on the 20th anniversary of the death of yitzhak rabin ל ז · aviv—the largest rally for peace...

Temple Shir Tikva

November 2015 Cheshvan-Kislev 5776 Hineni

www.shirtikva.org 141 Boston Post Road, Wayland, MA 01778 508-358-9992

NOVEMBER 2015 | CHESHVANNOVEMBER 2015 | CHESHVANNOVEMBER 2015 | CHESHVANNOVEMBER 2015 | CHESHVAN----KISLEV 5776KISLEV 5776KISLEV 5776KISLEV 5776

On the 20th Anniversary of the Death of Yitzhak Rabin On the 20th Anniversary of the Death of Yitzhak Rabin ז"לז"ל Rabbi Neal Gold

There are a few historical touchstones in our lives where we’ll always remember where we were and what we were doing when

we heard the news. The assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King come to mind for those of that generation. 9/11, of course, is that day for all of us.

For me, the murder of Yitzhak Rabin (zichrono livracha – the memory of a righteous man is a blessing) on November 4, 1995, will always be like that. I remember exactly where I was: dozing, at Heidi’s mother’s apartment, alongside her stepfather on a lazy Shabbat afternoon. The TV was on, and it grabbed our attention when the program cut to breaking news. It was from a rally in Tel Aviv—the largest rally for peace that the country had ever held. Prime Minister Rabin had just been shot, and was confirmed killed, by an unknown assassin on his way toward the parking garage after the rally.

In the immediate aftermath, there was confusion about what, precisely, had happened. I’m no prophet and I’m not cynical by nature—but I knew in my kishkes right away that it was not a Palestinian terrorist who had murdered Rabin. I knew this was the work of a Jew. It pains me even now, 20 years later, to write those words. But I really doubted that a Palestinian terrorist would infiltrate the heart of a Tel Aviv rally of hundreds of thousands of Jews and be able to get to the Prime Minister. A Jewish terrorist, on the other hand, would slide through the crowd with ease.

And even more, I had seen firsthand the seething underbelly of violence that was fomenting in the Jewish community. The opposition (Mr. Netanyahu) had no problem, in the months prior to the murder, speaking at right-wing rallies underneath images portraying Rabin in an Arab kaffiyeh or with a Hitler mustache. Rabin, who had dared to propose peace with the Palestinians and sign a treaty with King Hussein of Jordan, was vilified among the Jewish right. But worse than that, there were code words: Rabin, they insisted, was a boged (traitor); he was called a moser (an informant against the Jews; one who turns Jews over to the non-Jewish authorities). Those are loaded terms, because in the Halachic world they could be interpreted to mean: Such a person could be legally and morally killed in order to stop his treachery. This was gasoline being poured on a seething populace, waiting for the right fanatic to spark the flames of violence.

After Rabin’s death, there was a great handwringing in the right-wing yeshiva communities in Israel. For many, there was honest soul-searching for accountability. But from the perspective of 20 years, all of that seems to be a long time ago.

Rabin has long been a hero of mine because he embodies the spirit of Teshuvah—and because I like his style. He was never, ever, a messianic leftist with pie-in-the-sky illusions of peace. He was a grizzled, war-hardened veteran, who knew the ruthless nature of his enemy. He was also a pragmatist, and he knew that the status quo of perpetual war was corrosive to Israel’s soul. Peace, or at least the absence of war, was pragmatic. And it takes a great deal of courage and integrity for a life-long warrior to know when the most strategic thing to do for his country’s future would be to make peace. Some have said that only a leader with Rabin’s past could have the credibility to do it. (Continued on Page 4)

In This Issue...

Shabbat & Holiday Services……………………………………..2

Family Connections……………………………………………...6

Shir Tikva Early Learning Center…………………………….....7

Education………………………………………………………...8

AISH……………………………………………………………..9

Adult Education…….…………………………………………...10

Tikkun Olam…………………………………………………….11

TST History……………………...….…………………………..12

Donations & New Members.………….…………………...........15

In Our Congregation…..………………………………………...16

The Annual DAVID PASSER ז"ל SOCIAL JUSTICE LECTURE

RABBI DAVID SANDMEL Director of Interfaith Affairs, ADL

Sunday, December 6, 2015 9:15-11:00 am

See page 5 for details.

Temple Shir Tikva

November 2015 Cheshvan-Kislev 5776

November 2015 Shabbat Chaya Sarah Friday, November 6 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service Saturday, November 7 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study 9:30 a.m. Shabbat Yeladim 10:45 a.m. Late Shacharit Service Maxwell Brande, son of Richard and Laura Brande, Bar Mitzvah Amber Lavoie, daughter of Peter and Amy Freshman, Bat Mitzvah Shabbat Toldot Friday, November 13 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service Saturday, November 14 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study 8:30 a.m. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Torah Study 10:45 a.m. Late Shacharit Service Madeline Yaffe, daughter of Corey Tobins, Bat Mitzvah Shabbat Vayetze Friday, November 20 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service Saturday, November 21 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study Shabbat Vayishlach Friday, November 27 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service Saturday, November 28 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study

December 2015

Shabbat Veyeshev Friday, December 4 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service Saturday, December 5 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study 9:30 a.m. Shabbat Yeladim 10:45 a.m. Late Shacharit Service Alexander Danoff, son of Will and Ami Danoff, Bar Mitzvah Shabbat Miketz Friday, December 11 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service & Festive Hanukkah Oneg Saturday, December 12 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study 8:30 a.m. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Torah Study Shabbat Vayigash Friday, December 18 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service Saturday, December 19 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study Shabbat Vayechi Friday, December 25 6:00 p.m. Forshpeis (Nosh) 6:15 p.m. Simchat Shabbat Service Saturday, December 26 8:30 a.m. Early Shacharit Service followed by Torah Study

From Our Rabbis and Cantor

We are eager to share in your times of joy and support you in times of sadness. Please call us

directly or inform an administrative staff member so we may extend timely friendship and comfort

to you and your family.

