ETZETERA - APRIL 2023

E T Z

C H A I M

APRIL 2023

ISSUE 4

T E M P L E

LETTERS FROM OUR LEADERS PAGE 3 DEJA VIEW - A LOOK AT PAST EVENTS PAGE 6 UPCOMING EVENTS PAGE 15-18

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3. Letters From Our Leaders 4. TEC Education 5. Construction Update 6. Deja View 9. Calendar 10. Birthdays & Anniversaries

THIS

MONTH'S SPOTLIGHT

SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE SEE PAGE 18

11. TEC Tributes 12. TEC Community 13. Simchas 15. Upcoming Events CLERGY Rabbi Ari Averbach Interim Cantor Kenny Ellis Rabbi Emeritus Richard Spiegel Rabbi Emeritus Shimon Paskow

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 Programming & Events Coordinator Shane Silverstein ECE Administrative Assistant Linda Starr RS Administrative Assistant Sarah Karamas Accounts Receivable 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 David Yodkovik Corresponding Secretary Elissa Lazarus Recording Secretary Rachael Pugh VP, Building & Grounds Dan Wachs VP, Communications Rachel Carmona VP, Early Childhood Education Chad Hampton VP, Personnel & Legal Josh Hopstone VP, Project Funding Wendy Margolis* VP, Religion & Worship Benny Sommerfeld VP, Religious School Education Adya Riss VP, Social Action Pam Friedman VP, Youth Ilana Sweet Trustee, Bingo Marshall Scherr* Trustee, Community Outreach Mark Goldstein Trustee, Governance Steve Plotkin Trustee, Programming Dan Lubetkin Trustee, Sustainability Ely Jacobsohn President, Mens 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

LETTERS FROM OUR LEADERS

RABBI ARI AVERBACH

ERIC FEIGENBAUM

rabbiaverbach@templeetzchaim.org

eric@templeetzchaim.org

Rosh Hashanah makes us feel overjoyed.

Yom Kippur asks us to consider the void.

Sukkot is about how little we all need.

Hanukkah is a reminder that there are miracles indeed.

Purim recalls speaking truth to those on high.

Shavuot has Torah coming down from Mt Sinai.

And Pesach is about becoming free.

Unless you’re the cook, then it’s slavery.

Cleaning becomes the number one chore, Ensuring there is not a trace of hametz anymore.

We all sit around, retelling the tale, Someone spills wine without fail.

The Haggadah has songs so lyrical, To remind us of the incredible miracle.

Blood and frogs and the sea parting Everyone hungry until dinner is starting.

For a whole week, we eat our theology, (Which, on occasion, affects our biology).

The seders are a great place for conversation, About how lucky we are to feel the liberation!

April ends with a bunch of Yoms Recalling the places that have been our homes.

Yom HaShoah, the heavy devastation Zikaron and Atzmaut – our brand-new nation.

We hope April brings reasons for us to be together And hopefully some more sunshining weather!

PRESIDENT

Passover is my favorite holiday. When I was young, I liked sitting with my cousins at Seder, finding the afikomen, and enjoying the incredible food my mom and grandmothers made. My family turns Pesach into Iron Chef: Pesadich Challenge.

While none of those things have lost their charm - I even try to get a seat next to my cousin still - as an adult I find Pesach the most relevant and resonant holiday of the year.

Jews were light years ahead of their time in supporting and celebrating the value of Freedom. We cherished and extolled Freedom before liberal democracy, constitutions and civil rights movements. Jews are the original enshriners of human rights and dignity. And to ensure we didn’t lose our way, rabbis over 1100 years ago wrote the first Haggadah – creating a tradition and a system for staying true to our values.

Despite many advances – especially in the United States and Western world – Freedom remains elusive to so many.

Authoritarianism is gaining strength in many parts of the world.

Billions of people are governed at the whims of dictators – most of whom are not benevolent. Even in our own liberal democracy – and Israel’s – Freedom is delicate. We have to nurture and protect it. Each of us is responsible for this precious gift we received and want to pass on for generations to come. Jews must continue to hold and shine the light of Freedom.

