nhaz’man - chizuk amuno congregation · in our 140th anniversary torah scroll is my privilege and...

In this issue:• Inscribing Our Future— The Mitzvah of Torah

• Pesah

T H I S S E A S O NT H I S S E A S O NA T C H I Z U K A M U N O C O N G R E G A T I O N

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HaZ’man

HaZ’man

Sunday, March 2011 a.m. - 2 p.m.

New Games,Moonbounce, and Obstacle Course

New Menu ItemsPrizes, Arts and Crafts

‘Tween’ Room Music, Karaoke, Ping Pong Tournaments

P r e - s a l e : $10/family with one child;$18/family with more than one child

Day of Carnival: $12/family with one child;$20/family with more than one child

Includes Popcorn & Cotton CandyVolunteers needed for Purim DayContact: Rena Lapidus, 4 1 0 / 9 7 9 - 2 9 4 5

Saturday, March 19Saturday, March 196:45 p.m. Minhah

7:30 p.m. Family Megillah Reading

7:45 p.m. Ma’ariv / Traditional Megillah Reading

After the After the MegillahMegillah Readings ReadingsKids and families dance the night away with our Rockin’ DJ

Adults enjoy an adult Purim shpiel– “Text in the City (of Shushan)” and Karaoke Café

Teen Purim Dance

Sunday, March 20Sunday, March 209:15 a.m. Shaharit, Traditional Full Megillah Reading

10 a.m. Family Megillah Reading and Purim Shpiel with RRS

Come in costume! Please bring money for Matanot L’evyonim – Purim tzedakah for those in need.

Rock the Night Away at the Shushan Singing Celebration

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Chizuk Amuno Congregation8100 Stevenson Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21208www.chizukamuno.org

Synagogue Offi ce 410/486-6400

Synagogue Fax 410/486-4050

Synagogue E-mail [email protected]

Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center 410/486-8642

Krieger Schechter Day School 410/486-8640

Rosenbloom Religious School 410/486-8641

Stulman Center for Adult Learning 410/824-2055

O F F I C E R SO F F I C E R SPresident Richard Manekin, [email protected] Vice President Michelle Malis, [email protected] President Louis E. SappersteinVice President Sandra Moff etSecretary Dr. Andrew Miller Treasurer Michelle Hettleman Assistant Treasurer Jason A. Blavatt

S Y N A G O G U E S T A F F S Y N A G O G U E S T A F F Rabbi Ronald J. Shulman | x230 [email protected]

Rabbi Deborah Wechsler | x231 [email protected]

Rabbi Emeritus Joel H. Zaiman | x296

Hazzan Emanuel C. Perlman | x233 [email protected]

Ritual Director Dr. Moshe D. Shualy | x243 [email protected]

Ritual Director Emeritus Rev. Yehuda Dickstein

Headmaster, Krieger Schechter Day SchoolDr. Paul D. Schneider | x226 | [email protected]

Director, Congregational Education

Alex Weinberg | x234 | [email protected]

Director, Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center

Michelle Gold | x238 | [email protected]

Director, Stulman Center for Adult Learning

Judy Meltzer | x287 | [email protected]

Director, Gemilut Hasadim Program

Miriam Foss | x281 | [email protected]

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Coordinator

Debby Hellman | x290 | [email protected]

Youth Educator

Isaac Woloff | x305 | iwoloff @chizukamuno.org

Curator, Goldsmith Museum

Dr. Susan Vick | x291 | [email protected]

Choir Director

T. Herbert Dimmock

A D M I N I S T R A T I V E S T A F FA D M I N I S T R A T I V E S T A F F Executive Director

Ronald N. Millen | x224 | [email protected]

Director of Congregational Advancement

Laurel Freedman | x275 | [email protected]

Synagogue Administrator

Jenny Baker | x227 | [email protected]

Controller

Rick Bernard | x256 | [email protected]

Information Systems Manager

Bruce P. Yaillen | x284 | [email protected]

Cemetery Director

Barbara Lichter | x248 | [email protected]

Assistant Cemetery Director

Marsha Yoff e | x309 | myoff [email protected]

Communications and Membership Coordinator

Cheryl Snyderman | x300 | [email protected]

Graphic Designer

Rachel Levitan | x282 | [email protected]

Chizuk Amuno has a long history of proud service to Baltimore’s Jewish community. Dedicated to strengthening faith

in our people’s covenant with God, the purpose of Chizuk Amuno Congregation is to create a sacred Jewish community.

Here individuals and families can fi nd meaning for their lives from serious engagement with the texts, wisdom, and

celebrations of Judaism. In pursuit of this mission, Chizuk Amuno ascribes to the rabbinic teaching: “The world is

sustained through Torah – learning, Avodah – prayer and service, and Gemilut Hasadim – acts of loving kindness.”

HaZ’man

HaZ’man

T H I S S E A S O NT H I S S E A S O N

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A T C H I Z U K A M U N O C O N G R E G A T I O N

Contents2 Inscribing Our Future– The Mitzvah of Torah • by Rabbi Ron Shulman

• by Rabbi Deborah Wechsler

• by Dick Manekin

• by Bob Hallock

6 Torah Personal Torah Writing Experiences • by Naomi Amsterdam

• by Allison Baumwald

• by Marsha Gamerman

• by Fran Glushakow Gould

• by Ronnie Kleiman

• by David Mark

• by Temrah Okonski

10 Avodah Binding Our Community

11 Gemilut Hasadim • 2,000 Pieces of Chicken

• A Legacy of Love and Service

12 Preparing for Pesah • Schedule of Passover Services

• Sale of Hametz

• Siyyum B’khorim, First Born Minyan

• A Place at the Table

• How to Lead a Seder in One Easy Lesson – The Harold and Sybil Eff ron Memorial Lecture

• Dunkin’ Pots and Pans

• Chef Annie’s Brisket – For Sale

16 What’s Nu? • Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center

• Club 140

• PA Council

• Brotherhood

• New Members

• Sisterhood

• Israel Engagement Committee

• Project Mitzvah

• Torah Writing Volunteers

• In Memoriam – Rhoda Toney

• KSMS Learning Festival

2 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

by Rabbi Ron Shulman

When asked to answer the question,

“Who is a Jew?” I answer like this.

A Jew is someone who can tell the story of

the Jewish people as their own. It’s not a

halakhic answer. It is a personal measure of

identity and continuity.

Our Jewish story is accessible to all

who appreciate the gifts and blessings of

their lives, to everyone who is grateful for

human dignity and equality, freedom, and

goodness. Our Jewish narrative provides all

who wish them standards of personal ethics

and celebrations to mark the seasons and

milestones of life.

Sitting with you who are writing letters

in our 140th Anniversary Torah Scroll is my

privilege and pleasure, along with Rabbi

Wechsler’s. We have the chance to tell each

other our Jewish stories, and to tell the

story of the Jewish people as our own while

thinking about where it begins, in Torah.

Only Moses came to know God through

spoken words, the Torah tells us. At the

conclusion of Moses’ life we read that it will

be through the written words of the Torah

that we and all who have followed since

Moses, and who will follow us, may strive to

know something of God in our lives.

Th e Torah’s written text contains the fi rst

words of our Jewish story. When we open

the scroll to read, we do not know whose

hand placed those letters before us. When

we write in the scroll, we can only imagine

who after us may read our handiwork. Th e

letters and words of the story truly bind us

together as one eternal people.

If you haven’t already, please make your

date to write one of the letters in our 140th

anniversary Torah. Invite your extended

family to join you. All it requires is a little

bit of your time. Dates are available through

next February. Th is is a special and unique

mitzvah opportunity.

In our new Torah we

will fi nd inspiration as we

read and study its words,

as we celebrate precious

moments in our lives,

and as we dedicate

ourselves to all that

Torah represents as the

beginning of the Jewish

people’s story in every

generation.

Th is season as we

celebrate Passover,

we also focus on

our story. Before

Torah there is Exodus,

before we can know freedom fully, we

must remember oppression and the reasons

our story came to be. Gathering with our

families and friends at our seder tables, let’s

pause, put down our haggadot, and talk

to each other. Let’s be sure to tell personal

stories and anecdotes, stories from our

past and stories that imagine our future.

Hag Sameah v’Kasher – Enjoy a joyous and

Happy Passover!

In this issue of Ha’Zman ~ Th is Season,

Chizuk Amuno members tell us their Torah

writing stories inspiring all of us to tell the

story of the Jewish people as our own.

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Pesah 5771 | 3

how to place my fi ngers on the quill. He

whispered to me to take a moment to clear

my mind and focus on the task at hand. I

remember the letters that I fi lled in. Th e

fi rst time, when it was my turn to go up to

the scroll the next letter was ayin, with its

pointed ends and soft curve in the middle.

