have a question or a suggestion? the next board …...2015/05/12 · inhabit. through updated...
TRANSCRIPT
What’s Inside
Rabbi’s Reflections...page 4 Making A Difference Day...page 8 Confirmation...page 11
May 2015 Iyyar-Sivan Volume LII Issue 7
Have a question or a
suggestion? The next
Board Meet & Greet will
take place at 7:00 pm on
Monday, May 11. We
hope to see you there!
Save the date for the
Annual Congregational
Meeting!
Sunday, June 7
9:00 a.m.
Take part in our annual
Making A Difference Day
Do a Mitzvah
Be a part of the Community
Make a Change
Want to draw attention to your
business? Advertise in Kesher.
Great rates available. Call Leslie
Kallus, temple administrator, at
973-584-5666 ext. 5 for details.
Page 2
Friday, May 1
Shabbat Evening Worship
7:30 pm Visual Tefilah
Kol Shalom/Junior Choir
Saturday, May 2
10:00 am Shabbat Morning Worship
B’nai Mitzvah of Aaron & Muriel Gibson
Parsha: Acharei Mot/Kedoshim,
Leviticus: 16:1-20:27
Ushers: Nancy Greenblatt
Andrea & Stuart Kirshbaum
6:00 pm Brotherhood Road Rally
Monday, May 4
7:30 pm Temple Board Meeting
Tuesday, May 5
12:00-1:00 pm Office closed for lunch
Thursday, May 7
11:00 am L’Chaim Club
Friday, May 8
6:00 pm Tot Shabbat
7:30 pm Shabbat Evening Worship
Saturday, May 9
10:00 am Shabbat Morning Worship
Sixth Grade Presents the Parsha Parade
Parsha: Emor, Leviticus: 21:1-24:23
Drasha takes place after morning
worship—light refreshments served
Sunday, May 10
No Religious School
Happy Mother’s Day
Monday, May 11
6:30 pm Temple Shalom Academy
6:30 pm Gesher
7:00 pm Meet & Greet
Tuesday, May 12
12:00-1:00 pm Office closed for lunch
Thursday, May 14
Final Thursday of Religious School
Friday, May 15
7:30 pm Shabbat Evening Worship—
Teacher Appreciation Shabbat
Rosh Chodesh Sivan Blessing
Saturday, May 16
10:00 am Shabbat Morning Worship
Bar Mitzvah of Matthew Steinbaum
Parsha: Behar/Bechukotai, Leviticus: 25:1-
27:34
Ushers: Julie & Peter Mandell
Elena & Serge Moldavsky
Sunday, May 17
Final Sunday of Religious School
Page 3
9:45 am Brotherhood Breakfast
9:45 am Making Prayer Real
9:45 am Women’s Connection Book
Club: Reading Reconstructing Amelia by
Kim McCreight
Monday, May 18
Final Monday of Religious School
Final Monday of Temple Shalom
Academy
Tuesday, May 19
12:00-1:00 pm Office closed for lunch
Wednesday, May 20
12:00 pm Torah Study with Rabbi Levy
Final Wednesday Religious School
Thursday, May 21
11:00 am L’Chaim Club
Friday, May 22
6:15 pm Special pre-Shabbat BBQ
7:15 pm Erev Shabbat Worship
Saturday, May 23
10:00 am Shabbat Morning Worship
Parsha: Bemidbar, Numbers: 1:1-4:20
Erev Shavuot
6:30 pm Confirmation Service
Sunday, May 24
9:30 am Shavuot Yizkor Service
Monday, May 25
Memorial Day
Offices Closed
Tuesday, May 26
12:00-1:00 pm Office closed for lunch
Wednesday, May 27
7:30 pm Brotherhood Board Meeting
7:30 pm Executive Board Meeting
Friday, May 29
7:30 pm Erev Shabbat Worship
Saturday, May 30
10:00 am Shabbat Morning Worship
B’nai Mitzvah of Rachel Mandell &
Lenny Moldavsky
Parsha: Naso, Numbers 4:21-7:89
Ushers: Nancy Greenblatt
Andrea & Stuart Kirshbaum
Sunday, May 31
Rosh Chodesh Women’s Journey
Program
Please join us for a
special Memorial Day
BBQ prior to Shabbat on
Friday, May 22 at 6:15 pm
Page 4
Rabbi’s Reflections…
Something New for
This Coming New Year
It may seem odd to be reading about the High Holy Days
before we have even reached Shavuot, but the two
volumes above arrived in my mailbox last week and
brought with them excitement and inspiration for the
coming Holy Days. They are preview copies of the new
mahzor (Holy Day prayerbook) Mishkan HaNefesh.
