March 2018 Kol Tikvah

March 2018 • Volume 32 • Issue 3

A Reform Congregation Embracing Our Jewish Tradition

Join Rabbi Shuval-Weiner and Cantor Nancy Kassel for the re-telling of the Exodus from Egyptian slavery through readings and songs

Second Night Seder Saturday, March 31st 7:00 pm

News & Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Life Is A Blessing, Celebrate It To The Fullest!

It was a beautiful Friday night, and we were feeling particularly grateful and blessed. Our Shabbat service that evening took place outdoors in a park. Spirits were high, much energy flowed all around.

Instead of going home to eat Shabbat dinner we decided to remain out in the night air to enjoy the evening and took a long walk. No cell phones, just the two of us walking hand in hand feeling grateful for all that we had, talking and laughingone of those perfect TV commercial style moments.

Sadly, in our non-Orthodox Jewish world, we have relegated Purim to being a children’s holiday, when in fact it’s adult themes help us respond to life’s most extreme challengesgiving us space to rage and blow-off steam. Rabbi Sharon Brous, founder of Los Angeles’ independent synagogue Ikar writes: We wear costumes that simultaneously mask who we are and reveal the part of ourselves we work all year to hide.

We eat, drink, dance and laugh in the face of our darkest fears—the possibility that human life and human history can change on a dime, that everything we know to be true could be a farce, that everything we love might disappear in an instant, that there is more chaos than order in the world. It is an exercise in radical spiritual destabilization.

But, upon returning home we found numerous missed calls waiting from our daughter. And that’s when in a flash our world turned completely upside down…

Yet Purim is more than a day of carpe diem. It also demands acts of generosity and community: In the final verses of the Megillah it states “Make them days of feasting and gladness and of mishloah manot (sending portions of food) one to another, and matanot l’evyonim (gifts to the poor).” We embrace the confusion and moral ambiguity of Purim with a renewed commitment to social transformation, responding to the mess of life by giving our family and friends gifts of food and drink and by donating tzedakah to the less fortunate.

Her words didn’t make sense to me, my brain simply couldn’t comprehend what I heard…”that’s impossible", I said, “there must be some mistake”. She was sobbing, “no mom, he’s dead”. My sister’s youngest son, a bright, handsome, talented, young man went out with friends that night, but never came home…and in that split second, our entire family was forever changed.

Sometimes life can throw the most heartbreaking curveballs, reminding us how capriciousness life really can be. Death, unexpected illness, economic reversals, job loss, and like the Biblical Job, from out of our personal whirlwind we cry out “why?! Why?! WHY?!!” As much as we attempt to understand, to wrap our minds around the unthinkable, we can never truly find answers that will bring complete and total solace.

In other words, the only way to make sense of the absurd randomness of life and the social order is to honor the loving relationships that sustain us and work to address the imbalance of fortunes that leaves some with abundance and others with nothing. Mishloah manot & matanot l’evyonim come to reinforce that while we cannot control the world, we can control the way we live in the world.

This brings me to the topic of this month’s Kol Tikvah article; Purim!

In my family, the way we deal with our tragedies is by striving to live life to the fullest, being together, sharing our stories and memories and by doing mitzvot and performing acts of loving kindness as often as possible. No matter how we may be struggling, we raise a glass each and every time we are together and loudly shout “L’Chayim”- to Life! Out of the darkness we must alway strive to seek out the light. As Rabbi Brous reminds us, we respond to the threat of existential emptiness by pouring more kindness and sweetness into the world.

Purim is a holiday that responds to this reality of our human condition- it is the time when we delve head first into the the chilling reality that no matter how hard we work to control our lives, how diligently we plan and prepare, life is dramatically and inescapably unpredictable.

In response to the death of her husband and severe illness of their adopted daughter, Joan Didion in her book The Year of Magical Thinking, wrote “Life changes fast, life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.”

Or, in the language of the megillah, on a whim the Jews of Shushan saw their whole world turned upside down— “grief turned into joy, a day of mourning into a day of celebration.”

The reversibility of fortune, the capriciousness of life.

There are many people struggling, carrying many worries of late. Let’s remember that we at TBT are a House of Hope.

Let’s remember to reach out to one another with love and compassion and kindness.

Hag Purim Sameach!

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News & Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Notes from Cantor Kassel

“THE CANTOR’S COUCH” March 11, 2018, 1:30 PM at TBT in collaboration with the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival The Cantor’s Couch, is a journey through Cantor Jack Mendelson‘s real life stories growing up in 1950’s Borough Park, Brooklyn. The son of a loving deli owner and an overbearing mother, he paints a picture of a bygone day in Jewish America when Jews would flock to synagogue to hear the golden voices of cantors as if it were a concert hall. It is a relatable story of a childhood riddled with anxiety and doubt, mixed with joyous memories of music and celebration — all told with the expertise and comic timing of a master storyteller.

Cantor Mendelson’s collaborator and accompanist is Cantor Jonathan Comisar, who wrote original music for this production.

Cantor Jack Mendelson is a Cantor’s Cantor and has taught traditional Hazzanut at both the Reform and Conservative movements’ seminaries. He has performed world-wide, and has been featured in numerous recordings and documentaries. For a fuller version of his bio, please check out: https:// cantorjackmendelson.com/bio/ Cantor Jonathan Comisar…..is ALSO a Cantor’s Cantor and an exceptional composer (of sacred music and for musical theater) and pianist! He is on faculty at Hebrew Union College’s School of Sacred Music. To learn more about Cantor Comisar please check out: https:// www.jonathancomisar.net/bio/ This event will be presented as part of the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival’s 9th season. I encourage you to check out the full schedule of this year’s festival by visiting: http://atlantajmf.org/ajmf9-line-up/.