It is a letter of joining together (eem), of

fl owing springs (ein), of hard work (avodah),

and it was mine. Th e sofer told me it was the

ayin tov, the good eye with which he

blessed me that I be able to live my life with

discernment and vision.

Th e second time, when it was my turn to

go up to the Torah the next letter was koof,

with its two parts making a whole, one line

rounding into the strong base of the other.

It is a letter of closeness (karov), of holiness

(kedushah), of community (kahal) and it

too was mine. Th e sofer showed me its place

in the text, embedded in the phrase yad

hazakah, the strong arm of God and the

by Rabbi Deborah Wechsler

Buried in the Book of Numbers, in the

midst of what would otherwise be a

dry recitation of law and code we come

upon a brief story, known aff ectionately

as the daughters of Tzelofhad. During the

narratives of the wilderness, the Torah

speaks of a man named Tzelofhad who

was blessed with fi ve daughters and no

sons. While we all know what a great

blessing it must have been to share his home

with fi ve daughters, it left his daughters at

some disadvantage because in the Biblical

system of primogeniture, only sons could

inherit land. Th ese women advocated for

themselves, and Moses brought their case

all the way up to the heavenly court. God

decided that their case was just and gave

them their inheritance so that they too

would have their own stake in the land

of Israel. Th is outcome is extraordinary

enough, but the great Biblical commentator

Rashi adds an even more extraordinary

outcome.

Tradition tells us that the entire Torah was

written by Moses. Dictated or inspired by

God, it was Moses himself who wrote each

word and each story in the Torah. But here

Rashi tells us that even though it would

have been appropriate for Moses to write

the story of the daughters of Tzelofhad as he

had written the entire Torah,

the daughters of Tzelofhad

were privileged with writing

their own story. Th at was

considered the ultimate

reward – the privilege of

writing your own Jewish story.

Like Moses and the daughters of

Tzelofhad, we too have the opportunity to

write our own Jewish story. Th is year, as

part of the celebrations surrounding the

140th anniversary of Chizuk Amuno, we

are writing our own Torah scroll. Together

as a congregation, each of us as individuals

and families, are invited to literally write a

letter in the scroll of our congregation and

help shape the way the story of our people

is told.

When writing a Torah, we write it the

same way that a Torah has been written for

centuries—the same letters, the same words,

the same labor of love. Th rice now I have

had the privilege of writing a letter in a

Torah scroll. Th ey were incredibly powerful

Jewish moments in my life and I was moved

to tears by the emotion and meaning of

what I was doing.

I was nervous where to put my hand,

and that I might cause the sofer to make

a mistake. As I sat down next to him, he

spoke softly to me and gently showed me

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The Mitzvah of Torah... Inscribing Our FutureInscribing Our Future

continued on next page


L’chi Lachby Dick Manekin

Energy and emotion

pierced the air as our

sacred community celebrated

the opening ceremony for the

writing of our 140th Anniversary

Torah Scroll. God was present in

our Sanctuary and all who were

there clearly knew it. We, as Jews,

believe that the Torah is an actual

refl ection of God; when we write

a Torah letter God’s presence fl ows

through our hands. We connect to

those who wrote and read Torah

before us; we connect to those who

gave Torah to us and to those to

whom we will next pass the Torah.

As I confi dently and joyously carried the Manekin Torah with outstretched arms and

a smile on my face, there were many emotions running in my heart. Only three years

ago, my father, brothers, and I, along with the clergy and members of Chizuk Amuno’s

professional staff , had the privilege and honor of performing the 613th commandment

– the fi nal mitzvah – the commandment to write the last letters of a Torah that we as a

family were giving to Chizuk Amuno in honor of my father. I vividly remembered writing

in the Torah, saying a prayer for Dad’s health and the health of our entire family, holding

on to the quill as the sofer inked the letter. As I refl ect upon that moment and the fact

that the last chapter of Torah, V’Zot ha-B’Rakhah, contains Moses’ farewell blessings and

his death, I think of the courage and strength my father was able to summon in order to

perform that commandment, knowing that he was in the fi nal chapter of his life.

While Moses never made it to the Land of Israel, we, the Jewish people, did. Dad died

a year and a half ago, but I distinctly felt his presence as I jubilantly lead the procession

to the Aron Kodesh where his Torah was placed waiting to be joined by Chizuk Amuno’s

140th Anniversary Torah.

Every member of our Chizuk Amuno family will have the chance to take part in the

writing of this Torah, a scroll that will be our legacy to those generations who follow

us, as well as a commemoration to those who came before us. As the Chizuk Amuno

community choir of over 200 voices – composed of all of our schools and a cross section

of our congregation – sang Debbie Friedman’s L’chi lach, I beamed and thought of the

strong future that lies ahead for our sacred community.

L’chi lach, to a land that I will show you

Leich l’cha, to a place you do not know

L’chi lach, on your journey I will bless you

And you shall be a blessing, you shall be a blessing,

you shall be a blessing L’chi lach

L’chi lach, and I shall make your name great

Leich l’cha and all shall praise your name

L’chi lach, to the place that I will show you

And you shall be a blessing, you shall be a blessing,

you shall be a blessing L’chi lach

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sofer blessed me with strength to be a rabbi

of this congregation and as mother to my

son with whom I was pregnant at the time.

Th e last time, on the bimah here at

Chizuk Amuno as we began our new scroll,

the letter was reish, with its gentle slope

pointing downward and forward and a soft

caress in the middle. It is a letter of strong

will (ratzon), of joy (rena), of fi rst sons

(reuven) and it was mine. Th is time the

sofer faded into the background and in the

moment that I wrote it, I had no thoughts

other than gratitude for the blessings of my

reish and the opportunity to be a part of

b’reisheet, new beginnings.

Th e Talmud teaches that if you write

a Sefer Torah it is as if you received it at

Mount Sinai. Th at’s what it felt like to write

a letter in the Torah; that I was coming

before God to have an intimate audience

and that it was a new beginning. I wish for

each of you that you be blessed with this

experience and this mitzvah.

It is why this time I will bring my

children to take part in writing a letter in

our new Chizuk Amuno Torah – that they

become the next link in a chain stretching

back to Moses and the daughters of

Tzelofhad; that they fulfi ll a mitzvah that

they might not have a chance to do any

other time in their lives. But perhaps even

more importantly so they can begin to write

their own Jewish story, in their own hand,

in their own community. Th at together

as family we stand at Sinai to begin a new

Jewish journey in our lives. I hope you’ll

join us.

continued from previous page

Pesah 5771 | 5

The Chizuk Amuno Community Choir~A crazy idea?

A couple of years ago, I got this crazy

idea: What if we established a huge

Chizuk Amuno Community Choir to sing

in the Sanctuary? Would this 140 year old

synagogue go for it? How could it be done?

And there were many more questions. Last

fall, after presenting this idea to the Torah

Writing Programming Committee, I was

given a very exuberant “go for it!”

Engaging our large and diverse

community presented my fi rst

challenge. Early on, all of our

children’s schools signed on, as

well as the Chizuk Amuno Teen

Team. Each of these groups would

rehearse separately until the very

end. As for adults, an e-mail blast

went out, making the appeal for

participants, stressing how much fun this

would be – creating the largest community

choir in Chizuk Amuno’s history. In fact, I

had no idea whether this community choir

could even get off the ground, let alone be

the “biggest choir.” Th is is where prayer

started to come in.

Adults began to respond, many of whom

sounded upbeat about the project. Several

indicated some reservations, however, because

they had no prior singing experience. I tried

to assure them that no singing experience was

necessary and secretly hoped we would not

have an entire choir of tone-deaf folks. More

prayer was in order.

Th e rehearsal schedule included lots of

diff erent days and times to accommodate

the adults’ schedules. Choir members were

asked to attend only two rehearsals to keep

it as easy as possible. Th is provided everyone

with little excuse to not participate. Th e

downside was that we never had everyone

in the same rehearsal at the same time.

Another prayer.

I arranged Debbie Friedman’s beautiful

L’chi Lach melody especially for this

occasion. Debbie revolutionized Jewish

music of our time by connecting the

musical styles of the 1960’s and 70’s with

Jewish tradition. She broke down barriers

between the performer and the audience,

between the bimah and

the congregation – much

like what I wanted to

do at Chizuk Amuno.

While we were rehearsing,

Debbie was seriously ill,

and she sadly passed away

just a few weeks before

our performance.

In early January, we

held our fi rst adult rehearsal – only 11

people showed up – not exactly the biggest

choir in Chizuk Amuno’s history. Eight

showed up for the second rehearsal. People

started buzzing about the choir, and it

continued to grow throughout January.

