ETZERTERA - January 2024

JANUARY 2024

ISSUE 1

Inside This Issue

PAGE 3

PAGE 4

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Meet our Cantorial Candidate

Letters from Our Leaders

Remembering Rabbi Paskow

Contents 3 4 6 8 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 24

Meet our Cantorial Candidate Letters From Our Leaders TEC Education TEC Community January Calendar Birthdays & Anniversaries B’nai Mitzvah TEC Tributes Remembering Rabbi Paskow Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class Memorial Receptions Available Torah Fund Community Garden Fundraiser Upcoming Events Kids’ Corner

Clergy Rabbi Ari Averbach Interim Cantor Kenny Ellis Associate Chaplain Benny Sommerfeld Rabbi Emeritus Richard Spiegel Rabbi Emeritus Simon Paskow (z”l)

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

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

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

Join TEC on Social Media!

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, At-Large Rachel Carmona

Stay up-to-date with community events, news and happenings. Follow us on your favorite social platform.

Trustee, Bingo Arnie Blitstein

Search for @templeetzchaim across all platforms. On Facebook search for Temple Etz Chaim as well as Temple Etz Chaim Preschool.

President, Men’s Club Irwin Barney

Trustee, Governance Steve Plotkin Trustee, Programming Dan Lubetkin Trustee, Sustainability Ely Jacobsohn 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

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Letters from Our Leaders Rabbi Ari Averbach

rabbiaverbach@templeetzchaim.org

One of our goals as a synagogue is to make the synagogue feel smaller. While we hope our membership continues to grow (we have a few dozen new families since last year!), we hope that no one gets lost in the community.

brought to Southern California by my childhood rabbi, Harold M. Schulweis (z”l), it is a way to bring friends together, and to bring Judaism into the home. For families to share their lives with each other, and form lifelong connections.

Rabbi Paskow was a master of this. He would spot new people at services or programs, introduce himself, and then introduce them to others in the room. It is how he grew Etz Chaim to the warm and welcoming place it is today. And it is a method I try to emulate.

With so many new families, we are looking to strengthen our Havurah program. If you are interested in learning more, or in joining a Havurah, let me know, and I will help set you up with others who are in a similar demographic, so you have people with whom to share Jewish moments. And it will help our growing community still feel tight-knit.

One way to make such a large place feel smaller is through the Havurah program. First developed on the east coast, and then

Benny Sommerfeld, Chaplain benny@templeetzchaim.org

Happy New Secular Year! 2024 is here, it is time yet again to look back on what was good, bad, memorable, forgettable, successes, failures, and an inventory of who we are at this point and time.

We do this naturally at least twice a year on Rosh Hashanah and Pesach which are halfway marks away from each other in the Jewish calendar. January 1st is a bonus opportunity and in that sense that we can revisit where we are and make some corrections if we so desire. Out with the old and in with the new is a saying where we welcome the new year by purging what we don’t want to hold on to going forward.

It was Hanukkah that was stolen this time around, not by the Grinch but by the world around us. The prevalent rise in antisemitism at our universities in particular and in our neighborhoods in general, leaves

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a bitter taste for the year to come. The war in Israel, has unfortunately dominated last three months of 2023. The uncertainty of what is going to happen is high and it is hard to know what the future will hold.

We can mitigate this situation by coming together as a community.

Come to our events and celebrate with us! We have a lot of exciting programming coming up. Every week’s services give you a chance to recharge entering the sanctified time of Shabbat. Make room in your calendar, we are planning for a Musician in Residence weekend with Micah Bernhard on January 19-21. We will have a Shabbat dinner on Friday 1/19 and of course a lot of music over the entire weekend.

For the first time in years, we are planning a TEC Shabbaton at Camp Alonim, in Simi Valley, on March 29-31. It will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with our community. I’m looking forward to seeing you at our TEC events. Happy New Year!

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Eric Feigenbaum, President eric@templeetzchaim.org

At the end of last month, we lost Rabbi Emeritus Shimon Paskow, TEC’s first full-time rabbi with a tenure of more than 30 years.

It’s hard to imagine a Temple Etz Chaim without Rabbi Paskow.

At eight-years-old when I walked into what was then the brand new sanctuary, Rabbi Paskow was there – woven into the fabric of everything about temple life.

One amazing skill Rabbi Paskow had was to recognize who was new at any given service or event, walk up to them, introduce himself, learn something about them and then introduce them to someone he thought might be a compatible match – a fellow physician, someone else who came from Ohio, another family with similaraged children. Whatever connection he could make. He gave kids cookies, learned their names and ages and he never forgot a single detail including how long it had been since he last saw them.

Rabbi Paskow understood that everyone wants to be seen and heard and when they do, they feel they belong.

“Don’t leave before we get a chance to say hello!” Rabbi Paskow

would say after the hamotzi at oneg. And always “L’Chaim, Etz Chaim” as before he took a sip of wine.

Through this method, Rabbi Paskow built a thriving synagogue in the Conejo Valley where at the time he started, there was only a handful of Jewish families. By the time of my Bar Mitzvah in 1990, kids had to sometimes share B’nai Mitzvah services there were so many each year.

While there is so much more to be said about Rabbi Paskow, we all owe him a debt of gratitude for his vision and determination that built this shul and community we all enjoy. While Rabbi Spiegel and Rabbi Averbach have each added to our TEC and taken us further down the road and in-step with the times in which we are living, Rabbi Paskow gave us the foundation on which we stand – literally and figuratively.

I thank him for all he gave me personally and all the good thoughts and warm feelings he shared.

