Etzetera - May 2020

ETZETERA May 2020

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Clergy Corner Rabbi Ari Averbach Jews have a special way of keeping track of time. There are different psalms for each day of the week, we note the passing of the months by looking at the moon, we light memorial candles for yahrzeits and yizkor.

Specifically, in the days between Pesach and Shavuot, we count the Omer, an ancient custom tied both to the barley harvest and to the process of leaving Egypt, making our way to Mount Sinai.

Shavuot (May 28-30) celebrates our moment of Revelation - the precise juncture when heaven and earth touched, God revealed to us in such glory that it was too much for our puny human senses.

To get there, to prepare for the commemoration of that moment of divine mutuality, we must take small steps. Every day, from the second seder and counting for 49 days, we enumerate each day, marking it off on our global calendar.

The mystics among us add a level to this - they find one attribute of ourselves to focus on each day. Over the course of the seven weeks, we find 49 micro-attributes that we need to examine in ourselves, hoping to improve to make ourselves feel worthy of having an audience with God. And perhaps God goes through these steps as well, working on celestial attributes, preparing to meet us in the middle, in a way that will not overwhelm our senses.

This year, when we are all trapped, when globally we are connected like never before, though feeling

so distant from one another, it is a unique time to start looking into ourselves in some small way, finding tiny parts that we would like to address, aspects we have been hoping to work on for years. I know many are currently hoping to write the great American novel, to binge-watch every show, to capture the perfect sourdough starter, but perhaps it makes more sense to start with one of the tiny aspects within ourselves. This process asks us not to think big, but to think small.

For example, May 1 begins the week focusing on Netzach (Endurance), with the day’s goal honing the kindness (hesed) within your endurance. I often think of endurance to be aggressive and competitive, but the small goal of the day is to consider it from a different perspective.

Can I be flexible and loving and accepting of my own flaws and the opinions of others as I strive towards long-term goals? Can I find a renewed patience within me (especially since no one is going anywhere), allowing me to reach longterm goals I didn’t know I had? Can I be proud of myself for enduring this long in what often feels like an impossible situation?

I know that this is hard. But this week’s goal of looking at our endurance from seven different angles can help us find the strength within ourselves to make it through, to warrant true revelation on Shavuot.

Rabbi Averbach can be reached at rabbiaverbach@templeetzchaim.org

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Hazzan Pablo Duek Each one of us is trying to cope the best we can during this pandemic.

Having our basic needs satisfied we try to fill a new gigantic void, human connection.

Many of us are lucky to be at home with our own families, even though it can be a burden sometimes, it is definitely a blessing sensing their love and company. A colleague of mine told me “during isolation the difficult times at home with our loved ones become more difficult and the happy moments magnify as happier and more meaningful than usual,” I agree.

My wife shared with me a key concept that she’s sharing with her patients, “you are not working from home, you are at your home during a crisis trying to work”.

We are all learning a whole deal of

wisdom these days. Connecting with others is only possible when we achieve certain inner balance.

Listening more than talking, giving more than expecting, being positive instead of pessimistic - all of this softens our true humanity.

In our beloved TEC, we are working harder than ever to keep being who we are, a Kehillah Kedosha, a Holy Community. By using the term “holy” I’m referring to “caring, committed, resourceful, loving and inspiring”.

You can join Shabbat services via our website and Facebook, join Minyanim through Zoom, enjoy a Pesach Seder with Rabbi Averbach or me, support a mourning family in Shiva via Zoom, keep learning in Religious School through thoughtful Zoom classes, enjoy Preschool interaction through stories, music and LOVE, participating in USY virtual gatherings and programs that keep our youth engaged, keep

on learning towards your Bar or Bat Mitzvah, discussing life events and Jewish topics for our Confirmation and post Confirmation students, enjoying creative classes with a glass of wine in your hand through “Wine, cheese and chat”, commemorate Yom Hashoah and celebrate Yom Haatzmaut through participatory videos and a creative car parade. I can go on an on. When life throws at you lemons, make yourself lemonade. At the risk of oversimplifying this saying, I know you get the message.

On these uncertain times one thing is certain, we are here for you.

Connect. Be positive. Think healthy.

B’Shalom, Hazzan Pablo Duek

eventually followed by decisions to keep everything closed in April and then May. However, we are meeting regularly to evaluate the situation and developing plans to reopen.