Pesach is a time of cleansing, renewal of life, thanksgiving for the freedoms we so often take for granted, teaching our children, inviting people into our homes, being together and being the next in the chain to uphold universal and sacred values. What more is there, aside from Russian cookies to die for?

www.templeetzchaim.org

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DEBBIE BLUMENTHAL April is here and Pesach is near, so our preschoolers and infants will begin their preparations for this favorite holiday. This spring holiday the preschool classes will be cooking and tasting Passover foods like matzah-brei, charoset, matzah ball soup and matzah desserts. The children will be acting out the story of Moses, and learning about the ten plagues, the four questions, and the Passover Seder.

The Infant classes are reading Passover stories, doing art activities, playing with their toy Seder plates, and singing holiday songs.

The infant classes are enjoying the holiday fun!

Our preschool classes for the 2023-24 school year are all just about filled. If you are planning on attending and have not registered, please contact Debbie Blumenthal or Keri Loventhal for more information.

www.templeetzchaim.org

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DIRECTOR

The Torah teaches us that the first Seder occurred on the eve of the Israelites’ quick departure from Egypt. The Seder represents another link in shared past, present and future traditions. Each year at the Passover Seder, the youngest participant asks the same Four Questions. The Four Questions are important because by asking these traditional questions, we are really asking, “What is the reason for this Passover holiday?” And the answer is that if G-d had not brought us out of Egypt, we would still be slaves. In other words, it is not just our ancestors who were set free... we too, were set free! And so, the leader says in answer to the Four Questions that no matter how wise we become or how much we study Torah, we still need to tell the story of the Exodus.

The Torah teaches us that G-d had compassion and delivered us from slavery. Unfortunately, there are people today who are still oppressed. Our tradition teaches us that G-d wants all people to be free worldwide.

CINDY GOLDBERG It’s hard to believe that it’s almost Pesach (or that it’s over, depending on when you’re reading this). We are still feeling the excitement that is/was Purim at TEC. We were fortunate to have had an amazing carnival in between storm systems and a fantastic Pop-Up Purim Pizza Party, Shpiel, and Megillah reading. Thank you to the legions of volunteers who made the holiday so special for hundreds of TEC and community members. A particular shout-out goes to Ilana Sweet, Dave Abramovicz, Paula Kaplan-Lefko, Kim Jacobsohn, Laura Bailin, Rachael Pugh, Karen Garelik, the entire Kinish-vurah, Men’s Club, Gideon Manzur, Shane Silverstein, Jessica Jacoby, Jill Rosenberg, Joyce Bronstein, Leo Bronstein, Kenny Ellis, Jeffery Prince, Paige Averbach, Ricardo Delgado, Antonio Naves and the rest of the amazing maintenance team, and of course, our amazing Rabbi Averbach. The weekend was a lot, but none of it would have happened without their help and positive dispositions.

debbieb@templeetzchaim.org

activities, working in the gardens on a kibbutz, an archaeological dig, Maccabee games and more.

The entire ECE staff wishes everyone a wonderful Passover holiday!

Chag Sameach!

Towards the end of the month, our lessons will be all about Israel. The celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut is always one of our favorite days at Temple Etz Chaim. We love to take a pretend trip to Israel and experience Israeli art

JOYCE BRONSTEIN Recently while talking with a seven-year-old child, he said, “It’s better to be the younger one.”