And then there is Passover: Another way in which I count the ‘years’ is from Pesach to Pesach. From Seder to Seder! May your Pesach be zissen (sweet) and meaningful on many levels.

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News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Just a 3-Day Trip We’re all familiar with the Passover story in which Moses demands of Pharaoh “Let my people go!”, followed by the plagues, the escape to freedom, receiving the Law, and becoming a people in covenant with God. It is an epic story about our incredible transformation from slavery to a Jewish nation. When I try thinking about it at the level of someone who was there, I feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the change they must have experienced.

That was my goal. But I was pretty clueless about services, I was disconnected from synagogue life, and I didn’t know a whole lot about our tradition. There was so much to do that I didn’t know where and how to start. I was stymied. It wasn’t until someone else suggested some small but concrete steps (a committee project here, an adult learning class there) that I was able to finally get some traction. And I feel good about my continued progress since then.

Which is why it’s so interesting to me how Moses first “pitches” the exodus to Pharaoh in such a small way. Moses’s initial request is to “Let us go, we pray, a distance of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Eternal our God, lest [God] strike us with pestilence or sword” (Exodus 5:3). Of course, Pharaoh starts repeatedly saying ‘no’ and things escalate from there. But at the beginning, Moses was just asking for a 3-day trip. Why is that?

Are you finding yourself in the same boat as I was? Do you have this nagging feeling that you’d like to get more engaged with Judaism and with the TBT community but you don’t know where to start? I suggest following the bite-sized step approach – we offer lots of opportunities. Let me or another Board member know that you’d simply like to help on a small project (we’ll find one for you!). Read the weekly Next 10 Days emails while keeping an eye out for a class or activity that sounds attractive. Borrow a book from our library or ask the Rabbi for a recommendation based on your interests.

Actually meet with the Rabbi just to have a chat. Focus on becoming comfortable with just one small part of the Shabbat service. Take a Beginning Hebrew class at TBT or on your own. Join an affinity group or Chavurah. If you need help with one of these or any other steps we’ll be glad to assist.

I’m wondering if Moses sensed that the transformation of a people could best be undertaken by starting with a bite-sized step. A 3-day trip to start a new worship practice is perhaps something that most people could wrap their heads around. It certainly would have been more accepted than hearing that you needed to stop being slaves, move en masse to a foreign country, conquer the people there, and set up shop under a completely new set of rules. At least initially, that would have been too incredible to even fathom (even if God had our backs!)

What will be the next “3-day trip” on your own Jewish journey?

I’m thinking that the same idea applies to our own transformations today. I remember concluding not-that-many-years ago that if I wanted to do my part to ensure the continuity of the Jewish people, I needed to ‘walk the talk’ by living more Jewishly myself.

L’Shalom,

Harlan Graiser, President harlanng@yahoo.com

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News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Congregational Learning - Susan Cosden “My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down

So, how do we accomplish this? How do we tell the story so our families and friends can relive our story, make it personal, and give us ownership of our story of the exodus? How do we share it/teach it so that as we revisit our experience in Egypt we commit ourselves to the ethical responsibility toward other people? I suggest if you want to start with one section of the haggadah to start with the magid, this is the section that tells the Pesach story. It begins with “This is the Bread of affliction,” and the 4 questions. For ideas of what can be done with this there are a variety of resources. To begin with visit Ron Wolfson’s It is that time of year again. As I type this it is early February and Purim “Ten Tips for a Great Seder,” found at www.myjewishlearning.com/ won’t even have been celebrated until approximately when you article/making-a-memorable-seder. Jacob Richman has compiled more receive this, and yet, here I am writing an article about Passover. I will than 100 Pesach websites at www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdaypa.htm. shortly begin to purchase the Passover cereals my son lives on for the Please see a list of a few books on Passover below, (full list on the TBT week; and I am beginning to gather all the materials to revamp my website under Adult Ed) and a list of my favorite Haggadot. haggadah in preparation for our seder on March 30. Like many of you Chag Sameach to all. May we in our telling of the Passover story revisit the month of March is spent, besides work and parenting, preparing our experience in Egypt and commit ourselves to the ethical for the week of Pesach, but most specifically the Pesach sederim responsibility toward others. May the following psalm by Alden Solovy (plural of seder). It is time to begin to ask the question, “How do I in This Grateful Heart inspire all of us to find personal meaning in make the seder most meaningful for everyone who will attend? What Pesach. traditions/recipes/songs/props do I want to use again and which ones Yet I’ve taken Egypt G-d of freedom, Egypt Inside do I want to change/delete/add/adapt? Most importantly, how do I with me, Help me to leave Egypt This I confess: tell the story so my family and friends can relive our story, make it behind, I have taken Egypt with Still waiting for the personal, and give us ownership of our story of the exodus? How do I heavens to speak.

To hear Your voice, me. share it/teach it so that as we revisit our experience in Egypt we To accept Your I’ve kept myself a slave G-d of redemption, guidance, commit ourselves to the ethical responsibility toward other people?” to grief and loss, With Your loving and to Egypt few in numbers and sojourned there; but there he became a great and very populous nation. The Egyptians dealt harshly with us and oppressed us; they imposed heavy labor upon us. We cried to God and God heard our plea and saw our plight, our misery, and our oppression. God took us out from Egypt by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm and awesome power, and by signs and portents.”