Other beautiful things also began to

happen. One of our choir members kindly

volunteered to transport an 88 year old

woman who could no longer drive to all the

rehearsals and to the performance. An added

bonus – they formed a beautiful friendship.

Another person told me of her father who

had suff ered a stroke and could no longer

speak. However, he could sing and wanted

to participate. Like the 88 year old woman,

he, too, climbed the bimah stairs to sing at

our performance. I could go on and on.

At the Torah Writing Opening Ceremony

on Sunday, February 13, Rabbi Shulman

invited everyone in the choir to the bimah.

More than 200 children and adults spilled

down the aisles and up onto the bimah.

Th e adults climbed to the very top, in front

of the Aron Kodesh. Th e students crowded

onto the front and sides of the bimah. I had

always thought that Chizuk Amuno’s bimah

was too big; on this day, it was perfect.

Th e congregation grew quiet, the children

waited with anticipation, and the adults

took a breath. I gave the downbeat, the

piano started, and the children started

singing. Th ey sounded like angels. How

is it possible that so many children stayed

together? Such earnest, beautiful faces.

And then the adult choir started to sing in

gorgeous four-part harmony. Th e sound was

glorious. Th e music was soaring, and fi nally

the congregation joined in at the end with

everyone singing their hearts out. Th e entire

Sanctuary became a big Debbie Friedman

songfest. Oh, how Debbie must have smiled

from heaven. In less than three minutes, it

was over. Spontaneously, the Congregation

jumped to its feet, giving us a standing

ovation. Many had tears in their eyes.

I stood there a bit stunned that this “crazy

idea” actually had come to fruition. On

that day, close to a thousand people in the

Chizuk Amuno community joined together

in song and spirit. It can’t get any better

than that.

Bob Hallock and his

wife, Fritzi, joined Chizuk

Amuno 11 years ago.

They have three children,

Steve, Amanda, and

Charlie, who is currently

attending Krieger Schechter

Day School. Bob is a sales development/marketing

consultant and also performs a one-man cabaret act. He

currently serves on Krieger Schechter’s Annual Campaign

committee and Chizuk Amuno’s Membership and Torah

Writing project committees.

What if we established

a huge Chizuk Amuno

Community Choir to sing

in the Sanctuary?

Would this 140 year old

synagogue go for it?

by Bob Hallock

T o r a h


by Naomi Amsterdam

For reasons other than cards and roses,

February 14 is an auspicious day for me.

It was the birthdate of my father, of blessed

memory, and the day

I met my husband,

Larry. Th is year, the

date took on added

signifi cance, as together

we fulfi lled the mitzvah

of writing Torah.

I initially approached

the experience with

some discomfort.

Larry and I were

raised in traditional,

Orthodox shuls, where women didn’t chant

from the Torah in front of the community

and physical contact with the Torah was

forbidden. Although, decades ago, Chizuk

Amuno’s egalitarian approach enabled me

to fully participate in the worship service,

the actual inscription of a letter of Torah

implied direct contact with the sacred scroll.

However, my tension subsided as we were

guided through the process. Each step was

personalized – selecting a

tallit, conversing with Rabbi

Shulman about a signifi cant

parasha of Torah, and being

warmly welcomed by Rabbi

Druin to the bimah. With

humor, he shared insightful

stories related to the pasuk

we would help to write. Our

letter, pay in the word pinay,

became an analogy for looking

at life through an optimistic

lens. Rabbi Druin reminded us that through

positive actions we can change the way we

are perceived by others. He encouraged us

to touch the parchment and hold tightly to

the quill as we completed the letter together.

Larry recalled his own father who, having

survived the Holocaust, continued to hold

fast to his Jewish faith. By physically writing

into the Torah, Larry and I acknowledged

our responsibility to transmit the lessons

of Torah to the next generation in order to

ensure continuity of the Jewish religion.

Larry and I will treasure the plaque

commemorating this very special project.

And we’ll pray that our children’s children

will also treasure the precious legacy our

fathers gave to us.

Naomi is a speech/language pathologist with Baltimore

County Public Schools. Larry, a dentist, chants the High

Holy Day services in the Krieger Auditorium. He is vice

president of the Chizuk Amuno Brotherhood and a

member of the Ritual Committee. They are both members

of the Kol Rinah a capella group. Their four adult daughters

all attended Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center.

Elisa and Kari are graduates of Krieger Schechter Day

School; Alisa and Rachel are graduates of the Rosenbloom

Religious School.

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February 13, 2011 was a historic moment at Chizuk Amuno Congregation. The Sanctuary was overfl owing with

joy as our community leaders wrote the fi rst letters in Chizuk Amuno’s 140th Anniversary Torah. Generations came

together in song and prayer as we began this year long journey. After the shofar blasts fi lled the Sanctuary and

our scrolls were paraded down the aisle for all to see, Rabbi Shulman wrote the fi rst letter of B’reisheet on behalf of the

congregation.

A highlight of the Opening Ceremony was the performance of Debbie Friedman’s L’chi Lach by the Chizuk Amuno

Community Choir, comprised of over 200 members of our school and synagogue communities.

After a festive lunch and dancing, families joined our sofer, Rabbi Moshe Druin, in the Hoff berger Chapel for a more

intimate and personal letter writing experience. In the course of the next day and a half, over fi fty shared in the 613th

mitzvah – the mitzvah to write a Torah.

This year-long eff ort is led by Sandi Moff et, Neil Katz, and 140th Anniversary Chair Shelly Malis. A committee of over

50 members has worked diligently over the past nine months to bring this milestone project to fruition.

Do not miss your chance to be a part of this important personal and community experience. Information regarding

registration is on the inside back cover of this issue of HaZ’man ~ This Season. There is no cost to participate.

Our new Torah will be a source of inspiration and comfort as we read from it and study its words. It will become an

enduring connection between all of us and a legacy for those who will follow. Make your mark on Chizuk Amuno history

and join our journey as we look toward the next 140 years.

Pesah 5771 | 7

by Allison Baumwald

It’s not every day that one writes a letter

of a Torah. On February 13, my family’s

personal Torah writing experience began.

Th at evening, my husband, Adam, our

three year old

daughter, Henni,

and I walked

into synagogue.

Immediately,

volunteers Ilana

and Sandi Moff et

welcomed us.

Th eir enthusiasm

and warmth was

contagious and set

the tone for what

came next.

As we walked into the chapel, we were

met by Rabbi Shulman and had a special

opportunity to ask him questions and

explore how this opportunity related to

our family. After washing our hands, we

ascended the bimah and Rabbi Druin

introduced us to the letter vav – what would

become our letter when we completed it. As

we learned about vav and its signifi cance,

we were quite impressed with the Rabbi’s

ability. His words transformed what was

once a mere letter of the Hebrew alphabet

into much more for our family.

Truly, it is beshert that vav was our letter.

We learned that

vav, in English,

means hook.

When vav comes

at the beginning

of a Hebrew word,

which it does

frequently, it also

means “and.” So,

vav is a connector

and Chizuk Amuno

is a new connection

for our family, as

we are fairly new members. We were asked

to consider the vav’s vertical shape. Other

“connectors” shaped liked a vav include

beams of a building, our spine, internal

and communal aspects of our lives – these

strengths need no credit, but do so much.

We learned that it is like the love between

couples and the love of a child – completely

unconditional. We feel this for each other

and our daughter, and we hope to become

that type of leader for our community.

At my father’s request, my siblings and I

will read Torah for his 65th birthday at his

synagogue, where our family was raised. Th e

fi rst letter of the fi rst word of the parasha

I am reading? Vav. On that special day, I

will read from the Torah dedicated in 1999

to my father’s father, my Zayde Abram, for

which the sofer was Rabbi Druin’s father.

Writing a letter of Torah provides a

unique personal and spiritual experience,

yet as a congregation we will have a shared

experience. How wonderful it is that our

congregation encourages each person to

participate. We hope everyone will choose

to be part of history and part of something

that will be passed down from generation to

generation. Th e Torah keeps us connected to

the past and now we are connecting Torah

to our future.

Allison Baumwald, 34, is currently the Vice President for

Women’s Philanthropy at THE ASSOCIATED, where she

has been working for the past 7 ½ years. In addition

to her professional career, she is honored to serve on

the Publicity sub-committee for the Torah Writing

project. She, Adam, and Henni live in Pikesville.

by Marsha Gamerman

Time. I’ll let you in on a little secret—I

have been waging my own private

little war with time for quite a bit. I often

fretted, obsessed, ruminated, worried, and

wondered about time. And, then, on the

13th of February, 2011 at Chizuk Amuno’s

140th Anniversary celebration, comes a

new way to think about time, a new way to

handle time. Time-catcher.