Rabbi Neal Gold, Rabbi Jennifer Gubitz,

Cantor Hollis Schachner, Rabbi Emeritus Herman Blumberg

Shabbat and Holiday Services

NEW! Live Streaming Shabbat Services Opened to Guests

You can view Shabbat services at Temple Shir Tikva via live stream at 6:15 p.m. each Friday and 8:30 a.m. each Saturday. To access the live stream, go to www. shirtikva.org/user/login and log into the website as a Shir Tikva member. Click on Worship, then on Live Streaming.

If you have forgotten your password, visit www.shirtikva.org/about/member-login-or-forgotten-password; or if you are a guest hoping to access the services, you can log in using:

User Name: streaming5776 Password: shirtikva Enjoy and let us know how it works for you at [email protected]

Temple Shir Tikva


Executive Director Notes…

RELATIONSHIP DEFINITION:

CONNECTION; FRIENDSHIP

Synonyms: affiliation, association, bond, inter-

connection, link, marriage, network, rapport,

relation, relevance, similarity, tie. From Rela-

tional Judaism, Dr. Ron Wolfson

We talk about relationships. We talk about Rela-

tional Judaism. What is your relationship to Temple

Shir Tikva? What is your relationship to Judaism?

How can the internet and social media help you strengthen your own

relationship to TST and our community? The answer is that if you are

not able to participate in our community life on a regular basis, there

are many ways you can feel a part of our scared community.

The calendar on the TST website is lists, dates, times and event de-

scriptions for you to choose from the entire breadth of TST programs.

Vat’s Nu is the weekly electronic communication that reminds you of

events in the near future and arrives in your inbox every Sunday morn-

ing. Hineni is a monthly publication that is delivered to your home the

first week of each month. These publications are written by temple

staff and the Communications Committee.

In addition, a number of TST social media sites are bursting with

pictures, reminders, and comments. Check out and LIKE the TST Fa-

cebook page and soon, the Early Learning Center Facebook page.

There are many posts from the Religious School, AISH (TST Center

for Youth Leadership), and our Rabbis.

For those looking for professional connections, TST”s private

LinkedIn group is a great resource. Use the drop down to the left of the

LinkedIn search box, select Groups and then Temple Shir Tikva. There

are over 100 temple members in this group. Many more profiles would

continue to enhance its usefulness to make connections and build so-

cial and professional relationships. Request to join. Looking forward

to seeing you there!

Whether you prefer online or print, there is a site to whet your appe-

tite. If you have suggestions regarding any of these media alternatives,

please send them to me at [email protected] or to Joan Blair,

Communications Committee Co-Chair, [email protected].

Susan Altman

President’s Message

I hope you were able to fully experience all of the gifts that this holiday season brings. As we approached this new year of fresh beginnings, I had the great pleasure and privilege of going to Mayyim Hayyim Livings Waters Community Mikveh in Newton with Cantor Schachner. (A mikveh is a purifying bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion.) I’ve been to Mayyim Hayyim before, but this visit was very different from the last.

People often go to the mikveh to mark milestones such as conversion to Judaism, or becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, or getting married, or having a baby. Some people go to celebrate healing after an illness. Others go for solace and comfort following a trauma or loss, and often people choose immersion to commemorate a significant change or transition.

Blending the ancient ritual of immersion in the beautifully modern surroundings of Mayyim Hayyim is a spiritually uplifting experience that is impossible to put into words. Cantor Schachner shared several blessing for me to choose from that felt appropriate for my visit. After the formal immersion, as the sun shone so brightly through the window above, I reflected on all that has happened in my life in recent years and prayed for the future. I felt a deep connection to the past with hope for moving forward. It was transformational.

As members of Temple Shir Tikva we are all (men and women) able to experience the blessing of the mikveh. For more information, visit the website http://www.mayyimhayyim.org . If you’ve ever been curious, I urge you to give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!

Julie Kniznik

Adult Shabbaton Retreat Friday, November 20 – Sunday, November 22

JJJJ oin us for Shir Tikva’s third Adult Shabbaton Retreat at the beautiful Wylie Inn and Conference Cen-ter in Beverly, Massachusetts. It will be another extraordinary weekend of beautiful services, invigor-ating study and fabulous entertainment!

The all-inclusive cost of the weekend is approximately $675 per couple and $420 per single occupancy. Space is limited, so reserve your place soon with a non-refundable check of $150 per person, made out to Temple Shir Tikva.

What a beautiful way to draw the bonds of community and friendship together in a warm and elegant re-treat setting. Please RSVP to the temple office.

Temple Shir Tikva


TST Board of Directors October 2015

President’s Remarks: Julie Kniznik acknowledged Rabbi Gold’s absence from the meeting, expressing the temple’s pride with Rabbi Gold’s representation of Reform Judaism at the World Jewish Congress in Israel.

Executive Director’s Report: Susan Altman shared that the booming ELC is already planning for next year. ELC director, Sandy Gold, is preparing enrollment letters for current families and enrollment to the public will open on November 16. The new ELC sign is up and the old TST sign has been painted to match. A picture of some ELC children was taken in front of the new sign to be used for promotional purposes.

Treasurer’s Report: Jeff Maimon reported a relatively good first quarter, which ended September 30. Although actual income is $12k behind plan, it is better than the $24k budgeted loss. Major factors behind this negative variance include dues, B’nai Mitz-vah fees and high holiday income. Overall expenses are $24k below budget, but some of it may be a timing issue: for example, the temple has not been billed for all of the high holidays related expenses. Jeff cautioned that it is still early in the year with only one normal month of operations (September) and it is too soon to tell if we are ahead of budget. The ELC is slightly ahead of plan for the first three months! Our collections are on par with the prior year, about $900k collected against a goal of $1.5M. All abatements have been processed and are up to date. Prior year collections are being followed up on and delinquent fall pay-ments will be more aggressively followed up on . Statements will go out shortly.

Tech Committee Report: Roy Lurie shared information about the success of the high holidays video broadcast. Positive feed-back was received, especially from children of members who live outside Metrowest but still feel a strong connection to Shir Tikva. Roy shared the EC recommendation to open up the video broadcast and remove the login. After a vigorous conversation with a number of concerns raised, it was directed back to the Tech Committee for further discussion.

