B’NAI MITZVAH CORNER DIRECTOR of CONGREGATIONAL EDUCATION
Dr.AnnaSalomon, RJE One day a stranger walked into a lecture and listened attentively to the Rosh Yeshiva (head of school) as he spoke. At the conclusion, he walked up to the head of school and smiled. The Rosh Yeshiva was puzzled and asked, “Do I know you?” The stranger responded, “Thirty years ago, I was your chevruta (study) partner in yeshiva!” The Rosh Yeshivah looked at him closely, thinking hard. Excited now, he responded to the stranger, “Of course! You changed my life when you taught me how to learn. You gave me the tools I needed to become who I am today.” His friend looked down and the Rosh Yeshivah asked him, “What’s wrong?” His friend responded simply, “I was thinking about how I had a talent for learning and teaching, but I never followed through with it. It made me wonder why I just drifted away from it, while you became a great rabbi?” The rabbi answered him, saying, “Do you remember the biography of Vilna Gaon you had on your reading table? When you read it, you were so animated and said “That man was just amazing!” But when I read it, I said to myself “I want to be like him.” That, my friend, was the only difference.” It’s not enough to acknowledge the greatness of our ancestors. We have to take the example they present, the values they embrace and do our best to emulate that and bring it to our lives. (Adapted from The Commentator’s Siddur and A Young Person’s Guide to the Origins of Jewish Prayer) With the start of a new year, we had the opportunity to spend lots of time praying, reflecting, and looking towards the possibilities ahead. It’s hard not to walk away from the High Holy Days feeling inspired. It’s a chance to start again, a clean break to make the year ahead one of greater strengths and blessings, to work even harder to make the world whole and holy. While it’s easy to be inspired, it can also be easy to let inspiration fall to the side as we get back to our “normal schedules” and let inaction or habits guide us. So the question we are now faced with is, how can we, instead, choose to embrace the examples and values of our tradition and move forward in strength? 8
Loren Freedman October 14 2017 Loren was born in Naples to Myron Freedman and Dr. Julie Harris. She has been coming to classes at Temple Shalom since she was 2 years old, when she started Mommy and Me classes with Miss Jane. She attends Seacrest Country Day School and is in the 7th grade. She has thoroughly enjoyed her preparation for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah with Dr. Michael Rubner and is looking forward to becoming a Bat Mitzvah. Loren enjoys playing the violin, volleyball and golf, arts and crafts of all kinds, and learning Chinese. Her Mitzvah project was painting acrylic paintings to give to people in the hospital and nursing home to brighten their day.
Maxwell Goldberg October 28, 2017 Max began his relationship with Temple Shalom as a toddler in Miss Jane’s Mommy and Me class and has been here through preschool and religious school. He is in the 7th grade at Community School of Naples. His parents are Ellen and Steve Goldberg and he has two younger siblings, Mimi and Teddy. Max plays soccer and tennis and skis every chance he gets. Max is also a serious drummer and loves playing all types of music, especially classic rock. He enjoys giving back to the community as part of his school’s Builder’s Club and Veteran’s Appreciation Club. After writing to Andy Salomon and his fellow recruits, Max was inspired to collect and mail letters of encouragement to members of the armed forces as part of his Mitzvah project.
Torah Talk Saturday, October 7th
8:15am - bagels, coffee, juice 8:30am - discussion Chol HaMo’ed Sukkot
Temple Shalom Sisterhood presents SISTERHOOD PRESIDENT
Carole Flegel The Sisterhood is back in the swing of things. Our thanks goes out to Debra Antzis for organizing our first event of the season, the Holocaust Museum tour and luncheon. The museum’s mission of teaching the lessons of the Holocaust to inspire action against bigotry, hatred, and violence seems especially relevant these days. I encourage you to (re)visit this gem of a museum within our community. Please join us at Sisterhood’s next event on Tuesday, October 10th at Temple Shalom. The luncheon will feature Andrea Claster Greenspan, image consultant. Please RSVP to Barbara Druckman, barbdruckman@gmail.com (members $25/pp, non-members $28/pp, sponsorship $50) or register through the naplestemple.org website. Book Bag kicks off on October 19th at 1:30 with the thoughtprovoking book The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. The sweet women of Sisterhood provide our Friday night onegs and run our Judaica Shop. Karen Cohn is instrumental in both, and well deserving of this month’s recognition. Sisterhood Member Spotlight - Karen Cohn Karen came to Naples from Miami Beach with her husband Marty and her two children, Robyn and Mark. She worked as a Dental Hygienist for 25 years here in Naples and “RETIRED” - so she thought. She’s now a busy grandmother of four, and keeps even busier with her considerable volunteerism. Karen began working in the Judaica Shop after retirement. She also stepped up to help with the Friday Onegs, which she and Debbe Schertzer run during the summer months. Karen is a recipient of Sisterhood’s Woman of Valor Award. Karen is serving as the current co-president of Hadassah. And if that’s not enough, she graciously serves as the Executive Vice President of Sisterhood, which puts her in line to be the next incoming Sisterhood President (God willing!) Karen, along with the Sisterhood Board, encourage your support for the Onegs and Judaica Shop. Your baked goods and time are always appreciated, and the gift shop’s revenue allows the Sisterhood to continue its financial support of the religious school and other Temple projects. Thank you for your support!
Am I Wardrobe Ready for My Life? Andrea Claster Greenspan, Image Consultant
Tuesday, October 10th at 11:30AM Luncheon & Program Why We Shop,How We Shop, Mistakes We Make Selecting hairstyles and colors, accessories, and make-up Cost: $25 for members $28 for non-members $50 sponsorship
Checks payable to Temple Shalom Sisterhood can be mailed to: Barbara Druckman 23803 Amalfi Coast Rd. Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Questions? Contact Barbara Druckman at
239-947-6863 or barbdruckman@gmail
Thursday, October 19th 1:30pm The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Facilitator: Helen Weinfeld A young slave’s adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Literature 9