Gideon Manzur, Executive Director gideon@templeetzchaim.org

This final quarter of 2023 has been an emotional roller coaster for the TEC community. In sadness we have collectively mourned the loss of thousands during the atrocities of October 7th and the untimely death of Paul Kessler, to sharing simchas and holidays together, and through it all we have found a way to be together – TEC STRONG. This strength of community is helping to guide me as the co-chair of the 2024 North American Association of Synagogue Executives (NAASE) Solidarity Mission and Conference.

In February, I will be co-leading the conference of over 25 Executive Directors from across North America for an immersive experience in Israel – focusing on service, solidarity, and professional development. Our goal is to provide much-needed volunteer support to Israel and its people. We believe that our collective efforts will bring them tangible assistance and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to Israel and its people when they need it most.

Our team will participate in hands-on volunteerism with Leket, picking fresh fruits and vegetables for needy families and evacuees or preparing food packages at their distribution center.

In addition, we will “adopt the farmers” and help them with various work in the agricultural sector, an area hard hit because

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many of the workers are from Gaza.

We will connect with Israeli soldiers in rehab from injuries sustained in battle, and learn first-hand about their challenges and triumphs, and provide support as needed.

We will participate in the mitzvah of Bikur Cholim at Soroka Hospital in Beersheva and/or at hospitals in Jerusalem and bring care packages to the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Center. We will also pay shiva calls for fallen Lone Soldiers.

Now, here’s the part where our TEC Community can help! We are looking at bringing with us suitcases filled with cold weather gear (i.e., long underwear, beanies, jackets, etc.) for the soldiers, and coloring books, crayons, and non-mechanical toys for the children that are displaced. Financial contributions that I will personally deliver to the IDF in Israel will also be accepted.

To get involved, please contact me at gideon@templeetzchaim.org.

We welcome any contributions you can offer, and we encourage you to spread the word about this mission among your friends and family.

I wish you and your family a safe and wonderful 2024.

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

Happy New Year! As we begin a new year and the second half of our school year, we look forward to coming back from winter break and getting back to our classroom routines and learning!

Tu B’Shevat, the birthday of the trees, will be celebrated in the month of January with planting in our garden boxes, singing songs, and reading stories about trees and how important they are to our world! Outdoor learning is so good for all of us! The children love to visit our apple trees, pick up pine cones from the pine trees, and do creative art with all the different leaves around TEC. This year we are planning a Tu B’Shevat celebration on Thursday, January 25th led by Rabbi Averbach.

Before we know it, we will be starting registration for the 2024-25 school year! In the month of February, all current TEC preschool and infant families will be asked to register for the new school year

and then we will start filling open spaces from our Wait List and new registrations after that.

Our January Tot Shabbat will be on Friday, January 19th at 6:00 p.m. We look forward to having dinner and celebrating Shabbat with Rabbi Averbach, Miss Bobbie, Debbie, Keri and all our friends and TEC families!

The staff and I all appreciate your support and helping us with all our health and safety protocols, and Brightwheel communication!

We are so happy to be at school with your children and working very hard to keep everyone healthy and safe and have fun learning all at the same time!

Wishing everyone a very happy, healthy, and bright New Year 2024!

Thank you for being a part of our Temple Etz Chaim family!

Joyce Bronstein, Religious School Director joyce@templeetzchaim.org

Happy 2024! The staff and I are looking forward to seeing our students, with the first day back from break scheduled for Sunday, January 7th.

Save the date and sign up for “Havdalah and Hotdogs” on February 3rd at 5:30 pm. While the event’s name remains the same, the theme changes each year. This year, the theme is “Peace.”

As always, I anticipate an evening filled with programs and activities for the entire family. We have great projects planned for all age groups, promising to create lasting memories for everyone involved. Additional information is available in the Bulletin, and we encourage you to sign up on Shulcloud today to help us plan accordingly. Your presence will make this day truly special. So dust off your T.E.C. scrapbook and get ready to fill its pages with pictures and fun memories from this upcoming event.

A heartfelt Todah Rabah (Thank You) goes out to Karen Garelik, Heidi Birnbaum, Susan Kane, Linda Friedlander, Carl Friedlander, Steve Friedman, Pam Friedman, and Merrill Kaminsky for their dedicated efforts in planning and preparing for “Havdalah and Hotdogs.” Special thanks also to our Religious School teachers who generously volunteer their time to manage each station and 6

assist participants. A big Todah Rabah to Niki and Mark Stokols for overseeing the yearly beloved wax hand activity. A special sincere thank you to Adya Riss, V.P. of Religious School Ed, and all the Education Committee members for their role in setting up before the big event.

A shout-out goes to the hotdog and food committee for their dedication to making this program successful. They are a fantastic group, and I want to thank them for their combined effort in preparing and serving the dinner.

An event of this magnitude requires the collaborative efforts of many talented individuals, and I sincerely thank everyone involved. Your commitment is what makes Havdallah and Hotdogs so special.

On a different note, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join the fun and sign up for the Shabbaton at Camp Alonim. Special programs for all ages are planned, and it promises to be a great time. I can’t wait to participate in this weekend’s activities and hope you will join us.

Here’s to a year filled with joy, community, and peace!

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

Hanukkah has come and gone, but the warmth and gratitude of the holiday lingers like the miraculous oil in the story. It’s not every shul that gets a visit from the County Sherrif Jim Fryhoff, District Attorney Erik Nasarenko, and the DA’s chief investigator Dean Watson. These leaders came to show their support and solidarity with our community, and we are grateful to them.