Building Improvement Committee: Laurene Sperling reported the selection of a firm to do a strategic plan for the building. The committee has some funds but needs to raise another $16k to engage the firm to produce a feasibility study. The plan is to pre-sent this study to the congregation regarding options with the existing building.

Transition Update November 2015

At the September Temple Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting, the BOT voted to proceed with a search for an interim rabbi to serve the congregation from July 2016 to June 2017. This vote was taken after careful consideration of: the research performed by the Transition Team, input from congregational meetings, the interim rabbi experiences of peer congregations, input from the CCAR (the Central Conference of American Rabbis) and the URJ (Union of Reform Judaism), and the recommendation of the Transition Team. An Interim Rabbi, specifically trained in interim ministry by the Reform Movement, is an excellent choice for TST because: he/she will bring a wealth of perspective and experience in synagogue transition management, will help conduct a self-examination and visioning process, will assist in implementing new best practices and will help provide the time and space necessary before welcoming a new senior rabbi.

TST’s application for an interim rabbi was submitted to the Rabbinic Placement Group at CCAR in September and the Rabbi Search Committee has already begun the candidate interview process. Once the interim rabbi is selected, the Rabbi Search Committee will focus its attention on a search for a senior rabbi to join TST in July 2017.

The Executive Council and Rabbi Gold agreed that Rabbi Gold will leave Shir Tikva to begin the next chapter of his rabbinate on December 31, 2015. Rabbi Gubitz and Cantor Schachner will provide the temple’s clergy needs through July 2016. The Operations Committee will meet the needs of the congregation by preparing for appropriate clergy coverage and providing supplementary help of qualified clergy to support Rabbi Gubitz and Cantor Schachner on an as-needed basis.

A special recognition Simchat Shabbat is being planned for Rabbi Gold on December 11, in conjunction with the Hanukkah Festive Oneg. In addition to planning this event, the Congregational Engagement Committee is also developing a TST website page to provide easy access to information about the transition and are doing outreach to congregants desiring more information or clarity on transition issues. As always, input and questions are welcomed at [email protected].

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday November 19, 7 pm Congregational Meeting/Transition Update The evening will begin with a wine and cheese social followed by a progress report from each transition committee.

Temple Shir Tikva


The Annual DAVID PASSER ז"ל

SOCIAL JUSTICE LECTURE RABBI DAVID SANDMEL

Director of Interfaith Affairs, ADL Sunday, December 6, 9:15-11 a.m.

Rabbi David Fox Sandmel is Director of Interfaith Affairs for the Anti-Defamation League. Prior to joining the staff at the ADL, he held the Crown Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and served as Senior Advisor on Interreligious Affairs to the Religious Action Center and Adjunct Faculty at the Union for Reform Judaism.

From 1998-2001, he was the Jewish Scholar at the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies in Baltimore. There, he directed the National Jewish Scholars Project, a major initiative to promote a new discussion within the Jewish community and between Jews and Christians about the differences and similarities between the two traditions. Rabbi Sandmel coordinated the publication of “Dabru Emet: A Jewish Statement on Christians and Christiani-ty,” a groundbreaking event that generated international atten-tion in the interfaith community and wide media coverage.

Rabbi Sandmel lectures and publishes widely on contemporary issues in Jewish-Christian relations, Jewish-Muslim relations, religion in contemporary society, and the foundations of Juda-ism and Christianity in antiquity. He contributed the commen-tary on First Thessalonians to the Jewish Annotated New Testament (Oxford University Press, 2011). He is the co-editor of Christiani-ty in Jewish Terms (Westview, 2000), to which he has also contrib-uted an essay. In addition, he is the lead editor of Irreconcilable Differences? A Learning Resource for Jews and Christians (Westview Press, 2001), a study and discussion guide that focuses on core theological issues on the boundary between Judaism and Chris-tianity.

Rabbi Sandmel is also involved in Jewish-Muslim dialogue and in the tri-lateral dialogue between Jews, Christians, and Mus-lims. For a number of years, he team-taught a course at CTU and led interfaith study trips to Israel and the Palestinian territo-ries. He also served on the steering committee of In Good Faith, a CTU sponsored tri-lateral dialogue involving the wider com-munity.

Rabbi Sandmel received his BA with honors from the Ohio State University and was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. He completed his doc-torate at the University of Pennsylvania where he studied the history and literature of Judaism and Christianity in the Greco-Roman world.

The Annual David Passer Social Justice Lecture was created in 2014 as a special fund at Temple Shir Tikva to honor our former Executive Di-

rector David Passer, of blessed memory.

Members in the News

The Wayland/Weston Town Cri-er captured photos of Karen Krowne and Joan Blair staffing the Wayland Democratic Town Committee table at Wayland's

10th annual Touch a Truck event for young children and their families. The Wayland Dems hosted a pint sized voting booth to instill civic involvement and a bit of fun into the day's activities. Children were asked to vote for their favorite character: Mickey, Donald or Minnie. Mickey and Minnie tied with only a few hanging chads.

An extensive article about Neighbor to Neighbor, the joint Shir Tikva and Islamic Cen-ter of Boston program to bring women from the temple and the center together to build friendship, understanding and respect through shared experience, was featured in North Bridge magazine. Joyce Pastor, a founding member of the program, was quot-ed as saying, "I believe relationships are the key to making the world a better place." Many photos of a meeting at co-organizer Sheila Deitchman's home, at which members shared cultural objects, accompanied the ar-ticle.

Myra Snyder will be honored on Sunday, November 15, at the Metrowest Jewish Day School’s 14th Annual Gala for her contri-butions to the MWJDS and the

Greater Boston Jewish Community. An ac-tive volunteer in the local Jewish communi-ty, Myra helped found Congregation B’nai Torah of Sudbury, Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, and MWJDS. She has served on the board of MWJDS and many other Jewish organizations. Myra is a lifelong learner, completing the Me’ah program in 1997 and receiving her Masters of Jewish Studies in 2001 from Hebrew College. At Hebrew Col-lege, she currently serves as a Trustee and is Chair of the Leadership Council.

