability and funds future For details regarding current CPT fundraisers or suggestions for future fundraising opportunities, please contact Dale Gardner cabinutsky@aol.com
Hummus …. Yummy.) Please mark June 3rd as a service to be sure to attend, as it will be our Siyum for our Jewlicious Learners, where we recognize our little group for their efforts this year. Snacks: May 6-Holland Family; May 13Jaeger-Lockett Family; May 20-Rabbi will host the annual end-of -the-year splash party! 11
MITZVAH ENVELOPES Davida Lewin-Schermer -In memory of my good friend Ken Elgart Rabbi Yocheved Mintz -In memory of Don Kusel (z”l) Harriet Bernstein -In memory of David Bernstein Nancy Goldberg Gary Paykal Barbara Holland Michael & Xiaoyan Yang DeLee
SHAVUOT RECIPE
Potato Cheese Bake 1-8oz pkg. Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, cubed ¼ teaspoon pepper ¾ cup shredded carrots 1 cup milk ¼ cup green onion slices ½ teaspoon salt 4 cups thin peeled potato slices Combine cream cheese, milk and seasonings; stir over low heat until smooth. Stir in carrots and onions. Add potatoes; mix lightly. Spoon into 10 by six-inch baking dish; cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Uncover; continue baking 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Makes six servings Submitted by Phyllis Zuckerman
Mi Shebeirach/”Get Well” Wishes to… Marie Ackerman Marjorie Lieberman Annie Goodrich Linda Kauffman Davida Lewin Schermer D’vorah Turrentine Barbara Grossman Edith Rome Gary Paykell Elliot Bender Paul Bodner Marie Lodeski Rocky Fazio Guy Fazio Olivia Bender Gittel bat Libba Heika Libba Heika bat Sima Wendy Linker Annie Goodrich Maya Granat Rabbi Bob Freedman Rabbi Rob Bonem Edward Rueben Patti Lade
TORAH FUND PLANTING TREES IN ISRAEL PRAYER BOOK DEDICATIONS OR PURCHASE For $40.00 a prayer book can either be purchased for personal use or be dedicated to the congregation “In Memory” or “In Honor of” and a card from CPT will be sent to the family. The prayer book plate will be placed on the inside cover of our new Kol HaNeshamah siddur.
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UPDATES and
Fundraising Opportunities
On’gai Shabbat— Time to Sign up! We still have a few openings left for those of you who want to celebrate a simcha or commemorate the memory of a loved one by sponsoring an Oneg Shabbat. And for you foodies who want to get your Bobby Flay or Gordon Ramsey on, there’s still time! Check the schedule below; an opening is your opportunity:
May 3
Roz Tessler & Harriet Bernstein Sam Lieberman
May 17
Phyllistans—Sponsors Phyllistans—Caterers
June 7
Sponsor needed Caterer needed
June 21
TORAH STUDY THIS MONTH: Rabbi Mintz will lead Torah Study for Parashat Be-Har-Be-Hukkotai May 4th, and Parashat Naso May 18th, at the Rabbi’s home at 10:00 AM. If you wish to get a thought for the day, during the counting of the Omer, let the office know. And do RSVP for Torah Study at gkmintz@aol.com or call —the office at 4364900.
Board of Directors—Sponsors
Caterer needed Call the office at (702) 436-4900 or email Doris Turrentine at cptdoris@aol.com for more information or to book your date now!
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW: For those asking about “Eliyahu”. Mrs. Eliyahu has now returned to Jerusalem to prepare her harvest for next years crop. Mr. Eliyahu has eagerly volunteered to sample until his grapefully cups runneth over. Of course he will be returning with his means of transportation “Camelot”. See you next Pesach.
Box Tops For Education are an Easy Way to Support P’nai Tikvah’s Jewlicious Learning Program! Box Tops for Education is a very simple way for you to contribute to CPT’s Jewlicious Learning program every time you shop! Clip box tops from hundreds of products. Each box top is worth 10 cents for the program, and some products are offering double and triple box tops! Bring them to services with you and place them in the “Box Tops for Education” box. For a complete list of products bearing the Box Tops for Education symbol, go to: http:// www.boxtops4education.com . All Box Tops should be brought to Shabbat Services or sent to Dale Gardner cabinutsky@aol.com
BE A BIRD DOG?? If you refer someone to a car dealership, on behalf of CPT, we can receive a referral fee. This is a wonderful and easy way to do a mitzvah for CPT . More information contact Doris 869-2700.