Deuteronomy 26:5-8

Fear and anger and shame.

I have set myself up as taskmaster, Driving myself beyond the limits Of reasonable time and common sense.

I’ve seen miracles from heaven, Signs and wonders in my own life,

As the Director of Congregational Learning, I ask similar questions at work. How do I best reenact the story of the exodus for our various age groups? How do I help our students personalize our people’s story? How can I help our students take ownership of our story? How do I connect this experience with our ethical responsibility toward other people? These questions are addressed without forgetting to make sure the students in our religious school are prepared to also chant the Four Questions and sing other songs at their families’ seder.

In addition to learning about Pesach in their classrooms, both our ECEC students and k-7th grade students, will participate in all school experiential days. Our kindergarten – seventh graders will have their experience on Sunday, March 25 and our ECEC experience will take place on Wednesday, March 28.

And to see the miracles in each new day.

Blessed are You, G-d of wonder, You set Your people on the road to redemption.

Passover Books: Anisfeld, Rabbi Sharon Cohen, Tara Mohr, and Catherine Spector. The Women’s Seder Sourcebook. Jewish Lights Publishing.

Kimmelman, Leslie. The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah. Holiday House.

Wolfson, Ron. The Art of Jewish Living: The Passover Seder. This book also has a companion workbook and an audio tape for learning seder tunes.

I am amazed every year at this time how Judaism knew instinctually about the power of story and yet modern society until very recently has placed the emphasis on gathering facts not storytelling. As Daniel Pink in his book A Whole New Mind states, “When facts become so widely available and instantly accessible, each one becomes less valuable. What begins to matter more is the ability to place these facts in context and to deliver them with emotional impact. And that is the essence of the aptitude of Story – context enriched by emotion.” (p.

103) Don Norman, quoted by Pink, states, “Stories are important cognitive events, for they encapsulate, into one compact package, information, knowledge, context and emotion.” (ibid) Most revealing for us working at Beth Tikvah is when he says, “As more people lead lives of abundance, we’ll have a greater opportunity to pursue lives of meaning. And stories – the ones we tell about ourselves, the ones we tell to ourselves – are often the vehicles we use in that pursuit.” The story of Passover, when experienced well at our schools, temples and most importantly at our homes, has the potential to push us to pursue lives of meaning. Lives where we work as partners with God to make the world better for all, to help free ourselves and others from the shackles that imprison us so we can one day greet Elijah at our seder.

News & Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

guiding hand leaving Egypt is easy.

Leaving Egypt behind is a struggle.

In Your wisdom You have given me this choice: To live in a tyranny of my own making, Or to set my heart free to love You, To love Your people, And to love myself.

Haggadot: Bogot, Howard and Robert Orkland. A Children’s Haggadah.

CCAR Press.

Bronfman, Edgar M. and illustrated by Jan Aronson The Bronfman Haggadah by Rizzell Bronstein, Herbert. A Passover Haggadah.

CCAR Press.

Elwell, Sue Levi. The Open Door: A Passover Haggadah. CCAR Press.

Foer, Jonathan Safran,

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The New American Haggadah Levy, Rabbi Richard N. On Wings of Freedom: The Hillel Haggadah for the Nights of Passover.

Ktav.

Roekard., Karen G. R. The Santa Cruz Haggadah.

Rouss, Sylvia A. Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah.

Kar-Ben Publishing.

Segal, Eliezer Lorne.

Uncle Eli’s Special for

Kids, Most Fun Ever, Under the Table Passover Haggadah. No Starch Press.

Zion, Noam and David Dishon. A Different Night: The Family Participation Haggadah.

Shalom Hartman Institute.

Zion, Noam and Mishael Zion. A Night to Remember: The Haggadah of Contemporary Voices.

Youth Group We’re hosting NFTY-SAR Hatikvah Kallah!!!

You might be asking...What’s a Kallah? Doesn’t that seem like a lot of work? What do we get out of hosting this Kallah? First, a translation. NFTY-SAR (Southern Area Region) is the youth arm of the URJ and includes youth groups from Georgia, South Carolina and parts of four other southern states. Hatikvah Kallah (convention) is one of four annual teen-created regional conventions, and the only one for 6th-8th graders from around the region.

Our HOTTY teens will be planning all aspects of the weekend: the welcome signs on our front doors for when the 6-8th graders arrive; mixers so all participants get the chance to meet one another; worship and service experiences that are meaningful and spiritual; programs designed to teach the 6-8th graders about our theme for the weekend: My Self, My Friends, and My Community; and a fun scavenger hunt and social on Saturday night for the participants to hang out and bond with all of their new friends. You’re right – it’s an awful lot of work! Our HOTTY teens (and some 8 th graders) started brainstorming back in December and have been meeting every week since the beginning of the year planning and writing and revising and dreaming. When hosting a Kallah, I have challenged our teens to raise the bar for what programming could look like in our region and encouraged them to dig deeper and push the envelope for creative and meaningful programming. As such, they’ve come up with some great programs for this Kallah – ones that teach and inspire. Here are some of the highlights: Jewish identity electives to help participants explore their Judaism through their passion and find new ways to express Judaism Shabbat morning services in our outdoor chapel where participants will be given prompts to draw on a piece of paper of how a prayer relates to themselves and nature An obstacle course and s’mores scavenger hunt where teams will work together to complete the activities Providing different types of candy for teens to hand out to their new friends on Sunday morning (“Give an Almond Joy to someone who was a joy to meet!”)