Temple Shir Tikva


In Concert

At Temple Shir Tikva Early Learning Center Co-sponsored by the Wayland Children & Parent Association Wednesday, November 11 10 a.m. ELC Open House 10:30 a.m. Concert

$8 general admissions $7 Shir Tikva families and WCPA members $30 maximum per family Tickets can be purchased at the door. All are welcome.

Tefillah, Story & Singing, Nosh & Shmoozing

Saturday, November 7 9:30 a.m.

Designed for ages 1 - 6

There is something for everyone! We'll eat... we'll schmooze...we'll sing…

we'll celebrate Shabbat together!

Invite your friends to come along!

Dates: Nov. 7, Dec. 5, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2

and May 7

Family Connections

Family Connections experiences are designed for families with chil-dren ages 0-7. Interfaith families, nonmembers, older siblings, grandparents and caregivers are always welcome. Bring a friend!

Temple Shir Tikva


Temple Shir Tikva Early Learning CenterTemple Shir Tikva Early Learning CenterTemple Shir Tikva Early Learning CenterTemple Shir Tikva Early Learning Center

Temple Shir Tikva Early Learning Center Fund

Donations to TST’s ELC Fund will be dedicated to ongoing improvements to the school, allowing it to continue to evolve and flourish. For questions about the ELC Fund, please contact our TST ELC Task Force Co-Chairs, Amanda Glynn ([email protected]) and/or Stefanie Janoff ([email protected]). If you are interested in making a donation, please visit our temple online giving page at www.shirtikva.org/donate.

The children in the Early Learning Center have had a busy month. In addition to celebrating Sukkot and exploring the beautiful colors and pumpkins of Fall, our enrichment classes are all open and running. Enrollment for 2016-2017 is open and we’ve already begun giving tours. Please tell your friends and

spread the word about our great program.

Friday afternoon ends with Challah baking in the extended day program.

Sadie Klau, a participant in the art enrichment class, is showing off student creations based on the work of Wassily Kandisky.

The Blue Room enjoys Israeli dancing!

Children in the Yellow Room experiment with mixing colors.

Rabbi Gold joined children from the Blue and Yellow rooms in the sukkah to shake the lulav.

There’s a lot

of pumpkin

exploration

Temple Shir Tikva


jepig � Education

Shabbat Together Saturday Nov. 21, 3:30 - 7 pm Includes dinner and Havdalah

This inter-generational Saturday Shabbat celebration is open to all congregants, with special opportunities to engage our Religious School families. Highlights will include: Jewish Papercut with Artist and TST Teacher Emily Pechet, Drumming with Mitch Gordon meditation and more! Stay tuned for more details!!!

Shabbat B’Yachad, in partnership with the TST Center for Spirituality, is an Shabbat experience for all to enjoy! Friends and

non-members welcome!

Papercutting art by Emily Pechet

Shir Tikva’s Cornerstones of Jewish Learning Beginning in June of 2014, CJP’s Jewish Learning Connections department invest-ed in Shir Tikva in a process of visioning, learning, building, and reflecting on our Jewish educational work. CJP facilitated a survey for parents of the TST religious school (65% responded!) which helped support anecdotal evidence that we are on the right track; most certainly a result of the tireless work of the education team (Bev Klau, Rhonda Magier-Cohen, Rachael Pass, Devora Rohr, and now Elizabeth Suga and all of our faculty). We also learned about areas for improvement and oth-er hopes and dreams from our parents. Because we believe that kids should have voice and choice over their Jewish learning experiences, we also asked students in Grades 3-6 to reflect on their Jewish learning experiences.

From all of this data and with the support of our consultant Renee Rudnick, an expert in the field, we began to shape our Jewish Learning Cornerstones - as shown in the beautiful corresponding graphic. Our Corner-stones yield a sentence - "Jewish living and learning at Temple Shir Tikva is alive and rich; it is relational, relevant, experiential, personally meaningful, joyful with ruach and offers deep inquiry." This sentence is as-pirational and speaks of our hope that when students (of all ages) and families learn at Shir Tikva - they will encounter all of these aspects in their learning. Think we can do it? Will you join us in making it happen?

What are Cornerstones, by the way? The Reform Movements Experiment in Congregational Education work with congregations to develop these cornerstones (also known as design principles) for many purposes: to serve as an educational tool for professional learning; a checklist/guide for designing learning experiences; an observation tool for monitoring ongoing practice; and as a tool to help build relationships between staff and lay leadership.

Already, I've shared our Cornerstones with 15 parents of our school who attended an opt-in session I led on the 1st day of religious school. They seemed excited and reflective; and they had important questions and ideas. What do you think? I would love your feedback and partnership! [email protected]."

Temple Shir Tikva


AISH: Shir Tikva Center for Youth Leadership אש

Seventh and eighth graders are invited to a sleepover at the temple on December 11-12, 2015, where they will be "locked-in" for a night of fun! The Lock-In will take place over Shabbat and one night of Chanukah. Students will participate together in the temple-wide celebrations as well as get to have bonding experiences and learning experiences together all night long! Registration is live online at www.familyid.com/temple-shir-tikva

Fifth and sixth graders are invited to come to TST on Saturday, December 19 at 5:30 p.m. for dinner, Havdalah and winter fun! We will drink hot cocoa and play in the snow - and if there's no snow, we'll make our own! RSVP to Rachael Pass at [email protected].

Save the date for our Grade 10 L’Taken Social Justice Seminar trip to Washington, D.C.! We will be going January 8-11, 2016. Grade 10 students have this unique and amazing op-portunity to learn about important and relevant social justice issues in a Jewish context, culmi-nating in lobbying our representatives on Capitol Hill! Pre-registration is open online at www.FamilyID.com/temple-shir-tikva. For more information, visit www.rac.org or email Rachael Pass ([email protected]) or Rabbi Gubitz ([email protected]).