Jews, I learned, are often called time-

catchers. I had never heard that term before,

but it sure does make sense, especially when

I think about Shabbat and the work week.

Th e 13th of February became an all around

time-catching experience for me when my

husband, Jay, my younger son, Jeff rey, and

I went to write our letter in the Torah. Th e

power and connection of that moment are

hard to describe. It is strange to say, but

there was

also a quiet

simplicity

about the

moment as

well. I wasn’t

quivering in

anticipation; it

felt peaceful.

What I realized

is that we

were truly

being time-catchers by taking what would

normally be a typical Sunday afternoon

and making it a sacred one. We captured a

moment and made it our own. We elevated

the work of our hands beginning with

netilat yedayim to actually writing the letter

hay in a sacred document that has touched

the past, present, and God-willing, the

future.

Torah. Time. Time-catching. I

can’t wait for my other son, Ira, to

come home from graduate school

so he can participate in his own

awesome, time-catching moment.

Maybe I am no longer so much at

war with time; just maybe I am more

committed to make each and every

moment count. May God grant my

family and me the strength, vigor,

and wisdom to do that.

Marsha and her husband, Jay, have two sons, Ira and

Jeff rey, both graduates of the Rosenbloom Religious

School. She is a teacher and has been a member of

Chizuk Amuno for close to fi fty years. She remembers

with great aff ection and respect Rabbi Goldman,

Cantor Salkov, Reverend Dickstein, and Stanley Minch

– important fi gures in her youth who helped to make

Chizuk Amuno her second home.

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by Fran Glushakow Gould

I have had “Oh My God” experiences

before. Like the fi rst time I saw the kotel

in Jerusalem. Or when my children were

born. Or when a dolphin kissed me in

Mexico. But this was diff erent. Writing a

letter in the Torah – in the fi rst sentence of

B’reisheet no less, now THAT was an “Oh

My God” experience.

I was excited about doing it, but really

had no expectations about what it would

feel like or how I would respond. When

I ascended to write my letter, in a very

real sense, I felt like I was a vehicle for my

people. Sounds hokey, even to me. But I felt

a glow while I sat before the Torah. It came

from within. A joy. A sense of import. Th is

is the TORAH. Th is is what it’s all about!

And I am helping to write one, with my

daughter and husband, and with all of the

community of Chizuk Amuno.

Th is will be passed on, and read

for generations to come, just as the

Sifrei Torah now in the ark have

been informing our people here and

throughout the world for millennia. We

read the Shema every day. It admonishes

us to keep the word of God in our minds

and in our hearts, and to teach it to our

children. And I had that extraordinary

chance to participate in actually writing

God’s word, to perpetuate the sacred text

in some very small but some very huge

way as well. I hope that sense of sacred

connectedness stays with me.

Fran Glushakow Gould has been a commercial real

estate attorney for almost 30 years. In addition, she

has recently completed her coursework in Aging at

The Johns Hopkins University Odyssey Program. She is

the mother of three and a regular shul-goer with her

husband, Warren.

by Ronnie Kleiman

I am most appreciative of participating in

this honor – writing in our community

Torah. My family has been a part of Chizuk

Amuno for more than sixty years and this

provides a continuum for me.

Th e “nun” – my letter – represents a

miracle. As I prepared to write in the Torah,

this miracle occurred: the inscription in

an Etz Hayim humash next to the Torah

parchment was in memory of my husband,

Herbert. I will remember the possibility of

miracles as I will recall this day.

Throughout her years at Chizuk Amuno, Ronnie

participated in Sisterhood and served as Sisterhood

president for 2 years. She also volunteered in the Judaica

Shop and co-chaired the Judaica Shop committee. She

has enjoyed learning in Judy Meltzer’s Wednesday book

club for many years. She is thrilled to be able to “give

back” to the community after years of Chizuk Amuno

giving to her.

Pesah 5771 | 9

by David Mark

5771…613…140. As Jews, and as

members of Chizuk Amuno, these

numbers hold a common meaning for all

of us. Participating in the writing of a new

Torah, like those numbers, is monumental

in its meaning and signifi cance. When you

stop to think about it, what experience can

we attest to that compares to this? Certainly

not writing a novel, a resume, or texting,

exercises that we all may have

done at some point in our

lives. We are helping to write

the foundation of our religion,

the laws given from Hashem

through Moses that guide

every aspect of our lives. To

say, then, that I was humbled

by the experience of writing is

an understatement.

For nearly 100 years my

family has been members of

Chizuk Amuno, celebrating

b’nei mitzvah and weddings,

participating in minyan,

Shabbat, and holiday services,

and attending religious school.

by Temrah Okonski

On February 13, 2011, our family

fulfi lled the 613th commandment – we

wrote in Chizuk Amuno’s new Torah. Like

most families coming together on this day,

reaching this point was quite a journey. We

started our family in Washington State and

were members of a small synagogue. Th e

building was actually an old home, and the

synagogue was serviced by a student rabbi

who visited twice a month.

Upon moving to Maryland we searched

for a synagogue that was inclusive, one that

could meet our diff erent life needs and

foster our family’s Jewish identity. Sitting

in the Sanctuary during the Mitzvah of

Torah program I was reminded, once again,

of all that Chizuk Amuno has done for us.

We sat amongst our dear Krieger Schechter

teachers, staff , and friends. We sat close

to our cherished Rosenbloom staff and

friends, and we sat in view of our esteemed

bat mitzvah mentors. I felt privileged and

honored to be surrounded by so many

people who have

touched our lives.

We inscribed the

letter hay from the

word, hashamayim, the

sky. Every letter and

every word in the Torah

is special and it was a

wonderful coincidence

that our letter was from

the word sky, where

we often gaze with

wonder, questions, and

feelings of hope. Th e

act of writing the letter

was an overwhelming

feeling. Th e four of us

stood there, in that moment, connecting

with our past while becoming intertwined

with our future.

As Rabbi Druin explained, the fi rst

letter of the Torah is a bet, compelling us to

approach life with questions. Th ough the

future is an open-ended question, there is

one thing that I know, and that is that our

family will continue its journey in the arms

of Chizuk Amuno.

The Okonski family lives in Ellicott City and are fi rst

generation members of Chizuk Amuno. Temrah and Gene

have two children, Jerel, who attends KSDS and Mindra, who

attended KSDS and is now involved in Kadima and RRS.

Chizuk Amuno was my father’s home

away from home; if Dad wasn’t there for

daily minyan or Shabbat, people would

worry – “Where’s Jack, is he ok?” My sister’s

early schooling and experiences at Chizuk

Amuno laid the foundation for her pursuit

of Orthodox Judaism when she moved back

to Baltimore. Th e spirit and memory of my

father, mother, and sister fi lled my heart as

I entered the chapel that Sunday evening

with my wife and one of our sons. Together,

with my family all around and a part of me,

I felt proud, honored, and humbled that I

had this unique opportunity to perform this

mitzvah. Entering the synagogue and the

chapel will forever hold a new and special

meaning for me.

David and his wife, Kimberly, will be celebrating their

27th wedding anniversary in May. They have two sons –

Jonathan, who lives in Federal Hill and works in Canton,

and Joshua, who is a junior at the University of Maryland,

majoring in engineering.

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A v o d a hA v o d a h

Every day, twice a day, we are reminded

in the shema of the mitzvah of tefi llin.

Th is ancient ritual reminds us of our

connection to God and binds us together

as a community. Th is year, for the fi rst

time, the Vav (7th grade) students at

Rosenbloom Religious School learned about

and experienced the mitzvah of tefi llin in

a whole new way. Th e students have been

learning all about tefi llin for two years. Th is

year they had the opportunity to create their

own sets. Th e Rosenbloom Religious School

partnered with Scribe Rabbi Menachem

Youlus to help each 7th grader, along with

their parents, build their own set from the

bottom up.

During this three month process, the

students helped with sofrut, writing the

text, building the boxes, and assembly.

Each meeting marked a separate step of

the process—and a new skill learned. Th e

families learned the meaning of each step

and to appreciate the value of tefi llin in a

whole new way.

It’s increasingly important that we

recognize and remember the ingenuity and

purposes of our ancient rituals. Th ese rituals

continue to root us in our Jewish faith

and practice. In an era when technological

advances are routine, it was humbling to

see a 2,000 year old tradition re-awaken our

students and their families and remind them

of the strength of our history.

