ETZETERA - SEPTEMBER 2023

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF

TEMPLE ETZ CHAIM

SEPTEMBER 2023

ISSUE 7

Inside This Issue

PAGE 4 Letters from Our Leaders

PAGE 10 PAGE 16 Meet Our Bat Mitzvah

High Holiday Schedule

Contents 4

Letters From Our Leaders

6

TEC Education

8

TEC Community

10 B’nai Mitzvah 11

Simchas

Clergy Rabbi Ari Averbach Interim Cantor Kenny Ellis Associate Chaplain Benny Sommerfeld Rabbi Emeritus Richard Spiegel Rabbi Emeritus Shimon Paskow

12 September Calendar 13 Birthdays & Anniversaries 14 TEC Tributes 16 High Holiday Schedule 18 Upcoming Events 26 Kids’ Corner

WANT TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS? SPACE IS AVAILABLE IN OUR ETZETERA. If you are interested in placing an ad, please send an email to: communications@templeetzchaim.org

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Staff Executive Director Gideon Manzur Early Childhood Education Director Debbie Blumenthal Religious School Director Joyce Bronstein Early Childhood Education Asst. Director Keri Loventhal Programming & Youth Director Cindy Goldberg Office Manager Shane Silverstein ECE Administrative Assistant Linda Starr RS Administrative Assistant Sarah Karamas Membership Services Jessica Jacoby Clergy Assistant Jill Rosenberg Musical Director Mariano Dugatkin

Board of Directors President Eric Feigenbaum Executive Vice President Felicia Toporoff Immediate Past President Shari Mark Treasurer Shira Soria Recording Secretary Rachael Pugh VP, Building & Grounds Dan Wachs VP, Early Childhood Education Chad Hampton VP, Personnel & Legal Josh Hopstone VP, Project Funding Wendy Margolis* VP, Religion & Worship Cheryl Wolf VP, Religious School Education Adya Riss VP, Social Action Pam Friedman VP, Youth Ilana Sweet Trustee, Bingo Arnie Blitstein Trustee, Governance Steve Plotkin Trustee, Programming Dan Lubetkin Trustee, Sustainability Ely Jacobsohn President, Men’s Club Irwin Barney President, Women of TEC Linda Hutchings Past President, Board Member Sherri Finn-Werber Past President, Board Member Gary Katz Past President, Board Member Myles Simpson Past President, Board Member Marshall Scherr *Past President

T E M P LE E T Z C HA I M P R ES E NT S

C E LEBRATE

L’SHANAH TOVAH 5784/2023

ROOTED IN TRADITION. GROWING TOWARDS THE FUTURE. Join our community for meaningful services led by Rabbi Ari Averbach & Cantor Kenny Ellis with musical accompaniment by Grammy Award winner, Mariano Dugatkin

ER EV R OS H H A SH A N A H

KO L NI D R E

7:30 pm Evening Service

7:30 pm Kol Nidrei Service

Friday, September 15

Sunday, September 24

R OSH HAS H A N A H

YO M K I P P U R

9:30 am Morning Service

9:30 am Morning Service 5:00 pm Concluding Service

Saturday & Sunday, September 16-17

TASHLICH

Monday, September 25

Sunday, September 17

5:30 pm at Zuma Beach, Lifeguard Station 12

Family Services will begin at 8:30 am on the 1st Day Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Join us for High Holiday Hangout at 10:30 am.

www.templeetzchaim.org

Call the office today to secure your tickets for all services.

For more information, call (805) 497-6891 or email info@templeetzchaim.org

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org 3 September 2023 | ElulCA 578391360 - Tishrei•5784

Letters from Our Leaders Rabbi Ari Averbach

rabbiaverbach@templeetzchaim.org

Maybe you’ve heard – you cannot study Kabbalah until you are forty. I broke the rules. When still in my 30s – perhaps even my 20s (eek!) – I opened the central text of Jewish mysticism, The Zohar, and began to study. I read and I read, and I understood nothing.

Not the Hebrew, not the English, not the Aramaic. So, I opened books about Kabbalah, and once again, very little penetrated my thick skull. Surely if Madonna and Ashton Kutcher could do it, then so could I? I studied with two of the greatest living kabbalists – one in Jerusalem and one in Los Angeles – and it started to make a dent.

Barely. And then I studied with some of our congregants, and it helped a little more. Kabbalah, one branch of Jewish mysticism, is

supposed to be studied after age forty for two main reasons. One is that the practitioner should have studied the rest of the Jewish texts (Bible and Talmud) to have a solid base knowledge. Second is that its central questions are about the greatest mysteries of life, which young folks might not yet be ready to spelunk. Judaism believes strongly in the democratization of knowledge – anyone can learn any part of our sacred texts. Even if something seems esoteric or beyond your knowledge, you have millennia of teachers willing to explore with you. And even if I don’t understand a text, I am excited to keep diving into the sea of knowledge with you.