Surprised by the comment, I said, “Why do you think that?” He said, “Because you know.” I responded, “I know what?” “You know – the slaying of the firstborn!” I said, “that was a long time ago.” He said, “Well, why didn’t G-d just get rid of Pharoah?” I told him that G-d was showing Pharoah through the ten plagues that G-d was G-d and Pharoah was a man, not G-d. We talked longer as I tried to ease his concerns. In reflecting on this conversation, I thought about the bigger picture of addressing our children’s thoughts while always remembering that our children are listening and internalizing what they hear. During your Passover seder, sometimes it’s a time to have conversations to address their questions and provide reassurance. As we celebrate Passover, I feel especially awed when I think about the fact that the same ceremony has remained unchanged for centuries.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DIRECTOR

PROGRAMMING & YOUTH DIRECTOR

March also provided an opportunity for TEC to step out and join the cultural scene in the Conejo Valley with a trip to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Civic Arts Plaza! Thank you to Cheryl Wolf for sharing her expertise and her heart and making this event so special.

We also hosted our quarterly Town Hall, focused on Education, as well as a wonderful information and discussion session with Yizhar Hess, who spoke to us about Israel's Democracy and its evolving landscape, and continued our movie nights with "O Brother Where Art Thou?".

We had wonderful Machar and Kadima lounges that helped get us in the ready for S’more Matzah fun coming up with Pesach, as well as Bim Bam Shabbat with Mr. Steve.

joyce@templeetzchaim.org At Religious School, students participate in a classroom Seder. Depending on their grade level, various age-appropriate Haggadot will be used. It is inspiring to see teachers and students enjoy this special holiday together. As your child matures, they will understand more. Try to include them in the preparation as much as possible: cleaning the house, making haroset, searching for chametz, setting out the seder plate, and a multitude of other chores. Let’s create and give children their own memories to recount and share because, one day, they too will become parents and continue the traditions. From their Seder experience now, both at home and at school, our children will have special moments to share with the next generation. The cycle continues…. the memories grow… Jewish traditions are strengthened… How wonderful!

Happy Passover.

cindy@templeetzchaim.org After Pesach, we will be gathering as a community to visit the Reagan Library for their powerful Auschwitz Exhibit. This important event was offered to the community and is already filled to capacity.

Stay tuned for a planned Yom HaAtzmaut BBQ on the Warren Lawn, Sunday, April 23 immediately following Religious School.

Also, those of you with teens, mark your calendars for Sunday, April 30 at 4:30pm for the Kulanu event we are co-sponsoring and holding at Adat Elohim. The afternoon’s program will focus on empowering youth and giving them tools to be able to face antisemitism on campus.

Pesach offers us a number of opportunities to get together as a community, including our Community Seder on April 6. Reserve your spot now, if you haven’t already.

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GIDEON MANZUR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

gideon@templeetzchaim.org

It's great to see that the construction is on schedule and that the restrooms and office space will soon be completed. We are still projecting a mid-May opening.

www.templeetzchaim.org

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D E J A

V I E W

A LOOK BACK AT TEMPLE EVENTS & PROGRAMMING

ADL WALK AGAINST HATE

FEBRUARY 26, 2023

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ADL WALK AGAINST HATE 800,000 Collective Steps Against Hate The Anti-Defamation League hosted a Diversity Festival and Walk Against Hate for Ventura County on Sunday February 26, 2023. Many ask, why was a walk needed? What’s the point of walking against hate? For me, the walk was a way to respond to years of hateful acts that occurred in Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park. I’m lucky that none were directed against me personally, but they led me to wonder if members of my Jewish community or other groups targeted by these incidents question their sense of belonging in our community.

Sadly, I have an entire folder on my computer dedicated to photos of horrible antisemitic and anti-religious graffiti from my neighborhood. There were white supremacist banner hangs at the Borchard overpass on the 101 freeway. My friends’ Lutheran church had their sign welcoming LGBTQ+ persons and all people to worship vandalized. I have heard of a sharp rise in national hate targeting Asian and Muslim communities. There have been virulently antisemitic fliers distributed in Thousand Oaks and Moorpark neighborhoods. And when I go to synagogue in Thousand Oaks, an armed security guard greets me, a sadly necessary precaution after the violence inflicted on Jewish worshipers in Poway, Pittsburgh, and most recently in Los Angeles.

I walked to confront all of this. I walked to be surrounded in solidarity by welcoming, kind members of the greater community. I walked in togetherness to confirm my neighbors are with me and I am with them. I am overjoyed to share that we achieved this.

