ETZetera September 2025 FINAL

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF

TEMPLE ETZ CHAIM

SEPTEMBER 2025

ISSUE 9

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Inside This Issue

PAGE 3

PAGE 4

PAGE 10

High Holiday Schedule

Letters from Our Leaders

Meet Our B’nai Mitzvah

Contents 4

Letters From Our Leaders

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Order Lulav and Etrog

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TEC Education

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TEC Community

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B’nai Mitzvah

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Simchas

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September Calendar

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Birthdays and Anniversaries

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TEC Tributes

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Upcoming Events

23 Torah Fund 27 Memorial Reception Services 28 Memorial Leaf 29 Memorial Plaques 30 Kids’ Corner 32 Support Our Community: Small Business Highlights

Rabbi Ari Averbach Hazzan Noam Fields-Meyer Gould Chaplain Benny Sommerfeld Rabbi Emeritus Richard Spiegel

Executive Director Cindy Goldberg Early Childhood Education Director Debbie Blumenthal Religious School Director Joyce Bronstein Early Childhood Education Asst. Director Keri Loventhal Office Manager Shane Silverstein ECE Administrative Assistant Jessica Jacoby RS Administrative Assistant Sarah Karamas Clergy Assistant Jill Rosenberg Musical Director Mariano Dugatkin

President Felicia Toporoff

Vice President Dan Lubetkin Immediate Past President Eric Feigenbaum

WANT TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS?

Treasurer Arnie Blitstein

Space is available in our Etzetera.

Trustee, Early Childhood Education Josh Atlas

If you are interested in placing an ad, please send an email to: communications@templeetzchaim.org

Secretary Brianna Abrams Trustee, Bingo Michael Roberts Trustee, Building and Grounds Steve Plotkin Trustee, Financial Consideration Neal Arons Trustee, Inclusion Paula Lefko Trustee, Membership Rachael Pugh 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.

Past President, Board Member Sherri Finn-Werber

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 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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Benny Sommerfeld, Chaplain benny@templeetzchaim.org

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Felicia Toporoff, President ftoporoff@templeetzchaim.org

ORDERS MUST BE PLACED

BY SEP 19!

Debbie Blumenthal, Early Education Director debbieb@templeetzchaim.org

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Joyce Bronstein, Religious School Director joyce@templeetzchaim.org

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

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Mark Goldstein, President, Men’s Club

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Pam Friedman, Trustee, Social Action

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Wyatt Rubinstein

September 20

My name is Wyatt Rubinstein, and I am a 7th grader at Viewpoint School in Calabasas. Although I’ve only been at Temple for a few years, it feels like I’ve been here my whole life. The welcoming environment, warm and caring Rabbi Averbach, and fabulous religious school program all contribute to it being a joy to attend Temple. Outside of Temple, I enjoy playing performance piano and golf with my family.

As I celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah, I would like to thank everyone who taught and helped me along the way. I’m so grateful to my parents, my brother, my Granny, Rabbi Averbach, and of course, Rivka Moskovich, whose teaching is filled with kindness, encouragement, and joy. Your support means the world to me. I couldn’t have done it without you!

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Congratulations to the Ahdout and Averbach families on the birth of

Dylan Lev Averbach Born July 23, 2025

Congratulations to the Cowan family on the birth of

Miles Lucas Cowan Born on August 2, 2025 Parents: Drew and Andrew Cowan Grandparents: Joan and Michael Edell Roberta Kass and Michael Cowan

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Dates to Remember

September SUN

MON

1

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

2

3

4

5

6

12

13

Book Club

Board M

7

14

21

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Tashlich at the Beach

12

8

15

22

9

Torah Fund Ice Cream Social

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10

11

Selichot

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18

19

20

Feed the Hungry Book Club

Board Meeting

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24

25

26

27

2

3

4

Wyatt Rubinstein Bar Mitzvah

Erev Rosh Hashanah

1st Day Rosh Hashanah

2nd Day Rosh Hashanah

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30

1

Kol Nidrei

Yom Kippur

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Birthdays 1 Zane Averbach Francine Finkelstein Ryan Firestone Sydelle Goodman Heidi Savalas Ava Scharf Paul Sonnenberg Rhim Eric Sterling 2 Kylie Cohan Sydney Miller Elisa Robichaud 3 Oliver Farber Elizabeth Goldberg 4 Oliver Bean Abigail Jacobs David Katz Leo Resnik Kelly Saul 5 Lauren Klitofsky Otis Pugh Danielle Withrow Madeline Withrow 6 William Goldberg Emily Habib Lucas Kaiser Benny Sommerfeld Alyssa Starr Samantha Tucker 7 Richard Ortiz 8 Shawn Charnaw Dora Oren 9 Simona Bekerman Zachary Garelik Pamela Katz David Norick 10 Linda Starr Kevin Sterling Rami Yomtov

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11 Carla Korn 12 Cynthia Koepcke Benji Lazarus Steven Salant Jordan Tepfer Buzz Varley 13 Benjamin Ormond

23 Zachary Korn Jaclyn Pollack Micah Tischler 24 Jeffrey Adler Ronald Lascoe Layla Marks Joshua Titerman 25 Susan Kane Sammy Rutten Jeremy Wolf