Through the generosity of one of our Temple Shalom
angels, 600 copies will be delivered this summer in time
to be used for the coming High Holy Days!
Why a new Mahzor when Gates of Repentance has served
our congregation well for many years? Many of our
members have expressed a desire for a machzor that can
serve as a companion to our siddur, Mishkan Tefilah
(which replaced Gates of Prayer a number of years ago).
When Gates of Repentance was first published in 1978, it
represented exciting and progressive liturgical innovation.
Temple Shalom 215 S. Hillside Ave.
Succasunna, NJ 07876
Web: www.tshalom.org
Facebook: tshalomnj Twitter: @tshalom
Phone: 973-584-5666 Fax: 973-584-1674
Professional Staff
Rabbi David C. Levy, D.D., R.J.E.
Senior Rabbi [email protected]
Rabbi Laura M. Rappaport, D.D.
Director of
Cong. Learning [email protected]
Leslie Kallus, M.S.W.
Administrator
Rabbi Joel E. Soffin D.D.
Rabbi Emeritus [email protected]
Administrative Staff
Phylis J. Sapherstein
Rabbi’s Admin.
Assistant [email protected]
Lisa Testa
Accountant [email protected]
Meagan Ruggiero
Religious School Administrative
Assistant [email protected]
Congregational Officers
Gary Platt President [email protected]
Robin Katchen
Vice President [email protected]
Jennifer Wilck
Vice President [email protected]
Erik Rofe
Vice President [email protected]
Matt Goldblatt
Secretary [email protected]
David Weinerman
Treasurer
Glenn Weiss
Financial Sec. [email protected]
Page 5
However, today it is beginning to feel dated.
The fact that Gates of Repentance does not include transliteration is a stumbling block for many in our
community. Many of our chaverim, like many of today’s Jews, feel disconnected from prayer and from
theological and ideological concepts that do not seem consistent with a contemporary sensibility.
Mishkan HaNefesh makes strides towards reflecting many voices and creating a space for all worshippers to
inhabit. Through updated translations, elucidating essays, rich commentary, and a beautiful selection of
poetry, Mishkan HaNefesh provides an environment for those of all backgrounds to find meaning in the High
Holy Days.
Mishkan HaNefesh has been years in the making, and, like Mishkan Tefilah, was piloted in Temple Shalom, as
well as congregations across North America. Over the past three years we have worshipped from pilot copies
of the Afternoon service and Rosh Hashanah Morning Service and used portions of the Erev Rosh Hashanah,
Yom Kippur morning and Yiskor services in our worship. Our Ritual Committee received feedback from our
worshippers and offered feedback to the editorial committee. Last year, the Ritual Committee voted to adopt
Mishkan HaNefesh when it was published and through the generosity of a donor we are able to do just that!
Though we should have sufficient copies for all our worshippers, we know that many of our chaverim prefer to
have personal copies for themselves. Why buy your own copy of Mishkan HaNefesh? As my colleague Debra
Robbins explains: Buying a Mahzor is different than buying a novel, a biography or even a book of poetry. Those
books will never have the pages sticky with apples and honey or stained by the tears of Yizkor. Buying a
prayerbook is an investment in a relationship—a relationship with your community, your God, with your own
sacred soul. Having a personal copy of Mishkan HaNefesh is a commitment to the past and the future of
Judaism.
We will be taking orders for copies of Mishkan HaNefesh in our office through May 29th. The cost for the 2
volume set is $45, which includes shipping charges. An order form can be found on the following page.
I am looking forward to carrying my own copy of the Mahzor into the sanctuary on Erev Rosh Hashanah with
great excitement and anticipation and I hope you will too. Our B’nai Mitzvah of the last year received
certificates entitling them to their own copies which have been ordered and will arrive this summer.
I am also pleased that Cantor Raina Siroty will be joining me on the pulpit once again for these High Holy
Days and we are both already hard at work preparing services that will be inspiring, engaging, new and
different, while at the same time remaining familiar, comfortable and reflective of Temple Shalom traditions.
The book will be new, but the place, the feeling and the people will remain the Temple Shalom we all cherish.