May this coming Jewish year bring one of seeking new meaning in our sacred history.

Eric Feigenbaum, President eric@templeetzchaim.org

Until three years ago, I never fully appreciated what makes the High Holidays at Temple Etz Chaim work. The experience we all enjoy walking into Shul is the result of hard work by numerous people over many months. While navigating 2020 and how to deliver an effective High Holidays was perhaps the most challenging thing, every year is unique with its own needs and opportunities to create a meaningful and spiritual experience.

This year too is different. Like life itself there is bitter and sweet to it. This will be our first year with metal detectors, which to me feels very sad. Temple Etz Chaim makes safety its highest priority – spending more money each year on security than anything else in our budget. With more than 220 children under the age of 5 on our campus Monday through Friday and myriad programs and services, security is an area we don’t skimp – and which is such an unfortunate necessity. Please know that while we regret the inconvenience of the metal detector and increased security, we also want everyone to feel safe in shul and unabashedly live a Jewish life.

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On the sweeter side, we’re taking steps to make your experience inside the building a little softer, calmer and more reflective. Once you get past security and check-in, we invite you to leave the outside work behind and be present for the holidays.

Our many services and programs throughout the High Holidays are a work of love of so many people including staff, clergy, board members and volunteers. I want to thank all of them from the bottom of my heart – with some extra special thanks to Rabbi Ari Averbach, Executive Director Gideon Manzur, Religious School Director Joyce Bronstein, Early Childhood Education Director Debbie Blumenthal and Vice President of Religion and Worship Cheryl Wolf. These people bring passion and give of themselves beyond anything anyone could reasonably expect or imagine.

I hope this year is a sweet, healthy and happy one for you and that perhaps in coming years, we won’t feel the need for metal detectors and guards. But until then, I’m so grateful we have them.

Shanah Tova

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

Gideon Manzur, Executive Director gideon@templeetzchaim.org

As the shofar calls us to awaken our spirits this Rosh Hashanah, let us reflect on the significance of the High Holidays. This sacred time invites us to step back, take stock, and set our intentions for the year 5784. It is a season of renewal, introspection, and hope.

Our community will spend this High Holidays in our newly renovated Beit Midrash. The spirit of the remodel resonates with a sense of functional enhancement and collective well-being. It goes beyond aesthetics and practicality, serving as a testament to what thoughtful design and responsible planning can achieve for the community at large. The updates include communal spaces that encourage social interaction - fostering a stronger sense of community.

The High Holidays remind us that every ending marks a new beginning. Let this New Year be a year of renewal—not just a return to the conventional, but a leap towards extraordinary. Let’s explore new avenues of spirituality, engage in social justice like never before, and strengthen our bonds as a community.

We’re excited to announce a host of new initiatives aimed at enriching our collective spiritual life. From our continued Speaker Series with Lori Gottlieb to our new Inclusion Committee’s events planned to

make everyone feel more welcomed and engaged, we’re committed to providing avenues for growth and involvement for all ages.

Our heartfelt thanks go to all our volunteers who have dedicated countless hours to TEC. You are the backbone of our community, and we couldn’t do it without you.

As we stand before the open ark this Yom Kippur, may we find the courage to confront our shortcomings and the inspiration to become the best versions of ourselves. The High Holidays are a profound reminder that change is possible, forgiveness is attainable, and renewal is within reach.

We invite each of you to be an active participant in our community’s future. Whether it’s by attending High Holiday services, joining a committee, or volunteering for an upcoming event, your presence makes us stronger.

As we enter 5784, let us strive to be a community that embodies the values of loving-kindness, justice, and humility. May this New Year bring health, happiness, and harmony to you and your loved ones.

L’Shana Tova U’Metuka (For a Good and Sweet Year)

Global Thought Leader Series: A Conversation with Lori Gottlieb, November 12 www.templeetzchaim.org

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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TEC Education Debbie Blumenthal, Early Education Director debbieb@templeetzchaim.org

September is always a month of new beginnings - the start of a new school year, new children, families, and teachers, Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), and for Temple Etz Chaim ECE Center - we have a new toddler classroom, Room R! We have a wonderful and supportive Parents of Temple Etz Chaim (PTEC) group who have been organizing regular family events every month. At the start of each month, there is a Coffee and Chat scheduled for everyone. Stop by and talk to other parents and members of the PTEC committee to find out what they have planned in upcoming months and how you can get involved. There are also playdates in the park, Parents’ Night Out and much more. On your brightwheel app is the school calendar so you won’t miss anything.

