ETZetera December 2025 FINAL

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF

TEMPLE ETZ CHAIM

DECEMBER 2025

ISSUE 12

Inside This Issue

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PAGE 4

PAGE 10

Adopt a Family

Letters from Our Leaders

Meet Our B’nai Mitzvah

Contents 4

Letters From Our Leaders

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TEC Education

Rabbi Ari Averbach

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TEC Community

Chaplain Benny Sommerfeld

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B’nai Mitzvah

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TEC Tributes

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December Calendar

Executive Director Cindy Goldberg

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Birthdays and Anniversaries

Religious School Director Joyce Bronstein

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Upcoming Events

Hazzan Noam Fields-Meyer Gould Rabbi Emeritus Richard Spiegel

Early Childhood Education Director Debbie Blumenthal Early Childhood Education Asst. Director Keri Loventhal Office Manager Shane Silverstein

20 Hearing Assistance Network

ECE Administrative Assistant Jessica Jacoby

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Clergy Assistant Jill Rosenberg

Memorial Receptions Available

22 Kids’ Corner Support Our Community: 24 Small Business Highlights

RS Administrative Assistant Sarah Karamas Musical Director Mariano Dugatkin

President Felicia Toporoff

Vice President Dan Lubetkin Immediate Past President Eric Feigenbaum

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

Treasurer Arnie Blitstein Secretary Brianna Abrams Trustee, Bingo Michael Roberts Trustee, Building and Grounds Steve Plotkin Trustee, Early Childhood Education Josh Atlas Trustee, Endowment Jeff Landau Trustee, Financial Consideration Neal Arons Trustee, Inclusion Paula Lefko Trustee, Membership, Sarica Klein Trustee, Personnel & Legal Affairs Josh Hopstone Trustee, Programming Evan Robichaud

Join TEC on Social Media!

Trustee, Religion and Worship Cheryl Math

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

President, Women of TEC Phyllis Dankberg & Elissa Lazarus

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

Trustee, Religious Education Adya Riss Trustee, Security Paul Dryman Trustee, Social Action Pam Friedman Trustee, Ways & Means Donald Zimring President, Men’s Club Mark Goldstein

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, Board Member Shari Mark Past President, Board Member Wendy Margolis

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Rabbi Ari Averbach

rabbiaverbach@templeetzchaim.org

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Noam Fields-Meyer Gould, Hazzan Noam@templeetzchaim.org

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Felicia Toporoff, President ftoporoff@templeetzchaim.org

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Benny Sommerfeld, Chaplain benny@templeetzchaim.org

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Debbie Blumenthal, Early Education Director debbieb@templeetzchaim.org

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Joyce Bronstein, Religious School Director joyce@templeetzchaim.org

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Save the Date!

Havdalah & Hotdogs January 31, 2026 www.templeetzchaim.org

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Phyllis Dankberg & Elissa Lazarus, Co-President, Women of TEC

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Pam Friedman, Trustee, Social Action

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Solly Werner

December 6

Hi! My name is Solly Werner, and I’ve been a member of TEC since I was 17 months old. I love being an active part of this community. My favorite subjects are math and orchestra. I’ve played violin since I was 5 and I’m currently in the A.E. Wright advanced orchestra. When I’m not at AE Wright or TEC, you can find me tap dancing at the Colburn School! I love making music — whether it’s with an instrument or my feet. In the summer, you can always find me at Camp Alonim. I’m an Alonimer for life!

I can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with all my family and friends. And a special shout-out to my family for always schlepping me to all my activities!

Jake Rutten

December 20

My name is Jake Rutten, and I am a 7th grader at Colina Middle School. I have been at TEC since the 4th grade. In the classroom, I enjoy studying Math and History.

Outside of school, I enjoy playing baseball, football, and paintball, as well as skiing, going to the beach, swimming, and reading. I would like to share my hobby of reading with others, so for my Mitzvah Project, I will be collecting and donating books to schools and libraries in need. I will be collecting books from around the area to help give more children the ability to read and learn. I would like to thank my parents, my brothers, Rabbi Ari, Hazzan Noam, and Rivkah Moscovitch.

Without them, I would not be up here today as a Bar Mitzvah. I am looking forward to celebrating this day with my friends and family.