Our gratitude extends further — from Create Studios, fun and games in the Wolfson, to candle-lighting, services, and Israeli folk-dancing with Maya Tenenbaum, the Hanukkah community celebration was a blast. It would not have been possible without Karen Garelik, Heidi Birnbaum, Dan and Lori Lubetkin and their family, Eric Feigenbaum, Shari Mark, Felicia Toporoff, Adam Felsen, Sammy Edgar, Elisha Eliana and Ariella Manzur, Dave Abramovicz, Mark Zuckerman and the team from Men’s Club, Ann Ross, Cynthia Koepcke, WOTEC, Shari Mark, Shane Silverstein, Gideon Manzur, Sandi Israel, Jill Rosenberg, Joyce Bronstein, Leo Bronstein, Mariano Dugatkin, Cantor Kenny Ellis, Benny Sommerfeld, Cheryl Wolf, and our leader, Rabbi Averbach.

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Mark your calendars for two special events on January 28: Tu B’Shevat celebration in the garden from 9:30 – 10:30. This year we will plant an avocado tree as well as admire the beautiful growth in our garden over the past year! Come see how our amphitheater is coming along. A highlight of the day will be hearing from Rabbi Averbach.

TEC is proud to bring the award-winning and best-selling author of The Cooking Gene and Kosher Soul, Michael Twitty, to TEC for an evening of cooking and conversation. Space is limited. Look for ways to sign up and for more information soon!

TECY/USY had active, creative Hanukkah lounges and are looking forward to the new year! Join Adam Felsen, Sammy Edgar, and Hannah Meyer as we build friendships and community and have a lot of fun in 2024. We look forward to seeing all of our Machar (K-2), Kadima (grades 3-5), Middle School TECY/USY and Senior (HS) TECY/USY!

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TEC Community Linda Hutchings, President, Women of TEC Women of TEC had a busy December! We hosted our annual Membership Luncheon and it was a wonderful success with a large turnout and we were especially delighted to see so many brand new synagogue members in attendance! The entertainment featured a musical performance by Becca Peyton and her singing partner, Jack. They were phenomenal and the audience was truly wowed! We raised over $1600 in prize drawing tickets to help fund our Jewish camp scholarship program — there were nearly 40 prize baskets! I want to extend a huge Thank You to our Committee that worked tirelessly to organize and coordinate every detail of the event: Elissa Lazarus, Cynthia Koepcke, Phyllis Dankberg, Gloria Semer and Tami Ratzan Wank, and also, a big

thank you to Jill Rosenberg and Shane Silverstein for all of their help. Thank you too to Irma Sommerfeld for taking photos and to Carol Shoenkerman for making the lovely centerpieces!

We are excited for our upcoming January event: Havdallah, Israeli Wine Tasting & Appetizers. The event is Saturday, January 20th at 5:30pm. The cost is $36 per person and we will do a separate nonalcoholic beverage tasting for those who are not wine drinkers.

Please see the flyer in the Temple & WOTEC emails to RSVP. In February, we will be doing a Babka Bake. You can learn how to make babka and have fun shmoozing with friends! Mark your calendars for Tuesday, February 27th @ 6:30pm.

WOTEC Calendar of Events 1/20 2/27 3/24 4/14 5/5

Havdallah & Wine Tasting & Appetizers. 5:30pm Babka Bake. 6:30 pm Volunteer @ Purim Carnival. 3/24 Beach Sunset & Games Day (Bring your own dinner) Co-Sponsored with Men’s Club.

Friendship Tea (bring a mother/father, daughter/son, sister/ brother, niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, friend). 11:30am

Irwin Barney, President, Men’s Club On the evening of December 5, Gary Katz lead a session of Hearing Men’s Voices. The program was geared to younger men in the Temple Etz Chaim community and addressed the topic “How do young Jewish men balance work, life, family, and fun? Attendees enjoyed a meaningful discussion and the opportunity to meet fellow TEC members. They look forward to more sessions in the future.

The Men’s Club helped with the TEC Chanukah Celebration on Friday evening December 8. We prepared latkes and served them at the Fun for Kids activity before services and at the Oneg, Israeli Music and Dancing after services.

Another Adventure in Learning activity, Photography Fun, will take place on Sunday afternoon January 21. It will combine hiking and the chance to take outdoor photographs along the way.

Please mark your calendar to attend the Western Region FJMC Man of the Year/ Youth of the Year Brunch which will be held at Temple 8

Etz Chaim this year on January 28 at 10:00 AM. The region includes twenty-one synagogues from eight states. Our club will shortly be announcing our honorees, and we look forward to you joining us in celebrating them.

You should have recently received a mailing to your home announcing the Men’s Club annual Scholar in Residence program. This year’s speaker is Shira Telushkin who is a religion writer and reporter living in Brooklyn. We are honored to debut a speaker with intergenerational appeal who has an engaging and charming approach to a wide range of relevant contemporary topics that touch our lives today. Shira will be joining us throughout the weekend of April 5 to 7. Please review the materials provided in the mailing to learn more about Shira and how you can help support this meaningful program. Finally, thanks to Mark Zucherman, our Scholar in Residence chair, who is coordinating the program.

Last, a Happy 2024 to everyone.

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Pam Friedman, VP, Social Action Each, month Social Action answers our community’s call for help and support. Let’s look back at a few of the outreach projects that we have accomplished this year to help our community.

We supported Adelante Comunidad’s program that provides groceries and produce for those who are food insecure. This group meets twice a month at the United Methodist Church across the parking lot.

Social Action works year-round with Harbor House’s Feed the Hungry Program. Once a month our Temple community joins together to donate food and make 70 lunches for Feed the Hungry program. This simple act of kindness reached more than 800 people last year.

Mitzvah Day which occurs every November, is the day where we work together on outreach projects to help people in our community who are in need. This year’s projects included Homeless Comfort Kits, blankets, lunches for the hungry, and many other projects. On Mitzvah Day everyone made something that was donated to people in need: a refugee, a foster child, or someone who needs something to eat.

We made first aid kits for homeless veterans that had moved into a new Many Mansions supportive housing unit. We participated in the ADL, Walk against Hate and sponsored a booth at the event.