Year approaching, we will be talking about how to be good friends and talking about saying I’m sorry. During the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we will be reading stories and singing songs about the New Year and talking about all the things we want to do better in the new year.

We are looking forward to seeing Temple Etz Chaim families at the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur family services on September 16th and September 28th starting at 8:30 a.m.

These services are perfect for families with young children to get a High Holiday experience with songs, blessings, stories, and more.

The services are interactive, and we touch on all the important parts of the holiday service.

We are looking forward to the start of our 2023-24 Parent and Me Program in September. This is a great way to meet other parents with young children and to get to know our Temple Etz Chaim community.

Want to learn more about our early childhood programs, feel free to reach out to Keri Loventhal, Assistant ECE Director or myself. We love to give tours and share information about our programs.

In September our middah (Jewish value of the month) is Selichah.

Selichah means forgiveness or I am sorry. With the Jewish New

Shanah Tovah!

Debbie Blumenthal

Cindy Goldberg, Programming & Youth Director cindy@Templeetzchaim.org

From Tailgate Shabbat, Raiders of the Lost Ark, a special screening of Golda, and our Sunday Schmooze, August let us know that summer is almost over and the High Holidays are almost upon us. A huge thank you to all who joined us in the fun, and a special thank you to Dan Lubetkin, Carol Schoenkerman, Buzz Schoenkerman, Wendy Margolis, Evan Robichaud, Joyce Bronstein, Sarah Karamis, Gideon Manzur, Shane Silverstein, Dave Abramovicz, Tova Lubetkin, Elijah Lubetkin, Ayla Lubetkin, Eliana Manzur, Ariella Manzur, Sennen Feigenbaum, Aylin Feigenbaum, Elisha Manzur, Lori Lubetkin, Ricardo Delgado, and Tati Rodriguez for their help making these events happen for our community!

For a full schedule of High Holiday activities, see the TEC website: https://www.templeetzchaim.org/highholidays/ Friday, September 29th will be our annual Family Shabbat Dinner in the Sukkah. Look for the upcoming flyers and registration links coming to your inbox. It is always a joyous evening, and it takes a village to make it happen. Please contact me (cindy@templeetzchaim. org) if you would like to join the A-Team Serving Crew and help us that night. If you are unable to make it that night, don’t fret. And even if you can, double your fun with another opportunity to be together for Simchat Torah on October 7th. Stay tuned!

To set the stage for the holidays, young families (and those with a creative spirit) are encouraged to join us on September 8th. We will have Agoura Hills based Create Studios here at TEC to help us Create Shabbat, followed by pizza dinner and then services to follow. Please RSVP via the link: https://tec-to.org/create-shabbat

Beginning Wednesday, October 4th is a 4-week class we’re calling Wellness Wednesday. Tools to promote connection, inner-peace, and combat loneliness, this program is made possible in part due to a grant from the USCJ. Look for registration information coming soon!

Later that weekend, on the evening of Sunday, September 10th, we will hold a Chai Challah Day Bake. Advanced RSVPs are required. Sign up via this link: https://tec-toaks.org/chai-challah.

Our ticket link for the upcoming “A Conversation with Lori Gottlieb” on Sunday November 12th at 7 PM will be available soon.

Mark your calendars!

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September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

Joyce Bronstein, Religious School Director joyce@Templeetzchaim.org

On Sunday, September 10, 2023, Religious School is back in session. The staff and I are eager to begin classes!

As you know, Religious School is a busy place. We offer an informative educational curriculum for students in grades TK-12. Each class has many on-going activities. Children learn about our Jewish traditions, heritage, prayers, holidays, and values. It is important for our children to feel pride in being Jewish and to feel their Judaism in their heart.

We offer many age-appropriate programs for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This year High Holidays will take place on September 26th and October 5th and the following programs are available: A High Holiday Experience For Kindergarten, First, Second, Third, And Fourth Graders.

This program is for students who are too old for childcare but not yet ready for Junior Congregation. There is a creative service and many different activities and workshops. Please bring a pareve or dairy lunch and write your child’s name and grade level on it. Snacks will be provided. Join us beginning at 10:00 a.m. Please register your child as soon as possible as space is limited.

High Holiday Junior Congregation This will be held in the Chapel. This service will give students the opportunity to participate and learn more about these holidays. This service is especially geared for students in grades five, six and seven.

www.templeetzchaim.org

Family Friendly High Holiday Services This will be held from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. in the tent located on the Plaza.

These creative services are geared towards families with younger children. Tickets are not necessary. All families are welcome.

Neila Service This service will take place as the sun begins to set on Yom Kippur. We invite your children to be part of this concluding service. Children will hold a blue light stick as we begin the Havdalah Service. This moment signifies the closing of the gates of heaven, the time at which we ask G-d to “Seal us in the Book of Life.”