Note URL for Congregation P’nai Tikvah , As well as Facebook and Twitter Addresses Make our web address, www.pnaitikvahlv.org , a favorite! Social networking with our shul is easier than ever! “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pnaitikvahlv and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnaitikvahlv . Thanks to Cindy Fox, Jon Axelrod, and Danielle Holland—CPT’s social network mavens—for keeping us current!! Anyone else wish to volunteer? Just call 436-4900 to be our new maven!
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Happy May Birthday!! HAPPY MAY BIRTHDAYS Donald Kauffman May 10 Nancey Kasse May 19 MayLee DeLee May 20 Marlene Silverman May 21 Samantha Holland May 23 Stan Zuckerman May 26 Jana Khoury May 28 Rose Shapiro May 28 Jeffrey Barton May 28
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Elizabeth & Jeffrey Barton Phyllis & Stan Zuckerman Eileen & Cort Ancman
May 18 May 28 May 30
KIDZ KORNER for May Iyyar/Sivan
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YAHRZEITS FOR MAY
*Donald Robert Kusel -Remembered by Jane Kusel and the CPT Family Jerry Bernstein -Remembered by Harriet Bernstein Morton Cannon -Remembered by Janet & Gene Kanofsky Anna Dobrin -Remembered by Byron Landau Norma Feldman -Remembered by Barbara & Andrew Holland Gerry Finkelberg -Remembered by Barbara Finkelberg Ruthe Jacobs -Remembered by Lesley & Sam Wagmeister Sam Keren -Remembered by Jana Khoury Esther Lustig -Remembered by Cort Ancman
Memorial plaques are available for your consideration, To honor the departed, To inspire the living. To be remembered in the hearts of those we leave behind is, In a sense, to live forever. For further information, call the Synagogue office at 702-436-4900 Mitzvah donations also appreciated
Memorial Day Poem The Broken Chain We little knew that morning, that God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly, In death we do the same It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone for part of us went with you, the day God called you home. You left us peaceful memories Your love is still our guide and though we cannot see you you are always at our side. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same; but as God calls us one by one the chain will link again. -Author unknownSubmitted by the Phyllistan’s
Remembering Friends and Family:
Aram Miller -Remembered by Hariet Miller Stewart Miller -Remembered by Hariet Miller Jeanette Sokolovsky -Remembered by Dale Gardner
If you know of someone who can use a little cheer in their life because of illness or a death in their family-or a simcha mazel tov celebration; the "Sunshine Lady� Phyllis Zuckerman would like to send a card. Please contact her at:(702) 617-0585 or phyllistan@cox.net
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A Shabbos Goy THIS IS TRULY A WONDERFUL STORY I was the Shabbos Goy of Sterling Place and Utica Ave. by Joe Velarde (Joe Velarde became the fencing coach of Columbia University in the 1940's50s and was an early advocate of civil rights in sports, eventually retiring to California.) Snow came early in the winter of 1933 when our extended Cuban family moved into the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. I was ten years old. We were the first Spanish speakers to arrive, yet we fit more or less easily into that crowded, multicultural neighborhood. Soon we began learning a little Italian, a few Greek and Polish words, lots of Yiddish and some heavily accented English. I first heard the expression ' Shabbos is falling' when Mr. Rosenthal refused to open the door of his dry goods store on Bedford Avenue. My mother had sent me with a dime to buy a pair of black socks for my father. In those days, men wore mostly black and Navy blue. Brown and gray were somehow special and cost more. Mr. Rosenthal stood inside the locked door, arms folded, glaring at me through the thick glass while a heavy snow and darkness began to fall on a Friday evening. "We're closed, already", Mr. Rosenthal had said, shaking his head, "can't you see that Shabbos is falling? Don't be a nudnik! Go home." I could feel the cold wetness covering my head and thought that Shabbos was the Jewish word for snow. My misperception of Shabbos didn't last long, however, as the area's dominant culture soon became apparent; Gentiles were the minority. From then on, as Shabbos fell with its immutable regularity and Jewish lore took over the life of the neighborhood, I came to realize that so many human activities, ordinarily mundane at any other time, ceased, and a palpable silence, a pleasant tranquility, fell over all of us. It was then that a family with an urgent need would dispatch a youngster to "get the Spanish boy, and hurry."