I can’t wait to join you in welcoming 5776 with a mix of past, present and future that connects us to God, to
our Judaism and to one another.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi David C. Levy
Mishkan HaNefesh Order Form (Please return to the Temple Office with your check by May 29th)
Name: _______________________________ Phone: _________________
Email ______________________
Number of Copies of Mishkan Hanefesh ________ x $45/2 Volume set (RH & YK) = $_________ (total enclosed)
Page 7
What difference does a "Pew" make?
By Joe Guido
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box, used for seating
members of a congregation or choir in a church or temple
and sometimes a courtroom. Churches were not commonly
furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Refor-
mation. In some churches, pews were installed at the ex-
pense of the congregants, and were their personal property;
there was no general public seating in the church itself. In
these churches, pew deeds recorded title to the pews, and were used to convey them. Until the
early/mid twentieth century, it was common practice in Anglican, Catholic, and Presbyterian
churches to rent pews in churches to families or individuals as a principal means of raising in-
come. This, by nature, enforced a sort of social status in church seating within a parish.
So what does this have to do with our Temple Shalom Pews? Well I'm glad you asked! Since we
have been so fortunate to have pews that did not have all of the legalities of title and ownership
as in the past, and since our old pews have served our sanctuary so well for so long I thought
you may want to know what happened to them. After all, our bottoms and our old pews had
become intimately connected.
Well, G-d works in mysterious ways. We hoped to sell the old pews and as luck would have it
the phone rings, and on the other end is a gentleman named Wheeler Moyer, Senior Deacon of
Temple Emmanuel Church-Christ from Bridgeport, Conn.
Wheeler, as I now call him, heard about our pews through some people I had been trying to sell
our pews to but who ultimately could not use them. As you may imagine, downtown Bridgeport
can be a place in need of some "intervention from the All-Mighty", as Wheeler put it to me.
Temple Emmanuel is a small congregation with a huge spirit, and a belief that if you offer a seat
they will come. The problem is that with seating for 20 and room to seat 10 times that, people
had to stand and, well people do not like to stand; so they didn't come. What Temple Emmanu-
el needed was Temple Shalom's pews. So
Wheeler and 2 members from his church drove
2 ½ hours to see our pews. Well, to make a long
story short, Wheeler and his church now have
the seats they needed, we now have our new
seats, and I suppose G_d is quite pleased with
the whole thing. As for me, I am kind of glad it's
all over, and hoping my bottom will be as happy
with these new seats as it was with the old ones.
Temple Emmanuel Church - Christ
Our New Sanctuary Seating
Page 8
Learning with Rabbi Laura…
May 3rd: Temple Shalom is Making a Difference!
We need you to make a difference! Please sign up on our online sign-up sheet (in
your email inbox) to bring donations that will help Temple Shalom support a num-
ber of worthy local organizations that support our neighbors in need. Bins are cur-
rently in the front lobby, waiting for you to fill them. We also need everyone to
bring Sunday circulars for a coupon-cutting station (benefits the Roxbury Food Pantry). Thank
you for participating in this communal mitzvah.
Page 9
You are invited . . .
. . . to support our pre-B’nai Mitzvah students as they creatively present their Torah portions!
Shabbat morning, May 9th, 10:00 am
On Shabbat morning, May 9th, our current 6th graders will present their end-of-year displays
about their B’nai Mitzvah portions. They’ve done some beautiful and creative work, each stu-
dent making a project that explains something about his or her portion. Please come out and
show your support for our newest generation of soon-to-be Jewish adults!
Teacher Appreciation Shabbat
Friday evening, May 15th, come show your appreciation for our teachers, our madrichim and
our Gesher/high school graduates. At that service we will honor those who have made a power-
ful impact on the lives of our Temple Shalom youth.
Gesher/TSHY graduates to be honored:
Lauren Buch Josh Dubner
Bekah Katz Heather Steckler
B’nai Mitzvah Profiles
Aaron Gibson, son of Stacey and Allen Gibson of Columbia, NJ, will be
called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on May 2, 2015. A seventh grade
student at Hilltop Country Day School, he is the brother of his twin sis-
ter, Muriel as well as Ilyssa and Henry. He is the grandchild of Marsha
and Vincent Savino. He enjoys skiing, swimming and skateboarding.
Aaron’s Bar Mitvah project was volunteering at the Animals Sanctuary
Shelter for abandoned, neglected or abused farm animals. Aaron helps feed, groom and care for
cows, goats, pigs etc. He also collects needed items for them. Our twins’ B’nai Mitzvah is the first
in our family. We are very excited and proud of Muriel and Aaron.