At this time of year, we reflect on the past year and on our lives. We strive to take responsibility for ourselves, for our words, and for our deeds. We think about our past and try to be better in the coming year I am looking forward to greeting our new and returning students and their families to Temple Etz Chaim. May you find our synagogue a special place of sincere friendships, comfort, and growth.

I, along with my husband Leo, wish everyone a New Year filled with health, happiness, and peace!

L’Shana Tova Tiketevu, Joyce Bronstein

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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TEC Community Linda Hutchings, President, Women of TEC We are looking forward to an exciting year and hope you can join us at our upcoming events. We also hope to have some additional events like a Mahjong Tournament and game day. Please make sure to have wotecnews@gmail.com set as a safe sender so you can receive our Constant Contact updates. Please note that Membership Dues are free to all first year temple members. All Membership Dues for returning members are anticipated to be paid in full by end of September: $43 for regular members and $30 for Seniors (age 62 and up). If you are not receiving our Constant Contact updates, please email me directly to be added to the email list. Also, if you have any changes you want noted in our membership booklet, please let me know.

If you want to get involved, have suggestions for events or ever have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Also, please help us prepare for our Membership Luncheon Raffle -- we need the following types of donations: gift cards (any denominations for things like Starbucks, Nordstroms, manicure, massage, etc.), new wallets, handbags, clothing, home decor (new items that have not been used) that we can use to create the beautiful gift baskets for our membership luncheon raffle.

WOTEC Calendar of Events Sep. 12 7:30pm Torah Fund Ice Cream Social Sep. 22 & 23 Men’s Club and WOTEC led Shabbat Services Nov. 7 Guest Speaker Cheryl Wolf Dec. 3, 12:00pm Paid Up Membership Luncheon Jan 20, 5:30pm Havdalah & Wine Tasting & Appetizers Feb. 27th, 6:30 pm Babke Bake Mar. 24th, Sun. morning Volunteer @ Purim Carnival April 14th Beach Sunset & Games Day (Bring your own dinner). Co-Sponsored with Men’s Club May 5th, 11:30am Friendship Tea (bring a mother, daughter, sister, niece, aunt, friend)

Irwin Barney, President, Men’s Club During the past several months, the Men’s Club has completed its calendar for the 2023 – 2024 year. There are over 20 activities and events planned with something for everyone in our TEC community. We will highlight some of them in the Men’s Club bookmark provided during the upcoming High Holidays.

season’s Holidays. The first is coordinating services for Shabbat Shuvah on Friday, September 22nd and Shabbat September 23rd.

Shabbat Shuvah occurs during Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Yasher Koach to our Religious Chair Jon Hops for leading this meaningful and important effort.

One activity that I would like to mention is a new one called Adventures in Learning. These will be family friendly outdoor activities for the TEC community providing an opportunity to walk and learn. The activities will be akin to a walkabout with a guide; not a hike, more of a casual stroll. The guide will be a Temple member with an interest and passion for a particular subject, topic, or theme. Sometimes, outside guests with expertise will assist the guide. The walkabout will be accessible to ambulatory members of the congregation, and special care will be made to assist those who have personal mobility or endurance challenges when possible. The first Adventure in Learning will feature Local Birds and take place at the Western Plateau of the Rancho Potrero Open Space on September 10th.

The Men’s Club continues its annual tradition of building the TEC Sukkah on Sunday, September 24th. It is a TEC community effort, and all are welcome to participate; no special skills are required. Bring your family. A light breakfast will be served.

The Men’s Club is undertaking several activities in support of this 8

The final activity for the Holidays will be held during Chol HaMoed Sukkot. The Men’s Club is coordinating an evening of Steak, Scotch, and Torah study in the Sukkah on Tuesday evening, October 3rd. Bring your own kosher steak, fish, or parve veggie burger for grilling. The Men’s Club will provide Scotch and other beverages. Rabbi Averbach will guide our Torah study. We invite the entire TEC community to participate.

Last, on behalf of the Men’s Club Officers and Board, we wish everyone shanah tovah umetuka!

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

Pam Friedman, VP, Social Action Our Social Action Committee has joined with Adelante Comunidad Conejo as “Day of Service” volunteers. We are so excited to be working with this amazing organization, that saw a need to help in the community. Adelante started with three families in need of help during the start of the COVID19 pandemic. This number kept growing and soon reached over one hundred families in need of food.

Let me tell you about the families helped by Adelante. Most of the families are hardworking, they work two or three jobs and still can’t feed their families without help. With the support of the good food provided by Adelante, families can save over $ 200 at each trip to the “Market Place”, which they can use towards paying rent, medical and other expenses.