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That was me. In time, I stopped being nameless and became Yussel, sometimes Yuss or Yusseleh. And so began my life as a Shabbos Goy, voluntarily doing chores for my neighbor son Friday nights and Saturdays: lighting stoves, running errands, getting a prescription for an old tante, stoking coal furnaces, putting lights on or out, clearing snow and ice from slippery sidewalks and stoops. Doing just about anything that was forbidden to the devout by their religious code. Friday afternoons were special. I'd walk home from school assailed by the rich aroma emanating from Jewish kitchens preparing that evening's special menu. By now, I had developed a list of steady "clients," Jewish families who depended on me. Furnaces, in particular, demanded frequent tending during Brooklyn 's many freezing winters. I shudder remembering brutally cold winds blowing off the East River. Anticipation ran high as I thought of the warm home-baked treats I'd bring home that night after my Shabbos rounds were over. Thanks to me, my entire family had become Jewish pastry junkies. Moi? I'm still addicted to checkerboard cake, halvah and Egg Creams (made only with Fox's Ubetchocolate syrup). I remember as if it were yesterday how I discovered that Jews were the smartest people in the world. You see, in our Cuban household we all loved the ends of bread loaves and, to keep peace, my father always decided who would get them. One harsh winter night I was rewarded for my Shabbos ministrations with a loaf of warm challah (we pronounced it "holly") and I knew I was witnessing genius! Who else could have invented a bread that had wonderfully crusted ends all over it -- enough for everyone in a large family? There was an "International" aspect to my teen years in Williamsburg. The Sternberg family had two sons who had fought with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain. Whenever we kids could get their attention, they'd spellbind us with tales also introduced us to a novel way of thinking, one that embraced such humane ideas as 'From each according to his means and to each according to his needs'. In retrospect, this innocent exposure to a different philosophy was the starting point of a journey that would also incorporate the concept of Tzedakah in my personal guide to the world. In what historians would later call The Great Depression, a nickel was a lot of mazuma and its economic power could buy a brand new Spaldeen, our local name for the pink-colored rubber ball then produced by the Spalding Company.
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The famous Spaldeen was central to our endless street games: stickball and punchball or the simpler stoop ball. On balmy summer evenings our youthful fantasies converted South Tenth Street into Ebbets Field with the Dodgers' Dolph Camilli swinging a broom handle at a viciously curving Spaldeen thrown by the Giants' great lefty, Carl Hubbell. We really thought it curved, I swear. Our neighbors, magically transformed into spectators kibitzing from their brownstone stoops and windows, were treated to a unique version of major league baseball. My tenure as the resident Shabbos Goy came to an abrupt end after Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941. I withdrew from Brooklyn College the following day and joined the U.S. Army. In June of 1944, the Army Air Corps shipped me home after flying sixty combat missions over Italy and the Balkans. I was overwhelmed to find that several of my Jewish friends and neighbors had set a place for me at their supper tables every Shabbos throughout my absence, including me in their prayers. What mitzvoth! My homecoming was highlighted by wonderful invitations to dinner. Can you imagine the effect after twenty-two months of Army field rations? As my post-World War II life developed, the nature of the association I'd had with Jewish families during my formative years became clearer. I had learned the meaning of friendship, of loyalty, and of honor and respect. I discovered obedience without subservience. And caring about all living things had become as natural as breathing. The worth of a strong work ethic and of purposeful dedication was manifest. Love of learning blossomed and I began to set higher standards for my developing skills, and loftier goals for future activities and dreams. Mind, none of this was the result of any sort of formal instruction; my yeshiva had been the neighborhood. I learned these things, absorbed them actually says it better, by association and role modeling, by pursuing curious inquiry, and by what educators called "incidental learning" in the crucible that was pre-World War II Williamsburg. It seems many of life's most elemental lessons are learned this way. While my parents' Cuban home sheltered me with warm, intimate affection and provided for my well-being and self-esteem, the group of Jewish families I came