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Dates to Remember

December SUN

MON

TUE

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2

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

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4

5

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Book Club via Zoom

Solly Werner Bar Mitzvah Men’s Club Hike & Havdalah

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WOTEC Latkes & Vodka

Adopt a Family Gift Collection

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Hanukkah

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Hanukkah

Hanukkah

Feed the Hungry TEC Hanukkah Celebration

Board Meeting

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Hanukkah

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Hanukkah

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Hanukkah

Jake Rutten Bar Mitzvah

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Hanukkah

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Hanukkah

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Christmas Day

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New Year’s Eve

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December 1 Zachary Abrishami Nicole Blumenthal Naomi Dvir Gregory Korn Linda Leon Ariella Manzur Thea Sharon 2 Aden Goldberg Emily Hops Leo Kierman Rory Micale Emma Rubin Paul Shrater Levi Smith 3 Cheryl Cohen Aiken Eakins Mason Kaplan Bruce Polkes 4 Andrea Arons Alexia Bekerman Joey Lelie Lindsay Leon 5 Nili Perlmutter Solomon Werner 6 Helene Cohen Rebecca Lascoe Carl Weiss Andrea West 7 Hannah Blitstein Theresa Heirshberg 8 Mike Carmona SybilGoldstein Phoebe Ishibashi 9 RandiCohn David Greenbaum Rachel Knight 10 Ava Benjamin Brittany Booth Mila Grosslight Andrew Mahler Stephen Rosenfeld 11 Nico Corona Wendy Halpert Phoebe Kleiger Trevin Lever Maya Miller

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Randall Rutschman Zach Rutten David Wank Patti Wolfson Carolyn Zimring

Jason Miller Lynne Rosen Jeffrey Rubin Lisa Tollman Drew Yukelson

12 Adam Lerner Bryan Merjan Gil Sklar

23 Sydney Elkins Axel Kaiser-Durkee Benjamin Rizkin Reed Rosenblum

13 Joanna August Callie Freedman Grace Good Rachel Karamas Janis Sterling 14 Benjamin Barukh Linda Natlin Marc Perel Jonathan Pullan Hannah Silverstein 15 Brian Zimring 16 Ezra Evans Zev Isaacs Marc Mostman Jordan Yankevich 17 Gil Goldberg Shira Goldstein Robyn Lazarus Naomi Solomon Andrea Weiss 18 Jerrald Cohen Tom Milhaupt Drew Perlmutter Andrew Richman 19 Samuel Edgar Elinor Fienberg Ruth Forman Carly Goldblatt 20 Joshua Seiden 21 Maureen Axelrad Jennifer Flam Frank Karamas Alison Vinokur 22 Dani’Elle Anthony Shira Dennis Griffin Good Jennifer Levin

25 Jessica Dennis Benny Hoisie Jaynee Leventhal Helene Oberman Ruth Rose Daniel Scop 26 Kay Isaacs Brian Levine Zachary Loewith Michael Lysobey David Melin Sophie Ormond 27 Marlo Golove Niki Stokols Elizabeth Yankevich 28 Mary Barukh Joan Bernstein Michelle Hopstone Ari Klein Ryan Leon Jay Levine Joseph Richman Gail Simpson Robert Weber 29 Noam Fields-Meyer Gould Joshua Katz Lara Katz Jessica Laughre Marion Lessman 30 Talia Atlas Eden Garfinkle Jill Rosenberg Magnolia Rosenblum Adam Silverman Chuck Sterling 31 Eric Breverman Aron Glodowski Raphael Hopstone Hannah Mesnik Laurie Volk

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2 Craig & Amy Gluckman 3 Ronald & Shari Mark 9 Lawrence & Nina Wallach 11 Adam Mehr & Jennifer Nye 16 Matthew & Karen Garelik Marc & Roanna Mostman 17 Richard & Eileen Edgar Gabor Nagy & Harriet Oberman 18 Michael & Helene Gollub Spencer & Dina Torgan 20 Darren & Rachel Good Ronald & Sylvia Weiss Mark & Linda Wolfson 22 Richard & Sylvia Koppel 23 Leslie & Erika Field John & Sandra Lutzker 24 Marc & Carole Firestone 25 Alan & Rickie Whitman 26 David & Rebeccah Schwartz 28 David & Katie Werner 29 Rabbi Ari & Vanessa Averbach Richard & Lisa Eidman Brian Lotterman & Lisa Tollman Jeff & Leah Neiderman 30 Michael & Ashley Vener

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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

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Find the Way

Circle the Unrelated Items

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Spot 10 Differences

Color by the Dots

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