The main concern of Adelante was helping distribute food to these families when many food pantries closed, when the families lost work hours, and store shelves were empty. By working with Food Share Ventura County and Food Forward Los Angeles, Adelente has been able to establish partnerships with markets, farmers markets and local farms to acquire fruit and vegetables for their program.

Individual donations from supporters allow Adelante to purchase chicken, cheese, milk, and tortillas to further supplement each family’s needs.

Twice a month Adelante holds a food prep day to sort and package produce for distribution at their food pantry called “The Market Place” for families in need. This is set up in the neighborhoods where the families live and can easily shop for what they need.

The Social Action Committee has joined Adelante by volunteering on the two Food Prep Friday mornings. If you would like to join us, I know Adelante would be so happy to have you. Adelante meets at the United Methodist Church in our shared parking lot next to playground from 9am-1pm on any of these upcoming dates: September 8, September 22, and October 13. I would love to have you join us at one of the upcoming Food Prep Days.

L’Shanah Tovah

Adam Felsen & Sammy Edgar, Youth Advisors, TECY What is TECY and why should I join?

TECY is the place where our community’s younger members can interact with one another socially and build friendships and connections to each other and to their Jewish identities in a less formal atmosphere.

Children in grades K-2 can participate in Temple Etz Chaim’s own program Machar, which means “tomorrow”. Children in grades 3-5 participate in Kadima; students in grades 6-12 (largely broken down into MS and HS levels) can participate in TECY events and may have opportunities to join events with other synagogues in the area and region (such as United Synagogue Youth (USY )).

Machar events are held on Sundays 11:30AM - 1:00PM, Kadima events are held on Tuesdays 6:15PM - 7:30PM, TECY events typically occur on Sundays, with the high school aged events generally occurring on Saturday evenings after Shabbat or Sundays. Lunch/Dinner is offered before each activity begins.

Our first events will take place: •

October 10 - Kadima

•

October 15 - Machar

•

October 22 - TECY grades 6-8

www.templeetzchaim.org

Meet the Team Hi everyone, my name is Adam Felsen. I am so excited to be one of your youth advisors this year. A little bit about me: I have been part of the Temple Etz Chaim family since I was 5 years old. From preschool to Bar Mitzvah to Confirmation and now working at temple, I have done it all and loved every minute of it. When I am not at temple, I am in my junior year of college at CSUN. My goal is to be a high school history teacher. I can’t wait to meet all of you and have an amazing time at USY! – Adam Shalom! My name is Sammy Edgar, and I am so excited to be your Youth Advisor this year! Many of my favorite memories were made at Temple Etz Chaim. From Hebrew School to my Bar Mitzvah, and Confirmation to Post-Confirmation, I learned so much while having a spectacular time in the process! Now, I am grateful for this important opportunity to give back to our community. As Youth Advisor, I want to provide future generations of TEC Youth with the same amazing experiences I had! I will use my love of music, art, and the outdoors to help ensure everyone has a fun time at our events. I hope to see you and your families soon— I can’t wait for all the fun we are going to have together! – Sammy

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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Bat Mitzvah

Makayla Landes

September 2

My name is Makayla Landes. I am about to start 8th grade at Sycamore Canyon Middle School. I have been attending Temple Etz Chaim since I was in preschool.

I can’t wait to continue my Jewish education and enrich future generations while helping as an aide and starting Confirmation. In my free time, I enjoy baking, playing volleyball, and hanging out with family and friends. I want to thank all my Religious School teachers and staff, Rabbi Ari, Cantor Kenny, and my amazing tutor, Betty Zonshine. A special thanks goes to Religious School Director, Joyce Bronstein also known as “Mimi”. Thank you for all your encouragement. My parents and brothers are my biggest cheerleaders. Thank you for always supporting me in all my adventures.

I look forward to standing on the bimah and leading services.

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September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

Congratulations to the Dorner family on the birth of

Congratulations to the Spiegel family on the birth of

Noah Kai Dorner

Sophie Jane Braverman

Born on April 25, 2023

Born on August 4, 2023 Parents: Katie Hawkins and Joshua Braverman

Parents: Sidnie and Scott Dorner Grandparents: Dorothy and Bob Charnaw Ian Dorner and Noris Nehrebecki

Grandparents: Linda and Rabbi Richard Spiegel Michelle and Joe Hawkins Doug Braverman

Congratulations to the Tepfer family on the birth of

Congratulations to the Dugatkin/Hanono family on the birth of

Forrest Ethan & Poppy Michelle Tepfer

Samuel Hanono Dugatkin Born on August 28, 2023

Born on August 12, 2023

Parents: Cecilia Hanono and Mariano Dugatkin

Parents: Denise and Matthew Tepfer

Big Sister: Kayla

Grandparents: Debby and Robert Bernstein Lisa Stollman Harvey Tepfer Aunts and Uncles: Shannon and Brian Tepfer Stacie and Yossi Zozot