Binding Our Community

Pesah 5771 | 11

Completing the Mitzvah of Clothing the Naked – A Legacy of Love and Service

The Talmud talks about the 10 ingredients

for creating an ideal community – “…a

scholar should not reside in a city where

the following things are not found…”

Th is was the topic of the pre-dinner study

session led by Rabbi Deborah Wechsler

during the preparation of 2,000 pieces of

chicken for Our Daily Bread. Th is year’s

chicken prep was not without challenges

– postponed once due to snow and in

jeopardy on the rescheduled evening due

to snow and icy conditions earlier in the

day. Fortunately, Chizuk Amuno volunteers

are tenacious when it comes to the mitzvah

of feeding the hungry. Todah Rabbah to

Jenny Baker and Wendy Davis (project

leaders), Brian Crystal, Hillary Crystal, Marsha Gamerman, Leah Helman, Jody

Levy, David Sall, Nancy Sall, Maury Sall, Sophie Sall, Judy Spector, Marvin Spector, and Cheryl Snyderman. Special

thanks to Netivon students and their

teacher, Rachel Weitzner, for labeling all of

the casseroles and loading the van. We want

to express our appreciation to Chef Annie Hood, Karen Kopp, and Brian Dubin for

their professional guidance and hard work

with this important congregational eff ort.

Th e BBQ chicken and rice will provide

two meals for the 700 men, women, and

children in our community who rely on

Our Daily Bread for sustenance each day.

Barbara and Bernard Gorban were

married for nearly 60 years. Bernie

was a lifelong member of Chizuk Amuno.

Barbara reports that Chizuk Amuno “was

Bernie’s life” and he attended services almost

every Shabbat. He was a profi cient Haftarah

reader and participated in many aspects of

synagogue life. Before Bernie’s retirement

in 1976, he taught French and Spanish at

Northwestern High School. Many Chizuk

Amuno members are former students.

After his death in 2009, Barbara donated

Bernie’s business clothing to the IOU

Clothing Drive. Th is drive collects clothing

for agencies helping residents of Baltimore

City facing unemployment and attempting

to retrain for jobs. Barbara says it was

diffi cult and wanted to keep the clothing in

the family, but Bernie was short and their

grandson is 6’4” tall.

Since Bernie’s death, Barbara has become

a regular at Shabbat services, at fi rst saying

Kaddish for Bernie and now because she

enjoys coming to services. Barbara

has made new

friends in the

congregation and

her favorite prayer

is V’Al Koolam.

She cherishes her

relationships with

her adult children,

grandchildren, and

friends. Barbara

continues Bernie’s

legacy and renews her

commitment to Chizuk Amuno through

her own participation, presence, and her

response to creating community through

service to others.

Pesah 5771 | 11

nd now because she

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2,000 Pieces of BBQ Chicken… and Counting2,000 Pieces of BBQ Chicken… and Counting

“hametz” have we cleaned and removed from our own hearts or

minds in getting ready to celebrate Pesah?)

Since matzah is made from fi ve of the same grains that produce

bread—wheat, barley, oats, rye, and spelt—matzah is anything that

has the potential to become hametz. For fi fty-one weeks each year

we don’t attach value judgments to our daily bread. On Passover we

live the cliché—we are what we eat! As Israel Zangwill taught, “On

Passover Jews eat history and drink theology!”

In an attempt to re-enact the experience out of which our Jewish

people and heritage emerged, we look to the simple and lowly fare of

the slave. Slaves ate matzah. Th e slave’s is the most humble of lives.

In contrast, the taskmaster exalted himself and believed that others

must do his bidding. His was a lavish style of food and life.

For Judaism the freedom and equality that we seek for all

people requires that humility, not arrogance, remain our ideal

way. We cannot live as people who serve our own wills

alone. Fermented grain implies personal and social excess.

Unleavened bread suggests modesty. Passover teaches us

that human arrogance is held in check by

awareness of existence beyond ourselves.

Th e change we make from hametz to

matzah symbolizes that our eff orts in life

are in service of God and the values of

God’s presence in our world.

On Passover we turn our basic need

for food and nourishment into the

symbolic agent through which we

express our faith and personal

values. Just as all matzah

is potentially hametz, so

are we, descendents of

unpretentious slaves,

potentially the

hardened and

As we anticipate our Passover holiday we are what some people

have called, “Eve of Pesah” Jews and people. We are poised like

at no other time before this unique festival to consider the meanings

of freedom and human dignity.

When we come to our Seder tables we know that there will be no

hametz, no leavened foods or products. We will eat only matzah.

Yet as food, matzah can only be made of any grain that is able to

become hametz.

For the Seder and the full eight days of Passover, matzah

symbolizes every good intention or simple truth. Hametz represents

every good intention exploited, every simple truth disguised. For

this religious reason, and to connect our own homes and lives to the

master story of our people’s history and sacred identity, we clean and

prepare our houses and ourselves in order to celebrate Passover.

(As your Seder begins ask this question: What “matzah”

have we brought with us tonight? What


Preparing For Passover–A Guide to Meaning & MethodPreparing For Passover–A Guide to Meaning & MethodApril 2011 April 2011 NisanNisan 5771 5771

conceited of heart and mind. One week each year we return to the

core ideals and basic visions of the goodness, honesty, and dignity

our lives should refl ect and toward which we work to guide our

society.

Th e physical process of cleaning, preparing, and changing our

homes and kitchens is intended to inform our spiritual identities.

Ritual and tradition without ethics is also ritual and tradition

without deeper meaning.

Here are guidelines to help you kasher (make proper for Pesah)

your home for Passover. Please call on Rabbis Shulman and

Wechsler for any questions you may have and about how to best

grow in celebrating the beautiful meanings and joys of the Passover

holiday.

First, before you begin cooking for the holiday, remove from

your kitchen foods that contain hametz — grains and their

derivatives that you won’t be eating during the holiday. Th ese

include: breads, cakes, cookies, crackers, cereals, pasta, and the like.

All liquids containing grain alcohol should also be removed. Rice,

corn, beans, and peas are also considered hametz and taken out from

the kitchen.

You may store unopened packages and dry goods that you will

want to use after Passover in another place, perhaps in the garage

or a closet, or even in a kitchen cabinet that will remain closed

throughout Pesah. Th ese items should be “sold” before Passover to

symbolically cancel your ownership of them. (You may do this by

fi lling out the form on page 14.) It is customary to make a modest

contribution to feed others as part of this “sale.” Many people also

donate some of these foods to shelters and soup kitchens for the

benefi t of others. Please consider participating in Chizuk Amuno’s

Food Drive at this season.

Second, thoroughly clean your kitchen—paying close attention

to cupboards and drawers, the refrigerator and freezer, countertops

and sink. Some people are careful to clean the grout between

kitchen tiles, as well. Your stovetop should also be scrubbed clean.

Afterward, turn the burners on to full fl ame or heat for just a

moment. After you clean your microwave oven, place a glass of

water into it and turn the oven on until the water boils. A self-

cleaning oven can be made ready for Passover by its normal cleaning

method. Other ovens should be completely scoured and then run

on high for a brief period after they are clean. Run your empty

dishwasher through a complete wash cycle to prepare it for use.

When your kitchen is clean, pour boiling water over any exposed

metal surfaces and then you’ll be ready to bring in your Passover

foods and utensils.

Dishes, pots, and utensils especially reserved for Passover should

be used. Many people use paper, plastic, and other disposable

items to help keep costs down. Any utensils or pots made entirely

of metal that you use during the rest of the year may be placed in

boiling water after they have been scoured and then used during

Passover. All table glassware can be used after complete cleaning.

Earthenware, enamel, wood, porcelain, and plastic items cannot be

made kosher for Passover. Towels and linens can be used after they

have been thoroughly washed. Purchase new sponges for Passover.

Close away or store those things in your kitchen that you will not be

using during the holiday.

Th ird, bring your kosher for Passover foods into your prepared

and very clean kitchen! Th e only foods that require a “Kosher for

Passover” label are: all matzah products and baked goods, processed

foods, (canned, bottled, or frozen) wine, vinegar, liquor, oils, dried

fruits, candy, chocolate fl avored milk, ice cream, yogurt, and soda.

Many other products are labeled “Kosher for Passover” and it is

always preferable to use them during the holiday.

Consumer warning: watch out for the vast variety of foods

marketed and sold for Passover that strive to imitate hametz and

that you probably won’t use or need anyway! Keep focused on the

values of the holiday we are celebrating while remembering that it is

a festive and special time. A good rule of thumb is, if I wouldn’t buy

this during the other 51 weeks of the year, why do I need it now?

Fourth, do what you can to help others during your Passover

preparations. In your family preparing the house and kitchen should

be a joint eff ort—there is plenty for parents and children to do

together.