The biggest question, of course, is why do it? Aren’t there other synagogues in NFTY-SAR who could host a Kallah? Why ask all of our TBT families to house these teens for the weekend? Why use our building and space to run programs and services for other teens? I could give you a lot of reasons why hosting a Kallah is such an empowering experience for our teens, how it teaches them to dedicate themselves to a lengthy project and work hard to make it the best, or how it can invigorate our synagogue community. This is the third time TBT and HOTTY have hosted a Kallah since I have been the Youth Advisor. To answer this question, of “Why?” I looked back at some of the reactions from teens, parents, volunteers, and synagogue members after we hosted our last Kallah. Here are some of their responses: “Thank you to HOTTY for their hard work and courage to do things differently.”

“There were no spectators in that sanctuary. Our kids PRAYED – with songs that brought them closer to one another and (whether they know it or not…) to God!” “Thank you for giving me the weekend of a lifetime!”

“We came together as a community for our children. I feel lucky to be a part of this TBT community!”

Hosting a Kallah is more than just running programs and feeding some 200+ teens for the weekend. It means a ruach-filled sanctuary on Friday night during services; our teens laughing and playing, learning and teaching one another; our entire synagogue coming together, teens and parents alike, to play a role and contribute to the success of the weekend…it means empowering our youth, helping them to form deep connections to Judaism and their peers, and bringing us all together as a community.

Last month HOTTY and our new 8th grade members, had a great joint lounge night with our TBT 7th graders, on February 7th! On February 24th-25th we hosted our annual Camp Jenny bingo! This was an event where TBT families and NFTY-SAR teens came out to participate in our bingo fundraiser. Following bingo all NFTY- SAR teens had the opportunity to spend the night within the walls of our beautiful synagogue, along side all their best friends. Thanks to all the families and teens who came out to support Camp Jenny and participated in our lock-in, we were able to have another successful event!

The HOTTY teens have also been hard at work as we plan to host all of NFTY- SAR’s 6-8th graders for Hatikvah Kallah on March 16-18th! We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host this event and can not wait to welcome all the middle schoolers, high schoolers, and temple volunteers who will be participating in this amazing event!

Can’t wait to see you all in the upcoming months!

Abby Limor, HOTTY Freshman Representative

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Hope to see you at one of our upcoming events: March 16-18 – HATIKVAH KALLAH!!

(6-8th Grade) March 25 – City-wide Quidditch Tournament (3-5th Grade)

News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

B’nai Mitzvah

March Service Dates “In the twelfth month, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the

Jacob Sausmer will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on March 3, 2018. Jacob Sausmer is in the 7th Grade at Crabapple Middle School in Roswell, where he plays baritone in the school band. Jacob also enjoys playing soccer, baseball and football, as well as exploring the great outdoors. For his Mitzvah project, Jacob partnered with The Packaged Good, an organization which connects teens with groups in need. The donated items will be used to create care packages for patients at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Jacob thanks his parents and siblings Daphne and Adam for their support, as well as his Rabbi, Cantor and tutor, Rachel Wilson. Jacob is excited you could join us from near and far.

same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them; whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them.” (Megillat Esther 9:1)

Venahafoch Hu IT’S ADAR, the month of Purim and the time when turning things on their head seems to be everywhere.

Venahafoch Hu is at the core of Purim, which is why we wear masks, to befuddle and engage in activities that are lively and raucous. The very purpose of our celebrating is to move “from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a holiday” (Esther 9:22).

In this month of Adar and moving into NIssan, we will be turning many things on their head at TBT, especially our

Friday night service times. Please make a note, so you don’t get too mixed up! Mishe-nichnas Adar marbim be-simcha!

Alexa (Lexy) Shayna Harris will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on March 24, 2018. Lexy is the daughter of Nancy and Scott Harris and sister to Zoe Harris. Lexy is in the 7th grade at Dickerson Middle School.

She loves playing lacrosse, basketball, and hanging out with her friends. She spends her summers at Camp Coleman which is her second home. As part of her 13 mitzvot, she volunteered preparing food for the undernourished as part of Project Open Hand, and she made blankets to be donated to children in need for Project Linus. Lexy is excited to be able to share her Bat Mitzvah with family and friends.

HOTTY 8TH GRADE RUSH

Along with our partners we hope to share new collaborative ideas for moving both TBT and the ATL Jewish community forward. We had positive team building exercises and discussions. We had some difficult discussions that left us frustrated but in the end we all agreed to one common goal. We will do our best to bring our best to the table. We celebrated Shabbat together in Jerusalem at the Kotel. We gave one another the time, respect and space to worship as we chose. We learned in the end, we are all the same. Jews who worship one G-d.

We will let go of assumptions and work collaboratively as an Atlanta Jewish ecosystem. I hope to share more in the future.

Wonderful things are ahead for TBT and Jewish Atlanta! I look forward to our journey together!

A Journey To Israel With Jewish Atlanta Rabbi Shuval-Weiner and I recently joined some 70 leaders from across Jewish ATL for an intensive journey of community and partnership discovery. Included in our journey was also TBT's Lori Shapiro representing the Breman Museum. Lori will soon take over as chairperson for their Board.