100 congregants online for a shiva minyan after the unfortunate passing of Steve Lazarus. Both our Preschool and our Religious School have continued to deliver content to the youngest members of the TEC family. We have seen a significant uptick in you connecting with us via Facebook as Rabbi Averbach and Hazzan Pablo have led Friday night and Saturday morning Shabbat services.

Hazzan Pablo can be reached at hazzanpablo@templeetzchaim.org

President Jeff Solomon As we all know, these are unprecedented times.

There is no yardstick to measure what we are all going through individually and as a community.

And for the leadership of Temple Etz Chaim, there is no roadmap.

We have been creating history as we navigate the impact of a global pandemic on our lives and on the center of our Jewish lives. I thought it would be appropriate to provide you with an update on what the leadership, clergy, and directors have been doing over the past two months.

Initially, we thought we would be able to keep our Preschool and Infant Care Center open while we closed our facility to all other activities. That decision did not last more than 5 hours as we reacted quickly to a changing medical environment during the first 2 weeks of March. This decision was

We reacted quickly to the passage of the CARES Act and applied for a Paycheck Protection Program SBA loan through our bank. We were approved, signed loan documents and were funded. This provided TEC with much needed funds so that we could afford to pay our employees in the near term. I cannot stress how important this is for our employees as well as for TEC. This should help us to reopen more quickly as we have minimized the financial impact on our employees as well as to our bottom line.

There are some amazing things that have occurred during the past 2 months. We quickly moved to online interactions via Zoom. We hosted 3 Passover Seders, Passover morning services, Shabbat candle lighting and Havdallah that were all well attended. We had over

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Your Board, Clergy and Senior Staff have been making check-in phone calls to you, the members of our TEC community, just to see how all of you are doing. I hope you had the opportunity to engage with whoever called you.

It is my hope that you have found that one of the many paths for connection to your TEC community has worked for each and every one of you.

Stay safe and healthy, Jeff

Education at TEC Joyce Bronstein - Religious School

At the beginning of each school year, I begin a new spiral notebook. As I open to the first page, I always wonder what will happen this school year that has never happened before. Each and every year, it always amazes me what new, unexpected and often frustrating challenges arise. I never could have imagined, however, the current situation we are faced with – Covid-19 and the mandate to shelter in place. Closing the Religious School for an indefinite time would never have crossed my mind! Sadly, the Religious School will probably not physically reopen for the remainder of the school year.

During this challenging time, I am trying to look for the silver lining. I have to thank all our Religious School families and teachers who switched to our new way of learning, “Virtual Zoom Classes and Live Zoom Meetings.” For me, it has been quite an amazing transition from classroom to zoomroom. I take great pride in the fact that each and every Religious School teacher from grades K -12 learned this new technology and continue to create quality and meaningful teaching moments weekly for their students. Yasher Koach to each of these teachers! I am grateful.

I hope all of our TEC community is hanging in there. I am truly sorry for our members who have been sadly impacted by this ongoing pandemic. I look forward to one day enjoying “normalcy.” I truly miss seeing everyone.

Please stay well and stay safe!

Miss and love all of you, Joyce

Joyce can be reached at joyce@templeetzchaim.org

Debbie Blumenthal - Early Childhood Education Just like other families across our nation, our Temple Etz Chaim community is doing their part to protect themselves and others by staying at home as much as possible during this COVID-19 pandemic. As parents, you are balancing the new normal of working from home, caring for your children, and trying to take care of yourself all at the same time. Social distancing has been difficult for all of us, but I believe we are all making changes and adjusting.

While we still do not have a date when our school will be open again, I can assure you that the staff and I are working very hard to connect with you and your children and continue with learning activities, teach about upcoming Jewish holidays, and celebrate Shabbat each week. Starting in April, each team of teachers will be providing a Zoom class time three days a week for the children in their classroom. In addition, the teachers will continue to send emails and post on Shutterfly Share, Homeroom website, and our preschool Facebook page. We are working hard to figure out and learn the new world of virtual teaching which is much different from our “hands-on”, classroom learning style of teaching.

I will keep you up to date on the status of our program, summer camp, and any changes. Feel free to contact me by email or my cell phone, 805-368-3914, if you have any questions.

Tune in to our Temple Etz Chaim Preschool Facebook page each Friday at 11:00 a.m. for our ECE Shabbat celebration brought to you by Miss Kathy and me from the TEC chapel! The staff and I are also posting videos for your children to enjoy!