On the Sunday night before the fi rst Seder, carefully hide a few

breadcrumbs around the house and send your children on a hunt to

fi nd them. Th is is known as Bedikat Hametz, a fi nal search to rid the

house of hametz. Th e old custom is to take a feather and wooden

spoon, scoop the breadcrumbs into a paper bag, and then burn it

all. Th e B’rakhot—blessings that are recited for this ritual—can be

found in most Haggadot.

In addition to delivering your hametz for the use of others,

consider making a contribution to the Passover Fund at Chizuk

Amuno Congregation as well as Mazon: A Jewish Response To

Hunger to provide food for those in need. Th is tzedakah is known

in Jewish tradition as Ma’ot Hittim (Grain Money).

Finally, prepare your Seder celebration in advance of your

family and friend’s arrival. Preparing a meaningful Seder is one of

the most important needs we have as Passover approaches. Th ink

about who will be present with you, how long they can sit, what

ideas and activities will best interest and engage them, and how

you can join together in retelling the story of our people’s Exodus

from Egypt. A “talking Seder” of discussion, games, or activities and

conversation that uses the Haggadah for the Seder’s order, prayers,

and explanation of symbols works well!

Pesah 5771 | 13

Sale of HametzHametz may be sold by completing this form until 10 a.m.

Monday morning, April 18, 2011. Hametz that is sold reverts to

your ownership when Pesah is concluded on Tuesday evening,

April 26, 2011.

I/We hereby authorize Dr. Moshe Shualy as the agent of

Chizuk Amuno Congregation to use the enclosed contribution in

part to symbolically sell all leaven (hametz) in my/our possession.

Th e remainder of my/our contribution will be set aside as

tzedakah for Ma’ot Hittim.

Signature and date

Address and city

Shabbat, April 23 | 3rd Hol HaMoedShabbat Hol HaMoed of Pesah Morning Service 9:15 a.m.

We recognize our Madrikhim – B’nei Mitzvah Tutors

Family Service 10:00 a.m.

Kiddush honoring our Madrikhim following Services

Study Session 6:15 p.m.

Minhah/Ma’ariv 7:15 p.m.

Havdalah 8:17 p.m.

Sunday, April 24 | 4th Hol HaMoedShaharit 9:15 a.m.

Minhah/Erev 7th Day of Pesah 6:00 p.m.

Candle Lighting 7:35 p.m.

Monday, April 25 | 7th Day PesahSeventh Day of Pesah Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m.


Minhah/Erev 8th Day Pesah 6:15 p.m.


Tuesday, April 26 | 8th Day Pesah, YizkorEighth Day of Pesah Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m.

Yizkor Memorial Prayers


Parents wishing to join the Yizkor service in the Sanctuary

are welcome to keep their children in the Family Service.


Havdalah 8:20 p.m.

Hametz may be eaten after 8:45 p.m.

Siyyum B’khorim-First Born Minyan Followed by Breakfast, In Memory of Warren Komins

Siyyum B’khorim is a morning minyan and brief study session followed by a

light breakfast, the last hametz meal before Passover. Attendance at this minyan

is a special mitzvah for all fi rst-born males. First born daughters and everyone else

are also welcome!

The tradition of attending a Siyyum B’khorim marks the role of the fi rst born of both

Israel and Egypt in the Exodus story. It is also a moment to mark with gratitude the gift

of freedom we will celebrate on Passover. Join in this fi nal preparation for Passover on

Monday, April 18 at 7 a.m. in the Hoff berger Chapel.

Holiday services are warm and special times. We invite you to

join the meaning, spirit, and beauty of celebrating Passover

with your synagogue community.

Our Festival Services will begin at 9:15 a.m. on each of Passover’s

four holiday mornings. We’ll share in prayer, celebration and

refl ection, and study Torah and Passover’s themes together. Our

festival gathering will conclude with a holiday Kiddush.

Monday, April 18 | Erev PesahShaharit – Siyyum B’khorim 7:00 a.m.

Fast of the First Born

Minhah/Erev Pesah 6:00 p.m.


First Seder Night

Tuesday, April 19 | 1st Day PesahPesah Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m.


Minhah/Erev Pesah 6:15 p.m.

Second Seder Night

Wednesday, April 20 | 2nd Day PesahPassover Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m.


Havdalah 8:14 p.m.

Thursday, April 21 | 1st Hol HaMoedShaharit 7:00 a.m.


Friday, April 22 | 2nd Hol HaMoedShaharit 7:00 a.m.

Shabbat Hol HaMoed Pesah

Oneg Shabbat/Minhah 6:00 p.m.

Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15 p.m.


A Place at the Table

Be a host for Passover seder! We are often contacted by college

students, local hospitals, and also congregants who would like

to share a Passover seder. If you have room at your table for new

friends, please be in touch with Rabbi Wechsler.

Be a guest for a Passover seder! We have wonderful seder experiences

with new Chizuk Amuno friends waiting for you. If you are in need

of a seder to attend for either fi rst or second night, please be in touch

with Rabbi Wechsler.


Pre-Pesah Shabbat DinnerFriday, April 15

6:00 p.m. Oneg Shabbat / Minhah

6:15 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat

7 p.m. Dinner

Your kitchen is already pesadik. What do you do?

Join us for a Pre-Pesah Shabbat dinner!

Your RSVP must be received by Friday, April 8.

Name

Phone

No. of people $

Number of adults, $25/person, CAC members: /

$28/person, CAC non-members: /

Number of children (5-12yrs), $15/child, CAC members: /

$16 non-members: /

Number of children (0-5yrs), $10: /

$ Amount enclosed

Special Passover EventsSpecial Passover EventsSunday, April 10Sunday, April 10The Harold and Sybil Eff ron Memorial Lecture ProgramHow to Lead a Seder in One Easy LessonRabbi Ron Shulman

Sunday, April 10, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Everything you need to know to have the best seder ever!

No Fee

Dunkin’ Pots and PansOn Sunday, April 10, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Esterson

Auditorium kitchen, we will help you kasher your silverware or

metal pots and utensils. Items used during the year may be used

for Passover, if they undergo a process of kashering called hag’alah.

Hag’alah involves immersing the item in a container fi lled with

boiling water.

Please note: Baking utensils cannot be kashered. Silverware or

pots must be made entirely of metal. Items must be thoroughly

cleaned prior to kashering. Items may not be used 24 hours prior to

kashering.

Please line up by the Esterson kitchen at the door off the

driveway. Bring a laundry hamper and clean towel to take your

items home, as we do not have room for storage and drying. You

will also be able to pick up bedikat hametz kits, sell your hametz, and

donate Ma’ot Hittim. RSVP to Judy Simkin at ext. 232.

Special Judaica Shop HoursPlease note: On Sunday, April 10 the Judaica Shop will be open

extended hours from 9:15 a.m. until noon to accomodate your Pesah

shopping needs. For a complete schedule of regular hours, please see

the ad on page 20.

Pre-Passover Food DrivePlease note: We need volunteer drivers on Sunday, April 10 at

10:30 a.m. for food delivery. For complete details regarding the

Food Drive, please see the back cover.

Pesah 5771 | 15

Chef Annie’s CCCChhhhheeffff AAAAnnnnnnnnnniiee’’ssss Fabulous Brisket FFFFaabbbbuuuuulooooouusssss BBBBBBBrriiisssskkkkeeeeetttt at Your aattt YYYYYooouuuurrrr SederSSSSSSSeeeeddddeeeeerrrr!!

It’s Time to Order!

Let us help you make your holiday preparation a little easier.

Chef Annie will be preparing her fabulous brisket and root vegetable gravy

just for your seder. All you have to do is heat and serve.

Just $60 for a 3 lb. container

Pick up will take place on Monday, April 18 until 3 p.m. in the Stulman Auditorium kitchen.

For further information, please call Jenny Baker, 410/486-6400, ext. 227.

Orders must be received by

Friday, April 1—no late orders will be accepted.

Please send your check made payable to Chizuk Amuno Congregation to:

Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Attention: Passover Brisket, 8100 Stevenson Road, Baltimore, MD 21208


Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center Hebrew Immersion Class Explores the Seven days of Creation

It all began as they sang and wished one another

Shavua Tov, a good week, after celebrating their fi rst

monthly Havdalah service. The kids were learning a song

that named the working days of the week and Shabbat as

a day of rest using the following words:

yom - day, avodah - work, mehnuha - rest.

This led to talking about creation and thanking God

for all that he created. The kids busily worked together to

create each day that Elohim (God) bahrah (created) using

diff erent art materials. When they got to the

seventh day, they welcomed Shabbat and

rested, just like God did. They truly enjoyed

the whole process of learning and creating.