The event was not just a symbolic walk on a beautiful day at Conejo Creek North Park, it was also a community event where a diverse group of Conejo Valley and Ventura County residents sampled a diversity fair. Despite rain-soaked grass and chilly temperatures, over 400 participants from Santa Barbara to Simi Valley experienced 22 booths from groups and organizations representing the diversity of Ventura County. The breadth of community, civil rights, educational, public service, social service, religious groups, and even political diversity represented was remarkable.

Before we stepped forward together, a series of leaders, activists, politicians, and students answered the question “Why are you walking against hate?” in under two minutes each. This unique format gave us the chance to learn what creating a welcoming place free of hate really means for our community. The presence of so many local leaders – Sheriff, Fire, State, County, and City representatives was impressive. They didn’t just come to make an appearance to bolster their image. They came early, spoke with attendees, met with representatives from the other organizations present, participated in the walk, engaging with their and our neighbors. My only wish was that there be more of everything and everyone.

So, I thank you for coming out and supporting your neighbors, helping to nurture the diverse community we have here, and bolstering my understanding of the power of togetherness. In Ventura County, I witnessed that there truly is no place for hate in our community.

WRITTEN BY MARK GOLDSTEIN, REGIONAL BOARD CHAIR OF ADL SANTA BARBARA/TRI-COUNTIES

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D E J A

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A LOOK BACK AT TEMPLE EVENTS & PROGRAMMING

PURIM CARVIVAL & STREET FAIR

MARCH 5, 2023

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APR 2023

DATES TO REMEMBER SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT 1 CLERGY CANDIDATE BIM BAM SHABBAT

2

3

4

CLERGY CANDIDATE

5

6

EREV PASSOVER

PASSOVER COMMUNITY SEDER

BLOOD DRIVE @ TEMPLE ADAT ELOHIM

9

10

16

11

12

7

8

OFFICE CLOSED

OFFICE CLOSED

13

14

15

CLERGY CANDIDATE

CLERGY CANDIDATE

OFFICE CLOSED

OFFICE CLOSED

17

18

19

20

21

22

24

25

26

27

28

29

SCHOLAR-INRESIDENCE WEEKEND KICKOFF

SIR WINE & CHEESE RECEPTION

CLERGY CANDIDATE AUSCHWITZ EXHIBIT

23 30 SIR BRUNCH

www.templeetzchaim.org

BOARD MEETING

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Save the Date:

Parents' Night Out Wednesday, May 10th

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T E C

T R I B U T E S

Dunaier Music Fund In Memory of Jerome Ettinger Doreen Landun-Querido

Men's Club Scholar-in-Residence In Memory of Morris Lipkin Alan Lipkin

Religious School Fund In Memory of Kenneth Solovy Jessica Dennis

In Memory of Sylvia Elbling Ronald Elbling

In Memory of Dora Treger Shirley Lipkin

In Memory of Marcie Budish Gary Budish

In Memory of Yonni Tollman Lisa Tollman

In Memory of Lena Lipkin Alan Lipkin

Ritual Fund In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman Nomi Freed