Some highlights of our trip included celebrating Tu B'Shevat in Israel and planting fruit trees on the border of Gaza, meeting a beautiful woman in Lod who created dialogue between the Arab Israeli and Jewish Israeli youth at a community center there with wonderful success. We met and had a moving conversation with Anat Hoffman from Women of the Wall. Ms. Hoffman has been fighting for the last 18 years for women to have equal rights at the Kotel to read Torah and wear tzizit and have equal rights as men.

The Front Porch Community Leaders Mission gave us the opportunity to meet and see some of the greatest innovators, thinkers and innovations of Israel, to learn, to stretch, to challenge & to dream of what can be possible in our own community.

Rhonda Povlot

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The Fourth Annual Marty Soniker Bourbon & BBQ event is happening on Cinco de Mayo, and the Men's Club is looking for silent auction donations to help raise money for the TBT Camp Scholarship Fund. If you own items such as a timeshare week, signed sports memorabilia, or a round of golf at your club and are interested in donating, please contact Peter Hartog at althazyr@gmail.com with the details (Form 501C is available upon request for your tax records). Last year, TBT congregants donated a fun tour of CNN, stunning panoramic photography, an original painting, and a round of golf, helping Men's Club raise $4,000.

Thursday, March 22nd at 11 am at Temple Kol Emeth Aging in Place: A Discussion with Real Life Solutions Join Debbi Dooley, MS, LPC and Geriatric Care Manager with Aviv Older Adult Services of JF&CS and Felicia Alingu from Cobb County Senior Services.

They will discuss aging in place and what resources are available to you. View assistive devices provided by Cobb County Senior Services assistive device lab, learn what you can use to make your day easier and where to get it.

To register contact Ashley Maloy at amaloy@jfcsatl.org

Bridge Club

Meets at 1:00 pm on the first and third Thursdays of the month March 15th (no meeting on the 1st this month)

Please consider donating to this very worthy cause.

Contact Bonnie at bonnie.walkes@gmail.com

MINDFUL MEDITATION

Guest Speaker,

Rebecca Stapel-Wax

Monday, March 12th at 12:00 pm

Potluck Dairy Meal

or 770.677.9499

7:30 pm Thursday, March 1st

Exploring the Impact of the Diversity of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Contemporary Jewish Life

Runner’s Affinity Group Sundays at 10 am Meet at TBT

Contact Alicia for more info or to RSVP

BRIDGE LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS Fran Jordan will be conducting bridge lessons starting Tuesday, March 6, at her home. Class will be from 10 - Noon for 14 lessons.

A donation to TBT Sisterhood is suggested as follows: $54 per couple or $36 per individual.

Since bridge is not for everyone, payment will not be due until after the 3rd lesson.

Contact Fran promptly if you are interested at franjo@bellsouth.net or 770-409-9115.

Rhonda’s article

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News & Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Sisterhood has been very busy this past month! We have been actively engaged in making knitted 12x12 squares for a beautiful afghan to be raffled with proceeds donated to a worthy area charity. We also continue to teach knitting and crotcheting while making scarves for donation to an area homeless shelter and mommy love squares for newborns in neonatal ICU care. Come join us Sunday, March 4 at 10 a.m. for Knit and Nosh as we knit, crotchet and discuss timely topics! Many thanks go to Terry Carasick for organizing and Bonnie Walkes for teaching this creative craft.

Game Night has been so successful as we offer Mah Jongg, Scrabble, and Canasta. Thanks to Carole Crenshaw for teaching us our new offering, Canasta. Please join us for our next evening and watch for the evite soon!

Hamentashen baking is always fun and certainly proved to be bountiful this past week! Leslie Swichkow is a great baker and teacher… thank you to Leslie for leading us in the kitchen. I’m sure you are all enjoying the great treats Sisterhood just made for Purim!

Please join us for two unique events this month that are sure to interest you. We have invited Mr. Brendan Murphy to speak on The Long and Tragic History of Anti-Semitism, on Sunday, March 18, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Mr. Murphy teaches history at Marist School in Atlanta. His talk will examine one of the central questions in the history of the Holocaust: Why the Jews? Mr. Murphy will trace the history of anti-Semitism from the pre- Christian pagan world through the modern era, with a special emphasis on the history and future of Jewish-Christian relations. This is such a timely topic and we hope you will attend this thoughtful program.

We will have our Women’s Passover Seder, on Thursday, March 22, 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Please come and read from the Haggadah, celebrate in song, and share in friendship with one another. Sisterhood hopes to see you there!

Remember to become involved in your Sisterhood. We are always open to new ideas and new folks to become active on our committee. Our circle is growing and we look forward to seeing you at our committee meetings, open to all interested folks!

Our next meeting is Sunday, April 15th, 11a.m. - 12 p.m.

Robin Bledsoe

Temple Beth Tikvah Women’s Seder

Sisterhood Chair

Thursday, March 22nd at 6:30 PM

Living with a Broken Heart A Bereavement and Loss Support Group

Mondays from 11 am - 12:30 pm

Through 3/12

Please join us for an

Led by Nicole Albert, LPC, this support and therapy group is for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, and exploring together the “new normal” of life in their absence.

evening of inspiration RSVP required. Click here to RSVP or visit www.bethtikvah.com under Sign Up for Events.

Free to TBT members (donations to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund appreciated) $25 per session for non-members

For more information or to volunteer for this event, email Ilana Zalkin at ilanaz@att.net

RSVP to Michelle at michelle@bethtikvah.com 9

News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Annual Campaign Shalom! The 2017-2018 Annual Campaign has only 3 months remaining.