P.S. Morah Orly Purrio and Morah Sara

Berman’s class recently added a fi sh to

their science center and the kids voted

to name it Hamishi, fi fth, because God

created fi sh on the fi fth day.

e

The Congregational Life Committee

hosted our second club social in

December. One hundred fi fty people

came out to enjoy music by Three of

a Kind, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Earthrise,

and David Madoff . Each group highlighted the

magnifi cent talent of our synagogue community,

including (in addition to David) musicians Jonny

Lewis, Leslie Pomerantz, Jeff Snyder, and Jeremy

Schon. Chef Annie provided a great spread and

DiWine Spirits set up beer, wine, and bourbon

tasting. Thanks to Brotherhood for helping to

organize the music.

e

Pesah 5771 | 17

B’rukhim HabaimBB’rruukkkkhhhiimmmm HHHHaaabbaaiimm • • Welcome to Our New MembersWWWWellccommme ttoo OOuurr NNeeewwww MMMMeemmbbeerrrs

We are happy to welcome those who have most recently chosen to join our Chizuk Amuno family.

If you have friends or family who may be interested in joining Chizuk Amuno, please call our Membership Coordinator, Cheryl Snyderman, 410/486-6400, ext. 300.

Danielle Goldstein

Ann and Frank Gorton

Eddie and Nanette Greenberg

Tracy and Eric Hochberg

Pauline and Marc Lapin

Hannah and Martin Magram

Megan and Joshua Schermer

Rebecca and Eric Scherr

Marilyn and Sonny Spector

Amanda and Joshua Weinberg

Sybil and Herbert White

Vanda and Marshall White

Deborah Cardin and Jonathan Willis

Melanie and Lorne Yasbin

Brotherhood Honors Their Blue Yarmulke Man-of-the-Year

In January, Michael Freilich was honored as the Chizuk

Amuno Brotherhood Blue Yarmulke Man-of-the-Year. This

honor is bestowed upon a member of the Brotherhood

who has shown outstanding spirit, participation, and

leadership over an extended period. Michael, a 15 year

member of the Brotherhood, has held almost all board

positions of responsibility, including President, and has

been instrumental in developing programming for the

Brotherhood.

During his term as president of Chizuk Amuno

Brotherhood, Michael served on the Board of the

Federation of Jewish Men’s

Clubs Seaboard region. Michael

currently serves as the vice

president of Programming for

FJMC Seaboard.

Michael has been instrumental

in developing and training with the

FJMC Keruv program, which helps

Brotherhoods eff ectively integrate

members whose families include

intermarried couples.

Parent Association Council – Linking Our Schools and Synagogue Communities

The PA Council assisted with two meaningful outreach

programs in December. The Krieger Schechter 2nd Grade

Annual Toy Drive partnered with the Goldsmith Early

Childhood Education Center and Rosenbloom Religious

School for our most successful collection of gently used

toys ever! The donations fi lled two vans and part of a

large truck. They were sent to the Community Assistance

Network, which distributed the toys, books, and

electronics to children who would otherwise not receive

presents during the December holiday season.

The PA Council also coordinated a school/synagogue

collection of 380 socks and $100 (from KSDS Middle

School tzedakah funds) that were used for winter survival

kits for Baltimore’s homeless. The assembly of the kits

took place on Community Mitzvah Day, coordinated by

THE ASSOCIATED and Jewish Volunteer Connection every

December 25.

Many thanks go to

the families that sent

in donations for these

projects. It demonstrates

our community unity

and the true meaning of

helping others.

Our next big event

is the Purim Carnival,

coming up on Sunday,

March 20. Be sure

to join us for this

fun day at Chizuk

Amuno. Tickets can

be purchased in

advance through our

school offi ces.

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Sisterhood Wins Award of Excellence

Chizuk Amuno Sisterhood received the Emerald Jewel

in the Crown award at the 2010 International Women’s

League for Conservative Judaism convention this past

December. This award recognizes participation in three

categories during the two years between July 1, 2008

and June 30, 2010. Our planning and completion of

events in Education/Programming, Community Service/

World Aff airs, and Women’s League Activities qualifi ed us

for the highest award in the crown.

Each attendee at the convention was asked to

contribute to a collection for Books for Baltimore.

This program raised over $50,000 and provided 13,000

books for students in Baltimore City schools.

Visit www.youtube.com and search for “Women’s

League Books for Baltimore” to view a thank you from the

teachers and students as they received their books.

Keeping Busy With the Israel Engagement Committee

The Israel Engagement Committee has embarked

on an ambitious range of programs which have drawn

a tremendous response from the Chizuk Amuno

community. The goal of our committee is to further

enhance our community’s connection to Israel with

opportunities to learn more and connect with her culture

and people in new ways.

We kicked off the year with an Israeli song Sing-Along

on Hol HaMoed Sukkot. The KSMS choir and Kol Rinah

serenaded a large audience, who then joined in the

singing, fi lling the courtyard with the music of Israel.

Israeli food in the Attman Sukkah topped off the evening.

In the fall, we presented a panel of teens from

Chizuk Amuno in conversation with Shinshinim,

representatives from our sister-city of Ashkelon. The

Ashkelon representatives are spending this year working

with our community prior to their army service. This panel

shed a light on the diff erent challenges faced by young

people in our two communities, and explored how our

high school-aged members feel about Israel. In January,

we hosted a presentation on water issues in Israel and

the surrounding nations, presented by our own Ellen

Rosenberg. More than 60 people turned out on a chilly

Sunday morning to celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the new year of

the trees, and learn more about this important issue that

will come to be increasingly important in the future of the

Middle East.

Our First Annual Israel Film Festival has been

another winter highlight. Hundreds have welcomed

the opportunity to watch Israeli movies and socialize

over refreshments. The fi lms have off ered something

for everyone – the romantic comedy A Matter of Size

about Israeli Sumo wrestlers, the police thriller Ajami,

and the fi nal fi lm, I Was There in Color, a documentary

about the founding of the State of Israel. Our attention

has now turned to Israel’s 63rd birthday. On May 10, we

will host the Baltimore Zionist District’s community-

wide celebration, with special activities for children, a

live concert of Israeli music, Israeli edibles, and a special

tefi llah service for Yom Ha’atzmaut. Every Shabbat in our

prayer for Israel we thank God for the modern miracle

that is the State of Israel. On May 10, we will gather our

voices in song and prayer, accompanied by musicians from

our community and our schools’ choirs, to give thanks for

what Israel has brought to all our lives. We hope all will

join us for this special chance to celebrate !

Check out our bulletin board, across from the

Sisterhood Judaica shop, for more information about

Israel Engagement Committee upcoming events.

Project Mitzvah: Celebrating as a Community

Any given year at Chizuk Amuno we celebrate dozens

of b’nei mitzvah; we come together as a community to

help parents and families celebrate our young adults

entering into the brit, covenant, of our rich heritage. These

celebrations mark moments in time for the individual, the

family, and our kehillah kedushah, holy community, that

we all work so hard to create and perpetuate. The b’nei

mitzvah experience refl ects a long far-reaching process.

We could say that the process begins when a child is

born, but it extends farther than that - it extends to the

experience of our parents, grandparents, and beyond. It

is ultimately an acknowledgement of something that has

been around longer than any of us.

It is important to remember that the b’nei mitzvah

has very little to do with the day itself. Rather, it is the

experience that it represents—an acceptance and

acknowledgment of ones role in our community. Months

are spent shuttling to and from lessons, crafting a d’var

Torah, and meeting with the clergy. A very important

step in the process is participation in Project Mitzvah,

our Chizuk Amuno program designed for b’nei mitzvah

families to prepare and learn together. This program

helps reinforce the notion that the bar and bat mitzvah is

not only about the individual but also about the family

and greater Jewish world. We come together in Project

Mitzvah to explore questions like: Why do we celebrate a

bar or bat mitzvah? How is it a rite of passage and why do

we continue to celebrate this tradition? We come together

to celebrate the opportunity to reach this moment and

celebrate the experience.

This year, for the fi rst time, we have reshaped the

b’nei mitzvah preparation experience to focus around

Shabbat, the cornerstone of our Jewish world. We have

come together twice so far this year to pray, eat, and

learn together. At our most recent meeting in January,

we joined with the larger CAC community to celebrate

a special interactive learning Shabbat in the Sanctuary.

There, Rabbis Shulman and Wechsler answered questions

from the bimah and taught throughout the Shabbat

morning service.

We will continue to meet throughout the year to learn,

volunteer, and pray. In doing these things we are able

to demonstrate by example—it is not just the day of

the bar or bat mitzvah itself that is important, but all the

learning leading up to it and the commitment to mitzvah

that follows.