We made welcome baskets for refugee families. Due to the generous support, we were able to make 45 baskets that included kitchen baskets with pots and pans, bathroom baskets with bath towels and cleaning baskets with laundry detergent.

Safe Passages an organization that helps children stay out of gangs, asked for our help with their summer swim program by donating tote bags, towels, sunscreen and googles. We hoped to make 50 swim bags, but we were able to put together 70 bags.

Our Adopt a Family program supported families and children at Many Mansions, the Westminster at Free Clinic, homebound seniors from Meals on Wheels, and our local homeless community via Harbor House. We asked for toys and gifts and gift cards.

Then we filled carloads with gifts and packages, which provided comfort and joy.

There were so many ways to give an act of kindness a mitzvah.

Please join us this year.

Susan Kane, Chairperson, Inclusion Committee The Inclusion Committee is committed to making Temple Etz Chaim a safe, welcoming, caring, and inclusive Jewish community for all people, with special respect and understanding for varied religious upbringing, education, level of observance, ethnic origin, skin color, physical or mental limitations, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Our committee is a diverse group of TEC members who care deeply about ensuring that Temple Etz Chaim is welcoming and inclusive of all, both those who are currently connected to our community and those who wish to be connected.

Areas of specific focus for this committee include: • Interfaith and Differing Backgrounds • Accessibility • Communication • Gender and Sexuality • Racial Justice At Etz Chaim we are grateful for the diverse journeys that bring people to our community which includes those who have been Jewish their whole lives; those who have chosen to join the Jewish people as part of their own spiritual journeys; and interfaith families.

We strive to make participation in education, worship, cultural and social activities welcoming and accessible to all. We believe that we are strengthened by the gifts that all members of our community www.templeetzchaim.org

bring, and we extend a warm welcome to those who are part of our family and fellow travelers in our work to make the world more filled with caring, love and responsibility. We hope that you too will find a place in our community.

Magnifying sheets are now available to support those with vision impairment. They will be available in the lobby to be used during services. Please return them to the lobby at the conclusion of services.

Should you need them for any other temple related activity, please notify the office in advance to make arrangements.

Upcoming events include: • Jews of Color Shabbat (celebrating Black History Month) Late January/February date TBA • Jewish Disability Month Awareness February programming and dates coming soon • Pride Shabbat: June 7th – 8th 2024 The Inclusion Committee seeks to expand the opportunities for full participation and support by listening to congregants’ needs and experiences so we can advocate for positive changes. We certainly don’t have all the answers, so we are leading with curiosity and welcome your thoughts and suggestions... Where can we improve and what are we doing well... Email us at Inclusion@templeetzchaim.org

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Dates to Remember

January SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

1

2

3

4

5

6 Naomi Dvir Bat Mitzvah

7

8

9

10

11

12

13 Mia & Eli Schwartz B’nai Mitzvah Men’s Club

Havdallah & Bowling

14

21

15

16

Martin Luther King Day

Book Club via Zoom Feed the Hungry

22

23

17

28

19

20

Musician in Residence: Micah Bernhard 19th - 21st

24

Board Meeting

25

26

WOTEC Havdalah & Wine Tasting

27 Marco Cohen Bat Mitzvah

Tu B’Shevat

Photography Fun

Tu B’Shevat

18

29

30

31

Garden Celebration

Sunday Schmooze Michael Twitty, The Cooking Gene

Men’s Club

Man of the Year Brunch

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Birthdays & Anniversaries

January 1 Nasser Moradian 2 Robert Malone Catherine Michaels Howard Rutten Amanda Sissman Jeanne Weiss 3 Lynne Lacy 4 Gail Kogen Tova Lubetkin David Michaels Sarah Orlin Ashley Yodkovik 5 Pamela Friedman Suzanne Plotkin Barbara Rosenberg 7 Jason Berkowitz Dorothy Charnaw Beckett Cohen Adaya Hopstone Sandy Lasarow Frank Lewin Sydney Torgan 8 Layla Anderson Sara Blakely Reece Friedman Natalia Staneva-Yankevich 9 Joel Balbien Noah Finn Zachary Finn Rachel Harris Adam Kerner Mia Schwartz Eli Schwartz 10 Scott Levin Maia Wolf 11 David Borla Ryan Evans Spencer Goodman Katie Mitchell Owen Urbach 12

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Danielle Herrera Marilyn Schneider Romi Zimon 13 Bill Lasarow David Schwartz Andy Smith Scott Wasserman 14 Kayitz Finley Sam Greenberg Tali Hopstone Avrum Rosen Bruce Wilkoff Inez Zucherman 15 Adrianne Bordofsky Mika Hoffmann Abigail Morgenstern Andrew Pevsner Asher Sklar 16 Erika Field Sheena Gelfound Katie Werner 17 Joyce Bronstein Cindy Goldberg Ely Jacobsohn 18 Cleveland Bowens Lila Evans Brandlyn Kitzman Susan Pierce Rob Silverstein Mia Sonnenberg-Rhim Alaina Soria Annabelle Soria

Heidi Birnbaum Stephen Fienberg Ellis Ghodsian Julie Goldstein Barbara Shannon Robyn Shrater Seemann Maureen Watson 23 Kevin Pugh Joshua Tenenbaum 24 Benjamin Goldstein Jaden Goldstein Benjamin Harris 25 Alistair Berg Andrew Cowan Aleece Kaiser-Durkee Matthew Nordahl Harriet Shrater 26 Peggy Barukh Laura Dugatkin Jeanne Mitchell Megan Slomowitz Logan Stein 27 Kimberly Bader Jackie Blitstein Joshua Garelik Aaron Kass Heather Nordahl Morgan Ratzan-Wank Susan Simowitz Alec Weinstein Jonathon Wolfson Colin Zwicker 28 Marco Cohen Dana Neufeld