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to know and help in the Williamsburg of the 1930s was a surrogate tribe that abetted my teenage rite of passage to adulthood. One might even say we had experienced a special kind of BarMitzvah. I couldn't explain then the concept of tikkun olam, but I realized as I matured how well I had been oriented by the Jewish experience to live it and to apply it. What a truly uplifting outlook on life it is to be genuinely motivated "to repair the world." In these twilight years when my good wife is occasionally told, "Your husband is a funny man," I'm aware that my humor has its roots in the shticks of Second Avenue Yiddish Theater, entertainers at Catskill summer resorts, and their many imitators. And, when I argue issues of human or civil rights and am cautioned about showing too much zeal, I recall how chutzpah first flourished on Williamsburg sidewalks, competing for filberts (hazelnuts) with tough kids wearing payess and yarmulkes. Along the way I played chess and one-wall handball, learned to fence, l listened to Rimsky-Korsakov, ate roasted chestnuts, and read Maimonides. I am ever grateful for having had the opportunity to be a Shabbos Goy. Aleichem Sholom Mario Cuomo, Colin Powell & Pete Hamill were also shabbos goyim ‌
Shabbos Joy!
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ALEPH is proud to announce.....
Kallah 2013
Kol Echad: Connecting With the Divine, Within & Around Us July 1-7, 2013 Franklin Pierce University -- Rindge, NH
Join us in picturesque Southern New Hampshire on beautiful Pearly Pond at the foot of Mount Monadnock. This year, you will enjoy a retreat-like setting where Kallah is also a vacation. From mountaintop davvening to lakeside classes, this will be the one Kallah you'll want to be sure to attend!! Who Comes to the Kallah? Religious background and current practice run from a to z (assimilated to zealous!); singles, couples and families, with and without children; GLBTQ and straight; healers, teachers, artists, authors, information technologists, mothers, judges, students, religious leaders, consultants, accountants, business owners, designers, fundraisers, and mediators and more. Everyone comes to the Kallah for a different reason: community; rediscovering Judaism; experiencing Jewish Renewal; learning with a specific teacher; spirituality; learning in general; davenning (prayer); meeting a lifemate/soulmate‌ the list goes on. Whatever YOUR reason, we hope that you will join us at the Kallah. 22
Shabbat
Mother’s Day
Shavuot
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE: May 3 May 4 May 6 May 12 May 12 May 13 May 14 May 15 May 16 May 17 May 18 May 19 May 20 May 20 May 27
Tot Shabbat 6:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv Services 7:30 pm at KraftSussman Chapel Torah Study at Rabbi Mintz’s home Jewlicious Learning 4:15 pm & Simchat Chochmah 7:00 pm Mother’s Day Friends of Melton Soiree: An Intimate Evening of Art and Music, Featuring Theo Bikel, and Honoring Founder, Rabbi Yocheved Mintz Jewlicious Learning 4:15 pm & Simchat Chochmah 7:00 pm Erev Shavuot Shavuot CPT Board Meeting 7:00pm at Rabbi Mintz’s home Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv Services 7:30 pm at Kraft-Sussman Chapel Torah Study at Rabbi’s Mintz home Rosh Chodesh Women’s Group 7:00pm—Rabbi’s Mintz’s home Jewlicious Learners Pool Party —final class Simchat Chochmah 7:00 pm Memorial Day
Blessing for the Month of Iyyar/Sivan In this month of letting go of that which does not support our well being, that which is negative, false, toxic, let us open up to that which does support our well being….to that which is true and real. May we be blessed with healing of body, heart and soul. —Amen Kol Kiruv, the newsletter of Congregation P’nai Tikvah, is available on-line at www.pnaitikvahlv.org at no cost. If mailed, hard copy delivery is $36 annually. Please notify us and remit payment .
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