We extend our congratulation to Temple members Lynne and Gary Katz on the marriage of their son

Jonathan Katz to Allison Rapundalo Date: August 5, 2023 Parents of the Bride: Anne and Stephen Rapundalo

www.templeetzchaim.org

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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Dates to Remember

September SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

1

2 Makayla Landes Bat Mitzvah

3

4

5

6

7

8

12

13

14

15

19

20

21

26

27

28

9

Selichot Services and Havdalah

Offices Closed

10

11

16

Erev Rosh Hashanah

1st Day Rosh Hashanah

22

23

Challah Bake

17

2nd Day Rosh Hashanah

18

Book Club via Zoom

Tashlich @ Zuma Beach

24

Kol Nidrei

12

25

Yom Kippur

Feed the Hungry

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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TEC Sukkot Dinner

30

Sukkot

www.templeetzchaim.org

Birthdays & Anniversaries

September 1 Zane Averbach Francine Finkelstein Ryan Firestone Sydelle Goodman Paul Sonnenberg Rhim Eric Sterling Cory Stock 2 Kylie Cohan Emily Katz Sydney Miller Elisa Robichaud 3 Elizabeth Goldberg 4 Oliver Bean Abigail Jacobs David Katz Kelly Saul 5 Lauren Finkelstein Otis Pugh Danielle Withrow Madeline Withrow 6 William Goldberg Emily Habib Benny Sommerfeld Alyssa Starr 7 Richard Ortiz 8 Shawn Charnaw Meghan Cohen Dora Oren 9 Dylan Abramovicz Zachary Garelik Pamela Katz David Norick

10 Kevin Sterling

www.templeetzchaim.org

11 Carla Korn Charlie Von Hoffmann 12 Cynthia Koepcke Benji Lazarus Steven Salant Jordan Tepfer Buzz Varley 13 Benjamin Ormond Liam Sabat 14 Hudson Friedman Emma Oren Jeffrey Rinkov Bennett Weiss 15 Andrea Ainley Melanie Gero Andrew Portman Hardy Warren Sean Wilkoff Annie Wynner

16 Sheldon Malchicoff August Riss 17 Jordan Dem Ben Goldblatt Lester Halpert 18 Hannah Rinkov Eric Schwartz Breanna Schwartzbach Nathan Stelman 19 Julie Sarto 21 Adam Ainley Leigh Bayewitch Mia Gerstel Caryl Label Dawson Speer

22 Hannah Crown-Yuro Brooklyn Falkenberg Jordan Friedman Matthew Gollub Noa Zimon

23 Zachary Korn Micah Tischler 24 Layla Marks 25 Susan Kane Samantha Wasserman 26 Lisa Bock Eric Feigenbaum Simon Levin

27 Arielle Bowens Aaron Kitzman Quinn Lelie Paul Lefko 28 Joseph Bayewitch Mandy Borys Alissa Fireman Sara Halpert Bert Schoenkerman Kenneth Warner 29 Adam Felson Ronald Groden Colin Milhaupt Amy Wallack David Zonshine 30 Jake Birnbaum Suzanne Fireman Jeff Longo Cyndi Mahler Ariel Roman David Yodkovik

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

2 Justin & Meghan Cohen David & Sandi Israel Paul & Paula Lefko Elliott & Lynne Smith 3 David & Alane Shechter Jeffrey & Christina Raskin 4 Bruce & Tess Wilkoff 5 Samuel & Megan Slomowitz Adam & Amy Gerstel Larry & Kathy Levit 6 Paul & Jenn Sonnenberg Rhim 10 Bruce & Alysa Polkes Larry & Dava Slomowitz 13 Paul & Sarah Sklar Barry & Joann Greenstein 15 Jamie & Jordan Friedman 17 Steven & Suzanne Plotkin 20 Scott & Debbie Jacoby 23 Michael & Brooke Paiva 24 Tom Milhaupt & Melissa Cohen 25 Harold & Lynne Lacy Merrill & Bonnie Goldenberg Kenneth & Julie Saul 26 Joe & Tamara Domingo

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Tributes

Men’s Club Scholar-in-Residence In Memory of Marilyn Zimmerman Shirley Lipkin In Memory of Gladys Fishman Alan Lipkin In Memory of Herman Strater Joel Shrater

Dunaier Music Fund

Men’s Club Silverstein Humanitarian Fund

In Memory of Eleanor Landau Gina Landau In Memory of Bertha Brody Arlene Trotter

In Honor of the Birth of Isaac Han Hollander In Honor of The Marriage of Jonathan and Allison Katz Myles & Gail Simpson