Please join us in continuing our record of excellence in serving the Chizuk Amuno community. As we celebrate our 125th Anniversary, we look forward to many years of growth

and support of our synagogue. A special celebration will take place on Wednesday, May 25. Watch for details in the next HaHodesh~This Month at Chizuk Amuno and on the

Sisterhood page of the Chizuk Amuno website. For information about Sisterhood activities and membership, contact Charlee Sterling, 410/902-6255 or [email protected].

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((IInnfffaaaaaannnnntttt tttttooooo TTTTTTToooddddlleeerr))

Sunday, April 10, 2011, 8:30 a.m. -1 p.m.Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Garden Lounge

Live a “greener” lifestyle. Clean out your house. Make some extra cash. Raise funds for Chizuk Amuno Sisterhood.

To volunteer or sell items, please contact Sara Hoffman, [email protected].

Pesah 5771 | 19

Chizuk Amuno Congregation Cemeteries

Serving our synagogue community with sensitivity and caring in the selection of

individual and family cemetery plots. Perpetual Care, always our standard.

Pre-need purchases help to relieve stress on families during times of crisis.

For information please contact:

Arlington CemeteryNorth Rogers Avenue

Barbara Lichter 410/486-6400, ext. 248 [email protected]

Garrison Forest CemeteryGarrison Forest Road at Crondall LaneMarsha Yoffe 410/486-6400, ext. 309

[email protected]

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Your Life Cycle Events

at Chizuk Amuno!

Bris

Baby Naming

Bar / Bat Mitzvah

Aufruf

Wedding

Birthday

Anniversary

For more information about

catering and room rental options,

including

our beautiful and versatile

Krieger Auditorium,

please contact Jenny Baker, ext. 227

or [email protected].

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For more infinfformormmo atationonono ababoouutut

CelebrateCelebrate In Memoriam

It is with sadness that we at Chizuk Amuno mark

the recent passing of our dear friend and colleague,

Rhoda Toney. Rhoda served as a receptionist in the

Administrative Offi ce for 20 years. We remember her

pleasant manner, her warm smile, and her dedication.

Torah Writing Volunteer OpportunityIf you experienced the beauty of that special moment when you wrote in our new

Torah, then you understand how that time was enhanced by the assistance of a volunteer.

Several Chizuk Amuno members have volunteered to help make each writing session

run smoothly. If you are interested and available to assist for future sessions

(note the complete schedule on the inside back cover), please contact Lynn Tucker at

[email protected] (subject: TORAH WRITING VOLUNTEER) or call

410/828-8310 – daytime only.

Krieger Schechter Middle School Learning Festival

On March 8, 9, and 10,

the Krieger Schechter Middle

School held its annual Learning

Festival. During the festival the

entire Middle School pauses

from its regular curriculum

to dedicate time to a single

topic. The theme this year was

Service...service to community,

to the country, and to the

planet. Toward that focus,

speakers joined us from agencies such as Baltimore County Police, various volunteer fi re

stations, and the State's Attorney's offi ce. In craft sessions, students made matzah covers

and seder plates to be donated to senior centers, they knitted blankets, and learned

about various international relief programs. A particular highlight of the Learning Festival

were the off -site visits: Frisky' Wildlife and Primate Sanctuary, The Howard County

Conservancy, the US Capitol (where 7th Graders met with Senator Ben Cardin), Irvine

Nature Center, Temple Emanuel in Reisterstown (for packing lunches), and the Stadium

Place Senior Center.

Come take a stroll Come take a stroll on Schechter Street on Schechter Street

A Fanciful Festival A Fanciful Festival Celebrating 30 years of excellence Celebrating 30 years of excellence

at Krieger Schechter Day School at Krieger Schechter Day School

Sunday, March 27, 6 - 9:30 p.m.Sunday, March 27, 6 - 9:30 p.m.Chizuk Amuno Congregation


Sisterhood Judaica ShopCurrently Featuring

Our Huge Selection of Pesah ItemsSeder Plates • Matzah Covers • Kiddush Cups

Lots of Popular Gift Items for the Youngsters and Young-At-Heart on your List

Books • Toys • Kitchenware Collections (aprons, cookbooks, serving pieces)

Plus! The Woman of Valor collection has arrived!This popular ceramic grouping never stays long on shelves

so take advantage of its availability now.

Shop Hours:Sunday: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Monday: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., 2 - 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 10 a.m. - noon, 2 - 6 p.m. • Friday: 10 a.m. - noon

Our award-winning

Jewish early childhood

education program and our

exciting summer camp

feature full-day options

and flexible scheduling.

Now accepting applications

for Summer Camp,

June 20 - August 12

and Fall 2011 Preschool.

8100 Stevenson Road, Baltimore, MD 21208

410/486-8642 • [email protected]

Michelle Gold,

GECEC Director

Elise Harrison,

Camp Director/GECEC Assistant Director

J E W I S H I D E N T I T Y • E X P L O R AT I O N • C R E AT I V I T Y • E N C O U R A G E M E N T • I N D I V I D U A L I T Y • E X P R E S S I O NJ E W I S H I D E N T I T Y • E X P L O R AT I O N • C R E AT I V I T Y • E N C O U R A G E M E N T • I N D I V I D U A L I T Y • E X P R E S S I O N

Goldsmith Early Childhood Education CenterGoldsmith Early Childhood Education Centerof Chizuk Amuno Congregation

Torah WritingTorah WritingIf you have not yet registered for the important mitzvah of writing a Torah, please call 410/486-8641, complete the form under the “Giving” section on our website: www.chizukamuno.org, or return the completed form below to Chizuk Amuno Congregation, 8100 Stevenson Road, Baltimore, MD 21208, Attn: Torah Writing Project.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Th ursday, June 2, 2011

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Monday, September 12, 2011

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Monday, December 12, 2011

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Monday, January 23, 2012

Morning Afternoon Evening

Contact InformationName

Phone (day and evening)

E-mail

TIME SENSITIVE M ATERIAL please deliver promptly

Non Profit Org.US PostagePaidBaltimore, MDPermit No. 54414Chizuk Amuno

C O N G R E G A T I O N

1 8 7 1 ~ 2 0 1 1

A R I S E & C R E A T E

C H I Z U K A M U N O ’ S 1 4 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y

8100 Stevenson Rd. • Baltimore, Md 21208

www.chizukamuno.org

Questions? Call Miriam Foss, [email protected] or 410/486-6400, ext. 281.A service initiative made possible by the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Gemilut Hasadim Endowment Fund

INTERVIEW INTERVIEW OUTFITS OUTFITS UNLIMITED UNLIMITED (I.O.U.) CLOTHING DRIVE(I.O.U.) CLOTHING DRIVE

Volunteers will be on hand in the Louis A. Cohen Family Chapel Lobby to accept donations and help unload cars. Receipts will be available.

Please drop off cleaned, gently worn professional clothing on hangers and accessories for men and women.

Volunteers are needed to transport items. Donations take place on weekdays and Sundays.

If you drive a van, SUV, or truckand would like to do a mitzvah, please contact Miriam Foss.

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SUNDAY, MAY 1 • 9 A.M. - NOONSUNDAY, MAY 1 • 9 A.M. - NOON

A service initiative made possible by the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Gemilut Hasadim Endowment Fund

FOOD WISH LIST:Beef stew, canned fruits, canned meats/tuna, canned vegetables, dish soap, disposable salt and pepper shakers,

ketchup and mayonnaise, laundry detergent, macaroni and cheese, metal forks, napkins, paper lunch bags, pasta and sauce, peanut butter and jelly, plastic baggies, plastic ware, rice, stove top stuffing, sugar, tea bags, toilet paper

For more information, call Miriam Foss, 410/486-6400, ext. 281

Please drop off your sealed, not-for-Passover food in binslocated in the Louis A. Cohen Family Chapel Lobby and the Administrative Lobby.

Please check expiration dates.

C H I Z U K A M U N O C O N G R E G A T I O NC H I Z U K A M U N O C O N G R E G A T I O N

P R E - P A S S O V E RP R E - P A S S O V E R

Monetary option: In lieu of food, monetary donations will be accepted and donated to kosher funds.Make checks payable to Chizuk Amuno, Attn. Food Drive.

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¨ © ¨ §§§ ©©r© «««¦¦ §§ ©© ,,LL «««¤¤¤¨ ¤¤¤ © ««¥You open Your hand, and Your favor sustains all the living.

—Psalm 145

sunday, April 3 - Wednesday, April 13sunday, April 3 - Wednesday, April 13

nhaz’man - chizuk amuno congregation · in our 140th anniversary torah scroll is my privilege and...

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