YALLA WEDNESDAYS

November 4 December 2

January 6 February 3

March 2 April 6 May 11

On the first Wednesday of every month at AISH, students will get to experience the following grade-level programs: Grade 7: Moving Traditions (Rosh Hodesh, Shevet Achim & Star Society with Talia, Steve & Rachael Grade 8: Moving Traditions (Rosh Hodesh and Shevet Achim with Tova & Pete Grade 9: My Jewish Journey, an exploration of our individual experiences of Judaism Grade 10: This I Believe, confirmation with Rabbi Gubitz Grade 11: Oral Histories: Voices of Shir Tikva Grade 12: Jewish Packing for College, with Rabbi Gold

Temple Shir Tikva


Adult Education

TST’s Adult Education Presents:

Jewish Genealogy

Monday, December 7 7:30 - 9 pm

What do you need to start Jewish genealogical research and find

your own family history? Which resources are relevant? You may

be astounded by the wealth of documents available about your

ancestors! Presented by Marilyn Okinow, Outreach Coordinator for the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston. The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston (JGSGB) is dedicated to helping people discover and research their Jewish family history. JGSGB offers monthly educational programs, provides an extensive collection of research materials, publishes an award-winning journal, Mass-Pocha, and hosted the 2013 IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy.

For more information about the program or questions, contact Adult Education Co-Chair, Marcus Cohn, [email protected] or committee member Ben Boverman, [email protected].

Temple Shir Tikva


Online Donations

To make performing the mitzvah of tzedakah

more convenient, on-line donations are

available.

Go to www.shirtikva.org/

donate

DO YOU BABYSIT?

Members of our Shir Tikva community are always looking for fun, responsible, creative babysitters. If you want to add your name to our babysitting list, send your name, age/grade, address, email ad-dress, cell phone number, preferred meth-od of communication (email, text or phone), transportation requirements and any additional notes about you to Rabbi Jen Gubitz by Facebook message.

Your details and contact information will be made available to the Shir Tikva Family Connections Facebook group, which can only be viewed by members.

Tikkun Olam

New Members

We are delighted to welcome our new members as of September 30:

Peter and Miriam Borden Max, Zoe Lincoln

Gregg and Corey Dehner

Reed, Tristan Natick

Andrew and Rachel Goodman

Jacob, Samuel Sudbury

Greg and Joanna Hartunian

Nathan, Jack Wayland

Bert and Shelly Levine

Robin, Michael Wayland

Rob and Debbie Polansky

Natick

Richard Romanow and Debbie Band-Entrup

Adam, Robert, David, Daniel, Justin, Elizabeth

Wayland

Benjamin Wright and Miriam Bolkosky

Samuel, Ethan

TST is Compensated for Recycling Our temple is compensated for paper put in the bright green

and yellow recycling bin located outside, near the loading dock.

Accepted items include newspapers, magazines, catalogs, mail,

paperback books and colored paper. Please help us by bringing

your recyclable paper products to the bin located near the loading dock.

Mitzvah Day 2015 a Success! Thank you to all of our coordinators and volunteers who made Shir Tikva’s Mitzvah Day a success! The building and community were abuzz with TST members doing Mitzvot all morning. Photos from the day are in the gallery on Shir Tikva’s website and a selection will be printed in December’s Hineni.

KESHER Provides Spiritual, Emotional Support

TST Kesher Program’s mission is to provide both spiritual and emo-tional support, solace and hope to congregants and their families during times of illness, suffering, loss and grief, and to recognize celebrations of simchas. Each month, a volunteer coordinates com-munity support services. The Kesher coordinator for November is Dorie Nickelsburg . She can be reached at 508-733-9102 or [email protected]. If you are aware of a congregant in need of Kesher services, call the temple office, the Rabbis or Cantor or the coordinator. For pastoral emergencies after normal business hours, call the temple office, 508-358-9992, and listen for emergency contact information recorded at the end of the message.

Volunteers Needed to Visit People Receiving Hospice Care

You can make a difference in someone’s life

in as little as one hour a week. Training is provided.

Non-contact positions are also available.

Call Alice Hutter at West River Care:

781-707-9580

Temple Shir Tikva


In the late 1980’s and extending into the next decade, many American Jewish communities welcomed Jewish families from the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Support was provided for the many difficult tasks of resettlement: housing, employment, language training, financial assistance and orientation to our way of life. The effort reflected our communities at their best!

Our synagogue joined in the effort, welcoming seven families to Metrowest Boston and our synagogue. We assisted with the tasks of resettlement, the children studied in our school and, in the next years, celebrated their B’nei Mitzvah. Beyond logistics, we gladly extended friendship. Some relationships continue to this day. With the help of Samuil and Nina Shmuuylovich we have reconnected with these very special TST families. How far they have come – into the third generation – since their beginnings here!

The family updates below are submitted by Rabbi Herman J. Blumberg

TST History

The Belyaev Family

Alex Belayev writes, “Our family was welcomed to Boston by the Shir Tikva congregation on May 24, 1988. Five members of our family arrived on that day: Alexander and Svetlana Belyaev, our two daughters, Elena and Yana, and Alexander’s mother, Serafima (Sema) Belyaev.” Svetlana Belyaev is retired now, after working for years as a con-tractor in the field of accounting. Alexander Belyaev is the prin-cipal research scientist at KLA-Tencor Corporation’s headquar-ters in Silicon Valley. He has authored and co-authored over fif-teen patents. Elena graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a major in International Relations and a minor in Computer Science. She now works as a software engineer for a bioinformat-ics consulting company in Maryland. Elena is married and she and her husband have a son, Michael. Michael is currently attend-ing preschool at a reform synagogue in their neighborhood and loves it. Yana graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a major in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. She works as a patent agent for the United States Patent and Trademark Office in northern Virginia and she recently got married. Yana and her husband are members of Temple Beth Emeth in Virginia. Finally, Sema turned 97 years old in December and she is thriving at He-brew Rehabilitation Center in Boston.