We currently have 141 families who have pledged $114,650.

Please join the families listed below in supporting TBT and our Annual Campaign goal of $125,000.

Andy Zalkin, Chair, Fundraising Committee Andy and Julie Aaronson Pam Alterman Allan and Pam Apple Steven and Teri Astren Steven and Sheila Barid Dale and Wendy Bearman Paul and Anne Beckman Linda Bergman Michael and Jeannine Bernstein Bernice Bickwit Peter and Linda Birnbaum Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation David and Robin Bledsoe Scott and Mary Block Todd and Jennifer Boehm Ruben and Margot Braiter Adam and Adrienne Bruckman Gene Carasick and Terry Apt Carasick Lonnie and Debbie Carter Lois Clymin Jerome and Margie Cohen Rodney and Terri Cohen Michael and Marlene Cohn Steven and Arlene Cohn Susan Cosden Mark and Stephanie Craig Marvin and Trudy Davis Renee Davis Dan and Laura DeRiemer Joseph and Waynah Dunn Families Anonymous William and Susan Farina Joe and Barbara Feinberg Elliot and Donna Feller Aaron and Amy Frank Peter Klokow and Ellen Frank Steve and RoseAnn Gerson Ed and Cindy Getty Cary Goldenthal and Lori Shapiro Robert and Cindy Goldstein Andrew and Lori Goldstrom

Michael and Audrey Gordon Harlan and Ivie Graiser Aaron Grandison Bernard and Susan Greenberg Trey and Lesly Gregory Burton and Sara Grossman Michael and Anna Gutkin Sam and Alice Herndon David and Ellen Herold Michael and Kim Hirsch Phil and Suzanna Hurwitz David and Beth Janes Peter and Sharon Jedel Daniel and Stephanie Joseph Jill Kaplan Morris and Anna Kagan Nancy Kassel Bradley Katz Jeffrey and Beth Kess Sharon Khoury Jerry and Marcy Kaufman Kenji and Deidre Kinoshita Marc and Deborah Klein Sam and Wendy Klein Karen Korshak Steven and Helen Kraus Scott and Sheryl Lasky Kenneth Lawler, Jr. and Ginger Glazer Hal and Jill Leitman Ronald and Jennifer Levine Jeffrey and Ellen Levitz Emily Lewit Gary and Michal Loventhal Hadley and Lisa Lowy Gil and Ellen Ludwig Murray and Sonia Lynn Phyllis Madans Sidney and Lois Malkin Joel and Aviva Margolies Jonathan and Joan Marks Gerald and Francie Marshall

Jonathan and Helene Masor Tom and Marsha McMurrain Howard and Helaine Medoff Evan and Missi Mermelstein Joel and Karen Moss Bernie and Gail Natter Jeff and Debbie Otton Marcia Pearl Shirley Plotkin Scott and Rhonda Povlot Herbert and Bunny Renkin Betty Rickles Robert and Ellen Rickles Tony Rosenberg Harvey and Natine Rosenzweig Brian and Danielle Rubenstein Kevin and Andrea Rubin Mark and Gail Rudel Chad and Jules Salinas Paula Sandfelder Robert and Donna Schacher Morray and Susan Scheinfeld Nathan and Carol Schemo Douglas and Lisa Schiffer Joel and Kathleen Schoenblum Jeffrey and Jeanne Schultz Bill and Terry Schwartz William and Marjory Segal Tom and Patti Seibold David Shapiro and Ilene AlterShapiro Stacy and Alicia Sher Allan and Pessie Shippel Jay Weiner and Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner David and Elisa Siegel Sandy and Nancy Simon Stuart and Frances Solomon Fern Soniker Richard and Susan Staviss Eric and Viki Stein Brian and Jennifer Steinberg

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Steven and Linda Steinberg Aaron and Sheila Stieglitz Matthew and Dani Stordy Ronald and Leslie Swichkow Steven and Abbe Tobin David and Christine Toltzis Mark and Sally Vosk Bruce and Bonnie Walkes Robert and Ellen Weiner Cliff and Loretta Weiss Mark and Debbie Weiss Doug Wexler and Jane Greenberger Jeff Willard and Steve Mahan Herbert and Marsha Williams Mark Williams and Michelle Easton-Williams Todd and Rachel Wilson Max and Carol Wolf Andrew and Ilana Zalkin Seth and Ellen Zimmer

(pledges received as of 2/19)

News & Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday 1

Adult Megillah Reading 12:00pm

Please check the website for updated calendar information

4 17th of Adar 5778 Religious School 9:30am 6th Grade Family Education "Becoming" Part 2 10:00am Adult "Ben/Bat Torah" Preparation Class 10:00am Mitzvah Munchkins 10:00am Sisterhood - Knit and Nosh - 10:00am Adult Ed - Old Testament 11:00am

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24th of Adar, Daylight Saving Time Begins

HOTTY - Hatikvah Kallah Work Day No Religious School Musical Theater A Cantor's Couch 1:30pm

5 18th of Adar 5778 ECEC Parent/Teacher Conferences 9:00am

6 19th of Adar 5778 Religious School 5:00pm

7 20th of Adar 5778

14th of Adar, Purim

Friday 2 15th of Adar 5778 Ruach Shabbat Service 6:00pm

Family Fun Purim Fair 7:00pm

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21st of Adar 5778

Living with a Broken Heart; Bereavement & Loss Support Group 11:00am

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16th of Adar 5778

Tot Shabbat 9:00am Shabbat Service Sausmer Bar Mitzvah 10:00am The Rabbi's Table 12:30pm