1 David & Laurenne Resnik 2 David & Sandi Israel Elliott & Lynne Smith

14 Hudson Friedman Tyler Loewith Emma Oren Jeffrey Rinkov Bennett Weiss Deborah Zaritsky

26 Lisa Bock Eric Feigenbaum Simon Levin

15 Melanie Gero Andrew Portman Annie Wynner

27 Aaron Kitzman Paul Lefko Quinn Lelie

6 Paul & Jen Sonnenberg Rhim Jason & Jillian Gross Andrew & Gina Loewith Oliver & Ava Freund

16 Sheldon Malchicoff August Riss

28 Joseph Bayewitch Alissa Fireman Sara Mendelson Briana Roberts Bert Schoenkerman Kenneth Warner

9 Drew & Brianna Abrams

17 Jordan Dem Ben Goldblatt Lester Halpert Wyatt Rubinstein 18 Hannah Orens Eric Schwartz Nathan Stelman Ronald Weiss 19 Julie Ritchie 21 Leigh Bayewitch Mia Gerstel Caryl Label Dawson Speer

29 Ross Berman Adam Felson Ronald Groden Colin Milhaupt David Zonshine 30 Jake Birnbaum Suzanne Fireman Cyndi Mahler Myra Matlin Maria Walters Steven Weiss

22 Jordan Friedman Matthew Gollub Olivia Gross Miles Shomof Morgan Shomof

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3 David & Alane Shechter Jeffrey & Christina Raskin 5 Samuel & Megan Slomowitz Adam & Amy Gerstel Larry & Kathy Levit

10 Bruce & Alysa Polkes Larry & Dava Slomowitz Jeff & Saminh Greenberg 13 Marc Werber & Sherri Finn-Werber Paul & Sarah Sklar 15 Jamie & Jordan Friedman 17 Steven & Suzanne Plotkin 20 Ilan Cedillos & Nicolette Estrada Rios Scott & Debbie Jacoby 24 Blake & Jaclyn Pollack Tom Milhaupt & Melissa Cohen 25 Merrill & Bonnie Goldenberg Kenneth & Julie Saul Harold & Lynne Lacy 26 Joe & Tamara Domingo 28 Jared & Stephanie Leunis

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TEM P L E ETZ C H A IM

Programs for Children

L’SHANAH TOVAH 5786/2025

ROOTED IN TRADITION. GROWING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

RSVP TODAY!

https://tec.shulcloud.com/form/high-holiday-children-reservation-form-2025.html

High Holiday Family Activities At-a-Glance 9/23

9/28

8:30-9:30am 9:30am 9:30-10:15am 10:15 am - end of adult service 10:15-12:30pm 6:00pm

Rosh Hashanah Family Service Childcare (Infants-4 years) High Holiday Hangout (Grades K-7) High Holiday Experience (Grades K-4) Junior Congregation (Grades 5-7) Tashlich

10/2

8:30-9:30am 9:30am 9:30-10:15am 10:15am - end of adult service 10:15-12:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm

Yom Kippur Family Service Childcare (Infants-4 years) High Holiday Hangout (Grades K-7) High Holiday Experience (Grades K-4) Junior Congregation (Grades 5-7) Neilah Havdalah

Preschool (Infants-4yrs) Reservations are required.

Please provide diapers and wipes for infants.

Bring a non-meat lunch!

(Label with full name). We are nut-aware. No nuts!

Complimentary for Temple Members.

For non-members: $25.00 for each day

High Holiday Family Service (Everyone is Welcome) YOM KIPPUR

ROSH HASHANAH

Thursday, October 2 8:30am Warren Lawn

Tuesday, September 23 8:30am Warren Lawn

Storytelling, holiday songs & more! Feel the Holiday Spirit with: • Rabbi Averbach • Hazzan Noam • Steve Ormond

• Joyce Bronstein • Debbie Blumenthal • Cindy Goldberg

High Holiday Experience (Grades K-4) HIGH HOLIDAY HANGOUT

September 23 & October 2 9:30am - Wolfson

HIGH HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE PROGRAM 10:15am – end of adult service (in the classrooms)

* Above is the same schedule for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Experience the High Holidays with an interactive morning of singing, creative service, israeli dance, crafts, snacks & more!

Bring a non-meat, sack lunch!

(Label with full name and grade).

We are nut-aware. No nuts!

Complimentary for Temple Members.

For non-members: $25.00 for each day

High Holiday Junior Congregation (Grades 5-7) A fun and interactive service. Everyone participates — Creative — Dynamic — Thought-Provoking

HIGH HOLIDAY HANGOUT

September 23 & October 2, 9:30am - Wolfson

HIGH HOLIDAY JUNIOR CONGREGATION

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This program begins at 10:15. Grades 5-7 are encouraged to join the main service in the Sanctuary beginning at 9:30. Or, they may join their friends at 9:30 for a supervised "hangout" in the Wolfson until the grade 5-7 program begins. A snack will be provided for these students.

September 23 & October 2 10:15am – end of adult service (Wolfson/Chapel)

Remember to bring a non-meat, sack lunch! Label with full name and grade.

* Above is the same schedule for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Please pick up your child(ren) in the Wolfson at the end of services.

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Ne’ilah

Oct 2, 6:00pm

Havdalah Oct 2, 7:00pm

Children of all ages are invited to participate.

Meet in the chapel at 6:50 pm to receive their light sticks.

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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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____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Date: Date: _______ _______

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ha ah Cha ah Tovah Tovah

shanah shanah

por ppor

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TEMPLE ETZ CHAIM APPLES AND HONEY RAISIN CHALLAH LSHANAH TOVAH

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ROSH HASHANAH YOM KIPPOR SHOFAR SUKKOT

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AA BB SS NN HH GG AA JJ BB HH JJ VV

PP ZZ FF KK XX XX AA RR AA BB LL AA

AA WW WW AA

KK MM OO YY QQ UU OO RR

ETROG LULAV TORAH

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Color These Symbols of the New Year

Connect the Dots

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