In Memory of Morris Rosen Stan & Lynne Rosen

Men's Club Silverstein Humanitarian Fund In Memory of Nanci Lewin Frank Lewin

Early Childhood Education Fund In Memory of Toba Greientz Robert & Lynne Zuckerman In Honor of the Birth of Zoe Juliette Rose Sharon Scott & Debbie Blumenthal In Honor of the Birth of Dalia Stock Scott & Debbie Blumenthal In Memory of Jack Chadroff Edward Chadroff In Memory of Florence Brookstein Edward Chadroff In Memory of Bonnie Malchicoff Sheldon Malchicoff In Memory of Bob Landun Doreen Landun-Querido Elisa Feldman Memorial Religious School Scholarship Fund In Memory of Sara Clara Freed Patricia Kaye In Memory of Gertrude Altman Nomi Freed In Appreciation of The Feldman's Friendship Alan Horwitz In Memory of Betty Wechsler Ilene Barney In Memory of Abraham Shain Tobi Love In Memory of Rosalyn Gleimer Ellen Gleimer Hustad In Memory of Frances Kaye Patricia Kaye In Memory of Albert Kaye Patricia Kaye In Memory of Matthew Schoenwald Jeff Schoenwald In Memory of STeve Lazar Les & Debbie Feldman In Memory of Barbara Miller Les & Debbie Feldman Feeding the Hungry for Harbor House Myles & Gail Simpson Joseph & Phyllis Baye witch Bonnie Rothman

Purim Fund David & Doina Borla Rabbi Averbach's Discretionary Fund In Memory of Theodore Fleser Holly Seery In Memory of Arnold Patent WIlliam & Cynthia Koepcke In Memory of Ellen Baer Jennifer Kadin In Memory of Paula Winreb Robert & Betty Zonshine

Sandee Tischler Religious School Scholarship Fund In Memory of Mac Ratzan Jerome Ratzan In Memory of Samuel Carlin Jerome Ratzan In Memory of Frances R. Levine Dawne Ratzan In Memory of Natalie Friedman Jerome Ratzan In Appreciation of Rabbi Spiegel and his wonderful Tuesday class Joan Grossman

In Memory of Cecelia Pfefferman Arnold Pfefferman

Social Action In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman Myles & Gail Simpson

In Memory of Morris Moskowitz Harvey Moskowitz

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman Perry & Susan Pierce

In Memory of Arlyn Pomush Steve Pomush

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman Jay & Debra Levine

In Memory of Anne Erenberg Clarice Gerstel

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman WIlliam & Cynthia Koepcke

In Memory of Mala Leichter Zvi & Yola Kalinski

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman Patricia Kaye

In Memory of Helen Finkelstein Jeff & Sheri Schoenwald

Temple General Fund In Memory of Theodore Fleser Holly Seery

In Memory of Ruth K. Waters Hattie Wolf In Memory of Celia Gorman Sandy Rosenfeld In Memory of Sylvia Groden Ronald Groden In Honor of Wendy Margolis' Birthday Patricia Kaye In Honor of Peter Margolis' Birthday Patricia Kaye In Honor of Israel Perel's Birthday Patricia Kaye In Honor of Kenneth Leon's Birthday Patricia Kaye In Honor of Ellen Zucker's Birthday Patricia Kaye In Honor of Myles Simpson's Birthday Patricia Kaye

In Memory of Kenneth Solovy Karen M. Riss In Memory of Phil Marko Reuben Finkelstein In Memory of Betty Marko Reuben Finkelstein In Memory of Hy Feig Herb Wexler In Memory of Oscar Honigsberg Max Honigsberg In Memory of Max Portnoy Ed Portnoy USY Youth & Scholarship Fund In Memory of Sylvia Elbling Ronald Elbling In Memory of Joel E. SPitzer Leonard Spitzer

Fienberg-Lerner Chapel Minyan Speedy Recovery for Tirzah bat Avraham v' Sarah

In Honor of Lynne Katz's Birthday Patricia Kaye

Women of TEC Torah Fund In Memory of Lillian Reuben Sandra Reuben

Inbar Israel Travel & Education Scholarship In Memory of Sophie Goldenberg Merrill Goldenberg

In Honor of Shirley Lipkin's Birthday Patricia Kaye

In Memory of Theodore Fleser Holly Seery

In Honor of Wendy Margolis' Birthday Robert & Betty Zonshine

In Memory of Elaine Gershbein-Schermerhorn Steve Schermerhorn

In Memory of Charlotte Lichtmann Martin & Donna Lichtmann

In Memory of Edna Gray William & Sandy Tenenbaum

In Memory of Israel Borenstein Jeffrey Borenstein

In Memory of Louis Gray William & Sandy Tenenbaum

Jotkowitz Camp Ramah Scholarship Fund In Memory of Joseph Belzer Yaffa Rosemary Tobin Kiddush Fund In Memory of Jeffrey Alan Finn Marc & Sherri Finn-Werber Lipnick Religious School Scholarship Fund In Memory of Katie Goldberg Susan Goldberg In Memory of Murray Goldberg Susan Goldberg