The Gordin Family Leonid and Yana Gordin came to the Boston area in 1987 togeth-er with Yana’s parents Naum and Tsilya Gordin and their young daughters Rashel and Karina. Leonid’s parents, Boris Baran and Ester Krupnik arrived in Boston in 1990.

Leonid and Yana live in Wayland, MA. Leonid is a physician at Mt. Auburn Hospital. Yana is an RN working at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Rashel graduated from Chicago School of Art. She is self-employed and lives in Chicago IL with her daughter - Maya (born in 2010). Karina graduated from Tufts with Masters of Art and from the College of Pharmacy. She is self-employed and lives in Wayland, MA. Daniel, born in 1992 (in Chicago, IL), currently is studying at UMass Amherst. All three children were educated in TST”s Religious School and cel-ebrated milestone moments with us.

Boris Baran died in 1997, Tsilya in 2009, and Naum in 2011. Ester Krupnik lives in Brighton, MA.

The Knobel/Prokupets Family Yaakov and Ala Knobel arrived in Boston from Moldavia in 1998 with their daughter Lana, son-in-law Anatoly, and young

granddaughter Inna. With great difficulty they transported Yaa-kov’s elderly mother, Fira, with them. Yaakov's skills and experi-ence in electrical engineering commanded high level employment with Doble Engineering in Watertown, MA where he worked for 18 years, traveling internationally for his work until his death in 2010. Ala worked in food catering; she died in 2008. Lana is a mechanical engineer, working at an architectural firm in Cam-bridge, Anatoly started a precision auto repair shop in Water-town, and Inna graduated from Brandeis and Tufts Dental School. In 1992, Anatoly's brother Vladimir joined the family in Boston together with his wife Fanya and their children Evelina and Ma-ya. Vladimir started a landscaping business and now works in construction. His first customers were Shir Tikva members from Wayland and Sudbury. Fanya is an RN. She is the Clinical Direc-tor of JFCS Home Care program that was recently acquired by Hebrew Senior Life. Evelina (Yankovski), a BU graduate, is a software engineer. She has two daughters: Gabriella (10) and Arianna (2). Maya Prokupets graduated from NYU Law School and practices in New York.

The Koyfman Family

The Koyfman family came to US in 1989: Lev, Yelena Yulikova, their children Olga and Andrew, and Yelena's mother, Galina. Lev Koyfman worked for a number of software companies in Greater Boston Area before retiring in 2013. Yelena worked in the medical field as an echo cardiographer for various hospitals and medical centers in Greater Boston Area and retired in 2011.

Olga is the Director of MA Senior Community Employment Pro-gram at the Mass. Executive Office of Elder Affairs and is a crea-tive artist. Her mural can be seen in Brookline at the intersection of Beacon and Harvard St. She has two daughters, Natalia (11) and Sasha (9). They live in Arlington MA.

Andrew got his PhD and MD from Brown University and MBA from Sloan School of Management at MIT. He is the Senior Di-rector of Corporate Consulting at EMC. He lives with his wife, son William (5) and triplets Anna, Vika, and Zoye (1) in Brook-line. Lena's mother Galina died in November 2014 at the age of 93.

Lev and Elvira Markov

Public information indicates that Lev lives in Cambridge. Elvira is deceased. Their daughter Yana attend McGill University. No other information is available.

Temple Shir Tikva


Knitzvah - Every Sunday

9 - 11 a.m.

Love to knit or always wanted to try it? Join us Sunday mornings in the Atrium. Like last year, in addition to the healing shawls we have made in the past, we will be making blankets and knitted animals for the children who will be staying at Temple Shir Tikva as part of Family Promise. No experience required!

Sisterhood Game Night

Thursday, November 5, 7:30 p.m. Do you like card games or board games? Come join us for a fun evening of games, wine and dessert. We will have a variety of games such as Sequence, Trivial Pursuit, Cranium, Pictionary, cards (Canasta, Rummy, Poker), maybe even Mah Jongg, or any other suggestions. Bring your friends and meet new ones!

Book Group to Discuss “Bloodlines”

Thursday, December 3, 7:30 p.m.

Sisterhood

dlidw � Gathering Israel

The Israel Connections Committee of TST

invites you to join us at Shir Tikva for a

Congregational Shabbat Dinner:

Reflections and Perceptions: The Reform Movement in Israel Today

featuring

Rabbi Neal Gold and Cantor Hollis Schachner

Friday, November 13, 7:30 p.m. (following Simchat Shabbat Services)

Catered Israeli Dinner

Rabbi Gold will share his experiences as a delegate to the World Zionist Congress

Cantor Schachner will share her experiences

as a Reform Jew living in Israel

Cost: $36 per person Make your dinner reservation online at

www.shirtikva.org/israelidinner by November 6

For more information, contact Amy Michaels ([email protected])

Roz Rosenthal ([email protected])

To help keep the cost of this program down, we ask that you please bring a bottle of wine or soda to share.

The Israel Connections Committee co-sponsors and organizes Israeli movie and dinner nights, speakers on Israel and Middle

East current events and festivities to celebrate Yom Ha-Atzmaut, Israel Independence Day. We share celebrations and religious

school classroom visits with our sister community in Israel, Temple Or Hadash in Haifa. We also support our community's participation in Israeli-related initiatives of the Greater Boston Jewish community, particularly the Combined Jewish Philan-

thropies' (CJP) Boston-Haifa Connection.