Early Childhood Education Fund

Rabbi Averbach’s Discretionary Fund In Memory of Harry N. Smith In Memory of William Smith Elliott & Lynne Smith

In Memory of David Isaac Cohen In Memory of Beatrice Cohen Bruce Cohen

In Memory of Sandra Miller In Honor of The Birth of Clyde Matthew Mesnik Ron & Shari Mark

In Memory of Regina Hime Koppel Richard Koppel In Memory of Hyman Foster Sylvia Koppel

In Memory of Samuel Levine Gary Levine In Memory of Irving Kessler Gilbert Kessler

Elisa Feldman Memorial RSSF In Honor of The Birth of Clyde Matthew Mesnik Les & Debbie Feldman

In Memory of Elliot Sturman In Memory of Fannie Sturman Martin Sturman

In Memory of Abraham Klapper In Memory of Sophie Schein Bonnie Goldenberg

In Memory of Irving Zwicker Joseph Zwicker

In Honor of the Birth of Sophie Jane Braverman Nomi Freed

In Appreciation of Rabbi Averbach and everything he has done for our family Sidney & Sheryl Gutmann

In Memory of Hardy Warren Patricia Kaye

In Memory of Terrill Oberman Robin Oberman

In Memory of Elisa Feldman Dori Kremer

Inbar Israel Travel and Education Scholarship Fund In Memory of Penny Meth Merrill Goldenberg In Memory of Maria Sabolch Siegel Judith Feldman

Jotkowitz Camp Ramah Scholarship Fund In Memory of Beatrice Cohen In Memory of Bertram Dallek Susan Cohen In Memory of Andrew “Bandi” Sabolch Judith Feldman In Memory of Hanna Hayman Ann Hayman In Memory of Martha Ehrlich In Memory of Max Jotkowitz In Memory of Molly Jotkowitz In Memory of Edward Jotkowitz Janice Perlman

Lipnick RSSF In Memory of Louis Rothman Bonnie Rothman In Memory of Wally Michelson Barbara Shannon In Memory of Dorann Bunkin In Memory of David Corn In Memory of Philip Bunkin In Memory of Julius Lipnick Michael Bunkin In Memory of Sam Pickman Phillip Pickman

In Memory of Ralph Raye Mark and Pamela Katz In Memory of Zavel Averbach Zane Averbch In Memory of Luzer Finkelstein Reuben Finkelstein In Memory of Maurice Sachs David Sachs In Memory of Eva Winer Mark Wolfson In Memory of Maxine Cohn In Memory of Marvin Cohn Marc Cohn In Honor of Rabbi Averbach’s 40th Birthday In Honor of The Birth of Isaac Han Hollander William & Cynthia Koepcke In Memory of Blanche Raye Pamela Katz In Honor of The Birth of Clyde Matthew Mesnik Rhonda Averbach In Appreciation of Rabbi Averbach for beautifully officiating Cameron’s Bar Mitzvah Paul & Toni Friedman In Memory of Ernest Solomon Marie Rubens In Honor of the Birth of Sophie Jane Braverman Myles & Gail Simpson In Memory of Pearl Schwager Nancy Schwager In Memory of Leon Kaminsky Ellen Stein Patricia Kaye In Honor of Rabbi Averbach’s 40th Birthday Herb Wexler

Men’s Club

In Honor of the Hebrew Names for the Grandchildren Jack & Judy Gindi

In Honor of The Birth of Sophie Jane Braverman Leland Shapiro

In Memory of Loved Ones Neil & Carolyn Bordofsky

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September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House William & Cynthis Koepcke

In Memory of Nureet Druyen In Memory of Benjamin Druyen In Memory of Dorothy Druyen In Memory of Gelnn Garvin In Memory of Irving Garvin In Memory of Eleanor Garvin In Memory of Zadock Perelson In Memory of Rachel Perelson In Memory of Betty Weiss In Memory of John Weiss Michael & Meredith Druyen

In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House Perry & Susan Pierce

Temple General Fund In Memory of Shirley Neustadt Jay & Debra Levine In Memory of Tillie Zabel John & Sandra Lutzker

In Honor of Lee Forman’s Birthday Ruth Forman

In Memory of Mary Green William Green

In Memory of Bruce Bluestein Julie Bluestein In Honor of Rabbi Averbch welcoming our family to TEC and including my Father, Alexander Cohen, on his Yahrzeit Julie Fehler In Memory of Hardy Warren Jeffrey Math & Cheryl Wofl

Religious School Fund In Memory of Leopold Sommerfeld Steven & Kendra Sternberg

In Memory of Sonya Gutman In Memory of Efim Gutman Zinovy Gutman In Memory of Max Minarsky Robert Peisner In Memory of Carol Elanie Bruce Gary & Vicky Myers-Kaseff Marilyn Jorrie In Memory of Ethel Lieberman Sheldon Malchicoff

