DEJA VIEW ' '

A LOOK BACK AT TEMPLE EVENTS & PROGRAMMING

PURIM CARVIVAL & STREET FAIR

MARCH 5, 2023

Appreciation of Rabbi Spiegel and his wonderful Tuesday class

Joan Grossman

Social Action

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman

Myles & Gail Simpson

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman

Perry & Susan Pierce

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman

Jay & Debra Levine

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman

WIlliam & Cynthia Koepcke

In Honor of the Birth of Aiyla Kenzie Friedman

Patricia Kaye

Temple General Fund

In Memory of Theodore Fleser

Holly Seery

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

Women of TEC Torah Fund

In Memory of Lillian Reuben

Sandra Reuben

In Memory of Theodore Fleser

Holly Seery

In Memory of Elaine Gershbein-Schermerhorn

Steve Schermerhorn

In Memory of Edna Gray

William & Sandy Tenenbaum

In Memory of Louis Gray

William & Sandy Tenenbaum

PAM FRIEDMAN

VP, SOCIAL ACTION socialaction@templeetzchaim.org

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 helppreparethedinners.

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-personservicehadtobediscontinued.

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. Thissystemhasworkedoutwell.HarborHouseisnowabletoprovide bothlunchesandhotmealstoallwhoareinneed.

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 stillbringcomforttothoseinneed.

IRWIN BARNEY PRESIDENT, MEN'S CLUB mensclub@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 Simpsonwhojoinedmeatthegrill.

TheMen’sClubpackagedmemorialcandlesandameditationfordistributionto the TEC community for use in commemoration of Yom HaShoah which begins onMondayeveningApril17. YoushouldhavereceivedthepackageviaUSmail or one brought home by your child after class on Sunday March 19. Thanks to MarcCohnandMylesSimpsonforcoordinatingthisaction.

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 portdessertwine. Inadditiontothewine,wehadavarietyofcheeses,hummus, babaganoush,anddeliciousstrudel. Severalfolkswenthomewithwinefortheir Seder table. Thanks to David Marx for leading this event and to his wife Claudineforarrangingthefood.

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 April7andShabbatmorning,April8. All Men’s Club and WOTEC members are welcometoparticipate.

Last, our Scholar in Residence weekend is scheduled for April 28 – April 30. Thisyear’sscholarisRabbiDanielCohen.Hespeaksnationally,inspiringpeople 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 reachouttousviatheMen’sClubmailbox:mensclub@templeetzchaim.org

LINDA HUTCHINGS

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

WOTECNeedsYou!Therearegreatopportunitiestogetinvolved,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.Pleasecontactmeformoredetails.

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 informationaboutChaiLifeline,gotowww.Chailifeline.org

ANDREA ARONS CHAIR, CLERGY SEARCH COMMITTEE andrea@templeetzchaim.org

Greetings,TEC!

As we jump into spring, the CSC continues to plunge into our search with vigorandhope.

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:hiswifeAmyandtheirdaughterMaya.CantorRachelsbringsarich musical background with him, along with a passion for connecting with others through Judaism. TEC is so delighted to spend the weekend with theRachelsfamily,andhopestheConejoValleyfeelslikehometothem!

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.

ShavuaTov

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