20 Justin Cohen Shawn Moradian Matthew Savalas Zachary Warren

29 Richard Edgar Cole Levinsohn

21 Jessica Jacoby Michael Katz Eli Katz Eli Perlmutter Alane Shechter

30 Lisa Braverman

22 Jessica Ashcraft

4 Kenneth & Linda Leon Eugene Yankevich & Natalia Staneva-Yankevich 12 Steven & Pamela Friedman David & Nicole Lelie 14 Jason Schwartz & Jennifer Flam Robert & Lynne Zuckerman 16 Adam & Jessica Lerner Daniel & Danielle Wachs 17 Kenneth & Laurel Warner 18 Max & Navy Honigsberg 20 David & Rachel Carmona 21 Les & Debbie Feldman 27 Carl & Judith Weiss

Pam Rudman 28 Arnold & Diane Rudman

31 Julian DeSalay Mark Katz Michele Margolis Joshua Schwartz Ryan Winthrop

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B’nai Mitzvah

Naomi Dvir

January 6

Hi, my name is Naomi Dvir. I am in the seventh grade at Mariposa Middle School.

I’ve been attending Etz Chaim since kindergarten where I’ve made amazing friends. I have loved to dance since I could walk, I dance at the Retters Academy of Dance (RAD). I want to thank all of my Religious School teachers, Joyce, Sarah and Rabbi Ari and especially my Bat Mitzvah tutor and Savta, Rivka Moscovitch and my parents who helped me prepare for this special milestone.

Marco Cohen

January 27

Hi, I am Marco Cohen. I am 12 years old, and I have been at Temple Etz Chaim since I was 2! I have always loved Temple Etz Chaim and all my friends here. I love to write superhero books, and make movies. I would like to thank Rabbi Averbach, my Bat Mitzvah tutor, Betty, Joyce, Cantor Kenny, all of my Religious School teachers, all of my friends, and my TEC community, for helping me prepare for my Bat Mitzvah.

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Mia Schwartz

January 13

Hi, I’m Mia Shaya Schwartz. I was born in Gujarat, India in 2011. I lived in Concord, California until the age of 10, after which I then moved to Southern California.

I have gone to Temple Etz Chaim since 5th grade. I have made such amazing friends at Religious School, and I love to go to Youth Group! When I’m not at Religious School, I am a 7th Grader at Cabrillo Middle School. One of my favorite hobbies of all time is doing aerial silks, which I started doing when I was six years old. I also enjoy all things art, running, and playing soccer. In helping me prep for the “Big Mitzvah”, I would like to thank Rabbi Averbach, Cantor Kenny, Rivka, Joyce, and all my Religious School teachers. I’m excited to celebrate with all my family and friends, many of whom have come from far away. I want to thank my parents for all their love and support. Lastly, special “Thank You” to my Oma for her Oma-ness! and my amazing cat Ellie.

Eli Schwartz

January 13

Hello, I’m Eli Schwartz. I’m in the 7th Grade at Cabrillo Middle School. I was born through surrogacy in Gujarat, India and spent my younger years in Northern California. I moved to Ventura when I was 10 years old and started going to Temple Etz Chaim a few months after. Ever since I could remember, I’ve been interested in Judaism and its traditions. When I started at Etz Chaim, I felt like we weren’t doing anything really “Jewish.” As the days, weeks, and months went by, I’ve really realized that everything we were doing was 100% Jewish — the history of Judaism, Jewish holidays and music, even the “art of Judaism.” Now, as I near Bar Mitzvah, I am connecting with Judaism better than ever from Jewish culture to Jewish camp and also, learning more prayers. I would like to thank Rabbi Ari, Joyce, Rivkah, Ellen, and Cantor Kenny as my teacher and tutor for helping me on this journey. I hope to be engaging even more at Etz Chaim after my Bar Mitzvah. Thank you to everyone for being here to celebrate with me on this special day.

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Tributes Early Childhood Education Fund In Honor of the Birth of Ethan Dylan Carmona Scott & Debbie Blumenthal In Memory of Charles Arthur Koppel Richard Koppel In Memory of Irving Dallek Susan E. Cohen

Elisa Feldman Memorial RSSF In Memory of Seymour Feldman Les & Debbie Feldman

In Honor of the birth of Ethan Dylan Carmona Les & Debbie Feldman Karen Lynne Sugarman In Memory of David Sachs Les & Debbie Feldman In Memory of Sara Freed Nomi Freed

Fienberg-Lerner Chapel Minyan Fund In Honor of the publication of a wonderful document and portrait of Leah Shechter by Rabbi Jack Shechter Patricia Kaye

Jotkowitz Camp Ramah Scholarship Fund In Memory of Sylvia Mahler Harvey Mahler

In Memory of David Sachs James & Judy Rosenbaum

Kiddush Fund

In Honor of the Birth of Ethan Dylan Carmona William & Cynthia Koepcke Sidney & Sheryl Gutmann With Special Thanks to Wendy Margolis Sidney & Sheryl Gutmann

Lipnick RSSF

In Memory of David Sachs Ron & Sybil Goldstein

Men’s Club Silverstein Humanitarian Fund In Memory of Bernie Silverstein Richard & Gari Saly In Memory of Wilma Saly Richard Saly & Gari Saly In Memory of Joe Simpson Myles & Gail Simpson

Rabbi Averbach’s Discretionary Fund In Memory of Anne Platt Ronald Groden

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In Memory of Joseph Markowitz Bonnie Garfinkel

dedicated, compassionate and excellent service.

Patricia Kaye

In Memory of Evelyn Dubinsky Jeff Schoenwald

In Appreciation of Rabbi Averbach. Thank you for the special Bat Mitzvah weekend for Marlo!