We miss you and cannot wait to be able to fill our classrooms with children once again. Stay safe, be well, and keep in touch.

Warmly,

Debbie can be reached at debbie@templeetzchaim.org

Shannon Tepfer - Youth Department During these uncertain times we know how hard it has been to stay connected, positive, and engaged.

For our kids and teens it is especially important to keep up their morale, give them opportunities to “get together”, and provide some sort of normalcy for them. Our Youth Department and our USY Teen Board has been hard at work coming up with ideas and creating opportunities to make these monotonous days into something to look forward to and raise our students’ spirits. Studies have shown that Jewish teens flourish socially, emotionally and spiritually when connected to youth groups. TEC USY is making sure to do this for our students. Some of the ways we have been connecting with the kids at TEC are: movie nights, cooking videos, tik tok challenges, dance parties, arts and crafts videos, and educational programming and discussions over zoom. Even though this situation isn’t ideal, I am so proud of our 8 Teen Leadership Board members and 4 dedicated Jr USY Board members who have really taken the needs and feelings of all of the kids here at TEC into account. We will continue to send out links, videos, activities, as well as continue with “roll call” checks (phone calls and texts to connect with our kids and see how they are doing) throughout this time where we are all staying safe and healthy at home. As you read this, if you see these same leadership qualities in your children, or if your children feel inspired after reading this and want to be a part of the bigger picture, send an email to youth@templeetzchaim.org and request a board application for 2020-2021 Board year. We are looking to include students who are in 7th-12th grades (starting in 2020 school year) who are enthusiastic, resourceful, caring, and want to be involved in the USY movement.

Board applications need to be submitted by May 20th and elections will be held via zoom on June 2nd at 4:00 pm. Take care, be positive, and above all else stay connected.

Shannon can be reached at shannon@templeetzchaim.org

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Tikkun Olam

Community Outreach - Mark Goldstein

As an extension of the “TEC Cares” mental health initiative, we have rolled out multiple “Coping with Covid” support group sessions online. These support groups provide tips on how to handle this “new normal” and facilitate connections with others facing similar daily challenges. We have held sessions for many demographics, and will be offering more in the coming weeks. Big thanks to the local therapists who generously volunteer their time to lead these groups.

The Wine, Cheese and Chat (WCC) pre-shabbat meet-ups have moved online. The WCC events provide an opportunity for congregants to rub shoulders with one other virtually. Recent sessions on Jewish music were facilitated by Hazzan Pablo. We are considering other sessions on Jewish culture and history including art, authors, leaders and Broadway.

Have an idea for future sessions, let us know.

Keep an eye out for email about upcoming Coping with Covid sessions and Wine, Cheese and Chat sessions, and regularly check the new TEC @ Home web page for a current listing of sessions and events.

Social Action - Judy Gindi Hello from Judy Gindi, VP, Social Action Socialaction@templeetzchaim.org

During the Covid-19 Pandemic there are many ways we can help people in our community who are seriously in need.

Blood supplies throughout the country are extremely low. Please contact Vitalant at blood4life.org (1-877-25-VITAL or redcrossblood. org (1-800-REDCROSS) to make an appointment to donate blood. Those who have recovered from COVID-19 please consider donating your plasma to provide antibodies to patients that are fighting for their lives. Visit www. vitalant.org/COVIDfree for further information. You can also contact Debra Levine at dlevine@templeetzchaim.org (818)271-1307.

Safe Passages is feeding over 300 local families. They are collecting potatoes, onions, tomatoes, dried pinto beans in unopened bags, bananas, apples and oranges. Drop items off at 17007 Calle Diamonte in NP on Thursdays for distribution on Saturdays. They are also taking $25 donations to provide children with needed items.

For more information visit https:// safepassageyouth.org/ Lori Shocket is organizing and sewing masks to donate to healthcare workers throughout the country. You can help by sewing or providing fabrics or providing donations to pay for shipping. To date they have distributed over 1000 masks.

Contact Lori Shocket at (818)424-7845.

We Can Save Lives!

“Vitalant is excited to begin collecting convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients as part of a

pilot program to treat those infected with the virus. This FDA-approved “emergency investigational new drug” is a special product containing antibodies that may give patients an extra boost to fight the virus.