Mindful Meditation 7:30pm

HOTTY Board Meeting 7:00pm

Saturday

9 22nd of Adar 5778

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23rd of Adar 5778

Fulton County Schools Closed

Shabbat Service 10:00am

ECEC Shabbat 9:45am

The Rabbi's Table 12:30pm

ECEC Open House 10:15am

HOTTY - Kallah Planning Committee Meeting 5:45pm

Shabbat Service w/ Choir 8:00pm

Kesher, Confirmation, Kivunim 6:45pm Family Anonymous 7:15pm

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25th of Adar 5778

Fulton County Schools Closed No Monday Night Classes Living with a Broken Heart; Bereavement & Loss Support Group 11:00am

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26th of Adar 5778

14

27th of Adar 5778

15

28th of Adar 5778

16

29th of Adar 5778

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1st of Nisan 5778

HOTTY - Kallah Planning Work Night

HOTTY - Kallah Planning Work Night

NFTY-SAR Hatikvah Kallah

NFTY-SAR Hatikvah Kallah

Religious School 5:00pm

Bridge Group 1:00pm

Preneg 6:30pm

Shabbat Service 10:00am

Shabbat Service 7:00pm

Board of Trustee Meeting 7:30pm

Senior Luncheon 12:00pm

The Rabbi's Table 12:30pm

HOTTY - Kallah Planning Committee Meeting 5:45pm

Family Anonymous 7:15pm

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2nd of Nisan 5778

NFTY-SAR Hatikvah Kallah Ends

19

3rd of Nisan 5778

Kesher, Confirmation, Kivunim 6:45pm

Sojourn 9:00am Religious School 9:30am Adult "Ben/Bat Torah" Preparation Class 10:00am

20

4th of Nisan 5778

21

5th of Nisan 5778

22

6th of Nisan 5778

AgeWell Atlanta - Aging in Place: A Discussion with Real Life Solutions 11:00am at TKE

Religious School 5:00pm Youth Committee/ BOE Meeting 7:30pm

Family Anonymous 7:15pm

Women's Seder 6:30pm

23

7th of Nisan 5778

ECEC Dad's Bagel Break 9:30am - 10:30am

Shabbat Service 8:00pm

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8th of Nisan 5778

Shabbat Service Harris Bat Mitzvah 10:00am The Rabbi's Table 12:30pm

Sisterhood - The Long and Tragic History of AntiSemitism 10:00am

Officers Meeting 7:30pm

Adult Ed - Old Testament 11:00am

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9th of Nisan 5778

Religious School 9:30am School wide Pesach Program 9:30am Adult "Ben/Bat Torah" Preparation Class 10:00am Gesher - Citywide Quidditch Game 2:00pm

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10th of Nisan 5778

No Kivunim

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11th of Nisan 5778

28

12th of Nisan 5778

Religious School 5:00pm

29

13th of Nisan 5778

30

14th of Nisan, Passover Begins No ECEC

TBT Offices Closed

Kesher and Confirmation 6:45pm

Festival Service 5:00pm

Family Anonymous 7:15pm

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15th of Nisan, Passover

Shabbat Festival Service 10:00am

Second Night Seder 7:00pm

Donations

(donations received as of 2/15/18)

Annual Campaign

General Fund

Dale and Wendy Bearman in memory of Martha Bearman, Herbert Stein, Betty Ebstein, Yetta Dutkiewitz, Nora Stein and Ann Eileen Kant Joseph and Waynah Dunn in memory of Jacob Dunn

Andy Berke and Family in memory of Herbert Berke

Andy and Julie Aaronson in memory of Joan Aaronson, and Shirley and Arnold Lipsitz

Lee and Ellen Altschuler in memory of Jacob Altschuler

Emily Lewit in memory of Ruth Frenkel, Michael Lewit, Theresa Olshine and Herbert Olshine Pam Alterman in memory of Paul Alterman

Robert and Myra Idol in memory of Jack Schaier

Sandy and Nancy Simon in memory of Abe Berney Cantor’s Discretionary Fund Sheryl Blechner in memory of Melvin Ross Ilene Monat Fader in memory of Scott Monat Amir Levin and Tanya Blasbalg Levin in honor of Cantor Nancy Kassel Jeffrey and Jeanne Schultz in memory of Bill Makatura

Paula Sandfelder in memory of Rebecca Matusow and Martin Sandfelder Tod and Leslie Rubin in memory of Barbara Rubin Marvin and Trudy Davis in memory of Ruth Rein Zachary Kraus in appreciation of Mark Rudel Donnie and Caren Fox in memory of Irv Fox Michael Zalkin Memorial Library Fund Aaron and Sheila Stieglitz in memory of Jacob Krigsner Zachary Kraus in appreciation of Andy Zalkin Prayerbook Fund Gordon and Hollis Decker in memory of Harriet Sanford Decker

Michael and Wanda Cohen in memory of Morris Cohen Keira Oseroff in honor of Cantor Kassel