In Memory of Dora Borenstein Jeffrey Borenstein In Memory of Lester Sachs David Sachs

In Memory of Stan Rothman Bonnie Rothman

Temple Etz Chaim wants to thank you for your generous contributions to our community in honor of those we love and in memory of those we have lost. www.templeetzchaim.org

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PAM FRIEDMAN

LINDA HUTCHINGS

On April 26th, our Feed the Hungry program will be making 50 hot lasagna dinners for those in need. We are asking for donations of $18.00 to cover the cost of the dinner. We also need 6 volunteers to help prepare the dinners.

WOTEC Needs You! There are great opportunities to get involved, socialize and feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment in giving back to our local TEC community. We encourage you to get involved and have fun! We still need volunteers to participate in our joint WOTEC and Men's Club Shabbat services on April 7th and 8th. English and Hebrew speaking parts are available. Please contact Cynthia Koepcke ckopecke@templeetzchaim.org for more details and to sign up for a part. We also are looking for volunteers to help with the annual High Holiday Booklets that WOTEC puts together each year. It is a very time-consuming project, and we truly need new volunteers to get involved and help out so we can keep this wonderful tradition going. Also, we are looking for a Membership Chairperson for WOTEC. Please contact me for more details.

VP, SOCIAL ACTION socialaction@templeetzchaim.org

We have been working closely with Harbor House for years to help provide food for those in need with our Feed the Hungry program.

Prior to the onset of Covid-19, Calvary Community Church graciously shared their building with us. It was great to have both houses of faith working together. Many of you may remember donating food and helping serve meals in person. What a wonderful feeling it was seeing the faces of the people we were helping. Some of you have been asking when will we be feeding meals in person again? Due to Covid19, the Feed the Hungry program needed to adapt. The people we were feeding still needed to eat, and in fact their numbers were growing. However, in-person service had to be discontinued.

What to do? Harbor House came up with a plan: have the houses of faith drop off their meals daily, and the clients could pick up them up.

This system has worked out well. Harbor House is now able to provide both lunches and hot meals to all who are in need.

I am the first to admit that I miss seeing the faces of the clients we serve each month. But I do feel joy knowing that the meals we make still bring comfort to those in need.

IRWIN BARNEY

PRESIDENT, WOMEN OF TEC (WOTEC) womenoftec@templeetzchaim.org

A big congratulations to Elissa Lazarus who was this year's Honoree from WOTEC at the Pacific Southwest Region for Women's League for Conservative Judaism Conference and Torah Fund Study Day. This year's theme was Chazak v 'Ematz (Be Strong and Courageous). In addition, WOTEC member, Cheryl Wolf, MPA, was a featured panelist at the conference. The panel discussed Strengthening Our Communities Through Engagement, Volunteerism and Support. Cheryl is the Regional Public Development Director for Chai Lifeline. Chai Lifeline is an international support network, providing social, emotional, and practical assistance to children, families, and communities impacted by medical crises and trauma through a variety of year-round programs and services. For more information about Chai Lifeline, go to www.Chailifeline.org.

ANDREA ARONS

PRESIDENT, MEN'S CLUB mensclub@templeetzchaim.org

CHAIR, CLERGY SEARCH COMMITTEE andrea@templeetzchaim.org

During March the Men’s Club participated in and sponsored several activities.

The Men’s Club hosted a Beer Garden at the TEC Purim Carnival and barbequed hotdogs for hungry celebrants. Thanks to Gary Katz and Mark Goldstein for running the Beer Garden and to Mark Zucherman and Myles Simpson who joined me at the grill.

Greetings, TEC!