Muriel Gibson, daughter of Stacey and Allen Gibson of Columbia,
NJ, will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on May 2, 2015. She
is a 7th grade student at Hilltop Country Day School. She is the sis-
ter of her twin brother, Aaron, and Ilyssa and Henry. She is the
grandchild of Marsha and Vincent Savino. She enjoys horseback
riding, gymnastics and girl scouts. Muriel’s Bat Mitzvah project is
working at Saddlebred Rescue which works with abandoned and abused horses, saves and cares
for the horses and helps them find homes. She helps feed, groom and turn out the horses. Our
twins’ B’nai Mitzvah is the firsi n our family. We are very excited and proud of them.
Page 10
Lenny Moldavsky, son of Serge and Elena Moldavsky of Randolph, will be
called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on May 30th, 2015. A seventh grade stu-
dent at Randolph Middle School, he is the brother of Emma and the grand-
child of Michael and Sofya Osherov and Vladimir and Bella Moldavsky.
He enjoys soccer, basketball and tennis.
His Mitzvah Project was volunteering at Summit Dog and Cat Hospital.
Our family left Ukraine because of religious persecution. We are very proud
that Lenny is continuing the tradition started by his father.
Rachel Mandell, daughter of Pete and Julie Mandell of Mount Olive, will
be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on May 30, 2015. A seventh grade
student at Mount Olive Middle School, she is the sister of Jenna.
She is a member of the Student Council and the National Junior Honor So-
ciety. She also participates in the Community Links volunteer program
and played on the field hockey team this past fall. Outside of school, Ra-
chel plays soccer and has been dancing since the young age of 3. She cur-
rently takes Hip-Hop and Jazz classes. When Rachel isn’t busy with all of
her activities she enjoys spending time with her friends.
For her Mitzvah project, Rachel volunteered with the Jewish Relief Agency (JRA), a community
program that provides an innovative hands-on, door-to-door approach to feeding needy fami-
lies. On a given day each month, she would go to the JRA’s location where she would pack box-
es of fresh produce and nonperishable kosher pantry items and then make deliveries to Jewish
households in need. Rachel was interested in this project because she likes helping people. By
participating in the monthly food distributions, Rachel was able to see firsthand the impact of
helping those less fortunate benefit from the kindness of the community. She gained a greater
appreciation of the importance of lending a helping hand to those in need as well as the funda-
mental values of charity and community service.
___________________________________________________________________________________
La'asok b'divrei Torah
(To involve ourselves with words of Torah)
Right after Shabbat services on the second Saturday of May, join your Temple Shalom family in
an interesting, mind-opening hour of Torah Study led by a member of the Temple Ritual Com-
mittee. This is an opportunity to review the week’s Parsha and to join in interpretation and
commentary about how it relates to us today in an informal setting. Just come to the Founders
Hall right after Kiddush and Motzi on May 9.
Page 11
Confirmation 5775
Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 6:30 pm
Join our Confirmation Class of 5775 as we celebrate their continuing Jewish journey. The
Confirmation service takes place on Erev Shavuot, as we commemorate the giving of Torah at
Sinai. The service will be followed by a festive dairy oneg.
Mazel Tov to our 2015 Confirmands
Rachel Lauren Dworak
Joshua Ryan Heyman
Danielle M. Kirschbaum
Blake Nathaniel Lobel
Tatiana Grace Milner
Evan Alexander Rofe
Anna Rosenberg
Natan Savage
Brandon D. Steckler
Leah Alexandra Wilck
Dylan Jacob Zindulka
Morgan Rachel Zindulka
__________________________________________________________________________________
Honor our Confirmands with
a Temple Shalom Tribute!
Forms available on our website at
http://www.tshalom.org or in our office.
Contact Leslie Kallus, temple administrator,
at 973-584-5666 ext. 5 for details.
Page 12
Brotherhood
Brotherhood Breakfast: 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 17. Speaker TBA
Pre-Shabbat BBQ: 6:00 p.m. Friday, May 22.
Brotherhood Board Meeting: Wednesday, May 27. All welcome.
Join us for a Brotherhod Sponsored
Hot Dog Shabbat & Glow Stick Oneg!
Memorial Day Weekend
Friday evening, May 22nd at 6:15 pm
6:15 pm Hot Dogs, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Chips, drinks and all the fixins!
7:15 pm A brief, family friendly Shabbat service with special recognition of the
service and sacrifices of our veterans.
7:45 pm A special Memorial Day Oneg with a Flag Sheet Cake, Watermelon,
Apple pie and glow sticks for all the kids!
What a great way to kick off
the Memorial Day Weekend
with your Temple Family!