Sisterhood Book Group will meet for a stimulating and engaging discussion of Bloodlines by Neville Frankel. From the Jewish Book Council sum-mary: “Bloodlines, an apartheid era novel, raises universal questions about the bond between mother and child, regardless of distance or age, and the limits of tolerance and forgiveness. The full summary can be found here: http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/Bloodlines?A=SearchResult&SearchID=19038564&ObjectID=6509506&ObjectType=35 In addition to a lively discussion, we will also pick additional books to read through the year. So please bring your ideas or submit them to [email protected]

Temple Shir Tikva


In Our Community

JFS Healthy Aging Lunch and Learn Wednesday, November 18, noon to 1:30 p.m. Temple Israel, 145 Hartford Street, Natick

"Shifting Gears---Driving Safely"

Presented by Michele Ellicks, Community Outreach Coordi-nator for the Registry of Mo-tor Vehicles

Kosher lunch is $3 in advance or $5 at the door Register by calling 508-875-3100x.36 or online:

https://jfsofmetrowest.wufoo.com/forms/jfs-lunch-and-learn-11182015/

Rabbi Gold, on the 20th Anniversary of the death of Yitzhak Rabin (continued from page 1)

I’ll never forget watching the signing of the Oslo Accords from my Jersey City apartment, a few days before Rosh HaShana in 1993. President Clinton presided over the signing of the first-ever treaty between the Israelis and Palestinians. There was Rabin, and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and Yasir Arafat—the man with more Jewish blood on his hands than any individual since Hitler. And when the time came after the signing, there was a moment of great tension: Would Rabin shake Arafat’s hand, this man who had been his sworn enemy for decades? His body language said it all: Every sinew in his body was ambivalent, but still he stuck out his hand and they shook.

On the night of the peace rally in 1995, the scene at the White House already felt like distant history. There had been renewed waves of violence, and the peace process needed an infusion of spirit. Just before he was shot, Rabin joined the crowd in singing the anthem of the Israeli peace movement, “Shir L’shalom.” While the song was anthemic to the peace activists, Rabin was unfamiliar with it, and sang the words off a lyric sheet in his hand. Even then, he knew that negotiating peace was the only way forward for any sort of acceptable future—but it was a cold, hard-earned peace.

Where does that leave us today? The world of the Middle East is a different, nastier place than it was 20 years ago. Israel has prospered; it has become a technological giant and its people were recently recognized as the 5th happiest population in the world, as measured by an international “happiness index.” (The USA was not ranked in the top 10.) Nevertheless, there are perpetual battles with terrorists on the northern border and in Gaza; there’s always a wary eye on the regime in Egypt; and, of course, the shadow of nuclearized ayatollahs in Iran. The Jewish settlements of the West Bank have multiplied. And in the past few weeks, the Palestinian street was seething again as a new wave of violence and terrorist attacks unfolded.

I believe that Rabin’s legacy is one of practical, centrist-based peacemaking. It will take an incredible amount of vision, fortitude, and bravery to put such a vision into place. Unfortunately, the world does not seem to be blessed with visionary leaders on any side today.

In the meantime, I am haunted by the old warrior’s words that he intoned on the White House lawn the day he signed the Oslo Accords. He said:

Let me say to you, the Palestinians: We are destined to live together, on the same soil in the same land. We, the soldiers who have returned from battle stained with blood, we who have seen our relatives and friends killed before our eyes, we who have attended their funerals and cannot look into the eyes of their parents, we who have come from a land where parents bury their children, we who have fought against you, the Palestinians - we say to you today in a loud and clear voice: Enough of blood and tears. Enough….

….In the Jewish tradition, it is customary to conclude our prayers with the word “Amen.” With your permission, men of peace, I shall conclude with words taken from the prayer recited by Jews daily, and I ask the entire audience to join me in saying “Amen”: Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu, v’al kol yisrael, v’imru Amen. May He who makes peace in His high heavens grant peace to us and to all Israel. Amen.

We’re still waiting for that “Amen.”

Temple Shir Tikva


Donations

Adult Learning Fund

•Ken and Cheryl Chernack - in memory of Charlotte Beck, mother of Karen Langwe-ber

•Mark and Joan Lappin - in honor of the birth of Beatrice Caroline Zeskind, grand-daughter of Dale and Dianne Zeskind

Annual Fund •Ilya and Alla Bass •Bentsion and Irina Boverman •Michael and Beverly Kaye •Stephen and Janet Lipkin •Daniel Miller •Steve and Jae Rosenstein •Michael and Lisa Safran •Michael and Jenny Schreiber •Norman and Ruth Stavisky •Ricky and Ellen Blocker - in honor of the birth of Zoe Swarz, granddaughter of Bob and Lonnie Swarz

•Ricky and Ellen Blocker- in honor of the marriage of Jessica Kivnik, daughter of Alan and Sharon Kivnik, to Marc Newland

•Martin and Ellen Herbordt - in honor of Joan Warshaw on her 90th birthday

•Kate Bell and Robert Koster- wishing a speedy recovery to Heidi Tissenbaum

•Marilyn Porter - in honor of the birth of Zoe Swarz, granddaughter of Bob and Lonnie Swarz

•Franklin Rosen and Karen Zeff Rosen - in appreciation of the staff and clergy at Temple Shir Tikva

•Larry and Jane Salk - in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of Kendall Geffen, daughter of Lewis Geffen and Margot Geffen

•Joan Blair and Donald Schuler - in honor of the engagement of Leah Bellman, daughter of Robert and Carole Bellman to Kyle Miller

•Jonathan and Megan Smith - in apprecai-tion of Rabbi Gubitz

•Alexandra Statland - in honor of the new preschool

•Ricky and Ellen Blocker - in memory of Lelene Volk, mother of Mark Volk

•Mo and Amanda Glynn - in memory of Donald Steingisser, father of Lee Steingisser

•Wayne and Judy Keseberg - in memory of Richard Misch

•Bruce and Joyce Pastor - in memory of Lelene Volk, mother of Mark Volk

•Donald Schuter and Joan Blair - in honor of the engagement of Leah Bellman, daughter of Bob and Carole Bellman, to Kyle Miller

•Stephen and Trudy Sonis - in memory of Rita Govenar

•Abraham and Ana Wons - in memory of Alberto Lewkowicz, brother of Ana Wons

In honor of the marriage of Richard Friedman and Nancy Goldstone

•William Richmond •Abraham and Ana Wons In honor of the marriage of Miles Bell-man, son of Robert and Carole Bellman, to Leah Hess

•Robert Koster and Kate Bell •Ricky and Ellen Blocker •Joan Blair and Donald Schuler •Stephen and Trudy Sonis •Lee-Ann Yolin In memory of Charlotte Beck, mother of Karen Langweber