The Men’s Club packaged memorial candles and a meditation for distribution to the TEC community for use in commemoration of Yom HaShoah which begins on Monday evening April 17. You should have received the package via US mail or one brought home by your child after class on Sunday March 19. Thanks to Marc Cohn and Myles Simpson for coordinating this action.

Our first candidate of 2023 will be arriving along with the delivery of this publication. We whole heartedly welcome Cantor Noah Rachels and his family: his wife Amy and their daughter Maya. Cantor Rachels brings a rich musical background with him, along with a passion for connecting with others through Judaism. TEC is so delighted to spend the weekend with the Rachels family, and hopes the Conejo Valley feels like home to them!

On Sunday evening, March 19, the Men’s Club sponsored a kosher wine tasting event. Eighteen people attended. We learned what makes a wine kosher, both mevushal and non-mevushal. We experienced both white and red wines and a port dessert wine. In addition to the wine, we had a variety of cheeses, hummus, babaganoush, and delicious strudel. Several folks went home with wine for their Seder table. Thanks to David Marx for leading this event and to his wife Claudine for arranging the food.

In April the Men’s Club has two significant events planned. The first is a Men’s Club/WOTEC Pesach Shabbat weekend. It is scheduled for Friday evening April 7 and Shabbat morning, April 8. All Men’s Club and WOTEC members are welcome to participate.

Last, our Scholar in Residence weekend is scheduled for April 28 – April 30.

This year’s scholar is Rabbi Daniel Cohen. He speaks nationally, inspiring people to maximize every moment while leading a life of impact and legacy. One of his book titles is “What Will They Say About You When You Are Gone? Creating a Life of Legacy.” Please reserve time on your calendar to attend and consider participating as a Program Sponsor. If you would like more information, please reach out to us via the Men’s Club mailbox: mensclub@templeetzchaim.org

www.templeetzchaim.org

As we jump into spring, the CSC continues to plunge into our search with vigor and hope.

As a committee we have continued to do our due diligence on each and every candidate. While we had big aspirations going into March, not every avenue panned out as we had hoped it might. The CSC has streamlined our interview proceedings. We are committed to vetting and checking references on each and every candidate, ensuring that the process continues forward as smoothly as possible. With each step we can keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to build our temple into the best possible place to be. Finding the right clergy to share the bema together, both on stage and behind the scenes, is what will make Etz Chaim all the more special.

Shavua Tov

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Rafael Moses Hay Born February 25, 2023 Parents: Paige and Raymond Hay Grandparents: Diane Weiss Jennifer and Michael Tavera Sam Hay Debbie and Yousef Younesi

Whether you are anticipating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah or a little bundle of joy, please let us know so our entire community can share in the celebration.

Send all simcha information to communications@templeetzchaim.org

APRIL

BAR MITZVAH

BENJAMIN STONE APRIL 22, 2023 www.templeetzchaim.org

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PASSOVER SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

APRIL 5TH - APRIL 13TH WEDNESDAY 4/5 8:30AM NO MINYAN WEDNESDAY NIGHT

THURSDAY 4/6 9:30AM FRIDAY 4/7 9:30AM FRIDAY 4/7 7:00 PM SATURDAY 4/8 9:30AM SUNDAY 4/9 8:30AM MONDAY 4/10 7:15PM (ONLINE ONLY)

WEDNESDAY 4/12 9:30AM WEDNESDAY 4/12 7:15PM (ONLINE ONLY)

THURSDAY 4/13 9:30AM INCLUDING YIZKOR

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Click here to register for classes https://tec.shulcloud.com/form/Melt on Registration Click here to learn more https://www.meltonwestvalley.org/co urse descriptions www.templeetzchaim.org

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FOR ALL ADVERTISING INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT TEC COMMUNICATIONS AT COMMUNICATIONS@TEMPLEETZCHAIM.ORG www.templeetzchaim.org

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Facebook.com/temple.ecec

Youtube.com/c/TempleEtzChaim

@templeetzchaim

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