In Memory of David Cohen Fred Cohen

In Memory of Herma Silverstein Richard Saly

In Memory of Ida Goldstein Susan Cohen

In Honor of The Birth of Sophie Jane Braverman Herb Wexler

In Memory of Pearl Schwartz In Memory of Florence Goldfinger Robin Goldfinger

In Memory of Carl Shiff II Samuel Rivkin

In Memory of Bernice Banker Jodi Greenberg In Memory of Beatrice Cohen Fred Cohen

Ritual Fund In Memory of David Isaac Cohen Susan Cohen In Honor of the Birth of Clyde Matthew Mesnik David and Rebeccah Schwartz In Honor of the Birth of Clyde Matthew Mesnik Myles & Gail Simpson In Honor of the Birth of Clyde Matthew Mesnik William & Cynthia Koepcke In Honor of the Birth of Sophie Jane Braverman Jeffrey Math & Cheryl Wolf

Sandee Tischler RSSF In Memory of Sarah Ratzan In Memory of Frieda Bass Jerome Ratzan In Memory of Hardy Warren In Memory of Rae Carlin In Memory of Alfred Warm Jerome & Dawne Ratzan

In Memory of Sylvia Dallek Susan Cohen In Memory of Hardy Warren Eric Feigenbaum

Tzedakah Fund In Memory of Florence Greenberg Janis Leshnov In Memory of Michael Wexler In Memory of Mary Wexler In Memory of Carol Paskow In Memory of Moshe Rubinstein In Memory of Charlotte Levine Hammer Herb Wexler In Memory of Sharon Kluber Barbara Kluber In Memory of Michael Tobin Rosemary Tobin In Memory of Irving Greenfeld Harry Greenfeld

USY Youth & Scholarship Fund In Memory of Jean Belzer Simon Cohen In Memory of Moshe Cohen In Memory of Melvin Harold Simon In Memory of Mary Yaffa Rosemary Tobin

Social Action Fund In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House Myles & Gail Simpson In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House William & Cynthia Koepcke In Honor of Susan Flaschner’s Birthday In Honor of Kevin and Maureen Axelrad’s Anniversary In Honor of Richard and Marion Lessman’s Anniversary In Honor of Benny & Irma Sommerfeld’s Anniversary In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House Patricia Kaye

Women of TEC In Honor of The Birth of Sophie Jane Braverman In Memory of Hardy Warren Elissa Lazarus

Women of TEC Scholarship Fund In Memory of Adolf Tiefentha Ann Moore-Ross

In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House Mark & Heidi Birnbaum

Women of TEC Torah Fund

In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House David Munowitch & Emily Habib

In Memory of Perle Gil Barbara Krupin

www.templeetzchaim.org

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

TEMPLE ETZ CHAIM PRESENTS

FRIDAY

9/8 5-7 PM

WITH

Create Studio from Agoura Hills will be joining us for creative fun under the Patio Tent.

All ages welcome! Create an artistic masterpiece with sustainable materials.

Pizza will be served at 6pm. $10 per person.

CLICK TO RSVP

https://tec-to.org/create-shabbat

www.templeetzchaim.org

1080 E. Janss Rd. •September Thousand CA -91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org 19 2023Oaks, | Elul 5783 Tishrei 5784

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September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

HELP US REACH OUR ANNUAL GOAL

SPONSORED BY

WOMEN OF TEC

Kick-Off Ice Cream Social

Tuesday, September 12th • 7:30pm in Spiegel Hall Enjoy Kibbutzing, Ice Cream and learning about the 2023-2024 Torah Fund Campaign, Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Ba'Zeh (All the People of Israel are Responsible for One Another).

No fee to attend, but must rsvp by Friday, September 8th Dairy-free options available.

RSVP to Phyllis Dankberg: (805) 795-3342 or phyllis@dankberg.com

www.templeetzchaim.org

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org 21 September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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TEMPLE ETZ CHAIM

ROSH HASHANAH

ETROG

APPLES AND HONEY

YOM KIPPOR

LULAV

RAISIN CHALLAH

SHOFAR

TORAH

LSHANAH TOVAH

SUKKOT

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

Color these Symbols of the New Year

Connect the Dots

www.templeetzchaim.org

September 2023 | Elul 5783 - Tishrei 5784

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Available:

2 BURIAL PLOTS (side by side) At Mount Sinai, Simi Valley

SECTION: Plains of Abraham LOCATION: Map 33, Lot 5212, Space 1 & 2

ENDOWMENT AND TRANSFER FEE INCLUDED

ASKING PRICE: $14,500.00 Contact Mindy with questions: (805) 368-0481 • mindyyaras@gmail.com