Preschool Fund Sidney and Lois Malkin in honor of Owen Oseroff's Bar Mitzvah

Caring/Kehillat Chesed Fund Fern Soniker in memory of Henie Keyser Sherwin and Judee Levinson in memory of Joseph Aronow Max and Carol Wolf in memory of Stephen Perling Clifford and Loretta Weiss in memory of Millie Weiss and Sarah Knieberg Mike and Kathy Levin in honor of the recognition from Hadassah for Dale Bearman and his work serving the cancer community Lois Clymin in memory of Sean Migatz

Rabbi Shuval-Weiner’s Discretionary Fund David and Christine Toltzis in memory of Joseph Zeidman Andrew and Barbara Sacks in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of Josie Liederman Barry and Shari Alhadeff in memory of Milton Kirchheimer Tom and Patti Seibold in memory of Maxine Kurtz David and Christine Toltzis in memory of Arthur Toltzis Bruce and Carol Waldman in memory of Herbert Waldman Robert and Ellen Rickles in memory of Irwin Rickles

Education Fund

Keira Oseroff in honor of Owen's Bar Mitzvah

Rosalind Taranto in memory of "Pop" Haire

Jeffrey and Jeanne Schultz in memory of Bill Makatura

Martin and Irene Duke in memory of Arlene Harris

Amir Levin and Tanya Blasbalg Levin in honor of Rabbi Shuval-Weiner

Endowment Fund Bruce and Bonnie Walkes in memory of Sol Walkes and Nathan Wixman

Rabbi Tam’s Discretionary Fund Pam Alterman in honor of the birth of granddaughter, Hannah Lily Alterman Mark and Sally Vosk in memory of Ella Monaco Torah Fund Clifford and Loretta Weiss

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News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

KUDOS CORNER / SCHMOOZE NEWS Mazel tov to TBT’s Dale Bearman who will be honored at Hadassah Greater Atlanta’s Annual Gala on March 18, 2018!

The Best Strokes Gala, formerly known as Breast Strokes, raises funds for breast and ovarian cancers and genetic research at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, as well as education and advocacy in the United States.

June Wallach Leslie Swichkow Marsha McMurrain Aaron Stieglitz

Dr. Bearman is being honored for his leadership in promoting genetic testing as a means to identify early cancer risks.

Lois Malkin Sheila Barid Rachel Wilson

Open to the community, Best Strokes, Hadassah Bares All for Awareness, Research, Treatment (A.R.T.) will be held on Sunday, March 18, from 6-9 p.m. at The Southern Exchange (the Old Macy’s Building downtown) in Atlanta.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://beststrokes18.auction-bid.org/ microsite.

We Must Know Before We Can Respond If you are grieving or struggling with illness, or if you are celebrating a birth or a new love, we want to be there.

That’s what community’s all about, that’s what family’s all about.

Let us know how we can support you or anyone else in our community by calling Michelle, clergy assistant , at 770-642-0434 13

News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Synagogue Information Synagogue Office Fax Number School Office (Perri) Assistant to Clergy Financial Secretary Admin. Assistant Office Manager

- 770-642-0434 - 770-642-0647 - 770-642-4168 - Michelle Leder - Jenny Korsen - Lisa Singer - Becky Sullivan

Planning a simcha or group gathering?

The Tam-Blank Social Hall is the Place to Be. For more information on renting our Social Hall, contact the synagogue office at 770-642-0434.

Get Involved! TBT Committees and Chairpersons Adult Education Ivie Graiser iviegraiser@yahoo.com

Human Resources Seth Zimmer sz4941@att.com

Ritual Rick Winer rsw@drrickwiner.com

Budget & Finance Karen Korshak karcpa@comcast.net Camp/Israel Scholarship Marcia Haber marciahaber@yahoo.com

Israel Gene Carasick gcarasick@gmail.com Kehillat Chesed (Caring) Leslie Swichkow lswichkow@comcast.net

Chavurot/Affinity Groups Andrea Rubin tbtchavurot@gmail.com College Outreach Nan Janis hnjanis@bellsouth.net

Library Ilana Zalkin ilanaz@att.net Membership Recruitment & Retention Donna Goldenberg donnagoldenberg0@gmail.com Kevin Rubin kjrubin@gmail.com

Security Jay Sausmer jsausmer@gmail.com Seniors Natine Rosenzweig rosen4348@aol.com Steve Mahan smahan206bc@yahoo.com

Communications Marlene Cohn marlene@thecohns.us Family Promise Tony Rosenberg trosenberg860@gmail.com Fundraising Andy Zalkin azups@att.net House Ted Nathan tnathan@baldwinscheduling.com

Men’s Club Peter Hartog althazyr@gmail.com Mark Greenspan greenspanfamily@bellsouth.net Nominating Committee Wendy Klein Wendy.klein.hr@gmail.com

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Sisterhood Robin Bledsoe sisterhoodtbt@gmail.com Social Action/Social Justice Dalia Faupel d2faupel@gmail.com Lori Goldstrom lorigoldst@att.net Website Development Scott Povlot spovlot@yahoo.com Youth Group Michal Loventhal loventhalmichal@gmail.com Margot Braiter rubenmargot@comcast.net

News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

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News and Happenings from Temple Beth Tikvah

Alexandria Shuval-Weiner Rabbi Donald A. Tam Rabbi Emeritus Nancy Kassel Cantor Susan Cosden Director of Congregational Learning

Harlan Graiser President Wendy Klein Vice President Rob Rickles Vice President Rhonda Povlot Vice President Joe Dunn Treasurer Mark Rudel Secretary Deidre Kinoshita Chairperson, Board of Education

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