Steven & Jennifer Golove

Tzedakah Benny Sommerfeld In Memory of Jylian Mendelson Beau Mann In Memory of Sheri Ganstwig Elisha and Gideon Manzur In Memory of Francine Raileanu In Memory of Jordan Raileanu In Memory of Ruth Beaudry Michael Raileanu In Memory of Leo Mahler Harvey Mahler In Memory of Phyllis Davidson Lavitt Cathy Sternstein In Honor of the Birth of Ethan Dylan Carmona Dan & Lori Lubetkin Fran Curtis

Eileen Sachs

Religious School Fund In Memory of Josephine Berman Cynthia Urbach

In Memory of Abraham Goldstein Susan E. Cohen In Memory of Esther Kane Daniel Kane

Sandee Tischler RSSF

In Memory of Marcelle Carlin In Memory of Stephan Alan Bass Jerome & Dawne Ratzan

Social Action Fund

In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House William & Cynthia Koepcke In Honor of Feed the Hungry for Harbor House Myles & Gail Simpson

In Memory of Henry Zonshine In Memory of Minnie Zonshine Robert Zonshine

TEC Garden Fund

In Memory of David Sachs Bonnie Rothman

Temple General Fund

In Memory of Gerald Schwager Charles Schwager In Memory of Hilda Presser Francine Finkelstein In Honor of Our New Grandson Ethan Dylan Carmona Mike & Miriam Carmona In Memory of Rose E. Smith Elliott & Lynne Smith In Memory of Cecelia Pfefferman Arthur Pfefferman In Memory of Katherine Spero Lynda Kessler In Memory of Dorothy Weiss Jeanne Weiss In Memory of Esther Kane Daniel Kane In Memory of Herman Sturman In Memory of Fannie Sturman Martin Sturman

In Honor of the Garden Bench William & Cynthia Koepcke In Memory of Betty Honigsberg Max Honigsberg In Memory of Beatrice Foster Sylvia Koppel In Memory of David Sachs Judith Sneed In Memory of Maurice Samson Donald Samson In Memory of Sylvia Samson Donald Samson

Tzedakah Fund

In Memory of Lillian Bettman Kluber Lou Kluber In Memory of Benjamin Marx David Marx

Women of TEC Lala Troxel

Women of TEC Torah Fund In Memory of Maye Natalie Greene Israel & Beth Perel

In Honor of Buzz Shoenkerman’s special honor for length of service to Los Robles Hospital for all the wonderful,

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

In Memor y of Rabbi Shimon Paskow 1932 – 2023

Rabbi Paskow played a significant role in the growth and development of our community, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who knew him.

Rabbi Paskow served as Senior Rabbi at Temple Etz Chaim from August 1969 to July 2000, after which he became Rabbi Emeritus.

He transformed our congregation from a handful of members into a major synagogue, growing exponentially during his tenure. His leadership guided the construction of our magnificent sanctuary on a beautiful campus, a testament to his dedication and vision.

A true community builder, Rabbi Paskow had a unique ability to connect with individuals, making them feel welcome and at home. Many of us joined Temple Etz Chaim because of him, and he had a lasting impact on those who grew up with him as their Rabbi. He never forgot a name or any detail he learned about you, embodying the spirit of warmth and inclusivity.

Beyond his contributions to our synagogue, Rabbi Paskow received honors from Jewish and local civic organizations for his dedicated work to the Jewish community and the community at large. He passionately supported Israel, expressing his dedication through visits, fundraising, and inspiring sermons. His commitment to education extended beyond Temple Etz Chaim, as he taught Torah

www.templeetzchaim.org

at the University of Judaism and the Hebrew Union College.

In recognition of his service, Rabbi Paskow received the Torch of Learning award from the Hebrew University in Israel. The Israel Ministry of Tourism also presented him and his late wife Carol with special recognition for leading numerous tours to Israel.

Rabbi Paskow’s life was characterized by service, both to his country and his community. He served as a Jewish chaplain in the United States Army, earning the Meritorious Service Award in 1993. Even after retirement, he continued to serve the local Jewish community in Thousand Oaks.

In August 2022, Rabbi Paskow’s beloved wife, Carol, passed away after a prolonged illness. Their daughter, Rabbi Michele Paskow, who grew up at TEC along with her two sons, now serves as the Rabbi of Congregation B’nai Emet in Simi Valley.

To honor the legacy of Rabbi Shimon Paskow and his late wife Carol, our sanctuary is named the Paskow Sanctuary—a reminder of their enduring impact on our community.

Rabbi Paskow’s funeral was held at Mt Sinai - Simi Valley on Wednesday, December 20, at 2:30 pm. Let us come together as a community to support one another during this difficult time.

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

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January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

The Mitzvah Committee is here to help... and remember your loved ones.

MEMORIAL RECEPTION Services offered by Women of TEC Mitzvah Committee

What to Expect We will be at your house a day or two before the funeral, or as time permits, for planning and any questions. We will arrive at your house half hour to one hour before you leave for the cemetery to receive any last-minute instructions. Our volunteers will be there to accept all deliveries and complete the set-up.

We will provide:

Family provides:

• Handwashing station to be set up outside, in front of the door, including water pitcher, paper towels, TV tray and trash bag • Hard-boiled eggs (12) • Challah, wine and mini wine cups • Large and small paper plates, napkins, and cutlery • Hot and cold cups • Ice cubes in a cooler • Large coffee maker, coffee, tea bags • Sugar, sweeteners, mocha mix • Large plastic trash bags

• Tablecloth, serving platters and utensils • Cold drinks, water bottles • Folding chairs

Have the deli/bakery deliver: • Platters of food, bread, salads, cakes, etc.