To be eligible to donate convalescent plasma, you must have a prior COVID-19 diagnosis documented by a laboratory and meet additional eligibility requirements.

If you are interested in donating convalescent plasma, DO NOT MAKE A NORMAL PLASMA APPOINTMENT. Donors must meet additional criteria for convalescent plasma eligibility. To learn more and apply, visit www.vitalant.org/COVIDfree ” You can also help with a regular donation if you have not had COVID-19. The need for continuing blood supplies is dire! Almot 500 Blood Drives have been cancelled nationwide. If you are healthy, able, and NOT AT RISK, please consider donating at another blood drive. Check out these websites and partial lists for a drive near you. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! Go online or call to make your appointment.

1-877-25-VITAL 1-877-258-4825

blood4life.org

Red Cross

5/1/2020 10 - 3

5/5/2020 10 - 3

5/11/2020 11 - 4

5/14/2020 10 - 2

5/22/2020 10 - 2

ONGOING

St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church 155 East Janss Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 Simi Valley City Hall Comm. Room 2929 Tapo Canyon Road Simi Valley, CA 93063 La Reina High School Gym 106 Janss Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 Keller Williams Bloodmobile 30700 Russell Ranch Road Westlake Village, CA 91362 Thousand Oaks Inn Community Ball Room 75 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 Vitalant - Central Coast Blood Donation Center -Ventura 2223 Eastman Ave., Ste. A Ventura, CA 93003

5/3/2020 10 - 4

5/ 4/2020 5/13/2020 1 - 7 5/7/2020 10 - 4

5/12/2020 9 - 3

5/13/2020 9 - 3

Ladin Subaru 3275 Auto Mall Dr. Westlake Village, CA 91362 Thousand Oaks Inn 75 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 Simi Valley Masonic Lodge 1541 Patricia Ave. Simi Valley, CA 93065 Hampton Inn 30255 Agoura Road Agoura Hills, CA 91301 Thousand Oaks Teen Center 1375 E. Janss Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

ONGOING

RED CROSS Blood Donation Center - Woodland Hills 6338 Variel Avenue Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Vitalant

redcrossblood.org

1-800-RED CROSS 1-800-733-2767

Extra precautions are being taken, including: Masks Required for donors and staff Temperature Checks - taken at check-in Social Distancing - donor chairs/beds spaced 6’ apart Only Healthy Donors - are eligible to donate Sanitizing Surfaces - wiping down donor-touched and high-touch areas

Sterile Collection Equipment - one-time collection kits for each donor Antiseptic Scrub - cleansing donors’ arms for 30 seconds Blankets - using once prior to washing or wrapping in disposable draping Appointments - required, no walk-ins

Contact Debra Levine, TEC Blood Drive Coordinator, with questions at (818) 271-1307 or dlevine@templeetzchaim.org

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Weekly Schedule Sunday 8:30 am Morning Minyan Service

Monday 7:15 pm Evening Minyan Service

Wednesday 7:15 pm Evening Minyan Service

Friday 6:15 pm Community Candle Lighting 7:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat

Saturday 10:00 am Shabbat Morning Service 8:00 pm Community Havdalah

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Tributes Dunaier Music Fund: In memory of: Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Sandy and Lee Rosenthal

Peter and Judy Rosenthal

Jodi and Jeff Harris

Early Childhood Education Fund: In memory of: Bob Landun

Doreen Landun-Querido Jack Siegel

Judith Feldman Parvin Rostamian

Zoe Abdolrazagh Fienberg-Lerner Chapel Minyan Fund: In memory of: Albert Nathanson

Lois Girsky Kay Fienberg Sheila Rubenstein

Stephen Fienberg Jotkowitz Camp Ramah Scholarship Fund In memory of: Pearl Witkin

Leah Shechter Esther Scop

Mark Scop Our condolences to: The Ziegelstein Family

Janice and Manny Perlman The Degdena Family

Rosalie and Ken Fromberg Hazzan Duek’s Discretionary Fund In memory of: Fay Falk

Beryl Mann Bernard Sternhill

Debra Bellon Myrtle Zealand

Helene Gollub Israel Borenstein

Jeffrey Borenstein Selig Spero

Lynda Kessler Bernice Banker Florence Kinsbruner

Jodi Greenebrg Aghdass Harounian Safani Emily Safani

Michael Safani Edward Bernstein

Shari Mark Shmuel Orlowski Arthur Dell

Jan and Janice Orlowski William Horwitz

Doreen Horwitz Lillian Fleishman

Sandra Levy Mazel Tov to: The Duek Family

Barbara and Al Ungar Thank you to: Hazzan Pablo Duek

The Lazarus Family

Our condolences to: Jean Virtue

Harriet Oberman The Lazarus Family

Harriet Oberman

Robin Oberman

Janice and Yaakov Orlowski The Slomowitz Family

Liz and Ron Groden Inbar Israel Travel and Education Scholarship Fund: In memory of: Albert Goldenberg