•Ricky and Ellen Blocker •Bruno Berszoner and Jen Cobe •Mo and Amanda Glynn •Peter and Nancy Gossels •Marilyn Newman •Judy Riegelhaupt •Larry and Jane Salk •Robert and Myra Snyder •Stephen and Trudy Sonis In memory of Betty Ann Miller, wife of Daniel Miller

•Ricky and Ellen Blocker •Peter and Nancy Gossels •Kate Bell and Robert Koster •Michael and Alexandra Mirman •Judy Riegelhaupt •Stephen and Trudy Sonis In memory of Jacqueline Salk, mother of Larry Salk

•Ricky and Ellen Blocker •Bruce and Joyce Pastor •Stephen and Trudy Sonis •Joan Warshaw In memory of Mia Corton, mother of Mitch Corton

•Cary and Susan Benjamin •Bruno Berszoner and Jen Cobe

•Richard and Diane Tutin Building and Furnishings Fund Jeff and Karen Miller - in honor of the marriage of Miles Bellman, son of Bob and Carole Bellman, to Leah Hess Cantor’s Discretionary Fund

•Robert and Carole Bellman - in apprecia-tion of Cantor Schachner

•Lewis Geffen - in appreciation of Cantor Schachner

•Joe and Dana Volman - in appreciation of Cantor Schachner and the warmth and love she brought to Skylar Volman's Bat Mitzvah

•Marc and Diane Homer - in memory of Eva and Morris Homer, grandparents of Marc Homer

Kesher Fund

•Martin and Carol Shulman - in memory of Jacqueline Salk, mother of Larry Salk

Music Fund

•Robert and Myra Snyder - in memory of Charlotte Beck, mother of Karen Langwe-ber

•Robert and Myra Snyder - in memory of Betty Ann Miller, wife of Dan Miller

•Rhonda Magier-Cohen - in memory of their beloved Howard JS Magier, from his Sunshines

Rabbi Gold’s Discretionary Fund

•Roddy Bernstein •Larry and Jane Salk •Lewis Geffen - in appreciation of Rabbi Gold

•Vladimir and Lena Savikovsky - in honor of the birth of their grandson, Yali Simon Zolotnitsky

•Vladimir and Lena Savikovsky - in memory of Semyon Sirotin, father of Lena Savikovsky

•Michael and Alexandra Mirman - in memory of Semyon Sirotin, father of Lena Savikovsky

Rabbi Gubitz’s Discretionary Fund

•Joe and Dana Volman - in appreciation of Rabbi Gubitz for the support and guidance given to Skylar Volman to help her to deliver an educational and moving Drash at her Bat Mitzvah

Rabbi Herman and Paula Blumberg URJ Camp Scholarship Fund

•Jerome and Susan Haber - in memory of Shirley Sporn, mother of Susan Haber, on her yartzeit

Ritual Fund

•Norman and Alison Axelrod - in memory of Charlotte Beck, mother of Karen Langweber

School Enrichment Fund

•Richard and Diane Tutin - in memory of Stephen Meterparel, father of Jon Me-terparel

Social Action Fund

•Lee-Ann Yolin - in honor of the Bar Mitz-vah of Jonah Flaggert, son of Robert Flaggert and Jessica Fein

•Mo and Amanda Glynn - in appreciation of Amy Podolsky

Temple Shir Tikva


Julie Kniznik, President [email protected]

Neal D. Gold, Rabbi [email protected]

Jennifer Gubitz, Associate Rabbi [email protected]

Herman J. Blumberg, Rabbi Emeritus [email protected]

Hollis Schachner, Cantor [email protected]

Susan Malman Altman, Executive Director [email protected]

Beverly Klau, Religious School Principal [email protected]

Rhonda Magier-Cohen [email protected] Curriculum and Family Education Director

Rachael Pass, Director of Youth Engagement [email protected]

Karen Edwards, Asst. to the Rabbis & Cantor [email protected]

Toni Spitzer, Office Administrator [email protected]

Elizabeth Suga, Education Coordinator [email protected]

Temple Shir Tikva Early Learning Center [email protected] 508-358-4331

Sandy Gold, Early Learning Center Director [email protected]

Pam Knowles, ELC Administrator [email protected]

Joan Blair, Website Editor [email protected] 508-358-4024

Peggi Cohen, Hineni Editor [email protected] 339-222-2454

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism and the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts

141 Boston Post Road Wayland, MA 01778

U.S. Postage Paid

Non-Profit Org

Permit No. 33

Wayland, MA

In Our Congregation

Mazel Tov to…

Alan and Sharon Kivnick on the marriage of their daughter, Jessica Kivnick to Marc Newland

Robert and Carole Bellman on the engagement of their daughter, Leah Bellman to Kyle Miller

Richard Friedman and Nancy Goldstone on their marriage

Maurice and Dena Hamilburg on the marriage of their daughter, Danielle Hamilburg to Adam Hanna

Bob and Lonnie Swarz on the birth of their granddaughter, Zoe Rose Swarz, daughter of Mark Swarz and Erin Mahony

Condolences to…

David Gitlin on the death of his mother, Audrey Gitlin

Jon Meterparel on the death of his father, Stephen Meterparel

Paul Schejtman on the death of his mother, Haydee Schejtman

Mark Volk on the death of his mother, Lelene Volk

December Hineni Deadline

Friday, November 6

Email articles and photos to Peggi Cohen, Hineni editor, at [email protected]

Office Hours

School Office Temple Office .

Monday/Tuesday………… 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.…………….9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday…………………9 a.m. - 8 p.m.…………….9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Thursday…………………... 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.…………….9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Friday………………………9 a.m. - 2 p.m.…………….9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sunday………………… 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Office Closings: November 11, Veterans’ Day

November 26 & 27, Thanksgiving (Office closes at 2 p.m. on November 25)

on the 20th anniversary of the death of yitzhak rabin ל ז · aviv—the largest rally for peace...

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