Special Instructions for the deli/bakery:

• Be sure to schedule these items to be delivered at the same time the funeral is scheduled to begin.

• Remind them not to mix meat and dairy on the same platter.

To ask questions or make arrangements Contact the Temple Office at

805-497-6891 or inquire via email at Shiva@templeetzchaim.org After hours, please contact Roni Rosen at 818-585-9449

www.templeetzchaim.org

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

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HELP US REACH OUR ANNUAL GOAL

SPONSORED BY

WOMEN OF TEC Announcing our

2023-2024

Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Ba’Zeh Campaign All the people of Israel are responsible for one another

W

e strive to make a significant impact through scholarships and programs that benefit students at The Jewish Theological Seminary, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, Schechter Institutes, Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano and Zacharias Frankel College.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we help committed Jewish students become the rabbis, cantors, educators, synagogue administrators, social workers, scholars, researchers and lay leaders of tomorrow.

When you support Torah Fund, you help educate students in New York, Los Angeles, Israel, Latin America and Europe—and you align with those who value learning, knowledge and providing the future generation with relevant skills to fortify the Jewish people.

This pin highlights the word ‘arevut,’ responsibility. It corresponds to the theme from the Babylonian Talmud, Shevuot 39a, that all the people of Israel are responsible for one another, and we assume that responsibility through our support of the five Conservative/Masorti institutions of higher education.

GIVE NOW: INSPIRED.JTSA.EDU/TORAHFUND

MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO GIVE TO TORAH FUND

TORAH FUND GIVING LEVELS KETER KAVOD (14K SPECIAL PIN).......... $5,000

ASSOCIATE PATRON (RUBY).................... $600

SCHOLARSHIP PATRON (EMERALD)....... $2,500

GUARDIAN (PEARL).................................. $300

PATRON (DIAMOND)............................... $1,200

BENEFACTOR........................................... $180

Click on GIVE NOW above.

Under "Affiliates," write: Temple Etz Chaim.

Under "City" and "State," write: Thousand Oaks, CA You can also make a donation in honor or in memory of someone for any amount ($5 or more) FOR CHECKS: Make out to "Torah Fund" and leave in Temple Main Office Torah Fund box, or mail the check to TEC and indicate Torah Fund on the envelope.

Let Esther or Phyllis know when you make a donation so we can make sure it goes to the correct place and you and TEC are credited.

Although all donations are very appreciated, with any donation of $180 or more you will be gifted with this year’s beautiful pin.

QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT:

Esther Pullan: (818) 585-6890, esthercolor49@gmail.com or Phyllis Dankberg: phyllis@dankberg.com

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1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org January 2024Oaks, | TevetCA - Shevat, 5784 www.templeetzchaim.org

S SU U PPORT PPORT OUR OUR C C OMMUN OMMUN II T TY Y GA GA R RD D EN EN Community Community Garden Garden

Amphitheater Fundraiser

Originally founded by in 2014, the TEC Community Garden has six 16 ft Originally founded by in 2014, the TEC Community Garden has six 16 ft by 4 ft raised beds and raises fruits and vegetables that are donated by 4 ft raised beds and raises fruits and vegetables that are donated to the Westminster Clinic. The Garden also has 14 trees, with a focus to the Westminster Clinic. The Garden also has 14 trees, with a focus on Biblical fruit, including apple, orange, lemon, fig, pomegranate and on Biblical fruit, including apple, orange, lemon, fig, pomegranate and olive. The garden is a place of peace and tranquility for all –offering olive. The garden is a place of peace and tranquility for all –offering educational opportunity for kids fantastic opportunities for B’Nai educational opportunity for kids fantastic opportunities for B’Nai Mitzvah looking for a Mitzvah Project.

Mitzvah looking for a Mitzvah Project.

We need your help.

We need your help.

The Garden Crew’s current project is to create an amphitheater off The Garden Crew’s current project is to create an amphitheater off the path into the Garden, which would provide for three levels of the path into the Garden, which would provide for three levels of seating in a natural amphitheater under shady trees. seating in a natural amphitheater under shady trees.

We are currently fundraising to purchase the seating. We are looking We are currently fundraising to purchase the seating. We are looking for ten $250 donations for bench-naming, but any and all amounts for ten $250 donations for bench-naming, but any and all amounts are welcome. are welcome.

Donate Donate Today Today

https://tec.shulcloud.com/form/community-garden https://tec.shulcloud.com/form/community-garden

www.templeetzchaim.org

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org 1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org 19 January 2024Oaks, | TevetCA - Shevat, 5784

Temple Etz Chaim Presents

THURSDAY NIGHT

January Schedule DOORS OPEN

GAMES START

4:30PM 6:00PM

01.04 01.11 01.18 01.25

Hot Dogs on the menu Odd Even Horse Race Chef’s Special

Multiple Socks Possible Winners possible each game night. $100 will be put into the sock each night, plus $1.00 for each player present.

The maximum for each sock is $1,199. When a sock reaches $1,199, a new sock will start. Each sock has a separate number. Estimated sock at 1/4 is $500.

Each night you play, you will be eligible to win 1 MONTH of FREE Bingo (weekly value of $75). All December attendees are eligible to win. Winner must be present on 1/25 to claim prizes.

ALL GAMES, INCLUDING EARLY BIRDS, PAY

$250

Three door prize drawings for a free $75 buy-in each week

THE BINGO HALL IS EQUIPPED WITH WI-FI

Annual bingo marathon Martin Luther King JR. Weekend

SUNDAY JAN. 14, 2024 Doors open at 10am.

Games start at 12pm.

An international style lunch will be provided FREE with Marathon Buy-In

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Reserve your seat early and Save!