Skip the crowded highways and congested travel
and “Hot Dog” it instead!!!
Watch your email for sign up, cost and other details
and RSVP so we don’t run out of Hot Dogs or Glow Sticks
Page 13
HOWARD R. GOODKIN, D.M.D.
Family Dentistry
Celebrating 25 years Serving the Community
Associates
Rick Giralt, DDS
Kimberly J. Tauber, DMD
Jarred Pilek, DDS
Cosmetic/Restorative
Porcelain Laminates
Implant Restorations
Root Canal Therapy
NEW PATIENTS WELCOME!
Insurance Accepted
All instruments & hand Pieces heat sterilized.
Valley Professional Center
59 East Mill Road (Route 24)
Long Valley, NJ
908-876-5225
www.howardgoodkindmd.com
Marcia A. Geltman
Partner
Certified Public Accountants & Advisors
973-328-1825
[email protected] * www.nisivoccia.com
Mount Arlington Corporate Center
200 Valley Road, Suite 300
Mt. Arlington, NJ 07856
Exceeding client expectations for over 40 years
Independent Member of BKR International
Page 16
Imagine Your Ad Here!
Do you want to reach Temple members?
Would you like to draw attention to your
business or service? We offer ad space in
Kesher each month.
Ads run for full year.
$200 for 3.5 x 2 (business card)
$400 for 1/4 page
$600 for 1/2 page
$800 for full page
Contact Leslie Kallus for more information
and an ad contract. 973-584-5666, ext. 5 or
Thank you to all our volunteers who helped remove our old pews and install our new
Sanctuary seating. Special thanks to Joe Guido for his organizing efforts!
HK Carpentry
&
Home Improvement, LLC
Harold Katchen Specializing in:
Home Repairs
Trim Work
Decks
Built-ins
Bathrooms
Kitchens
Custom Woodworking
973-769-1361
[email protected] Fully Insured
Reg. 13VH05899700
Page 19
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Employee Benefits Plan administration
1140 Parsippany Blvd, Suite 103
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973-316-1212
Elliott S. Collins, CFP® is a Registered Representative of and
offers securities through
Purshe Kaplan Sterling (PKS) Investments, Member FINRA &
SIPC
Headquartered at 18 Corporate Woods Blvd. Albany, NY 12211
Page 20
Condolences to:
Jeff Brandler, on the loss of his mother, Gussie Saffer, on March 26, 2015
Gloria Gura, on the loss of her sister, Paulette Haim, on April 1, 2015.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
May Tributes, as of April 17
Yartzeit Fund
From: Allen Blayer In memory of his mother, Rose
From: Amy & Jeff Rayner In memory of Amy’s mother, Deborah Amsterdam
From: Harriet Shangold In memory of her mother, and Heather Mark’s grandmother,
Sarah Bloomfield
From: Linda Yarnis In memory of her father, Joseph A. Weinstein
David Ensel Memorial Fund
Double Chai
From: Dr. Edward Gates To: Dr. Leo Lewin In memory of your wife, Joyce
Chai
From: The Ensel Family To: Gloria Gura In memory of your sister, Paulette
Haim
Life Long Learning
Chai
From: Barbara and Barry Dean To: Seymour Basch & In memory of your beloved
Family mother, grandmother and
great-grandmother, Elaine
Mitzvah Caring
Kavod
From: Marcia & Stan Saltz To: Gloria Gura In memory of your sister,
Paulette Haim
Page 21
From: Marcia & Stan Saltz To: Louise & Sam Olshan In honor of the birth of your
second great- granddaughter.
Rabbi Levy’s Discretionary Fund
Multiple Chai
From: Richard Bruskin To: Rabbi Levy Thank you
Religious School
Chai +
From: Richard Bruskin To: Rabbi Laura Rappaport Thank you
From: Judy & Joel Eisner To: Dr. Leo Lewin In memory of your wife, Joyce
From: Judy Greendorfer & To: Jeff Brandler In memory of your mother,
Roberta Mack Gussie Saffer
Kavod
From: Sheila Lieberman To: Gloria Gura In memory of your sister,
Paulette Haim
Social Justice
Chai
From: Your Temple Shalom To: Gloria Gura In memory of your sister,
Family Paulette Haim
Soup Kitchen
Kavod
From: Myrna Nadler To: Gloria Gura In memory of your sister,
Paulette Haim
Synagogue Beautification
Chai
From: Linda & Jay Yarnis To: The Lewin Family In memory of your wife, Joyce