Merrill Goldenberg Rabbi Averbach’s Discretionary Fund In memory of: Frieda Dryman

Paul Dryman Lester Sachs

David Sachs Virginia Moore

Sandy Pfefferman Arnold Plotkin

Steven Plotkin Kari Baer Munowitch

David Munowitch Nathaniel I. Goodman

Roger Lifeset Max Natkowitz

Marvin Natlin Gloria Kaminsky

Ellen Stein Maurice Zealand

Helene Gollub Matthew Schoenwald

Jeff Schoenwald Helen Finkelstein

Sheri Schoenwald Dora Borenstein

Jeffrey Borenstein Eileen Peisner

Robert Peisner Paula Winreb

Betty Zonshine Ernest Kovar

Rita Kovar Charlotte Lichtmann

Martin Lichtmann Edward Bernstein

Shari Mark Julia Weiss

Inez Zucherman In support of:

Honey Neufeld

Ellen Zucker

Rosalie and Ken Fromberg

Robert Zonshine Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Liz and Ron Groden

Sydelle Goodman The Slomowitz Family

The Manzur Family Arnold Organ Memorial Fund: Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Laura Sterling

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Religious School Fund In memory of: Marcie Budish

Gary Budish Eva Maultasch

Barry Maultasch Maurice L. Fine

Lila Oberman Abram Ratzan Abraham G Bass

Dr. Ratzan Bonnie Malchicoff

Sheldon Malchicoff Frances Smith

Linda Friedlander Jerry Schneider

Mitchell Schneider Elisa Feldman Memorial Religious School Scholarship Fund In memory of: Bernard Sternhill

Debra Bellon Lipnick Religious School Scholarship Fund In memory of: Yetta Edelstein

Judi Gill Reba Stelman

Myrna Stelman Dorann Bunkin

Michael Bunkin Tzedakah Fund In memory of: Eli Levine

Barbara Kluber Hy Feig

Herb Wexler Blanche Kulik

Morry Kulik USY Youth & Scholarship Fund Mazel Tov to: The Tepfer Family

Barbara and Al Ungar Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Tracy Kitzman Zerlin Library Fund In memory of: Helena Dain

Cherie Wrigley

Tributes

Temple General Fund In memory of: Anna Konigsberg

Shirley Bressler Sarah Jacobs Sam Jacobs

Harold Jacobs Sadie Alperson

Bonnie Garfinkel Mollie Sulkis

Ethel Sulkis Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Anne and John Shea

Gloria and Irwin Katz

Seth Browner

Sidney Markus

Renee Markus Hodin

Jill Markus Robustelli & Family

Rita Moya

Ellen and Marc Whitefield

Sheri and Jeff Schoenwald

Elaine and Gerald Young

Richard and Joan Markus

Women of TEC Tribute Fund: In memory of: Marilyn Excell

Barbara Excell Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Shirley and Alan Lipnick

Etta Weinstein

Bonnie Rothman 2019 - 2020 Beautification Campaign: Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Ellen Zucker

Richard Engler

Carl and Linda Friedlander

Phyllis Dankberg

Men’s Club Scholar-in-Residence Fund In memory of: Seymour Lipkin

Alan Lipkin Women of TEC Torah Fund: Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Nomi Freed In memory of: Louis Gray Edna Gray

Sandy Tenenbaum Ida Hockman

Stuart Hockman Women of TEC Scholarships Fund In memory of: Fannie Gruer

Lillian Gruer Irwin Marco

Fran Curtis Our condolences to: The Lazarus Family

Rosalie Fromberg Women of TEC Beautification of TEC Fund In memory of: Florence Brookstein Mollie Chadroff Benjamin Brookstein

Edward Chadroff Morris Marks

Kenneth Marks Space is available to advertising in our Etzetera. If you are interested in placing an ad, please send an email to communications@templeetzchaim.org

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