OVER $30,000 IN PRIZE MONEY

$150 FOR 12 - 50 game packs in machine FREE paper packs: Get All-You-Can-Play with Marathon Buy-In

Upgrade to 12 more packs for only $50

(Maximum 60 packs per machine)

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

TUESDAY

JAN

16

TEC FEEDS THE HUNGRY

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP AND DONATE https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E48A5AA22A6F4C43-46869116-feed

QUESTIONS?

Email Pam Friedman at social action@templeetzchaim.org

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org

WOMEN OF TEC PROGRAM FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY

JAN

20

Israeli Wine Tasting

JANUARY

19-21

Musician in Residence

January 19-21, 2024

M

5:30 PM Spiegel Hall

Join us in welcoming our

h Bernhard a ic

Micah is a song and worship leader on a mission to re-infuse the felt experience of faith back into Judaism.

JANUARY 20, 2024 at 5:30pm

Join us for Havdallah, appetizers, and sampling kosher Israeli wines. $36 per person. All Synagogue Members are Invited!

Using a combination of original melodies and reflective kavanot, he brings communities into contact with that place of connection and faith.

RSVP to Linda Hutchings at LindaH@templeetzchaim.org

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org

www.templeetzchaim.org

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org

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T E M PLE E T Z C H A I M PR E SE N T S

SATURDAY

FEB 3 5:15 PM

Havdalah Hotdogs

& Members:

$3 per person, $10 per family

Non Members: $5 per person, $15 per family Children 3 & under are FREE

RSVP

https://tec-to.org/ Havdalah-and-Hotdogs

Featuring Exciting

Crafts & Activities!

Dinner

Served at 5:15 pm

Havdalah Service

Evening Program/Festivities

QUESTIONS? Contact Joyce Bronstein: joyce@templeetzchaim.org or 805-494-8174

We sincerely thank an anonymous donor for sponsoring Havdalah and Hotdogs.

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org

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January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

Purim Carinval

MARCH 24

11:30am 2:30pm

&

Street Fair

­

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org

MARCH

REGISTER TODAY!

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TEC SHABBATON

SAVE THE DATE

APRIL 57 2024

F O R T H E T H E E N T I R E C O N G R E G AT I O N

Everyone will want to see next year’s exciting Weekend of Learning with Shira Telushkin, April 5th -7th 2024 Shira Telushkin is a religion reporter living in Brooklyn. Her articles chronicling

the human search for meaning (on everything from kosher slaughterers to Mormon missionaries, Taylor Swift fans, Torah scroll artists, and more) have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Atlantic, National Geographic, Teen Vogue, Wired, and many other publications.

Join us for a weekend of community, connection & new experiences for all.

For three years She produced Unorthodox, the podcast of Tablet Magazine, and has written Jewish advice columns for Tablet and the Forward. Shira teaches religion reporting at the City University of New York and holds a B.A. in religious studies from Yale University, and a M.Div from the Harvard Divinity School. Her first book “Four Reasons to Forsake the World: What Those Who Leave Society Can Teach Those Who Stay," will be published

by HarperCollins next year.

Young Professionals • Singles • Families • Empty Nesters • Grandparents

Activities for everyone, include:

Challah Braiding • Animals • Ropes Tower • Sports Archery • Hikes • Services • Jewish Programs • & More!

Space is limited.

Register today to secure your spot. https://tec-to.org/2024-Shabbat-Weekend

Adults

First Child, 3-17

$200

Being a Jew in Modernity: Understanding Who We Are Through the Stories We Tell • Judge or Community Organizer? How did American rabbis shepherd Judaism into the modern age and what does it mean for us and our kids?

• What does it mean to be holy in modern times? The obligation to one's own soul versus the obligation to help others

Additional Child/ren

$150

Reach out to Cindy Goldberg at cindy@templeetzchaim.org for more information or to RSVP.

• Demons and Magic: Bringing the Enchanted World of Jewish Spirits into a Disenchanted Age • Bintel Briefs: Six stories from Jewish advice columns (equivalent of Dear Abby) in the 1920s, and what they teach us about social justice, doubt and faith, parents and children, intermarriage, and friendship today. (Or: 1920s Jews—They're just like us! How Jewish advice columns from a decade of unionizing, losing faith, and braving the modern world can help us understand ourselves today!)

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org

www.templeetzchaim.org

NEXT YEAR’S

24th Annual Scholar-in-Residence Program

at Camp Alonim

$300

TEC MEN’S CLUB IS PROUD TO PRESENT

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

Scholar in Residence Weekend 2024 Temple Etz Chaim Conservative Synagogue in Thousand Oaks, CA

Please visit our Scholar-In-Residence website often for updated agenda information, details and sponsorship opportunities. https://www.templeetzchaim.org/ connect/mens-club/scholar-inresidence-weekend-2024

1080 E. Janss Rd. • Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 • (805) 497-6891 • www.templeetzchaim.org

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January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

Help these animals find their way home

www.templeetzchaim.org

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

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Winter Word Search Puzzle

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January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

www.templeetzchaim.org

www.templeetzchaim.org

January 2024 | Tevet - Shevat, 5784

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Available:

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

Launching a new brand, small business or special event?

ELEVATE YOUR NEXT PROJECT WITH

Professional Graphic Design Services Offering 25+ years of design experience spanning industries

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

ENDOWMENT AND TRANSFER FEE INCLUDED

ASKING PRICE: $14,500.00

Available for small and ongoing projects including:  Logo with Full Branding  Newsletters & Brochures  Flyers & Posters  Invitations

 Packaging & Label Design  Promotional Items  Digital Ads & Social Media  Retouching

Lets chat!

818.523.6649 sandi@sandiisrael.com

Contact Mindy with questions: (805) 368-0481 • mindyyaras@gmail.com

@sandi.israel

sandiisrael.com